Genesis 3:1-5 (ESV)
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Devotional Meditation
"Did God really say...?" Bonhoeffer calls this the "first pious question." It is the first attempt of a creature to go behind the Word of God. The first attempt of a creature to understand the basis for God's Word rather than simply hearing and obeying it. It has the effect of seeming pious and sincere, but ultimately it sets up the creature to be the judge over the Creator. God's Word has been spoken, but now the creature must interpret. Must arbitrate. Must rationalize. Must explain. Must theologize. This, Bonhoeffer notes, is the true evil latent in the question. This is the seed of rebellion which will fall into the ground and bring forth thorns and thistles that will overtake the garden. The seed of rebellion which, once sown into the human heart, will produce a harvest of shame, fear, pain, sorrow, violence, and death.
Yet God will fight to get his creation back. His promise falls into the ears of the man and woman like a seed of hope. Many generations later, this seed would bring forth a new Adam. Another serpent would ask him those pious questions, but rather than speculate, explain, and theologize, this new Adam would respond with "It is written..." This new Adam would not attempt to get behind God's Word, but would trust it--obey it--even to the point of his death on a cross. The new Adam would commend his Spirit to the Father who had not given explanations, but promises. Who had promised to raise him up. To give him all authority. To give him a name above all names. Through the death and resurrection of this new Adam, God wins his creation back. He makes it new. He redeems it from the thorns and thistles. He plucks out the dead human heart, pulls up the blackened roots, and plants a new heart from which a new tree sprouts which brings forth good fruit.
Image Description (AI Prompt)
Imagine a scene in the style reminiscent of Caravaggio, where a seductive and intelligent serpent is coiled around the branches of a robust apple tree. The branches are heavy with ripe, red apples, each catching the light, embodying the chiaroscuro technique Caravaggio is known for. The serpent's scales reflect subtle shades of color, illuminated by a source of light casting stark contrasts across the scene. The ancient apple tree, its leaves lush and forming a canopy that dapples the ground below with shadows, is set within a dense forest. The composition's focus on dramatic light and shadow not only highlights the mystical qualities of the setting but also adds intrigue and depth.