What does the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil Symbolize?

[Jethro Bodine]

We don't live in the garden of Eden. We don't have a literal tree marked "Tree of the knowledge of good and evil" sitting in our backyards (if I had one and I had to take care of it it'd prolly die anyway).

"8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:8-9 NASB)

So what is the tree to mean to us today? Nothing, it was only for Adam and Eve? Or, it's kind of a moot point now since they did eat of it? Or is it a veiled warning to all of mankind from Adam and Eve on down?

 

[Eugene]

The Tree of Good and Evil is the Law.

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Adam was also alive before the knowledge of good and evil.

2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones . . .

1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 

[JoJoe]

I agree with brother Eugene, the fact that before the knowledge of the law. Adam and Eve were children. No shame, guilt, ect...

We were all alive before we new the law when we were kids. Thus the reason why we have to come to him as such.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The Tree of Good and Evil is the Law.

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Adam was also alive before the knowledge of good and evil.

2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones . . .

1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The commandment that came was 'Do not eat', right?

 

[KevinK]

The knowledge of the difference between good and evil. The second we achieved this level of awareness, we were either saved or damned.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The knowledge of the difference between good and evil.

What is the 'eating' that one does that exposes evil for what it is?

The second we achieved this level of awareness, we were either saved or damned.

Do you think 'knowledge' could be more than just a head knowledge about what is evil, but perhaps an experience with it and becoming 'knowledgeable' about it that way?

 

[Eugene]

The commandment that came was 'Do not eat', right?

You are correct! They were not to eat that which would kill them, but when they did, God's word led them to that which would rectify their loss, and that was the Tree of Life; Jesus.

To eat the word is a metaphor such as we read in:

Deut 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jer 15:16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (a reference to Deut 8:3)

1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

You are correct! They were not to eat that which would kill them, but when they did, God's word led them to that which would rectify their loss, and that was the Tree of Life; Jesus.

To eat the word is a metaphor such as we read in:

Deut 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jer 15:16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (a reference to Deut 8:3)

1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

These describe good things happening from 'eating' the word of God, not bad, even living by them, not dying by them. I'm not following your thought.

How about the commandment, 'do not eat', being the law, and the tree and it's fruit being the sinful passions that grow in the garden of every man's heart which the commandment ('do not eat') arouses our interest in?

" the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death." (Romans 7:5 NASB)

God says don't eat the fruits of that tree, for when you do you will surely die.

 

[Eugene]

These describe good things happening from 'eating' the word of God, not bad, even living by them, not dying by them. I'm not following your thought.

How about the commandment, 'do not eat', being the law, and the tree and it's fruit being the sinful passions that grow in the garden of every man's heart which the commandment ('do not eat') arouses our interest in?

" the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death." (Romans 7:5 NASB)

God says don't eat the fruits of that tree, for when you do you will surely die.

Hi Brother Jethro Bodine. The eating of God’s word is indeed good, but the illustrations I gave of scripture were simply to show the use of eating the word was synonymous with taking in the law. What else do you know of that relates death with knowledge other than the law? The law kills all who reads of its requirements and does not keep them.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Adam didn’t have a chance. We have to realize that as soon as Adam and Eve partook of that forbidden fruit, they became aware of how naked before God they were. They had gained the knowledge of sin.

Was it a sin to be naked? Not to me, but their conscience sure made them hide

Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Rom 3:23 puts it like this: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Was the forbidden fruit the knowledge that made Adam afraid of God?


Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The law kills all who reads of its requirements and does not keep them.

No, no, the law does not kill:

"12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.13 Therefore did that which is good (the law) become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin" (Romans 7:13 NASB emphasis and parenthesis mine)

The law is not what actually kills us, but rather it is sin in us which gets exposed by the law that kills. This being true, the tree and it's fruit has to represent the alluring attraction of sin, not the law, otherwise the law is doing the killing, and Paul says that ain't so.

'Do not eat' represents the law. The tree represents the attraction and temptation of sin that grows in the same garden where the tree of life also grows, in the heart of man. The eating of the fruit represents actually indulging the sin we were egged on by the law (and our own desires) to pick and eat. And when we pick and eat the deadly fruit of the tree of sin and it's temptations we do indeed die.

 

[Eugene]

No, no, the law does not kill:

"12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.13 Therefore did that which is good (the law) become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin" (Romans 7:13 NASB emphasis and parenthesis mine)

The law is not what actually kills us, but rather it is sin in us which gets exposed by the law that kills. This being true, the tree and it's fruit has to represent the alluring attraction of sin, not the law, otherwise the law is doing the killing, and Paul says that ain't so.

'Do not eat' represents the law. The tree represents the attraction and temptation of sin that grows in the same garden where the tree of life also grows, in the heart of man. The eating of the fruit represents actually indulging the sin we were egged on by the law (and our own desires) to pick and eat. And when we pick and eat the deadly fruit of the tree of sin and it's temptations we do indeed die.

The law sounds as if it kills to me.

Rom 3:20 . . . by the law is the knowledge of sin.

2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones . . .

You said "The law is not what actually kills us, but rather it is sin in us which gets exposed by the law that kills."
I've got to admit you have me there; I don't know the difference in how it accomplishes its work, I do know them that don't receive Jesus as their Savior are dead meat so to speak, and it's the law that accuses them.

 

[dianegcook]

We don't live in the garden of Eden. We don't have a literal tree marked "Tree of the knowledge of good and evil" sitting in our backyards (if I had one and I had to take care of it it'd prolly die anyway).

"8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:8-9 NASB)

So what is the tree to mean to us today? Nothing, it was only for Adam and Eve? Or, it's kind of a moot point now since they did eat of it? Or is it a veiled warning to all of mankind from Adam and Eve on down?

King of Tyrus= a role of Satan

Ezekiel.28:12-18
Hast been in Eden the garden of God. Ver.13

The Assyrian=another role of Satan
Ezek.31:3-14
The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him.....

I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches; so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

My belief Jethro,
Satan was that tree and they ate of it, and died.
Satan is death. Heb.2:14

Warning
Don't listen to Satan, it only leads to death....

 

[Jethro Bodine]

King of Tyrus= a role of Satan

Ezekiel.28:12-18
Hast been in Eden the garden of God. Ver.13

The Assyrian=another role of Satan
Ezek.31:3-14
The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him.....

I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches; so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

My belief Jethro,
Satan was that tree and they ate of it, and died.
Satan is death. Heb.2:14

Warning
Don't listen to Satan, it only leads to death....

Well that is interesting, since trees are indeed a metaphor for people in scripture.

 

[Kenny_ms]

Or is it a veiled warning to all of mankind from Adam and Eve on down?

Not all that veiled, but I'd say that one's pretty much it.

Obey God or be punished.

Even today, after the cross, there are still things we need to obey, even though God did lighten up quit a bit.