Category Archives: Bible Study

Did Eve Conceive in Her Ear?

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In the Psalter-Hours of Guiluys de Boisleux (France, after 1246), we see Adam, Eve, and the serpent with the Forbidden Fruit; then we see Adam and Eve hiding their nakedness from God the Son with fig leaves.

But I am afraid that somehow, just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity you have toward Christ. For if a newcomer preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or if you have received a different spirit whom you did not receive [from us], or a different gospel–you tolerate that person well enough. (2 Cor. 11:3-4)

St. Paul says that he betrothed the parish in Corinth to Christ as a virgin is married to her groom. But he is afraid that they will listen to false teachers, just as the virgin Eve listened to the serpent.

That serpent never physically defiled Eve, did he? Yet he did destroy her virginity of heart …. the church is a virgin; she is a virgin now and may she remain a virgin forever. Let her [the Church] beware of the deceiver …. Are you perhaps going to say to me: If the Church is a virgin, how does she produce children [in the font]? She imitates Mary, who gave birth to Our Lord. Did not the holy Mary bring forth her child and remain a virgin? So, too, the Church brings forth children and is a virgin.

St. Augustine of Hippo, On Converts and the Creed

The serpent is described in Genesis as “crafty” and “cunning.” These are insults, not compliments. Today, we might say “shady” and “deceptive.” The serpent lied. Eve listened to those lies and the serpent seduced her. She took the serpent’s words into herself through her ears.

Through her hearing, Eve conceived disease, death, and decay. Through her hearing, the Virgin Mary conceived the Word made flesh. Because Eve listened to the serpent and brought Death into the world, some early preachers suggested that she conceived Cain–who killed his brother Abel–by the serpent whispering in her ear. Contrasting this with the Virgin’s consent to the angel Gabriel’s request that she bear the Word of God, these preachers also suggest that Mary conceived Christ through her ears, by hearing.

The Church gives birth to her children in the font. But these children are conceived by hearing as well. “How are they to believe, unless they hear a preacher? And how are they to hear a preacher, unless one is sent?” (Romans 10:14) Ears and hearing are fundamental to [spiritual] reproduction! Who’d athunk it?!

Was St. Paul a Poor Speaker?

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Paul Preaches in Damascus, as depicted in the AD 1140s Norman mosaics in the Palatine Chapel in Palermo. Note that the apostle is depicted as bald, with a large forehead but not especially short; this could be because he was the most important figure in the scene. Size indicated importance, not historical biographical information.



I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ–I who admittedly am humble when face to face among you but, when absent, bold to you…. I do not want to seem as if I were frightening you with letters. For someone says, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, indeed, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech amounts to nothing.’ Let this person realize that we will be the same person in action when we are present there with you as we are in letters when we are absent. (2 Cor. 10:1, 9-11)

Paul’s enemies in Corinth accused him of writing harsh, demanding letters that were full of fire and arrogance but that when he was actually present among them, his attitude was completely different. His enemies said that, in person, he was a weak and sniveling coward who could only beg them to do what his letters demanded they do in his absence.

Early Christian records indicate that St. Paul was not physically impressive. Early records suggest that St. Paul was short and bald and that his voice was high-pitched, difficult to listen to for very long. His face might have been ruddy and flushed. In traditional icons, St. Paul is generally depicted as a bald man with a large forehead holding a book (his letters in the New Testament) and a sword (because he was beheaded). We know that he was longwinded because he preached long past midnight and a young man (Eutychus), sitting on a windowsill, fell asleep and then fell out the window and broke his neck; Paul was able to raise him from the dead but that doesn’t stop us from realizing that the apostle liked to talk and talk and talk and talk (Acts 20:7-12).

(Some contemporary records indicate that St. John Chrysostom, another famous preacher, also had a high-pitched, whiney voice that was difficult to hear or listen to. That might be one reason that St. John moved the place the bishop preached from in Constantinople closer to the people: so that they could hear him more easily.)

Whether St. Paul was tall and handsome or short and difficult to listen to, his words were inspired and inspiring. He must have had a significant impact when he preached in person or we would not have the records of the many parishes he founded in his missionary journeys. But is it interesting to know more about him personally and how God could use him to accomplish his divine purposes.

Even if we think we are not impressive or important, God can still use us as well. Maybe we aren’t good speakers but we can pray for people. We can invite them to church or church events with us. Maybe we are good at writing on Facebook and sharing our theological musings. We must never “sell ourselves short” because God certainly doesn’t.

Even if we aren’t very tall. šŸ˜‰

Reap What You Sow

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ā€œChrist Accused by the Phariseesā€ by Duccio di Buoninsegna, c. 1308-11. On display at the Museo dellā€™Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Sienna.

The slender spiral columns of white marble and the decoration carved along the top of the walls seem to refer to classical architecture. Pilate too, portrayed with the solemnity of a Roman emperor and crowned with a laurel wreath, evoking classical antiquity.

As in the gospel, the group of Pharisees, animated by lively gestures (again the hand with pointing finger), is depicted outside the building: the Jews avoid going inside in order not to be defiled and to be able to eat the Passover meal.


You should keep this in mind: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but the one who sows generously will also reap generously. Let each give what has been decided in his or her heart, not reluctantly or with grumbling, for “God loves a cheerful giver” (Proverbs 22:8).

St. Paul is writing about the special collection he is making to buy food for the parish in Jerusalem that is suffering because of a famine. He is promising the people in Corinth that if they are generous to the hungry in Jerusalem, God will be generous to them … here and now, but especially on Judgement Day.

Although St. Paul was writing about money and a special collection in a specific time and place, his words apply to all times and all places whether money is involved or not. If we give our time, our attention, our energy–if we offer a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen–God will notice that gift and if we gave that gift without grumbling, God will be generous with what he gives to us.

During Holy Week, the importance of cheerful giving in a variety of circumstances appears many times in the hymns, prayers, and readings. Peter refuses to give Christ the opportunity to serve when he refuses to let Christ wash his feet; then he wants too much service, offering–demanding?–that Christ wash his head and face as well. A woman washes Christ’s feet and another woman anoints his head with very expensive perfume and other people complain loudly. Pharisees grumble about the attention Christ insists they give him and his importance in the life of Israel. Romans are furious at being asked to give reconsideration to their political ideas. Apostles are afraid to give any public allegiance to Christ because they might be arrested or executed together with him.

Giving time and attention to prayer or church services this week? Doesn’t seem that much to ask now, does it? Coming to church cheerfully, without grumbling about it? Even better!

Read more about Holy Week and Judas’ complaints about a woman’s generosity in a previous post here.