The daily readings during Lent are from the Old Testament. Specifically, from Genesis, Proverbs, and Isaiah.
I have been thinking about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. What does it signify? Why was eating of it bad?
If we read the other extant creation stories of the Middle East, the Tree of Life appears in them, which represents God’s intention, and Man’s desire for immortality. But, interestingly, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil only appears in the Hebrew story of Creation.
Many interpretations of this Tree exist, but the one that seems to most plausible to me is that of St. John of Damascus.
St. John of Damascus, an influential theologian of the early Church, addresses the account of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil primarily in his work Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. He interprets the tree as symbolizing the boundary set by God for humanity and the moral order established by Him.
In his teaching, John of Damascus emphasizes that the command not to eat from the tree was a test of obedience and trust in God. He views the act of disobedience by Adam and Eve as a profound rejection of God’s authority. By eating from the tree, they sought to become like God in terms of knowing good and evil, which, according to Damascene thought, represents a desire to usurp God’s role in determining morality.
This usurpation reflects a fundamental turning away from reliance on divine wisdom to a self-determined understanding of good and evil. St. John’s perspective underscores the importance of divine revelation and the dangers of attempting to define moral truth independently of God. Thus, the action of Adam and Eve is seen not merely as a transgression but as an existential choice to assert autonomy over God’s created order.
In conclusion, it seems to me that, St. John of Damascus essentially views the act of Adam and Eve as a usurpation, indicative of humanity’s desire to position themselves as the arbiters of good and evil, thereby stepping outside their intended relationship with God. This highlights the tension between human free will and divine sovereignty.
Certain Fathers, like Irenaeus, suggest that Man was intended to eat of the Tree eventually, but only after having passed the test and in union with God rather than in disobedience to Him.