Genesis:3

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* Verse 1-5 - Satan assaulted our first parents , to draw them to sin , and the temptation proved fatal to them . The tempter was the devil , in the shape and likeness of a serpent . Satan 's plan was to draw our first parents to sin , and so to separate between them and their God . Thus the devil was from the beginning a murderer , and the great mischief maker . The person tempted was the woman : it was Satan 's policy to enter into talk with her when she was alone . There are many temptations to which being alone gives great advantage ; but the communion of saints tends very much to their strength and safety . Satan took advantage by finding her near the forbidden tree . They that would not eat the forbidden fruit , must not come near the forbidden tree . Satan tempted Eve , that by her he might tempt Adam . It is his policy to send temptations by hands we do not suspect , and by those that have most influence upon us . Satan questioned whether it were a sin or not , to eat of this tree . He did not disclose his design at first , but he put a question which seemed innocent . Those who would be safe , need to be shy of talking with the tempter . He quoted the command wrong . He spoke in a taunting way . The devil , as he is a liar , so he is a scoffer from the beginning ; and scoffers are his children . It is the craft of Satan to speak of the Divine law as uncertain or unreasonable , and so to draw people to sin ; it is our wisdom to keep up a firm belief of God 's command , and a high respect for it . Has God said , Ye shall not lie , nor take his name in vain , nor be drunk , &c .? Yes , I am sure he has , and it is well said ; and by his grace I will abide by it . It was Eve 's weakness to enter into this talk with the serpent : she might have perceived by his question , that he had no good design , and should therefore have started back . Satan teaches men first to doubt , and then to deny . He promises advantage from their eating this fruit . He aims to make them discontented with their present state , as if it were not so good as it might be , and should be . No condition will of itself bring content , unless the mind be brought to it . He tempts them to seek preferment , as if they were fit to be gods . Satan ruined himself by desiring to be like the Most High , therefore he sought to infect our first parents with the same desire , that he might ruin them too . And still the devil draws people into his interest , by suggesting to them hard thoughts of God , and false hopes of advantage by sin . Let us , therefore , always think well of God as the best good , and think ill of sin as the worst evil : thus let us resist the devil , and he will flee from us . * Verse 6-8 - Observe the steps of the transgression : not steps upward , but downward toward the pit . 1 . She saw . A great deal of sin comes in at the eye . Let us not look on that which we are in danger of lusting after , Matthew strkjv @5:28 . 2 . She took . It was her own act and deed . Satan may tempt , but he cannot force ; may persuade us to cast ourselves down , but he cannot cast us down , Matthew strkjv @4:6 . 3 . She did eat . When she looked perhaps she did not intend to take ; or when she took , not to eat : but it ended in that . It is wisdom to stop the first motions of sin , and to leave it off before it be meddled with . 4 . She gave it also to her husband with her . Those that have done ill , are willing to draw in others to do the same . 5 . He did eat . In neglecting the tree of life , of which he was allowed to eat , and eating of the tree of knowledge , which was forbidden , Adam plainly showed a contempt of what God had bestowed on him , and a desire for what God did not see fit to give him . He would have what he pleased , and do what he pleased . His sin was , in one word , disobedience , Romans strkjv @5:19 . disobedience to a plain , easy , and express command . He had no corrupt nature within , to betray him ; but had a freedom of will , in full strength , not weakened or impaired . He turned aside quickly . He drew all his posterity into sin and ruin . Who then can say that Adam 's sin had but little harm in it ? When too late , Adam and Eve saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit . They saw the happiness they fell from , and the misery they were fallen into . They saw a loving God provoked , his grace and favour forfeited . See her what dishonour and trouble sin is ; it makes mischief wherever it gets in , and destroys all comfort . Sooner or later it will bring shame ; either the shame of true repentance , which ends in glory , or that shame and everlasting contempt , to which the wicked shall rise at the great day . See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned . They have more care to save their credit before men , than to obtain their pardon from God . The excuses men make to cover and lessen their sins , are vain and frivolous ; like the aprons of fig-leaves , they make the matter never the better : yet we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam . Before they sinned , they would have welcomed God 's gracious visits with humble joy ; but now he was become a terror to them . No marvel that they became a terror to themselves , and full of confusion . This shows the falsehood of the tempter , and the frauds of his temptations . Satan promised they should be safe , but they cannot so much as think themselves so ! Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters to each other ! * Verse 9-13 - Observe the startling question , Adam , where art thou ? Those who by sin go astray from God , should seriously consider where they are ; they are afar off from all good , in the midst of their enemies , in bondage to Satan , and in the high road to utter ruin . This lost sheep had wandered without end , if the good Shepherd had not sought after him , and told him , that where he was straying he could not be either happy or easy . If sinners will but consider where they are , they will not rest till they return to God . It is the common fault and folly of those that have done ill , when questioned about it , to acknowledge only that which is so manifest that they cannot deny it . Like Adam , we have reason to be afraid of approaching to God , if we are not covered and clothed with the righteousness of Christ . Sin appears most plainly in the glass of the commandment , therefore God set it before Adam ; and in it we should see our faces . But instead of acknowledging the sin in its full extent , and taking shame to themselves , Adam and Eve excuse the sin , and lay the shame and blame on others . There is a strange proneness in those that are tempted , to say , they are tempted of God ; as if our abuse of God 's gifts would excuse our breaking God 's laws . Those who are willing to take the pleasure and profit of sin , are backward to take the blame and shame of it . Learn hence , that Satan 's temptations are all beguilings ; his arguments are all deceits ; his allurements are all cheats ; when he speaks fair , believe him not . It is by the deceitfulness of sin the heart is hardened . See Romans strkjv @7:11 . Hebrews strkjv @3:13 . But though Satan 's subtlety may draw us into sin , yet it will not justify us in sin . Though he is the tempter , we are the sinners . Let it not lessen our sorrow for sin , that we were beguiled into it ; but let it increase our self-indignation , that we should suffer ourselves to be deceived by a known cheat , and a sworn enemy , who would destroy our souls . mhcc @Genesis:3:14 ,15 @ Verse 14 ,15 - God passes sentence ; and he begins where the sin began , with the serpent . The devil 's instruments must share in the devil 's punishments . Under the cover of the serpent , the devil is sentenced to be degraded and accursed of God ; detested and abhorred of all mankind : also to be destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer , signified by the breaking of his head . War is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent . It is the fruit of this enmity , that there is a continual warfare between grace and corruption , in the hearts of God 's people . Satan , by their corruptions , buffets them , sifts them , and seeks to devour them . Heaven and hell can never be reconciled , nor light and darkness ; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul . Also , there is a continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world . A gracious promise is here made of Christ , as the Deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan . Here was the drawn of the gospel day : no sooner was the wound given , than the remedy was provided and revealed . This gracious revelation of a Saviour came unasked , and unlooked for . Without a revelation of mercy , giving some hope of forgiveness , the convinced sinner would sink into despair , and be hardened . By faith in this promise , our first parents , and the patriarchs before the flood , were justified and saved . Notice is given concerning Christ . 1 . His incarnation , or coming in the flesh . It speaks great encouragement to sinners , that their Saviour is the Seed of the woman , bone of our bone , Hebrews strkjv @2:11 ,14 . 2 . His sufferings and death ; pointed at in Satan 's bruising his heel , that is , his human nature . And Christ 's sufferings are continued in the sufferings of the saints for his name . The devil tempts them , persecutes and slays them ; and so bruises the heel of Christ , who is afflicted in their afflictions . But while the heel is bruised on earth , the Head is in heaven . 3 . His victory over Satan thereby . Christ baffled Satan 's temptations , rescued souls out of his hands . By his death he gave a fatal blow to the devil 's kingdom , a wound to the head of this serpent that cannot be healed . As the gospel gains ground , Satan falls . * Verse 16-19 - The woman , for her sin , is condemned to a state of sorrow , and of subjection ; proper punishments of that sin , in which she had sought to gratify the desire of her eye , and of the flesh , and her pride . Sin brought sorrow into the world ; that made the world a vale of tears . No wonder our sorrows are multiplied , when our sins are so . He shall rule over thee , is but God 's command , Wives , be subject to your own husbands . If man had not sinned , he would always have ruled with wisdom and love ; if the woman had not sinned , she would always have obeyed with humility and meekness . Adam laid the blame on his wife ; but though it was her fault to persuade him to eat the forbidden fruit , it was his fault to hearken to her . Thus men 's frivolous pleas will , in the day of God 's judgment , be turned against them . God put marks of displeasure on Adam . 