“The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Genesis 3:20 does not come in a vacuum. There is weighty and immense context. Adam and Eve have broken the commandment of God and suffered the curse of God. The deceiving snake slithered his way into Eve’s life, and Adam is not only complicit but openly rebels when the temptation is before him. Considering these things, the formal “name-day” of the woman takes on tremendous beauty.
God’s creation disobeyed him, yet God stayed the hand of judgement. Being the mother of all living means humanity still lives! At this point, history continuing is one of the largest revealers of God’s unmeasurable mercy. Afterall, an implication of motherhood is continuation and propagation—of being fruitful and multiplying (Genesis 1:28). Instead of immediate death upon disobedience, there is an in between time where God reveals a way of salvation for a now wayward people.
Moreover, Adam called Eve, Eve, because she was the mother of all living. This is more significant and beautiful than one might initially think! For instance, why not name her Temptress, because she tempted me with forbidden fruit? Indeed, Adam was a sinner the minute he chose to disobey God, but that does not mean God’s good gifts were immediately and totally sullied. Adam still had his partner and mate that he burst into song about (Genesis 2:23)! So she is Eve!
Indeed, sin has come, but so has salvation. And with salvation comes continuation in, by, and through our Lord!
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ”
“The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.”