Hi onelovedread,
So the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is distinct and different from the tree of life (Jesus), right?
Yes the tree of good and evil represent living this life and eating/consuming it, is to experience both good and evil. The Tree of Life indeed represents Jesus Christ and we must eat/consume it to have spiritual life within us.
Hi SarahfromColorado,
Welcome to the forum
I'm pretty sure if there was a literal tree of life it symbolized Christ but how do you take from a literal yet symbolic tree and live forever? If the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was literal then you'd think the tree of life was also... it doesn't make sense for it to be literal but "lest they take and eat..." doesn't seem to make sense if it weren't literal.
The fruit of the Tree of Life that we must eat/consume symbolically does represent Christ. It's just like when Christ told them they must eat His flesh, these things have deep spiritual meaning.
John 6:48 I am the bread of life.
v. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
v. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
v. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
v. 53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
v. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
v. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
v. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
v. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
v. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."
We must eat/consume/internalize what Christ is and as we do we become more 'like' Him. But many people find this just too hard a thing to comprehend.
John 6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"
v. 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you?
v. 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?
v. 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
v. 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
v. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"
Remember what Christ said "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4). We need this "Bread of Life" to be apart of us to live spiritually, as much as we need physical food to continue living this life. God gives us His Holy spirit as a gift, but we need to feed it continually with the 'Bread of Life," which is to actively pursue righteousness in pray, study and meditation. Then Christ will live in us in our words and actions.
mercy, peace and love
Kat