Genesis 3:15

[Lilith2006]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

 

[d taylor]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

Notice her Seed is capitalized that is a reference to God. Just like Paul states in Galatians 3:16

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

This verse has been called the Protoevangelium, the first good news. It has been known as that for nearly 2000 years.

The interpretation you have heard is a bit too much for that text to support. What IS there is that there will be emnity between Satan and the woman and her offspring. It implies a future battle and a future victory against Satan. God did not abandon us to the power of sin and death. There will be a 'new Adam' (1 Cor 15:45) and even a 'new Eve' that will be key in this victory. There IS hope, even as early as Adam and Eve fell.

This verse 'makes sense' looking back in the light of Jesus. And yet it just reads too much backwards into the text to say "When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire". That just isn't there. Jesus is the fulfillment of the protoevangelium, and Mary is also a fulfillment of that same protoevangelium. We know Jesus goes to war against Satan, That's about all we can get though. It is not a prophecy about resurrection or about Satan being cast into hell. That part is, sorry, just not supported. True, but not based on Genesis 3:15. The people who said that was all contained in Genesis 3:15 have said too much. You are right to question that.

Here is something that pope John Paul II had to say about it: The Protoevangelium of Salvation | EWTN

 

[chevyontheriver]

Notice her Seed is capitalized that is a reference to God. Just like Paul states in Galatians 3:16

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.

It that capitalization found in the Hebrew?

 

[tampasteve]

Notice her Seed is capitalized

There are no capital letters in Hebrew and the oldest koine Greek manuscripts of the NT use all capital letters, so the premise is flawed.

 

[HTacianas]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

That's a good question. Throughout the old testament you'll find what could be described as allusions to Christ. Genesis 3:15 is one of them. It could mean as Paul the Apostle said (and @d taylor pointed out) a direct reference to Christ or it could simply mean that people from now on won't like snakes. It could go either way, that being the reason for the two thousand year old debate between Christians and Jews. But it is the Christian tradition that it does in fact refer to Jesus. Luke wrote:

Luk 24:44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

Luk 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luk 24:46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

Genesis 3:15 may in fact be one of those scriptures that Jesus taught to the Apostles.

 

[Lilith2006]

Notice her Seed is capitalized that is a reference to God. Just like Paul states in Galatians 3:16

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.

There was no such thing as capitalised letters when genesis 3:15 was written. The jewish Torah was originally written in Hebrew, & no early jewish manuscripts have capitals. The capitalisation has occurred much later, when it was translated to english. When the jewish writers used the term seed, they were referring to all descendants of the person.

The term seed refers to ALL of Eves descendants, as well as all of the serpents (snakes) descendants. It is not referring to any singular person or snake. It refers to EVES seed (not Adams seed), because God is addressing only Eve & the Snake in this verse. It would make no sense to refer to Adams seed in this context.

In the verse, God creates enmity between Eve & the Serpent in the story. However God ALSO creates enmity between all of Eves descendants, & all of the serpents descendants, NOT between Eves descendants & THIS serpent.
This suggests that this particular snake has a limited life, just like eve does, & it will die in the same time frame that eve dies in. The enmity will continue between Eves descendants & the descendants of the Serpent (all snakes).

I still don't see how you can get from what it says in Genesis 3:15 to being a prophecy about Jesus & Satan.

 

[honey badger]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

there is a lot to unpack in this verse ( the whole book ) ... but to even begin to understand it you will first need to put aside all the theologies you have thus far heard from chrstiandom who view all scripture through a lense of good versus evil, which is not found in this verse seeing it is the elder who serves the younger ...

i will try to answer your questions from where you are seeing from ....

 

[Lilith2006]

That's a good question. Throughout the old testament you'll find what could be described as allusions to Christ. Genesis 3:15 is one of them. It could mean as Paul the Apostle said (and @d taylor pointed out) a direct reference to Christ or it could simply mean that people from now on won't like snakes. It could go either way, that being the reason for the two thousand year old debate between Christians and Jews. But it is the Christian tradition that it does in fact refer to Jesus. Luke wrote:

Luk 24:44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

Luk 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luk 24:46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

Genesis 3:15 may in fact be one of those scriptures that Jesus taught to the Apostles.

From carefully reading the verse, as well as Geneses 3:1, 3:14, 3:15, 3;16, 3:17, it seems to e clear to me that it is a creation story about why mankind does not get along with snakes. You have to make an awful lot of unfounded assumptions to get to this being a story about Jesus & Satan. I was always told by the Rabbi's to read the bible plainly, & interpret it the way that it reads, & not to try to put my own interpretation on it. You also need to read the surrounding verses to get the proper context (preferably reading at least the entire chapter, not a single verse in isolation).

