Intro
The Hebrew Bible was written in a context in which patriarchal order was highly valued; it was, thus, written to maintain and reinforce the patriarchal order. For example, the didactic lessons in Proverbs employ the so-called “father-son” rhetoric, typical in ancient Near Eastern didactic genres. In this father-son dialogue, the father teaches his heterosexual young son wisdom by means of objectifying “woman.”
The woman introduced as “strange-woman” or “loose woman” in Proverbs (2:16, 5:3, 7:5), for example, is utilized as a symbol of foolishness and sin, which is represented by adultery. Another woman introduced as “woman wisdom” in Proverbs 1-9 is the counterpart of the strange woman. She is an incarnation of wisdom, personified as a charming marriageable woman, whom the son must seek like his potetial spouse. These two female figures were created in patriarchal order and reinforced the order again.
Besides Proverbs, Genesis 2-3 will probably be the most obviously patriarchal text in the Hebrew Bible, because the story appears at the very beginning of the entire Bible and is the most well-known story. The narrative has been understood that Eve was the main culprit who caused Adam to be expelled from the garden of Eden, the paradise on earth.
Therefore, Eve is considered to be the one responsible for putting the entire humanity in a condition in which humans have to toil under the harsh sun all day for survival; she incurred the pangs of childbirth. Because of her great sins, women should not lead men, but men should; she made us justify patriarchal order in which women must play secondary roles.
But should Eve be viewed in such a thoroughly negative way? I would not say that the current negative perception of Eve is a total misunderstanding based on our own patriarchal biases or ideology. But some parts of these negative images of Eve should be improved.
Though the final text of Genesis 2-3 that we now have is actually pointing out Eve’s problems, Eve could have something to say about all the accusations that she has received. Let’s hear what she has to say. (reference: Carol Meyers, “Eve,” in Women in Scripture)
Questions to ask
Where was Adam when Eve was talking to the serpent? Was Eve wandering around the garden "alone" and enticed "alone"? Did she sin "alone"?
Did Eve really say "you may or may not die" distorting what God said about "you will surely die?"
Is the serpent really the incarnation of evil?
What is so wrong with the forbidden fruit?
- As you know, the tree, the fruit of which is forbidden to eat, is called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” It is not some kind of fruit that symbolizes lusty desires that are considered to be immoral and evil in most cultures. It is the tree of “knowledge” or “wisdom.”
- The fruit indeed gave Adam and Eve “knowledge;” the knowledge was not some sort of dangerous thing to know; the knowledge that equipped Adam and Eve with the wisdom of good and evil was a very essential quality for kings in the ancient Near East.
- The immediate symptom that occurred to Adam and Eve after they ate the forbidden fruit is to start feeling ashamed of being naked. This change perhaps indicates or suggests, as Newsom argues, that the text tries to explain how humans became “humans,” a cultural being that is different from the rest of the animals.
- Another effect that the first humans and their descendants had to encounter was that they were placed in a harsh environment that required humans to labor all the time. Previously, humans were in a place where they did not work and, accordingly, did not produce anything. Instead, they just ate what is naturally provided.
- But after the forbidden fruit event, the world turned into a place like our world in which various items went into production; the surplus is created; accumulation of wealth became possible for a limited population; society became stratified, and hierarchical human relationships, corruption, and everything (both positive and negative) occur to obtain more material wealth. As Newsom points out, the event of the forbidden fruit is a symbolic description of how the world became like “this world.” (See Newsom, “Genesis 2-3 and 1 Enoch 6-16: Two Myths of Origin and Their Ethical Implications” in Shaking Heaven and Earth)
Is Eve a sinner?"
Closing Words
As mentioned at the outset, the Hebrew Bible was written in a context in which patriarchal order was highly valued; it was, thus, written to maintain and reinforce the patriarchal order. But the text of the Hebrew Bible is not that simple. Obviously, it is true that Gen 3 depicts Eve negatively and justifies the patriarchal order.
At the same time, however, Gen 3 shows us another aspect of Eve, that is “a woman of wisdom,” a very positive quality of a person. As discussed above, if we read the text closely, the so-called “traditional reading” of the text perhaps overly and illegitimately villanizes Eve. I hope this article helps you develop a new lens through which you can understand Eve anew.
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