Genesis iii. 1-3. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God [Jehovah] had made; and he said unto the woman: “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” And the woman said unto the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”
Whence comes a talking, lying serpent, to tempt the children of divine Love? He enters into the metaphor Serpent. only as evil. We have nothing in the animal kingdom which represents the species herein described, — a talking serpent, — and should rejoice that evil, by whatever figure presented, contradicts itself, and has neither origin nor support in God, Good; so that we may have faith to fight all its claims as worthless.
Adam, the synonym for error, stands for a belief of material mind. He begins his reign over man somewhat Adam. mildly, but increases in falsehood as his days become shorter. In this development, the divine law of Truth is made manifest by the mortality of error.
In Divine Science, man is sustained by God, the divine Principle of Being. The earth, at His command, Edibles. brings forth food for man's use. Knowing this, Jesus once said, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink,” — presuming not on the prerogative of his Creator, but recognizing God, the Father and Mother of all, as able to feed and clothe man, as He doth the lilies.
Genesis iii. 4, 5. And the serpent said unto the woman:
“Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day