Comments on: Was the snake in the Garden of Eden literal or allegorical? https://askgramps.org/was-the-snake-in-the-garden-of-eden-literal-or-allegorical/ Moral answers to everyday concerns, curiosities, and uncertainties. Gramps considers all questions on all topics from all sources. Wed, 29 Sep 2021 03:31:46 +0000 hourly 1 By: Robert https://askgramps.org/was-the-snake-in-the-garden-of-eden-literal-or-allegorical/#comment-33610 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:22:00 +0000 http://www.askgramps.org/?p=10249#comment-33610 It is interesting to note that the Tree of Life is spoken about in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. It is clearly shown to be symbolic in Lehi’s dream and Nephi’s vision. So this would indicate to me that the other elements of the Garden story are symbolic too; the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (and its fruit), the Serpent, the Cherubim and Flaming Sword, etc.

Regarding the Lord’s use of parables, the Bible Dictionary says:

“During part of the Galilean ministry the record states that “without a parable spake he not unto them” (Mark 4:34). From our Lord’s words…we learn the reason for this method. It was to veil the meaning. The parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence; to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story, “seeing they see not,” while to the instructed and spiritual it reveals the mysteries or secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Thus it is that the parable exhibits the condition of all true knowledge. Only he who seeks finds.”

Now you just need to ask yourself the question: Why was Nephi and his family able to freely partake of the Tree of Life, while Adam and Eve could not yet do so?

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