I don't understand why Christians always quote passages in isolation when referring to prophecy about Jesus. This is NOT how you read the bible, you have to read the previous & preceding verses for context. Reading the verse in the correct context is essential to understand it. I think that this is the reason why I read these versed differently to how christians read them. Christians are quoted a single verse, & are TOLD HOW to interpret it by Christian apologists. Most don't bother to read the verse in context & study the meaning to understand it fully.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

From carefully reading the verse, as well as Geneses 3:1, 3:14, 3:15, 3;16, 3:17, it seems to e clear to me that it is a creation story about why mankind does not get along with snakes. You have to make an awful lot of unfounded assumptions to get to this being a story about Jesus & Satan. I was always told by the Rabbi's to read the bible plainly, & interpret it the way that it reads, & not to try to put my own interpretation on it. You also need to read the surrounding verses to get the proper context (preferably reading at least the entire chapter, not a single verse in isolation).

I don't understand why Christians always quote passages in isolation when referring to prophecy about Jesus. This is NOT how you read the bible, you have to read the previous & preceding verses for context. Reading the verse in the correct context is essential to understand it. I think that this is the reason why I read these versed differently to how christians read them. Christians are quoted a single verse, & are TOLD HOW to interpret it by Christian apologists. Most don't bother to read the verse in context & study the meaning to understand it fully.

You're right. Some folks really don't know how to read the Bible. But that's typical with much of humanity. Not everyone has the same access to scholarly resources, and not everyone has the same comprehension skills for reading (or hearing) everything and anything they come across, even when they're sitting in a high school classroom studying Shakespeare. We all need teachers to help us expand our hermeneutical acumen.

Of course, where the Bible is concerned, some issues are simply concealed in cryptic language and we all have to wrestle with it; none of us will be able to completely figure it all out.

 

[tampasteve]

I don't understand why Christians always quote passages in isolation when referring to prophecy about Jesus. This is NOT how you read the bible, you have to read the previous & preceding verses for context. Reading the verse in the correct context is essential to understand it. I think that this is the reason why I read these versed differently to how christians read them.

To be fair, many Christians would agree that the scriptures should be read and interpreted plainly. Most would agree that taking a single verse out of its context is bad form and not the correct way to read scripture. Some certainly take single snips of passages and use them to reinforce their views or interpretations.

Some Christians "see Jesus all over the 'old' testament" and try and use passages that are just not messianic in interpretation or purpose - that is bad theology and not a good way to look at the prophesies, and it actually sells short the real prophesies that are there.

Christians are quoted a single verse, & are TOLD HOW to interpret it by Christian apologists.

To be fair, we all learn from the more learned. Jewish people learn or are "told" by their rabbi's how to interpret something, Christians learn or are "told" how to look at a passage. The counter argument levied between Christians is the "plain" interpretation of scripture is often anything but plain, hence why there are so many denominations. Thus lies the problem with just trying to read the read "the bible plainly, & interpret it the way that it reads, & not to try to put my own interpretation on it." We are all trying to do that, with different levels of perceived success.

We are all colored by the Tradition we grow and learn from, but we can all grow and learn from one another as well. The open minded person can look at different interpretations and judge them based on their own merits. Maybe we come away in agreement, maybe we don't, but we can at least come away with a better understanding.

Most don't bother to read the verse in context & study the meaning to understand it fully.

That isn't really fair or accurate. Many absolutely do read the passages in context, and to great length. It may seem like it sometimes, the people that tend to take a single verse are quite vocal, but they are not in the majority. Many people really do take the entire book into consideration when coming to conclusions. Part of the issue is that Christians take the entire body of scripture, both Jewish and "Christian" scriptures into consideration when looking at the passages, where a Jewish reader obviously would not. This of course may influence how we view these same books.

 

[tampasteve]

This verse has been called the Protoevangelium, the first good news. It has been known as that for nearly 2000 years.

The interpretation you have heard is a bit too much for that text to support. What IS there is that there will be emnity between Satan and the woman and her offspring. It implies a future battle and a future victory against Satan. God did not abandon us to the power of sin and death. There will be a 'new Adam' (1 Cor 15:45) and even a 'new Eve' that will be key in this victory. There IS hope, even as early as Adam and Eve fell.

This verse 'makes sense' looking back in the light of Jesus. And yet it just reads too much backwards into the text to say "When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire". That just isn't there. Jesus is the fulfillment of the protoevangelium, and Mary is also a fulfillment of that same protoevangelium. We know Jesus goes to war against Satan, That's about all we can get though. It is not a prophecy about resurrection or about Satan being cast into hell. That part is, sorry, just not supported. True, but not based on Genesis 3:15. The people who said that was all contained in Genesis 3:15 have said too much. You are right to question that.

