Commentary: Naming as Epistemology, Not Authority

Ardavanis says:

"Adam is given the responsibility of naming Eve, providing indication of God's design of the male operating in leadership with responsibility."

The text gives its own stated purpose for the naming process: "But for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him" (Ge 2:20). God's purpose was not to establish dominion — it was to develop in Adam an awareness of relational categories through observation.

Adam was watching God create and reflecting back what he observed about the creatures — their nature, function, and connections. When Adam says "she shall be called isha because she was taken from ish," he is reflecting the source relationship God showed him, exactly as he did with the animals. This is epistemological reflection, not authority exercise.

The naming-as-authority framework collapses under its own logic: if naming = authority, then Hagar naming God ("El Roi," Ge 16:13) means Hagar exercises authority over God.

Additionally, Ardavanis wants it both ways on the command (Ge 2:15-17): the command was given to Adam alone (establishing his authority) but also applied to Eve (making her culpable). If only the direct recipient bears responsibility, Eve couldn't violate a command never given to her.