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NASB | Genesis 3:1 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'?" |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the LORD God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, "Can it really be that God has said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" [Rev 12:9-11] |
Subject: The Serpent's Class |
Bible Note: Hello, You said,"No, because it is deliberately described as a beast of the field." Nowhere does it describe the serpent as a beast of the field. It is written," Now the serpent was more subtil(wise) than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.(Gen 3:1; which is the first mention of the "serpent"). It is speculation to say the serpent was of the field without scriptural documentation. We must allow scripture to define scripture! If we only read Gen 2and3 and not the rest of the Bible we are certain to be deceived. Jesus proved this when being tempted of satan in Matt 4:4 Jesus says "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." This I believe is the whole letter of the Bible, all books together, written to understand the Fathers will and His Son and how the enemy operates. The Bible flows from the beggining to the middle to the end and does this because the Father is perfect and so is His Word. In regards to "Possessing superior knowledge and supernatural knowledge", the serpent did not simply repeat scripture, in "Gen 3:5 - For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good from evil.", God did not say this, the serpent did and it is my belief that these words may have been interpreted by Eve to think that the serpent had some sort of superior knowledge and supernatural knowledge, we can "be as gods". What do you think? I do humbly disagree with your conclusions, I do not see the other books of the Bible as "outside texts", I see the Bible as one Authorship with men as writers and suggest you consider the same. The Bible does say the serpent was the devil and I am not sure I understand the point you are making? The way of studying you are presenting here may lead to confusion. You have omitted the text and are trying to understand with only a portion of the Word, which is exactly what the serpent wants and how he beguiled Adam and Eve in the garden. When satan is spoken of as a "serpent" , it is the figure Hypocatastasis or Implication; it no more means a snake than it does when Dan is so called in Gen 49:17 or an animal when Nero is called a "lion"(2Tim4:17), or when Herod is called a "fox"(Luke 13:32); or when Judah is called "a lions whelp". It is the same figure when "doctrine" is called "leaven" (Matt 16:6). It shows that something much more real and truer to truth is intended. If a Figure of speech is thus employed, it is for the purpose of expressing the truth more impressively; and is intended to be a figure of something much more real than the letter of the word. I hope this helps! Peace in Faith and Hope, Casiv |