What does the serpent represent in the Bible?

Question

in the garden of Eden

Answer 1

The Devil.  

Answer 2

the snake is a very ancient and powerful symbol.  it represents things like transformation, healing, renewal, wisdom, and sexuality.

the writers of genesis used a snake to guide adam & eve from innocents to fully aware humans to show that the transformation was a good thing for us and gave us many of the qualities we value most.

the snake was eve's conscience and intuition, adam's p***s, the shedding of dependence, and the fiery sword.  

Answer 3

Lucifer

Answer 4

Some say the serpent was just a snake, or a salamander, or newt. What ever it was, evil took over it and the rest is history! So the answer to the question is EVIL.

Answer 5

In the Bible, serpents are depicted as a paradoxical combination of wisdom and evil—beautiful yet repulsive. They have a fluid grace if viewed from a safe distance, but they are to be feared because they strike from hiding places and strike without warning. His curse on serpents covers what they symbolize to men, which we can see when the verse is correctly translated. "More than" in Genesis 3:14 has the sense of "apart from," meaning that God sets the snake apart from other cattle or beasts to represent the Devil, the ultimate cause and originator of sin.

Thus, that the snake would crawl on its belly and eat dust is not literal but symbolic. Both of these figures, written in parallel clauses, signify humiliation. Snakes symbolize abasement or ignominy because of sin.

Answer 6

the serpent represents deception, evil, satan

Answer 7

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast down, the old SERPENT, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

Answer 8

I think it the serpent inthe garden of Eden is Saten

Answer 9

Satan, as well as a liar and a snake LOL

Answer 10

Lucifer, the devil. Also temptation

Answer 11

Since he tempts adam and eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, I would say that the serpent is the enemy of ignorance.

Answer 12

Dear me!  I am astounded by the number of people who state categorically that the snake represents the devil, which seems to be equated to Satan and Lucifer.  I wonder if the people writing this realise that the text itself says nothing of the sort?  Jews have never had a concept of a devil opposed to God; HaSatan, the Satan, is an angel which God uses as 'the adversary' - not a being of power in its own right.  And Lucifer, referred to in Isaiah, is a metaphorical way of talking about the king of Babylon, if I remember right.

If you actually read the text, it would seem that the snake is a snake is a snake.  One might say it represents possibility, opportunity or whatever.  

Just remember that this text started life as a Jewish scripture.  Christians have placed many interpretations on it that bear no relationship to what is actually there in the written word.  I don't mind that the Christians have an interpretation - but I DO mind when they claim that their interpretation is the only possible one, the 'truth'.  Jews see, and have always seen, it differently.

EDIT:  Bible Chooser, thank you for a very interesting answer.  You and I have very different beliefs, but I greatly respect the way you have argued the case.

Answer 13

I know I don't have to say this, but I just want everyone to know i am NOT religious.

Anyway, the snake is supposed to represent Satan, or at the very least, sinful activity. It's supposed to represent temptation. The snake is a very stealthy, sneaky animal which is why it is easy to believe that a snake could ultimately be the sign of such betrayel.

Answer 14

obama in 08

Answer 15

Temptation and The Devil

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 16

DeVIL

Answer 17

the Evil Inclination  

Answer 18

Evil, temptation, vengeance, the devil, sin in  general really

Answer 19

knowledge. it was better to be innocent and not to know.

Answer 20

satan lucifer the abomination of desolation devil the serpent he is referred to as all of these

Answer 21

The snake in the garden of Eden, represents Satan. When God says that he will bash the head of the snake, I believe he is speaking of when the world initially ends, and everyone who is evil, will go to h**l, and everyone who is righteous in the sight of the Lord will go to heaven.

Hope that helps!!!

Madeline ♥

And just for the record, I'm not trying to convert anyone or anything, I am just answering the question.

Answer 22

Since it is just a myth it can represent anything you want.

Answer 23

Ambivalent Bittern gave a great answer - but perhaps not complete.

First, Sweet Suzy gave the relevant verses

Rev 12:9

Rev 20:2

Now, these verses include the phrase "that old serpent" which, in some versions, is something more like "that primeval serpent".  The point is, it is very difficult to claim *with certainty* that these two verses identify **the serpent** in the garden of Eden with Satan.  However, they *can* be interpreted in such a manner.

Other than these two verses, there is no passage in scripture that even *hints* that the serpent in the garden of Eden was Satan.

If you accept these two verses as literal *and* as referring to that particular serpent - quite a lot to read into them - then you can say that the serpent *is* (not represents) Satan, also known as the devil.

If you accept these two verses as a descriptive analogy - that old snake (like that old dog, or that old fox, also used commonly for people), then there is **no** passage in the bible which identifies the serpent in the garden of Eden as Satan.

Now, that being said...

What does the serpent **represent**?

Representation requires that the event recounted be considered an allegorical account, rather than a factual one.  A great many Christians believe that this is a factual account, and so the serpent does not represent anything.

***

*If* you accept this account as allegorical (which I do not), the serpent represents some enemy of man - as, when it is cursed, God says "he or she (referring to the woman's offspring or the woman) will strike at your head, and you will strike at his or her heel".

http://www.studybibleforum.com/htm_php.p...

(verse 15 - this version uses "he" - but that is, apparently, a matter of interpretation)

It is also symbolic of the fate of those who are the instigators of sin.  The serpent is cursed beyond all other land creatures (verse 14), but Adam and Eve fare much better.  Adam, as the responsible human, is cursed with death not only for himself, but for all his offspring as well.

SO, in a nutshell, *if* you view this account as an allegory, the serpent is either sin itself, or temptation itself (most likely, in my opinion), or the instigation of sin.

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Answer 24

The Syrian Reptile's Union of Working Legless Lizards

Answer 25

The adversary.

שטן satan from H7853

1) adversary, one who withstands

a) adversary (in general - personal or national)

2) superhuman adversary

a) Satan (as noun pr)

Answer 26

that story was copied. its not originally from the bible. how do you like them apples?

Answer 27

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,  

Answer 28

the devil or satan in genesis when adam and eve were tempted in the garden a serpent tempted them AKA satan or the devil

Answer 29

Satan

Answer 30

The devil is a servant of God who has been given the power of death.

He goes about like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8) who is allowed to devour anyone who strays from God's commandments. We are to pray always to God to give us faith and not to let us fall into his power.

Answer 31

Satan.