Throughout the centuries, the biblical serpent—Nachash—has not only been interpreted through traditional Judeo-Christian lenses but has also been recast and reimagined in theologies far removed from biblical truth. Chief among these are the heresies of Gnosticism, which often inverted the moral order of the Genesis narrative.

This chapter explores how the Gnostics revered the serpent, why this interpretation was spiritually dangerous, and how it contrasts with the Hebraic and apostolic understanding of Genesis.