Genesis 3:15
Verse
Context
The Fate of the Serpent
14So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ”
Sermons






Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I will put enmity between thee and the woman - This has been generally supposed to apply to a certain enmity subsisting between men and serpents; but this is rather a fancy than a reality. It is yet to be discovered that the serpentine race have any peculiar enmity against mankind, nor is there any proof that men hate serpents more than they do other noxious animals. Men have much more enmity to the common rat and magpie than they have to all the serpents in the land, because the former destroy the grain, etc., and serpents in general, far from seeking to do men mischief, flee his approach, and generally avoid his dwelling. If, however, we take the word nachash to mean any of the simia or ape species, we find a more consistent meaning, as there is scarcely an animal in the universe so detested by most women as these are; and indeed men look on them as continual caricatures of themselves. But we are not to look for merely literal meanings here: it is evident that Satan, who actuated this creature, is alone intended in this part of the prophetic declaration. God in his endless mercy has put enmity between men and him; so that, though all mankind love his service, yet all invariably hate himself. Were it otherwise, who could be saved? A great point gained towards the conversion of a sinner is to convince him that it is Satan he has been serving, that it is to him he has been giving up his soul, body, goods, etc.; he starts with horror when this conviction fastens on his mind, and shudders at the thought of being in league with the old murderer. But there is a deeper meaning in the text than even this, especially in these words, it shall bruise thy head, or rather, הוא hu, He; who? the seed of the woman; the person is to come by the woman, and by her alone, without the concurrence of man. Therefore the address is not to Adam and Eve, but to Eve alone; and it was in consequence of this purpose of God that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin; this, and this alone, is what is implied in the promise of the seed of the woman bruising the head of the serpent. Jesus Christ died to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and to destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Thus he bruises his head - destroys his power and lordship over mankind, turning them from the power of Satan unto God; Act 26:18. And Satan bruises his heel - God so ordered it, that the salvation of man could only be brought about by the death of Christ; and even the spiritual seed of our blessed Lord have the heel often bruised, as they suffer persecution, temptation, etc., which may be all that is intended by this part of the prophecy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
thy seed--not only evil spirits, but wicked men. seed of the woman--the Messiah, or His Church [CALVIN, HENGSTENBERG]. I will put enmity between thee and the woman--God can only be said to do so by leaving "the serpent and his seed to the influence of their own corruption; and by those measures which, pursued for the salvation of men, fill Satan and his angels with envy and rage." thou shalt bruise his heel--The serpent wounds the heel that crushes him; and so Satan would be permitted to afflict the humanity of Christ and bring suffering and persecution on His people. it shall bruise thy head--The serpent's poison is lodged in its head; and a bruise on that part is fatal. Thus, fatal shall be the stroke which Satan shall receive from Christ, though it is probable he did not at first understand the nature and extent of his doom.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,.... Between whom there had been so much familiarity, not only while they had the preceding discourse together, but before; for it is conjectured by some (y), that she took a particular liking to that creature, and was delighted with it, and laid it perhaps in her bosom, adorned her neck with its windings, or made it a bracelet for her arms; and being a peculiar favourite, the devil made choice of it as his instrument to deceive her; but now being beguiled hereby, she conceived an antipathy against it, and which is become natural between the serpent and man; man abhors the sight of a serpent, and the serpent the sight of man; and the spittle of a man and the gall of a serpent are poison to each other; and this antipathy is observed to be stronger in the female sex: and this was not only true of the particular serpent that deceived Eve, and of the particular woman, Eve, deceived by him, but of every serpent and of every woman in successive ages; and is also true of Satan and the church of God in all ages, between whom there is an implacable and an irreconcilable hatred, and a perpetual war: and between thy seed and her seed; the posterity of Eve, mankind, and the production of serpents, between whom the antipathy still continues, and mystically the evil angels and also wicked men called serpents; and a generation of vipers on the one hand, and the people of God on the other, the seed of the church; the latter of which are hated and persecuted by the former, and so it has been ever since this affair happened: and especially by the seed of the woman may be meant the Messiah; the