The Fall
What do you see as the pride of the world? How does the world succumb to pride?
These verses begin with the apex of the second
creation story in Genesis, the creation of humanity. And, they end with
the temptation and fall of the first humans.
The story is familiar. God formed the first human
with mud of a misting spring. And God's breathe (his very Spirit)
brought him life. God placed the human into the lush garden of Eden
that had every fruit tree, including the "tree of knowledge." [2:7-9]
The missing verses described the beauty of the
garden, the responsibility of humanity (to farm the lands), the
humanity's cooperation in creation (naming of the animals), and the
creation that distinguished the genders. (2:10-25) The author noted the
first couple did not feel shame in their nakedness.
The first reading continued with the temptation.
The evil serpent had a dialogue with the woman. He tempted her with not
only with the illusion of desirable fruit, but with the possibility of
elevated stature. The first humans would have God's status, for they
would truly know good and evil. And they would never die.
Implicit in the temptation was the possibility that
God lied to the couple. God insisted that eating the fruit would lead
to death, because to truly know evil was to know death. But, how could
one really know death (i.e., experience it) without dying? The serpent
implied it was possible. God really lied. The first couple would become
divine. They could control creation just like the Almighty. And they
would not die. So, Eve ate the fruit and passed it to Adam. Adam ate.
Then the couple felt shame in their nakedness. [3:1-7]
There have been many interpretations of the Fall.
Only one could be mentioned at this point. The illusion of evil
appealed to false pride. Such pride replaced God with the self. The
inflated sense of importance overshadowed God and others. And made the
person the center of creation.
The cycle of illusion and pride are at the root of
all temptation. We are all afflicted with temptation. We all fall to
its illusions and its false ego-boosts. We all sin.
The fall of Adam and Eve is a template for the sins
we all commit. Yet in the cycle of temptation-sin lies a glimmer of
hope. The possibility that the cycle can be broken. That someone,
somewhere will see through the illusion, reject the ego-boost, and stop
the cycle dead in its tracks. We Christians find that person in Jesus
and that place in the desert, where Satan tested the Lord.
How have your walked in the footsteps of Adam? How does Christ walk with you now?
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