The answer
The origin and the source of this idea was "Origen" who exaggerated in his interpretation of the Bible using the allegorical method.
He tried to emphasise the meaning of symbols (Allegories) to include everything, even the sin of Adam, the trees of the garden of Eden. He said that the sin of Adam was adultery providing the evidence as follows:
He said that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the middle of the garden, as the sexual organ is in the middle of the human body. He said by eating from the tree, it was said "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived" (Gen. 4:1). He also said by their sexual sin, Adam and Eve became ashamed and hid themselves for
they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves (Gen. 3:7). Origen furthered his idea about the sexual sin by saying that the whole world is controlled by sexual immorality. However, this opinion has many objections: 1. He said that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the middle of the garden, and likewise, the sexual organs are also in the middle of the body. So, if we consider that the sexual organ is the tree as Origen explained, the body would have become the garden, and we would have two gardens: Adam and eve and two trees (in each of them there is a tree). In this case, Adam would have eaten the fruit from the tree of Eve, and Eve would have eaten in turn from the tree of Adam. Consequently, God could not have placed Adam in the garden according to the Bible (Gen. 2:14), but Adam himself becomes Eve's garden!! However, the Bible says that God placed him in the garden of Eden to tend it and keep it (Gen. 2:15). According to the allegorical interpretation, what is the garden of Eden then? And what does it mean to tend it and to keep it? 2. Also, what would be the meaning of the rest of the symbols in the garden of Eden?
What is the meaning of the river which went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four river beads (Gen. 2:10)? what are these four rivers? Also, what do the rest of the members of the body represent?
Do they represent other trees in the garden? Are the fruits of these trees allowed? 3. The tree of life was also in the middle of the garden (Gen. 2:9). The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not alone in the center of the garden. Does the tree of life represent also something in the body if we went along with Origen? How can we understand then the meaning of the Cherubim guarding the way to the tree of life by flaming sword (Gen. 3:24).
4. How can we understand the dismissal of man from the garden if the garden symbolised his body?
How did he depart or was driven out of it? And how could he live outside his body? How then did he separate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was in the middle of the garden (his body)?
Origen's allegorical interpretation cannot provide any meaningful understanding, but it only causes endless confusions.
An important question we put before us if the sin was adultery.
5. If Adam’s sin was adultery what was the commandment? Did Adam understand it?
Was the commandment "Do not commit adultery" and Adam disobeyed it? What could Adam and Eve understand from a statement that says "do not commit adultery"? as they were
simple and innocent, and they did know the meaning of such a statement. The evidence for their innocence was that they were naked but were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25). Did God explain for them the meaning of such a commandment?
This is impossible, for God Himself would have opened their own eyes!! God forbid.
Was there no commandment? This would be against the Scripture. Did they not understand the commandment? In this case, there would be no punishment, and the commandment would be meaningless.
6. If the sin was adultery, they would have committed this sin at the same time.
What is the meaning therefore of Eve taking of the fruit and eating it, and then giving it to Adam? (Gen. 3:6) If the sin was adultery, they would have eaten of the fruit at the same time.
7. The phrase "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked" (Gen. 3:7) was after eating the fruit.
If the sin was adultery, their eyes would have been opened first to know that they were naked, and then they would commit the sin of Adultery. Since, it was impossible for them to commit a sin as this with their eyes closed.
8. Shame and the knowing of Adam to Eve was not their sin, but the sin was in their downgrading themselves to the level of the flesh in lusting food.
For this reason, it was said that Adam knew Eve his wife after they had been driven out of the garden (Gen. 4:1). This did not happen in the garden. This shame also was after eating of the fruit and not during or before eating of it.
Adam was spiritually free of the lust for material things, and of eating, and of the sensual lusts. When all these things happened by eating from the tree, he downgraded himself to the level of the lust of flesh, and it became easier for him to complete the works of the flesh by committing the sexual act. This happened due to the fall, but it is not the fall itself.
9. If we could consider that the sexual relationship between Adam and Eve was a sin of adultery, then what is the meaning of (Gen. 1:28) "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth... "
This blessing was mentioned on the sixth day, before the Bible said (Gen. 1:31) "And God saw, that every thing, that He made, and behold it was very good... "
10. If the sin was adultery, then there was no need for the enticement of the devil to Eve to become like God.
The enticement of the serpent to Eve was not to commit adultery, but it was to become like God knowing good and
evil (Gen. 3:5). The sin was sin of pride. It was the desire to become equal to God. In the same sin, Satan himself fell, when he said in his heart "I will be like the Most High (Is. 14:14).
In this sin, the sin of becoming like God, Eve fell then Adam followed her.
11. The wide spread of the sin of adultery today is like the wide spread of many other sins...
The love of greatness, the love to possess, the love of one's self, the love of wealth, the love to eat (gluttony), anger, lying... all these sins are widespread even in the young age (who have no knowledge of the sin of adultery) and in very advanced age (incapable to commit that sin).
12. To say that the sin of Adam and Eve was adultery is groundless.
It developed through the unacceptable allegorical way of interpretation. The allegorical way of interpretation has its own beauty and depth, only if it is supported by the Scriptures.
(*See my book "Adam and Eve" which analyses Adam and Eve's sins into 27 sins)
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Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory