Genesis 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Yes, has God said… I. ADAM, OR MAN. First, to trace this path in that world of thought and will which is within; for, to this day, when we sin nothing else is done but what is here set forth in the man, the woman, and the serpent. In this view the man is the understanding, the woman the will, the serpent some animal faculty or emotion in us — good when in subjection, but which may be a means, under the influence of the evil spirit, to tempt the will and lead it to disobedience and independence, and so to misery. For the will, not the understanding is that in us which is first assailed, seduced by some lower sense or emotion, which seems to promise more happiness. But for the will, the emotions would not be felt, but only thought about: but they are felt: hence they are passions; for we really suffer, though we should command, them. Only thus is man led away. II. MAN'S WAY. From God to self and independence. III. THE FRUIT OF MAN'S WAY. 1. A bad conscience. 2. An attempt to hide from God. 3. An attempt to clear self by throwing blame on some other one. 4. But there are other fruits of sin, more external, and having to do with man's body and his dwelling place. The earth is cursed, and henceforth sorrow and toil are to be man's due portion until he return to the dust whence he was taken; a lot which seems hard, and yet is mercy; by toil to draw man out of self, and then by death to destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil. 5. One consequence of sin remains, characteristic of the lot of man as man, namely, exclusion from paradise. Fallen man is driven out, lest as fallen he eat and live forever. This, too, is love. Old Adam is shut out, but the Seed can enter through the flaming sword and past the cherubim. IV. THE REMEDY FOR MAN. This too has stages, all of God; first a call, then a promise, then a gift, from Him. 1. First comes a call, a voice which will be heard, to convince man of his state, saying, "Where art thou?" A voice which may sound in different ways, but which in all is crying to draw man back again; at first only convicting of sin, yet by this very conviction laying the foundation for man's recovery; leading man to come to himself before it is too late, that he may come to his Father, and from Him receive another life; and asking, though man oft turns a deaf ear, why we are not with Him, who still loves and yearns over us. 2. Then comes a promise, full of grace and truth, touching the woman's Seed; a promise not to old Adam, for the old man is fallen and must pay the penalty — no reprieve is given to the flesh: the cross which saves us is Adam's condemnation — but a promise to the Seed or New Man, who shall be born, in and by whom man shall regain paradise. 3. God adds a gift — "The Lord God made them coats of skins and clothed them." Again He works, for sin had broken His rest; working, as ever, to restore blessedness; to cover not with fig-leaf screens only that part of our nakedness which is before each of us; but to give us, upon us, in token of our state — for the skins spoke of death, and so confessed trespass — a covering which, while it puts us in our place as sinful creatures, yet shelters us. (A. Jukes.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? |
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