word "seed" sometimes signifying a single person, Gen 4:25 and particularly Christ, Gal 3:16 and he may with great propriety be so called, because he was made of a woman and not begotten by man; and who assumed not an human person, but an human nature, which is called the "holy thing", and the "seed of Abraham", as here the "seed of the woman", as well as it expresses the truth of his incarnation and the reality of his being man; and who as he has been implacably hated by Satan and his angels, and by wicked men, so he has opposed himself to all them that hate and persecute his people: it shall bruise thy head; the head of a serpent creeping on the ground is easily crushed and bruised, of which it is sensible, and therefore it is careful to hide and cover it. In the mystical sense, "it", or "he, Hu", which is one of the names of God, Psa 102:27 and here of the Messiah, the eminent seed of the woman, should bruise the head of the old serpent the devil, that is, destroy him and all his principalities and powers, break and confound all his schemes, and ruin all his works, crush his whole empire, strip him of his authority and sovereignty, and particularly of his power over death, and his tyranny over the bodies and souls of men; all which was done by Christ, when he became incarnate and suffered and died, Heb 2:14. And thou shall bruise his heel; the heel of a man being what the serpent can most easily come at, as at the heels of horses which it bites, Gen 49:17 and which agrees with that insidious creature, as Aristotle (z) describes it: this, as it refers to the devil, may relate to the persecutions of the members of Christ on earth, instigated by Satan, or to some slight trouble he should receive from him in the days of his flesh, by his temptations in the wilderness, and agony with him in the garden; or rather by the heel of Christ is meant his human nature, which is his inferior and lowest nature, and who was in it frequently exposed to the insults, temptations, and persecutions of Satan, and was at last brought to a painful and accursed death; though by dying he got an entire victory over him and all his enemies, and obtained salvation for his people. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase this passage of the days of the Messiah, and of health and salvation in them: what is here delivered out in a way of threatening to the serpent the devil, carries in it a kind intimation of grace and good will to fallen man, and laid a foundation for hope of salvation and happiness: reference seems to be had to this passage in Psa 40:7 "in the volume", in the first roll, , as in the Greek version, at the head, in the beginning "of the book, it is written of me, to do thy will, O my God." (y) See the Universal History, vol. 1. p. 126. (z) Hist. Animal. l. 1. c. 1.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:15 hostility: The prophet Isaiah envisions the day when the Messiah’s kingdom will restore all of creation to a harmonious state like the Garden of Eden before humans sinned (see Isa 11:8). • her offspring (literally her seed): This collective noun can refer to a single descendant or many. The ancient Near Eastern concept of corporate solidarity (e.g., “you and your descendants,” Gen 28:14) is also behind this description of the ongoing hostility that would exist between humans and snakes. The pattern is set using singular terms (He . . . you). Christian interpreters have traditionally understood this verse as a prophecy of Christ, the seed of Abraham and the culmination of the woman’s seed (Gal 3:16; 4:4). • strike: The striking of his heel is a reference to the suffering of God’s servant (see Isa 53), while striking the serpent’s head—a more definitive blow—is ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s death, resurrection, and final victory over Satan (1 Cor 15:55-57; Rev 12:7-9; 20:7-10).
Genesis 3:15
The Fate of the Serpent
14So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Let God Be in You
By Major Ian Thomas11K42:34Christ In UsGEN 3:15PSA 107:9ISA 7:14ISA 9:6LUK 1:30GAL 4:4PHP 2:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God has chosen individuals from seemingly ordinary and unpromising backgrounds to serve Him. He encourages the audience, whether they are teaching a Sunday school class or preaching from a pulpit, to have confidence in the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit to transform lives. The preacher uses the example of David facing a lion, highlighting how David's perspective shifted from feeling small to seeing God as bigger than the lion, leading him to defeat it. The sermon also references the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an example of someone with a perfect heart towards God, whom God chose to show His strength through.
Christ the Man #1
By Major Ian Thomas7.1K56:51ChristGEN 3:15ISA 7:14ISA 9:6GAL 4:22GAL 4:26GAL 4:28In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of learning and remembering spiritual principles. He highlights the story of a man who relied on the Lord and experienced divine deliverance. The speaker emphasizes that God is looking for people with faith and a perfect heart towards Him. He also discusses the story of Abraham and how his faith in God's supernatural power led to the birth of Isaac. The speaker encourages listeners to trust in God's strength and not rely on their own abilities.
