A savvy serpent approaches Eve. “Do I understand that God chose you not to eat from any tree in the garden?” It’s kind of a trick question. The serpent is familiar with God’s instruction regarding the forbidden fruit. It’s not just any tree they can’t eat from. It’s one tree.
Yet the serpent manages to distort God’s words. The serpent introduces confusion regarding what God has said as well as God’s intent. Once the woman engages in the discussion, the serpent focuses on the one forbidden tree and makes the case that God’s prohibition isn’t based in love, but that God somehow is trying to keep something good from the couple.
The serpent’s argument is timeless. You see, whenever we focus on God’s prohibitions rather than his provisions, we can’t help but doubt the goodness and the generosity of God. We can’t help but question God’s love. A crafty serpent convinces the woman of the ultimate lie, namely, that God is not good, that God does not really love them.