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.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
According to the Bible, Adam and Eve felt no shame about their nakedness before the fall because they were innocent and had no sin, meaning they lacked the awareness of guilt or the need to hide themselves from God or each other; their nakedness represented a state of complete openness and trust in their perfect relationship with God and one another. Only after Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command by eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil did they become aware of their nakedness and feel shame, as described in Genesis 3:7.
Danny Hickman
Supporter
Why were they not ashamed? I think you know why. There was no such status for a human; nakedness didn't exist for humans before the fall. According to the Bible story, there were only two humans in the garden; and there was the tempter. Besides them three, there's no mention of anyone else other than God. Therefore, there was no nakedness nor anything else for which they were to be ashamed. I don't think they were ashamed of being naked before each other; I don't believe they were ashamed of their naked bodies in the sight of the tempter. I believe they feared their new status being discovered by God; they didn't want Him to see them in that new mode of being. Who told them that they were NOW naked? They would have to be told by someone else who was clothed, and who knew the difference of being clothed and being without clothing, or someone who was previously clothed and had become unclothed (naked). OR, there's another explanation for them knowing that they were now naked. The scripture says after they ate of the forbidden fruit, "then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.." (Genesis 3:7). I'll go with what the Scriptures teach. What is naked? (It's introduced to the story by the author of Genesis 3; the author is simply repeating what was said in the narrative). It isn't a matter of record that the Lord told them that eating the fruit would cause nakedness. Neither is it said anywhere in scripture that the tempter told them they were naked. So how did they know? (here it is) THEY DECLARED IT THEMSELVES! No one said it about them; nobody told them they needed to be clothed. THEY CAME UP with the idea to clothe themselves ON THEIR OWN. (I'm impressed with them. I think I would have reacted in a similar way. At least, I hope I would have tried to do something about myself and my wife being exposed in such an evocative way). It didn't work, but at least they tried. (hats off to Adam; \[';']/ Eve too)! Something within them changed after they disobeyed God. They were told they would die if they ate from the tree. Maybe they thought their new condition was the result of being "surely [dead]." They were now void of the fellowship with God that they previously had. They were naked; they were exposed. (They were out of fellowship with God). God gave them a temporary (substitute) covering. He made tunics of skin and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). (pseudo fellowship) This world is overloaded with naked souls. NEEDLESSLY! I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10). There's no need to be naked and ashamed. Praise our God!
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