Why didn't the nakedness of Adam and Eve embarrass them before the fall (Genesis 2:25)?
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 2:25
ESV - 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
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Asked May 10 2020
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
I believe that it was Mark Twain who said, "Man is the only animal that blushes...or needs to." Adam and Eve had no more reason to be ashamed in their natural (naked) state than any of the other creatures God had created. In my opinion, it was the introduction of sin into the world, combined with the higher intelligence of humans, that changed that, and necessitated teachings such as those of Jesus when he spoke of a man looking at a woman to lust after her being the equivalent of committing adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). God created men and women to be attracted to each other for the purpose of procreation and physical release through monogamous sexual activity. However, sin introduced the possibility of turning such natural attraction and mutual pleasure into self-centered gratification that regarded another human being merely as an object of physical desire and a source of carnal satisfaction, with no consideration of the aspects of the individual that constituted the person's creation in God's image, or the unique "one flesh" relationship that sexual activity creates between them.
Aurel Gheorghe
Supporter
Many Bible commentators, both Jewish and Christian, appear to agree that before the fall Adam and Eve's nakedness was covered by divine light - in other words they had a glow from being in God’s presence. In Hebrew language the word for light and for skin sound the same, “Or” for light (Strong’s 216) and “Or” for skin (Strong’s 5785). In Matthew 17:2 we read how on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.” It is very possible that God's glory covered Jesus in light (Matt 17:5), the same light Adam and Eve once enjoyed. Moreover, when Moses spoke with God on the mountain and received the two tables with the Ten Commandments, his face also shone brightly (Ex 34:30). Apparently, the clothing of Adam and Eve was “Or” meaning glory, or radiance. Most likely the light is the same covering the Bride of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7, 8. Just like God, in whose image they were created, the first couple enjoyed some type of cover of light. After they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and realized their nakedness (Gen 3:7). Once they transgressed God’s command, they immediately noticed that their divine garments of light were gone and felt the shame of their nakedness.
William Smith
Supporter
I see no magic to it. They were the very first people. How would they even know to be ashamed or not ashamed about their appearance — what would be the yardstick / standard / example? The Bible does not say — anywhere — that God told them “y’all need to put clothes on.” If it ain’t in the Bible, it did not happen. Period.
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