Genesis3_1

Genesis 3:1

And the serpent was more crafty than any animal of the field that Jehovah Elohim had made. And it said to the woman, “Is it even so that God has said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

Before reading this verse, there is a basic concept that helps us grasp the main logic of this chapter. From the previous two chapters, there is a hidden meaning: power is the foundation for free will. If the Highest had not established the principle of free will, no created being could possess this privilege. Free will is not equal to power or ability. Free will allows a being to exist independently and to possess self-awareness, rather than being a mechanical robot or a mere appendage of a master. Therefore, there is a basic rule of free will in the universe: no one can force a free will to accept what it refuses, because Jehovah God maintains and upholds the operation of the universe.

There are three primary expressions of free will in the universe: God Elohim, Satan, and humans. Thus, there is a conflict among these three wills. God Elohim has His plan and work; Satan has his schemes and actions; and humans also have their own will. Free will does not mean that one has sufficient power to carry out one’s plans or purposes.

In fact, Satan began his activity before Adam guarded the garden of Eden. Perhaps Satan used deception to deceive the serpent and made it his instrument, uniting with it. That is why the serpent was more crafty than any animal of the field. Satan then used the serpent to approach the woman, employing the same deception he had used on the serpent.

Satan obscured the word of God by first turning it into a question. The phrase “Is it even so” is a rhetorical structure that is still widely used in society today.

Next, Satan used a distorted negative statement to confuse the woman: “You shall not eat of every tree,” instead of the original word of God. In doing so, he set God and humanity in opposition, causing the woman to doubt and activating her emotions. This method is also commonly used by governments to influence and control people.