What is the knowledge of good and evil?
The Hebrew word for good is kreitton meaning; superior, better, or greater. And the word for evil is: ra – meaning inferior in quality, wicked, impure, sin, bringing to ruin. So the knowledge that God was speaking about is being able to recognise what both good and evil are. If we weren’t meant to be able to discern for ourselves the difference between good and evil, it means that we were meant to totally rely on God for our guidance. Without the knowledge of good and evil all Adam and Eve had to hold fast to when they were approached by evil was pure obedience. By wanting to “be like God” Adam and Eve attempted to determine the difference between good and evil for themselves. When the couple received their new power of discrimination from the fruit, the new knowledge that appears is very ironic; the knowledge of being vulnerable and helpless now that they have given up their dependence on God! Genesis 3:7 “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their na
