One Like Us

Et dixit Deus: Ecce Adam factus est tamquam unus ex nobis in cognoscendo bonum et malum.  Quoniam hoc, per quodlibet et quomodolibet dictum sit, Deus tamen dixit, non aliter intellegendum est quod ait, unus ex nobis, nisi propter Trinitatem numerus pluralis accipiatur; sicut dictum erat: Faciamus hominem; sicut etiam Dominus de se et Pater: Veniemus ad eum, et mansionem apud eum faciemus. Replicatum est igitur in caput superbi, quo exitu concupiverit quod a serpente suggestum est: Eritis sicut dii : Ecce, inquit: Adam factus est tamquam unus ex nobis. Verba enim sunt haec Dei, non tam huic insultantis, quam caeteros ne ita superbiant deterrentis, propter quos ista conscripta sunt. Factus est, inquit, tamquam unus ex nobis in cognoscendo bonum et malum. Quid aliud intellegendum, nisi exemplum timoris incutiendi esse propositum, quod non solum non fuerit factus qualis fieri voluit, sed nec illud quod factus fuerat, conservavit? Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, De Genesi Ad Litteram, Liber XI, Caput XXXIX Source: Migne PL 34 451

And God said, 'Behold, Adam is become one like us in the knowing of good and evil.' 1 Since this passage, however and in whatever manner it may be said, by God was said, what He said with 'one like us' must not be otherwise understood unless with reference to the Trinity the plural number is grasped, as it was said, 'Let us make a man', 2 and as the Lord said concerning Himself and the Father, 'We shall come to him and we will make our dwelling with him.' 3 And it refers back to the source of pride, by which to death he had desired what was proposed by the serpent, 'You shall be like gods,' 4 'Behold,' He says, 'Adam is become one like us.' These are the words of God, not so much said for the purpose of mockery but rather to deter others from being proud, on account of whom these things were written. 'He is become one like us in the knowing of good and evil,' He says. And what else may be understood of this but that it was given to instill a fearful precedent, that not only will Adam not be what he wished to be, but neither had he preserved what he was. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from On Genesis To The Letter, Book 11, Chap 39 1Gen 3.22 2 Gen 1.26 3 Jn 14.23 4 Gen 3.24