Tree of Knowledge Produces Questions

The placement of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden has raised several questions. These questions include what individual believes are the reasons why. We all know God placed the tree of knowledge in the garden and humans were told not to eat from the tree, but why would God place the tree there in the first place and what is so bad about having knowledge?

The answer to why God would place the book in the garden is rather easy. Most believe the tree is symbolic for freewill. The tree represents the choice’s human have. Most believe this choice is between obedience and disobedience. This is easily answered question, freewill.

Why does God disapprove of humans having knowledge? Some believe God didn’t want them to have the knowledge of good and evil, or more precisely knowledge of evil since Adam and Eve already knew good. There knowledge includes language to be able to talk to each other, God, and animals all the way to knowledge of how to care for the plants and animals. Many say it is not just the cognitive knowledge of evil, but experiential knowledge of evil too.

Yet, in a sense, knowing about evil can not be totally bad because to have freewill to choose good and evil and knowing evil gives us that choice. It defines relationships, not just between spouses, but also child-parent and neighbors as well. This is because without knowing evil, then how would know the proper choices to make in those relationships. Although many could debate whether knowing good already covered these areas. For an example, Adam and Eve know it is a good thing to be together, but without knowing evil then when another woman came along there might not be any knowledge that Adam should have a relationship with her.

Outside of the consequences that God stated afterwards where Adam and Eve would have to do more labor then before, but the consequences on relationships. There is mistrust, blame, guilt, and alienation due to their acts. So the Tree of Knowledge, in this view, is pointed more towards the consequences of choices in feelings. We also see we are to suffer the consequences as well. The last not on this point is we see forgiveness in a sense. Even through the mistrust, blame, guilt, alienation, and sentencing of consequences of their actions, we see God forgive them by helping them with their new insights.

I read another point about the forgiven tree concerns the lack of consulting God on the questions. Adam and Eve instead think it through on their own. The lack of consulting God about the question that the snake raises the statement about knowing like God knows. This particular point stated that it wasn’t just the act of eating the tree, but the lack of consulting God for further information and guidance.

In the end, some can conclude the forbidden tree was there to provide humans with freewill as well as possibility the understanding of why we need to know of evil so we can act against evil. It also shares with us an explanation of why things are they way they are, such as the story provides an explanation of why women have extremely painful labors. Lastly, it provides us with the explanation of the consequences in relationships and the ability to forgive we all have. Lastly, the need to consult God for further information and guidance.