Bible Study Was God walking in bodily form in the Garden in Ge 3?

[TonyChanYT]

I think so. It was a theophany, a visible manifestation of God in a spacetime form.

The language was physically descriptive. Ge 3:

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the *cool of the day,

This depicted a physical, audible presence that Adam and Eve can perceive.

and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

They reacted with God's physical closeness.

9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

The passage was not just a spiritual allegory but a historical and physical incident. The narrative emphasized the tangible, sensory, and relational nature of the events described.

 

[for_his_glory]

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Scripture only says Adam and Eve only heard the voice of God. He was not walking in a bodily form.

 

[Elijah7777]

I think so. It was a theophany, a visible manifestation of God in a spacetime form.

Some Christian scholars view this as a Christophany, meaning a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, since Jesus is later revealed as God in human form (John 1:1, 14).

 

[Beetow]

.
● Gen 3:8 . . And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day:

"voice" is an arbitrary choice of words seeing as how the Hebrew word is somewhat
ambiguous and can simply indicate an audible sound; any kind of sound.

"walking" is a also an arbitrary choice as this Hebrew word is ambiguous too and
simply indicates movement.

One of the sounds that God's movement causes in the old testament is the
whooshing that breezes make in the tree tops.

● Ps 104:4 . . He makes the winds His messengers
_

 

[Prycejosh1987]

I believe it was Jesus, Jesus says no one has seen the Father but the Son and to whom the Son reveals.

 

[Elijah7777]

Gen 3:8 . . And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day:

In Hebrew, "Lord God" is often translated as אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה (Adonai Yahweh) or יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (YHWH Elohim).

• Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) means "Lord" and is used as a respectful substitute for YHWH, the sacred name of God.
• YHWH (יהוה) is the Tetragrammaton, the most sacred name of God in Judaism, often pronounced as Yahweh or replaced with Adonai in speech.
• Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) means "God" and is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to refer to divine authority.

 

[Niblo]

No. God does not have a body.

 

[TrevorL]

Greetings TonyChanYT,

Was God walking in bodily form in the Garden in Ge 3?​

The passage was not just a spiritual allegory but a historical and physical incident.

I believe that this was an Angel who represented the One God, Yahweh, God the Father who was in heaven.

1 Timothy 6:16 (KJV): Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[Elijah7777]

No. God does not have a body.

We are the body of Christ, the Church. the temple or tabernacle of God. He wants to be a part of His creation. The issue is that God is Holy. So we are to be Holy also. Hebrews 12 14b "without holiness no one will see the Lord."

 

[Elijah7777]

I believe that this was an Angel who represented the One God, Yahweh, God the Father who was in heaven.

2 Chronicles 16:9 – "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."

 

[Niblo]

Elijah7777

You write:
'We are the body of Christ, the Church. the temple or tabernacle of God. He wants to be a part of His creation. The issue is that God is Holy. So we are to be Holy also. Hebrews 12 14b "without holiness no one will see the Lord."'

With respect, what has this to do with God walking in bodily form in the Garden?

 

[JLB]

I believe it was Jesus, Jesus says no one has seen the Father but the Son and to whom the Son reveals.

Excellent word.

God appeared to many in the OT.

However it was the Son not the Father.

He breathed the Spirit of Life into Adam; the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.

 

[Beetow]

Jesus says no one has seen the Father but the Son and to whom the Son reveals.

Jesus is a seriously complex guy. On the one hand he's a divine being (John 1:1-3)
whereas on the other he's a human being (John 1:14) which is a mite confusing
because Jesus exists as both beings simultaneously, viz: he sometimes speaks for
himself as the Word, and sometimes speaks for himself as a man.

Things get really confusing when Jesus speaks of himself as David's paternal
offspring because if true then genetically he was also Adam's paternal
offspring seeing as how all human life, including David's, descends from a
common ancestor (Gen 3:20 and Acts 17:26)
_

 

[Elijah7777]

With respect, what has this to do with God walking in bodily form in the Garden?

*"Walking with God is not merely about physical movement—it signifies deep relationship, obedience, and alignment with His will. Genesis 5:24 states, 'Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God took him away.' This connection is profound, especially when viewed through the lens of Hebrew symbolism.