Becoming the Christian You Are
By Major Ian Thomas6.5K1:09:44ChristianityGEN 3:15MAT 6:33ROM 3:20ROM 8:1GAL 3:13EPH 2:1In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the content of the gospel is Jesus Christ Himself. He explains that Jesus gave Himself for redemption and continues to give Himself for regeneration. The speaker also mentions a book called "The Mystery of Godness" that he has written, which explores this concept further. He uses a diagram to illustrate how God created humans with a body and a soul, consisting of mind, emotions, and will. The sermon references Genesis 3:15, where God promises to put enmity between Satan and humanity.
Jude #7 - Enoch
By Chuck Missler6.1K1:14:51EnochGEN 3:15ROM 2:16JUD 1:7JUD 1:17In this sermon, the speaker begins by discussing the inappropriate use of advertisements and flowery introductions in the church. He recommends a book called "Harvest" that provides insight into the traditional ways versus the Lord's ways in the Christian walk. The sermon then shifts to the topic of judgment, stating that the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, Jesus Christ. The speaker references Romans 2 to explain that God's judgment is based on truth and deeds.
Love With Shoes On
By Darrell Champlin5.2K1:17:49MissionsGEN 3:15GEN 6:8GEN 12:1GEN 22:2REV 20:11REV 13:1REV 20:1In this sermon, the preacher recounts a missionary family's encounter with a strong wind that led them to a tragic event. However, the preacher emphasizes that this was not a tragedy but rather a test of their love for Jesus. The preacher then shares a personal experience of being in a fire and dancing on the hot coals, demonstrating the power of God's grace. He emphasizes the importance of believing in and receiving Jesus to avoid the consequences of hell. The sermon concludes with a reference to the power of Satan and the need for spiritual growth among believers.
Attributes of God (Series 2): Introduction
By A.W. Tozer4.5K40:02Attributes of GodGEN 3:15EXO 3:14PSA 19:1PSA 96:3MAT 6:33JHN 1:1ROM 10:17In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the character of God. He mentions a previous series of sermons on the attributes of God that had a profound impact on the listeners. The preacher acknowledges the difficulty of talking about God and compares himself to an insect trying to carry a bale of cotton. He highlights the decline in the spiritual state of churches and attributes it to forgetting what kind of God God is.
Witness Power
By Warren Wiersbe4.4K37:02GEN 1:1GEN 3:15GEN 22:1LUK 24:36In this sermon, the speaker discusses the essentials for effective witnessing based on Acts chapter 1 and Luke chapter 24. The three essentials are excitement, enlightenment, and empowerment. The first essential is excitement, emphasizing the fact that Jesus is alive. The speaker highlights the importance of personal experience with the living Christ in order to be an effective witness. The second essential is enlightenment, emphasizing the importance of understanding and interpreting the scriptures accurately. The speaker emphasizes that the Bible is the foundation for our message and authority for witnessing. The third essential is empowerment, emphasizing that as witnesses, we are alive and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The speaker encourages the church to rely on the Holy Spirit for boldness and effectiveness in sharing the gospel.
Hell's Best Kept Secret (Spanish)
By Ray Comfort3.9K56:49EvangelismGEN 3:15LUK 18:18ACT 2:51TI 1:8In this sermon, the preacher uses a story of two men on a plane to illustrate the difference between a gospel focused on life enhancement and a gospel focused on salvation. The first man is given a parachute to improve his flight, but he is humiliated and disillusioned when it doesn't actually enhance his experience. The second man is given a parachute because he will be jumping out of the plane, and he gratefully puts it on, consumed with the thought of what would happen if he jumped without it. The preacher emphasizes the importance of sharing the true gospel, which includes acknowledging our sinfulness and need for salvation through Jesus Christ.
God's Judgement & Mercy
By Alan Redpath3.9K35:12Mercy Of GodGEN 3:15EXO 20:17NUM 35:1ISA 16:5MAT 6:33REV 21:4REV 22:3In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of God's judgment and the target of that judgment. He emphasizes that listening to the law only makes people desire to break it, leading to the need for God's judgment. The preacher also highlights the trail of God's justice throughout the Bible, showing how God relentlessly pursues justice while also offering mercy. The sermon concludes by urging listeners to reflect on their own lives and acknowledge the need for God's judgment and sovereignty.
