In which an alternative view is offered regarding the exit of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the action of women and the relationship of men and women are explored and the story of Cain and Abel is reinterpreted in light of the actions taken during the Garden of Eden Story.

In order to fully appreciate this discussion, it is recommended that the posts comprising the series “In God’s Image” and “Imagination and the Mind of Man” be read before reading the posts in this series.

Another Interpretation of the Garden of Eden Story

Review of the previous post.

The previous post, post number 10 of 19, continued the discussion of how the Garden of Eden story is the story of human evolution by discussing the anthropologic theory of the sapient paradox

Preview of this post.

This post, post number 11 of 19, continues the discussion of how the Garden of Eden story is the story of human evolution by discussing how human love and marriage were introduced in this story.

It can also be noted that the Garden of Eden story also demonstrates the beginning of love^[1] and laid the basis for marriage as well. First, when, in Genesis 3:6, “the woman also gave some to her husband and he ate” without questioning her for surely the man knew the fruit was forbidden. Why did the man blindly eat the fruit so offered? It was from loyalty to the woman. She had already eaten the fruit and hence violated the prohibition, so the man was stepping up to stand beside her out of loyalty. The first demonstration of loyalty in the Bible^[2]. Second, when God confronted Eve and she admitted to the act of partaking from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam stepped up and stood by her. Adam also accompanied Eve out of the Garden of Eden, again standing beside her. This showed a bond between the two humans, and a similar bond is not exhibited by other animals. This bond is the beginning of what we would call “love.” The female human must be able to depend on the allegiance of the male human if humans are to survive. The human baby takes a long time to become self sufficient to the point of being able to live on its own without the protection and care of its parents. The rearing of human babies requires all the attention of at least one adult human, especially since the human baby must be carried in the adult’s arms as opposed to on the back of the human adult. Therefore, the female human must depend on another adult human to provide food, shelter and protection for her and the children while she attends to the tasks of caring for the baby while it is growing^[3]. This reliance is assured by the bond between the two adults. This bond is what has evolved into what we call “love.” The actions of Adam during the Tree of Knowledge episode shows, for the first time, the allegiance of the male adult human to the female adult human which shows the bond that will become “love.”

Preview of the next post

The next post, post number 12 of 19, continues the discussion of how the Garden of Eden story is the story of human evolution and views the story through the lens of human cooperation.

^[1] See, also, “The Philosophy of Love” by Irving Singer, published by The Irving Singer Library in 2011.

^[2] Also, as discussed by Christine Hayes in “Introduction to the Bible” (Yale University Press, New Haven, 2012) at page 47-48, Gen 3: 6 is generally mistranslated to read “When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating, and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he at.” But should be translated to read : “She took of its fruit and ate and gave also to her husband with her and he ate.” Hayes analyzes this as “implying that at that fateful moment of taking and eating the fruit, the man and woman stood at the tree together….at the time of eating the fruit, the adam was present with the woman and accepted the fruit that she handed him. In short, he was fully complicitous and he, arguably, should have known better since he heard the deity’s original instructions.” This can also be interpreted as an act of loyalty to his wife.

^[3] Obviously, this discussion has changed with the advent of Day Care, etc in modern times as well as the emergence of females who are as capable as males at earning a living and providing food and shelter for the family. However, with regard to the Biblical audience, this discussion seems to be relevant.