What is the meaning of the expression “the knowledge of good and evil” in Genesis 2:s17?
This phrase, in the context of the Creation narrative, has been debated among Bible students for centuries, and various interpretations have been given to it. Among the most common is the sexual theory, which argues that the verb “to know” refers here to the sexual act. It is then pointed out that after eating of the tree, Adam and Eve realized that they were naked. This interpretation implies that sexual knowledge belongs to the exclusive domain of God. This is not, however, what the narrative indicates (see Gen. 2:18-20). Another suggestion is that the phrase “good and evil” is an idiomatic expression used in the Bible to indicate everything, the totality of knowledge; similar to the phrase “heaven and earth,” which designates the totality of God’s creation. To know good and evil would then mean to be omniscient. Needless to say, the context rules out this possibility. Adam and Eve did not become omniscient after eating of the tree. Another interpretation argues that the knowledge of
