The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
BOOK EIGHT 53
But even if there had been no such prohibition and yet he had touched it, none the less he would surely die. For the plant would be a threat to his health and to his life whether it was forbidden to him or not. On the other hand, when someone forbids the touching of a thing against the interests not of him who touches but of him who forbids—as would be the case when a man puts his hand into another's money though forbidden by the owner to do so—the action of him who was prohibited would be a sin precisely because it could have done injury to the one who prohibited it. But when a thing is touched which would not harm him who touched it unless it were forbidden, nor anyone else no matter how often he touched it, why was it forbidden except to show the good of obedience in itself and the evil of disobedience in itself?
30. Finally, nothing else is sought by the sinner except to be free of the sovereignty of God when he does a deed that is sinful only in so far as God forbids it. If this alone were attended to, what else but the will of God would be attended to? What else but the will of God would be loved? What else but the will of God would be preferred to man's will? Leave the reason for the command in the Lord's hands. He who is His servant must do His bidding, and then perhaps by the merit of his obedience he will have grounds for seeing the reason of God's command.
But we need not prolong our enquiry into the reason for this command. If the service of God is a great good for man, God by His command makes useful whatever He wishes to command, and we must not fear that He could command what is not for our good.
CHAPTER 14
Must one experience evil in order to know evil?
31. It is impossible for the will of a man not to come tumbling down on him with a thunderous and devastating crash if he so exalts it as to prefer it to that of the One who is his superior.