Once again I have become intrigued by Genesis 3:20. I keep coming back to it. In its simplicity, it speaks to me. It is the occasion of the naming of Eve.
You know the story…Adam’s helper, God’s fashioned-one on whom he had lavished the wonders of his pristine world and the fellowship of himself had become convinced there was more. And ‘more’ was to come through herself – her forbidden-fruit-enlightened self - her bigger, better, more exalted self. So, in Satan’s ultimate coup of creative marketing, she bought the lie and got death instead. In the process, she became the open door of death to all. What a legacy – life-taker – like no other.
Soon afterward came the curse, though graciously threaded with the coming seed of hope. At that point, Adam does a curious thing. He takes a minute to name her. I think she had just been ‘woman’ up until then. Bless her – Adam got his name upon his forming, he even took the time to name the animals back in 2:20. Did he forget? Was he speechless at the sight of her? I doubt it, but at least he snuck it in before they were escorted out of the garden, redeeming himself and quite possibly revealing her place in redemption too.
He names her Eve, "because she is the mother of all the living." Eve means Life-giver. How ironic, that in the weight of the life-taking she has done, she is tagged with the hope of what she will become. Now, I understand that Adam meant to characterize her by the wonderful gift of child-bearing that is unique to women (bios-giver). However, years later, the promised Seed of hope made complete the life-giving destiny hinted at so long ago for her. He gave us Spirit life (zoe), inviting us to conduit his very Life to others. I don’t think anything encapsulates for me the essence of the feminine like life-giver, in its fullness, zoe-giver.
I get all kinds of messages about femininity – a sure sign of our directionlessness as a culture and a gender. She is witty, smart, sassy and fun. Throw in capable, sexy and definitely in control, perhaps with a mysterious hint of spirituality. Not bad qualities, but always laced with self-attitude - bigger, better and more exalted. (I’m not sure I should use the word bigger when discussing women’s issues, but you get the idea.)
Even in church I’m challenged by the perky, capable Proverbs 31-ers. I’m impressed by the fearless, gentle-spirited I Peter 3-ers. But nothing speaks to me like the one who has traded her need to take life (by attention, image, control…) for a surrender to give it in a flavor all her own. Some of my life-giving friends impart zoe through their humor, others through their wisdom. I may receive it through their leadership, gentleness, truth-telling, or gift-giving, but I know the source is Divine.
And so it seems to go – this process of becoming one or the other: impressing or blessing, grasping or trusting until we become, as a wise teacher of mine once said, either a prisoner of pride or of Providence. One of these we could just call "woman" and the other has earned her name as the destined daughter of "Eve".
Comments