Genesis 2:25

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. They were both naked ... and were not ashamed. While the mind retained its normal superiority to the body, and was governed by a regard to the divine will, the first pair were in a state of sinless innocence, and could feel no shame, because they were strangers to the impulse of irregular appetites and sensual lusts. Thus, Adam appears as a creature formed after the image of God-showing his knowledge by giving names to the animals, his righteousness by his approval of the marriage relation, and his holiness by his principles and feelings finding their gratification in the service and enjoyment of God. Dr. Warburton supposes that the first pair continued many years in the garden. And many other writers, though not venturing so far as he, are of opinion that, since Adam was going through a secular as well as religious education there, he must have remained at least during one entire revolution of the seasons.

Remarks: If an account of their aborigines possesses special charms to the natives of every country, what a surpassing interest must attach to a history which describes the origin and primordial state of the human race! Such a history bearing the aspect of an archaic record, and having strong presumptive claims to be considered a reliable authority, would not only secure the attention of the antiquary, but be valued as a precious document by all genuine lovers of knowledge and truth; and accordingly, since the Bible possesses this very character, being the most ancient of all books, and stamped with the indubitable seal of God, it might have been expected that it would be welcomed with universal gratitude and confidence, not only for the view it gives of the first introduction of our race into the world, but for the light it sheds upon many collateral subjects of speculative interest as well as practical importance to which inquisitive minds have been unceasingly directed. Very different, however, is the fact. For, even among those who profess to regard the Bible as a divine revelation, there are some who look upon its notices of primeval man with unqualified scepticism, and others who, though receiving them as substantially true, consider that truth as decked out in the favourite parabolic form of Oriental drapery.

Since the early history of all nations, where not involved in impenetrable obscurity, consists to a large extent of a collection of legendary tales, modern criticism has set itself to eliminate the true from the fabulous; and having succeeded so admirably in the case of ancient Rome, in exhibiting the origin and rudimentary history of that renowned empire in a rational light, it was not unnatural that she should apply the same searching principles to test, and adopt the same winnowing process in examining, the early narratives of the Scripture. The result has been that many writers reject them entirely as myths, the written record of popular traditions, which had long been current in the mouths of the Hebrew people, or were traceable to a common Asiatic origin-stories somewhat similar being found in other countries of the East, and which, though they obtained credit in early ages of ignorance and superstition, cannot stand the test of sober and enlightened scrutiny. Others, who shrink from these conclusions of Rationalistic unbelief, consider the early narratives of the Bible to be couched in the form of allegory, and more particularly the description of the probation given in this chapter to be an allegorical picture of temptation as it has been, is, and ever will be. If it be an allegory, however, we are altogether unfurnished with a key to unlock its mysteries; so that for any good purpose that can be served by the publication of a narrative in characters so unknown, and in a form so unintelligible, it might as well never have been given to man at all.

Moreover, since the narrative is acknowledged by this class of writers to contain a substratum of truth, how is that truth to be reached? If it consists partly of history and partly of allegory, by what rule are we to separate these blended elements, or how shall we determine the exact boundary line, where the allegory ends, and the history begins? If, on the other hand, the whole narrative in this chapter is to be considered allegorical, then, as Dr. Horsley remarks, the garden of Eden is an allegorical garden-the trees that stocked it were allegorical trees-the man and woman that were appointed to dress it and to keep it are allegorical personages-the grant of the fruit of all the trees for food, with the express reservation of one, is an allegorical representation-the serpent is an allegorical tempter-the fall an allegorical occurrence-the Saviour an allegorical deliverer; and therefore the whole subsequent history of redemption must be viewed as one entire allegory. Rejecting, then, both the mythical and the allegorical theory of interpreting this chapter, as equally untenable, we adhere to the ordinary view of regarding it as plain history, the history of two real individuals; and as a decisive proof that this is the just light in which it is to be regarded, we appeal to the minute and circumstantial description given of the topography of the garden, to the names and course of the rivers that watered it, the countries they bounded, and the natural productions for which those countries were famous, as material marks which, doubtless, were well known to the contemporaries of Moses, and by which, though many of them are now unknown, every unprejudiced reader is impressed with the belief that they describe a distinct locality.

It is an indirect, but still strongly corroborative evidence of the historical reality of the garden of Eden, that the idea of a terrestrial paradise, the sacred abode of purity and felicity, is incorporated with the earliest traditions of all nations. The gardens in which the idolatrous contemporaries of the prophets worshipped, and the plantations of which were always marked by one consecrated tree in the center (Isaiah 1:29; Isaiah 65:3; Isaiah 66:17) - the gardens consecrated to Adonis by the Assyrians and other Eastern nations-the gardens of the Hesperides and the Fortunate Islands celebrated by the classical poets-the enchanted gardens of the Chinese-the Meru of the Brahmins and the Buddhists;-these and similar 'gardens of delight' which pagan superstition has formed and cherished-not to speak of the reverence for sacred trees which, though differing among different people, have always been symbolical of religious ideas-are all manifestly traceable to the Scripture Eden as the original prototype.

