Tree of Life

[jmgipson]

Is the tree of Life in Genesis a physical tree or is it symbolic? As I study this I find it difficult to see this as a physical tree. For example:

Gen 2:9
"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, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

This doesn't seem to be good for food like the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Prov 3:18
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Here, wisdom is called the tree of Life (Jesus Christ).

Prov 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life ; and he that winneth souls is wise.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

Prov 13:12
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life .

Prov 15:4
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life : but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Rev 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life , which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 22:14
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.

So would you say we are speaking in all areas about the same "tree of life in these verses? I am having a hard time connecting this to a real tree in the garden.

I hope this thread produces some fruit!

[InChristAlways]

Rev 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life , which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 22:14
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.

So would you say we are speaking in all areas about the same "tree of life in these verses? I am having a hard time connecting this to a real tree in the garden.

Good topic and though I haven't studied on that extensively yet, I view the tree of good and evil and the Tree of Life as a form of "2 covenants".

Just as Adam and Eve were given the command by God concerning the 2 trees, so were the first born Nation of Israel of the Flesh[a type of OC Adam/Cain] given commands by God.
I am presently studying revelation concerning these "2 covenants" in relation to the book of Exodus and Joshuh [though it does go all the way back to Genesis]

This is really a preliminary view I have until I study revelation a little deeper. Steve

Gene 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You [are] cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

Deuteronomy 4:26 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land[cast out of the "kingdom"] which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong [your] days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.

Reve 11:3 "And I will give my two witnesses,

The Book of Law/10 commandments can be viewed as a "type" of the tree of "good/evil" in some ways.

Deuteronomy 30:10 "if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, [and] if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Galatians 3:19 What purpose then [does] the law [serve?] It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed[Word of God/Tree of Life?] should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Gala 4:24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar -- 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem[The Law/tree of Knowledge of good and evil/Book of the Law?] which now is, and is in bondage with her children -- 26 but the Jerusalem[Tree of Life?] above is free, which is the mother of us all.

[InChristAlways]

Has anyone noticed the the same word used for the "Tree" of life is used for the Cross of Christ [acts 13 and reve 22] It might be the asymbolizing of Isaac and Abraham in the OT when Abraham was going to "sacrifice" Isaac with "wood".
I was doing a word study on the "trees" in revelation and came across this and I never notice it before. Pretty interesting.

Here is the same word used for the Tree of Life and the Cross [and appears to also be used as a staff/stave in the NT].

Acts 13:29 and when they did complete all the things written about Him, having taken [him] down from the Tree [#3586], they laid Him in a tomb;
tou <3588> {THE} xulou <3586> {TREE,} 3586

Revelation 22:14 `Happy are those doing His commands that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree[#3586] of the life, and by the gates they may enter into the city;
to <3588> {THE} xulon <3586>

3586 xulon xoo'-lon from another form of the base of 3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication, a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance:--staff, stocks, tree, wood.
3582 xestes xes'-tace as if from xeo (properly, to smooth; by implication, (of friction) to boil or heat); a vessel (as fashioned or for cooking) (or perhaps by corruption from the Latin sextarius, the sixth of a modius, i.e. about a pint), i.e. (specially), a measure for liquids or solids, (by analogy, a pitcher):--pot. 3585 xulinos xoo'-lin-os from 3586; wooden:--of wood.

Any idea why this word is used for cross or is this a different part of it?

Colossians 2:14 having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross [#4716];

4716 stauros stow-ros' from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specially), a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ:--cross.

[Robert R. Higby]

The 'tree of life' mentioned in Genesis was a tree sustaining continued life in the present earth as long as it was eaten of. The original man and woman were not created inherently immortal; they had to eat of this tree and have their bodies absorb its nourishing properties in order to continue living without end.

In contrast, the tree of life mentioned in Rev. 22:2 is only an outward manifestation of redeemed man's inherent physical immortality. Man does not need to eat from it to live forever! He has been MADE INHERENTLY IMMORTAL at Christ's final coming (1 Cor. 15:50-54)!

As far as the cross and the tree are concerned, these are merely different expressons of the wood that Christ was hung upon.

[InChristAlways]

Acts 13:29 and when they did complete all the things written about Him, having taken [him] down from the Tree [#3586], they laid Him in a tomb;
tou <3588> {THE} xulou <3586> {TREE,} 3586

Revelation 22:14 `Happy are those doing His commands that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree[#3586] of the life, and by the gates they may enter into the city;
to <3588> {THE} xulon <3586>

The 'tree of life' mentioned in Genesis was a tree sustaining continued life in the present earth as long as it was eaten of. The original man and woman were not created inherently immortal; they had to eat of this tree and have their bodies absorb its nourishing properties in order to continue living without end.

In contrast, the tree of life mentioned in Rev. 22:2 is only an outward manifestation of redeemed man's inherent physical immortality. Man does not need to eat from it to live forever! He has been MADE INHERENTLY IMMORTAL at Christ's final coming (1 Cor. 15:50-54)!

As far as the cross and the tree are concerned, these are merely different expressons of the wood that Christ was hung upon.

Thanks. Do you believe the rendering is for 2 trees in revelation 22, and if so, what is yours or anyone else's view of that?
I am having a tough time translating this myself.
Steve

Reve 2:7 Ephesus: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '


(Young) Revelation 22:2 in the midst of its broad place, and of the river on this side and on that, [is] a tree of life, yielding twelve fruits, in each several month rendering its fruits, and the leaves of the tree [are] for the service of the nations;

Revelation 22:2 en <1722> {IN} mesw <3319> {THE MIDST} thV <3588> plateiaV <4113> authV <846> {OF ITS STREET} kai <2532> {AND} tou <3588> {OF THE} potamou <4215> {RIVER,} enteuqen <1782> {ON THIS SIDE} kai <2532> {AND} enteuqen <1782> {ON THAT SIDE, [THE]} xulon <3586> {TREE} zwhV <2222> {OF LIFE,} poioun <4160> (5723) {PRODUCING} karpouV <2590> {FRUITS} dwdeka <1427> kata <2596> {TWELVE,} mhna <3376> ena <1520> {MONTH} ekaston <1538> {EACH} apodidoun <591> (5723) ton <3588> {YIELDING} karpon <2590> {FRUIT} autou <846> {ITS;} kai <2532> {AND} ta <3588> {THE} fulla <5444> {LEAVES} tou <3588> {OF THE} xulou <3586> {TREE} eiV <1519> {FOR} qerapeian <2322> {HEALING} twn <3588> {OF THE} eqnwn <1484> {NATIONS.}