Question about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

[VociMike]

Yes, it has to do with love. Choosing for others over oneself, or choosing for oneself over others. We could not truly choose God if we did not also have the real possibility of choosing against Him. Without being given this choice, we would be nothing more than God’s puppets, or slaves of His love. But this would not be love at all. That is why God allowed this choice to the angels, and to us; because love, to be freely given, must have the possibility of not being given.

 

[kleary]

Hello,

I was watching tv and flipping thru the channels when I came across this pretty old cartoon (I think it was copyright 1986) depicting the story of Adam and Eve. It showed how Eve was tempted to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree and, well, the rest is history.

It got me thinking, why was the tree there in the first place? God knew exactly what was going to happen. Why was the temptation present?

I know definite answers are not possible but your thoughts are appreciated

Thanks,
-Flack

God spoke to the inspired writers of the book of Genesis concerning what to write and he chose to describe the fall of man in the way it is depicted there, and for a very good reason.

The sin of man was told as eating from a certain tree that God commanded them not to eat from.

Man’s redemption must also come from eating from a certain tree God commands him to eat from, namely the cross on which the fruit of redemption hung.

Ken

 

[CarlosG]

In my younger…uhh…more days, I read (well partially read) this book called “Food of the Gods” by Terrance McKenna ( amazon.com/Food-Gods-Original-Knowledge-Evolution/dp/0553371304/sr=8-1/qid=1161226846/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6166723-6365551?ie=UTF8 ) which posited that the Tree of Knowledge was actually mushrooms that grew out of cow dung that early humans used to follow for food.

Little did i know that he was one of the last leaders of the psychadelic drug movements. by the middle of the book i tried to lick the page to see if i could flyyyyy!!! His arguements were that good!!

I can totally see McKenna and a few of his hippy friends sitting around a campfire. McKenna’s like "So ya man…im like…i mean…im thinkin that all these things man…you know…uhh…where was I?..oh yaaaaa…like…i learned in this one class that when we were just like all these people roaming the earth and what I was thinkin while I was drawing psychadelic swirls on my binder…man im really good at drawing swirls man…oh ya…anyways, i was like…well I totally know how to grow mushrooms in my parents basement…so why wouldnt…those stoney crusty dudes back then get totally wasted maaannn!!! hahah…but then God got all mad cus he was like…dudes thats totally not cool!! see what i mean?..yea man…yea…:tiphat: (bonus points if you made it through that and still dont want to hurt me).

 

[glimmer]

Man’s redemption must also come from eating from a certain tree God commands him to eat from, namely the cross on which the fruit of redemption hung.

Ken

Hey, that’s good. Hadn’t thought about the Cross as “Tree of Life” before!

 

[matthew1624]

I’m doing a study of Ezekiel at the moment and your question reminded me of a thought I had when I came across the passages below.

Ezekiel Chapter 31:7-9 (RSV)
It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down to abundant waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor the fir trees equal its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared with its branches; no tree in the garden of God was like it in beauty. I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden envied it, that were in the garden of God.

While the scripture passages above are in reference to Pharaoh, I wondered if this could be applied to the two trees in the Garden of Eden. Something must of tempted and drawn man to this tree and I’m wondering if its beauty was part of it.

Any thoughts?

 

[matthew1624]

Hey, that’s good. Hadn’t thought about the Cross as “Tree of Life” before!

Glimmer, you might enjoy the text below taken from one of Scott Hahn’s tape series (i.e. the Tree of Life)…

The New Adam (and New Eve)

…God sent us the New Adam (Christ) who ends up in a garden where he is tested (Gethsamene Mt. 26:36 - the first Adam is tested in the garden of Eden) The New Adam ends up doing what the first Adam should of done and also ends up un-doing what the first Adam did, bearing the curse triggered by Adams violation of the covenant. What is the curse? Thorns, sweat, nakedness, and death (Gen. 3:18-19) …and our Lord in the garden sweats blood (Lk 22:44), he’s stripped naked (Mt 27:28) and receives a crown of thorns (Mt. 27:29). And where is the first Adam tested? At the tree, but he went to the wrong one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:6). The New Adam goes to the right one (Jn. 19:17, 1 Peter 2:24). The early church fathers call the cross the tree of life (Gen 2:9), the Eucharist is called the fruit of the tree of life. And who is there at the tree with the New Adam? The New Eve! “Woman!”… “Woman” is what Adam said when he first spotted Eve (Gen 2:23), “Woman” is what our Lord says at the tree of life…“Woman, Behold your son!” (Jn. 19:26). The blood and the water flow, the spirit is given (Jn. 19:34) and Mary is transformed into the New Eve and the archtype of the bride of Christ. The church and the spirit of prophecy enables us to understand the signs of the times in a way that Adam foresook…

God Bless…

 

[glimmer]

Glimmer, you might enjoy the text below taken from one of Scott Hahn’s tape series (i.e. the Tree of Life)…

Thanks, Matthew. I enjoy reading and listening to Scott Hahn (what little I’ve done). But this brings up a question I’ve been dying to ask someone. It has to do with the New Eve.

See, I get the parallel in this quote you sent between Mary and the first Eve. But the first Eve was the first Adam’s wife and Mary was the second Adam’s mother. I had always thought the Church was the second Eve because she was birthed out of the side of Christ as the first Eve was taken from Adam’s side. Then again, compare that with the New Jerusalem who is the mother of us all. Can anyone explain these?