Genesis 3 (NRSVue)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
Remaining principled is how we avoid chasing the right things the wrong way.
Here are some questions for discussion:
1.How does the temptation of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1–6 compare and contrast with Christ’s temptation in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1–11? In particular, how does each respond to God’s word, identity, desire, and trust? What does this reveal about grasping versus surrender, autonomy versus dependence, and silence versus spoken truth?
2. If Genesis 3 is less about fruit and more about trust, how might that reshape our understanding of sin? Could the deepest rupture be relational rather than merely legal? If the core issue is mistrust of God’s goodness, might spiritual formation primarily involve relearning how to trust?
3. In the garden they were told they could partake of “every tree of the garden but that (one)” (Gen 2:16-17.) Under the ominous threat of death they still chose to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We aren’t told exactly how big the garden is at this point but the understanding is that it is quite large. In hindsight we can see where this is a gift of provision from a loving provider and not the restrictive command of a tyrant but how do we discern that in our lives? How do you see his provisions where you might otherwise see a limitation?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. The serpent begins with, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). How does this question echo in Matthew 4:3–6, where Satan tempts Jesus? What is being attacked first — obedience, identity, or trust? Where do we hear “Did God really say…?” in modern culture?
2. In your own life, where do you tend to respond more like Adam — with silence, rationalization, or grasping? Alternatively, where do you respond more like Jesus — speaking truth, anchoring into Scripture, and trusting provision?
3. While many victorious athletes first credit God for their victory, they all eventually tell you how they couldn’t have won without giving 110%. We can start on the right path yet it’s easy to forget the giver of the gift amidst the successes. Have you ever found yourself in this position? How can you avoid such positions or realign your focus appropriately?
4. During times of crisis God’s provisions will be there but they may not always look like what we expect. Much like Matthew 25:37, we may not have seen Jesus when we fed him and we may not see his provision when we need it. How have you or will we recognize His provision when it’s not exactly what we expect or prayed for?
5. Genesis 3:7 says, “Their eyes were opened.” Opened to what? How does this contrast with Genesis 2:25, where they were “naked and not ashamed”? What changed within them?
6. Throughout Matthew 5 we see Jesus correcting the masses on their misunderstanding of the law with a recurring theme of what they have heard compared to what it really means. Each step of this portion of His sermon reminds us that it’s the heart posture that matters more than just the final result. Where do you find yourself struggling to keep your principals prioritized over the resulting prize? What helps you to keep your principals during these trying times?
For further contemplation, consider these prompts:
1. About fifty days ago we all made optimistic promises of change for the new year but somewhere over the last few weeks that gym membership card has been forgotten and the cold snap made that daily walk something we could do next week…maybe. Each year we promise what we will do to be better but often with the same results. This week we dabbed a bit of ash on our foreheads and solemnly promised to give up or sacrifice something for the next forty days. Compare the idea of what we promise to do ourselves to the idea of a Lenten sacrifice? Is it the sacrifice or the prayer that makes the difference? How might Lent help remind us that our Loving Father provides what we need before we need it?
2. We can attempt to plan and prepare for every major moment or struggle, and sometimes this will look like a shopping spree in the toys/games department and others like a fully (over)stocked pantry. Where is the line between reasonable preparations for what may come and simply not trusting that God will provide for us?