Here is something that pope John Paul II had to say about it: The Protoevangelium of Salvation | EWTN

^^^ This is a solid answer to the question, IMO.

 

[HTacianas]

From carefully reading the verse, as well as Geneses 3:1, 3:14, 3:15, 3;16, 3:17, it seems to e clear to me that it is a creation story about why mankind does not get along with snakes. You have to make an awful lot of unfounded assumptions to get to this being a story about Jesus & Satan. I was always told by the Rabbi's to read the bible plainly, & interpret it the way that it reads, & not to try to put my own interpretation on it. You also need to read the surrounding verses to get the proper context (preferably reading at least the entire chapter, not a single verse in isolation).

I don't understand why Christians always quote passages in isolation when referring to prophecy about Jesus. This is NOT how you read the bible, you have to read the previous & preceding verses for context. Reading the verse in the correct context is essential to understand it. I think that this is the reason why I read these versed differently to how christians read them. Christians are quoted a single verse, & are TOLD HOW to interpret it by Christian apologists. Most don't bother to read the verse in context & study the meaning to understand it fully.

I don't know if you've ever read the Talmud, but it records numerous debates between rabbis through history. In their debates they would quote scripture in something of a "tit-for-tat" manner to win an argument. In the end, whoever knew the scriptures the best could win the argument. In nearly all cases, the scriptures were taken out of their context and used alone to support their side of the debate. The new testament also contains such usage of scripture. Again, they are lifted wholly out of context and used alone to support some belief or another. So it is not surprising, given the time, place, language, etc., to find that. Just as you've said, it can be one thing or it can be something else entirely.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

Lilith, one thing we might want to do here in thinking about all of this is bring in an awareness of the Fallacy of Composition. And I would suggest that we do so and apply it to the term "Christian Apologist" on the whole in order to disambiguate this idea.

On the other hand, I would also apply the awareness of this same fallacy to the term, "Jewish Rabbi."

 

[Bobber]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

And you do know Lilith you've likewise have got to be prepared to listen to just why Christians see it that way. To me anyway it's very, very clear. God right from the beginning from after they committed sin imparted into their minds they ultimate hope that the snake being a type of Satan was going to be ultimately defeated. If God didn't say anything Adam and Eve would be in absolute despair. You might say but it's very vauge.....IT WAS MEANT TO BE VAUGE....and not too clear.......but it was enough for Adam and Eve to know

the new enemy who wrestled their Dominion from them would truly meet his defeat by a new man....that would be through the seed of the woman Eve albeit down somewhere in a family line coming from her. But this man would be the Son of Man Christ. And this man's victory would become humanities victory . But revelation was progressinve. Years went by and eventually lambs were used as sacrifice of sins....but still a type......Not fully explained what it all meant but they knew it would be revealed the why of this eventually.

Then more revelation occurred. Another piece of the puzzle....John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold the lamb of God which takes away the sin of of the world!" Jn 1:29 Still not clearly and absolutely revealed what it meant but they were moving the right direction to eventually get it. Well if the lamb was sacrificed as a substitute of sin....and Jesus was called the lamb of God.....then they were getting close to an understanding. So why the mystery.....because God was orchestrating it to take place but if Satan had known the fulness of what it all meant he and his forces would not have sought to circuity the Lord of Glory.

“Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Cor 2:8

As for me I''ll say again. That verse in Genesis you quoted is very clear looking back what it all meant. But it was kept vague at the time for the reason stated in this post.

 

[Bobber]

So it is not surprising, given the time, place, language, etc., to find that. Just as you've said, it can be one thing or it can be something else entirely.

Not really it can't. As progressive revelations continued by the prophets it was clearly revealed that Satan would be considered to be the type of a snake.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

As I understand it, the interpretation that the serpent as a malevolent and rebellious creature, aka "Satan", is foreign from contemporary Jewish thought.

It is, however, the ancient Christian view, and has its roots in 2nd Temple Period Judaism. While in post-Temple Judaism there isn't this idea of a "Devil", that idea is present in 2nd Temple Judaism.

The idea of rebellious and malevolent fallen angels, who have a leader, is a common theme in 2nd Temple Jewish literature. For example in the Book of Enoch there are angels known as "Watchers" who disobey God, their leader is known as Samyaza, in other works we find mention of a lead fallen angel named Samael, and Sataniel. This idea of fallen angels in 2nd Temple Jewish literature is highly influential on Christianity which emerged in the first century during the 2nd Temple period out of 2nd Temple period Judaism. So Christian writings, most obviously those which make up the New Testament, make frequent commentary about the existence of antagonistic and malevolent spiritual forces, using the Greek words daemon ("demon") and diabolos ("devil"). The New Testament also uses a direct transliteration of the Hebrew ha-Shaytan as "Satan", from the few cases of where that word is used in the books which Christians call the Old Testament, such as the book of Job.