The second letter in Hebrew represents the tabernacle, reflecting God's desire to dwell among humanity. This theme carries forward into the New Testament, where believers themselves are called the temple of God, housing His Holy Spirit. Yet, for us, the key issue is holiness—remaining set apart, purified, and fully surrendered to His presence."*

Throughout scripture, God has always sought to dwell with humanity—from the Garden of Eden, to the tabernacle in the wilderness, to Christ Himself as Emmanuel ("God with us"), and ultimately, through the Holy Spirit in believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). Holiness is central to this relationship, as God calls His people to be holy, just as He is holy (Leviticus 11:44).

 

[Niblo]

The question is: ‘Was God walking in bodily form in the Garden in Genesis 3?’ (My emphasis).

And the answer is no.

Tatian the Syrian – writing in CE 170 – declares:

‘God is a spirit, not attending upon matter, but the maker of material spirits and of the appearances which are in matter. He is invisible, being himself the Father of both sensible and invisible things.’ (‘Address to the Greeks’).

Irenaeus – writing in CE 189 – declares:

‘He (God) is simple, not composed of parts, without structure, altogether like and equal to himself alone. He is all mind, all spirit, all thought, all intelligence, all reason.’ (‘Against Heresies’).

Clement of Alexandria – writing in CE 200 – declares:

‘What is God? ‘God,’ as the Lord says, ‘is a spirit.’ Now spirit is properly substance, incorporeal, and uncircumscribed. And that is incorporeal which does not consist of a body, or whose existence is not according to breadth, length, and depth. And that is uncircumscribed which has no place, which is wholly in all, and in each entire, and the same in itself.’ (‘On Providence’).

St. Thomas Aquinas – a noted Dominican theologian – writes:

‘Every corporeal thing, being extended, is compound and has parts. But God is not compound: therefore, He is not anything corporeal. With this demonstrated truth divine authority also agrees. For it is said: God is a spirit (John 4:24): To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, only God (1 Tim. 1:17): The invisible things of God are understood and discerned by the things that are made (Rom. 1:29)’ (‘Summa Contra Gentiles - Chapter 20’).

Not only is God a Spirit; He is absolutely immutable, meaning that, in God, there can be no change whatsoever:

‘Of old Thou didst lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall pass away; But Thou art the selfsame, And Thy years shall have no end.’ (Psalm 102: 26-28; JPS Tanakh).

‘For I the LORD change not.’ (Malachi 3:6; JPS Tanakh).

‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17; New KJV’)

Aquinas bases the absolute immutability of God on His absolute simplicity (a Spirit, having no parts); on His pure actuality (He has no potential for change); and on His infinite perfection.

According to Aquinas, mutability includes potentiality, composition and imperfection and as such is irreconcilable with God as ‘actus purus’ (the absolutely simple, absolutely perfect Essence). (cf. ‘Summa Theologica: Part 1; Question 9; Article 1’).

Blessings.

 

[Johann!@#]

The passage was not just a spiritual allegory but a historical and physical incident. The narrative emphasized the tangible, sensory, and relational nature of the events described.

Genesis 3:8 Comparative Interpretive Views
Tradition / Source Did God Appear in Bodily Form? How is “walking” understood? Key Interpretive Features Representative Quote or Source

Hebrew Text Not explicitly bodily Hitpael participle מִתְהַלֵּךְ = "moving about" Auditory presence; anthropomorphism; not necessarily visible Genesis 3:8 – Hebrew does not mention form, only "voice/sound"

Targum Onkelos (Aramaic, 2nd–3rd c.) No Interpreted metaphorically Avoids anthropomorphism; renders “voice of the Word (Memra) of YHWH” Targum Onkelos on Genesis 3:8

Targum Pseudo-Jonathan No bodily form Metaphysical interpretation God reveals Himself in glory; interprets presence rather than person Pseudo-Jonathan: “voice of the Word (Memra) of the Lord God”

Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE – 50 CE) No Theophanic but non-corporeal Refers to the Logos as God's agent; God Himself remains ineffable On the Creation, §97; Allegorical Interpretation, 1.13

Josephus (1st c. CE) Unclear Likely metaphorical Does not mention bodily presence; uses generic language Antiquities 1.1.2 (paraphrastic recounting)

