I
thought it was really interesting how, in Chapter 1, man was created and is
specifically said to “have dominion over” the rest of the earth and the
creatures and things on the earth. A whole different interpretation could have
come about if man had been told that the earth was to be shared between everything. That’s a big
difference from creation stories from other cultures, where (like in Native
American stories and myths) there is such an important connectedness with
nature and with other things besides other humans, with working together and
knowing that people have to rely on more than just each other and luck to survive.
According to this one chapter in Genesis, man was created purposefully to be a
little bit above everything else, maybe, or given that responsibility by being
created last.
There is definitely some kind of
link between seeing something and having a desire for it—especially knowledge. If
Adam and Eve weren’t supposed to be curious about the Tree of Knowledge or at
least notice it, then it probably wouldn’t have been as beautiful to look at. The
Tree being lovely makes them want to look at it, and that keeps the Tree in
their minds. Adding to that curiosity is the warning they received, that they cannot
taste the fruit of the tree on pain of death. Who wouldn’t be at least a little
curious to see what would happen if they ate the fruit of this beautiful Tree
that held all the knowledge one would ever need? If Eve had never listened to
the snake, she and Adam would have stayed in the garden forever. Granted, it is
a nice place, but they wouldn’t have learned anything, ever. Being cast out of
the garden allowed them to explore and really learn about the world and make
mistakes—which is what people do.
