The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Adam and Eve were welcome to enjoy all the goodness in the Garden of Eden to their hearts’ content. But God’s permission was paired with his prohibition: “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

What was this tree of the knowledge of good and evil? To have the knowledge of good and evil means to claim the independent right to decide for oneself what is good and evil (true and false, beautiful and ugly). It was proper for God to have that right, not humans. God knew that it would be utterly devastating for people to cut the cord of dependence from him and claim “the knowledge of good and evil” for themselves. That’s why he said, “You must not eat it . . . if you do, you will die” (Genesis 3:3).

But the fruit of this tree looked delicious to Eve, who ate it and then gave some to Adam. And they did indeed attain the knowledge of good and evil, but their new knowledge was from the standpoint of becoming evil and remembering how good they once were. They traded the freedom of enjoying what is good for slavery to what is evil.

God had told them this would happen, but they didn’t believe him. Now they realized that what God had said was true and what Satan had said was a lie. How would Adam and Eve and all those who came after them find a way out of this?

The only way out is by eating the fruit of another tree—the Cross of Christ. On this tree hung the One who restores the knowledge of the good that Adam and Eve lost when they chose evil. No other tree so fully manifests such a vast knowledge of good and evil—the infinite goodness of Christ and the damning evil of those for whom he died. By eating of the fruit of this tree, all those who have descended from Adam and Eve can reclaim the life they lost and restore the relationship of glad dependence and obedience they left behind. “The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

I, too, am tempted to seek wisdom apart from your Word, God. I, too, lust after independence from your wise boundaries. But now I take and eat of the fruit of your Cross, and I am sure to live.