The LORD God made trees grow up from the ground, every kind of tree pleasing to the eye and good for food; and in the middle of the garden he set the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 REB)
On either side of the river is the tree of life with twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2 NRSV)
Reflections by Keith Funk
My office is located on the first floor of the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Peace in Great Bend, Ks. Through the windows, looking toward the south, I have a wonderful view of our beautiful campus grounds. As we enter late Spring, the foliage of the trees is full and abundant. I cannot help but think of the images of the tree of life given from the accounts in Scripture found in Genesis and Revelation. These are compelling images on which to reflect. As we have been considering the theme of new creation in these recent weeks, I want to invite us to take pause to reflect on this particular image, “the tree of life,” as a centerpiece of the story of God’s new creation.
We first encounter the tree of life in the early accounts of creation in Genesis. In the second chapter of Genesis, we read of two trees in the garden of Eden which are named, “the tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” in verse nine. A few verses later we read that God tells the man he created earlier in the chapter that, “You may eat from any tree in the garden, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; the day you eat from that you are surely doomed to die” (2:16-17). We know the rest of the story as the woman and the man, from the deceit of the serpent in chapter three, eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil marking what is known as “the fall of humanity.”
Why did God place the tree of knowledge in the garden? Often, this has been explained as God giving the man and the woman the choice to trust God. I think this is true as far as it goes. But there is more. We notice in the story as recorded in Genesis one, that God calls his creation, “good.” There is nothing that suggests that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is bad. Rather, by eating from this tree, the man and the woman partake in death. In other words, there is that which isn’t for us, which we cannot handle and brings ruin when we partake in it. As we are created in the image of God, we are meant to draw life from him. By not doing so and turning to other means of our choosing, we bring calamity on ourselves. How this has played out in history and continues in the present human experience is indisputable.
Coming back to the tree of life. Here we are given an image where we find abundance, beauty, provision and healing—in other words, life! What is interesting is that when we come to the end of the story in Scripture, in the new creation, we no longer see or hear of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There is featured only the tree of life. The language regarding it in Revelation 22:2 is striking. A continuance of fruit is produced for each of the “twelve months of the year” and the tree's leaves “are for the healing of the nations.” In other words, here from this image we are shown the gift of God’s continuing provision for life, for all time and all peoples. And so it is in the coming economy of God’s new creation.
One other thing to notice in Revelation 22, where there is the tree there is water, the water of life (22:1-2). The tree of life is nourished by “the water of life.” In verse 17, the invitation is given to everyone who is thirsty to come and take the water of life as a gift. Just a quick observation here. The invitation is given in the present tense—the invitation is for us now. The promises of God and God’s new creation are extended to us to receive presently, even as we look forward to the new creation. Even now, “Come” and partake.
Peace be with you.