Genesis 3:4-5 commentary
Verses 4-5: We have here the serpent’s reply. 1. He no longer seeks to invalidate the command, but the threatening being faintly urged by her, he boldly denies. Note, 1. Confident assertions rapidly pass with weak minds, and those who are will to be persuaded; and it is much easier boldly to deny, than clearly to prove. 2. The hopes of impunity are the great encouragement to sin, and the support of impenitence. By these, Satan’s kingdom is upheld. Did a sinner see before him the wages of sin, and were everlasting burnings once truly believed, the devil would tempt in vain. I shall have peace is still the grand lie; when God hath said, there is no peace. 3. He not only promises her peace, but profit. And when most effectually ruining them, assures them of the greatest advantages. How often, by pursing a false and fancied good in view, do we still lose the portion we actually possessed. The things he promises, were, 1. Knowledge: a vast increase of wisdom like unto God. He insinuated herby their present imperfection, and perverts cunningly the name of the tree to the purposes of his delusion. It is not the first nor last time that Satan hath quoted the Scripture against the Scripture. The knowledge of good and evil, which that tree was designed to teach, was practical; of duty and disobedience: and experimental; of happiness or misery. He construes it to be notional, as if it would give their minds enlarged views of the nature, kinds, and origin of good and evil. Note, Satan hath hardly ever been more successful against men’s souls, then by the bait of wisdom. To be philosophers, they have turned unbelievers: and affecting to be wise above what is written, they have become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart hath been darkened. 2. Power. Ye shall be as gods. Though not self-existent, yet self-sufficient; not longer subjects, but sovereigns. He suggests, (1.) Discontent, as if their case was hard, and their situation less happy and glorious than it might be: Lord keep me from the sin of a discontented mind! By this angels fell; and Adam was undone. (2.) The pride of greatness. He knew the tempting bait; it had seduced himself: Lord let not the foot of pride come against me! (3.) Hard thoughts of God, as if on purpose he forbade them, because he knew the effects would be to raise them up to an equality with himself. Behold his devices: he is still the same. Thus he continues to deceive with fair speeches and lying promises: thus he misrepresents the restraints of God’s law as severe: and, grievous to think, thus he still prevails, and the world lieth under the power and dominion of this wicked one.
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