hopefully Onesimus

KNOWING AND USING WHAT GOD HAS SAID/YOUR BIBLE Pt1

"Ave Christus, morituri te salutamus!"

I was visiting one of my favorite websites and came across a video that was very informative. While watching the video presentation the speaker quoted this passage of scripture;

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden"?' " Genesis 3:1/NASB

Note Eve's response;

"The woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die." ' " (Genesis 3:2,3/NASB)

The first and last parts of her response;

"From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden,...You shall not eat from it...or you will die." (Genesis 3:2,3/NASB)

were, for the most part, dead on (no pun intended), but Eve interjects something in the middle - "or touch it" - something not originally said by God to Adam. Why, why was what Eve repeated different from what was stated by God?

"The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16,17/NASB)

When God gave instructions to Adam about the forbidden tree Eve was not there because she had not been created (Genesis 2:16-18/NASB). Yet, evidently somewhere between Genesis 2: 16-25 and Genesis 3:1-3 after Eve was created she was given God's instructions concerning the forbidden fruit. Unfortunately she misquotes what was said. This brings about some questions;
Was Eve deliberately adding to God's word?
Was she simply repeating what was given to her second hand?
Was she simply "interpreting" what God had said?
Or did she not accurately remember what He said?

This is unknown, what is known is when the serpent confronts her about it Eve misquotes what God had said to Adam. If her misquote is because of the first question; "Was Eve deliberately adding to God's word?", then this is dangerous as scripture warns of consequences and/or judgement for doing so;

"Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (Deuteronomy 4: 1,2/NASB)

"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18,19/NASB)

See also Proverbs 30:5,6 & Galatians 1:6-12

Furthermore, if Eve deliberately misquotes what God said to Adam then she has devalued God's word which reflects on her relationship with God.

"Simul iustus et peccator"*
*Martin Luther