GENESIS 3:10

Q: Does this mean that sex is somehow evil?

Regarding Adam and Eve's nakedness, some commentators do feel that their sense of physical nakedness in each other's presence indicates that their original innocent state has been destroyed by the realization of the possible abuses of sexual sin. However, almost all scholars feel that there is a much more important message being relayed in this story. Here are some representative quotes:

“The sense of shame attached to physical nakedness manifested consciousness of inner nakedness, the stripping of the glory of holiness from the soul.” New Bible Commentary

“...the instinct (to hide in shame) was sound and God confirmed it (v. 21), for sin's proper fruit is shame.” New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis

“But as soon as human rebellion and self-assertiveness reared their ugly heads, shame, guilt and self-consciousness took over. Pathetic attempts at self-concealment are replace by God's own provision of covering...Clothing is God's covering, his divine gracious response to human rebellion. Being unclothed thus becomes a metaphor for being exposed to the judgment of God.” Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

“The fear of nakedness in God's presence was hardly a bodily matter; they knew that what they had done could not be hidden from Him.” International Bible Commentary

“...the motif of nakedness...obviously stands for more than a lack of covering, in view of the shame and fear that was generated over it. From this point on, all sinners will fear the Lord God when their guilt is uncovered.” Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch

“It is tempting to see atonement in verse 21 (i.e. when God clothes Adam and Eve).” Handbook on the Pentateuch

“It was not skin nakedness they discovered, but the nakedness of their dead souls...When sin came there was nothing left of righteousness and they were naked indeed...Fig leaves were a substitute for righteousness.” Barnhouse, Genesis

“Adam and Eve first clothed themselves with leaves, which was the proper response to shame and guilt, but the only satisfactory clothing would have to come from God.” Genesis 3:21 describes “...the provision of clothing from the Lord, in which the human instinct to cover guilt is superseded by the Lord.” Ross, Creation and Blessing