The Serpent of Eden

by J. P. Val d’Eremao

Publisher:

Kegan Paul, Trench, & Co.

, 1888

Overview

To Jews and Christians alike, the narrative of the temptation and fall of man is an article of faith. It’s the very foundation of the edifice of faith; the very groundwork of the whole scheme of redemption. It is an article of faith that Eve was tempted by “the Serpent” and fell—that she, in turn, tempted Adam, who also fell—and that Adam, Eve, and this “Serpent” were subjected each to a special condemnation by God in punishment of the sin that each had committed. But who or what that “Serpent” was, and in what way he tempted Eve, and in what precisely his condemnation consisted, and in what manner it worked: these details have never been defined as articles of faith.

In The Serpent of Eden, Rev. J. P. Val d’Eremao provides an in-depth study of Genesis 3 and its various interpretations, examining the English, Latin, Hebrew, and Greek texts for comparison. With the Logos edition, you have the unique ability to cross-reference this volume with other commentaries on Genesis 3, comparing d’Eremao’s scholarship with that of other commentators, both contemporary and classic. Bible verses are hyperlinked to your favorite translation, giving you instant access to each passage mentioned throughout this volume.

Key Features

• Provides verse-by-verse commentary on Genesis 3
• Examines the connection between Genesis 3 and serpent-worship
• Reviews various theories on the temptation of Eve

Contents

• Object Stated
• The Sacred Narrative
• Various Theories on the Manner of the Temptation by “the Serpent”
• Difficulties attending Temptation by a Bestial Serpent
• Objections against Proposing a New Theory
• The New Theory
• The Curse on “the Serpent”
• Origin of the Commonly Received Interpretation
• Connection between Genesis 3 and Serpent-Worship
• What Is the Weight of the Argument from Serpent-Worship?
• Was Serpent-Worship Universal?
• Origin of Serpent-Worship
• Conclusion
• Appendix—Hebrew and Greek Texts of the Sacred Narrative

Top Highlights

“‘And he said* unto the woman,’ not by any articulate audible speech, made to proceed preternaturally from the jaws of a possessed bestial serpent, or of an apparitional one; but by an internal and inaudible, yet most intelligible and soul-felt communication, of mind with mind and spirit with spirit. Thus God speaks to the heart of man with His inspirations, and our guardian angels communicate with us; and thus, too, the same Satan daily and hourly speaks to ourselves, in our various temptations. Even thus internally and inaudibly, yet quite intelligibly, Satan spoke to Eve’s mind and soul. No bestial serpent, or appearance of one, was at all needed.” (Page 89)

“Going, sitting, lying, and grovelling in dust and ashes, or on the earth; prostrating, placing one’s body or putting one’s mouth to the earth in dust and ashes; eating or licking dust and ashes;—all these are common scriptural expressions for misery, helplessness, degradation, servitude, humiliation, and defeat.” (Page 101)

“The text, therefore, indicates that this Serpent was the most intelligent among all living beings, even including man himself; which, as we shall see, is another important point.” (Page 11)

“The Greek Septuagint, the Vetus Itala, and the Ancient Arabic all agree, therefore, with the original Hebrew text, in giving words which signify, not mere animal cunning, but something really rational and intelligent. We must conclude, therefore, that the subtility which the text predicates of this Serpent is an intelligent, thinking, and reasoning subtility.” (Pages 9–10)

Product Details

• Title: The Serpent of Eden: A Philological and Critical Essay on the Text of Genesis 3 and Its Various Interpretations
• Author: J. P. Val d’Eremao
• Publisher: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.
• Publication Date: 1888
• Pages: 175

About J. P. Val d’Eremao

J. P. Val d’Eremao (1841–1896) was editor of the Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, to which he was also a frequent contributor. His other works include Hail Mary, The Keys to Peter, and Selected Feast Day Hymns.