Origin of the Tree of Knowledge

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wozwas

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I was listening to a sermon from Bertie Brits recently, and he presented the idea that the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge mentioned in Genesis represent two core, universal laws, the law of life and law of death. This is of course corroborated in the first verses of Romans 8, and in several other letters from Paul.

He also posited the idea that the Trees were either already on the earth and the garden made around them, or that the Tree of Knowledge existed as a direct reaction to the Tree of Life. All that to say, I'm wondering if people have heard of other theories as to why there was a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

I'm familiar with the traditional interpretations, that it was designed to present man with a choice, a test of obedience, proof that we had free will. However, this feels like a very Hellenistic, dualism based description, something that doesn't line up for me with the Ontological explanation of Genesis 1.

I'll say out of the gate that I subscribe to Gap theory, and despite a good deal of research can't seem to find any other descriptions for the purpose of either Tree, or their relation to the larger story. I feel like I'm missing some connection. Thanks for any help!
 
wozwas said:
I was listening to a sermon from Bertie Brits recently, and he presented the idea that the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge mentioned in Genesis represent two core, universal laws, the law of life and law of death. This is of course corroborated in the first verses of Romans 8, and in several other letters from Paul.

He also posited the idea that the Trees were either already on the earth and the garden made around them, or that the Tree of Knowledge existed as a direct reaction to the Tree of Life. All that to say, I'm wondering if people have heard of other theories as to why there was a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

I'm familiar with the traditional interpretations, that it was designed to present man with a choice, a test of obedience, proof that we had free will. However, this feels like a very Hellenistic, dualism based description, something that doesn't line up for me with the Ontological explanation of Genesis 1.

I'll say out of the gate that I subscribe to Gap theory, and despite a good deal of research can't seem to find any other descriptions for the purpose of either Tree, or their relation to the larger story. I feel like I'm missing some connection. Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
cylinder seal, known as the Temptation seal, from post-Akkadian periods in Mesopotamia (c. 23rd-22nd century BCE), has been linked to the Adam and Eve story. Assyriologist George Smith (1840-1876) describes the seal as having two facing figures (male and female) seated on each side of a tree, holding out their hands to the fruit, while between their backs is a serpent, giving evidence that the Fall of man account was known in early times of Babylonia.[1]Tree of the knowledge of good and evil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The fruit is adultery. The serpent can be interpreted as a sexual symbol. In the beginning the human community was made up of pairs. Each pair were two: a male and a female, that were literally ONE HUMAN being consisting of a very complex threefold consciousness. Going outside the paired oneness sexually caused a split of the pairs. It was like cutting them in half. The story of Solomon and the two mothers lends clarity to this fact. That story is about the human child, the original condtion. He knew that the true mother would not want the child cut in half because the child would die where the false mother didn't care. So in order to have infinite life in paradise we would have to reunite with that place where two are one. That is the tree of life.
 
Thanks Donnann, appreciate the thoughts, very interesting.
 
creXifiction said:
I found another...
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
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Did you know that god gave moses a whole legal system and three condtions that all have to be met in order to have violated a commandment?
 
To me, the story is a parable about growing up.

First, you live in a world where are your needs are provided. Life is easy.

Then you rebel, and at about the same time, you begin to understand a bit more of how the world works. You develop some wisdom.

And at the same time, sexuality hits you over the head. (The phallic serpent; noticing that that other person is naked.)

Then, you have to leave home and build a life for yourself where you're going to have to work.
 
It's significant that Eve speaks of "the tree in the midst of the garden," not specifying whether it was the knowledge tree or the life tree.

My sense is that they are one and the same. The difference is one of perspective.

To look at the tree of life (whose symbol on earth is Adam Kadmon, the Projection of Man) with the goal of providing sustenance to the ego is to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To look at the tree in celebration of the handiwork of HaShem is to partake of the tree of life.

b.
 
b.finton said:
It's significant that Eve speaks of "the tree in the midst of the garden," not specifying whether it was the knowledge tree or the life tree.

My sense is that they are one and the same. The difference is one of perspective.

To look at the tree of life (whose symbol on earth is Adam Kadmon, the Projection of Man) with the goal of providing sustenance to the ego is to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To look at the tree in celebration of the handiwork of HaShem is to partake of the tree of life.

b.
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Its all about sex.
 
The origin of the Tree of Knowledge is based on the divine design to share with man the attribute of Intellect. An allegory therefore.
 
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