Almost all would recognize the story about a woman who, upon seeing the fruit was good; took it, ate it, and offered it to her husband who also took it and ate it and then suffered the consequences.  The complete tale relates the fall of man and expulsion from paradise.  Found in Genesis 3, the deeper meanings contained in the account are still actively debated today.

Contemplating the question of ‘what is paradise?’ may have each person imagining something different.  Most often it is described as a peaceful, harmonious place or state of being.  This point of balance has been portrayed many ways through the ages and is linked to Arcadia, the Golden Age, Atlantis, and the Garden of Eden.

The literal meaning of the word, paradise, derives from the Old Persian language for ‘Walled Enclosure’.   Connections to menageries, parks and gardens gave way to the equivalent use between the words Garden (of Eden) and Paradise.

It is also interesting to note that once man was banished from the Garden of Eden, it became a ‘Guarded Enclosure’.  Genesis 3: 24 states, “After God drove man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”   This seems to indicate another possible origin for the word.

The search for and desired return to ‘Paradise’ is the plot for many a story and life itself.  But exactly why was man sent away to begin with? Realized by some to be the result for disobeying God’s laws, man ponders at what point was the complete fall of man; was it in just ‘seeing the fruit was good?’, was it ‘judging for oneself?’, was it ‘the actual act of taking a bite?’, or was it ‘something else like ‘wanting more?’

Possibly understanding what caused the fall of man may help man find a way back into Paradise.  In researching original sin, there is an account given by Anselm (1033-1109) in his work entitled On the Fall of the Devil.  Instead of looking at just man, he looks at Angels and the reasoning behind the story of the Fallen Angel’s rebellion against God.  In a lecture given by Charles Mathewes, an expert in theology and philosophy of religion, he summarizes Anselm thoughts, “Satan wanted everything and got nothing, while the good Angels sought nothing and received everything.”

The statement conveys the belief that in being part of God’s world (his creation), one must personally choose to accept the Will of God.  The Devil chose not to accept this Will and wanted ‘something More’.  However, similar to the message revealed in the Talmud about the gift at the Gates of Paradise, the devil’s desires can never be sated.  No matter what he receives, he wants ‘More’; never really knowing what the ‘More’ is.  In not accepting the Will of God, he found only misery.

Mathewes also shares in his lecture a comparison of Anselm’s description to a scene in the 1948 movie of Key Largo.  He calls it ‘an Anselmian moment’ and relates the following;

“Bogart and Bacall (portraying characters in the movie) find themselves with the gangster leader of Johnny Rocco.  The scene has Bogart saying,

“I know what Johnny wants,(turning to the bad guy, Johnny Rocco) Johnny, do you know what you want?”

“What?” Rocco asks

“You want ‘More’”.

Rocco enthusiastically and wholeheartedly agrees, “Yeah, that’s right, I want More.”  (the More is left unspecified as it doesn’t matter.  Because no matter what he has, his ambition will always be ‘more’, despite the consequences)

Rocco then turns to Bogart and asks ‘What do you want?’

His solemn response was, “I want a world where there are fewer Johnny Rocco’s.”

 

The Phrase decoded in the Maranatha-Et in Arcadia Ego puzzle, “Contentment is the Philosopher’s Stone” echoes back to my mind and reminds me of Genesis with the taking of the ‘Forbidden Fruit’.  A question arises of; ‘with having everything needed in paradise, why did one want ‘more’? And if man, like related in the tale of Gilgamesh, realizes contentment, would he find paradise again?

The answer may not be known, but, if ever balance or paradise is realized again, Proverbs 4:23 (the reverse of Genesis’ verse 3:24) comes to mind, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  If contentment is discovered within, Paradise could then be considered found in a man’s heart, and be the ‘Guarded Enclosure’?

