By: Steve Leland
About twenty-five years ago, I read The Silence of Adam, by Dr. Larry Crab. I also had the chance to hear Dr. Crabb speak at a church about the research that went into his book, and the experts he consulted. The premise was that the way the story is written in Hebrew, it appears that Adam was standing right there when Eve was tempted.
I grew up with the understanding that Eve had failed all by her lonesome, and that when she gave some of the forbidden fruit to Adam, he either heroically joined her in her sin or was tricked into it. Neither of those scenarios sat all that well with me, so when I learned that it was probable that Adam had been an observer, I liked how it flowed.
Scenic detour: As Adam watched the interaction between the upright reptile and his wife, was he secretly fingering his ribs and thinking that he could spare a few more (in the interest of science of course) in case this experiment didn’t work out well? Easy come, easy go. All that it had cost him was a nap and a small bone.
Back on the highway: So Adam knew that he had been given the command directly by his Creator and that his wife had only received it secondhand. As he watched, he apparently didn’t pipe up with something like, “Umm, honey, let’s not do this, the Big Guy was kinda specific about this tree.” No, he stayed silent and didn’t protect her. That’s a pretty big deal right there.
We aren’t given the details, but this is how I see the next part playing out. We know that their eyes in some way were opened after they ate, and most people that I have talked to believe that it happened at the same time for both of them. But why the time delay for her? That is what would have to have happened if her eyes opened when his did, because she ate first and then gave it to him. Personally, I believe that as he watched, he saw a change in her expression as her eyes were opened (whatever that means, it’s above my pay-grade).
I believe that Adam realized that Eve now had understanding that he didn’t have. Being a guy, he probably couldn’t help himself at this point as he reached out and received the fruit from her to take a bite for himself. This is why I believe that it was called the sin of Adam. She was deceived (and unnecessarily so if he was there), but he did it by choice. I could be wrong; I was wrong once last year, and I am fully aware that it could happen again!
By: Steve Leland
