The Bible speaks of two humans that were given the Garden of Eden as a gift by their Creator. God allowed them to enjoy anything but the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, Eve was one day convinced by a snake to disobey this divine interdiction and had a bite from the forbidden fruit. She offered a bite to Adam too and thus the first sin was committed. They realized they were naked and covered themselves. Hence, the days of peace came to an end. Eve, being the first to disobey the word of God, has been considered an epitome of sin. This is how the stereotype of the woman as a temptress is explained. Was Eve a temptress that lured Adam into making the same mistake as she did? Others say that Adam had a choice, he could have said no. And thus results the first source of the discussion about the subject of free will. The story of the Forbidden Fruit is, in a simplified interpretation, a story of choosing between good and evil.
Nevertheless, philosophers have taken it to a more sophisticated level. Is this really about free will or are our choices influenced by environmental contexts (in this case, the snake), upbringing or genetic code? Some claim the story is loaded with implications about humans' nature when facing temptations.
As far as the depiction of the Forbidden Fruit is concerned, the apple is usually used to convey it. Although the Bible does not make precise specifications, the apple is thought to be employed in drawings due to its frequent consumption.
Adam and Eve are fully aware of their mistake, the reason for which they hide from God. When God called them to account for what they did, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the snake. All three are punished. Snakes were cursed and condemned to crawl, whereas Adam and Eve were driven away from the Garden of Eve and destined to lead a troublesome and toilsome life. An angel with a flaming sword was placed at the entrance of the Garden to prevent them from sneaking back. The punishment extended to their followers who received at birth the burden of the original sin. This developed into a full doctrine according to which humans are not innocent at birth, but inherit and bear the guilt of their ancestors. To be relieved of this guilt and to overcome our sinful nature, we need a forgiving God.
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