A Tale of Two Trees: A Biblical Framework for Theodicy

Seminary Room N310

Suffering has functioned as the most unrelenting oppressor of the human experience. Throughout history, people of various cultures and faith traditions have attempted to reconcile the reality of a benevolent all-powerful God and the existence of evil. Is God to blame for human suffering? Many scholars misunderstand theodicy because they misinterpret the concept of freewill and God’s character. Thus, this paper will examine the role of freewill in the issue of theodicy through an appraisal of the events in the Garden of Eden. The purpose of this analysis is to understand how a proper and improper use of freewill impacts the individual and the community. The tree of knowledge and the tree of life are vital to understanding the plight of humanity because they are representations of the choice each person faces today between life and death, God’s will and selfwill, and Christ’s way and the serpent’s way. The perspective presented in this commentary was ascertained by utilizing the historical-grammatical method. Other perspectives and critical considerations on the subject that would impede a proper understanding of God’s character, freewill, and the consequences of abusing freewill will be addressed.