Return to the Tree of Life

The most important thing I have ever learned/ read/ discovered in the Bible is the concept of the Milta (Miltha, the Aramaic corollary of the Greek 'Logos'), that the Ineffable Most High No-thing is ALSO manifest: "In the beginning [of creation] there was the Manifestation (i.e., the Milta); and that Manifestation was with God; and God was [the embodiment of] that Manifestation" (John 1:1 Alexander). This concept of God's substantive manifestation changed everything for me. The soul of Jesus Christ was no longer an expression of God, but was and is verily God Himself, and we are Him becoming Himself--the completed Milta. (I am an advocate of the Law of Assumption. Vic Alexander does not necessarily share my views. He just translated the Ancient Aramaic Scriptures faithfully into English, and let the chips fall where they may. Aramaic New Testament: from the Ancient Church of the East Scriptures is the text I use.  Aramaic Scripture - I think this version just has stronger emphasis on Aramaic names and/or titles.) 

The idea of God's assumption hardening into fact is key here. Moses explains what is going on--what God is doing--very well in the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy in the Old Testament). It takes quite a bit of discernment to understand it, and I find I spend most of my time in the Books of Genesis and Exodus. So I was reading Genesis 3 the other day, and I noticed in Genesis 3:22 that Alexander, using the Ancient Aramaic text, has Adam (this includes Eve) having EATEN of the tree of life. Beep. That can't be right, can it? So I read it again. Yes, here Adam has eaten of the tree of life, and that is why God puts him out of the Garden. And the sword turning every way isn't to keep Adam out, but is to get him to return!

I have to read this whole story again. Now I find that in Alexander's translation, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (tokog&e) is not even mentioned in Genesis 2:9; there is the tree of life only in the midst of the Garden. But in Genesis 2:17 God warns Adam not to eat of the tokog&e, which is the tree in the midst of the Garden in Genesis 3:3. That is the tree Adam eats of in Genesis 3:6, said in 3:22 to be the tree of life. Why hasn't eating of the tree of life magically given Adam eternal life?

Okay. They are the same "tree." Symbolically, a tree is a source, and the tree of life is symbolic of the substantive Source of Life. It occurs to  me that the substantive source of life for man is DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER, i.e., believing God's words and doing His will.

Yet, how did Adam "eat" of this tree, this power, wherein the tree of life became the tokog&e for him? Adam wanted to do it himself, to live his own life independent of God's lordship and direction, living eternally (we don't believe we are going to die) under his own wisdom, directing his own life, to be on his own separate from God, or at the very least as God's peer. Adam ignorantly DOUBTED God's words, and he doubted God's love for him. The tree of life became the tokog&e for Adam.

This disbelieving belief was rebellion as witchcraft, and God knew it every bit. He came raging into the paradise as a violent storm. I can imagine the trees Adam and Eve were trying to hide amongst being ripped out of the ground by the force of the winds. So much for fig leaves being covering. Says the Lord God in Alexander's translation: "'Behold, Adam wanted to be like one of us, to know the good and the evil; now, that is why he extended his hand and took from the tree of life and ate, so he could live forever (to the end of the universe--Adam not expecting a real judgment).' And the Lord God sent him from Eden's Paradise to work the earth that He consecrated off from there. And so the Lord God ejected him, and there shot up for them from the East of the Paradise of Eden the plants of carob and a perishable life at the edge of the sword, so as there would be one day a return to the way of the Tree of Life (Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: 'And ejected him the Lord God, and climb up from the Easterlies the Paradise of Eden carob and the swords teeth and returnable would be to guard the road of the Tree of Life')" (Genesis 3:22-24 Alexander).

Justifiably miffed by Adam's selfish disobedience and desire to be independent, God put him out of the Garden. "You want to direct your own life, to be independent and on your own? Okay. Here, have at it!" Adam was in the regular world on is own. Carob is a miserable food representative of poverty, and swords teeth may be either thistles that make life difficult or actual swords of politics or violence that end it all together. GOD TURNED US OVER TO LIVING IN OUR OWN WORLDS WITHOUT GOD. Poopy lives that make us labor and suffer affliction of our own construction, and make us desire to return to the paradise we were created for.

