PART 2 · A NEW STUDY BUILT ON FOUNDATIONAL BIBLICAL DOCTRINE
Good and Evil — Foundational Biblical Doctrine
OPENING WORD
Listen. The oldest lie ever told was told under a tree, and it was a lie about knowledge. The serpent did not tempt the woman with not knowing — he tempted her with knowing: you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And the knowledge was real — God himself said afterward, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil — but man took it with his own hand, at a lying word, apart from the God who alone is good, and the wages of it was death. Ever since that day the sons of Adam carry a knowledge too heavy for them: wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge; a heart deceitful above all things that at the last calls evil good and good evil. But hear the whole counsel of God. The God who shut the way to the tree of life did not shut his mouth. He set a word before man — refuse the evil, choose the good; depart from evil, and do good — and he set strong meat before us, that by use our senses should be trained to discern them both. And he sent his Son, the Child who refused the evil and chose the good and never once failed, who went about doing good, and bore the evil in his own body on the tree, till the way that was shut stands open again: to him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life. From the first tree to the last tree, this is the matter set before you. Search it out.
THREE QUESTIONS THIS STUDY ANSWERS:
1. Where did the knowledge of good and evil come from, and what did it bring upon man in the day he took it?
2. What does God call a person to do with the evil and with the good — and can the human heart answer that call alone?
3. How are the senses trained to discern both good and evil, and how is evil overcome in the end?
THE FOUNDATION ALREADY LAID — GOOD AND EVIL
› TWO CLASSES OF TREES IN THE GARDEN --> THE TREE OF LIFE + THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL (Genesis 2:9).
› OF EVERY TREE YOU MAY FREELY EAT + OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL YOU SHALL NOT EAT (Genesis 2:16-17).
› THE SERPENT SAID, YOU SHALL NOT SURELY DIE --> MAN TOOK THE KNOWLEDGE APART FROM GOD + DEATH ENTERED (Genesis 3:4-7; Romans 5:12).
› THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN ME --> WISE TO DO EVIL + TO DO GOOD NO KNOWLEDGE (Jeremiah 4:22).
› WOE TO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL (Isaiah 5:20).
› WHOEVER LISTENS SHALL DWELL SAFELY + SHALL BE QUIET FROM FEAR OF EVIL (Proverbs 1:33).
› SENSES EXERCISED BY REASON OF USE --> DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL (Hebrews 5:12-14).
This Part 2 confirms the same truth from a fresh set of witnesses.
OPENING ANCHOR
Hebrews 5:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age [G5046 teleios], even those who by reason of use have their senses [G145 aistheterion] exercised [G1128 gymnazo] to discern [G1253 diakrisis] both good and evil.
STRONG MEAT → SENSES EXERCISED BY REASON OF USE → DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — "exercised" is gymnazo (G1128, exercise), trained the way a person is trained by long practice, and "senses" is aistheterion (G145, senses), the parts that perceive. Discernment is not given to the idle; it grows by use. A baby knows sweet from bitter; the fully grown know good from evil — and the teacher is the word of righteousness (Hebrews 5:13).)
1. THE TREE — THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD (H2896 TOWB) AND EVIL (H7451 RA) TAKEN APART FROM GOD
1.2 Corinthians 11:3Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
THE SERPENT BEGUILED EVE THROUGH HIS SUBTILTY → MINDS CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST.
(My personal thoughts — Paul looks back at the garden and sees the same danger still at work. A mind led away from the plain word of God is a mind ready to be beguiled again. The tree offered knowledge; the serpent's real aim was to move the woman off the simplicity of what God had actually said.)
2.Romans 6:23Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH → THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
(My personal thoughts — the warning given at the tree was not a threat that passed away with Eden. Paul names the same law by its full name: the wages of sin is death. But the same verse leaves the other door open — the free gift is life.)
3.1 John 2:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
THE LUST OF THE FLESH + THE LUST OF THE EYES + THE PRIDE OF LIFE → IS NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE WORLD.