It is also in 2nd Temple Jewish literature where the idea of the serpent in the Garden of Eden being this malevolent spirit, Satan or the devil, first shows up. A prime example of this is a first century work known as the Life of Adam and Eve. This work expands a lot on the Genesis story, and explicitly conflates the serpent with Satan, and mentions several encounters between Adam and the Satan (the serpent).

This is why Christianity, from its inception in the first century, has understood that serpent of Genesis as a reference to Satan, a fallen angel. That it is the devil that tempted and seduced Adam and Eve and, through their disobedience, brought them out of a state of peace and life with God into a state of estrangement from God; where sin and death have robbed them of their joy and life and has become a curse into which all human beings--and indeed--all creation now suffers.

It is within this context that Christians have seen in the statement made that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent means that an offspring of Eve would destroy the power of the devil. So we read in that the victory of Jesus (whom we believe is the Messiah) over sin, death, hell, and the devil by His death and resurrection. So we are reading that passage in Genesis through the lens of what we believe about Jesus, through the lens of a Christian belief in and about Jesus of Nazareth.

And why would we locate Jesus there? Intrinsic to a Christian understanding of what Christians call the Old Testament is that these books are, ultimately, about Him. This is based on Jesus' own teaching and words, "You search the Scriptures because in them you believe you have eternal life, it is these which bear witness to Me." The Christian view of Scripture is that it is ultimately Jesus-centric. That Jesus is the Messiah, and so we read these books Messianically, in some cases that is because there was already a messianic interpretation at the time of certain passages; and in other cases it is because we have consistently been searching to find Jesus in these books. It is an intrinsic and essential aspect of Christian biblical interpretation: These books are ultimately about Jesus, that is an article of Christian faith: The Bible is always about Jesus.

That is how we get to that interpretation.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[eleos1954]

Hello, I am 17 & completely new to christianity. I was raised Jewish, but i am not very religious. Some christians have been telling me that there are prophecies in the old testament that are prophecies of Jesus. One of these is Genesis 3:15.

When I ask a christian to explain how the verse relates to Jesus, this is the type of explanation that i get:
"Actually it is about Jesus and Satan. The offspring of Eve is the lineage of Jesus. When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire"

This explanation is NOT helpful in explaining how they arrived at this interpretation from the verse. I am looking for somebody who is prepared to listen to & answer my questions, instead of treating me like I am stupid just because I don't automatically see it the way that they see it.

Often the explantion (or futher information) is given in a few verses before or a few verses after. Also much of prohesy is in symbolic language. Also use of a concordence is helpful.

Here is a free resource you can use that is very helpful ...... www.biblehub.com

In Genesis 3:15

15And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed.

Seeds do symbolize lineage ... but also the women symbolizes the church (this becomes apparent after further study)

In the verse you provided God is saying this to satan, and is depicting a great strife that is going to take place, but that strife will
be ended by someone (He) .... (prophecy of Jesus to come) through the lineage of Adam and Eve.

He will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.

The He (a person) will crush the serpents head (satan)

and you (satan) will strike his heel.

Telling us there will be a great (strife) between the two .... but ultimately the "He" will defeat the serpent by crushing his head. That is the serpent will ultimately be defeated. (this is a prophesy of the coming of Jesus)

15And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed.

Through reproduction (seeds) a great enmity (strife) will occur. That is ... between the followers of Jesus and the followers of satan.

Go here and look at the concordance .... not all will apply 100% but many will .... and see if it helps you understand better.

Genesis 3:15 - The Fate of the Serpent

The truth of HIs Word is scattered throughout the Bible .... it's like putting together a rather large "jig saw puzzle" ... but as you keep studying
the "puzzle" starts forming a more complete "picture".

May the Lord guide all of us in understanding His Word. Amen

Keep studying and more knowledge will be gained to better understand many things.

 

[d taylor]

There was no such thing as capitalised letters when genesis 3:15 was written. The jewish Torah was originally written in Hebrew, & no early jewish manuscripts have capitals. The capitalisation has occurred much later, when it was translated to english. When the jewish writers used the term seed, they were referring to all descendants of the person.

The term seed refers to ALL of Eves descendants, as well as all of the serpents (snakes) descendants. It is not referring to any singular person or snake. It refers to EVES seed (not Adams seed), because God is addressing only Eve & the Snake in this verse. It would make no sense to refer to Adams seed in this context.

