The Ascended Master Maitreya is known as the Great Initiator, and some ascended master teachings say the Garden of Eden was a spiritual schoolroom (or Mystery School) and that Maitreya was the chief initiator, what Genesis refers to as God. However, some ascended master teachings also say that after Sanat Kumara came to earth, Gautama and Maitreya were the first to respond. Gautama ascended first and Maitreya after that. Since Gautama ascended 2,500 years ago and the Garden of Eden took place well before that, there seems to be a contradiction.
However, this can be resolved by realising that what we often see as the names of ascended masters can be seen as offices. This means that as the earth moves on and more beings ascend, a different ascended master may move into the same office held by another ascended master up until that point. Thus, there was an ascended master who was the leader of the mystery school known as the Garden of Eden, and his name was Maitreya. This master did not embody on earth but ascended in a higher sphere. Since then, another being has ascended and taken over the office and the name Maitreya.