Many of the writings of the Early Church Fathers are available online at
www.newadvent.org (a Catholic website) or at
www.ccel.org (a non-Catholic website).
You may find what you are looking for by going to
www.google.com and entering a site search in the search box,
such as: “tree of life” site:
www.newadvent.org
St. Augustine, expounds chapter 1 of Genesis in the last few books of his *Confessions. *He also expounds some on chapter 1 of Genesis in his
City of God around Book XI, where he speaks of the angels being created either when the heavens were created or when light was created.
St. Irenaeus, in his
Against Heresies, gives an interesting description of the Church as a garden (paradisus) planted in the world and warns us lest we be cast forth from this paradise by eating of the “knowledge” of heretics who profess the knowledge of good and evil. (Book V, Chapter XX, paragraph 2)
Is creation related to St. John’s Apocalyspe? Genesis 3:15 seems to be the background for chapter 12 of the Apocalypse as they both mention the ancient Serpent, a Woman and her Seed (Offspring) who are at emnity with the Serpent. Also, the tree of life is mentioned in chapter 22 of the Apocalypse in the description of the New Jerusalem.
St. Justin Martyr, in his
Dialogue with Trypho, says that the tree of life, which was planted in paradise, was a symbol of Jesus Christ. (Chapter LXXXVI)