“Did Satan just take the form of a serpent when he tempted Eve?” Various commentators have these thoughts on whether Satan took the form of a serpent when he tempted Eve or whether he spoke through a serpent when he tempted Eve. “The tempter was a serpent (Satan in the form of a snake), thus suggesting that temptation comes in disguise, quite unexpectedly, and that it often comes from a subordinate (someone over whom one should have exercised dominion; cf. Gen. 1:28)” (Bible Knowledge).
When he came into the Garden, Satan used the body of a serpent, one of God’s creatures that He had pronounced “good” (Gen 1:31). Eve didn’t seem disturbed by the serpent’s presence or its speech, so we assume that she saw nothing threatening about the encounter. Perhaps Eve hadn’t been introduced to this species and concluded that it had the ability to speak. (Bible Exposition)
“God allowed Satan to make the serpent his instrument and to speak through him” (Geneva Notes). “It was the devil in the likeness of a serpent. Whether it was only the visible shape and appearance of a serpent (as some think those were of which we read, Ex 7:12), or whether it was a real living serpent, actuated and possessed by the devil, is not certain…” (Matthew Henry’s).
Of course, the whole person of the serpent that appears in this tragic scene also includes a certain identity with Satan himself, as indicated by Paul’s reference in 2 Cor. 11:3, the indication there being that the same serpent who seduced Eve is, in this dispensation, engaged in seducing the Church of Jesus Christ. Also, Satan is called, “The great Dragon, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world” (Rev. 12:9)…. Therefore, Satan himself was the person speaking in the serpent of this verse. (Coffman’s)
Bible students have misgivings whether Satan appeared to Eve in the Garden of Eden masquerading or pretending to be a serpent, or whether Satan took control of a serpent, using it somewhat as a marionette or puppet. From the biblical text, it seems to me that Satan possessed a real serpent or snake to misguide Eve, because subsequently, God punished serpents as well as mankind and Satan (the devil).
Frequently, the consequences of sin extend beyond sinners to innocent victims. Apparently, serpents were created by God to walk upon the earth, since in Genesis 3:14 God punished the serpent for being an instrument in the downfall of humanity. That would hardly make any sense if it were the case that serpents or snakes were already crawling on their bellies. Therefore, Satan (the Devil) possessed a snake to tempt the first pair. God punished Satan, serpents, humans and the natural world (e.g., thorns, etc.). The consequences of sin are far-reaching.
Works Cited
Bible Exposition Commentary. CD-ROM. Colorado Springs: Victor, 2004.
Bible Knowledge Commentary. CD-ROM. Colorado Springs: Cook Communications, 2000.
James Burton Coffman Bible Study Library. CD-ROM. Abilene: ACU, 1989.
Geneva Notes. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