1 . His habitation is cursed . God gave the earth to the children of men , to be a comfortable dwelling ; but it is now cursed for man 's sin . Yet Adam is not himself cursed , as the serpent was , but only the ground for his sake . 2 . His employments and enjoyments are imbittered to him . Labour is our duty , which we must faithfully perform ; it is part of man 's sentence , which idleness daringly defies . Uneasiness and weariness with labour are our just punishment , which we must patiently submit to , since they are less than our iniquity deserves . Man 's food shall become unpleasant to him . Yet man is not sentenced to eat dust as the serpent , only to eat the herb of the field . 3 . His life also is but short ; considering how full of trouble his days are , it is in favour to him that they are few . Yet death being dreadful to nature , even when life is unpleasant , that concludes the punishment . Sin brought death into the world : if Adam had not sinned , he had not died . He gave way to temptation , but the Saviour withstood it . And how admirably the satisfaction of our Lord Jesus , by his death and sufferings , answered the sentence passed on our first parents ! Did travailing pains come with sin ? We read of the travail of Christ 's soul , Isaiah strkjv @53:11 . and the pains of death he was held by , are so called , Acts strkjv @2:24 . Did subjection came in with sin ? Christ was made under the law , Galatians strkjv @4:4 . Did the curse come in with sin ? Christ was made a curse for us , he died a cursed death , Galatians strkjv @3:13 . Did thorns come in with sin ? He was crowned with thorns for us . Did sweat come in with sin ? He sweat for us , as it had been great drops of blood . Did sorrow come in with sin ? He was a man of sorrows ; his soul was , in his agony , exceeding sorrowful . Did death come in with sin ? He became obedient unto death . Thus is the plaster as wide as the wound . Blessed be God for his Son our Lord Jesus Christ . mhcc @Genesis:3:20 ,21 @ Verse 20 ,21 - God named the man , and called him Adam , which signifies red earth ; Adam named the woman , and called her Eve , that is , life . Adam bears the name of the dying body , Eve of the living soul . Adam probably had regard to the blessing of a Redeemer , the promised Seed , in calling his wife Eve , or life ; for He should be the life of all believers , and in Him all the families of the earth should be blessed . See also God 's care for our first parents , notwithstanding their sin . Clothes came in with sin . Little reason have we to be proud of our clothes , which are but the badges of our shame . When God made clothes for our first parents , he made them warm and strong , but coarse and very plain ; not robes of scarlet , but coats of skin . Let those that are meanly clad , learn from hence not to complain . Having food and a covering , let them be content ; they are as well off as Adam and Eve . And let those that are finely clad , learn not to make the putting on of apparel their adorning . The beasts , from whose skins they were clothed , it is supposed were slain , not for man 's food , but for sacrifice , to typify Christ , the great Sacrifice . Adam and Eve made for themselves aprons of fig-leaves , a covering too narrow for them to wrap themselves in , Isaiah strkjv @28:20 . Such are all the rags of our own righteousness . But God made them coats of skin , large , strong , durable , and fit for them : such is the righteousness of Christ ; therefore put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ . * Verse 22-24 - God bid man go out ; told him he should no longer occupy and enjoy that garden : but man liked the place , and was unwilling to leave it , therefore God made him go out . This signified the shutting out of him , and all his guilty race , from that communion with God , which was the bliss and glory of paradise . But man was only sent to till the ground out of which he was taken . He was sent to a place of toil , not to a place of torment . Our first parents were shut out from the privileges of their state of innocency , yet they were not left to despair . The way to the tree of life was shut . It was henceforward in vain for him and his to expect righteousness , life , and happiness , by the covenant of works ; for the command of that covenant being broken , the curse of it is in full force : we are all undone , if we are judged by that covenant . God revealed this to Adam , not to drive him to despair , but to quicken him to look for life and happiness in the promised Seed , by whom a new and living way into the holiest is laid open for us . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

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