The mystery of the two trees reveiled Back to contents ↑
In Genesis chapers 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?
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Haggai 2:12-13, Isaiah 64:6
The 'tree of knowlegde 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:
“Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.”
However the opposite is not true. When something is unclean, that something can not be made clean by touching a clean thing:
“If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.”
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 contrased 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 are as filthy rags:
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
What was the first sin about? Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Genesis 3:15-18, Genesis 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:
“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
While Adam had to work and eat from a cursed ground.
“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
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 the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
and Adam was given responsibility for the earth:
“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
We know that curses originate from not obeying the instructions of God. Specifically making other so called 'gods' more important than God who created everyting:
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
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:
“As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.”
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 conclucion that the fruit of this tree leads to death.
The Initial Tree of Life Back to contents ↑
Key verses:
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.
The Rescue: The Tree of Life Appearing at Golgotha Back to contents ↑
Key verses:
However in John we read something which many people miss entirely, namely that Jesus was crusified and buried in a garden:
“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.”
And Paul references in multiple places that Jesus hanged on a tree e.g. here:
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
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:
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
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:
“Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The way which was initially blocked in the garden of Eden was now opened. Let's eat from the 'tree of life'!
Why are we allowed to 'eat' from this tree while the way to the 'original' was blocked? Back to contents ↑
Key verses:
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:
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve 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 spititually 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 lifes 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.
Two opposites ways Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Revelation 20:7-10
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:
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
But it ends in bitternes and death, resulting in the first murder a few verses after the fact:
“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
The 'tree of life' however at first glance is not very attractive. It starts with bitternes, killing/ uprooting all the effects of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' in your life by denying yourself:
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
However, it ends in joy and eternal life:
“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come 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.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
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!