Over the years, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil has gotten a bad rap. Many times when we think about it, we think that it is some sort of evil tree, a divine test of God, or we equate it with the poisoned fruit of the evil witch in the story of Snow White. But this beautiful tree was part of God’s perfect creation. It was specifically planted by God in the garden, (Gen. 2:9) and God said that it was good. It was also part of the group of trees in the garden that were pleasing to the eye and good for fruit. (also Gen. 2:9) When the serpent tempted Eve, he alluded to the fact that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and good for food, but this was just the way that it was created from the hand of God.
This afternoon, I was teaching some brilliant young Cambodian students about the story of Adam and Eve and their sin, and we began discussing this question:
“Why did God make the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”
After some great discussion, we came up with four answers and I believe that these answers are the keys to understanding this tree and the reason that this is one of the most significant trees in the Bible.
1) God made the tree to give Adam and Eve a choice. Without a choice, Adam and Eve wouldn’t be able to show their love to God – they would’ve been in the beautiful Garden of Eden without a care in the world, but that wouldn’t have made God happy. He wanted someone to pick him – to show him love in return. God made this tree for the purpose of relationship.
2) God made the tree because he wanted Adam and Eve to obey. True obedience is choosing to do something when we want to do something different. God wanted Adam and Eve to develop the character of God through obeying and submitting.
3) God made the tree because he wanted Adam and Eve to have victory over the serpent. Without an enemy, there could be no victory or authority. God made the tree so that Adam and Eve could choose victory over sin and the serpent.
4) God made the tree because he wanted Adam and Eve to have wisdom. God’s desire was that Adam and Eve would receive the knowledge of Good and Evil, but not through eating of it, but by rejecting it. By submitting to God and mastering their own desires. They did receive the knowledge of good and evil when they ate, but they didn’t get it in the way that God intended.
In Genesis, we also see the four purposes of man in creation. These are relationship with God, to have the character (likeness) of God, the authority (dominion) of God (1:26-27) and to multiply and fill the earth. (1:28)
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was one of the best things that God put in the Garden of Eden. It is the instrument that God intended to use to help Adam and Eve fulfill his purposes in his life. Through obedience and submission, God intended to work his perfect purposes in Adam and Eve’s lives.
God brings things in our lives too, they are beautiful, they are delicious, but then he tells us, “Don’t touch.” He doesn’t do this to be a cosmic killjoy, but he does it because through obedience and submission, he will have his perfect purposes in our lives. So, we need to submit to him. Also, it is important that we realize that every thing that is beautiful or pleasing is not evil, (the fact is that God made things for us to enjoy) but not everything that is beautiful or pleasurable is for us. Some things (like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was for Adam and Eve) was simply put into our lives by God, so that we can show our love to him by choosing him.
