Reading Notes Part B

Adam and Eve: Leaving the Garden

Plot

The plot of this story is the fact that God is banishing Adam and Eve out of the garden because they have disobeyed his one rule, which was to not eat from the tree.  It is noted in the story that God could have let them live by the seas that would let their sins be washed away and therefore they would be forgiven but it seems that God was just too heartbroken.  God instead tells them to go to the west of the garden so that way they will be able not be able to smell what they have lost and forget about what they did.  God thought that if he allowed them to live south of the Garden then they would never really ask for forgiveness since they would be able to see the beauty of the garden and smell everything.  God was punishing them severely for defying him and he was hoping that they would eventually be able to understand the magnitude of what they had done to him.  As Adam and Eve are walking around they are downtrodden and depressed and God is not able to take it anymore.  He gives them a peaceful mind and picks them up because he is a God of mercy and realizes it is not right to not have compassion.

Questions

Why would God not allow them to try to earn back his trust? I always thought that God was all loving and merciful so wouldn't that mean he would allow them to try to make up for the bad thing they done. It just seems kind of contradicting that God would just throw them straight out of the garden with no way to redeem themselves.  I feel that by throwing them out it would allow Adam and Eve to start to fall away from God.  It kind of seems like they would turn their backs on him and try to find someone else to follow wouldn't leave them in the predicament that they are in.

Reaction

For me, I feel like this punishment fits the crime.  All God had asked them to do was follow one simple rule and it could not be done.  I feel that by having Adam and Eve go to the southern part of the garden it lets them establish a community that can grow.  It definitely could be seen that by banishing them he is doing them a favor.  The reason I say that is because it will teach them to be independent and help them teach their children about the rights and wrongs.  They will be able to pass down the story of what went wrong through generations and the displeasure of God would be on full display.  I think this story is really too setting for many foundations of Christianity.  The reason I say this is because it is the first instance of God showing his wrath to people who defy his rules.  Just like we have the 10 commandments to follow, I feel that if someone breaks them then God puts obstacles in our paths to overcome so that we should learn to trust him and follow his rules.

The Rebuke of Adam and Eve (1740)

Charles-Joseph Natoire: Source: Wikicommons

Bibliography: Gibbs, Laura. Adam and Eve Leaving the Garden. Adam and Eve Leaving the Garden