(Through the Bible) Genesis 1:1-18
By Chuck Smith3.6K52:33CreationGEN 1:1GEN 1:6GEN 1:14GEN 3:15GEN 5:3In this sermon, the speaker discusses the creation of the earth and the existence of a designer. They explain that on the first day of creation, God brought the earth out of darkness and created a distinction between day and night. The speaker emphasizes the design and complexity found in the universe and the human body, arguing that these cannot be the result of accidental combinations. They also mention the existence of angels, referring to the book of Job where God speaks of the angels existing when He laid the foundations of the world.
Adam and Eve and the Fall - Part 1
By A.W. Tozer3.4K30:47The FallGEN 3:1GEN 3:8GEN 3:15GEN 3:17GEN 3:21In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the recurring truths found throughout the Bible, Christian theology, hymnology, and sermons. These truths are compared to primary colors in painting, as they form the foundation for all other teachings. The sermon also addresses the accusing voice of our conscience, which reminds us of our sins, and the pervasive fear that exists in the world. The preacher highlights the need for a divine presence and voice, emphasizing that it is not the preacher's or any human's presence or voice, but rather God's presence and voice that we should seek.
(Europe 2008) Session 9 - a Closed Book
By B.H. Clendennen3.2K1:12:18ScripturesGEN 3:15MAT 6:33LUK 4:20ACT 13:27In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the importance of hearing the voice of God rather than just listening to sermons and words in church. He emphasizes that many people spend their lives in church but never truly hear the voice of God. The preacher shares his own experience of being captivated by a powerful sermon and highlights the significance of hunger for God's word. He then references the story of Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth, where he delivered his first message after being filled with the Holy Spirit. The preacher concludes by encouraging the audience to seek a deeper understanding of the scriptures and to be open to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
(Genesis) Genesis 3:14-19
By J. Vernon McGee3.0K10:00GenesisGEN 3:15MAT 6:33JHN 8:44JHN 11:25JHN 15:16ROM 3:111JN 4:19In this sermon, the preacher discusses the judgment of the fall as described in verse 14 of the Bible. He emphasizes that God must deal with the creature He made, who has turned away from Him. The serpent, which was different at the beginning, is cursed by God and Satan is also judged, affecting mankind. The preacher highlights the call of divine justice, sorrow, and love in this judgment, offering redemption through the promise of the coming Savior. The sermon emphasizes that salvation is God's search for man, as man ran away from Him.
Baptism and the Gospel
By Paul Washer2.9K00:00BaptismGEN 3:15JON 1:4MIC 5:2MIC 7:18MAT 7:21ACT 10:42HEB 4:12In this sermon, the speaker begins by emphasizing the importance of remembering what God has done for us. He then introduces the topic of the gospel and its significance. The speaker uses the story of Jonah to illustrate the power of God and the need for a savior. He highlights the transformation that occurs when someone experiences true conversion, using the example of Augustine, a wicked man who became a changed person after encountering God. The sermon concludes with the announcement of baptizing four women who have professed their faith.
Cranbrook 1993 May the Lamb Receive His Reward (10-5-93 Tape 1)
By George Warnock2.9K1:13:32Lamb Of GodGEN 3:15MAT 6:33JHN 19:341CO 1:171CO 2:3In this sermon, the speaker discusses the stumbling and falling of people when it comes to recognizing the ultimate sign of God's power, which is the death of Jesus on the cross. The Greeks pursued wisdom and considered the crucifixion to be foolishness. The speaker also shares the story of two young men who sold themselves as slaves in order to become missionaries on a remote island. The sermon emphasizes the significance of the cross and the victory it brings, as well as the importance of Christ receiving the full reward of His sufferings.
(Genesis) Genesis 49:8-10
By J. Vernon McGee2.8K03:43GenesisGEN 3:15GEN 49:8NUM 24:17PSA 118:22MAT 11:28In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers 24:17, which refers to a star. The preacher connects this prophecy to the coming of Christ, who is described as the seed, Shiloh (meaning rest), the one who holds the scepter, the shepherd who gave his life, and the chief shepherd who is yet to come. The preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing the pattern and program of God's movement throughout history, from Adam to Judah. The sermon highlights the significance of the prophecy in Genesis 49:10, where it is foretold that the scepter will not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes, indicating that the ruler and the gathering of the people will be unto him. The preacher concludes by emphasizing that Jesus fulfills these prophecies as the seed of the woman, the one who brings rest, and the one who holds the scepter.
