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Genesis 2-3 – The First Case of Adding to God’s Word
The first case of adding to God’s word is by Eve. God told Adam not to eat of the tree; Eve added not to touch (Genesis 2:17; 3:3). The following tries reimagining Eve’s mind based upon human experience. Hopefully I will not be guilty of doing what Eve is accused of – adding to the word.
Here is what I imagine happened. Eve’s extra law or protection or hedge leads to an unforeseen consequence – boldness of freedom from consequences.
What we know: 1) Remember God said “Do not eat or you will die.” 2) Eve added “Do not touch.” 3) Based on common sense we also know before Eve can eat the fruit and die what must she do? Touch it (a prohibition added by her). 4) What happens when she touches it according to the text? Nothing. Does she die physically immediately? Does she gain the wisdom she desired? Do her eyes open up to see her nakedness? Again nothing. This suggests touching was not God’s command.
Here is where I use a little imagination into Eve’s thinking. When she added a command and broke it without consequences that leads to confidence that God was wrong, the serpent was right, so she now has courage to go further: “I didn’t die after touching it, so maybe….” Then that’s when she broke God’s command, ate, and the consequences followed.
Eve added her own command and took away God’s. Here are our lessons: Don’t add to God’s word or take away. Don’t build a hedge around God’s law to protect from breaking it. When people leave the Lord and His church because man-made rules are enforced and broken, the serpent wins again, and the deceived have boldness to go further, disobey, and takeaway from God and His right to rule.
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