What is a summary of the story of Adam and Eve?

Answer 1

The very first act of creation in the second creation story of Genesis was the creation of Adam, and the creation of Eve came about at the end of creation because none of the animals that God created was a suitable helpmeet for Adam. God placed them in a beautiful garden that met all their needs without Adam having to till the soil. In the middle of the garden were a Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and a Tree of Life. The first people were forbidden to eat the fruit of these trees.

A serpent, or snake, talked to Eve and tricked her into eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. After they ate the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve became like gods (Genesis 3:22: "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us..."), except that they were still mortal.

The only difference between them and God (or the gods) was that they must die. They knew that by eating of the Tree of Life, they would then also be immortal, and God knew that he could not permit this. In Genesis 3:24, God drove out the man and placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword to keep [block] the way of the tree of life. In the Genesis story, Adam and Eve could not be allowed back, for fear they would eat of the second tree.

Answer 2

One thought:

God created mankind perfect, with his qualities, and with everything they needed including the ability to live forever if they remained obedient(Genesis 1:28/Genesis 2:15-17). Satan challenged God's right to rule, told the first lie, encouraging this human couple to turn against God and follow their own (really Satan's) direction (Genesis 3:1-5). Adam and Eve chose to rebel against their creator and follow satan's direction, losing perfection and their own lives, and bringing sin(and therefore death and all manner of suffering) to their descendants (us)(Genesis 3:19/Romans 5:12). Even though mankind had sinned, God did not leave all mankind without hope, but promised a redeemer to put an end to Satan and give mankind the hope of everlasting life again (Genesis 3:15). God sent Jesus as the Messiah (anointed one) to take Adam's place as our 'father'(1 Corinthians 15:21,22+45), fulfill the role of ransomer (Matthew 20:28) and to, again, give obedient mankind the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth(Mathew 5:5/Psalm 37:10,11,29), as was God's original arrangement(Isaiah 45:18).(1 Timothy 2:5+6/John 3:16/John 17:3)