THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Let us consider the response of the accused. Adam declared, “The woman whom You provided, she offered me from the tree, and I consumed.” These unfortunate words evoke profound sympathy and can stir the compassion of the Lord, who is ever gentle and counters our transgressions with His mercy. In His infinite patience, God stirred Adam’s conscience, revealing to him the burden of his sin. In his defense, Adam states, “The wife whom You have given, she gave me from the tree, and I consumed.” He acknowledges his sinfulness, yet insinuates the wife's role in his downfall. "The wife whom You provided," he reflects. Was it reasonable to expect that she, created to be my support, would instead lead me to disgrace?
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You have brought her into my life; I did not compel her; she, for reasons unknown, offered me the fruit, and I consumed it. This reasoning appears to seek justification, yet it does not bring about absolution. To Adam, God responds, “What merit do you possess for forgiveness when you disregard My commandments, opting for what your wife has given instead of My directive? Even if your wife offered it, My command and the fear of retribution should have been enough to deter you from eating it. Are you unaware? Did you not grasp the seriousness of your situation? I spoke to instruct you, that you might avoid such a fate. Therefore, although your wife may have led you to disobey, you cannot absolve yourself of responsibility. You should have trusted My word and not only avoided eating the fruit yourself but also made your wife aware of her sin. You are her leader; she was made for you; yet you disrupted the divine order, failing not only to correct her but being led astray yourself. The body should submit to the head, yet in this instance, the head followed the body, and the highest authority was brought low. Because you have distorted this order, you find yourself in this degraded state, you who were once adorned with splendor. Who can adequately mourn the loss of such grace? In all that has befallen you, direct your blame solely towards yourself and your own negligence. Had you truly wished, your wife could not have led you to this demise. She did not compel, persuade, or lure you; she merely handed you the fruit, and you readily chose to eat it, disregarding My command entirely, believing that I sought to deceive you and restrict you from a greater blessing. Why would I deceive you, the one whom I have favored abundantly? The very guidance I provided was intended to help you avoid this calamity—a great favor indeed! Yet, you dismissed these gifts, leading to your deep understanding of your sin’s severity. Thus, attribute the fault not solely to your wife, but also to your own negligence.
Adam did not respond in embarrassment; he did not claim ignorance. Why not? “The wife whom You have provided, she offered me from the tree, and I consumed,” signifies that the wife intended as a helper led him to transgression. When I was formed and she was not yet created, I heard, “Let us make him a helper” (Gen. 2:18). He did not accuse her of deceit or falsehood. “She offered me from the tree, and I consumed.” Then God declared: Was it necessary for you to place your trust in her rather than Me? Did she merit more trust than I, who have bestowed upon you gifts and honored you through My actions, while she led you astray merely with her words?