(My personal thoughts — John's three-part list matches the tree exactly: good for food is the lust of the flesh, pleasant to the eyes is the lust of the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise is the pride of life. The same three doors the serpent opened at the first tree, he still opens at every temptation since.)
4.Genesis 3:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗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 for ever:
MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US, TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL → LEST HE TAKE ALSO OF THE TREE OF LIFE, AND EAT, AND LIVE FOR EVER.
(My personal thoughts — the shutting of the way was mercy. A person fallen into evil, eating of life and living forever in that broken state, would be evil without end. God shut the way so that he could open it again in his Son — Revelation 2:7 opens what Genesis 3:22 shut.)
2. THE HEART OF MAN — ONLY EVIL (H7451 RA) CONTINUALLY
1.Mark 7:21Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, (22) Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: (23) All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
FROM WITHIN, OUT OF THE HEART OF MEN, PROCEED EVIL THOUGHTS → ALL THESE EVIL THINGS COME FROM WITHIN, AND DEFILE THE MAN.
(My personal thoughts — Jesus names the source directly: not what goes into a person, but what comes out of the heart. The tree's knowledge lodged exactly there, in the heart, and the heart has been turning it to evil ever since.)
2.Jeremiah 4:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise [H2450 chakam] to do evil [H7489 ra'a'], but to do good [H3190 yatab] they have no knowledge.
WISE TO DO EVIL + TO DO GOOD NO KNOWLEDGE.
(My personal thoughts — set the two knowings side by side: they have not KNOWN me, and to do good they have NO KNOWLEDGE — yada (H3045, to know) in both places, the very word of Genesis 3:22. Man kept the knowledge of evil and lost the knowledge of God; that is the whole harvest of the tree.)
3.Jeremiah 17:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The heart [H3820 leb] is deceitful [H6121 aqob] above all things, and desperately wicked [H605 anash]: who can know it?
THE HEART = DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS + DESPERATELY WICKED.
(My personal thoughts — "desperately wicked" is anash (H605, wicked): sick past healing. And notice the question — who can KNOW it? The one who took the knowledge of good and evil cannot even know his own heart.)
4.Malachi 2:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
EVERY ONE THAT DOETH EVIL IS GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD → WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUDGMENT?
(My personal thoughts — the deceitful heart does not stop at doing evil. In the end it calls the evil good, and even claims the Lord approves of it. Two different prophets, one and the same warning.)
3. THE CALL — REFUSE (H3988 MA'AS) THE EVIL, CHOOSE (H977 BACHAR) THE GOOD
1.Isaiah 7:15Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
KNOW TO REFUSE THE EVIL + CHOOSE THE GOOD.
(My personal thoughts — this word is spoken of the child named just before it: Look, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). One came who knew how to refuse the evil and choose the good, and he never once failed.)
2.Psalm 97:10Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Ye that love [H157 ahab] the LORD, hate [H8130 sane]evil: he preserveth [H8104 shamar] the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
YE THAT LOVE THE LORD → HATE EVIL.
3.Proverbs 3:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Be not wise [H2450 chakam] in thine own eyes: fear [H3372 yare] the LORD, and depart from evil.
BE NOT WISE IN THINE OWN EYES → FEAR THE LORD + DEPART FROM EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — "wise in thine own eyes" points back to the tree's own bait: pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise — the same pride of life named in 1 John 2:16. The fear of the Lord now stands where that false wisdom once stood.)
(My personal thoughts — set this beside Genesis 3:22, where man was kept from eating and living forever in a broken state. Here the word says, depart from evil, and do good, and dwell forever more. The way back to "forever" begins with departing from evil.)
4. DISCERN BY THE WORD — SENSES EXERCISED (G1128 GYMNAZO) BY REASON OF USE
1.1 Kings 3:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart [H3820 leb] to judge thy people, that I may discern [H995 bin] between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
AN UNDERSTANDING HEART → TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD.
(My personal thoughts — "understanding" here is shama (H8085, to hear): a listening heart. The fall came in at the ear, when the woman listened to the voice of the serpent; discernment comes in at the same door, when the heart listens to God. And "bad" is ra (H7451, evil) — the same word as the evil of the tree.)