Justin Martyr (2nd c. CE) Yes – pre-incarnate Christ Literal walking; visible form Christ (Logos) appeared bodily in OT as “Angel of the Lord” Dialogue with Trypho, ch. 62

Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd c.) Yes Literal, as pre-incarnate Word Christ walked and spoke in Eden; bodily manifestation of Logos Against Heresies IV.20.1

Tertullian (late 2nd – early 3rd c.) Yes Anthropomorphism accepted God appeared in human form as a preview of the incarnation Against Marcion II.27

Augustine (4th–5th c.) No Metaphorical; theophanic, not corporeal God’s presence known through a created medium (angel, wind, fire, etc.) City of God XI.8

Medieval Jewish Exegetes (Rashi, Ramban) No Figurative or angelic presence May interpret “voice” as a created effect; sometimes as an angel Rashi on Gen. 3:8: “The voice of God walking = moving presence”

Modern Jewish Exegesis (Sarna, Cassuto) No Anthropomorphic literary device Emphasizes relational presence, not physical form Sarna, Genesis, p. 26–27; Cassuto, Genesis, p. 149

Modern Christian Scholars (e.g., Wenham, Walton) No bodily form Anthropomorphic; possibly theophanic God’s presence experienced audibly; parallels other theophanies Gordon Wenham, Genesis 1–15, WBC; John Walton, NIVAC Genesis

Key Observations
Jewish Traditions (ancient and modern) consistently avoid suggesting bodily form, often using paraphrases like “Memra” (Word) or angelic mediation.

Early Christian Writers often affirm a bodily theophany, usually identifying this with the pre-incarnate Christ (Logos).

Modern Scholarship (both Jewish and Christian) leans toward non-literal, relational-theophanic interpretations, drawing attention to genre, grammar, and theological restraint.

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Genesis 3:8-10 | “Drawing, Not Driving”

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3:8 "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden" King James has "the voice of the Lord God" but the Hebrew word implies the sound of Him walking (BDB 229, KB 246, Hithpael PARTICIPLE). This VERB has the connotation of exercising authority (see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 1034, #6). The structure of the Hebrew and the context seem to imply that this was a regular activity where the Creator God and the first couple met for fellowship. This is an anthropomorphic phrase for God, who is a spiritual being and does not have a body. Some have postulated that God clothed Himself in human form for fellowship with the original couple. This may be true, but the only part of the Triune God that has a corporeal existence is the Son. Some have speculated that since the NT asserts creation to the agency of the Son (cf. John 1:3,10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2), and that often there are physical manifestations of God (i.e., Angel of the Lord, e.g. Gen. 16:7-13; 22:11-15; 31:11,13; 48:15-16; Exod. 3:2,4; 13:21; 14:19) this may refer to the pre-incarnate Christ.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (anthropomorphism)

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

GENESIS 3

J.

 

[RandyK]

I think so. It was a theophany, a visible manifestation of God in a spacetime form.

The language was physically descriptive. Ge 3:


This depicted a physical, audible presence that Adam and Eve can perceive.


They reacted with God's physical closeness.


The passage was not just a spiritual allegory but a historical and physical incident. The narrative emphasized the tangible, sensory, and relational nature of the events described.

I agree. Sounds like it was a theophany. I've said that God isn't just a Trinity. He can have a multiplicity of personal revelations, representing Him in the form of a man. It doesn't have to be Jesus. It can be another Person, equally Deity. God can appear in the form of as many humans as He wishes to appear as. What matters is that the Person is not just God's agent or representative, but His actual Person.

 

[follower]

The stench of many false teachings , and especially misleading little ones, reaches to heaven.
As is written in Galatians somewhere, Jesus Saves us from the totally pernicious society He was born into and experienced, that we also were born into and experience daily.
fwiw, the source of the great errors are commonly believed, but do not need to be identified.
Follow Jesus, Cling to Jesus, Pray constantly .

I think so. It was a theophany, a visible manifestation of God in a spacetime form.

no

The language was physically descriptive. Ge 3:

no

This depicted a physical, audible presence that Adam and Eve can perceive.

no

They reacted with God's physical closeness.

no

The passage was not just a spiritual allegory but a historical and physical incident. The narrative emphasized the tangible, sensory, and relational nature of the events described.

no