The motivation for the devil's jealousy lay in the exquisite form of the man who resided in the Garden of Eden. Although the devil had once been granted grace, he was unable to hold onto it and thus became envious of humanity. He was troubled that someone created from dust and placed in paradise was chosen by God. The devil noted that while he, having a higher essence, had succumbed to a fallen state, humanity, as a being of lesser stature, had faith in the eternal Creator.
As a creature susceptible to many passions, humanity allows pleasure to infiltrate feelings and experiences in a deceitful, serpent-like fashion. This is why St. Moses represented pleasure as a serpent: it insinuates itself into the human heart with a slithering motion rather than walking upright. Pleasure, akin to the serpent, feeds on dust, oblivious to heavenly sustenance. It consumes earthly desires, morphs into various forms of lust, and creeps into hidden places. With its venomous bite, it poisons every hedonistic individual, bringing death to the indulgent and to those who squander their lives.
The devil's intent was to ensnare Adam, not by approaching him directly, but through his wife. He did not confront Adam, who had received the divine command with understanding, but instead targeted her, who had been instructed about the commandment, not by God, but through her husband. The Scriptures do not record that God spoke to the woman; rather, He spoke to Adam. This suggests that the woman adopted the commandment from her husband’s teachings.
God indicates that the serpent was the craftiest of creations, serving as a representation of our adversary, whose wisdom is of this present age. This wisdom embodies lust and carnal pleasure, as it stands in opposition to the divine will. Scripture states, "The wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God" (Romans 8:7). Therefore, those who are greedy in their desires often craft numerous ways to pursue pleasure. It can be concluded that the pursuit of pleasure goes against God's commandments and corrupts our understanding and senses. St. Paul observes, “I see another law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin” (Romans 7:23).
It should not be overlooked that the root of the devil's animosity towards humanity is envy, as declared in the words of Solomon: "By the envy of the devil, death entered the world" (Wisdom 2:24). The devil resented the joy of man, who was placed in paradise by God, especially because he failed to preserve the grace he had once been given. He envied that man, made from clay, was selected to dwell in paradise. The devil could not reconcile why he, a participant in a higher nature, had been cast down while man, a lesser being, was granted the promise of eternal life. The devil’s envy breeds hatred: “How can someone of a lesser nature acquire what I failed to maintain! He will ascend from earth to heaven while I have fallen to the ground.”
The devil believes he can ensnare humanity, crafted from dust, whose very existence is subject to decay. Although man’s soul shares in a higher essence, it is bound by its corporeal existence and can stumble just as the devil has. The primary opportunity for the devil to ensnare man lies in his yearning for more than what befits his nature. This longing poses a means for the devil to fulfill his sinister objectives. Furthermore, it is intrinsic to human nature to covet what is not possessed.
The devil's approach was cunning; he did not initiate with Adam but sought initially to capture him through his wife. He directed his attention to the one who had been instructed by her husband, not by divine revelation. The Scriptures do not record prohibitive words directed at the woman, but rather at Adam. Thus, the commandment was imparted to her through her husband. This passage of Scripture illustrates one form of temptation, while others manifest directly from the ruler of this dark world, who infuses deceptive wisdom into humanity so that falsehood is misperceived as truth.
The enemy shrouds himself in ambiguity, often veiling his intentions under a façade of love, subtly planting harmful thoughts in our minds. These deceptive whispers give rise to sins borne from the pursuit of pleasure or triviality. Numerous spiritual foes engage in battle with us, as the apostle noted: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). They exert relentless effort to bring our spirits to ruin in this conflict.
Like a skilled athlete, Paul learned to not only evade powerful blows but also to overcome his adversaries: “I do not run as one who beats the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26). The devil employs a variety of deceptive tactics, utilizing the serpent’s duplicitous speech that reflects the malice within his heart. The lord speaks of these minions: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?” (Matthew 12:34).
The serpent asked the woman, "Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’” and she responded, “Of the fruit of the trees in the garden we may eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die’” (Genesis 3:1-3).
The serpent was indeed more cunning than all the beasts; he misrepresented God's command as he twisted truth with lies. God had said, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). However, the serpent deceptively constricted this command, saying you shall not eat from any tree, distorting the original intent.
