Q: Genesis 3:14 says that God cursed the serpent to crawl on the ground. Does this mean that snakes had legs before they were cursed?

A: The language of Genesis 3:14-15 is not precise; it could be saying the serpent didn’t crawl prior to the curse, but the text does not demand that interpretation. Teachers have backed both perspectives throughout history, and I don’t think any significant truth is affected by either.

Personally, I tend to lean slightly towards the perspective that snakes have always slithered and were not originally created with legs. I have two reasons for thinking so. First,...