Genesis Chapter 3 is often referred to as the story of ‘The Fall’. Sadly, while there is much to be gained from this passage, there has also been many interpretations that have been self-serving and damaging to others. In this session we will dive deeply into both the Western and Eastern views of this scripture. While we don’ thave time to cover all aspects, the included links will provide plenty of fuel for some deep discussions.
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Session 007 Prolog Podcast
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Scripture Audio:
Presented as dramatizations from The Bible Gateway.
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Knowing When to Say Enough
We’ve listened to it before, so if you have already listened to it once, you are ahead of the class. Or listen to it again, but focus on the material from Chapter 3.
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Playing God
Rabbi Jari Lorge delivers a presentation that is called “Playing God”. It is a wildly different look at the Creation story than we are used to and comes from a purely Jewish perspective. As a Western Christian, when you hear the initial premise, you will probably be turned off and/or caught off guard. Stick with it; not because you will necessarily agree in the end, but the insights that were presented definitely have facets that can be translated effectively in our understanding of God’s relationship with us, his creation.
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Why did God Pant the Tree
Ravi Zacharias, and another panel participant answer a question: “Why did God plant the tree?”. Short, but a little heavy and sweet at the some time.
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Versebyverseseministry.org – Shame
This podcast looks at the state of Adam and Eve and focuses heavily on the aspect of shame. It is an angle that you may not have seriously contemplated before.
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Their Story
John Walton, an OT scholar looks at The Fall. The presentation is “Telling ‘their story’”. It is a look at Adam and Eve as Archetypes. This is a strong proposition because it has a view of Adam and Eve that works whether you look at them as true individuals, as a representative couple, a philisophical group, or simple as an object lesson. Fair warning. At times if is somewhat academic and deep. There are some wonderful nuggets to chew on from this one.
Here are some things to think about when studying these resources.
- What do you think are the major differences between Eastern and Western thought?
- How does Eastern Thought look at sin in comparison to Western thought?
- Do you think God set up Adam and Eve to fall?
- What could either Adam or Eve have done to redeem themselves?
- What is the significance of shame and covering themselves in this story?