The Call of God - a Loving Father in Heaven
By Zac Poonen2.7K1:23:17Character Of GodGEN 3:15JOB 13:15PSA 23:1MAT 6:33EPH 6:41TI 4:8HEB 4:9In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of finding comfort and consolation in God during times of tribulation. He highlights the repetition of the words "comfort" and "consolation" in the Bible verses, emphasizing the role of God as the source of comfort. The speaker shares his personal experience of how his love for God has transformed his ministry, making it a joyful and effortless task. He also discusses the need for individuals to break free from the rut of religious traditions and external standards, and instead seek a deep and personal relationship with God.
(Genesis) Genesis 5:1-2
By J. Vernon McGee2.7K02:02GenesisGEN 2:7GEN 3:15GEN 3:19GEN 5:1MAT 1:1ROM 5:12In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Genesis, specifically chapter 5, which focuses on the generations of Adam. The speaker highlights the significance of the two lines or seeds mentioned in the Bible, the line of Satan and the line of Christ, and how they are in constant conflict. The chapter is described as discouraging and despondent because it reveals the consequences of Adam's sin, as all his descendants eventually die. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding this background in order to fully grasp the events that unfold in the book of Genesis.
(Genesis) Genesis 6:8-12
By J. Vernon McGee2.6K04:21GEN 3:15GEN 4:3GEN 6:3GEN 6:8HEB 11:5HEB 11:7In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of man's promise of a Redeemer and the need for humanity to look for a Savior. The story of Cain and Abel is used as an example of two contrasting systems of belief, representing the lost and the saved, the self-righteous and the broken-spirited. The preacher explains that God decided to send the flood because the earth had become corrupt and filled with violence, with humanity turning away from God's purpose. However, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord because he was a just and righteous man who walked with God. His faith in God's warning led him to prepare an ark, demonstrating his trust in God's plan. The preacher also mentions that when the church is taken out, every believer will be included because it is for believers.
Gospel Meetings - Part 4
By Paul Washer2.1K1:14:37GospelGEN 3:15MAT 6:33ROM 12:1In this sermon, Brother Paul addresses the misconception that salvation is easy and can be achieved by simply preaching about Jesus. He emphasizes that salvation is actually impossible for humans to attain on their own, and that it requires the sacrifice of Jesus and the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Brother Paul explains that many people are blind to the truth and cannot see Jesus even if the curtain is pulled back. He then introduces a powerful motivation for giving one's life away, stating that it is so great that it surpasses all other motivations and can even inspire individuals to sacrifice everything for the sake of the Gospel.
The Believer's Challenge
By C.H. Spurgeon2.0K40:54GEN 3:15ISA 53:5MAT 22:44ROM 8:341TI 2:5HEB 7:25REV 12:10In this sermon, Charles Haddon Spurgeon discusses four doctrines that provide strong consolation and protection for believers in times of doubt and attack on their faith. The first doctrine addresses the issue of unbelief, which God foresaw and countered by smiting it four times to ensure its defeat. The second doctrine acknowledges the constant attacks on believers' faith by the world, sin, and the devil, and how God has fortified them with four strong lines of protection. Spurgeon emphasizes the importance of these doctrines in fortifying believers' hearts when faced with challenges. He concludes by urging listeners to seek an interest in these precious doctrines and highlights the power and excellence of the doctrine itself.
Now Do You Believe God?
By Ralph Sexton2.0K39:56BelieveGEN 3:15ROM 3:14ROM 16:20REV 12:9In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing the imminent return of the Lord. He believes that society has become too focused on materialism, which has caused a loss of love for God and the Bible. The preacher references the story of Adam and Eve and how their sin brought about consequences such as broken fellowship with God, pain in childbirth, and the need to work for food. He also mentions the recent natural disasters and the biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled, suggesting that these events are signs of the approaching end times. The preacher urges the congregation to love and reach out to the lost, and to actively serve in the church in anticipation of Christ's return.
