The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
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The temptation of the Tree of Knowledge
Many people repeat the mantra - why did God tempt Adam and Eve? Yet, these are the same people who balk at being controlled by a supposed supreme being, and walk away from the Bible shaking their heads in disgust. The question must then be asked, do you want a God that attaches strings on you and moves you around like a robot, or do you want a God who gives you not only free will, but also the confidence and respect that an autonomous and free person deserves? He gave us that respect. And it really isn't about respecting us, but recognizing that he made us like him, with the freedom and ability to make our own choices - wrong or right.
You see, God didn't just leave that tree there as the only tree on Earth. He made all kinds of trees, and plants and animals and rivers and streams for us to enjoy. He created paradise and perfection. And free will. And in order to have free will, he gave us the ability to exercise it. So on the entire Earth, filled with healing plants, peaceful animals and perfect weather and the Tree of Life, we humans decided to gravitate towards the one thing we were told we couldn't have. Yet there was no fence. Instead, the fence we broke was God's trust and confidence. We decided to not just walk but to run to the tree that we were forbidden to eat from.
And Satan was ready. Right at the beginning he was doing what he does best, waiting for an opportunity. He loves opportunities. It's the only way he can get anything done. That dragon was wrapped around the Tree of Knowledge, his beady little eyes glittering with lust for his first human victim.
Along came Eve. God's gift to Adam. Adam was a man and represented God in his relationship to man. Adam had a great role to play and a beautiful woman perfect in every way. Eve did not get the short end of the stick though. Adam may have been first, but the woman Eve had the incredible privilege and gift of being able to give birth to their children. This must have been God's way of balancing the scales. The father may love their children as much as the mother, but men will never know what it is like to have a life growing inside of them, to care for the child in the way only a woman can. That was a privilege reserved for women. I think then in this way we can begin to understand why God chose to punish Eve especially by giving her pain in childbirth. Pregnancy and mothering children is still beautiful, but we can never get away from the act that descended us into sin making it so that pain and grief are mixed in and a part of the whole experience.
That punishment was not meant to single out women only, but instead, as the human race and the Earth was changed by the first sin, both men and women suffered the loss of perfection and beauty and paradise. Humanity chose not only on that day, but over and over again, to do evil to God and each other. God did afflict Eve with a special punishment that's true, just as the Devil will receive a punishment far greater than those souls he tempts and choose to follow him into Hell. But still ever single person who chooses for evil and against God will suffer punishment, because ultimately the choice is ours.
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not put in the Garden of Eden maliciously by God to make us stumble, he put it there because he loved us enough to want us to have complete and total freedom to choose him. Without that tree, we would be nothing better than automatons, puppets and brainless monkeys parroting God. And for him, he wants thinking living breathing feeling people to want to draw closer to him, because they love him and because they recognize him as supreme and worthy of all glory. Without this, he could never be happy. And that tree is proof of his justice and love and willingness to let us make up our own minds. Without that terrible tree, we would never be totally free..
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Thanks Hoo, glad you like it.
Hi A.M This is a beautiful story.
A flowing, informative Tuesday morning read. Here's why I am puzzled: if humans are the pinnacle of creation, then wouldn't it have made sense to make them infallible? I am with you on the free will concept, but if we were meant to be so perfect, shouldn't we have had the good sense to choose right from the start?
And – forgive my ignorance here – I have not so much viewed childbirth pain as punishment related to the tree and associated temptation (a wise woman once told me that it is “pain with a purpose” and therefore, productive and good). Women have experienced other grave repercussions throughout human history, in my opinion: stereotyping as conniving/weak/unclean and widespread social fears of female influence and human sexuality (the Malleus Maleficarum, written, endorsed, and executed exclusively by men comes to mind). I do see childbirth/mothering as a gigantic blessing, probably the biggest of them all. On the other hand, women did “get the short end of the stick” especially because organized religion often prescribes avenues for male control of female behavior to reign in those perceived social and sexual dangers. Makes me want to stomp my foot and say “no fair!” ;-)
Thanks for great hub.
I agree that greatest blessing for mom is to have a children. It is not only to give the birth but to raise them. Mom can give to children only mom could.
Another idea I have to share is that many things which we did not know God stated not necessary commissioned. The reason for labour pain could be twofold. 1. to seek the shelter for birth entering to bad environment (outside of Garden), 2. Build in nature but in Garden sheltered with the Glory of God. Besides, if man will stay in fellowship with God He would tell to Eve she is going to have a baby and what to do then. I delivered many babies. Many woman would not come to hospital for help unless they have a pain :-).
"The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not put in the Garden of Eden maliciously by God to make us stumble, he put it there because he loved us enough to want us to have complete and total freedom to choose him."
