The Two Trees in the Garden

In Genesis chapters 2 and 3 we read about two trees: the 'Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil' and the 'Tree of Life'. But what are these trees about? Were/ are they literal trees?

Key verses: Haggai 2:12-13, Isaiah 64:6

The 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' is a corrupted tree as it is a mixture of both good and evil. In the same tree good seems to be mixed with evil. Another way to look at it is that good is contaminated with evil. Haggai states, and we can see it in real life too, that when someone is contaminated by a dead body and touches holy flesh, which would normally be used for temple service, the holy flesh becomes contaminated as well:

However the opposite is not true. When something is unclean, that something can not be made clean by touching a clean thing:

Therefore we see that contamination, which is one of the representations of evil, is dominant and not easily be dealt with. In the case of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' we can see that the evil overshadows the good and so makes the whole tree corrupt.

We also see that the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' is contrasted with the 'tree of life', which hints that the fruit of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' leads to death. It shows that doing good does not lead to life. That should be a wake-up call for many: doing good is part of the wrong tree and thus does NOT lead to life. In other words: you cannot inherit eternal life by doing good.

This is explained by Isaiah when he says that his righteousnesses as filthy rags:

Key verses: Genesis 3:15-17, Genesis 11:26-28, Proverbs 26:2, Genesis 2:15, Genesis 2:17-18, Deuteronomy 11:26-28, Proverbs 26:2

The description of what the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' actually was is quite vague. However, we can derive some information from the punishments which God gave to Adam and Eve - and thus to mankind - after eating from it's fruit. The punishments are related to reproduction, that is, Eve had to bear painful conceptions:

While Adam had to work and eat from a cursed ground.

Or another way to look at it is that mankind and the earth had to suffer through Eve and Adam, which makes sense as Eve was created as a help for Adam:

and Adam was given responsibility for the earth:

We know that curses originate from not obeying the instructions of God. Specifically making other so called 'gods' more important than God who created everything:

When we think backwards: the original sin took the place that God deserves, otherwise the curse could not come.

Additionally we can now see a glimpse that the original sin somehow had to do with reproduction, for curses only come in the specific area's where we are disobedient:

We can generalize that the relationship between Eve and Adam was distorted and the relationship between Adam and the earth was distorted as well by eating from the tree of good and evil. Or: the existence of mankind was threatened by eating of the tree of good and evil. This conforms with our earlier conclusion that the fruit of this tree leads to death.

Now that we understand that this tree leads to death, it is easier to understand why God says it too:

Because Adam and Eve did eat of the tree which represents corruption, God blocked the route to the 'tree of life'. For if they had consumed the fruit directly after eating from the tree of corruption, they would have to live in a corrupted state forever and ever! That would be the worst possible outcome.

We don't know what this tree looked like in reality, so we should not speculate.

Key verses: John 19:41, Acts 5:30, John 11:25, John 6:54

However in John we read something which many people miss entirely, namely that Jesus was crucified and buried in a garden:

And Paul references in multiple places that Jesus hanged on a tree e.g. here:

So we now get the picture of a tree in the garden where Jesus hangs who claims that He is the Life, e.g. here:

So we can conclude that Jesus while hanging on the cross represents the 'tree of life'. We are supposed to eat from this tree for Jesus says that we are to 'drink' His blood and 'eat' His flesh, for this will bring eternal life:

The way which was initially blocked in the garden of Eden was now opened. Let's eat from the 'tree of life'!

Key verses: Luke 17:33

God is not seeking for a reason to destroy, He is seeking for a reason to save. As seen earlier the block to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden by the angel was for our own benefit, for if we would had inherited eternal life in a state of corruption, this would be devastating.

Jesus however, mentions that whoever wants to keep his life will see it destroyed. He that is willing to loose his life will find it:

So we have to be willing to leave the glamour of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' behind us. If we won't we will loose eternal life!

Now note that everyone that does evil will loose his live and everyone that does good will also loose his life, that is, as long as we spiritually eat from the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' we will eat contaminated food. As long as we eat from this corrupted tree, we will spread corruption in our lives an in the lives of the people surrounding us.

However, everyone that stops eating from this tree and spiritually eats and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ the son of God, will find eternal life.

As a result we will start behaving in a way that brings life in other people too.

Key verses: Genesis 3:6, Genesis 4:8, Matthew 16:24, Mark 10:30, 1 Corinthians 1:18

The 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' looks extremely attractive to Eve. She is actually lusting for it's fruit. Lusting in the sense of instant gratification:

But it ends in bitterness and death, resulting in the first murder a few verses after the fact:

The 'tree of life' however at first glance is not very attractive. It starts with bitterness, killing/ uprooting all the effects of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' in your life by denying yourself:

However, it ends in joy and eternal life:

The world wants instant gratification of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil'. The 'tree of life'/ cross of Jesus however seems foolishness to the world.

Take care that you are not deceived in whatsoever way by the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil'. You can't eat from both trees. If you keep on eating from the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' you loose the eligibility to eat from the 'tree of life'. Eventually an angel might block you the way!