Post by Jesse Morrell on Jan 20, 2008 20:38:46 GMT -5
THE TREE OF LIFE
What is the reason for its existence?
We all eat to live. We die if we don’t eat. But no matter how much we eat, or what we eat, there is always a missing ingredient. And that is why we ultimately die. That missing ingredient is found only in fruit of the tree of life.
Some questions to consider:
The tree of life first appears in Genesis and then completely disappears throughout the bible until the book of Revelations when it reappears.
1. Why was the tree of life in the garden in the first place?
“And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; and to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29
“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden”. Gen. 2:9
“And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Gen. 3:22
2. Why will the tree of life be in Heaven?
“To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14
Here is a interesting perspective:
“The ‘tree of life’ in the midst of the most pleasant garden where man was invited to dwell must be suggestive of something. I suggest that it may have been the means of keeping man’s physical body and soul in vigor and to prevent decay and death. This is suggested also in Ge 3:24, where man is prevented from taking of the tree of life after the fall. In vs 22, the reason is stated, ‘lest he…eat and live forever.” Not, presumably, that if he had eaten one time from it, he would have lived forever, but lest he keep on eating from it and thus keep on living forever.” Gordon Olson (The Foreknowledge of God, p. 25)
"Here it is to be remarked that, with the fathers [Early Church Fathers before Augustine], as Erasmus has suggested, the expression to die or to die in Adam, is synonymous with being driven out of Paradise, because they who were driven out of Paradise, were no more allowed to eat of the fruit of the tree of life. At least this is the common meaning. For us to have died in Adam, is nothing else than what Methodius, in a fragment in Epiphanius (Haer. 64), thus expresses, "We were driven out of Paradise in the first father." Dr Wiggers (Historical Presentation of Augustinianism and Pelagianism, pg 399-400)
Another interesting consideration:
"The book of life. (Most Greek texts read this as the 'tree of life." Gromacki (Salvation is Forever, p. 155)
"The Greek manuscripts do not say 'book of life' but rather 'tree of life'" Barker (Secure Forever p. 154)
Apparently "Erasmus got his reading for the book of life (Rev 22:19, KJV) from the Latin Vulgate. There aren't any Greek manuscripts to support this."
Other translations on Rev. 22:19:
ASV: "and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19
DARBY: "And if any one take from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19
ISV: "If anyone takes away any words from the book of this prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book." Rev. 22:19
RV: "and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19
What is the reason for its existence?
We all eat to live. We die if we don’t eat. But no matter how much we eat, or what we eat, there is always a missing ingredient. And that is why we ultimately die. That missing ingredient is found only in fruit of the tree of life.
Some questions to consider:
The tree of life first appears in Genesis and then completely disappears throughout the bible until the book of Revelations when it reappears.
1. Why was the tree of life in the garden in the first place?
“And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; and to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29
“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden”. Gen. 2:9
“And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Gen. 3:22
2. Why will the tree of life be in Heaven?
“To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14
Here is a interesting perspective:
“The ‘tree of life’ in the midst of the most pleasant garden where man was invited to dwell must be suggestive of something. I suggest that it may have been the means of keeping man’s physical body and soul in vigor and to prevent decay and death. This is suggested also in Ge 3:24, where man is prevented from taking of the tree of life after the fall. In vs 22, the reason is stated, ‘lest he…eat and live forever.” Not, presumably, that if he had eaten one time from it, he would have lived forever, but lest he keep on eating from it and thus keep on living forever.” Gordon Olson (The Foreknowledge of God, p. 25)
"Here it is to be remarked that, with the fathers [Early Church Fathers before Augustine], as Erasmus has suggested, the expression to die or to die in Adam, is synonymous with being driven out of Paradise, because they who were driven out of Paradise, were no more allowed to eat of the fruit of the tree of life. At least this is the common meaning. For us to have died in Adam, is nothing else than what Methodius, in a fragment in Epiphanius (Haer. 64), thus expresses, "We were driven out of Paradise in the first father." Dr Wiggers (Historical Presentation of Augustinianism and Pelagianism, pg 399-400)
Another interesting consideration:
"The book of life. (Most Greek texts read this as the 'tree of life." Gromacki (Salvation is Forever, p. 155)
"The Greek manuscripts do not say 'book of life' but rather 'tree of life'" Barker (Secure Forever p. 154)
Apparently "Erasmus got his reading for the book of life (Rev 22:19, KJV) from the Latin Vulgate. There aren't any Greek manuscripts to support this."
Other translations on Rev. 22:19:
ASV: "and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19
DARBY: "And if any one take from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19
ISV: "If anyone takes away any words from the book of this prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book." Rev. 22:19
RV: "and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." Rev. 22:19