Was the Serpent of the Garden a Man?

[Mycroft]

I decided this deserved its own thread, as it covers a different topic to the other Serpentine thread.

The Bible, in general, has a very interpretive language. That's not very logical if you want to lay down a set of rules for living, but there you have it. Genesis, in particular, is a very metaphorical piece of work. Nothing in Genesis can be taken literally at all. With that in mind, we can begin to speculate over whether the Serpent of the Garden (my personal hero of the Bible) was either a) an animal or, b) a man.


So:
A) It was an animal. That talked. And walked upright.

B) It was a Man who was, subsequently, cursed by god to claw on his belly.

Discuss! Unless your name is Aman777, in which case the exit is that way --------------------------------->

 

[outhouse]

It was not a man.

It was not written as a man.

It cannot be interpreted correctly as a man.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

It was a talking animal. Mythology is filled with talking animals imparting wisdom.

 

[Mycroft]

It was a talking animal. Mythology is filled with talking animals imparting wisdom.

I find it unlikely that a talking animal managed to outwit God.

 

[Glaurung]

The serpent was the devil.

 

[outhouse]

I find it unlikely that a talking animal managed to outwit God.

Do you believe it was a literal event?

If not, your statement simply does not apply

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I find it unlikely that a talking animal managed to outwit God.

It happens all the time in myths. In Journey to the West - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. a talking monkey outwits the gods and the Buddha. Look at the Crow myths in Native American cultures or the Spider myths in African cultures, these talking animals are always outwitting gods and men and sometimes gods and men return the favor.

 

[ChristineES]

There are several ideas: Literal: That it was a true serpent. Symbolic: a. It was Satan, or b. it was symbolic of human nature, c. Something else.

 

[savagewind]

The serpent was a vessel of another one's will. Was is Adam's will the serpent spoke? But the serpent really didn't speak. Why, then, was it punished? Food for thought. Also I think I'd like to say Adam and Eve were not characters but are visions of something that happened way back when.

 

[Willamena]

So:
A) It was an animal. That talked. And walked upright.

B) It was a Man who was, subsequently, cursed by god to claw on his belly.

Discuss!

It could be both animal and man. Are you familiar with anthropomorphism?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

The Serpent being a man gets into all that squicky "Serpent Seed" occult crap that was better as some priest's masturbatory fantasy than hidden wisdom.

I'll stick with "fairy tale".

 

[Twilight Hue]

It could be both animal and man. Are you familiar with anthropomorphism?

Could very well be. The opening in Genesis 3 designates the serpent as male to be later cursed as a beast that must crawl on its belly and eat dust.

 

[Mycroft]

Could very well be. The opening in Genesis 3 designates the serpent as male to be later cursed as a beast that must crawl on its belly and eat dust.

So a man which god, in his infinite mercy and forgiveness and love, turned into a snake as punishment for making Adam and Eve no longer reliant on him?

 

[DawudTalut]

I decided this deserved its own thread, as it covers a different topic to the other Serpentine thread.

The Bible, in general, has a very interpretive language. That's not very logical if you want to lay down a set of rules for living, but there you have it. Genesis, in particular, is a very metaphorical piece of work. Nothing in Genesis can be taken literally at all. With that in mind, we can begin to speculate over whether the Serpent of the Garden (my personal hero of the Bible) was either a) an animal or, b) a man.


So:
A) It was an animal. That talked. And walked upright.

B) It was a Man who was, subsequently, cursed by god to claw on his belly.

Discuss! Unless your name is Aman777, in which case the exit is that way --------------------------------->

Peace be on you.
In the Holy Quran, in the matters of Adam, no serpent is mentioned.

[2:36] And We said: ‘O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat therefrom plentifully wherever you will, but approach not this tree, lest you be of the wrongdoers.’

[2:37] But Satan caused them both to slip by means of it and drove them out of (the state) in which they were. And We said: ‘Go forth; some of you are enemies of others, and for you there is an abode in the earth and a provision for a time.

[2:38] Then Adam learnt from his Lord certain words of (prayer). So He turned towards him with mercy. Surely, He is Oft-Returning (with compassion, and is) Merciful.

[2:39] We said: ‘Go forth, all of you, from here. And if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoso shall follow My guidance, on them (shall come) no fear, nor shall they grieve.’


Plz see also and notes in commentary:
https://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?ch=7&verse=20

 

[paarsurrey]

Was the Serpent of the Garden a Man?

It is just a myth.

Regards

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Was the Serpent of the Garden a Man?

It is just a myth.

Regards

Thank you Captain Obvious.

 

[Twilight Hue]

So a man which god, in his infinite mercy and forgiveness and love, turned into a snake as punishment for making Adam and Eve no longer reliant on him?

I like that version much better. Im guessing that likely was how it was written orginally.

 

[paarsurrey]

Originally Posted by paarsurrey
Was the Serpent of the Garden a Man?

It is just a myth.

Thank you Captain Obvious.

Because the narrative is so far from reason:

14. And the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed be you more than all the cattle and more than all the beasts of the field; you shall walk on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Genesis - Chapter 3 (Parshah Berei****) - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible

Please see the word "walk"; doe the snake walk?
Did snake ever had feet to walk?
A snake can only walk on legs in a myth.

Regards

 

[outhouse]

Because the narrative is so far from reason:

14. And the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed be you more than all the cattle and more than all the beasts of the field; you shall walk on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Genesis - Chapter 3 (Parshah Berei****) - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible

Please see the word "walk"; doe the snake walk?
Did snake ever had feet to walk?
A snake can only walk on legs in a myth.

Regards

Due to your ignorance, on these topics, you dont understand the context.

They called bats birds.

So its no suprise that a serpent would walk away.

Are all serpents snakes?

 

[paarsurrey]

Was the Serpent of the Garden a Man?

It cannot be a man.
There is no prove that the serpent or snake mentioned previously moved in vertical position on two legs like a human being.

Regards