Why all this nakedness?
Posted on June 8, 2011 by Pastor Tom
Why did God have to include Genesis 2:25 in the Bible? “Though naked, both feel no shame towards each other or in the presence of God.” (2:25) Why is that verse included? Why does God have to embarrass us like this? Another Bible commentator gives us an amazing explaination
Given the beliefs of ancient Israel, the next comment is almost as surprising: they “were naked, but they were not ashamed.” The couple’s unself-consciousness about their lack of clothing stands in stark contrast to their later ludicrous efforts to hide themselves in the trees and to clothe themselves with fig leaves. It is also quite out of keeping with the usual attitude to nakedness attested in the Old Testament. In general, nakedness is shameful and therefore to be avoided, particularly by those approaching God in worship or other sacred duties. Yet here in the garden which is full of symbols of the divine presence, where God himself regularly comes to meet with them, they were nude but unashamed. Since the relationships between man and wife and between them and their creator are unclouded by sin, there is no need for them to cover up. The fullness of their fellowship is here most vividly expressed. Such was life in paradise. We wish we could dwell here longer. Don’t you wish that the Bible could have ended in Genesis 2? We’d still be in paradise and we’d finally reach our goal of reading through the Bible in a year. But we can’t stay in Genesis 2. The Bible’s storyline continues with the greatest tragedy in history in Genesis 3.
Next time – so what can we learn from the original paradise lost?
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