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I always used to consider the first sin committed by Adam and Eve as eating the forbidden fruit from a particular tree. But recently my husband commented that Adam and Eve had sex with each other which is the first sin. I had no substantial point to prove against his point.

Is sex considered to be the forbidden fruit? Is that thought prevalent among Catholics? What is the Catholic teaching on the first sin of Adam and Eve?

(Note that this question is asking about the first sin committed by Adam and Eve, not the doctrine of "original sin": that we all in some way have inherited a sinful nature from them.)

curiousdannii
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Techiegirl
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    I'd be curious to know on what he based that statement. It sounds like it could be something taught in some Churches, but I've never heard it myself. I'd be interested to know where the view comes from, and what groups adhere to it. – David Stratton Dec 06 '11 at 04:33
  • He is from a Catholic background, but has done extensive reading from different sources (mostly non-Christian books). So I think the source of these thoughts are from these readings though I cannot point to a specific book. – Techiegirl Dec 06 '11 at 06:00
  • There are some Catholics that participate on this site. We may yet hear from a specifically Catholic point of view. – David Stratton Dec 06 '11 at 06:18
  • What exactly the original sin? If you want an exact description you must accept the view that Adam is a High Priest and Eve role as "helper" is a "deacon". They are offering "sacrifices" in the Garden of Eden or the Temple of God. From these precepts we can now understand the symobolic meaning of the "fruit" coming from the Two Trees. St.Augustine theory of "sexual intercourse" can now be supported. See my answer below. – jong ricafort Nov 14 '19 at 02:36
  • St. Thomas Aquinas solves this question in various parts of Summa Theologiae, most concretely IIa IIae q. 163 a. 1. – Pavel Nov 15 '19 at 16:02

4 Answers4

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Sexual intercourse was not a sin at all (for Adam and Eve in the context of their marriage). In fact, God commanded them to be fruitful and multiply:

"And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28 ESV

While having sexual intercourse was not a direct command, it most certainly was an indirect command. You can't be fruitful and multiply without it, unless God was merely encouraging them to garden and do arithmetic.

So, the original sin was eating of the fruit in direct violation of God's command. However, it could be suggested that pride preceded that, because for them to defy God's command they had to exalt themselves as the authority over their own lives. Pride would have been a sin of the heart whereas eating of the fruit was a sin of deed.

Null
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Narnian
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    +1 for a variety of reasons ... but "to garden and do arithmetic" ranks up there! – warren Dec 06 '11 at 17:38
  • Sexual intercourse is a sin if its not in accordance with the Will of God. The word "be fruitful and mulitply" does not refer to "sexual intercourse" but it means the "works of their hands" must be fruitful, and it will only be fruitful if it follows the Will of God. The fact that the punishment is related to "sexual procreation" validates that "sexual intercourse" is the nature of original sin. St.Augustine theory is correct. – jong ricafort Nov 14 '19 at 02:41
  • @jong so the verse should be read as "be fruitful [by the works of your hands] and [let the works of your hands] multiply". Are the *works of their hands" to "fill the earth and subdue it"?. I've seen a translation that renders the wording as "bring forth fruite..." (Geneva Bible). However Luke 1:42 mentions the "Fruit of your womb".. – iBenson Nov 15 '19 at 16:56
  • @lBenson 3 "bring forth fruits" translation(Geneva Bible) is directly related to Galatians5:22, as Adam & Eve obedience will bring forth fruit towards perfection of their virtues. Eastern Orthodox Fathers teaches the journey of Adam & Eve towards Theosis is quite long. – jong ricafort Nov 15 '19 at 20:16
  • @lBenson 3 Re "fruit of your womb" is different. Logos Incarnate to the pure womb of Mary is Jesus the "True Eternal Wisdom". Remember Lucifer knows this is the Divine Plan of God. So, the serpent offered Eve the "false wisdom" that She too can "bear a child" and offer it to God as a pleasing sacrifice instead of their own bodies (Romans12:1). Eve likes the idea and Adam desire it too and so the "sexual procreative act" was committed according to serpent plan and not according to the Will of God. This is the "exact" original sin. – jong ricafort Nov 15 '19 at 20:26
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Most traditions agree that the original sin was disobedience to God. God specifically told them not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden, and they did it anyway.

Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18).

Eating of the fruit, in direct contradiction to what He told them to do is the definition of rebellion. They chose to do what they wanted instead of what God had commanded.

David Stratton
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I took away from reading Theology of the Body for Beginners, which is a entry-level explanation of Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body talks aimed primarily at married couples or those interested in Catholic teaching on sexuality, that Adam and Eve could have had some great sex in the garden of Eden. I may have been misreading it or reading between the lines, but that's the gist my wife and I got.

In any event, that is not original sin, the way men and women use each other for sex and with sex is a 'fruit' of original sin. But in that sense, fruit is just something that comes from somewhere else like Jesus is the Fruit of Mary's womb or your underwear are the Fruit of the Loom.

The forbidden fruit can certainly be allegorically interpreted, but there's no reason to think it has anything to do with sex, other than to make it shameful somehow. Previous to eating of the tree, man only knew good and only sought the good. Afterwords man knows sin. Sex in and of itself is not sinful. Pope Paul VI's Encyclical Humanae Vitae (On human life) says that it's part of your vocation as a married couple.

In humble obedience then to her voice, let Christian husbands and wives be mindful of their vocation to the Christian life, a vocation which, deriving from their Baptism, has been confirmed anew and made more explicit by the Sacrament of Matrimony. For by this sacrament they are strengthened and, one might almost say, consecrated to the faithful fulfillment of their duties. Thus will they realize to the full their calling and bear witness as becomes them, to Christ before the world. For the Lord has entrusted to them the task of making visible to men and women the holiness and joy of the law which united inseparably their love for one another and the cooperation they give to God's love, God who is the Author of human life.

Humanae Vitae

It's not original sin, it's obedience to your calling (not being a misogynistic guy here, being chaste for a time is also obedience to your calling).

Original sin was disobedience because of pride,

Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18 - NABRE

the disordered desire to be like God without being obedient to Him.

Three things to ask your husband when he thinks he's so smart:

  1. How long were Adam and Eve in the Garden?

  2. Where was Adam when Eve ate the apple?

  3. How big was the snake?

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Peter Turner
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  • @Brian I was just reading the illustrated Book of Genesis at the library and remembered your comment. I never thought about it that way, very interesting... – Peter Turner Jan 17 '12 at 22:54
  • If you have some extra quotes that the first sin was pride, that would help this answer. – curiousdannii Nov 14 '19 at 08:18
  • @curiousdannii I'll have to search through my tome of Chesterton, there are 100 matches in different essays for "original sin" and "pride". But in the eternal sense of scripture: "Pride goeth before the Fall" seems appropriate. – Peter Turner Nov 14 '19 at 14:34
  • I also probably shouldn't have mod'ed the other posts on this page, I didn't realize I had a post on here, if you want a do-over, that's OK. – Peter Turner Nov 14 '19 at 14:35