20 Comments

  2. The Zohar mentions the fact that Adam was a hermaphrodite (half man/half woman). This is the meaning of “This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh” The Male is a reference to the Right side of the body, and the female to the Left side of the body. This was never just unique to the Bible. In Hinduism, we often see Illustrations of Siva as a Hermaphrodite, with Siva on the right side, and his wife on the left side sharing the same body.

    Genesis, Chapters 2 and 3 are So difficult to interpret that even I have given up on trying to understand them.
    In fact, it’s possible that man will never be able what they actually mean. However, I wish to make a point, and in doing so, I am not trying to be arrogant in the sense that I attempting to challenge any of the author’s views as far as the translation of The Bible is concerned.

    But this point really needs to made. The Bible is UNLIKE other Religions in the sense that the Translators are
    Interpreting it as a “favorable” teaching for the churches. By that, I mean that Ministers need to be able to explain certain facts to members of their congregations.So if anything deviates too strongly from the norm, it will be misinterpreted.

    For example, Genesis 2:3 is supposed to read:

    “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were NOT ashamed.”

    However, if we go to Studylight’s Interlinear Bible to check up on the Translation, we get the Actual Translation as being:

    “Both (Eyn) Naked (Arowm), Man (Ish) Wife (Ishah), Ashamed (buwsh).”

    The word NOT is Missing from the translation. Why? Because later on in Genesis 3.2, it is mentioned;

    “And Both their Eyes were open, and they KNEW that they were Naked.”

    I can just envision some Pasteur answering a question from a member of his flock: “Why did Adam and Eve have to open their eyes to KNOW that they were naked, when they were ALREADY Ashamed of the fact?” By adding, a simple word “Not,” they are able to divert attention away from that fact.

    Actually, The Bible is full of “Deliberate Misinterpretations.” But my “All time favorite” is:

    “Vanity Vanity Sayeth the PREACHER! All is just Vanity!

    The Actual Interpretation of that is:

    “BREATH (Hebel) BREATH (Hebel) sayeth the Preacher! All is just BREATH (Hevel).”

    Oh! You do remember HEVEL, don’t you? This was ALSO CAIN’s Brother (ABLE/HEVEL). And that is How the word “BREATHerin (Brother) was derived.

    Basically, The Bible (for me) from some type of Moral Perspective is about a group of PRIESTS and SCRIBES (Recorders/Interpreters) who BETRAYED the Teachings of Jesus. Therefore, the Prophets set TRAPS for Bible Interpreters all throughout The Bible so that in the End, the REAL Betrayers would be known.

    I used to believe that the “Origional Sin” was some reference to “The Woman Saw …” The Problem with that is “BEFORE the Woman Saw, it is mentioned “And they were both naked, and they were ashamed.” so I am not certain of at what point the “Origional Sin” actually occurred. Three significant things occurred in the story in this particular order:

    1. Their Eyes were closed (?) yet they were naked and ashamed.

    2. The Woman Saw …

    3. Both of their eyes were open, and they Knew that they were

    Actually there are at least TWO types of Nakedness as Defined by The Bible. One has to do with the eyes, and the other has to do with the sackcloth, which is more of reference to a glove. (psalms 69:11, Isiah 50:3) Kahlil Giran understood a “Nakedness” really well. He has a really excellent Little Story called “Garments.”

    Mark

  3. Thanks, Jkyle. I’m beginning to notice that my post (above) contains some errors. One was I mispelled “Khalil Gibran.” I also forgot to include the link. The first time that I read “Garments,” it kind of had the effect of “verifying” a lot about what I had alreadg understood about “The Bible.”

    I rememember reading somewhere that Gibran had met on several occassions with Baha Aluha, the leader of
    The Bahai Faith. I have also read most of his book “The Prophet.” The Zohar also mentions the Garments as being references to the Nefesh, Neshama, and the Ruach.

    I also believe that a lot of these Painters who depicted the VIRGIN as being Naked were probably trying to tell
    Us that they understood something about The Bible too. A person could argue that “the Opposite” is true if Nakedness is really Ugliness, and Beauty represents the possession of a garment. However, HOW else can the point be made unless the Virgin is Naked?

