The story of the Fall of Adam and Eve is more complicated than many people realize. On the surface, it would appear that Eve was conversing with a talking snake while Adam just stood there.
One of the most important lessons that a Christian should learn is to always compare Scripture with Scripture. Always study the whole Bible and put the pieces together. The Old Testament sheds light on the New Testament and the New Testament sheds light on the Old Testament.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." - Proverbs 25:2
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15
Talking Snake
The first notion that we must debunk was that Eve was speaking to a talking snake as depicted in artwork. The term serpent is used as a moniker for Satan:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." - Revelation 12:9
The Bible also calls Satan by other names such as Behemoth (Job 40), Leviathan (Job 41, Ps. 74:14), Beelzebub (Matt. 12:26-28), a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), and Lucifer (Is. 14:12).
The Bible tells us in Ezekiel 28:14 that Satan is a cherub that has the power to transform himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
The key to understanding who Eve was talking to is by understanding that many verses in Scripture have a dual application. Look at the curse that God pronounced on the serpent:
"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:"
This is a reference to both Satan and to snakes in general. Right now, we can see that snakes do not eat dust. That is provable by going to any local pet store or watching National Geographic. However, this is a prophecy for what will happen to snakes when Christ returns and sets up His Millennial Kingdom on Earth. Isaiah the prophet said:
"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." - 65:25
The other application is directly to Satan. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, we can see that this is a reference to Satan consuming man.
Verse 19 defines man as dust:
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he MAY (emphasis mine) devour:" - 1 Peter 5:8
This curse that God pronounced upon Satan means that Satan must have permission from God before he can do anything to man. Notice the specific phrasing "may devour". We see this curse in specific detail in Job:
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord." - 1:12
"Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." - 2:1-7
The Devil currently stands before God accusing believers. He does this, so that he is given permission to harm us.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." - Revelation 12:10
Satan accuses us, then is given permission to attack us just as Satan accused Job and was given permission to attack him.
Why Did Adam Partake?
The next question that normally comes to mind is "why didn't Adam stop Eve?". The answer to this question comes from understanding why Adam chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The answer is Adam loved Eve and chose to die with her.
"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." - Ephesians 5:23-33
Our Lord willingly laid down His life for His bride (Matt. 20:28, Jn. 10:17, Eph. 5:25). The Bible says in Ephesians 5:30 that we are His flesh and bone just as Adam said about Eve in Genesis 2:23. Paul continued the parallels in Ephesians 5:31 when he stated "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh" which mirrors Genesis 2:24.
The parallels between Jesus Christ and Adam continue in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 as our Lord is called the second Adam:
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven."
Adam loved Eve and chose to die with her.
If Adam did not partake of the fruit with his wife, they would not have remained one flesh. They would not have lived together as only Eve would have been banished from the Garden of Eden. Adam took sin upon himself out of love. Adam took death upon himself out of love. Jesus Christ took sin and death upon Himself out of love (Is. 53:5-6, Rom. 5:8).
Was Adam with Eve?
Bible critics, memes, and comedians often joke about Adam's failure to prevent the fall because he failed to act… but is that what happened?
"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." - 1 Timothy 2:14
From this verse, we can draw two conclusions:
1) Adam was silent and let Eve make her own choice
OR
2) Adam was not present when the Devil beguiled Eve
"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." - Genesis 3:1-6
There are some observations that we have to make in order to understand what transpired. Only Eve and Satan are recorded as speaking. Adam was capable of speaking clearly (Gen. 2:19-20, 23-24), so if he were present, we know that he had the ability to join the conversation.
The Bible says that if you submit to God and resist the Devil, he will flee (James 4:7, Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13). The Bible also says that the wife is the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7). Satan tempted Eve - not Adam.
While it is possible that Adam stood there and did not interfere because he wanted to see what Eve would do, the more likely scenario is that he was not present when Satan tempted Eve. This should not be difficult to imagine. When you want to conquer an enemy, you attack the weakest point which is what Satan did.
Another clue to solve this mystery is in the writing style itself. Stories in the Bible are often flowing while a gap in time is discovered in another book in the Bible. Acts 9, for example, records Saul's conversion and his meeting with the Apostles. Yet, when you read Galatians 1:15-18, you'll find that Saul did not meet the Apostles for three years after he was saved.
The final clue given is found in God's words to Adam:
"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;" - Genesis 3:17
God said that Adam listened to the voice of Eve - not Satan's voice. It was Satan that made the fruit appealing and convinced Eve to partake.
Conclusion
Personally, I find more evidence supporting the notion that Adam was not in attendance when Eve was speaking with Satan. Eve would most likely have talked to Adam to get his thoughts and the Bible is clear that Adam was not deceived (1 Tim. 2:14) - he would have spoken. Later, when speaking to the Lord, Eve stated that the serpent “…beguiled me, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:13). Eve said “me” not “us” giving more indication that Adam was simply not there.