The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

2023-02-12

Previously, we spoke of the tree of life. But like everyone knows, there was a second tree in the middle of the garden, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).

Unlike the tree of life, this tree imparted death: “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” (Genesis 2:17).

Eve did not mention this tree by name when she spoke of it to Satan: “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:3). Which tree in the midst of the garden? There were two. She had a convoluted view of the commandment.

Apparently, the tree imparted knowledge of good and evil, as the name suggested, just like the tree of life imparted life. Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). Of course, we cannot take his word for it, but God also said, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (Genesis 3:22).

Part of this knowledge is independence. “Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it” (Deuteronomy 1:39). The children trusted in the Lord and in their parents. They were not making decisions about going into the promised land. They were in their rightful position: in submission to and dependent on the proper authorities. God is rightfully independent; He is the highest authority and arbiter of truth. Humankind should not be this way; their rightful place is in submission to and dependence on God. Adam and Eve chose independence from God, and independence from God is death.

Why put such a tree in the garden? Having these two trees in a prominent position, in the middle of the garden, God was clearly giving them a choice. As human beings in the image of God, they are volitional beings. They had the opportunity to exercise free will. They could choose between all the goodness of God and all that He offered them in the garden, or they could choose their own way and forfeit it all.

To become independent from God, or rather, an enemy of God, is to bring about fear, shame, and death. “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7). “And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10). “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died” (Genesis 5:5).