2.Hebrews 5:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For every one that useth milk is unskilful [G552 apeiros] in the word [G3056 logos] of righteousness [G1343 dikaiosyne]: for he is a babe.
MILK → UNSKILFUL IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(My personal thoughts — the discerning of good and evil is skill in the WORD. The means is not years, nor feelings, but the word of righteousness put to use.)
3.1 Thessalonians 5:21Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Prove [G1381 dokimazo] all things; hold fast [G2722 katecho] that which is good.
PROVE ALL THINGS → HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD.
4.1 Thessalonians 5:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Abstain [G567 apecho] from all appearance [G1491 eidos] of evil.
ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — "prove" is dokimazo (G1381, to prove): to test, the way metal is tested in fire. The trained sense tests first and holds fast afterward; and whatever is proved evil, even just the appearance of it, is put away.)
5.Romans 16:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise [G4680 sophos] unto that which is good, and simple [G185 akeraios] concerning evil.
WISE UNTO THAT WHICH IS GOOD + SIMPLE CONCERNING EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — "simple" is akeraios (G185, simple): unmixed. The serpent promised wisdom by knowing evil; God gives a better wisdom — wise about the good, and simple about the evil. But in malice, be as children; in understanding, be grown (1 Corinthians 14:20).)
5. OVERCOME (G3528 NIKAO) — GOOD SWALLOWS UP EVIL IN CHRIST
1.Acts 10:38Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good [G2109 euergeteo], and healing [G2390 iaomai] all that were oppressed [G2616 katadynasteuo] of the devil [G1228 diabolos]; for God was with him.
JESUS WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD → HEALING ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL.
(My personal thoughts — good and evil meet in one place here, and good wins every meeting: he healed ALL who were oppressed. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed — to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).)
2.3 John 11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Beloved, follow [G3401 mimeomai] not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good [G15 agathopoieo] is of God: but he that doeth evil [G2554 kakopoieo] hath not seen God.
FOLLOW NOT THAT WHICH IS EVIL + FOLLOW THAT WHICH IS GOOD → HE THAT DOETH GOOD IS OF GOD.
3.1 Peter 3:11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let him eschew [G1578 ekklino]evil, and do good; let him seek [G2212 zeteo] peace [G1515 eirene], and ensue [G1377 dioko] it.
ESCHEW EVIL + DO GOOD → SEEK PEACE, AND ENSUE IT.
(My personal thoughts — these are the very words of Psalm 34:14, written again by Peter to the strangers. Two covenants, one voice.)
BE NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL → OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.
(My personal thoughts — nikao (G3528, overcome): to conquer, to win the victory. Evil is not only to be refused; it is to be OVERCOME, and the weapon is good. Notice where this same word is used next: to the one who overcomes — nikao — he will give the right to eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). He will swallow up death in victory (Isaiah 25:8).)
MOUTH OF TWO — DEPART FROM EVIL, DO GOOD, ESTABLISHED IN THE MOUTH OF TWO AND A THIRD
Amos 5:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Seek [H1875 darash]good, and not evil, that ye may live [H2421 chayah]: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.
SEEK GOOD, AND NOT EVIL → THAT YE MAY LIVE + THE LORD SHALL BE WITH YOU.
Amos 5:15Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Hate [H8130 sane] the evil, and love [H157 ahab] the good, and establish [H3322 yatsag] judgment [H4941 mishpat] in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
HATE THE EVIL + LOVE THE GOOD.
Psalm 34:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Depart from evil, and do good; seek [H1245 baqash] peace [H7965 shalom], and pursue [H7291 radaph] it.
DEPART FROM EVIL + DO GOOD.
Romans 12:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let love [G26 agape] be without dissimulation [G505 anypokritos]. Abhor [G655 apostygeo] that which is evil; cleave [G2853 kollao] to that which is good.
ABHOR THAT WHICH IS EVIL + CLEAVE TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD.
