Tree symbolism and the hierarchical plan of salvation

This post is based on a few axioms that I do not want to spend too much time on, since they should be well established on this blog by now.

1. Central to the plan of salvation, the scriptures and the gospel contained therein, is the creation. The first 3 chapters of Genesis are extremely dense, chock full of symbolism and set the stage for mankind (Hebr. Adam) and the role of the Savior.
2. Central to the creation account are trees. They are also full of symbolism (as I will discuss soon), they were created on the third day, and they played a central role in the Garden of Eden

I have written about tree symbolism in the scriptures several times before, like here, here and here. Still, I keep learning. One fascinating aspect of a tree, is the way it symbolizes structure and hierarchy. Consider this picture of a branch below. We recognize it as a branch because it is horizontal. But flip it counterclockwise 90 degrees and it looks like a tree. Similarly, we can take a twig from the branch, place it in an upright position and it will look like a mini-tree. This way, trees symbolize order and a hierarchical structure.

In Zenos' allegory in Jacob 5, we read about branches being cut off and planted as trees. The trees in this allegory symbolize nations and people with the fruit symbolizing their works. The whole earth with its people, various nations of the earth and individuals within a particular nation, all reflect different hierarchical levels, just like the tree. Often the same principles apply on different levels. It is a recurring theme in the scriptures, often related to trees. Here are some examples:

Cut off

This is a theme we have discussed before but not in this context. Those who break the covenant are cut off (Hebr. kareth). Usually, this is in the context of an individual who sins and is being cut off from the covenant people. But it applies on different levels. For instance, in 1 Kings 9:6-7, Israel is cut off from the earth or land. This is from the Hebrew, adamah, which can mean both.

6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

When the whole nation falls into apostasy and sin, they are cut off collectively, just like an individual who sins can be cut off individually.

But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:20)

This is just one of many examples to illustrate the same principle as in 1 Kings 9, just on a lower hierarchical level. It goes even further than that. These words by Jesus are well-known:

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. (Matthew 18:8)

Here we even get an explanation. Whatever part that sins, may corrupt the whole and is better cut off. Presumably, this applies to all levels. Wicked individuals can corrupt a nation and a wicked nation can corrupt the whole earth.

The fruit and the cup

This example is perhaps not the best one to get my point across, but I find this part of King Benjamin's speech very interesting:

23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath commanded me.

24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.

25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls.

26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no more forever. (Mosiah 3)

The Lord God had commanded Benjamin, through his angel, to say certain things to his people. They would stand as a bright testimony against them. "Bright" is an interesting adjective to use there, but off topic, so I won't go there. The relevant part is the people who, after hearing the words and still choosing bad works, will drink of the cup of the wrath of God. This is compared to Adam eating of the forbidden fruit. The point is that Adam represents mankind, it is even the meaning of his name. What he did personally and the consequences thereof can be applied on the macro level in the hierarchy of the plan of salvation.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12)

I don't know if it is stretching the symbolism too far to interpret the cup of the wrath of God to be made of the bitter fruit from the tree of knowledge?

The tree of life

On to the other tree in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life. This is referenced several times in the Book of Mormon, but the two most detailed references operate on different levels in the hierarchy. In 1 Nephi 8, Lehi sees the tree in a dream. It is a tree accessible for all people who are able to find their way to it. It was standing by a field representing the world (see 1 Nephi 8:20). This is the macro level version. In Alma 32 we find the micro level version. It is a seemingly very different account where the tree of life is grown within your heart instead. There is a tree-man symbiosis. But the two versions are really not that different, they are just applied on different levels. The same principles apply on all levels. The word of God (either represented by the iron rod or the seed planted in our hearts) is what leads us to the tree of life, collectively and individually. 

Adam and Eve in the scriptures, part 2

In the last post, I focused on the number of times Adam and Eve are mentioned in each book of scripture.  I learned a few surprising things from that part of the study.  The next step was to take a qualitative look at each reference and compare how doctrine in connected to Adam and Eve.  In this regard, the Book of Mormon really stands out. First we'll look at references to Adam and Eve in each of the other books. This part will include the Bible and the Doctrine & Covenants and part three will include the Book of Abraham, Book of Moses, and Book of Mormon. I'll highlight the references which connect to doctrine, light yellow if it touches a little on core gospel doctrine, and a deeper yellow if it connects deeply with core doctrine.

The Old Testament

As discussed in part 1, 18 of the 21 references to Adam and Eve in the entire Old Testament happen in Genesis 1-5.  These occur as part of the narrative account -- there is no real discussion of doctrine, just a telling of the events that transpired.

The rest of the OT only contains 3 other references to Adam the person (there is one reference to a city called Adam in Joshua 3 which I excluded from this study):

1. Deuteronomy 32:8 -- "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." (This is an oblique reference to Adam as the father of the human family.)
2. 1 Chronicles 1:1 -- "Adam, Sheth, Enosh," (This is the beginning of a genealogy.)
3. Job 31:33 -- "If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:" (This is a reference to an event in the Garden of Eden.)

That's it for the entire Old Testament.  I don't see much, if any, deeper doctrine connected with these references.

New Testament

The New Testament contains a few references to Adam and Eve and includes some doctrine:

1. Luke 3:38 -- "Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." (Part of a genealogy.)
2. Romans 5:14 -- "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (These two mentions of Adam come in a doctrinal discussion about sin and death.)
3. 1 Corinthians 15:22 -- "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (This is a well-known verse in a doctrinal treatise on sin and atonement.)
4. 1 Timothy 2:13-14 -- "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (This set of references includes references to events in the Garden as well as some doctrinal discussion about the roles of men and women.)
5. Jude 1:14 -- "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints," (This reference to Adam is only in passing.)

