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Adam and Eve - Part 2

© Linda Casselman

Last time, we looked at the Creation Myth of Adam and Eve in the Bible. We explored possible meanings for the order of creation in this story and covered the symbolism and rationale behind the Serpent figure. In this article we will examine some possible meanings for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life and for God's punishment of the First Parents.

Trees have long played an important role in mythology. They represent life, growth, and fertility. They provide a cosmic connection holding everything together as their roots are firmly in the ground touching the underworld, their trunk is seated on the earth, and their branches reach to the heavens. Trees were indeed sacred.

In the Adam and Eve story, God gave one commandment to follow, that Adam and Eve could eat anything in the Garden of Eden except for the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Why? When they break this commandment why does God banish Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? To punish them by expelling them from Paradise, you say. But what is the real reason?

By giving them the freedom to eat anything in the Garden except from the Tree of Knowledge, God was allowing them then to eat from the Tree of Life. And eating from the Tree of Life bestows immortality. So after eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve knew Good and Evil, something God wanted to keep to Himself. Now Adam and Eve were like demi-gods, as they possessed this new knowledge. But God feared that they would also eat from the Tree of Life, giving them immortality as well. So what would this combination of knowledge of Good and Evil and immortality make them? Gods! If Adam and Eve combined their new knowledge with immortality it would make them gods themselves! Surely, God did not want his creations elevated to the status He Himself held - that of God. So he expelled them from Paradise ensuring that they could not attain immortality and inflicted suffering upon them.

Now let's see if we have this straight.

God allowed Adam and Eve access to immortality while they lived in the Garden. But they were not permitted to have knowledge of good and evil, for the combination of immortality and knowledge would make them gods. And God did not want more gods running around, as He is the One Almighty God. So He hampered Adam and Eve's access to immortality by banishing them from the Garden to cut His competition.

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