Why Did God Forbid Adam & Eve From Eating Of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

In the opening chapters of Genesis, we encounter the creation of the world and the first humans, Adam and Eve. After creating Adam, God places him in the Garden of Eden with a specific command. Among the trees in the garden, there is one tree that God commands Adam not to eat from — the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But why did God forbid them to eat from this particular tree? Was it simply a test of obedience? Or is there a deeper, more profound reason behind this command?

The Command in Genesis

In Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV), the Lord God places Adam in the Garden of Eden and gives him instructions:

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'"

God’s command was simple: Adam could eat from every tree in the garden except one. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was off-limits, and disobedience would result in death.

In Genesis 3:1-7, 22 (ESV), we read the tragic story of how Eve and Adam were deceived by the serpent (Satan) and ate from the tree:

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."

After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened. They now understood the difference between good and evil, and they became aware of their nakedness, an experience that was no longer innocent but one that carried shame. This was the moment when sin entered the world, also known as “the fall”.

Did God Set a Trap?

Some might wonder: Did God place the tree there just to tempt Adam and Eve to sin? The answer to this question is no. God does not tempt anyone to do evil. James 1:13 (ESV) makes it clear:

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one."

God’s command was not an enticement to sin but an opportunity for Adam and Eve to exercise free will.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: The Revealing of the Law

As I meditated on this passage, the Lord revealed to me a profound insight about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I believe this tree represents the revealing of the law — the knowledge of good and evil. This is an important concept that can be found in the Scriptures.

In Romans 4:15 (ESV), we learn:

"For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression."

The law provides knowledge of what is right and wrong, but it also reveals the consequences of disobedience — death. Without the law, there is no awareness of sin, and thus, no condemnation. But with the law comes the understanding of sin and the knowledge of both good and evil.

This theme is expanded in Romans 3:20 (ESV):

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."

Before Adam and Eve ate from the tree, they were blissfully ignorant of the difference between good and evil. They existed in a state of innocence, naked and unashamed, in a world untouched by sin. But by eating from the tree, they gained knowledge of good and evil, which brought with it the responsibility and consequences of their actions. This knowledge subjected them to judgment based on their own choices.

The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Sin’s Consequences

When Adam and Eve chose to eat from the tree, they exercised their free will and chose disobedience over obedience. This act of disobedience brought sin and death into the world. The consequences were severe, as God had warned: they became subject to spiritual and physical death, which is separation from God.

James 4:17 (ESV) provides an important principle:

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

In other words, sin is not just the act of doing something wrong, but also failing to do what is right when we know what is right. Adam and Eve, once aware of the difference between good and evil, chose to act against God's commands. This decision resulted in their separation from God and the fall of humanity into sin.

The Tree of Life: A Promise of Redemption

In Genesis 3:22 (ESV), after Adam and Eve sinned, God said:

"Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—"

We are presented with two trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which I believe represents the revealing of the law, and the tree of life. The fruit of the tree of life grants eternal life, symbolizing salvation through Jesus. Throughout Scripture, Jesus consistently refers to Himself as a tree, embodying the source of eternal life.

In John 15:1-2, 4-5 (ESV), Jesus says:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Jesus is the true vine, the source of life that sustains us, and apart from Him, we cannot bear good fruit. He is the tree of life that offers eternal life to all who believe in Him.

In Revelation 2:7 (ESV), Jesus promises:

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

The word used here for Paradise can also be translated into the word “garden”. (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3857/esv/mgnt/0-1/)

The tree of life in the new heaven and new earth symbolizes eternal life with God. This is the ultimate promise: a return to paradise, where sin and death are no more, and believers live forever in God's presence.

The Hope of Redemption in Jesus

While Adam and Eve's choice led to sin and death, God, in His omniscience and love, had a plan for redemption from the very beginning. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents the revealing of the law, but the tree of life represents salvation through Jesus. Through Jesus, we can have eternal life, free from the consequences of sin.

This is the hope we have, the promise of life eternal in the paradise of God for anyone who wants it. So, abide in the vine that will give you life and eat of the fruit that endures forever, that is Jesus.