Doctrine & Covenants

For the sake of post length, I'm going to summarize the 31 references found in the Doctrine & Covenants a little more generally:

• Section 27: Connects Adam/Michael/Ancient of days.
• Section 29: "all things unto me are spiritual" / Satan rebelled before Adam and sought God's honor / Adam became subject to the will of the devil by partaking of the fruit / God gave Adam the gospel of repentance
• Section 78: Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 84: Abel received the priesthood "by the hand of his father Adam"
• Section 107: The history of the order of the priesthood / a description of the great priesthood meeting held prior to Adam's death
• Section 116: Identifying Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 117: Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 128: Keys of the priesthood
• Section 136: A promise that we shall behold God's glory if we are faithful in keeping all His words.
• Section 137: A vision of Adam in the celestial kingdom
• Section 138: Adam and Eve standing in the "vast congregation of the righteous" in the post-mortal spirit world

Conclusion

We're building to something here.  Notice how the Old Testament is essentially devoid of deeper doctrine connected to Adam and Eve.  The New Testament fares a little better. The Doctrine and Covenants does quite well in this regard.  In the next post, we'll see how the last three Books included in this investigation compare.

"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ... neither can he know them"

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2)

My recent posts have discussed the mantic and sophic worldviews and how they are at odds with each other inside each and every human mind. Here is a quick summary to review:

The fundamental ambivalence of western civilization consists of a permanent conflict of spiritualities derived from the human condition itself. The assumptions underlying this conflict have created the mantic world view of vertical supernaturalism, a dualistic metaphysic that includes not only the natural order but also another world order which transcends it, and the sophic world view of horizontal naturalism, a monistic metaphysic that confines all realities to the natural order. (source)

The Book of Mormon offers a strong endorsement of the mantic worldview. In this post, I'd like to focus on the scripture passage above and attempt to break down what it means to "receive the spirit which is of God."

Curtis Wright, in this paper, puts it this way:

The saints of God are the holy ones (hoi hagioi), people who are sanctified by a revealed spirituality because they live by the supernatural gift of faith, whereas the natural man, who lives solely by reason and the senses, is any person whose spirituality is naturalistic.

The phrase "sanctified by a revealed spirituality" really resonates with me. This is the new birth we read about in various contexts in the scriptures.  For example, when Alma-2 experiences his miraculous conversion, he tells the people what the Lord spoke to him:

25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
27 I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off. (Mosiah 27)

Saints are those who are sanctified by receiving Christ's atoning sacrifice through covenant. Here is how British New Testament scholar James D. G. Dunn describes the "hoi hagioi":

One of [Paul's] favourite ways of referring to the members of his churches was as "saints" (hagioi), those who had been set apart and dedicated to the service of God. Here we may note that while the noun hagiasmos ("sanctification") was used for the process of salvation, the verb in Paul usually denotes the beginning action, whereby individuals were set apart to discipleship. On one occasion he uses the related image of anointing (2 Corinthians 1:21). We have already noted how important the metaphor of sacrifice is for Paul's understanding of the death of Jesus (2 Corinthians 9:2-3).  Paul also uses the imagery of priestly service for his own ministry, as indeed for all Christian commitment and other acts of service in the gospel. All the justified have "access" to the inner sanctum of the cult (Romans 5:2). Their bodies are themselves temples enshrining God's presence. (The Theology of Paul, 1998, p. 330).

Multiple layers of temple symbolism are intertwined in the concept of becoming a saint: "set apart" by anointing, sacrifice, and priestly service, all of which leads to "access" to the inner sanctum. The "new creature" is a temple of God.

As Paul teaches, it is this sanctification process which allows us to become the sons and daughters of God. This isn't something we earn through our own actions, rather, it is a process of recognizing what has already been done for us by Jesus Christ and seeing our mortal journey through spiritual eyes. Mortality is not a time to pursue idle pleasures. Rather, it is "a time to prepare to meet God" (Alma 12:24) by following His plan for mortality, the everlasting covenant.

We receive the gift by recognizing Christ's atonement

The key principle at work here is that our worldview makes all the difference.  When viewed through the sophic lens, which holds that the material world is all there is, it really makes no sense for Christ to suffer for our sins. It is "not reasonable that such a being as a Christ [should] come" (Helaman 16:18). The rational materialist mindset caused apostate Nephites to believe the doctrine of Christ was:

20 ...a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.

21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives. (Helaman 16)

Natural eyes can never witness the reality of Christ, nor the purposes of His mortal ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection.

Conclusion

Let's finish this post with the same passage we began with (1 Corinthians 2:12-14), only this time I'll use Curtis Wright's alternative translation which explains more context in Paul's writing:

We are not animated by the natural spirit of the cosmos, but by the spirit that comes from God, so that we may distinguish God's free gifts to us [from the provisions of nature]. We speak openly of God's gifts, but not in words that generate instruction from humanly originated wisdom: we use instead the words that communicate information derived from the Holy Spirit; and we also utilize the Holy Spirit as a criterion for determining what is and is not revealed. But the man whose spirituality is naturalistic rejects as absurd everything derived from the Spirit of God: he is incapable of experiencing such things himself, and has no means of evaluating them in others in the absence of revelation.