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According to scripture, there is a benefit to be gained when eating from the tree of life.

Rev 2:7 (niv),

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Rev 22:14,

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city."

What is to be gained when eating from the tree of life?, considering that those who have washed their robes have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city," which implies that they have already been resurrected.

I am aware of the textual variant in Rev 22:14,

Why does NIV translate Revelation 22:14, Blessed are those who wash their robes?

Bagpipes
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  • Are you asking why the tree of life imparts eternal life? Are you asking why cells do not die when the person east from the tree? We do not know the answers to any of these. – Dottard Jan 15 '22 at 20:15
  • @Dottard, Apologies for my late reply yo your comment. I have always held to the view that eating from the tree of life is the source of eternal life. When i look into the scriptures in question, i observe that the resurrection must have happened before the "saved", eat from the tree, so if the saved eat from the tree after they have been resurrected, then what is the advantage to them, by eating the fruit of the tree, as they already have eternal life. Note: Rev 22;14 is the end of Johns visions in the book of Revelation but one can still see symbolism, Re: The fruit of the tree. – Bagpipes Jan 16 '22 at 09:47
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    I do not know the answer to the question, but that question is predicated on the assumption that Rev 22:14 is entirely literal which is not necessarily true. Most of Revelation is written in apocalyptic and thus conspicuous signs and symbols. All we know is that Eden will be restored in some "sense" including the tree of life, whatever that means. I am happy to wait and see. – Dottard Jan 16 '22 at 10:12
  • Rev is, as per Dottard above, apocalyptic. It’s also chiastic, so just because something comes after, doesn’t mean it happens after - it comes after to fit the chiasm. Now Rev tells us the tree of life is the paradise of God. It also tells us the the New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ. The white robes are the righteous acts of the Saints. And the blood is the blood of the Lamb, or perhaps the sacrifice - which would amount to the same thing. So those in white robes washed in blood, eating from the tree in the… –  Jan 16 '22 at 11:18
  • … New Jerusalem are simply Christians, sanctified through good works, justified by Christ’s death, in relationship with Jesus, destined (or living in) paradise. –  Jan 16 '22 at 11:18
  • @ Ashley Roberts, Yes that is my point, if the saved have been resurrected to eternal life then why do they need to be nourished by the fruit of the tree after they have been resurrected., as the symbolism suggests. – Bagpipes Jan 16 '22 at 11:27

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7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

This applies to the church, those IN Christ awaiting their transformation into spirit life as Jesus now has. If they are dead, they will be in the 1st Resurrection. If alive, they will be changed

in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1Cor 15:52

The other passage is about those still alive after the tribulation.

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city."

The verse continues, showing that there are two lives here. The saved within the city and those who are yet to accept God's salvation.

Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

What is apparently a very wicked bunch is a factual way of describing any who are not yet IN Jesus. We can note the striking reference to Rahab.

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient. Heb 11:31

in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? James 2:25

Paul makes no attempt to disguise what Rahab did or was - she was a prostitute, but now a faithful saved prostitute. So it could also be for the murderers and idolaters etc. who will be offered redemption and the tree of life just as all men (and women) will be.

The benefit of 'eating the tree of life' is to have eternal life with God, as Jesus now has - raised, exalted, not able to die again. We can only gain access to the tree through Jesus - hence the granting of the right to eat. In Jesus alone, we have the right. We'll remember the tree of life was cordoned off to men after the 'fall'. In Jesus, the restriction is removed for those who accept Jesus' sacrifice for their sin.

Steve
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  • "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." resonates with this question, which has caused a lot of debate recently. https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/56349/are-the-souls-of-revelation-69-11-awake-and-yet-still-awaiting-the-resurrection. – Bagpipes Jan 16 '22 at 10:26
  • There is much confusion generated by unscriptural ideas of immortal souls etc and the waters are indeed very muddy. The challenge remains to correctly identify the literal from the symbolic - the symbolic obviously means something but to paint the whole of Rev. metaphorically is to miss out on valuable insights. – Steve Jan 16 '22 at 10:35
  • You'll have to explain that logic. Who is the city for but the saved? God has already transferred believers from darkness to light - if they die in this life they already have taken of the tree of life. Jesus IS the life, we eat his flesh and drink his blood and have his life within us - waiting for the 'deposit' of spirit to be made complete. We died with him and will live with him. Abraham and all those who died in faith (Heb 11) will be raised to eternal life - they need no tree. – Steve Jan 16 '22 at 11:08