In the verse, God creates enmity between Eve & the Serpent in the story. However God ALSO creates enmity between all of Eves descendants, & all of the serpents descendants, NOT between Eves descendants & THIS serpent.
This suggests that this particular snake has a limited life, just like eve does, & it will die in the same time frame that eve dies in. The enmity will continue between Eves descendants & the descendants of the Serpent (all snakes).

I still don't see how you can get from what it says in Genesis 3:15 to being a prophecy about Jesus & Satan.

Well i have have been wrong about the capitalizing in Genesis 3:15 but below is correct about Genesis 4:1

It is because of Genesis 4:1
Genesis 4:1 in the original states this.

וְהָאָדָם, יָדַע אֶת-חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ; וַתַּהַר, וַתֵּלֶד
אֶת-קַיִן, וַתֹּאמֶר, קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת-יְהוָה.

The original Hebrew states.
And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man:Jehovah.”

Eve would not have stated this in Genesis 4:1, if she had not understood Genesis 3:15 as a promise of a Messiah God

 

[Lilith2006]

This verse has been called the Protoevangelium, the first good news. It has been known as that for nearly 2000 years.

The interpretation you have heard is a bit too much for that text to support. What IS there is that there will be emnity between Satan and the woman and her offspring. It implies a future battle and a future victory against Satan. God did not abandon us to the power of sin and death. There will be a 'new Adam' (1 Cor 15:45) and even a 'new Eve' that will be key in this victory. There IS hope, even as early as Adam and Eve fell.

This verse 'makes sense' looking back in the light of Jesus. And yet it just reads too much backwards into the text to say "When it says he will bruise his heel means the Lord will go to the cross but live. But Satan will be crushed by the resurrection. He will eventually be cast into hell and like that burns with fire". That just isn't there. Jesus is the fulfillment of the protoevangelium, and Mary is also a fulfillment of that same protoevangelium. We know Jesus goes to war against Satan, That's about all we can get though. It is not a prophecy about resurrection or about Satan being cast into hell. That part is, sorry, just not supported. True, but not based on Genesis 3:15. The people who said that was all contained in Genesis 3:15 have said too much. You are right to question that.

Here is something that pope John Paul II had to say about it: The Protoevangelium of Salvation | EWTN

Just because there is an old text somewhere that interprets the verse as being about Satan & Jesus, it does not mean that the person who wrote it was not just smoking too much weed that day, & came up with an extremely flawed premise. If you look at all the other verses in the Old Testament that support this verse, you will NOT come to the conclusion that Genesis 3:15 is about Jesus destroying Satan. You have to IGNORE all of the other verses if you want to cling to this conclusion.

If we look at Genesis 3:1:
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” "
This is a description of the original form of the animal that is in genesis 3:15. It makes it clear that this is an ANIMAL, that god made when he created the other animals in genesis. It doesn't say anything about this being a fallen angel, that was previously in the heavens, like Christians believe that Satan was.

In Genesis 3:14:
So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.

This is describing the condition of this animal AFTER it has been cursed, which is what we see in SNAKES today. This does NOT match the description of Satan in Job, where Satan is described as an Angel who roams the earth. It does not say in Job that Satan crawls on his belly. It also makes it clear in Job that Satan & God are on speaking terms. They are not arch enemies in Job.

Genesis 3:15:
And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring[a] and hers;
he will crush[b] your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
This verse states that God will put enmity between Eve, & THIS particular serpent (so Eve & THIS Serpent will hate one another for the rest of THEIR days). THIS snake will die, just as Eve will die, as it is a mortal snake.

God ALSO puts enmity between Eves offspring (all of her descendants, which is all of mankind) & all of the serpents descendants (which is all of the snakes we see today). As far as I am aware, Satan had NO descendants.

The fact that god refers to only Eves seed in the above passage, is because god is only talking to Eve & the Serpent. He is not addressing Adam in this verse. it has nothing to do with a virgin birth.

The word "he" as in "he will crush your head" is just a collective term for all of eves descendants. You will often see the term "he" in jewish scriptures to describe nations & tribes.

We also have Genesis 49:16 & 17, which uses very similar language when describing a snake:
Genesis 49:
16 “Dan[h] will provide justice for his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
so that its rider tumbles backward.

There is no way that you can imply that the above 2 verses are about Satan.
There is NOTHING in the old testament to suggest that this is a prophecy about The Messiah. You have to jump to unfounded conclusion after unfounded conclusion to reach this interpretation. A prophecy is useless if you can only read it into the text AFTER the fact.