'Those legends,' says Hardwick ('Christ and other Masters'), 'notwithstanding a huge mass of wild exaggerations, still bear witness to primeval verities. They intimate how in the background of man's visions lay a paradise of holy joy-a paradise secured from every kind of profanation, and made inaccessible to the guilty-a paradise full of objects that were calculated to delight the senses and to elevate the mind-a paradise that granted to its tenant rich and rare immunities, and that fed with its perennial streams the tree of life and immortality. There are pagan traditions of another kind which evidently point to transactions in the garden of Eden. Thus, in the mythology of the ancient Egyptians, the Deity Amoun-ra, who manifested himself in the form of a man, was at first a monad, comprehending male and female, father and mother, in his own person. But by a spontaneous exercise of his power he divided himself into two parts, so that the male was separated from the female; and while he retained the male half of his individuality, the other was constituted as the first woman. Similar to this is the Hindu legend regarding Brahma, who divided himself, and thence sprang the man Manu and his wife Satarupa. These and numerous other legends are nothing else than perversions or distorted reminiscences of the derivation of Eve from Adam's side.

The narrative contained in this chapter is consistent with the soundest philosophy. Thus, for example, language is considered by the most profound thinkers and competent judges in modern times not to be a human acquisition made by dint of long and repeated efforts, but to be an original gift of the Creator, capable of being at once and fully used by man, in the state in which he was created; because as Trench remarks ('Hulsean Lectures') 'language invariably rises and falls with the rise and fall of a people's moral and spiritual life; and the speech of savages is not the primal rudiments, but the ultimate wreck of a language.' Since the power of language, then, was conferred by the bountiful Creator on the first man, it was reasonable that the same paternal guardian should train his new-made creature to exercise his yet untried organs of speech; and although his language might at first not be perfect, yet it was given in a state fully adequate to the condition and wants of Adam, while facility in using his faculty of articulate sound would progressively increase by daily exercise.

But the fact of Adam giving names to the inferior creatures around him may suggest a further view-that of showing the general mode of the divine instruction to the first man; because the divine origin of his language appears to afford almost a decisive proof that he must have been originally favoured with direct and frequent communications of knowledge from heaven on all matters suited to the condition in which he was placed, and necessary to the full enjoyment of its advantages. The fine descriptions, however, which the fancy of speculative writers has given of his great attainments in science and art are utter without any solid foundation in truth; and the utmost conclusion that we are warranted to draw is, that he was endowed at the first with such powers of perception, and, in progress of time, supplied with such additional measures of secular as well as religious knowledge, as were necessary for the performance of his duties, or conducive to the advancement of his happiness.

Moreover, this narrative harmonizes with the justest views of human nature as formed for society. There are some who maintain that the primeval state of man was that of a savage roaming wild and naked in the woods; that it was by a long and gradual course of advancement he emerged from barbarism, and rose to the knowledge of the arts and enjoyments of social and civilized life. This chapter shows that the reverse was the case: for the normal state of man was that of a pure, upright creature, placed in a situation suited to his rational nature and social habits, and instructed in those useful arts which are necessary for the support and the comfort of life.

In short, the account which this chapter gives of the beginning of the human race is directly antagonistic to all the fine theories which have been elaborated of the formation of civil society, by compact, out of multitudes who had been living previously unassociated and without government, in what is absurdly called a state of nature. The manner in which God was pleased to give a beginning to the human race was such as barred the possibility of the existence of mankind in an unassociated condition previous to a state of society. They were placed in circumstances calculated to call forth the constant exercise of the social affections; while it may be added, though it is anticipatory, that their offspring were born in society, and under the relations of the nearest consanguinity. Still further, this chapter shows that regular and virtuous activity is one of the main sources of human happiness. Work of some kind is absolutely necessary for the nature of man; and accordingly the first man was placed in a garden, to dress it and to keep it-the easiest way of life-for every other, that of the farmer not excepted, requires art and experience of various kinds. Thus, in the words of Herder, 'As the Creator best knew the destination of his creatures, man, like all the rest, was created, as it were, in his element, in the seat of that kind of life for which he was intended.' Lastly, it was indispensable that, as a moral being, his character should be early determined; and therefore he was placed from the first in a state of probation; because great inconveniences and evils might have occurred had this probationary discipline been postponed until a later period. We, as well as the first man, are in a state of probation; and the grand design which God has in view, in placing us amid circumstances of temptation and trial, is to determine whether we have the principle of obedience.

Since the creation of the world, the great contest has always been: Who shall be worshipped and served-the Creator or the creature? This was man's trial under the first covenant; and it is that by which every man is still tried, although, thanks be to God! He is not now to stand or fall by his own works. It was to be proved in Eden whether man would seek wisdom and happiness independently of God; and this is precisely the trial to which we are subjected still. Let us, then, hear and obey the Word of God. Whatsoever He commands, that let us resolve with unswerving fidelity to do; and knowing that He has laid no restraints, issued no prohibitions, except in regard to things that are hurtful to us, let us steadily adhere to the path of duty He has prescribed, because that will always be found the path of peace and happiness>.