Review by 10mile72 -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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Review by 10mile72 -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
[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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Four Out of Four Stars
Perhaps no story in the history of literature has been subjected to a wider range of interpretation than the ancient Hebrew tale of our first forefathers, Adam and Eve. It seems that everyone whose ever cracked a bible feels up to the task of finding something new in the story, giving it an added layer, or a new twist, and usually adding nothing that really makes the story more relevant to our theology and our lives. So, it was with low hopes that I began reading William E. Combs’s book “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” -- the latest theologian to weigh in on the most hackneyed topic since Kate Middleton’s wardrobe.
I was wrong. The man has something to say. There are some genuine insights here, and a good number of ideas that stand in stark contrast to orthodox interpretations. Combs contends that when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit an awareness came over them of their differences, and that this awareness made each of them feel like they did not measure up against the other. In other words, they began to feel naked. With each other and with God. Combs writes: “Now, with their eyes opened, they made a similar mental comparison between themselves and the Lord. This time, they were overwhelmed with the conviction their own uniqueness couldn’t possibly measure up to the qualities of the One who came to visit them.”
Combs also takes the unusual position of suggesting that the well-known punishments the pair received for their transgression -- death, toil, and pain in childbirth -- were not actually punishments at all. Instead, he suggests that all of these things had a redemptive purpose.
Among his other breaks from tradition:
The command to not even touch the fruit came not from Eve’s imagination, but from Adam, who gave her this command to make doubly sure she didn’t partake of the fruit.
They did not eat the fruit due to a desire to be like God
Adam was not afraid due to his act of disobedience when God confronted him in the garden after he ate the forbidden fruit.
These are some of the ways Combs breaks with tradition; there are more. That’s one of the good things about this book. It is not a simple rehashing of an old story, with a few insights here and there thrown in to spice things up a bit. Combs really does take a fresh approach. He really does challenge many of the established -- one might even say orthodox -- views on this subject, sometimes by making some very fine distinctions, such as when he insists that Adam’s decision to believe Eve’s account of the fruit of the tree rather than God’s did constitute sin, as has always been taught, but did not constitute rebellion, which is almost never taught.
Another strong point of the book is how he relates the lessons of the Adam and Eve story into a larger theological framework, insisting that Adam’s real sin was a failure of faith; he was right to want to be like God, but he went about it the wrong way, trying to attain it by his own -- and Satan’s -- means, rather than by faith. This has obvious implications for anyone trying to live a good Christian life.
What Combs achieves here ought not to be underestimated. He has mined a story that has been mined to no end and somehow managed not just to find something new, but to dredge out of it something truly fresh, interesting, and, most importantly, relevant to the faith. I give it four out of four stars.
Not everyone will agree with me. So plentiful are the interpretations of the Adam story that some readers will probably shrug this book off as just one more attempt to give a new twist to an old tale. But in my opinion this would be a mistake. Combs may be going down a well trod road, but he will take you to some places that you haven’t seen before. For those who want to be taken to those places, where the old answers will not due, this book will prove to be a refreshing and challenging ride.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like 10mile72's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
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Four Out of Four Stars
Perhaps no story in the history of literature has been subjected to a wider range of interpretation than the ancient Hebrew tale of our first forefathers, Adam and Eve. It seems that everyone whose ever cracked a bible feels up to the task of finding something new in the story, giving it an added layer, or a new twist, and usually adding nothing that really makes the story more relevant to our theology and our lives. So, it was with low hopes that I began reading William E. Combs’s book “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” -- the latest theologian to weigh in on the most hackneyed topic since Kate Middleton’s wardrobe.
I was wrong. The man has something to say. There are some genuine insights here, and a good number of ideas that stand in stark contrast to orthodox interpretations. Combs contends that when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit an awareness came over them of their differences, and that this awareness made each of them feel like they did not measure up against the other. In other words, they began to feel naked. With each other and with God. Combs writes: “Now, with their eyes opened, they made a similar mental comparison between themselves and the Lord. This time, they were overwhelmed with the conviction their own uniqueness couldn’t possibly measure up to the qualities of the One who came to visit them.”
Combs also takes the unusual position of suggesting that the well-known punishments the pair received for their transgression -- death, toil, and pain in childbirth -- were not actually punishments at all. Instead, he suggests that all of these things had a redemptive purpose.
Among his other breaks from tradition:
The command to not even touch the fruit came not from Eve’s imagination, but from Adam, who gave her this command to make doubly sure she didn’t partake of the fruit.
They did not eat the fruit due to a desire to be like God
Adam was not afraid due to his act of disobedience when God confronted him in the garden after he ate the forbidden fruit.
These are some of the ways Combs breaks with tradition; there are more. That’s one of the good things about this book. It is not a simple rehashing of an old story, with a few insights here and there thrown in to spice things up a bit. Combs really does take a fresh approach. He really does challenge many of the established -- one might even say orthodox -- views on this subject, sometimes by making some very fine distinctions, such as when he insists that Adam’s decision to believe Eve’s account of the fruit of the tree rather than God’s did constitute sin, as has always been taught, but did not constitute rebellion, which is almost never taught.
Another strong point of the book is how he relates the lessons of the Adam and Eve story into a larger theological framework, insisting that Adam’s real sin was a failure of faith; he was right to want to be like God, but he went about it the wrong way, trying to attain it by his own -- and Satan’s -- means, rather than by faith. This has obvious implications for anyone trying to live a good Christian life.
What Combs achieves here ought not to be underestimated. He has mined a story that has been mined to no end and somehow managed not just to find something new, but to dredge out of it something truly fresh, interesting, and, most importantly, relevant to the faith. I give it four out of four stars.
Not everyone will agree with me. So plentiful are the interpretations of the Adam story that some readers will probably shrug this book off as just one more attempt to give a new twist to an old tale. But in my opinion this would be a mistake. Combs may be going down a well trod road, but he will take you to some places that you haven’t seen before. For those who want to be taken to those places, where the old answers will not due, this book will prove to be a refreshing and challenging ride.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like 10mile72's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Alfie's Attack by David Bohline
