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The two great events of this earth took place in gardens--the garden of
Eden (Genesis 3:1-21) and a garden just east of Jerusalem (John
19:41--20:16).
In the garden of Eden man was tested and found wanting. Satan, the old
serpent, tempted Eve. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food (Genesis 2:9), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (Genesis
2:9), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (Genesis 3:4-5), she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband
with her; and he did eat" (Genesis 3:6). The fruit of this tree had
been forbidden Adam and eve, but ever since to the sinful heart of man, a
prohibition is an invitation. Eve saw that the tree was good for foodd
and pleasant to the eyes; things which the Scripture clearly declares
(Genesis 2:9). But she also saw the fruit of the tree as being
desirable to make one wise. This did not come from God, but from Satan
(Genesis 3:4-5). The first two considerations could indeed be seen by
the eyes, but the third consideration was not visible. Eve had bought
into the lie of the devil--and did eat. She believed the serpent more
than she believed God. Thus man fell and became a sinner--a sinner by
nature and a sinner by choice. And this same sin nature has been passed
down to us genetically. The reason that you and I sin is that we were
born with a sin nature, passed down to us from Adam.
So when Jesus came into this world of ours to become our Saviour, He had
to be tested in these same three areas. Remember how Satan tempted Him
three times in the wilderness? After Jesus had fasted forty days, Satan
came to Him and tempted Him, "If Thou be the Son of God, command this
stone that it be made bread" (Luke 4:3). This temptation corresponds to
Eve's seeing that the tree was good for food. Jesus answered this
temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3): "man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).
The second temptation put before Jesus found the devil showing Him all
the kingdoms of this world and offering them to Him if He would bow down
and worship him (Luke 4:5-7). Jesus again quoted from Deuteronomy:
"Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve"
(Deuteronomy 6:13, Luke 4:8). This temptation corresponds to "pleasant
to the eyes" in the garden of Eden. The third temptation found the
devil setting Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and tempting Him to
jump from there, for the angels will keep You from falling. In so
saying, the devil quoted from Psalm 91:11-12. You see, Satan can quote
Scripture, too. That's one reason why it is so important to know the
word of God well; so that Satan will not be able to trip you up in this
fashion. Jesus knew the Scriptures well, and did not fall into this
snare of the devil. Rather, Jesus quoted a third time from the book of
Deuteronomy saying: "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy
6:16). This temptation corresponds to "a tree to be desired to make one
wise". So Jesus was tried in the same areas in which Adam and Eve had
been tried; but Jesus did not yield to the temptations of the devil.
And so in the New Testament Adam and Jesus are contrasted. Adam is the
polluted fountainhead of humanity, while Jesus is the pure fountainhead
of humanity. And so we read: "For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). All who are
in Adam die (the second death--the lake of fire), while all who are in
Christ live eternally with the Lord.
In Romans 5:12-21 Adam and Jesus are contrasted.
Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:45-49: "And so it is written, the
first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a
quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but
that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first
man is of the earth, earthy: the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As
is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the
heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne
the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
Note again the contrast between Adam and Jesus. Jesus is referred to as
the "second Man" or fountainhead of humanity. He is also called the
"last Adam" which tells us that there will never have to be another
fountainhead of humanity; for this second fountainhead is perfect.
Adam, our federal head or fountainhead, yielded to sin and thus
contaminated and polluted the whole human race with a sin nature. This
put us all on the road that leads to hell. God sent His Son to rescue
fallen humanity, giving His life in payment for our sins. Jesus, the
God-man, became the second federal head or fountainhead of the human
race. He calls to all men to come to Him. Those who come to Jesus by
faith are placed into this second Adam and live. Those who ignore or
outrightly reject the call of Jesus remain in Adam and so continue on
their way to hell.
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