🔍 CLAIM: The Tree in the Misdt of the Garden of Eden Was the Tithe

Some preachers claim:

God placed the tree in the midst of the Garden and forbade Adam and Eve from eating it, just as God forbids man from touching the tithe.

To eat the fruit is symbolic of taking what belongs to God—i.e., the tithe (10% of income).

Therefore, Adam and Eve were “cursed” or expelled due to this “tithe robbery” (compare to Malachi 3:8–10).

This teaching is highly allegorical and lacks direct biblical support.

📖 SCRIPTURAL ANALYSIS

1. Literal Context of the Tree (Genesis 2–3)

Genesis 2:17 – “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 3 – The disobedience was a moral, spiritual decision rooted in human rebellion, deception, and pride—not about material possessions or money.

👉 Nowhere in the narrative is money, offerings, or tithes mentioned.

💡 The tree symbolized God’s sovereign authority, not a “portion” for God like the tithe.

2. Tithe in the Old Testament

The tithe (Hebrew ma‘aser, meaning “tenth”) was instituted in the Law of Moses, after the fall, and after Abraham.

First mentioned in:

Genesis 14:20 – Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of spoils (a freewill offering, not commanded).

Leviticus 27:30–33 – The tithe was part of the Mosaic Covenant for supporting the Levites, temple worship, and provision for the poor.

👉 Tithing is not taught or hinted at in Genesis 2–3, and Adam and Eve were not under the Mosaic Law.

3. Misuse of Allegory

Paul, in Galatians 4:24, used allegory with scriptural warrant, but Scripture should not be spiritually allegorized without basis.

Teaching that the tree = tithe is eisegesis (reading one’s view into the text), not exegesis (drawing meaning from the text).

❗It dangerously shifts the focus from the true nature of sin (disobedience and rebellion) to monetary transactions.

🧭 THE RIGHT SCRIPTURAL BALANCE: What Was the Real Sin?

1. Disobedience to God’s Command

Genesis 2:16–17 gives a clear instruction from God.

The tree tested their obedience, trust, and submission.

2. Desire for Autonomy

Genesis 3:5 – “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

They wanted independence from God, choosing to define morality on their own.

3. Deception and Pride

Satan deceived them, and they acted in self-interest.

4. Result: Spiritual Death and Separation

They were driven from the Garden, not for touching God’s “tithe,” but because they violated the boundary God had established.

It reflects the fall of man, not financial mismanagement.

✅ THEOLOGICAL TRUTH IN BALANCE

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil = God’s right to determine morality.

The Fall = human desire to usurp divine authority.

The Tithe = a separate later principle introduced in a covenantal context, not in Eden.

The New Testament emphasizes generosity, cheerful giving, and stewardship, not obligatory tithing (2 Cor. 9:6–8).

🧠 CONCLUSION

Yes, equating the forbidden tree in Eden to the tithe is a wrong assertion when tested against pure scriptural interpretation.
It’s poor theology and a distortion of God’s redemptive narrative. The disobedience in Eden was about relationship and rebellion, not resources and revenue.
Instead of reading tithing into Genesis, we should uphold:

God’s call to trust His commands.

The danger of self-rule apart from divine boundaries.

The gracious pursuit of God to restore fallen humanity through Christ, the second Adam.