The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-13

len is quoted as saying that "the pervad.
ing Jewish view-the serpent considered
as Sstan-ls most obvious; and the great
est confirmation of this view is the general
agreement OF the Asiatic myths" The
great subtlety shown by the tempter
proves the original dignity from which lie
had fallen. Yet though defiant he is still
dependent-a mere creature.
q The faint repulse. (a) The cunning
OF the serpent is shown in his selection Of
the woman for his victim. Women are
more ready TO believe plausible story
than mcn,-less suspicious of evil, more
easily persuaded. Yet he knows that he is
dealing with rational being. Therefore
he insinuates rather than states what he
would have the women believe He avoids
giving her shock. Newman says, "Our
great security against sin consists in our
beiug shocked at it," Milton imagines
how the serpent began the colloquy; but
the Bible simply states that he addressed
words to the woman, without telling how
he came into her presence or how he drew
woman's attention to himself. (b) No
tice his address to her: ".'ea, hath God
said, Ye shall not eat of every tree If the
garden" Compare chap ii. III Note l.
deny the word OF God, speaks as IL he
would ask what it means--or rather a
mild astonshment at the command as
giyen-"And is IL really the case that God
hath said so aud sou lie makes wonder
Of it. $50 Spurrell) 2. He calls the Creator
God" not Jehovah: God is no redeencr
to Satan. 3. He misstates what God
had said for God had said, Eat of all save
lint L. ~ ba far rt
that that Gud has prohibited YOU fsom
eating any tres? He purposely exagger-
ates the hardship OF the prohibition to in
duce the woman TO answer. Thus he gets
the woman first TO mention the tree Of
knowledge, aud has her talking to him
familiarly before she seems to be aware.
He sets her athinking, but in wrong
way, as melted by nm unlawful desire sug-
gested by the form OF his question. She
does not originate the evil thought (b)
She family repels the tempter. There is,
as Kalisch well remarks, "a certain vehe-
ment character" in the woman's answer
IL il exaggerated; God never sa;d
DO not touch tn. tree ar
apparently unreasonable prohibition. So
sue seems To view Gods forbdding word
as mere caprice TO break which might even
be meritorious. Thus she gives the
tempter handle TO WELD the last stroke
and impugn not only the goodness, but
the truth OF God. (c) IL God had said, Do
hot touch 1: let you die. 1t would have
seemed that this wonderful trce was OF a
magical stature. OF else the threat of
death was only an empty terror; and in
either case the prohibition was something
for free thinker. IA Eve was tempted to
become, TO despise Doubt Is the father
Of sin, and skepticism the mother OF all
transgreEsion. Eve knows but doubts
the penalty of disobediencc.
q The attack renewed (a) Did Eve
think that by saying. "We are not even 10
tor. n the tree" she would repulse the
temptation, as Delitzsch seems TO believer
But II 40 she was mistaken. To hold a
parley with the tenpter WAS her great
mistake and his great opportunity. Joseph
more wisely fed; but even stayed TO daily
with temptation and invite another at
tack, bolder than the first The tempter
darinRlv denies the trn' e rni's state
-p,nI-y. .s-ii -"--i- GA ~ s-----'---