The Fear of Snakes

Everything in existence had a reason to be created, even snakes. There are over 3600 species of snakes, and roughly 725 of them are venomous. However, only about 200 species can harm or fatally injure a human with just one bite. The fear of snakes is common. Snakes vary in size, with the smallest being the Barbados thread snake, which grows to a maximum of roughly 4 inches. The largest found so far is a reticulated python, 23 feet long and weighing over 215 pounds.

So, why are people afraid of snakes? Movie watchers may remember the scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when Indiana Jones looked over ruins and saw the floor was covered with snakes. He muttered, “Snakes, why did it have to be snakes!” The fear of snakes predates Indiana Jones. Many Bible passages involve snakes. When Moses threw his stick on the ground in Exodus 4:1-3, it became a snake, and Moses ran from it.

Why do snakes exist, and what lessons do they have for us? First, on a scientific level, snakes are incredibly well-designed to eat warm-blooded pests. They smell by using their forked tongues to collect airborne scent particles. They deposit those particles on special organs called vomeronasal or Jacobson’s organs on the roof of their mouths. In addition, snakes have nerves on their underside, which are very sensitive to vibration. These features enable snakes to go into a burrow and remove a rodent that would otherwise be a pest to humans. Snakes are rarely aggressive. They bite when someone invades the snake’s territory or deliberately antagonizes it.

In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus speaks about snakes as He describes His followers: “…they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Some denominations have handled snakes as a part of their worship service. This display of bravado is not what Jesus was talking about. At the time Jesus spoke, there were no scriptures to allow a person to whether or not a messenger was from God. Jesus said his messengers would be fluent in many languages and able to handle snakes, drink poison, and heal the sick 100% of the time. None of the current “snake handlers” can do all of those things. We learn from 1 Corinthians 13:8 that those things are unnecessary after God’s perfect word became available.

In Genesis 3:1-4, was Eve dealing with a talking snake? Was the curse on the snake in verses 14-15 to crawl for future generations? Looking at all these verses, it seems that the message is spiritual and involves offspring. You can see that in the highly symbolic contrast between crushing the head and striking the heel. The theological debate on these questions has gone on for thousands of years.

Despite the fear of snakes, the bottom line is that snakes serve humans in marvelous ways. They should be respected rather than feared. Genesis reminds us of Satan’s power and the importance of living as God has told us to.

— John N. Clayton © 2025