This moment highlights the purity of God's commandment and illustrates the danger of modifying it, even in the guise of clarification. Sticking to the commandment without addition or deletion is crucial, for altering it leads to transgression. The integrity of God's commandments must remain intact, substantiated by multiple testimonies.
It is often seen that adding one's interpretation can damage the reliability of the witness. The commandment given by God must be upheld as it stands. While the woman’s addition, "Neither shall you touch it," appears harmless, it strayed from God’s specific instruction not to eat of the tree. It was with this modification that sin took root. The woman may have simply appended, or from the nature of her addition, she might have felt that God provided her with an incomplete directive.
This passage serves as a pivotal lesson in the importance of adhering solely to God’s commandments. John cautions, "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life" (Revelation 22:18-19).
It is imperative that we respect the sanctity of divine instruction since the initial transgression links to it. Many conjecture that the fault lies not with the woman but with Adam, who, in an effort to instill caution, conveyed God's command as, "You shall not touch it." However, we recognize that Adam received the command from God directly before the creation of the woman. Scripture does not record the specific phrasing Adam used with her, yet we understand that the foundational content of the prohibition came from him.
This analysis acknowledges the woman’s transgression, from which sin originated. While the exact phrasing of Adam's command is not disclosed, the inherent distinctions between genders suggest a predisposition toward error (1 Timothy 2:14). We now ponder if the addition to the command may have clouded comprehension.
If the phrase “you shall not touch it” could prove beneficial as a form of caution, one might wonder why God did not constrain it Himself, thereby implying permission by His silence regarding touch. The intention behind God’s lack of a strict prohibition may stem from the understanding that knowledge of good and evil is layered with complexity; God may not have wished for us to engage in evil.
We must heed the words of the Lord regarding Satan's fall: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). The fallen one is not sustenance for the children of light, but rather for those of darkness, as noted, “He gave them as food to the nations” (Psalm 73:14).
This perspective might elucidate why God did not impose strict prohibitions regarding what to touch. Consider the case of a pagan who converts to faith and endeavors to comprehend doctrine thoroughly. They should take care not to choose poor teachers, like Photinus or Arius, which would hinder their progress in seeking truth.
It is wise for one to first survey their path with discernment, acknowledging the pursuit of true life, and cautiously engaging with the life-giving Scripture, so as not to be misled by erroneous interpretations. Discerning readers should grasp the essence of God's message independently, able to withstand misinterpretations from misleading teachers.
If one were to explore Scripture yet struggle to comprehend God’s instructions, they may find themselves worse off than if they had never read it. Such reflections illustrate that the Word of God should be approached with care and diligence. The apostle reflects on this process: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life…” (1 John 1:1).
The apostle first encounters the Word of God through tangible experience before proclaiming its truth. Both Adam and Eve would have benefited from a careful examination and understanding of God's command before approaching the forbidden fruit. Even in their initial innocence, they should have contemplated and scrutinized the essence of that fruit’s knowledge.
In Scripture, we are reminded of the devil's schemes, guiding us to be proactive in avoiding his snares. Through a misreading of God's pronouncement, some might question whether all trees were permissible for consumption, including the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is indeed detrimental to consume the forbidden fruit; however, a deeper understanding is necessary.
Much like the medicinal properties derived from the venom of a snake, understanding of good and evil may have value when blended with a steadfast commitment to Life and righteousness. Thus, it could be argued that God did not prohibit the consumption of the knowledge of good and evil altogether but cautioned against it when isolated from other fruits.
Upon revealing to Adam the consequence of their disobedience—“Who told you that you were naked, have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” (Genesis 3:11)—one might speculate that such interpretations could have arisen if the woman had chosen not to engage in discourse and assert, “God has said you shall not eat…” (Genesis 3:3).
While the woman’s faith may appear shaky, I do not dismiss Adam’s virtues, for he too engaged with the other trees before the original sin. To reject Adam would imply condemning all humanity since man remained innocent until he embraced the knowledge of good and evil.
It is written: “Unless you are converted and become like little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). A child, when confronted with evil, refrains from retaliation; they do not respond to injury nor are they privy to the temptations of cunning or selfishness. The belief that knowing good and evil is suited for the perfected, not the imperfect, holds true.
THEOSIS