Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 3:6-8

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden." — Genesis 3:6-8 (ASV)

Observe the steps of the transgression: not steps upward, but downward toward the pit.

1. She saw. A great deal of sin comes in at the eye. Let us not look on that which we are in danger of lusting after (Matthew 5:28).

2. She took. It was her own act and deed. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; he may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down (Matthew 4:6).

3. She did eat. When she looked, perhaps she did not intend to take; or when she took, not to eat: but it ended in that. It is wisdom to stop the first motions of sin and to desist from it before meddling with it.

4. She also gave it to her husband with her. Those who have done wrong are willing to draw others in to do the same.

5. He did eat. In neglecting the tree of life, of which he was allowed to eat, and eating of the tree of knowledge, which was forbidden, Adam plainly showed a contempt for what God had bestowed on him and a desire for what God did not see fit to give him.

He was determined to have what he pleased and do what he pleased. His sin was, in one word, disobedience (Romans 5:19)—disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command.

He had no corrupt nature within to betray him; but he had freedom of will, in full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. He drew all his posterity into sin and ruin.

Who then can say that Adam's sin had but little harm in it?

When it was too late, Adam and Eve saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness they fell from and the misery they had fallen into.

They saw a loving God provoked, His grace and favor forfeited. See here what dishonor and trouble sin is: it makes mischief wherever it enters and destroys all comfort.

Sooner or later, it will bring shame; either the shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting contempt to which the wicked shall rise at the great day.

See here what is commonly the folly of those who have sinned. They are more concerned with saving their reputation before men than with obtaining their pardon from God.

The excuses people make to cover and lessen their sins are vain and frivolous; like the aprons of fig leaves, these excuses do not make the matter any better. Yet we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam did.

Before they sinned, they would have welcomed God's gracious visits with humble joy, but now He had become a terror to them. No wonder they became a terror to themselves and were full of confusion.

This shows the falsehood of the tempter and the frauds of his temptations. Satan promised they would be safe, but they could not even consider themselves so!

Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters to each other!