11 - Malus domestica / Apple tree

Shakespeare wrote these famous words; “All that glitters is not gold often have these words been told”.  Having only been mentioned once in the early chapters of Genesis this tree has affected the whole of mankind badly by the first two humans on earth tasting its fruit.  So here goes:

Malus domestica Apple tree?

Yes, we are back with a fruit tree but not just any old fruit tree.  You may recall in previous studies I mentioned God created fruit trees before proper trees, however this tree being discussed here has always been assumed as an apple tree, was mentioned as a special creation in Genesis 2 v 9 as the  Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and Adam was not to eat any fruit from it.

Apple trees come in all shapes and sizes and have been grown for their fruit since creation. However, they were prone to all sorts of pests, late frosts, and poor pollination. So, selective breeding and cross pollination over the centuries by us humans has led to the availability of numerous types of apples for baking, cooking, eating, juicing, cider making and many apples that look good to eat but don’t taste so good.   This selective breeding has produced hardier apple trees that will produce fruit at the right time for whatever they are wanted for and wherever they are needed.

It is not declared within Genesis what type of tree the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is, but if it was an apple tree the penalty for eating from it is described clearly in Gen 2 v 17 “for in the day thou eat thereof you shall surely die”   This theme is carried on in Gen 3 v 17 when God speaks to Adam after he and Eve blame each other then the devil when he says” and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying “Thou shalt not eat of it”: cursed is the ground for thy sake: … Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth to thee.

Those who have been blessed to have a garden during this pandemic will understand what thorns, thistles, nettles, bindweed, dandelions, and brambles mean and why they always seem to grow better in this dry weather than anything else does.  I know they seem to in mine. That is because Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  These words are often described as the fall of man or when sin entered the world.

However, from then on God put a rescue plan in place because all of mankind was at risk from temptation, (all sorts of pests, disobedience) from cursed ground,(thorns and thistles) and plants (poor pollination, late frosts).  The sign of the rainbow has been very prevalent over recent weeks, which reminds us of Noah’s rescue from a very rebellious and sinful world. We pick up God’s great rescue plan again in Gen 15 v 5 & 6 when God promised Abram a great nation, yet he had no son or heir born yet. Then in Isaiah 11 v 1 we read out “There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse. And a Branch shall grow out of his roots” Most of the modern translations add that this new branch will bear fruit, which is you and I the rescued. Finally, we read in the gospels for unto us is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.

No wonder I like gardening, no wonder I like trees, and no wonder I like apples but only certain types.

Is that why they say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?