And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to work it and to keep it.
All Commentaries on Genesis 2:15 Go To Genesis 2
Severian of Gabala
AD 425
Tilling the earth, keeping the commandments of God and fidelity to those commandments was the “labor” of God…. Just as believing in Christ is a “work,” so also was Adam’s faithful keeping of God’s command. If he touched the tree, he would die, but if he did not, he would live. “Work” was keeping the spiritual words…. The text says “work” and “protect it.” From what? There were no thieves, travelers or people with bad intentions. “Protect it” from what? From himself. Do not lose it by transgressing the command. Instead, he would preserve the commandment and in so doing preserve himself in paradise.