    And usually, the Naked Virgin is depicted as about to engage in some act of Bathing. That helps to tie-in the metaphorical relationship of the Water to the Clothing.

    Mark

  4. Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together sayeth the Lord (JehOVEh). Though ypur Sins be as Scarlet, they will be as White as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be like Wool.

    Revelations 5:5 – The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white Garments, and I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, I will confess his name (Christ) BEFORE my Father (Jesus), and before his Angels (Angles).

    The Crimson in the above verse is a reference to the red lines found in the palms of the Hand. The Name being referred to in the second verse is a reference to “Jesus Christ.” The name Christ is a reference to the Annointed One as the Messiah. The Hebrew Name for Jesus is:

    Iasoussous

    When we hear the word “Iasousous,” it sounds like:

    I as ZEUS ZEUS

    “I (Zeus) and my Father (Zeus) are ONE (Zeus).”

    What does this mean? A Lightening Rod held in both hands,” a reference to the Flaming Sword (lightening rod/cherebs) that guards the enterence to the Tree of Life. For me, there is a difference between Jesus and Christ. “Christ” is a reference to the “Annointed One” as the Messiah.

    Everybody believes that the Christ is the Saviour. However, that is only true in the sense that a person has to FIRST find Christ. THEN that person must REPENT by wearing a Garment. Jesus is a reference to BOTH the
    Christ (as the Annointed One) and the “Robed Jesus.” Christ is ONLY a reference to the Annointed One.

    HOW do I know? Or to put it a better way, HOW can a person even begin to understand what appears to be such a Complicated Secret? My answer to that question is by ACCIDENT. About two years ago, I attained the understanding for CHRIST (By accident). So it’s my understanding that the person must FIRST recieve the MARK of the BEAST … BEFORE … that person cam ever begin to understand CHRIST.

    What do I mean by this? Actually, “The Mark of the Beast” and the understanding for Christ are Two DIFFERENT Secrets. The REASON that the CHRIST is called the SAVIOR is because the Mark of the Beast represents a DEADLY Secret. By that, I mean that the moment the person recieves the MARK, they have ONLY one minute to apply the CORRECTION (Repentence), and it is the CHRIST that intervenes for them and SAVES their life.

    Otherwise, the person who recieves the Mark of the Beast will get struck by Lightening. This is based on a TRUE story. By that, I mean that this actually happened to me. That is what led me to Revelations 13;13, which later led me to THIS Website. I would have Never found this Website were it not for your article on the LIGHTENING.

    It’s my understanding that the “Mark of the Beast” represents a “Blasphemous” Secret. I would NEVER share in any of the details of that Secret with any person. And anybody who attempts to perform that Secret without wearing a pair of gloves is nothing but a Fool! “FEAR the Lord (JehOVEh) means “Don’t persue him for his Miracles. Otherwise, your life will be Sacrifed like a Lamb for the Slaughter, your name will be blotted out of the Book of Life, and you will play your part in the Lake of Fire!

    Mark

    1. “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white Garments, and I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, I will confess his name (Christ) BEFORE my Father (Jesus), and before his Angels (Angles).”

      1. I don’t think his name is Christ. I think we don’t know the name at all.
      2. The father is most definitely not Jesus. The father is God the Father.
      3. Angels aren’t angles. They are geometrical figures in part (there’s more to them than just the geometrical figure), and they could be described as collections of angles, but not as a single angle.

      Maria Rigel

    2. I don’t know how close “Jesus” and “Zeus” sound in Greek. I guess it’s possible that some sort of connection was made in the New Testament, if they really sound similar.

      But Genesis is older than that, so it’s very unlikely that the flaming sword of the cherub guarding the tree of life had any connection with Zeus. On the other hand, there was a god of storms and thunder in the area that is now Israel called Seth. And some people think that the Jews were the same people as those the Egyptians called Hyksos, who according to the Egyptians, worshipped only Seth. So it’s possible that the God of the Jews was in the earliest times identified with the god of lightning.

