Human Depravity in the Garden of God
Human depravity, often understood as the fallen state of humanity, is rooted in the biblical account of Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden [1]. This event, commonly referred to as the Fall, introduced sin and death into the world, becoming the heritage of Adam's descendants [5].
The narrative in Genesis describes how Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil [5]. Tempted by the devil, they disobeyed God's command [1]. Josephus records Adam blaming Eve, and Eve blaming the serpent, but God allotted punishment because Adam "weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife" [4]. As a consequence, they were banished from the Garden of Eden, which had been a sanctuary where humans could freely move in God's holy presence [8]. This expulsion signified that their sin required removal from that sacred environment, a principle later reflected in laws restricting access to the Tabernacle or Temple [8].
The effects of this initial act of disobedience are described as far-reaching. Humanity, made in the image of Adam after the Fall, is depicted as "born in sin" [1]. Scriptural passages indicate that the human heart became evil, blind, corrupt, and perverse in its ways [1]. For instance, Genesis 6:5 states that "every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," and Genesis 8:21 notes that "the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" [1]. The earth itself became corrupt and "filled with crueltie" before God [2].
The concept of human depravity extends to the idea that humanity is "a child of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3) and "depraved in mind" (Romans 8:5-7) [1]. The sinner is considered a "child of the Evil One" because the Evil One has been a sinner from the beginning [3]. This corruption is so pervasive that human sin is said to have affected even the natural world, leading to judgment on animals and birds over which humanity had dominion [7]. The Lutheran interpretation of Genesis 3:22 suggests that after the Fall, humanity became like God in the knowledge of good and evil, but this likeness was accompanied by the germ of death [6]. The banishment from the Garden was a sign of mercy, as it prevented humanity from eating from the tree of life in their fallen state and thus living forever in sin [6].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
- Genesis “Genesis 6:11 (Geneva1599) — The earth also was corrupt before God: for the earth was filled with crueltie.”
- I John “I John 3:8 (BBE) — The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 4: thy evil conscience." However, Adam excused his sin, and entreated God not to be angry at him, and laid the blame of what was done upon his wife; and said that he was deceived by her, and thence became an offender; while she again accused the serpent. But God allotted him punishment, because he weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife; and said the ground should not henceforth yield its fruits of its own accord, but that when it should be harassed by their labor, it should bring forth some of its fruits, and refuse to bring fo”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Tree of the knowledge of good and evil — Stood in the midst of the garden of Eden, beside the tree of life (Gen. 2, 3). Adam and Eve were forbidden to take of the fruit which grew upon it. But they disobeyed the divine injunction, and so sin and death by sin entered our world and became the heritage of Adam's posterity. (See [641]ADAM.)”
- Genesis (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Genesis 3:22: Clothed in this sign of mercy, the man was driven out of paradise, to bear the punishment of his sin. The words of Jehovah, "The man is become as one of Us, to know good and evil," contain no irony, as though man had exalted himself to a position of autonomy resembling that of God; for "irony at the expense of a wretched tempted soul might well befit Satan, but not the Lord." Likeness to God is predicated only with regard to the knowledge of good and evil, in which the man really had become like God. In order that, after the germ of death had penetrated into h”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 6:7: 6:7 wipe . . . from the . . . earth: As Adam and Eve were banished from the garden-sanctuary (3:23), all of humankind would be expunged from God’s good creation. • every living thing: Human sin had so corrupted the earth that judgment fell on the animals and birds over which they had dominion (see 1:28 and study note). The special role of humans in the created order (1:28-30) means that nature is affected by human moral choices (see 8:1; Job 38:41; Hos 4:3; Rom 8:19-22).”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 3:23: 3:23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden: Before the Fall, the garden was a sanctuary in which humans could move freely in God’s holy presence. Now their sin required expulsion from that environment. This same principle was behind the laws that restricted an Israelite’s access to God’s presence in the Tabernacle or Temple (e.g., Lev 16:1-2; Num 5:3).”