(The Last Days and the Lord's Coming) Two Churches-Babylon and Jerusalem
By Zac Poonen1.9K57:57Last DaysGEN 3:15MAT 7:24LUK 6:46JHN 14:23JAS 1:22REV 17:5REV 18:4In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that Jesus died not only to save us from our sins but also to deliver us from the corrupt world system. He references Galatians 1:4, which states that Jesus gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from this present evil age. The preacher warns against being friendly with the world system and urges believers to boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ. He highlights the importance of coming out of a corrupt Christianity that prioritizes worldly pursuits and challenges believers to be devoted to Christ above all else.
Jacob - Gods Unchanging Grace - Genesis 25 - Sermon 1 of 5
By Roy Hession1.9K49:26GraceGEN 3:15GEN 25:19GEN 25:21MAT 6:33ROM 11:29In this sermon, the speaker reflects on his own journey of being chosen by God and the impact it had on his life. He emphasizes that when God calls someone, it is part of a pre-existing plan. The speaker then references Romans 8:28 and discusses how the grace of God guided the life of Jacob, even before he was born. The sermon concludes with a reading from Genesis 25:19, highlighting Isaac's prayer for his barren wife and the struggle of their children within her.
(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5
By Chuck Smith1.8K1:23:21ExpositionalGEN 50:26EXO 2:15EXO 4:1EXO 4:10In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God is not just a passive observer of our struggles and suffering. He takes action to deliver His people from their hardships. The preacher also highlights the importance of not getting too attached to material possessions, as they can easily be taken away. Instead, our focus should be on the things of the Spirit and God's eternal kingdom. The sermon references the story of Moses and the Israelites in Egypt, where they faced oppression and hardship, but ultimately God delivered them.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I will put enmity between thee and the woman - This has been generally supposed to apply to a certain enmity subsisting between men and serpents; but this is rather a fancy than a reality. It is yet to be discovered that the serpentine race have any peculiar enmity against mankind, nor is there any proof that men hate serpents more than they do other noxious animals. Men have much more enmity to the common rat and magpie than they have to all the serpents in the land, because the former destroy the grain, etc., and serpents in general, far from seeking to do men mischief, flee his approach, and generally avoid his dwelling. If, however, we take the word nachash to mean any of the simia or ape species, we find a more consistent meaning, as there is scarcely an animal in the universe so detested by most women as these are; and indeed men look on them as continual caricatures of themselves. But we are not to look for merely literal meanings here: it is evident that Satan, who actuated this creature, is alone intended in this part of the prophetic declaration. God in his endless mercy has put enmity between men and him; so that, though all mankind love his service, yet all invariably hate himself. Were it otherwise, who could be saved? A great point gained towards the conversion of a sinner is to convince him that it is Satan he has been serving, that it is to him he has been giving up his soul, body, goods, etc.; he starts with horror when this conviction fastens on his mind, and shudders at the thought of being in league with the old murderer. But there is a deeper meaning in the text than even this, especially in these words, it shall bruise thy head, or rather, הוא hu, He; who? the seed of the woman; the person is to come by the woman, and by her alone, without the concurrence of man. Therefore the address is not to Adam and Eve, but to Eve alone; and it was in consequence of this purpose of God that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin; this, and this alone, is what is implied in the promise of the seed of the woman bruising the head of the serpent. Jesus Christ died to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and to destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Thus he bruises his head - destroys his power and lordship over mankind, turning them from the power of Satan unto God; Act 26:18. And Satan bruises his heel - God so ordered it, that the salvation of man could only be brought about by the death of Christ; and even the spiritual seed of our blessed Lord have the heel often bruised, as they suffer persecution, temptation, etc., which may be all that is intended by this part of the prophecy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