Not to be malicious, but still all for God's Glory and at the same time Him knowing they would always choose that tree. So in effect they had no choice and they were never going to eat of the Tree of Life. The Lord Jesus Christ was always the Lamb slain BEFORE the foundation of the world so Adam and Eve were always going to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - again as I said, no choice.
"Without that tree, we would be nothing better than automatons, puppets and brainless monkeys parroting God."
Can you explain that remark in The Light of the Potter and the clay?
Can you also explain how slaves to sin are anything but slaves and just do as they are told by the master sinner - the Devil? No choices.
Thanks Gypsy!
Zollstock, thanks for the compliments on my writing style. Now on to the difficult questions you posed. I can only offer an opinion - so do not take this as completely Biblical. I think if he had made man infallible, we would have been God too. But we were meant to be his creation, not his brothers.
Like a sculptor with perfect talent, his work amazing work reflects him, but also serves to shine for him, so we are like an addition to God’s glory. And he could not resist making us because like that sculptor, he had a need to create, to do what he was meant to do. The amazing thing to consider then is that he had no audience but the angels, and we are all created to show his glory, but also to enjoy his glory and interact with him and each other. No statue or art or architecture could ever do that!
On the childbirth pain and punishment thing, I have to be extremely careful and sensitive here. It would be very wrong to assume that God made woman responsible for the fall of humanity from perfection to sin. The woman and the man were both responsible, and the Devil also had a part to play. But Eve went looking for the tree, or perhaps was drawn in after walking by, but in any case, she got close enough for the Devil to entice her with something she already wanted. He helped seal the deal. My belief is that because women had the great and special blessing to bear and mother a child, he didn’t take it away but allowed sin to put a sour cap on it. Men can never know the pain women must endure, nor grasp the joy most women have being responsible for such beauty. So the idea is that when God gives you a special blessing, there is an equal punishment for trampling on his love and care and blessings. This is demonstrated through his relationship with Israel, and in the New Testamant where it says in Luke 12:48: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:”.
Men are supposed to be the spiritual heads of the house, but the nature of the relationship is supposed to be like a team. Each party has certain obligations to the other, and without both of them, it doesn’t work properly. Therefore, there is nothing preventing women equal rights as human beings or in being able to vote or even lead - except in a spiritual capacity.
Men are physically stronger and more inclined to physical action, but over the ages have used this for an excuse to abuse women and disrespect them, when instead they should use their natural leadership qualities to bring peace to the house, to protect and defend the family and lift them up. Perhaps the man is the head of the house, but this also means we have great responsibilities to serve the family just as Jesus - God himself, washed the feet of his disciples, (the dirtiest lowliest job at the time), and later laid down his life and endured the sins of the world for us. Being a real man is not meant to be a picnic, but the evil in men’s hearts have taken advantage of women’s physical weakness and misinterpreted the forbidden fruit incident to bring women down. I must step off my soap box now :-)
Thanks Vladimir for adding and expanding to my hub as usual. You added another part that I hadn’t even considered but would seem very true.
Thanks for reading and commenting yes2truth.
Could you expand on the idea that Jesus was “slain” before the world existed? I’m not saying that is not so or that it is so, but I want to know how you come to that conclusion scripturally. I can conceive that there is no boundary of time for Jesus as he is God, but this does not prove that God constructed events that are contrary to his wishes, he is just aware of them. The very fact that we live in such a sad state is evidence that God has given us freedom.
Yes, God did know what our choices would be, but what about 2 Peter 3:9: “(The Lord is) -not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” So if that is true, can we assume that everyone will be saved? I have some friends that think so. And that’s the danger of taking verses out of context. I understand what you are saying - there are many verses about history being set, but that is because God knows the outcome. He didn’t make us to suffer, but meant for us to glorify him. Over and over scripture shows us that we need to make a choice to follow Jesus. Since it can’t be both and I know you and I agree that the Bible is complete and completely right without error, it is good to look at the context, (“line upon line, precept upon precept” - paraphrased), and we cannot both have a choice and not have a choice. Lucifer was created to be the most beautiful of angels and to be the head of all God’s angels, meaning that God never created him to be evil, he made that choice himself. Why bother preaching the Word if we’re all slated to go in one direction or another? Why waste that time? We are here to glorify God, but it is our choice how we spend that time.
Do you want to sin? I know you don’t, but do you think God wants you to sin? Of course not, but you are free to make that choice, and the decision to sin hurts God and it hurts you. So, in context: God, not willing that any should perish, has made some to perish?
