|
Thanks. Very nice writing.
I agree that whatever the TREE symbolizes takes secondary to rebellion Adam shew by eating its fruits. The choice Adam freely made leads to death as God warned. But still that God said the fruits of TREE you shall not eat, not anything else, also makes the TREE significant.
The TREE didn't lead him to death, but Adam's disobedience to God did, a sign of sins. Then what role did the TREE play in the picture? Adam's eyes were opened and found himself naked, and covered himself with fig leaves. God accused Adam and asked"Who told you were naked? Have you eaten of the TREE?". This makes it clear that unless Adam consumed the fruits, he would not find his nakedness "NOT GOOD" so to cover himself. Such a knowledge of nakedness arised in the mind of Adam after the Fruits. Do you ask whats the reason he covered himself? Was it because of animals running around? or intense sunlight? or cold weather? or his wife? The Bible says in Adam's words that he covered himself from God. We can say Adam instantly had an "independent sense of SELF from God" after eating the fruits. Such a sense of SELF remains in us and determines the nature of our body-mind-soul since the fall of Adam.
Another important tribute the Tree brought man is the knowledge of good and evil, literally the name of TREE. The knowledge makes man conscious to his sins. If Laws manifest sins as Paul said in Romans, the knowledge then holds man accountable to sins he commits and thus justisfiable punishments from the righteous God. What we should do instead of covering ourselves is to be trueful to and to be cleansed by our Creator.
The knowledge is not the cause, but came with the fall of Adam, remains with us, then the Laws, all transcended by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. |
|