Knowledge Vs Life

As I was continuing the daily weekday readings of the ordinary time from Genesis, I made an interesting discovery. When God created the garden of eden, He put "the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden." (Gen 2:9) But He only said "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat" (Gen 2:17).

And it is in the next chapter that I realised something. God says "He must not be allowed to stretch his hand out next and pick from the tree of life also, and eat some and live for ever." (Gen 3:22)

Which got me thinking, God only forbade Adam from eating from the tree of knowledge, but he could eat from the tree of life. Smart thing of the serpent to tempt Eve with the fruit of knowledge thus preventing them access to the tree of life.

So this got me reflecting, of how often I go in pursuit of knowledge. Especially in my faith too. I want to know the why and the hows. But Jesus said "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Jn 14:6) And I must admit, sometimes I try to reach for the fruits of knowledge much more than I am reaching for the fruits of life. So caught up in the intellectual persuit, neglecting the living part.

If only Adam had eaten the fruit of life first... ;-Þ