No. If you think about it in terms of God’s love for us, recognizing that salvation is a decision that every person must make, it is right to understand that God responds to our feelings and inclinations toward him. In Romans, it talks about those who completely turn from God, and God lets them go their way, and they become the greatest sinners. This speaks of a personal choice, and God’s response. Same with Pharaoh. Notice that God hardened Pharaoh's heart each time he wrestled with his decision to let God’s people go, making him take the next step in response to his decisions so God could show his glory.
Looking at all this, God created those for destruction those that hated him from the beginning. He knows who they are, and they are being used for his glory as well. Don’t forget that sinners are going to a place they were never meant to go, because they choose to follow their master - Satan. But it also says we were all slaves to Satan - that would be the “old man”, before we are saved.
You remember when you were saved and so do I. It was a decision to follow Christ. I think you are partially right about not having choice as Satan’s slave - he rules over his followers with impunity when he wants, while once we are saved, God quietly beckons us, and sometimes punishes us - for our own good, but we are able to choose to sin over God. This life we are living is all about choice and helping others to see and make that choice.
Another fine Hub, Brother. I enjoyed it and it is the Truth. Thanks.
Thank you very much James! Thank you for stopping by.
Alexander Mark,
I have finally returned to this hub. Thanks for the elaborations – my qualm wasn't so much with scriptural details but with the way they have been interpreted (and put into action) throughout the ages, predominantly by men. That has put a real damper on the perception of female morality and societal worth, in my opinion. I can see how the Bible defines and perpetuates women's roles as mothers, wives, and leaders (thank you for that one!) and how, in theory, male-female dynamics following the Bible could create safe and happy families.
I will have to disagree with your remarks about men's more pronounced physical strength (it's not all about muscle – consider who is, in fact, giving birth), and I think that sexual dynamics and societal expectations have led to women's quiet acceptance of male domination and abuse, and that those dynamics are only now slowly beginning to change. Is there anything in the Bible about men's physical disciplining of women and children?
And as for spiritual leadership being assigned to men only – I see a new and semi-controversial hub forming!
Zollstock, thanks for reading the response and commenting again.
By physical strength I meant the ability to lift and move heavy objects. This is also the unfortunate reason that abuse can happen. You are right, women have more strength when it comes to pain and longsuffering.
I do not think there is anything in the Bible about men disciplining women, that to me is repulsive on a personal level because it demotes women to a state of childishness. The Bible does say that a father is not spare the rod lest he spoil the child, (I don't think it was made of iron), but it also has a lot to say about fathers teaching children. Nevertheless, no one is better equipped to deal with young children than women in those crucial early stages of life.
I have heard many times over that women prefer a strong decisive man to take lead, and I think this is natural - the way God intended. I also believe there are plenty of exceptions to this natural law, but I think male leadership is related to the Bible's assertion that women should not preach. It is very obvious to me that men and women have different natural abilities. It is probably due to the fact that men do not realize the woman's worth that some women feel the need to make themselves equal to men.
I'm sorry, I have no plans to write about woman leadership, I just like to write about the Bible when the Spirit and or muse strikes me. I don't want to create controversy, just teach what the Bible says, and as in the case of this hub, comment on a Bible event. But I am grateful for your challenges and comments. You make me think and I'm glad you can read hubs like this even if you don't agree :-)
I found this hub to be very enlightening. Thank you!
Thanks for visiting and commenting thefount, always good to see a friend.
You said, The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not put in the Garden of Eden maliciously by God to make us stumble, he put it there because he loved us enough to want us to have complete and total freedom to choose him. Without that tree, we would be nothing better than automatons, puppets and brainless monkeys parroting God. And for him, he wants thinking living breathing feeling people to want to draw closer to him, because they love him and because they recognize him as supreme and worthy of all glory. Without this, he could never be happy. And that tree is proof of his justice and love and willingness to let us make up our own minds. Without that terrible tree, we would never be totally free..
I really appreciate this explanation. I have taught Bible studies in the past and never thought about the tree in just exactly this way. You have written a beautiful discussion and I agree with you. Sandra
Thank you so much Sandra, that's quite an endorsement, I know you love the Lord, and now I see a Bible teacher too. I always love your hubs as you encourage both the believer and non-believer. Your comment is much appreciated.
Im a muslim , and I liked it sooo MUCH !
Wow, thanks for stopping by and commenting Dhany. Islam and Christianity and Judaism share similar roots so I'm glad you liked it!
You seem to be a very insightful thinker. I, too, enjoy getting into biblical subjects.
Thanks SamAntone, appreciate the visit.
very well written Alexander Mark i agree with you completely.....We shouldn’t only care about the balanced feed our bodies rather we must be more careful to listen to the feeding of our spirits.
Hi Aamna, thank you for your comment. I admit I don't understand how your comment relates to this hub, but I appreciate the positive remark. Thanks for the follow, I'll be by to check out your hubs soon.
