Navigation: This page 'fall.html' ---> New View main page ---> Xn Main Page ---> AB's Page. Contact.

Understanding The Fall

God created a wonderful cosmos in which everything is designed to interconnect with the rest, with humans designed as part of that web to serve and bless the rest in special ways. (See Note 1.)
Before the Fall, everything 'worked as it should' (the meaning of the Hebrew word that God speaks "and it was good").
What is meant by 'Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil'? There are three interpretations, not just the two that usually come up (which were Knowledge (Science, etc.) or Ability to Distinguish Good from Evil; see Note 2).
The third interpretation is The Right to Decide for Ourselves What is Good and Evil - that is, without reference to God, and with a certain arrogance. I find this one makes more sense (see Note 2).
(Deciding for ourselves what is Good and Evil means not only in personal morality but also in, for example, policy and business targets and vision statements.)
If we take to ourselves the right to decide what is good, evil, and the creation works most naturally in line with God's laws, then when we happen to decide against the grain of how creation works, things will be difficult for us.
One example: See the following picture of rose bush in wheat field and wheat plant in rose garden [to be supplied], and ask "Which is the weed?"

Rose bushes are only weeds if we decide that industrialized monoculture is Good and diversity in our fields is Evil. Sim. for rose garden. I can give other examples.
When we do things against how God intended, not only do we find it inconvenient and painful, but the whole creation 'groans'. Industrial farming, for example, which by our own authority we have deemed Good since World War II, has caused the earth to groan.
God was not being vindictive. Rather, he is deeply concerned that his whole creation is being destroyed because humanity has taken to itself the presumed right to decide for itself what is Good and Evil.

Notes

Note 1. This is the meaning behind the rarely-used Hebrew word 'radah' traditionally translated 'have dominion over'. In Greek (and mediaeval and modern) eyes, if X has dominion over Y, X can use Y as resource for their own sake and pleasure. In Biblical eyes, if X has dominion over Y, X is to use that dominion and special powers for the sake and blessing of Y. Read Ezekiel 34, another place where 'radah' is used, and ask yourself: "Are sheep there for the sake of shepherds, or are shepherds there for the sake of the sheep?" If creation rejoices when it experiences God (trees 'clap their hands') then it is the role of humanity, as God's representative, to manage things so that rest of creation rejoices (not groans) when it experiences us. That is what 'made in the image of God' means, to me.

Note 2. But the account shows humanity knowing and distinguishing Good from Evil before fall.

These pages present 'New View' theology. Comments, queries welcome.

Written on the Amiga with Protext.

Copyright (c) Andrew Basden 2003-4, but you may copy this page as long as every copy includes this full copyright notice, and the copying is not for financial gain.

Created: 8 April 2004. Last updated: 9 October 2006 added weeds pic; rid unet.