(My personal thoughts — a herdsman from Tekoa (Amos 7:14), a king of Israel, and an apostle to the Gentiles. In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established (2 Corinthians 13:1), and a cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Three mouths, two covenants, one charge: turn from the evil, hold to the good — and love without pretending is what carries it out.)
THE SHADOW AND THE FULFILLMENT
5.Genesis 3:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
THE SERPENT BEGUILED ME, AND I DID EAT.
6.Romans 5:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For as by one man's disobedience [G3876 parakoe] many were made sinners, so by the obedience [G5218 hypakoe] of one shall many be made righteous.
BY ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE MANY MADE SINNERS → BY THE OBEDIENCE OF ONE MANY MADE RIGHTEOUS.
7.1 Peter 2:24Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Who his own self bare [G399 anaphero] our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes [G3468 molops] ye were healed [G2390 iaomai].
HE BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE → THAT WE SHOULD LIVE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(My personal thoughts — the shadow: the woman said plainly, the serpent deceived me, and I ate. The fulfillment: by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, but by the obedience of one, many are made righteous — and that obedient One bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, dead to sin, should live to righteousness. The deceiving in the garden is undone by the obeying at the cross.)
CLOSING
Revelation 2:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat [G5315 phago] of the tree of life [G2222 zoe], which is in the midst of the paradise [G3857 paradeisos] of God.
TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH → TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD.
Revelation 22:2Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life [G2222 zoe], which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing [G2322 therapeia] of the nations [G1484 ethnos].
THE TREE OF LIFE → HER FRUIT EVERY MONTH + THE LEAVES FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS.
(My personal thoughts — here is the whole study in one breath: two trees stood in the middle of the garden. Man heard a lying voice, and took the knowledge of good and evil apart from God; and in that day death passed upon him. The stolen knowledge sank into his heart, and the heart it made was deceitful above all things, wise to do evil, until it called evil good, and good evil. But God did not leave man to the tree he chose. He set his word before him — refuse the evil, choose the good; depart from evil, and do good — and he gave strong meat, so that by use the senses might be trained to discern them both. Then came the child of the virgin. He refused the evil and chose the good, and never failed. He went about doing good, and carried our evil in his own body on the tree. And by that tree the way to the tree of life, shut since Eden, stands open. What man lost by eating, God gives again by eating: to him that overcomes he will give the right to eat of the tree of life. At the start of the book a tree stands guarded; at the end of the book a tree stands free to everyone who overcomes, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Good has not merely escaped evil — good has overcome it. Begin at the ear, hold the word fast, and eat at last of that tree.)
GREEK KEYWORDS
These are the keywords for this study. Tap any dotted word in the verses above to see its meaning here.
“good” — G18 agathos — good in its nature and its working, profitable
the good that overcomes evil is good that DOES good (Romans 12:21; Acts 10:38)
“good” — G2570 kalos — good — fair, honest, worthy
the good the trained senses discern and hold fast (Hebrews 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:21)
“evil” — G2556 kakos — evil, bad, worthless in nature
the evil not to be followed (3 John 11) and not to overcome you (Romans 12:21)
“evil” — G4190 poneros — evil, wicked, hurtful — laboring to do harm
the evil to be abhorred (Romans 12:9), and every appearance of it kept away from (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
“overcome” — G3528 nikao — to conquer, to prevail, to win the victory
the same word stands in Romans 12:21 and Revelation 2:7 — the one who overcomes eats of the tree of life
“tree” — G3586 xylon — wood, timber, a tree
the tree on which he bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) and the tree of life (Revelation 22:2) are one word
“beguiled” — G1818 exapatao — to deceive fully, to lead astray
the serpent's method never changed — beguiling a mind away from the simple word of God (2 Corinthians 11:3)
