Genesis 3

Genesis 3:1–13

1. Genesis 3:1 (KJV) – “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

o (possible) The serpent’s deception sets the stage for Christ’s victory over Satan, the deceiver.

o Cross-references: John 8:44; Revelation 12:9; 1 John 3:8.

2. Genesis 3:6 (KJV) – “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

o Adam’s disobedience contrasts with Christ’s obedience. Eve’s temptation (lust of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life) is the same pattern Christ overcomes in the wilderness.

o Cross-references: Romans 5:17–19; 1 John 2:16; Matthew 4:1–11.

3. Genesis 3:7 (KJV) – “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

o (possible) Their attempt to cover themselves foreshadows humanity’s futile self-righteousness, which only Christ can truly cover by His righteousness.

o Cross-references: Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:21–22; Revelation 3:18.

4. Genesis 3:8 (KJV) – “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”

o The LORD walking points to the Son, the visible manifestation of God who fellowships with man. Their hiding underscores the need for Christ to reconcile sinners to God.

o Cross-references: John 1:18; Colossians 1:20–22.

5. Genesis 3:9 (KJV) – “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

o (possible) God’s call anticipates Christ seeking the lost.

o Cross-references: Luke 19:10; John 10:3–4.

6. Genesis 3:15 (KJV) – “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

o The protoevangelium (first gospel). A direct prophecy of Christ: the Seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head, though wounded in the process.

o Cross-references: Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:14; Romans 16:20.

7. Genesis 3:16 (KJV) – “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

o (possible) The pain in childbirth points to the greater labor of Christ’s suffering that brings forth many sons to glory.

o Cross-references: John 16:21–22; Hebrews 2:10; Isaiah 53:11.

8. Genesis 3:17–19 (KJV) – “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

o Adam’s curse directly points to Christ: He bore the thorns, sweat, and death of mankind’s sin. Christ is the bread of life, obtained through His own suffering.

o Cross-references: Matthew 27:29; Luke 22:44; John 6:35; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22.

9. Genesis 3:20 (KJV) – “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”

o (possible) Eve as “mother of all living” contrasts with Mary, the mother of Christ, and with the Church, the mother of all born again through Him.

o Cross-references: Galatians 4:26; John 19:26–27.

10. Genesis 3:21 (KJV) – “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

• A direct pointer to Christ: God Himself provides the covering through the shedding of blood, foreshadowing the atonement in Christ’s sacrifice.

• Cross-references: Hebrews 9:22; Revelation 7:14; Galatians 3:27.

11. Genesis 3:22–24 (KJV) – “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

• The barred access to the tree of life points forward to Christ as the only way back to eternal life. He is the new and living way through the veil.

• Cross-references: John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19–20; Revelation 22:14.

Genesis 3 Christ-Pointers (KJV)

1. Genesis 3:1 KJV: Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Explanation: (possible) The serpent’s deception introduces the conflict that Christ, as God the Word, will resolve. As the Creator of all physical things (including the serpent, a beast), Christ is the one whose authority is challenged by Satan’s lie, setting the stage for His redemptive work to overcome Satan’s deception. Cross-references: John 1:3, Revelation 12:9, 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14, Romans 16:20.
2. Genesis 3:6 KJV: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Explanation: (possible) The fall through Adam and Eve’s disobedience contrasts with Christ, the second Adam, whose obedience restores life. As God the Word, analogous to the body, Christ’s physical incarnation reverses the physical and spiritual death introduced here. Cross-references: Romans 5:12-19, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 1 Corinthians 15:45, John 6:51, 1 Timothy 2:14.
3. Genesis 3:8 KJV: And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. Explanation: The “LORD God walking in the garden” is likely Christ, God the Word, as the visible manifestation of God, since no one has seen the Father (John 6:46). As the Creator analogous to the body, He interacts with the physical world, seeking fellowship with humanity, prefiguring His incarnation to seek and save the lost. Cross-references: John 1:14, John 6:46, Luke 19:10, Colossians 1:15, Genesis 18:1.
4. Genesis 3:9 KJV: And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Explanation: Christ, as God the Word, calls to Adam, reflecting His role in seeking sinners. This foreshadows His earthly ministry, where He seeks those lost in sin, offering salvation through His redemptive work. Cross-references: Luke 19:10, John 10:27-28, Ezekiel 34:11-12, Matthew 18:12-14.
5. Genesis 3:15 KJV: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Explanation: This is the protoevangelium, the first gospel, directly prophesying Christ as the “seed of the woman” who will crush Satan’s head through His death and resurrection, while Satan bruises His heel (the cross). As God the Word, Christ fulfills this by defeating sin and death. Cross-references: Romans 16:20, Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8, Galatians 4:4, Revelation 12:5.
6. Genesis 3:21 KJV: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Explanation: Christ, as God the Word, provides the first animal sacrifice to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness (sin), prefiguring His atoning sacrifice on the cross, which covers believers’ sin. The coats of skins symbolize His righteousness imputed to us. Cross-references: Isaiah 61:10, Romans 3:25, Hebrews 9:22, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Leviticus 17:11.
7. Genesis 3:22-24 KJV: And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Explanation: The “LORD God” saying “as one of us” reflects the Trinity, with Christ as God the Word present in the divine council. The tree of life symbolizes Christ, the source of eternal life, and the cherubim with the flaming sword guarding it prefigure the need for Christ’s mediation to restore access to eternal life through His sacrifice. Cross-references: John 1:4, Revelation 2:7, Revelation 22:2, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 2:18, John 14:6.