Genesis 3:21 and 3:22

[C_Bautista]

In my NAB, the verses are translated as such:

Then the Lord God said: "See! The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad! Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the tree of life also, and thus eat of it and live forever.

Now, at this point man has experienced, for himself, both God’s good and distance from it (evil).

Why, though, is he refused the tree of life at this point? I understand that experiential knowledge of evil was not God’s will for Adam at this point, but what’s the deal with shuffling him away from the tree of life?

Is not the tree of life the Cross of Christ?

I’m asking this in all sincerity, but specifically because it irks me a bit because I don’t catch the meaning behind God’s specific denial to Adam of the “fruit from the tree of life” if we are to embrace Christ’s suffering in the long run.

And then, what’s up with the end of verse 24 when cherubim are ordered to “guard the way to the tree of life”?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

[Nita]

Here is the footnote commentary on that passage from the Geo Haydock bible:

For ever. The sentence is left imperfect: (Calmet) but by driving man from Paradise, God sufficiently shewed how he would prevent from eating of the tree of life, (Haydock) which Adam had not yet found. As he was now condemned to be miserable on earth, God, in mercy, prevented him from tasting of that fruit, which would have rendered his misery perpetual. (Menochius) — He would suffer him to die, that, by death, he might come, after a life of 930 years, spent in sorrow and repentance, to the enjoyment of himself. (Haydock) –

haydock1859.tripod.com

I underlined what I consider the most important point.

Nita

 

[Talmida]

It was explained this way at RCIA:

Adam lived in peace with God and there was no death. When Adam disobeyed God he broke the relationship between them, and death entered the Garden. If Adam had eaten from the Tree of (Eternal) Life in a state of broken relationship (sin), then he would be caught eternally in sin/death.

God sent Adam away until Jesus repaired the relationship between God and humans – THEN we can eat the Fruit of the Tree of Life (Jesus on the Cross).

The cherub (and his fiery revolving sword!!) had to guard to make sure Adam didn’t come back in and bring eternal death to humans by eating from the Tree of Life. After all, Adam had already disobeyed God once.