Reflecting Gardens

The first Adam and the last Adam, Jesus Christ, are found in two different gardens: Eden and Gethsemane.

Genesis 2v5-8
“When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed”.

Mark 14v32
“And they went to a place called Gethsemane.  And He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.””

1 Corinthians 15v45
“Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

Satan also appears in both gardens: as a serpent in Eden and through Judas in Gethsemane.

Genesis 3v1
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. 
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?””

Luke 22v3-4
“Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.  He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.”

Luke 22v47-48
“While He was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.  He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him, but Jesus said to Him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?””

In Eden, Adam chose his own will over God’s; in Gethsemane, Christ humbly chose the Father’s will.

Genesis 2v15-17
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.””

Genesis 3v6
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”

Matthew 26v39
“And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.””

Adam’s decision affected all who are related to him (mankind).  Christ’s decision affects all who are related to Him by faith.

Romans 5v12
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

Romans 5v15-19
“But the free gift is not like the trespass.  For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one-man Jesus Christ abounded for many.  And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin.  For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.  For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one-man Jesus Christ.  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.  For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one-man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Romans 5v19 As we were constituted sinners because of Adam’s sin, apart from any action on our part, so we are constituted righteous apart from anything we do.  It is entirely because of Christ’s obedience.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Exposition of Romans 5 (ESV Church History Study Notes)

Romans 5v18 Some people think that because the condemnation was universal, the acquittal will also be universal.  But that is not so, because not everyone believes.

Ambrosiaster, Commentaries on Romans–2 Corinthians (ESV Church History Study Notes)