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Adam Quote by Timothy Keller

“At the beginning of history there was also a garden and a command. God put Adam and Eve in that garden, and they were told not to eat of the Tree. The direction was: “Obey me about the Tree, and you will live”—obey me and I’ll bless you. But they disobeyed. Now there is another garden, and a…” quote by Timothy Keller
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““At the beginning of history there was also a garden and a command. God put Adam and Eve in that garden, and they were told not to eat of the Tree. The direction was: “Obey me about the Tree, and you will live”—obey me and I’ll bless you. But they disobeyed. Now there is another garden, and a Second Adam, and another command. Jesus Christ has been sent by the Father to go to the cross, which is also a tree. To the first Adam he said, “Obey me about the Tree and I will bless you”—and Adam didn’t do it. But to the second Adam he says, “Obey me about the Tree and I will crush you”—and Jesus does. Jesus is the first and last person in history to be told that obedience would bring a curse. The Father is saying, essentially, “If you obey me, if you are faithful to me, I will forsake you, cast you off and send your soul into hell.” And yet Jesus obeyed. Even as he was dying, abandoned by his Father, he called him “My God”—words that in the Bible were covenant language, conveying intimacy. Even though he was being forsaken, Jesus was still obeying.””

Timothy Keller

About This Quote

Source Sermon: The Parable of the Tree, Grace Community Church, 2015

Jesus, the second Adam, obeyed God even to death, showing that true obedience may lead to suffering, not blessing.

In simple terms: Jesus obeyed despite suffering, unlike the first Adam.

Key Takeaway

Embrace obedience even when it costs you.

Themes

faith obedience redemption

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

theological inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal trials
  • spiritual growth
  • leadership challenges

Key Concepts

theology sacrifice covenant

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does true obedience look like in modern life?
  • How can we discern between harmful and holy commands?
A Different Perspective

Obedience can be misused to justify harsh outcomes.

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