      I have encountered some suggestions that one is meant to draw a lightning-shaped path in the tree of life, and thinking along these lines, it’s possible that this path is the flaming sword of the cherub. But at this point, this is just speculation.

      Maria Rigel

  5. I would like to apologize to all for the above “Comment” that I made. I didn’t mean for it to come across to others as “self-righteous garbage” which doesn’t even attempt to take into consideration the fact that truth is some type of ongoing experience. I am ashamed that I wrote it.

    My experience with the lightening was a true story. I often ask myself the question, What would happen if I were to try that Secret again?” That way, I will know if the whole experience was just my immagination. As crazy as it sounds, I am even too scared to try that secret away from my house. Am I fearful that the lightening will strike me? No. But I can’t be certain that it won’t strike my car or my house. I’ve already paid the price for that once, and I’m not about to pay it again. For those who are interested, here are some verses which will help them to understand my point of view:

    Zechariah 9:14

    Mathew 24:37

    Mathew 28:3

    Luke 2:18

    Psalms 146:6

    Job 37:3

    Psalms 144:5 – 6

    Psalms 18:13

    2 Peter 3:7

    Job 1:16

    Also interesting, the Hebrew word for Lightening is BARAq.

    Mark

  6. Yeah, Nate, I am kind of like you. I’m not really as scared of the lightening hitting me. However, out where I live in Louisiana, Lightening Strikes can sometimes be a problem. During Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, lightening strikes to our houses or telephone lines caused thousands of dollars worth of damages. And that’s not including the thousands of dollars in losses due to Other Miscillaneus Strikes. Rain is also a huge problem. We get “too much” of it being that we live so close to the Gulf Coast. So the ground is always So saturated with water that it rarely has time to dry up before the next rainstorm hits.

    However, I can appreciate the awe and beauty of a lightening storm, too. The word Jupiter (Zeus) only appears once in the Bible in Acts 19:35. I have pondered the meaning of these verses. Sometimes, I wonder if the “Image of the Beast” is not some reference to the Statue of the God Jupiter, who can cause others to recieve “The Mark.” (Me). Ha Ha! Just kidding (about the Me part).

    For me, the “Balancing of the Scales” (of the Dragon) represents the understanding for a lightening rod held in both hands (the second lightening strike/Correction). Then again, the “annointing oil” could play a huge role in the understanding of the Secret, too. Often I ask myself the question “Is the blood of Christ” some reference to the Annointing Oil (which contains Cinnamon)?” I believe this is possible. The ingredients for the Annointing Oil are mentioned in The Bible, but it should make sense to others that the Prophets will leave out some important detail which might make all of the difference, and clues all throughout The Bible will be provided as to what that missing ingredient really is. I stumbled upon it by accident. It was only AFTER all of this happened that I began to research and noticed that this “missing ingredient” might be associated with the God Jupiter.

    Then again, it is possible that this is just my Immagination, and the Secret might work without the Annointing Oil. The truth is I don’t know. And it’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that sometimes, Miracles can turn out to be curses. Perhaps this lesson was meant to teach me the fact that we can understand God THROUGH the Beast. Certainly, that would be a greater gift than to unleash the wrath of the Beast upon the World. But then again, watch me become the hypocrite for ever having said that. In the event that I do not find God, I can just. Forsee the anger and the wrath setting in. Then I can just see myself saying “Let her Rip, Baby!” Ha Ha! Just let us all hope that it never comes down to that.

    Then again, I could be

    Mark

    1. Mark and Nate, You are both full of fire…I love it…Keeps us all warm.

      Although the above references give me lots to research…it reminds of something I have wanted to do. In the movie ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ (?I think), they make glass from lightening strikes in the sand. I need to learn exactly how this is done, but I want to do it. The glass would hold such meaning.

      jkile

  7. Good job finding those verses on Jupiter (Zeus), Nate. I have read Acts 14. Cool! To be truthful with you, Nate, i don’t really know what to think about the Mark of the Beast. I think that what you might be trying to say (apart from the fact that it is Evil) is that the Mark of the Beast really has nothing to do
    with the Lord or God or the Christ. And you might be right.

