Tree of Knowledge

There are many myths surrounding the creation of humans. One such myth is about the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. A common misconception is that the forbidden fruit given to Eve by the serpent was an apple. It is more likely that the fruit was from the family of the pomegranates. After Eve gave a piece of the fruit to Adam, she changed her mind and tried to stop him from eating it. A piece of the apple got stuck in his throat. The prominent ‘Adam’s apple’ on some men remains as a reminder to many of the story of how Eve prevented Adam from eating the forbidden fruit. This is not a biblical story by any accounts, and is certainly the figment of the imagination of one of our forefathers. There is a medieval Christian legend that says that the Tree of Knowledge was the source of wood for the True Cross 

According to the Bible in the story on creation, God gave clear instructions that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. God’s intention was for them to live forever in the garden. Eating from the Tree of Life would have brought them immortality (Genesis 3:22). It is no surprise that all through history man has desired and searched for ways to be immortal. How many of us have wished Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God? This disastrous failure eventually resulted in God having to send us a Redeemer. What humankind lost in Adam did we not regain in Christ, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)? Does not Revelation promise that to those who are victorious in Christ will eat of the Tree of Life in Paradise (Revelation 2:7)? 

 God told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the Tree of Knowledge they would die (Genesis 2:16–17). Was that not clear enough for them? The Tree of Knowledge can also be expanded to mean Knowledge of good and evil. Why did God say that this Tree of Knowledge is forbidden for Adam and Eve to eat? Why didn’t God tell Adam and Eve that Satan would try to tempt them to eat the fruit and that they should resist? Yet Adam probably watched Eve as she was tempted to eat the fruit and then he himself ate it, hoping that he would gain the wisdom that God had (Genesis 3:6). Can we blame only Eve for succumbing to the temptation when Adam was by her side and also ate when it was offered to him? The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). Is it not ironic that Adam's first words to God expressed fear, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid...so I hid." Do you really think we can hide from God? 

 Why did Adam and Eve show no fear of God and eat the fruit? What made Adam blame Eve for eating the fruit, by saying to God, "The woman you put here in the garden with me was the one who gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.(Genesis 3:12)" Is it not our own selfish pride that makes us blame all our problems on one another? When God questioned Eve she said, "The serpent deceived me, and so I ate the fruit." Did God excuse them because of the serpent's deception? St. Paul says knowledge makes us puff up and feel important, but it is only love that will help build the community (1 Corinthians 8:1). 

Today, what distinguishes us from the rest of God’s creation? It is the collected knowledge that we have gained and stored from the beginning of time. Our knowledge of the good and evil that people are capable of has grown over the centuries and expanded. Further, it is our ability to link our lives with those of our ancestors for many, many, generations. Through the ancestral tree of our forebears, we see the expanding Tree of Life. We see the lives of ancestors and how they have responded to serve God or people as the case may be. The breath of God that brought life to Adam should spur us on to learn more about Him, His ways, and His plans for us each day. The wisdom of God is described as a Tree of Life to those who embrace and hold fast to her(Proverbs 3:18). 

 Why is it that in the abundance of the things to eat and enjoy in the garden, Adam and Eve were drawn to the one deed they were specifically told not to do? By eating the fruit of the Tree, Adam and Eve chose to replace their own knowledge of good and evil for God's. Do we have the freedom to do whatever we want? We all have physical and spiritual limitations. We face temptations in differing degrees. However, temptation becomes a trespass only when we commit to the evil deed. Doubt, obstacles, distractions, and loss are tools used by the devil to instigate us to succumb to temptations. We must always be vigilant of the devil’s attempts to lead us to shame and disgrace. We are all broken people, and have erred in so many ways and gone astray (Romans 3:23). Christ was victorious although He was tempted in the desert (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). 

Adam and Eve led carefree and bountiful lives in the Garden of Eden, yet they were disobedient and fell to temptation. On the other hand, Christ was obedient even when He was tortured and hung to die on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Thus our immortality is in Christ alone and not within us. Adam gave mortal life to all his descendents, but in Christ we inherit eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:22).