Review by melissy370 -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
Posted: 04 Jan 2018, 14:51
[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Everybody has heard of the story of Adam and Eve. Church goer or not, the tale is known of them taking the apple from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and condemning humanity to death and sin. Their action of disobedience opened a myriad of problems for the rest of us who followed. In the book Who Told You That You Were Naked? A Refreshing Reexamination of the Garden of Eden by William E. Combs, traditional presumptions of the first man and woman are reassessed to lend us a different mindset on what went on in Eden. As a retired Presbyterian pastor, Combs sheds light on several questions. For example, what was Eve’s true motive in picking the fruit? God threatens death after consuming the fruit but how come Adam and some of his offspring still have long lives? Is sin only a lengthy list of errant acts and salvation a sacrificial payment for those violations? When God finds Adam and Eve in the Garden after the tree incident why does he inquire, “Who told you were naked?” instead of chiding them for their insubordination?
The interpretation of the term "nakedness" is essential to the book . It can mean absence of clothes. Or it can mean feeling vulnerable and inferior to someone else. The latter is the definition that Combs believes should be adopted when Adam and Eve both eat from the fruit. It explains why the first couple appeared ashamed to appear before God. They now believed themselves inadequate to God and were distraught because they did not measure up to him. When God asked, “Who told you were naked?” there was no condemnation in his enquiry. The Lord was attempting to reassure Adam that he was not judging him. It was Adam’s own anxious thoughts that led to his distress. When we feel “naked” in front of people we erect walls to protect ourselves. Out of this then comes distrust, alienation, and even envy. “The fall of mankind” is more than breaking rules. It is a fragmented relationship between man and others. It is likewise, a damaged relationship between man and God. Throughout the rest of the book Combs presents why salvation through Jesus is crucial to restore those relationships.
The author employs diverse techniques of writing to explain his position. Combs uses commentary on the Bible passages and defines words in its original language. Because of familiarity with the Genesis narrative, Combs uses vignettes to push the reader to see past their biases of the text. Combs also offers his own testimony to illustrate a point. Usage of all three help make the writing appear not dry and boring. The author takes complex concepts and turns them into an accessible format for anyone to comprehend.
After each chapter the writer has study questions to aid the reader in going deeper into what was talked about. I found them quite helpful for me to process what I just read. Some questions were summarizing what was in the chapter. Others were used to expand your knowledge on the subject in the Bible’s entirety. The questions make the book user friendly for individual or group bible study.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. It stretched, probed, and challenged me to consider Adam and Eve in a different light then what I have learned. I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars because it was well written and thought provoking.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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Everybody has heard of the story of Adam and Eve. Church goer or not, the tale is known of them taking the apple from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and condemning humanity to death and sin. Their action of disobedience opened a myriad of problems for the rest of us who followed. In the book Who Told You That You Were Naked? A Refreshing Reexamination of the Garden of Eden by William E. Combs, traditional presumptions of the first man and woman are reassessed to lend us a different mindset on what went on in Eden. As a retired Presbyterian pastor, Combs sheds light on several questions. For example, what was Eve’s true motive in picking the fruit? God threatens death after consuming the fruit but how come Adam and some of his offspring still have long lives? Is sin only a lengthy list of errant acts and salvation a sacrificial payment for those violations? When God finds Adam and Eve in the Garden after the tree incident why does he inquire, “Who told you were naked?” instead of chiding them for their insubordination?
The interpretation of the term "nakedness" is essential to the book . It can mean absence of clothes. Or it can mean feeling vulnerable and inferior to someone else. The latter is the definition that Combs believes should be adopted when Adam and Eve both eat from the fruit. It explains why the first couple appeared ashamed to appear before God. They now believed themselves inadequate to God and were distraught because they did not measure up to him. When God asked, “Who told you were naked?” there was no condemnation in his enquiry. The Lord was attempting to reassure Adam that he was not judging him. It was Adam’s own anxious thoughts that led to his distress. When we feel “naked” in front of people we erect walls to protect ourselves. Out of this then comes distrust, alienation, and even envy. “The fall of mankind” is more than breaking rules. It is a fragmented relationship between man and others. It is likewise, a damaged relationship between man and God. Throughout the rest of the book Combs presents why salvation through Jesus is crucial to restore those relationships.
The author employs diverse techniques of writing to explain his position. Combs uses commentary on the Bible passages and defines words in its original language. Because of familiarity with the Genesis narrative, Combs uses vignettes to push the reader to see past their biases of the text. Combs also offers his own testimony to illustrate a point. Usage of all three help make the writing appear not dry and boring. The author takes complex concepts and turns them into an accessible format for anyone to comprehend.
After each chapter the writer has study questions to aid the reader in going deeper into what was talked about. I found them quite helpful for me to process what I just read. Some questions were summarizing what was in the chapter. Others were used to expand your knowledge on the subject in the Bible’s entirety. The questions make the book user friendly for individual or group bible study.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. It stretched, probed, and challenged me to consider Adam and Eve in a different light then what I have learned. I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars because it was well written and thought provoking.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like melissy370's review? Post a comment saying so!