Cheryl Schatz

PRIEST, welcome to my blog! You asked:

How did Eve know the rule about the tree?

We know in Genesis 1 that God speaks to both Adam and Eve about what they may eat. He gives them both permission to eat from every tree that has seed bearing fruit. This would encompass the prohibition also since logically the forbidden tree could not have seed bearing fruit. Since God spoke to both of them about what they could eat and since Eve quotes God’s words to the serpent about the forbidden fruit, by Eve’s testimony we know that she heard the command from God Himself.

If she was told it would not her response to the serpent be the first sin…lying?

No. It was Eve’s testimony that God said what she quoted and neither God nor Adam accused her of lying so her testimony stands as true. Somewhere God spoke these words to Adam and Eve together and His words are quoted and defended by the woman. There is no reason to believe that she lied.

How do we know where Adam was when Eve was being decieved?

The Bible says that Adam was “with” Eve when she took of the fruit. The Hebrew means: together with, in company with. He was right there by her side.

If Adam was there did he then commit a sin of omission letting his wife be tricked?

It was worse than just omission. If a watchman on the wall fails to warn the city, he isn’t guilty of omission. He is guilty of treason. God calls Adam’s sin as treachery in Hosea 6:7.

If the roles in a marriage are established scripturally why is there a debate about the roles of men and women in ministry? When all is said and done can we not tell by the fruit of the ministry if God is being honored by it?

Amen! The gift that comes from God Himself and the godly use of that gift is all that is needed to show the good fruit. Those who want to see this as contradicting another passage in Scripture should question whether it might be their own understanding of that Scripture that is in conflict with God’s gifts and the work of God’s Holy Spirit through any vessel that He chooses.