Why did God say, "like one of Us," in Genesis 3:22? Text and Immediate Context (Genesis 3:22–24) “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…’ Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After He drove the man out, He stationed cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden, and a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.” Old Testament Parallels of the Divine Plural 1 Genesis 1:26 — “Let Us make man in Our image.” 2 Genesis 11:7 — “Come, let Us go down and confuse their language.” 3 Isaiah 6:8 — “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Each text presents Yahweh speaking within Himself in the presence of angelic beings yet clearly distinguishing His own creative or judicial action from theirs. Trinitarian Implication Scripture progressively reveals that the one God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The plural language in Genesis is an early, Spirit-inspired hint (cf. 1 Peter 1:10–12) of that intra-divine communion: • John 1:1–3 — the pre-incarnate Word was “with God” and “was God.” • Colossians 1:16 — “All things were created through Him and for Him.” • Genesis 1:2 — the Spirit of God “was hovering over the face of the waters.” Consequently, Genesis 3:22 records the Trinity conversing about humanity’s altered state. Alternative Explanations and Their Limitations • Royal Plural/Majestic Plural: Hebrew does not employ a majestic plural for verbs, only occasionally for nouns; nowhere else does Yahweh refer to Himself with plural verbs. • Divine Council (angels included): Angels never create, decree, or guard the tree of life apart from God’s command; they too are creatures who learn (1 Peter 1:12). The “Us” must be distinguished from the angels to avoid granting them divine attributes (omniscience of good and evil). • Mythic Borrowing: Ancient Near Eastern myths (e.g., Enuma Elish) have multiple gods vying for supremacy. Genesis instead presents a single sovereign Creator. Meaning of “Knowing Good and Evil” Adam and Eve already had propositional information about good and evil via God’s command (Genesis 2:17). By disobedience they gained experiential, self-determined moral knowledge, seeking autonomy rather than submission. • They did not gain omniscience; God still must ask, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) to elicit confession. • They did not become divine; instead they became guilty and subject to death (Romans 5:12). The Protective Expulsion The tree of life bestows ongoing earthly vitality. Eating from it in a fallen state would lock humanity into perpetual corruption. God’s banishment, enforced by cherubim (archetypal throne-guardians ultimately depicted in the tabernacle and temple: Exodus 25:18–22; 1 Kings 6:23–28), is an act of mercy that anticipates redemption through Christ, the true “way” back to life (John 14:6; Revelation 22:2, 14). Interlocking Manuscript Witness Masoretic Codex Leningradensis (AD 1008), Aleppo Codex (10th c.), Samaritan Pentateuch, 4QGen b, Nash Papyrus (2nd c. BC fragment quoting the Decalogue and Shema that affirms textual stability), and the Septuagint all transmit identical sense. This uniformity undermines claims that Trinitarian Christians retrofitted “Us” into Genesis; the plural predates the Incarnation by centuries. Early Jewish and Christian Reception • Second-Temple Judaism: Philo of Alexandria (On the Creation XXIV) saw the plural as hinting at God’s “powers” but kept them within monotheism. • Patristic Writers: Justin Martyr (Dialogue LXII), Irenaeus (Against Heresies IV.20), and Augustine (City XI.22) unanimously interpret the plural as intra-divine fellowship. • Rabbinic Sources: Some medieval commentators (e.g., Rashi) proposed a conversation with angels, yet still stressed God’s exclusive creative power to avert any polytheistic reading. Systematic and Redemptive-Historical Significance 1 Humanity’s need: Our attempt to seize God-likeness brings separation and death. 2 God’s provision: The Son becomes man, obeys perfectly, dies, and rises (1 Corinthians 15:3–4), restoring the life we lost. 3 Spirit’s role: Regenerates and sanctifies, enabling true knowledge of God (1 Corinthians 2:10–12). 4 Eschaton: Access to the tree of life is re-opened in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:14), fulfilling Genesis 3:24 in Christ. Answer in Brief God says “like one of Us” because the one true God eternally exists in personal plurality. The phrase records an intra-Trinitarian deliberation about fallen humanity’s new, experiential acquaintance with moral evil, a knowledge that resembles—but in no way rivals—the holy omniscience of the Godhead. The statement underscores human rebellion, God’s mercy in barring perpetual corruption, and the forward-looking promise of final restoration through the crucified and risen Christ. |
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