Allegorical Defense of Adam and the Serpent

A person who is conscious of their own sin maintains boldness. Regarding what happens after correction, the Master of all says he shakes his understanding again: 'Who told you that you were naked, if not from the tree from which I commanded you alone not to eat, from it you ate?' (Gen 3:11). The word is philanthropic; for God again holds to the one who sinned, indicating the thought of the commandment. For it was necessary, after all things, to partake of both the known good and the evil, and not only.

For, as previously stated, the human nature entering in without the energy of virtue is most harmful, but with all things it is useful; which God also commanded like the manner of a good physician, providing a most useful drink for health, which when held together is effective, but when divided harms, just as it is previously stated regarding the so-called 'beast-like' diet. Such is what the Lord says he is teaching in the Gospels: 'Become wise as serpents and innocent as doves' (Matt 10:16).

But regarding these things, Adam says he blames the woman: 'The woman whom you gave with me, she gave to me from the tree and we ate' (Gen 3:12). Envy is a friend to malice, and it is the property of those who sin not to quickly confess the sin, but to divert the blame of the slip. For some think that men give their lives to fate from that source and are compelled toward sin, while others say that all things happen by chance and think that these things happen just so. But the first-formed man, having heard the commandment, says: 'The woman whom you gave with me' (Gen 3:12).

It was necessary for him to understand that first, having received her from God, he also properly received her and that which is advantageous; then, he did not receive her as a teacher, but as one following him. And this we perceived in the fallen ones from the response of the Eve toward the serpent, speaking to him: 'We eat from the fruit of the tree of paradise, but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the paradise God said: Do not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die' (Gen 2:17); for God had not commanded concerning touching, but she, having learned this as if from Adam, was being taught to be more reverent, since, being weak, she heard from him not even to touch it. How then can the teacher and guide [be...] from the one being led into deception...

Those defending Adam argue from what was said to him: 'The woman whom you gave me with me' (Gen 3:12), for since he said she was given to him with him, knowing that she would be cast out due to disobedience, he accompanied her not to participate in transgression, but for her benefit; for often teachers sympathize with the weaker, so that through this they might work out a repentance for them.

And these things they hold from what is said by Paul, which leads to Christ and the Church: 'Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression' (1 Tim 2:14). It is understood, being referred to the woman's church and to Adam's Christ, to preserve the chain of allegory and to avoid the possibility that the human race, from which the church is fulfilled, might have used the transgression as a cause for the descent of the Savior, so that he might use the economy, through which curse and sin came, not being these things, but having received them through us.

And the Lord God said to the woman: 'What is this that you have done?' (Gen 3:11) and the woman said: 'The serpent deceived me and I ate' (Gen 3:13). Three persons are introduced by blame here: the man, the woman, and the serpent. And the man had an apology that the woman had become a hindrance to him in eating from the forbidden tree, from which he knew he was naked; but the woman blames the serpent, saying: 'The serpent deceived me and I ate'; for God also sought the cause of the slip from them; but such a question is not borne toward the serpent. For he did not have the cause of the evil to lay upon another, being himself her progenitor.

This also the Lord teaches in the Gospels, saying concerning him: 'When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and his father is the father of lies' (John 8:44); that is, the father of lies; for the devil does not have a father according to those who act mythically. But all those using evil, except him, do not do so from their own, but come to this from his wickedness, when he hears toward the word: 'And you say in your mind: I shall ascend into heaven' (Ps 10:4) and the following. For no one else cast pride upon him, but he himself upon himself; therefore also no word...