In several of his books, T. L. Osborn tells stories of the people who come to his (now LaDonna's) crusades. Created to be God's best, many were poor, destitute, sick, blind, diseased, crippled, dying . . . in their own worlds without God. Osborn informed them and gave them opportunity to believe God's words, and to return to the tree of life--to know God's will and to do it. And in their return, tens of thousands were healed as God welcomed them home.
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I attach this e-mail exchange:

On Sat, May 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM imagicworldview@aol.com wrote:

Dear Vic,

I think your translations from the ancient Aramaic are the most important CORRECTIVE things that have ever been given to the western church. I know the concept of the Milta has greatly reformed my theology and understanding of the Scriptures. But now I have noticed a perhaps equally significant reformative concept: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil being the same tree. I.e., that there was only one tree in the midst of Paradise.

I get this understanding from your translation of Gen. 2:9--"And the Lord God supplied from the earth all that is pleasing to the sight and delicious to eat and the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise." All other English translations continue this verse with "and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil." Let me tell you, I believe you are the correct one.

Adam and Eve are forbidden to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve then rebel and eat "of the Tree that is in the midst of the Garden," which according to your translation, as I understand it, is the Tree of Life. You seem to understand that the knowledge of good and evil comes from the Tree of Life. I believe this agrees with John 3:14, "And just as Moses lifted the darkness by the light of life, this is how you should glorify (lift up) the Son of Man, so that every human [being] who believes in him does not [go to] oblivion, except that they may have life everlasting."

This is genius. Eternal life comes from doing the will of God--keeping the intent of the Torah. Eve saw the beauty of it, but wanted to be the one in control, to be independent of God. Believing themselves to be lords of their own lives, Adam and Eve created their own WORLDS WITHOUT GOD.

You say in Gen. 3:22, And the Lord God said, "Behold, Adam wanted to be like one of us, to know the good and the evil; now, that is why he extended his hand and took from the tree of life and ate, so he could live forever." Yours is the only translation that states that Adam ATE of the Tree of Life to GET eternal life. I assumed that he was to get Life by the knowledge of good and evil. But Life is not gotten by magic; it is gotten being one with the Milta, by DOING the will of God in love and appreciation. Every other translation says, "lest he now eat of the Tree of Life and live forever." You only live forever if you live according to the will of God, NOT if you go your own way.

Anyway, Vic, am I reading this correctly, or were there two separate trees?

Thank you for all the fine work you have done. Hey. Wait a minute. Isn't your birthday just about now? I just realized -- not sure where to look it up, but I remember it is about May 17th, isn't it? Eighty-second? Ah, here it is: May 6th, 1943. God bless and Happy Belated Birthday, Victor N. Alexander.

Dan Steele
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From: vicalexander37@gmail.com

To: imagicworldview@aol.com

Sat, May 17 at 6:54 PM

Thanks for writing, Dan!
I appreciate your analysis and my 'contribution' to the translation of the Church of the East Bible.
When I was translating, I did not always know the full meaning; but I didn't try to 'make sense' out of certain concepts being presented by the Gospel writers. I translated the verses literally, and the next day when I reviewed what I had translated, I found out they made sense.
Thank you for wishing me Happy Birthday. I hope you're doing great.
In a month or two I'm planning to post a new website about my Bible translation.
With the blessings of Maran Eashoa Msheekha,
Victor N. Alexander

(Bold emphasis mine--Steele)
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From: vicalexander37@gmail.com
To: imagicworldview@aol.com

Mon, May 26 at 7:12 PM

Hi Dan,
I like the fact that you interpret my translation. I have forgotten most of what I translated, because there is so much of it, and I never did have a complete understanding of the whole Scriptures, like some theologians who spend a lifetime studying the Bible.
I only translated straight through, and I stayed with the literal wording as much as I could.
I'm glad you're quoting me and studying the Church of the East original Scriptures.

As usual, the blessings of Maran Eashoa Msheekha,
Victor N. Alexander