What do the two trees in the Garden of Eden represent?

Question

Tree of knowledge of good and evil =
Tree of life =


Where does a man get knowledge of good and evil? How does it equal his death?
How does a man gain eternal life?

Tommy very interesting answer...care to add to that?

Answer 1

I believe you are referring to the following verse:
Gen 2:9 The LORD God placed all kinds of beautiful trees and fruit trees in the garden. Two other trees were in the middle of the garden. One of the trees gave life--the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.
I think the tree of life is a symobolic representation of accepting Christ into our lives- because only Jesus gives the gift of eternal life to people who are willing to accept it.
The tree of good and evil could be a representation of free will and that Jesus gives us a choice to listen to Him or not.

Answer 2

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were "the tree of life" and "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

Answer 3

um...there were many trees in the Garden of Eden, but i guess the two main ones were the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.

Answer 4

Christ and Satan
Satan=Ez..31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.

31:9 I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.
Christ=Rev..22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every * * month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

22:3 And there shall be no more * curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Answer 5

...the "2" trees...? Genesis chapter 3 vs.2 only indicates (1) Tree... none-the-less... it represents Life and Death, Good and Evil and Knowledge and Power... but Eve was decieved... Vs #4...then "they" went for it Vs. 5, 6 and 7 and the rest is History...

Answer 6

Trees of knowledge and good & evil.

Answer 7

Jesus - The tree of Life
Satan - The tree of Knowledge

Answer 8

I wouldn't say represent but you can point that out as an illustration of how people may have access to life (the tree of life) and despite the warnings from God and commotion (and/or temptation) stirred by Satan, man can easily slip and choose the option that is deadly for him.

Answer 9

tree of life - Torah - ie God's instruction's for living

tree of knowledge - Kabbalah - esoteric knowledge concerning the creation

What was the sin of Adam and Eve - essentially trying to run before learning to walk.

Answer 10

We find that God placed a tree of life in the midst of the Garden of Eden.


And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9).


Actual Trees

The Scripture makes it clear that the trees in the Garden of Eden were actual trees, there is no hint in the Bible that they were meant to be taken symbolically. It is not possible for us to determine anything of the nature of the trees in Eden. God would have somehow made it clear which tree was the tree of life, and which was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Nothing Magical

We must note that the Bible does not emphasize there was anything magical about the fruit on the tree of life. The life humankind experienced would be due to their obedience to God rather than any physical results from eating from the tree.

Stopped The Decline

On the other hand, some commentators believe that eating the fruit stopped the physical decline of their bodies and safeguarded them against disease. But this we cannot know for certain. We can safely conclude that in some manner eating from the tree preserved the life Adam and Eve had in their perfect state.

Lived Forever Without Sin

The tree of life represented the perfect state where man and woman were placed. Had they obeyed God, they would have lived forever without sin and pain. Sin and death would have not entered the world. They would have voluntarily chosen God over the temptation of the devil. Thus they would have lived in this perfect environment by exercising their own choice to serve God rather than the devil. However, by their own choice, this was not to be.

Why Not Prohibit Eating?

According to Scripture, God did not prohibit Adam and Eve to eat the tree before the Fall. God did not prohibit eating that tree, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because it represented the choice of humanity. By making both of the trees, God provided humanity with a legitimate choice between good and evil. If humankind would have chosen God rather than eating from the forbidden tree, then they would have lived forever in a perfect state. By giving humankind the choice, God gave humankind the chance to serve Him.

Another Tree Of Life

The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were both in the midst of the Garden of Eden. When God creates a new heaven and new earth there will be another tree of life.


And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1,2).


God promised that those who trust Him would eat of this tree of life.


To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God (Revelation 2:7).


Believers Only

Those, however, who do not trust the Lord will not be permitted to eat from this tree.


Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life . . . But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Revelation 22:14,15).


Summary

The tree of life in the midst of the garden represented the life humankind would continue to have as long as they obeyed God. Eating of the tree represented their continual obedience to the Lord. In some manner, eating from the tree perpetuated their eternal life.

In the future, those who obey God will be able to eat eternally from a new tree of life in the midst of His new heaven and earth.