This story has a metaphoric meaning. This is because the temptation story resembles that of growing up. i.e. Adam and Eve start off like children, not knowing anything and innocent. They then become independent like teenagers and become rebellious. They then learn from their punishment and learn that every action has a consequence.
Many would argue that it should definitely be called the downfall. This is why: Man breaks his close link with God. When God made man, they had a very close link Adam would do exactly what God said and God would protect him. However, by disobeying God, this link of trust has been broken and man is distanced from God.
This is the origin of sin. This is the first sin ever committed. This means that evil has entered God’s perfect world and it is perfect no more. Adam and Eve are not innocent any more.
A main reason would be that Adam directly disobeys God. He ignores God’s rules and does what he thinks would be appropriate even though God tells him not to eat the fruit. This resembles a teenager being rebellious and doing what he/she was told not to do.
Man makes his first mistake – Adam and Eve both under estimate God and see him as a person who doesn’t want others to be as powerful as himself. If Adam and Eve had fully understood God, then they would not have been so prejudiced about him. This again is like a teenager not realising the consequences of his actions.
Adam is distanced from God. Their relationship will never be the same again. The bond that had formed between them is broken – Adam must leave Eden. This is like the bond that breaks when a man leaves home.
God’s ideal world has been broken. Sin has entered it. Evil has overcome Good. Adam and Eve must now live off themselves. The world is against them and they must grow food instead of picking it.
Jealousy and greed are seen for the first time. It is jealousy that makes Adam and Eve eat the fruit. They are jealous of God. They are greedy for power and eat the fruit. This leads to Cain killing Abel.
One might argue that Adam leaving Eden was not a downfall, it was a rise.
Man proves to God that he can live on his own two feet. He does not have to ask God for food – he grows it himself and becomes self dependent. God gives man free will to make his own choices. Man does not have to do whatever God says. Man now the chance to use his own free will.
Man is no longer a robot that must obey and carry out God’s every command. He does what he wants. He uses his own free will and makes his own choices. He is now no longer a slave and becomes independent.
Man now learns the meaning of responsibility. He must now look after himself and put others before himself for the first time. This counts as a rise as man now fully learns that he is not the most important.
In summary, this is almost a double essay. All of these reasons are to do with growing up. This could be an essay on the pros and cons of adulthood. However, man still must learn that each and every action has consequences. In conclusion, the temptation of Adam and Eve is called the downfall, as this is the time when man loses his link with God.
It is the downfall, as evil defeats good and man commits the first ever sin.
Gopal K Kotecha
