crispybits wrote:It is very significant that the tree was the tree of knowledge. When told in "fairy tale" style, particular by secular individuals, the story tends to be one of introducing sin. That is correct in a sense, but in the Bible there are 2 incidents that introduce sin.
Adam and Eve, then Cain and Abel. Eve brought knowledge of sin, the sin of disobedience then being possible. Also, while it seems they got the knowledge of the ability to do wrong, the basic sin to which is referred is ācarnal knowledgeā, thus āthey covered themselvesā. Cain and Abel brought the whole other mix of sin.
So you're saying that before the apple was eaten, Eve (and Adam) had no knowledge of what disobedience was? How was Eve meant to know that eating the apple was wrong if she had no knowledge of right and wrong?
It can be interpreted to mean a specific type of sin, awareness. A 2 year old understands that mom and dad must be obeyed. A teenager begins to understand why mom and dad put down rules that there are exceptions, that he/she might choose not to follow some things mom and dad say.
There are a lot of subtleties. I don't really want to get into another "free will" discussion. I am just saying that there is a difference between what is commonly accepted and what the Bible actually says.. and the difference is important.