I think that this account in Genesis places such a strong emphasis on the idea of knowledge because knowledge is such a powerful thing.  For me as an individual, it is extremely daunting, and sometimes even scary, to try to even conceptualize the world that we live in. The world is extremely complex, and contains an infinite amount of aspects that make the world impossible to fully understand.  There is no way for us to truly comprehend everything in its fullest, and as mentioned in Genesis, that is not our fundamental purpose as human beings. Legapsi states that knowledge, as referred to in Genesis, is humans’ abilities to make independent judgments about what is in their best interest.  The process of eating, as he discussed it, was intentional as it indicates a certain dependence on the earth. Although human beings are meant to “hold dominion” over other living things on the Earth, they still rely on nourishment and are an integral part of the world as a whole. The aspect of eating from a tree helps to show the interconnectedness of humans with God’s other creations, such as the environment.  This failure of Adam and Eve is not only an act of disobedience, but could also be viewed as an attempt or a desire to know more and better comprehend the complex nature of the world in which they live. I think in some ways, it made them more God-like, given that they have the knowledge of good and evil, and the ability to make decisions for themselves, but it also subjected them to mortality and banishment from Eden.  I would say overall though, that this action really just brought a greater burden of responsibility to humans. When you have the knowledge of good and evil to make decisions about what is good for ourselves, it can put a fundamental amount of pressure and stress on individuals to carry it out. I think it could be considered merciful that God banishes them to limit any sources of temptation that may cause additional sin.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

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Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

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Genesis 1:1 – 2:4 describes God and his creation of the Earth.  Contrary to the scientific, methodological approach that is sometimes used to explain the origins of the Earth, this understanding portrays the creation of the Earth as a much more personal, intentional process by God.  On the first day, God introduces light to differentiate with darkness, creating night and day.  On the following three days, he brings about the sky, the land, the seas, the sun, the stars, and vegetation.  On the fifth and sixth days, God introduces life to his fresh, new environment.  First, he brings about a variety of animals, and then lastly, he brings about humans to his newly created Earth.  From this account, it seems as though God cultivates the perfect environment for humans to flourish, providing them with food, water, light, and the other necessities to survive.  God seems to invest a lot in humankind, as he emphasizes how they are created “in his image” and have “dominion” over all other living and moving creatures.  Because of this, I feel as though this puts a certain expectation and responsibility on humankind.  Because God invests so thoughtfully into the creation of Earth and humankind, and provides us with so many resources, I think it creates a certain interconnection and loyalty between God and mankind, inspiring them to follow his word.  The seventh day, I think, has a sort of connection to this relationship between God and the people.  After finishing his creation, the reading describes God taking a day of rest which becomes the Sabbath.  The day of the Sabbath is a day of reflection and is time in which people can take a step back and reflect on their actions and relationships with God, and assess whether they are living in accordance with God.