The story of Adam and Eve lacks signs of realism. It is unlikely that Adam and Eve would respond to such a lie
the way they did. If they wanted to know whether they would die without eating
from the tree, it is common sense that they should wait for sufficient
time. For need of
eating from that tree arises only when they are going to die. Hence no one
would choose to eat from that tree before such a need arises. Waiting was safer
option. While waiting, either of the two situations will arise—they will
continue to live on and on (in this case, they don’t have to eat from that
tree), or they will gradually sense that their body is moving towards death (in
this case, they can try that particular tree to avert death). On the contrary,
if they go ahead and eat from the tree, and thereafter find that they are going
to die, what will they do? They have no other option left to try!
This shows story is symbolic. Jesus
says history has entered into Old World at some point, and in some point this
Old World would be renewed and again it would be made into New World. (Mathew
19:28) This is the key to understand the account of Adam and Eve. Genesis
1:26-31 says God created mankind as two groups—male and female. And this New
World continued for some time about which it is apprised as “was very good.”
How this New World was turned into Old
World is shown, in Genesis chapter 3, through Adam and Even who represent the
mankind as a whole—Adam is collective man and Eve the collective woman. [In
Hebrew Adam primarily means mankind.] Mankind as a whole turned their attention
towards “fruit of the tree” or produce of the earth which means they turned
into materialism which continues even now. Even religious people are
materialistic because they take up various forms of worship to get material
benefits [I want this, I want that …] from God which means worship is the means
and materialism is the end.
In all cultures you will find something
like this story which would show behind the details the same essence—taking attachment
from God and attaching themselves with His things. When mankind displays God’s
qualities it is called paradise or New World, and when they turn materialistic
it becomes Old World. Whenever mankind depletes/destroys the provisions for
life’s enjoyment, God renews it.