How did pride play into Eve's temptation in the garden?
Pride entered Eve's temptation through the desire to be as wise as God. Although she already had everything in paradise, Satan suggested something better, and the prospect of godlike wisdom appealed to her pride. This became the pride of life, one of the three areas of temptation.
Les explains that Eve was living in all the beauty of paradise, with no sickness, death, disease, insects, or thorns—she had it pretty good. But she wasn't satisfied, and Satan detected that, telling her there was something better. The fruit was good for food and pleasant to the eye, but the deeper issue was that it was a tree desired to make one wise. Les calls this the pride aspect: she had everything else, yet the possibility of being as wise as God appealed to her pride. This is the pride of life, one of the three areas mankind still faces: the lust of the eye, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh. Les notes that the lust of the flesh does not always mean bad, and that Jesus told Paul He had tasted every temptation common to man, as seen in the temptations in Matthew.
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.
More Questions
How did Satan tempt Eve before she ate the forbidden fruit?
Satan had already approached Eve before Genesis 3:6, holding a conversation with her and tantalizing her with the promise that something more was to be gained if she listened to him and ate of the forbidden tree.
How good did Eve have it before she sinned?
Eve already had it pretty good because she had the best husband that was ever made, a man who was sinless and perfect.