The book of Genesis tells us about two trees, among others, that God planted in Eden—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:9). God told the man he could eat from any of the trees in the garden, except the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, lest he die (Gen 2:16-17). What was it about these two trees?
The tree of life represents the reality that God is the only source of life in the universe. Only God creates life. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents the reality that God is the only source of moral knowledge. God alone knows how His creation, humankind, should act in the world, in order to flourish and accomplish its purposes.
When Adam and Eve were created, they were perfect creatures in a perfect setting. They were pure and innocent, as befits a creation of God. They did not know good and evil. How is that? It is like little children, who have no conception of good or evil. To them things just are. It is as God had told Moses about “your little ones …. and your children, who as yet do not know good from evil” (Dt 1:39).
But when humankind eats of the tree of knowledge, they will know good and evil, just like God. This is what the snake told the woman: “God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.” (Gen 3:5). When the woman and the man ate of the fruit, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Gen 3:7a). It is then that they lost their innocence. They could now see evil in what was good, impurity in what was pure. And “so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.” (Gen 3:7b).
Today, with loss of innocence having long happened, humankind is acting like gods, almost totally bereft of moral knowledge. In acting like gods, humankind is pushing the limits of artificial intelligence (AI), attempting to create superhumans (or cyborgs), whose physiological functions are greatly enhanced by artificial means such as biochemical or electronic modifications. We have also began to alter DNA, which carries genetic instruction for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all human organisms. We have even come up with cryogenics, by which the human body or brain is frozen upon death, to be revived later on when the science enables it. There are those who want to live forever.
By interfering with God’s creative processes, humankind is now deciding for itself what is right and wrong, what is good and evil. But veering away from God’s ways brings death. God had told the man that he should not eat from the tree of knowledge, for “when you eat from it you shall die.” (Gen 2:17b). When the woman told the snake about this prohibition, the snake deceived the woman, saying, “You certainly will not die!” (Gen 3:4).
The world is on a downward spiral. From innocence to moral degeneracy. From being under subjection to God to being gods themselves. From life under God’s guidance and protection to self-destruction.
By eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, humankind acts apart from God. He becomes his own god. He dictates moral norms. He pursues knowledge according to his own self-will. In doing so, he seeks knowledge that God has not granted. He pursues progress by his own means. He has cut himself off from the loving hand of God. As such, he will surely die.
God had said, “See! The man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil!” (Gen 3:22a). As such, God prohibits humankind from taking fruit from the tree of life, lest “he eats of it and lives forever” (Gen 3:22b). In their perfect state in Eden, Adam and Eve could eat of the fruit of the tree of life and live forever, as God intended. But God does not want humankind to live forever in such a fallen state today. As such, God “expelled the man, stationing the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword east of the garden of Eden, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Gen 3:24).
God intended in the beginning, when He created everything including our first parents, for His creatures to live forever with him in paradise. But such eternal life, due to the fall, is no longer a given. But all is not lost. God’s original intent still prevails. So God sent His own Son Jesus to bring us salvation. In him we have access to paradise, to live forever with God.
This of course will come from a living relationship with God while we are on earth. We need to live victoriously in Christ. God tells us, “To the victor I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.” (Rev 2:7b). We are to live in holiness and righteousness. “Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates.” (Rev 22:14a).
The way into the garden of Eden had been closed, but in Jesus the way to the heavenly Jerusalem has been opened.
SALVE REGINA.
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