Ancient Jews said the serpent was Satan — and that Eve's sin was inherited

Genesis names only 'the serpent,' but Jewish writings of the first century identify him. The Book of Wisdom: it was 'through the devil's envy that death entered the world.' The Life of Adam and Eve: the devil spoke to Eve 'through the mouth of the serpent.' The same writings hold that the first sin is passed to all descendants who were not personally guilty — Sirach ('from a woman sin had its beginning, and because of her we all die'), Pseudo-Philo, and 4 Ezra ('O Adam, what have you done?'). These texts 'lay the foundations for what would later come to be known as the doctrine of original sin.'

• Wisdom 2:24 — 'through envy of the devil came death into the world.'
• Sirach 25:24 — 'of the woman came the beginning of sin.'
• Genesis 3:1 — the serpent, unmasked in Revelation 12:9 as 'the Devil, and Satan.'

Revelation's identification of the dragon with the serpent of Genesis is not a Christian novelty; it follows the Jewish reading of Genesis 3. And the Jewish sense that Eve's sin reached all her children is what makes a New Eve, untouched by it, meaningful.

• Life of Adam and Eve — 17:4 (p 25) · read
• 4 Ezra — 7:118 (p 26) · read
• Pseudo-Philo — Biblical Antiquities 13:8 (p 26) · read