How Many Trees Were in the Garden of Eden? |The Law and Gospel Hidden in the Garden
What if there weren’t two trees in the Garden of Eden, but only one tree? How would that change your understanding of the story? What if Jesus was the missing piece of the puzzle? Read on as we look at some of the clues in Genesis.
Notice and Wonder
Read Genesis 2: 8-17 and fill out your Notice and Wonder Chart. It’s always good to reread familiar stories with fresh eyes because you will never know what God wants to reveal to you. So I encourage you to read the text closely before I reveal some of my insights. 😊
Note: For more information on using a Notice and Wonder chart, see my post: Noticing and Wondering Routine: Unleash the Power of Observation-Part 1
Here are some of my noticing and wonderings:
We are going to focus on verses 9 and 15.
If you read verse 9 carefully, you may have noticed several things, but I want to focus on three things. (Note: I like to look at Young’s Literal Translation and the Orthodox Jewish Bible translations when I want a more literal or Jewish understanding of the verses.)
1. A Whole Lot of Trees
The garden was full of trees! Lots and lots of trees! These trees weren’t just mediocre trees, but they looked desirable and had tasty fruit. (Desire is the word “hamad.” It’s the same word used in Genesis 3:6 in the conversation between the snake and Eve and in Exodus 20:17 when God gives the commandment on coveting.) God didn’t just provide for Adam and Eve, but he provided for them abundantly! He gave them trees to enjoy with their senses and to nourish their soul. In Genesis 2:16, God actually gave a positive command to Adam. He said, “Eat from all the trees!”
2. The Tree of Life
Hanging, Iran, Gift of Joseph W. Fell, Art Institute of Chicago
The location of the Tree of Life seems important. Scripture says it’s in the middle of the garden, but it doesn’t specify if the Tree of Life grew from the ground or if God placed it there or something else. Notice that the Tree of Life isn’t mentioned in Genesis 2:16-17. Therefore, God never placed any kind of restriction in eating from it. We can assume that he wanted Adam to eat from it.
3. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
The Bible doesn’t say anything about the Tree of Knowledge except that it is in the garden. God doesn’t give a location, nor does He say how it grew. Some people infer that it is also in the middle of the garden with the Tree of Life, but the text doesn’t say explicitly. After giving the positive command in Genesis 2:16, God follows it with a negative command in verse 17: “But you must not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. [NIV]’”
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
What Else in Scripture Gives Us the Knowledge to Discern Between Good and Evil?
In Exodus 20, God gave the Israelites the law which consisted not only of the 10 commandments but over 600 other commandments as well. These laws enabled Israel to determine what God defined as good and what God defined as evil or bad. (Note: Good and evil may not the best translations. It might be better to think of terms as functional vs dysfunctional.) The Israelites no longer had to guess or follow their own misguided hearts in judging what was good and what was bad. God explicitly told them by giving them his commandments! The Israelites now had the knowledge of good and evil that they so desperately wanted. So in essence the law in Scripture acts as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Law = Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
What About the Gentiles?
God gave the gentiles (those without God’s law) consciences to determine good and evil. See Romans 2: 14-15.
Then What Was the Problem?
Knowledge of the Law = Death
The problem was that no one could actually follow the law. The Israelites had the ability to discern good from bad, right from wrong, functional from dysfunctional, but they couldn’t act upon their knowledge. They still did evil; hence the need for regular sacrifices and yearly atonement. In essence the law told them what sin was, but that sin still brought death. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil did in fact give Adam and Eve knowledge. But after gazing at the serpent and themselves, they could no longer do good even when they wanted to. Therefore, death came into the world to reign. As Paul says in Romans 7: 7-12.
“What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. [NIV]
or
“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1: 15, NIV)
The Tree of Life
What Else Does Scripture Say about the Tree of Life?
Proverbs tell us a little more about the Tree of Life. In Proverbs 3:18, it states,
“[Wisdom] is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of her, those who hold her fast will be blessed.” [NIV]
In my post Understanding God: The Significance of Logos in the Gospel of John-Part 3, I discussed how in Jewish teaching wisdom is the personification of the Torah (God’s Word), so we can substitute those words into the verse.
“[The Torah] is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of her, those who hold her fast will be blessed.”
Or for us New Testament Christians,
“[God’s Word] is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of her, those who hold her fast will be blessed.”
So in essesnce,
Wisdom = Torah = God’s Word = Tree of Life
(Note: The equal sign may or may not be too strong of a symbol, but it’s the easiest way to communicate the point.)
What Other Clues Are in God’s Word about the Tree of Life?
John 1 tells us that Jesus is “the Word” or Logos in Greek, so to continue our logic chain:
“[Jesus] is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of her, those who hold her fast will be blessed.”
Note: See my post Understanding God: The Significance of Logos in the Gospel of John-Part 2 for more insight into Jesus as Logos.
Therefore,
Jesus = God’s Word = Tree of Life
Here are some scripture’s that talk about Jesus being the source of life:
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)
- “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)
- “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5: 20-21, ESV)
Law & Gospel in the Garden
In a sense the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil represents the law which is emphasized in the old covenant (or Old Testament). Without Jesus, the old covenant (the law) leads to death. However, Jesus came to bring us the gospel which is the new covenant evidenced in the New Testament. He is the Tree of Life for all who believe! The new covenant allows us not only to know the difference between good and evil, but it empowers us to do good through the Holy Spirit because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus! This new covenant rooted in grace brings life. Believers benefit from the rewards that come with eternal life, but the world benefits as Christ’s followers impact the world around them for good thereby changing darkness into light.
