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The Snake and Transgressing the Boundaries
This week we turn our attention to Genesis 3:1—7 where we meet “the pious Snake” (Bonhoeffer). He’s pious because he seems to be interested in God and God’s word. In fact, he even knows something behind God’s word.
I asked everyone to unhook our usual identification of the Snake with Satan just for the class because Genesis makes no such identification. It is true that the prophets/Revelation later make these types of identification, so to make the connection between the Snake and Satan is a scriptural way of speaking. But, as I tried to show, I think a hasty identification of Satan can blind us to what the text in Genesis is trying to get said. Particularly with theme of the “firstborns” being passed over and the “late comers” being favored/chosen.
But, as I mentioned in class, the comment section here on the newsletter would be a great place to have the discussion about the Snake, Satan, and any other question that we didn’t cover last night.
Finally, here are some of the diagrams I drew on the board last night.
Diagram 1:
Before the fall Adam’s life revolves around the Tree of Life (which is God). God is his center. The Tree of Knowledge is God’s boundary/barrier (God’s “no”) that Adam bumps up against, and this shows him he is not God (which is a good gift).
Diagram 2:
After the fall the center of Adam’s life is now replaced by Adam’s own knowledge of good and evil. Adam’s conscience is what his entire life is based on now. (The conscience is how we adjudicate between rightness/wrongness.) This makes him judge over his neighbors and himself. This is death.
Diagram 3:
The overcoming of the knowledge of good and evil is not the proper knowledge of good and evil, but the knowledge of Jesus himself. Jesus is the one who purifies the conscience of the worshiper (Heb. 9:14). The knowledge of Jesus becomes our center and he himself becomes our conscience. This lifts our burden of being judges over our neighbors and ourselves. This is life and freedom.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cameroncombs.substack.com
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By Cameron CombsThis week we turn our attention to Genesis 3:1—7 where we meet “the pious Snake” (Bonhoeffer). He’s pious because he seems to be interested in God and God’s word. In fact, he even knows something behind God’s word.
I asked everyone to unhook our usual identification of the Snake with Satan just for the class because Genesis makes no such identification. It is true that the prophets/Revelation later make these types of identification, so to make the connection between the Snake and Satan is a scriptural way of speaking. But, as I tried to show, I think a hasty identification of Satan can blind us to what the text in Genesis is trying to get said. Particularly with theme of the “firstborns” being passed over and the “late comers” being favored/chosen.
But, as I mentioned in class, the comment section here on the newsletter would be a great place to have the discussion about the Snake, Satan, and any other question that we didn’t cover last night.
Finally, here are some of the diagrams I drew on the board last night.
Diagram 1:
Before the fall Adam’s life revolves around the Tree of Life (which is God). God is his center. The Tree of Knowledge is God’s boundary/barrier (God’s “no”) that Adam bumps up against, and this shows him he is not God (which is a good gift).
Diagram 2:
After the fall the center of Adam’s life is now replaced by Adam’s own knowledge of good and evil. Adam’s conscience is what his entire life is based on now. (The conscience is how we adjudicate between rightness/wrongness.) This makes him judge over his neighbors and himself. This is death.
Diagram 3:
The overcoming of the knowledge of good and evil is not the proper knowledge of good and evil, but the knowledge of Jesus himself. Jesus is the one who purifies the conscience of the worshiper (Heb. 9:14). The knowledge of Jesus becomes our center and he himself becomes our conscience. This lifts our burden of being judges over our neighbors and ourselves. This is life and freedom.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cameroncombs.substack.com