The Serpent—that of
the male which speaks with the female
Without explanation,
a Serpent enters the Story. Though he is, in form, a creature of
the animal world, he speaks to Eve.
Clearly, the Serpent
is a special character—part animal, part human
and given his knowledge, possibly part godly.
In the Tradition, who he really is has been the cause of much controversy
through the ages.
At this point what is of note is that he is the one who tells Eve
that she can eat of the Tree of Life and not
die. She does eat and so does Adam upon her invitation. Why did
Eve believe the Serpent?
Why would Eve believe the Serpent
over the word of Adam's god? Why would she not have
asked Adam what to do, who, after all, has dominion over
her? At this point in the Story, it is sufficient for you
to hear that it is the female and her feminine trait
of listening which is the source of Evil.
Evil comes through her listening to the Serpent.
Can you grasp that this Serpent/Eve
account conveys the Big Answer to the Big Question,
"How did
it come about that there is Evil in the world?" Or,
"What
is the source of all this conflict among humans?"
The Big
Answer: women, and
the exercise of feminine power, which it is
clear is
a
derivative
of Serpent power.
While the characteristics of feminine power are not discussed
in Genesis,
it is clear that there is an intrinsic link between Evil and
the feminine. Whatever woman is at her core, she is definitely the
source
of Evil in the world. For this, she is cursed to suffer greatly during
childbirth. For not exercising his dominion over her and for allowing
Eve to express feminine power, Adam is to labor by the sweat of his
brow.
Consider:
All power, all dominion being expressed
in Genesis is
male power, that of the Lone Male and
the Lone
Male's god.
The Serpent, then, has to have some
relationship to
this Lone Male power, because
female power does not and cannot
stand on
its own.
She was not born, and any powers she has are
expressions
of Lone Male power – Rib
power, so to speak.
The Serpent, then,
is also a male power. But,
What
type of male power?
It is that of the male
which can and does speak to
the female.
Continue—Abrahamic