    I just like playing around with the whole idea.
    We are all “William Shakespeares.” We like to mix our ideas about Religion with a sense of drama. Yogananda actually said that if a person wishes to understand “The Spiritual Path,” that he should read Shakespeare. So to hear both you and others mention Shakespeare at this website, what a Coincidence. Or is it? I think that we all share some type of unique talent for understanding “the remarkable.”

    Sometimes, all that it takes is “One Revelation,” and that can have an effect on the way that we understand things. For example, the Beast could be some reference
    To the Dragon, which could also be thought of as a type of Serpent. If it is true that the Dragon is some reference to The Constellation of Draco where the Pole Star (North Star) is located, then that could bear some type of RelAtionship to the Serpent (Dragon) which is intertwined around the Pole (or tree).

    What is also interesting is that I’ve never heard of a Religion which mentions Eels. However, a Serpent entwined around a Pole seems to suggest an Eel (Electric Eel). Perhaps there is suppossed to be some correlation between the Hebrew word for God “El” and “eel.” Yeah, that one could be a longshot, but when you stop and think about it, back in those days, people never knew about Electricity. So what better “Metaphors” for conveying the idea than the lightening bolt and the Eel. Perhaps we should all take a closer look at what is really in Medusa’s Hair.

    Mark

    1. It’s quite possible that the constellation of Draco was named like that to justify the story about the serpent twined around the Tree of Life or World Axis. But I don’t think that was the original reason to talk about a twined serpent. All depictions of the serpent have quite a lot of coils around the tree, not just one or two. This makes me think it refers to the trajectory of the sun in the sky, that changes with the seasons.

      Maria Rigel

  8. Uhhhh … O.K., bad idea. What I really meant to say is let us all use our “Contemplative Shield” as Perseus did to cast a true reflection on the meaning of Medusa. This reminds me of the saying in Hinduism about the Illusion of the Serpant being mistaken for a rope.

    Mark

  9. It’s possible that you are having these feelings about me (Nate) because you’ve already sensed what I am going to do with that secret in the future, in the event that it does turn out to be some type of “legitamate secret.” Good guess.

    In that vision that I have of the future, I am standing upon a podeum before the gathered masses with a sheet over my head, and there is a lightening Pole somewhere in the backround. The crowd is going wild! They are all chanting “Beastmiester!,” Beastmeister!” Bring down thy bolt! 

    The thunder starts kicking in! The lightening begins to crackle! Everybody is running for their lives fearful that they will struck by lightening, while the “ever-calm Biestmiester” cries out “One Minute ’till Strike!” 

    Standing outside in the “panic-stricken audience” is Jen, Horatio, and Madmonk because let’s face it … Everybody loves the
    Beastmeister! Ha Ha! Watching the whole “disgusting spectacle” on T.V. is Nate clinging to his cross uttering “Damn! He is taking my whole flock to Hell with him! Ha Ha! 

    Then again, all of that is entirely in the realm 
    of speculation. I’m still not even certain if the secret really works, or if it was all actually just some huge coincidence. But in the event 
    That it does work, try not to get discouraged.  
    I would argue that from the Prophets perspective, Time has already passed, so what has happened has already come to pass, and there is no changing that. 

    Revelations 1:8

    Mark

  12. Jenny, THANK YOU for putting this link back up where it was noticeable! I did not know about your site back when it was first posted. I begin interested in your site because of Forrest Fenns treasure hunt.
    What a GREAT site! So much interesting stuff on here. I LOVE mysteries of all kinds, so your site is AWESOME!
    I needed to hear what this post said, so thanks again!

    Hunny

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