What is the tree of Life and why was it guarded by the Cherubim?

The first time we hear about the tree of life is in Genesis 2:8-9 where we see God planting a garden in Eden and growing every kind of tree that is “pleasant to the sight and good for food.” This garden includes both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After creating man, He puts him in the garden and commands: “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Notice that God does not prohibit man from eating the fruit from the tree of life. That is, until they commit the first sin by disobeying God’s commandment not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He places a cherubim along with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life and makes sure that man does not eat from the tree of life and live forever (Genesis 3:22-24). 

The Church Fathers have held the view that it was the fruit from the tree of life that prevented Adam and Eve from experiencing bodily corruption and by placing the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life – and thus introducing death – God was showing his mercy towards them. Some may wonder how introducing death into the world counts as God’s mercy. The answer lies in understanding the events that led to him placing the cherubim to guard the way. 

Having sinned, man could not remain in the presence of God and had to leave paradise. But God, being all-loving and merciful, did not want this separation to last forever. He wanted, still wants, and will always want His children to come into full communion with Him – which after the separation of sin, means passing through death. By having death, those who belong to him will not be separated from him forever and it will also ensure that those who are evil will not continue to grow more and more evil for eternity. Therefore, placing the cherubim plays an important role in the salvation history of mankind which we can try to understand by looking further in the Scripture.

The tree of life that appears in the first book of salvation history also appears in the last. It tells us where the tree of life is (in Heaven) and that all can eat from it and have eternal life (the chosen ones). 

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” – Revelation 22:1-2

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” – Revelation 22:14

“To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:7 

So we know the following about the tree of life:

1. The tree of life was there along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil
2. God did not prohibit man from eating from the tree of life
3. After the fall, man was not allowed to eat from the tree of life and have everlasting life
4. This was made sure by placing a cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life and
5. Finally we know that “those who wash their robes” (those who are made pure) will have the right to eat from the tree of life. 

How does one, who is so unworthy that a cherubim was placed to guard the way, obtain the right to eat from the tree of life? The answer is Jesus. The way to the tree of life that was closed due to original sin (Genesis 3:22-24) was made open when Jesus declared that He is the way (John 14:6). If one is to follow the path revealed by Christ he will ultimately find himself standing at the foot of the tree of life, which is the Cross (Acts 5:30), and see the fruit hanging on it, Christ himself. He urged his followers to strive “for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give” (John 6:27. He goes on to reveal the divine truth that the bread that he will give for the life of the world is His own flesh (John 6:35, John 6:51) and that those who eat this bread will have eternal life (John 6:51; John 6:58). He then fulfills His promise to His disciples at the last supper by saying – “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26). It is this  bread of life that we receive during the Holy Mass, the Eucharist. 

Thus God, in his infinite wisdom, restores that which was lost due to the disobedience of one man (Adam) through the obedience of another (Christ). By doing so, God calls out to those who had become unworthy to eat from the tree of life and gives the right to eat the bread of life to those who “wash their robes” and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). 

As Catholics, we have been given the privilege to receive and eat from the tree of life, both in this world and the next. So let’s prepare ourselves by washing off the stain of sin and become worthy (1 Corinthians 11:27-32) to partake in this great mystery which would lead us to everlasting life.