A literary approach can help overcome this tendency to ask and answer predefined questions. It begins not by asking “Does God give Adam a special authority?” or “Are Adam and Eve equals?” but rather by asking questions such as “What does the author intend to convey about Adam and Eve?” and “What does the passage tell us about God and his relationship with and purposes for Adam and Eve?” Although the latter questions may lead to an answer that addresses authority and/or equality, they are not limited to or automatically centered on these concerns.
