If the tree of good & evil was not prohibited, do you think Adam & Eve would've ever considered themselves to be transgressors?
Some of my previously posted thoughts from elsewhere on the internet adapted here for your consideration,
DNB.
Regarding the
Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil mentioned first in
Genesis 2:9...
A FAQ is "Why was the TOTKOGAE in the Garden of Eden where it was accessible to Adam and Eve?"
My Answer: Because good relationships require trust and trust must be subject to testing.
I believe the inclusion of the TOTKOGAE in the G of E was integral to God's relationship with Adam and Eve, and by implication from a historical perspective, also integral to His relationship with His Creation, particularly those whom He foreknows in eternity to be His flock.
Good and evil were of course known to God but since He had previously declared all aspects of His Creation as
good this was the only characteristic, and experience, and nature He desired for all things to have. Satan of course had other plans.
From the beginning of Creation Satan's evil desires meant God was confronted with opposition, and meant His Creation was exposed to the possibility of experiencing the conflict that opposition to Him always brings.
The original sin of Satan, was his pride, and that caused him to be jealous of God and everything He had just Created, and particularly of the relationship that Adam and Eve now had with Him. Satan's guile in deceiving Eve, and causing Adam to sin was never any surprise to God but rather something that He always knew was inevitable, as were the consequences of the first man and woman having freewill.
I believe the Biblical narrative focusing on the Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil
refers us to the Omniscience of God, and
introduces us to His plan for testing trust and dealing with all that opposes Him in order to ensure the victory of good over evil.
Satan always manifests, whether through a snake, or through religious legalists, or through traitors like Judas, or through false prophets, he always manifests to oppose and contradict God and His Word.
John 8:44
(44) You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Satan is described in the Bible as the Tempter, and he consistently tempts people to believe things contrary to the truth of God's Word.
Mat 4:3 And when
the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
1Th 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means
the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
According to the Bible the earth was without form and void before the six days of Creation, so there was no life and obviously no death before God created living things. The first physical death occurred when an animal was killed to provide Adam and Eve their covering. Later on Adam and Eve both died physically.
If the Genesis account of Adam and Eve is an allegory at what point does the genealogy associated with Jesus become allegorical?
Luk 3:23-38 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, (24) Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, (25) Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, (26) Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, (27) Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, (28) Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, (29) Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, (30) Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, (31) Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, (32) Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, (33) Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, (34) Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, (35) Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, (36) Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, (37) Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
(38) Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.