Feed of body is wordly or somehow sanic desires, but food of spirit is godly.
You really should read the C.S. Lewis space trilogy. It relates to this.
Up until recently I had no idea that Lewis did sci-fi. I will read them for sure.
Beautifully written, Alexander! Very insightful and deep in meaning. I completely agree with you that God gave us the freedom to make up our minds and decide to do good or evil. But because of greed and wanting to be more powerful than God, both Eve and Adam decided to disobey God, which in turn, we all have to suffer because of it. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Keep writing. God bless!
Thank you very much for your kind words and I agree with you CarolineVABC!
Angel, I have denied your comment because it doesn't relate to this subject. Thank you for reading and commenting, I appreciate it.
I hesitate to comment because I wouldn't call myself a religious person but I think the way you express this has validity in both religious and secular realms. I enjoyed the mental stimulation it prompted in me.
TrahnTheMan, thank you very much for commenting, I'm glad it was a benefit to you even if not the way I intended :-)
AM, Beautifully done! I'm especially drawn to the concept of the metaphorical fence: "Yet there was no fence. Instead, the fence we broke was God's trust and confidence."
Also, your last paragraph offers a compelling explanation of free will, ending with that powerful last sentence: "Without that terrible tree, we would never be totally free."
Beautiful!
Kind regards, Stessily
Stessily, thank you. It's a controversial turn-around on our culture of coddling I think. People often defend themselves against the concept of God by saying that if God existed, why doesn't he stop all the pain and suffering? I for one am glad he didn't stop Jesus's terrible suffering on the cross, because without it, God could never have provided a way out for us to be cleansed of our own earned sin.
We know that God doesn't want us to suffer, but I think one of the greatest, if not THE greatest sign to us that he loves us is the fact he gave us free will. He certainly didn't bring sin into the world, but he also didn't want puppets to worship him, so in his wisdom, he provided for us the ability to choose our path.
I hope that makes sense, and I'm glad you found the best things about my hub again to bring to bring into the spotlight!
There is more to the nature of punishment given to Eve by God than meet the eyes. The punishment serve the nature of the sin well, not just mere eating of that apple that snake is staring at in the pix.
The tree in the middle of the garden is figurative not literal please.
The sin is the sin of fornication between the serpent and Eve. not eating of any fruits like apple or mango. The bible never mention the name of the fruits and you will wonder why?
That's because people don't want us to know the truth, but thank God the truth has been reveal for those that are discerning enough.
nice piece.
I dont really know why done what he did to women but it was not all fair ! I've heard that story for the first time when i was a little girl and started my monthly period and was told that it was a curse that god put on women for the first sin.
I also dont think women of todays world were there when eve done this and women of today s world had nothing to do with it and are just carrying the punishment and did not ask to be put here anyways.
To the commenters above, my apologies for not answering sooner. Felixedet2000, thank you for the compliment and commenting. I have heard this idea before, but I don't know of any correlating scripture to support it. There is also nothing to indicate it was a figurative tree that Eve and Adam ate from. Also, you have to think about this, if Eve was tempted to fornicate with Satan, then what was the fruit that Adam ate from? If we choose to explain that away, we will have to come up with more and more figurative explanations. The biggest problem with that idea is, if the fruit was figurative, then was Jesus's sacrifice also figurative? Was he actually treated to a nice hot bath in Pilates' house while feasting when he was under "house arrest"? No. Jesus hung on a cruel cross, bled and died under the weight of our sins.
As far as God not mentioning the type of fruit, God doesn't explain everything to the last detail at all times because it is not necessary for his purposes. What about the thorn in Paul's side? We don't know what it is, but the importance is that it was there and it kept him in check before God. The Bible says, "tree," "fruit," "serpent." That's enough for me.
Romona, I know from a human point of view that the entire human race being punished seems unfair, but think about this way. God promised the Israelites when he made them his people, that their relationship would be a blessing and a curse. We know that God doesn't want them to be cursed, but because they received a special blessing from God, they also became responsible for losing that blessing, and when they did, they were in a worse situation than anyone else on Earth. It's like the saying, "with great power comes great responsibility." Unfortunately, the sins of the father are passed down, consequences are a part of life, good and bad. Adam and Eve were responsible for the beginning of the human race and they blew it.
Consequences are a natural part of life, but God's salvation is a supernatural part of life. He loves us so much, he doesn't want us to die in our sin, but to be with him forever where there is no pain and suffering - so he sent Jesus. If you think we don't deserve punishment, we don't deserve Jesus either! But God balances the scales if we are willing to accept the gift.
HOOWANTSTONO Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
Good stuff spot on