thy seed--not only evil spirits, but wicked men. seed of the woman--the Messiah, or His Church [CALVIN, HENGSTENBERG]. I will put enmity between thee and the woman--God can only be said to do so by leaving "the serpent and his seed to the influence of their own corruption; and by those measures which, pursued for the salvation of men, fill Satan and his angels with envy and rage." thou shalt bruise his heel--The serpent wounds the heel that crushes him; and so Satan would be permitted to afflict the humanity of Christ and bring suffering and persecution on His people. it shall bruise thy head--The serpent's poison is lodged in its head; and a bruise on that part is fatal. Thus, fatal shall be the stroke which Satan shall receive from Christ, though it is probable he did not at first understand the nature and extent of his doom.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,.... Between whom there had been so much familiarity, not only while they had the preceding discourse together, but before; for it is conjectured by some (y), that she took a particular liking to that creature, and was delighted with it, and laid it perhaps in her bosom, adorned her neck with its windings, or made it a bracelet for her arms; and being a peculiar favourite, the devil made choice of it as his instrument to deceive her; but now being beguiled hereby, she conceived an antipathy against it, and which is become natural between the serpent and man; man abhors the sight of a serpent, and the serpent the sight of man; and the spittle of a man and the gall of a serpent are poison to each other; and this antipathy is observed to be stronger in the female sex: and this was not only true of the particular serpent that deceived Eve, and of the particular woman, Eve, deceived by him, but of every serpent and of every woman in successive ages; and is also true of Satan and the church of God in all ages, between whom there is an implacable and an irreconcilable hatred, and a perpetual war: and between thy seed and her seed; the posterity of Eve, mankind, and the production of serpents, between whom the antipathy still continues, and mystically the evil angels and also wicked men called serpents; and a generation of vipers on the one hand, and the people of God on the other, the seed of the church; the latter of which are hated and persecuted by the former, and so it has been ever since this affair happened: and especially by the seed of the woman may be meant the Messiah; the word "seed" sometimes signifying a single person, Gen 4:25 and particularly Christ, Gal 3:16 and he may with great propriety be so called, because he was made of a woman and not begotten by man; and who assumed not an human person, but an human nature, which is called the "holy thing", and the "seed of Abraham", as here the "seed of the woman", as well as it expresses the truth of his incarnation and the reality of his being man; and who as he has been implacably hated by Satan and his angels, and by wicked men, so he has opposed himself to all them that hate and persecute his people: it shall bruise thy head; the head of a serpent creeping on the ground is easily crushed and bruised, of which it is sensible, and therefore it is careful to hide and cover it. In the mystical sense, "it", or "he, Hu", which is one of the names of God, Psa 102:27 and here of the Messiah, the eminent seed of the woman, should bruise the head of the old serpent the devil, that is, destroy him and all his principalities and powers, break and confound all his schemes, and ruin all his works, crush his whole empire, strip him of his authority and sovereignty, and particularly of his power over death, and his tyranny over the bodies and souls of men; all which was done by Christ, when he became incarnate and suffered and died, Heb 2:14. And thou shall bruise his heel; the heel of a man being what the serpent can most easily come at, as at the heels of horses which it bites, Gen 49:17 and which agrees with that insidious creature, as Aristotle (z) describes it: this, as it refers to the devil, may relate to the persecutions of the members of Christ on earth, instigated by Satan, or to some slight trouble he should receive from him in the days of his flesh, by his temptations in the wilderness, and agony with him in the garden; or rather by the heel of Christ is meant his human nature, which is his inferior and lowest nature, and who was in it frequently exposed to the insults, temptations, and persecutions of Satan, and was at last brought to a painful and accursed death; though by dying he got an entire victory over him and all his enemies, and obtained salvation for his people. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase this passage of the days of the Messiah, and of health and salvation in them: what is here delivered out in a way of threatening to the serpent the devil, carries in it a kind intimation of grace and good will to fallen man, and laid a foundation for hope of salvation and happiness: reference seems to be had to this passage in Psa 40:7 "in the volume", in the first roll, , as in the Greek version, at the head, in the beginning "of the book, it is written of me, to do thy will, O my God." (y) See the Universal History, vol. 1. p. 126. (z) Hist. Animal. l. 1. c. 1.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:15 hostility: The prophet Isaiah envisions the day when the Messiah’s kingdom will restore all of creation to a harmonious state like the Garden of Eden before humans sinned (see Isa 11:8). • her offspring (literally her seed): This collective noun can refer to a single descendant or many. The ancient Near Eastern concept of corporate solidarity (e.g., “you and your descendants,” Gen 28:14) is also behind this description of the ongoing hostility that would exist between humans and snakes. The pattern is set using singular terms (He . . . you). Christian interpreters have traditionally understood this verse as a prophecy of Christ, the seed of Abraham and the culmination of the woman’s seed (Gal 3:16; 4:4). • strike: The striking of his heel is a reference to the suffering of God’s servant (see Isa 53), while striking the serpent’s head—a more definitive blow—is ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s death, resurrection, and final victory over Satan (1 Cor 15:55-57; Rev 12:7-9; 20:7-10).