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What exactly was the mysterious godly knowledge of the tree in the Garden of Eden and why does it even matter to us now? The serpent made it sound like it was some deep, cosmic knowledge that would help humans understand mysteries like an-ever existing God. The serpent made it sound like God was hiding knowledge that rightfully belonged to Adam and Eve and that God was afraid they’d become like Him through this knowledge, knowing all kinds of wonderful things.
But “the knowledge” wasn’t something as grand as all that. So far in the first two chapters of the Bible we are told two things about God, and these two things reveal to us what “the knowledge” really was. Fact #1: God is the Creator and Owner of the world, and Fact #2: God decides if His creation is “good” or not “good.” (1) What we craved boils down to this: “the knowledge” is the authority a creator possesses to declare something “good” or “not good.”
The job of a creator: an artist, an author, a carpenter or an architect is to pronounce judgment on his creation. Not because he despises his creation. No! But, rather because he is ecstatic about it! A good architect makes sure that the plans he designs for a building are sound. Anytime we cross a bridge or go up to the 33rd floor of a building, we trust the architect to have already made judgments of “good” or “not good.” If something is “not good,” it is the responsibility of the creator to fix it. It is not the business of the creation to decide for itself if it is “good” or “not good.”
The knowledge of good and evil that the serpent referred to hinges on having the authority to declare things “good” or “evil.” This knowledge belongs solely to God. When we take that authority for ourselves, the “knowledge in the hands of humans becomes the root of all human evil simply because it doesn’t belong to us.” (2) When we take it into our own hands to decide what is “good,” “not good,” or even “evil,” we can create chaos for other people. If what I want ultimately hurts you, it doesn’t matter because I wanted it that way.
Wanting something is desire, and desire is not the same thing as “good.” Nor does our desire magically transform a thing into being “good.” Just because I have really strong feelings and want something to be a certain way doesn’t make it so. And yet, we confuse the two all the time. Here is an example.
Sex is “good.” Yes, sex is also a desire, but what makes sex “good” is when a man and a woman stay within the boundaries set up by the Creator. When we desire to have sex outside the boundaries of marriage, we are falling for the temptation of the tree, believing we can have the knowledge of good and evil for ourselves. That we have the authority to decide, based on our desires, what is “good.”
In that kind of world, where desire morphs into “good,” we are never wrong: “If I want to do it, it must be ‘good.’ I should be allowed to have this. This is the way things should be.” This kind of rationalization is behind gross injustices like genocide, child molestation, abuse, torture, and it also fuels mundane, every day conflict, disobedience and discord.
Eve’s story, is our story. She reached for what she desired and then gave it to the man she loved. But, “the knowledge” that she desired wasn’t good for her because God had set it aside for Himself. By not eating from the tree, Eve could have demonstrated her worship for God. She could have acknowledged that He was the Creator. The One who had provided more than enough food for her desires. She would have been saying, “Thank you!” by not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She would have been giving life to her loved ones by respecting the boundaries, but instead, she reached for pain.
Eve confused her desire with “good.” She “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.” (3)
Eve’s desire tricked her into thinking eating the fruit would make her wise. And therein is the root of all pride. When we go against God, we somehow feel wiser than He is. Kids do this all the time. Why else would they disobey their parents? When they desire to misbehave, they immediately are filled with a pride that tells them, “It’s O.K. to do this because Dad and Mom just don’t ‘get it.'”
So much in daily life can be traced back to the temptation of the tree. The cause of most arguments and the reason we can’t seem to work things out with other people can be traced back to the temptation to grab onto the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
When I disagree with someone, I generally view my opinion as right…as “good.” This is why I cannot give up, compromise or see that another perception is as valid as mine. If I see myself as The Creator, able to judge between “good” and “not good,” then “the truth lies with me, and therefore, how could I possibly compromise? My way of thinking is the only way of thinking!” But, if I recognize that I am created, and that you are created, and that we each have a desire (perspective or opinion), then, and only then, can we work things out.
The serpent was up to all kinds of mischief in the garden. He wanted to bring chaos to our relationship with God and with each other. He wanted us to believe lies. He is still whispering things like, “God is holding out on you. He knows you’ll be like Him and that makes Him nervous. If you desire the tree, it must be O.K. You can choose for yourself. Never mind what He said is good for you, decide for yourself!”
I guess it’s still up to us to decide: Do we listen to a serpent or will we hear the voice of our Creator?
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• In your daily life, look for ways that your desires lead you to decide for yourself if something is “good” (especially if it goes against what God has said).
• In what ways has God provided for your desires?
• Do you trust the Creator to declare what is “good” for you?
2. Ibid.
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