How Many Trees Were in the Garden?
Insight from a Jewish Podcast
Through my studies I had come to realize that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil represents the old covenant (law), and the Tree of Life represents the new covenant through Christ (gospel). Then in 2023, I was listening to a Jewish podcast by AlphaBeta called A Book Like No Other, Season 1 about the Garden of Eden. In the podcast, the host, Rabbi Fohrman, made the case that the Hebrew text really implies that the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge are the same tree! That was surprising to me!
Note: It’s a Jewish podcast, so the Rabbis don’t know Jesus, but they know Hebrew, and I can gain insights into the Hebrew language by listening. At times they are talking about Jesus, but they don’t even know it. 😉 He’s their missing link! Since their understanding is veiled, they can’t see it; therefore, their conclusions may be wrong. Oftentimes they sound just like Paul in their exposition of Scripture without realizing it. 😂
Supported by Some Christian Commentaries
Additionally, there are two Christian commentaries that support his thesis about the Hebrew translation as they discuss the confusing language in Genesis 2:9: Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges and Pulpit Commentary.
An English Translation
The best English translation I can find to show you is Young’s Literal Translation, but it still doesn’t get to the essence of the verse. Feel free to listen to A Book Like No Other, Season 1 to get a better understanding of the Hebrew in these verses, but remember the Rabbi’s don’t know Jesus.
“And Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.” (Genesis 2:9, YLT)
and
“And the woman saith unto the serpent, `Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we do eat, and of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden God hath said, Ye do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest ye die.’” (Genesis 3:2-3, YLT)
Notice how Genesis 2:9 only gives the location of the Tree of Life, yet Eve says that they are both in the middle of the garden.
Why Is That Important?
As a Christian it totally makes sense that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life are one and the same. In Matthew 5: 17-18, Jesus states,
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. [ESV]
Jesus is the Logos or God’s Word. He is the complete fulfillment of the law! On the cross (a tree that brought death) he reversed the curse and made the cross a Tree of Life for all who believe. The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil are just two different sides of the same coin.
Plus, the logic also supports the thesis. If the Law is Tree of Knowledge, and Jesus is the Tree of Life and Jesus is the fulfillment of the law that means Jesus equals both the Tree of Knowledge and Tree of Life!
Jesus = Law = Tree of Knowledge
Jesus = God’s Word = Tree of Life
Additionally, the Law is a part of God’s word. Therefore,
Jesus = Tree of Knowledge = Tree of Life
How Do the Cherubim Support This Thesis?
When God exiles Adam and Eve from the garden, He places two cherubim to guard the Tree of Life. (Genesis 3:24). Then when God tells Moses to create the Ark of the Covenant. He has the Israelites create the ark with two cherubim on top of it. Additionally, He instructs Moses to place the 10 Commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff in the ark. All of these symbols represent Christ. (Exodus 40: 20, Hebrews 9:4-5). This shows that Jesus is not just the Tree of Life but also the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil!
What About the Two Trees in Revelation 22?
Not only don’t I speak/read Hebrew, I don’t speak or read Greek either, but I have a friend who does. When I heard the hypothesis that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life were the same tree, I called my friend to ask her about the Greek translation in Revelation 22: 2-3. She said the Greek was ambiguous about whether there were two trees or one tree, so the text again is intentionally ambiguous just like in Genesis. But notice how the tree (or trees) in heaven refers to the curse being reversed which supports the one tree hypothesis.
“in the midst of its broad place, and of the river on this side and on that, [is] a Tree of Life, yielding twelve fruits, in each several month rendering its fruits, and the leaves of the tree [are] for the service of the nations; and any curse there shall not be any more, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him” (Revelation 22:2-3, YLT)
How Can I Apply This to My Life?
Partaking of the Tree of Knowledge without Christ leads to a misguided life that results in fruitless deeds of darkness. (Ephesians 5:8-11) But the power or Christ transforms our thinking so that we can follow God’s will. God tells us what is good, and He also gives us the power to carry out the good to create positive change in this world.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NIV)
Additionally, we are no longer subject to the curse of death, for we have eternal life through Jesus! And it doesn’t end there! One day because of the Tree of Life (Jesus), all the nations will be healed and follow Jesus. (Revelations 22:2). Imagine a world without strife and hatred where people of all colors and nationalities love God and love one another. That’s what the Tree of Life brings!
Conclusion
When Jesus is part of the equation, one tree in the garden (instead of two) makes so much sense! Now do I know for sure that there was only one tree? No, but it’s a pretty strong hypothesis based on Rabbi Fohrman’s exposition of the text and then adding Jesus!
There’s much more to be said about the trees (or tree) in the garden. I could discuss the fruit of the trees or how the trees relate to Aaron’s rod or the menorah in the tabernacle. I could also discuss practical application of the Tree of Life and how it relates to our words, actions and desires as discussed in Proverbs. Or I could talk about the parable of Jesus and the fig tree. But sadly this post is already too long, so I must bid you all adieu. 😊But subscribe to this blog to get more fun nuggets about Scripture delivered straight to your inbox.
Note: I also publish math lessons on this blog, so check the box of the type of post you want to subscribe to.
You can also check out some of my Bible Studies that touch on the Tree of Life as well: Genesis 1 Homework on John 1: 1-5 and Numbers 16 Study
Share and Subscribe
Share this post with all your Bible loving friends and be sure to subscribe to get posts like these mailed straight your inbox.
