Genesis 3:4-5 - Knowing Good And Evil

Is the knowledge if Evil a Good Thing?

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil. – Genesis 3:4-5 (ESV) 

Genesis 1:31 describes the world in which Adam and Eve first lived: 

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. – Genesis 1:31a (ESV) 

In this perfect world, evil was unknown. There was no sickness, death, or disease. Adam and Eve, as the sole inhabitants, delighted in the goodness of God and fellowshiped with Him. If you want to know what heaven will be like, the first place to look is here in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and his wife lived at peace with God, unhindered by sin and its curse. Adam occupied his time with the care of the ground, harvesting and delighting in the bounty of its crops. Eve was his cheerful helpmate and companion. 

But there in the midst of the garden was a tree strictly forbidden to them, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For true love and obedience to exist, there must be the freedom of choice. Love cannot be forced. It must be freely given. Compelled obedience is slavery and bondage. As human beings, we have been given the freedom to rebel, disobey and choose a path different from that intended by the Creator. The obedience and love God requires is willing and sincere. It is a choice made by His creatures to love from the heart and to turn from all others to serve and love Him alone. 

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil provided this freedom of choice. God warned Adam and Eve, however, of the consequences of eating its fruit: 

“You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die” – Genesis 3:3 (ESV) 

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil offered Adam and Eve the freedom to rebel but the consequences of eating from it were fatal. To remove the tree, however, was to remove the freedom to disobey and make their own decision. 

Notice what God told Adam and Eve about that tree. They were neither to eat its fruit nor touch it. We can understand why God would tell our first parents not to eat of the tree but what would be the harm in touching it? God was telling Adam and Eve something very important in this command. To touch but not eat, was to lust after the fruit in their heart. Imagine Adam standing there with that beautiful fruit in his hands wishing he could take a bite. Imagine the young man looking at pornography wishing he could experience the reality. God wanted Adam and Eve to keep themselves pure in body but also in mind. The sins of the mind and the lusting after forbidden fruit was an offense to God and a rebellion of the mind. By telling them not to touch that tree, God was protecting them from secret sins of their heart and mind. 

It is here that we meet the devil for the first time. He came into the garden, disguised as a serpent and spoke to Eve. “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’” he questioned. Eve told him that they could eat from any of the trees but one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

Satan, calls God’s word about that tree into question. “You will not surely die,” he said. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (verses 4-5). 

Knowledge is generally considered a good thing. We send our children to school to get knowledge so they can get a good job and contribute to the good of our society. We train for years to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for our careers. Is there such a thing as harmful and destructive knowledge? 

Understand here that Adam and Eve already had the knowledge of good. We saw this in Genesis 1:31 when God declared that everything He had created was “very good.” Satan, however, promoted the knowledge of evil. He led Eve to believe that she was missing out by not seeing the other side of the coin. To know this evil, Eve would have to disobey God and ignore His warning. 

Is knowing evil a good thing? Speak to the drug addict who chose to experiment but soon found himself ensnared. Sit down with the woman, abused by a man who surrendered to his dark lusts. See the agony in the eyes of the soldier who has seen more than any human ever should on the battlefield. Listen to the breaking heart of the parents who have lost their child. The knowledge of evil can never be given back. What has been seen can never be unseen. What has happened can never be undone. The knowledge of evil sometimes leaves scars that will never be healed. Hell’s streets are paved with the knowledge of evil. Its citizens know nothing but evil. 



Not all knowledge is good. Some trees are best left untouched and some fruit best uneaten. Not every door is meant to be opened. Some have been put in place to protect us from what is behind them. Sometimes we have to accept that there is a reason for the “Do Not Enter” sign. You don’t have to understand evil to live a life of purity. You can trust God when He closes and bolts the door shut. He knows what is best for you. Content yourself with the abundance of the other trees in the garden. Delight in them and walk in the knowledge of the good.