What is the tree of life in the Bible?

The tree of life appears in both the opening and closing chapters of the Bible (Genesis 2-3 and Revelation 22). In the book of Genesis, God places the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden of Eden, where the tree of life stands as a symbol of the presence that gives the life of God and of the fullness of the eternal life available in God.

Key Bible verse
“The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the earth: beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. "(Genesis 2: 9, NLT)

What is the tree of life?
The tree of life appears in the Genesis narrative immediately after God has completed the creation of Adam and Eve. So God plants the Garden of Eden, a beautiful paradise for men and women. God places the tree of life in the middle of the garden.

The agreement between Bible scholars suggests that the tree of life with its central location in the garden was to serve as a symbol for Adam and Eve of their life in friendship with God and their dependence on him.

At the center of the garden, human life distinguished itself from that of animals. Adam and Eve were much more than just biological beings; they were spiritual beings who would discover their deepest fulfillment in communion with God. However, this fullness of life in all its physical and spiritual dimensions could only be maintained through obedience to God's commands.

But the Eternal God warned him [Adam]: “You can freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you will surely die. " (Genesis 2: 16–17, NLT)
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were expelled from the garden. The scriptures explain the reason for their expulsion: God did not want them to run the risk of eating from the tree of life and living forever in a state of disobedience.

Then the Lord God said, “Look, humans have become like us, knowing both good and bad. What if they reached out and took fruit from the tree of life and ate it? Then they will live forever! "(Genesis 3:22, NLT)
What is the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
Most scholars agree that the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil are two different trees. The scriptures reveal that the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were prohibited because eating it would require death (Genesis 2: 15-17). Whereas, the result of eating from the tree of life was to live forever.

The history of Genesis has shown that eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil has caused sexual awareness, shame and loss of innocence, but not immediate death. Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them from eating the second tree, the tree of life, which would make them live forever in their fallen and sinful state.

The tragic result of eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was that Adam and Eve were separated from God.

Tree of life in the literature of wisdom
In addition to Genesis, the tree of life appears again only in the Old Testament in the wisdom literature of the book of Proverbs. Here the expression tree of life symbolizes the enrichment of life in various ways:

Knowledge - Proverbs 3:18
In righteous fruits (good deeds) - Proverbs 11:30
In fulfilled desires - Proverbs 13:12
In kind words - Proverbs 15: 4
Tabernacle and images of the temple
The menorah and other ornaments of the tabernacle and the temple possess images of the tree of life, symbolic of the holy presence of God. The doors and walls of Solomon 's temple contain images of trees and cherubs reminiscent of the garden of Eden and sacred presence of God with humanity (1 Kings 6: 23-35). Ezekiel indicates that sculptures of palm trees and cherubs will be present in the future temple (Ezekiel 41: 17–18).

Tree of life in the New Testament
Images of the tree of life are present at the beginning of the Bible, in the middle and at the end in the book of Revelation, which contains the only references of the New Testament to the tree.

“Anyone with ears to listen to must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To all who are victorious, I will bear fruit from the tree of life in God's paradise. " (Revelation 2: 7, NLT; see also 22: 2, 19)
In Revelation, the tree of life represents the restoration of God's living presence. Access to the tree had been interrupted in Genesis 3:24 when God gave powerful cherubs and a flaming sword to block the way to the tree of life. . But here in Revelation, the road to the tree is again open to all who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

“Blessed are those who wash their clothes. He will be allowed to enter through the city gates and eat the fruit from the tree of life. " (Revelation 22:14, NLT)
Restored access to the tree of life was made possible by the "second Adam" (1 Corinthians 15: 44–49), Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. Those who seek forgiveness of sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ have access to the tree of life (eternal life), but those who remain in disobedience will be denied. The tree of life provides continuous and eternal life to all who take it, since it means the eternal life of God made available to redeemed humanity.