“wages” — G3800 opsonion — wages paid, the due reward
the tree's warning named in full: the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
one of the three doors the tree first opened (1 John 2:16)
HEBREW KEYWORDS
“evil” — H7451 ra — evil, bad, adversity, affliction
one word for the evil deed and the evil day — the dark half of the tree's knowledge (Genesis 2:9; Genesis 6:5)
“good” — H2896 towb — good — pleasant, agreeable, well
the word God spoke over all his work before man ever took the knowledge (Genesis 1:31)
“know” — H3045 yada — to know, to perceive, to discern
the knowing is not the sin — knowing apart from God is (Genesis 3:5; Genesis 3:22)
“refuse” — H3988 ma'as — to refuse, to reject, to despise
God's own word set against the evil (Isaiah 7:15)
“choose” — H977 bachar — to choose, to elect, to select
God's own word set upon the good (Isaiah 7:15; Deuteronomy 30:19)
“depart” — H5493 sur — to turn aside, to put away
the foot obeys what the heart discerns — depart from evil (Psalm 34:14; Proverbs 3:7)
“beguiled” — H5377 nasha — to deceive, to lead astray
the woman's own account of the fall, in her own mouth (Genesis 3:13)
“hear” — H8085 shama — to hear, to listen, to understand
the understanding heart Solomon asked for is, in the Hebrew, a listening heart (1 Kings 3:9)
PRACTICE QUIZ
1. Genesis 2:17 — In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely:
a) be wise
b) die
c) be as gods
2. Isaiah 7:15 — Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to:
a) refuse the evil, and choose the good
b) choose the evil, and refuse the good
c) discern the thoughts of the heart
3. Amos 5:14 — Seek good, and not evil, that ye may:
a) stand in the gate
b) be gracious unto the remnant
c) live
4. Jeremiah 17:9 — The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately:
a) wicked
b) foolish
c) weak
5. Hebrews 5:14 — Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of:
a) knowledge
b) use
c) age
6. Romans 16:19 — I would have you wise unto that which is good, and:
a) silent
b) separate
c) simple
7. Revelation 2:7 — To him that overcometh will I give to eat of:
a) the hidden manna
b) the tree of life
c) the fruit of the vine
ANSWER KEY: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-a, 5-b, 6-c, 7-b
HOW THIS STUDY BRANCHES
→ How the shadow brings light: two trees stood in the garden. By the tree of knowledge came death; on the tree of the cross, death was carried away, and the tree of life stands open. Seeing the first tree helps us see how good the last tree is (Genesis 2:9 → 1 Peter 2:24 → Revelation 2:7).
→ How the new covenant carries the same word: Peter writes to the strangers the very words David sang — depart from evil, and do good (Psalm 34:14 → 1 Peter 3:11). The charge never changed. But the new covenant adds power, for God anointed Jesus of Nazareth, who went about doing good (Acts 10:38).
→ How the words matter: "disobedience" in Romans 5:19 is parakoe (G3876, disobedience), a mishearing; "obedience" is hypakoe (G5218, obedience), a listening that yields. The fall entered at the ear, and so does faith (Romans 10:17). And the understanding heart of 1 Kings 3:9 is in the Hebrew a listening heart, shama (H8085, to hear).
→ How this touches Jew and Gentile: Acts 10:38 was preached in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile. And the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the NATIONS (Revelation 22:2). In every nation, the one who fears him and does what is right is accepted by him (Acts 10:35).
→ How this applies to you: prove all things; hold fast what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The senses are trained by use (Hebrews 5:14). Be a doer of the word, and not a hearer only (James 1:22), and discernment grows.
→ What this means for eternity: what was lost by eating is given again by eating. To the one who overcomes he will give the right to eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell forever more (Psalm 37:27).
→ Rabbit trail: Psalm 34 says, O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), before it says, depart from evil, and do good (Psalm 34:14). The mouth that has tasted the good has a new judge of the evil. Follow the eating through the whole book: Genesis 3:12 → Psalm 34:8 → John 6:51 → Revelation 2:7.
→ Possible revelation: the tree on which he bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) and the tree of life (Revelation 2:7; 22:2) are one and the same Greek word, xylon (G3586, tree). [VERSES JOINED TOGETHER — NO ONE VERSE SAYS THIS ALONE] (My personal thoughts — on one tree, evil spent itself upon the Good, and lost. From that tree on, the way to the other tree stands open. One tree took death for us, so that the other tree could give life to us.)
