Why Did God Put the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden?

 

From time to time, skeptics ask me why God would put the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden in the first place.  They contend that if God truly wanted them not to sin, there is no explanation for such an odd choice.

I admit, I have never heard a great answer to that question...until now.

I am presently reading my way through The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis.  The 2nd book of that trilogy, entitled Perelandra, is an allegory to Satan's temptation of Eve in the Garden.  For those who haven't read it, I recommend it strongly.  Lewis has a way of explaining things that, for me at least, suddenly open doors for which I could never seem to find the proper key.

In the book, there is a lady known as The Green Lady who encounters a man named Ransom.  Ransom has been sent to Perelandra to stop a great evil, and as we go through the book we realize what this evil is.  The Green Lady has everything she needs, and her life is filled with joy.  But there is one command she is not to break.  She is not to sleep on the fixed land (every other piece of land on Perelandra is floating like a huge buoyant island that changes with the waves).  Into this world comes a being that Ransom called the 'Unman'.  And this being attempts to talk The Green Lady into breaking the law of God (known in the book as Meleldil).

One thing that struck me with this book is how the Unman spends so much time trying to slowly reason and persuade The Green Lady that violating this seemingly nonsensical and arbitrary command of Meleldil was actually good.  It would let her increase knowledge and be more of an equal with Meleldil, something the Unman tries to convince The Green Lady is really Meleldil's desire.

Ransom does his best to stop this ongoing and insidious temptation, and in one scene he answers the question of why Meleldil would give such a seemingly arbitrary command.  Here is a section from the book where this discussion happens:

‘Lady,’ said Ransom, ‘if I speak, will you hear me?’

‘Gladly, Piebald.’

‘This man has said that the law against living on the Fixed Island is different from the other Laws, because it is not the same for all worlds and because we cannot see the goodness in it. And so far he says well. But then he says that it is thus different in order that you may disobey it. But there might be another reason.’

‘Say it, Piebald.’

‘I think He made one law of that kind in order that there might be obedience. In all these other matters what you call obeying Him is but doing what seems good in your own eyes also. Is love content with that? You do them, indeed, because they are His will, but not only because they are His will. Where can you taste the joy of obeying unless He bids you do something for which His bidding is the only reason? When we spoke last you said that if you told the beasts to walk on their heads, they would delight to do so. So I know that you understand well what I am saying.’

‘Oh, brave Piebald,’ said the Green Lady, ‘this is the best you have said yet. This makes me older far: yet it does not feel like the oldness this other is giving me. Oh, how well I see it! We cannot walk out of Maleldil’s will: but He has given us a way to walk out of our will. And there could be no such way except a command like this. Out of our own will. It is like passing out through the world’s roof into Deep Heaven. All beyond is Love Himself. I knew there was joy in looking upon the Fixed Island and laying down all thought of ever living there, but I did not till now understand.’ 

For me, this was a revelation.  Obedience is a virtue.  And how can someone experience the virtue of obedience unless there is some command (something they are forbidden) that they can follow?

I believe it was also CS Lewis who raised the point (I forget which of his writings, unfortunately) that courage is a virtue.  And in a world without pain, one could never experience the virtue of courage.  Similarly, things like forgiveness and patience and tolerance are all virtues.  But these virtues can't be experienced unless we are in a world with disappointment and frustration, etc.

For me, I now have an answer to the skeptic's question about the reason for the Tree in the Garden.  Do I know this is why God chose to put the Tree there?  No.  Only God knows for sure.  But it is a reasonable answer, nonetheless.

We don't know everything.  We aren't expected to.  But we know enough that we can say everything has a purpose, and God uses everything to His glory and for our ultimate benefit.

Praise God that we serve a God who even uses the bad things in life so that good may result!