Cheryl Schatz

Don,

I just do not want to claim more than the text says.

That is why I believe it is vital that we do not claim that Eve added to God’s word since the text does not say this.

The integration of the 3 origins stories in Gen 1-5 is non-trivial and open to alternatives, as they do not state everything we might wish they did.

I prefer to see Genesis 1 & 2 as looking at creation from two different directions for two different purposes.  One would be the big picture while Genesis 2 hones in on some very important specifics.  We need to consider all of the inspired words when we make a conclusion regarding the women’s purpose and whether she sinned against Adam or against God.  We simply cannot charge her with sin without a good foundation for that charge from scripture itself.

I agree that the early chapters of Genesis do not give us every detail that we would like.  These chapters also do not give us every conversation that God had with Adam and his wife including what God said to Adam when he brought the woman to him.  However we do know one thing for sure.  This is that the details that we do have are there for our instruction and for our correction.  I think we have everything we need to make wise decisions and proper judgments regarding the charge of sin.

trying to force fit an answer in this case goes beyond the text.

I certainly agree.  We should not force a restriction on the woman or a charge or guilt against Eve into the text when the text gives no indication of this addition.  If there is evidence for a view, then we should allow a conclusion on the evidence.  If there is no evidence then we can dismiss a forced view onto the text.

Of course we can use all the inspired text and grammar and comparisons with pagan origins stories to help us do our best to try to see what it meant to the original reader.

Historical sources are very helpful but they are not the word of God.  I believe that the word of God comes first and we can also consider other sources but never to allow them to contradict the word of God.  For example Jewish stories allow for a second creation of the woman.  Adam’s first wife, according to their tradition, was Lilleth who was not submissive to Adam and left him.  If I remember the story right, she flew away into the sky.  I think she was also created from the dirt as Adam was.  So God then created a woman from Adam’s side and this was Eve.  There is much more in that tradition that can be of interest, but it cannot come alongside of scripture, nor can it add to the scripture something that the scripture does not allow for.

Yes, you are right that there were two trees in the middle of the garden.  We do know that only one tree in the middle of the garden was forbidden.  We know this because God gave Adam permission to eat from every tree except for one.  We also know that God gave Adam and his wife permission to eat from every tree that had seed bearing fruit.  This must mean that the tree of life also had seed bearing fruit as Adam was given permission to eat from it before sin entered the world.

Fascinating topics and very lively discussions.  It gets my mind going and I love to discussion these things with people who also love the Lord Jesus as I do and highly respect the inspired word.  Thanks!