The tree of life
When, over five years ago, I spent two months in Israel for the very first time, a man working at the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish on the shorelines of the Sea of Galilee handed me a Benedictine cross – made out of the wood of an olive tree.
Even earlier, a friend, himself a Muslim, had given me a depiction of Jesus as the King with a crown of thorns carved out of one single piece of olive wood, skillfully done by an Arab Catholic in the land of Israel.
“(…) I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make ingenious designs, (…) and carving wood (…).“
Exodus 31: 3
The Rosary which I received as a gift from the woman who was my Catechism teacher before Holy Confirmation, the sacrament of being anointed on the forehead with sacred chrism – a mixture of olive oil and balm blessed by the Bishop, signifying the reception of the “seal“ of the Holy Spirit – is very dear to me: the wood of the olive tree yet again, with the inscription “Bethlehem“ – “House of Bread“ – on its little cross.
Around my neck, along with the Star of David and a medal picturing on one side Saint Joseph with the child Jesus and on the other side Saint Jude Thaddeus, I wear a tree of life pendant which a friend brought me from Spain some years ago. The medal I found in a traditional pilgrim‘s place of Marian devotion in the summer of 2019, while I ousted the Star of David from a bracelet that very same friend had given me.
I chose these three pendants for my necklace in 2019, some time after Holy Confirmation, simply out of intuitively “liking“ them, and liking what they alluded to. Back then I already had an understanding of their meaning, of what they were signifying. But just recently I meditated a bit deeper on the various associations they conjure up. And it made me love this necklace more than ever.
I realized how Saint Joseph as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth alludes to the Holy Family as a whole – because where Saint Joseph, the carpenter, is, there his wife, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster son Jesus are not far; how Saint Jude Thaddeus, a cousin of Jesus, the son of Mary “the wife of Clopas“ (John 19: 25), one of the Marys who stood under the cross with the Blessed Virgin and Saint John, and the patron saint of “impossible causes“, represents the twelve apostles, the twelve foundation stones of the Church, as a whole; how the Star of David stands for Israel, for God‘s people, both the physical and the spiritual nation of Abraham (“‘Look up now, at the sky, and count the stars – if you are able to count them.‘ Then He said him, ‘So shall your seed be.‘“ (Genesis 15: 4)), and represents all the angels and all the saints of God‘s holy assembly, as stars and “lights“ in Sacred Scripture are symbolic specifically of the angels and saints (“Among them you shine as lights in the world“ (Philippians 2: 15)); and how the Star of David also reminds one of the King of Israel, of the Messiah from Abraham’s and David‘s seed (“For a star will come from Jacob“ (Numbers 24: 17)); and then finally: how the whole history of salvation is contained in the symbol of the “tree of life“…
The tree of life was there in the Garden of Eden, in the middle of the garden, before Adam and Eve fell through disobedience and the cherubim with flaming swords were positioned at the barred entrance to paradise to make sure mankind would not – in a state of sin, without sanctifying grace – eat from it, and we encounter the tree of life again in the very last chapter of the Bible, chapter 22 in the book of Revelation:
“Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life – bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city‘s street. On either side of the river was a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in the city, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. Night shall be no more, and people will have no need for lamplight or sunlight – for ADONAI Elohim will shine on them. And they shall reign forever and ever!“
Revelation 22: 1-5
Three years ago, in the land of Israel, I gave away the Bible I had with me to a fellow volunteer on a kibbutz close to the border with Lebanon. So I got myself a new one once I was back home. The new Bible I ended up with was the “Tree of Life translation“, which I still use today. As you can see by now: the imagery of the tree of life and me, we got it going on…
The branches of Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, green branches of hope returned to our homes. Hope on the King whose “rule will extend from sea to sea“ (Zechariah 9: 10).
“He presented to them another parable, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. It‘s the smallest of all seeds; yet when it‘s full grown, it‘s greater than the other herbs. It becomes like a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.‘“
Matthew 13: 31-32
Each year on Palm Sunday we remember how Jesus, just a few days before the Pesach feast, entered the city of Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace, coming down from the Mount of Olives, riding on a colt, on a little donkey, beginning to fulfill various prophecies like the following from the book of Genesis, the book of Zechariah and Psalm 118, which is the last of the Hallel psalms (113-118), psalms of praise that are prayed on the Seder Evening of Pesach:
“The scepter will not pass from Judah, nor the ruler‘s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs will come. To him will be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey‘s colt to the choice vine, he washes his garments in wine, and in the blood of grapes his robe.“
Genesis 49: 10-11
“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, a righteous one bringing salvation. He is lowly, riding on a donkey – on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem, and the war bow will be broken. He will speak shalom to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, by the blood of your covenant I will release your prisoners from the waterless Pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Today I declare that I will restore twice as much to you. I will bend Judah as my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion against your sons, O Greece. I will wield you like a warrior‘s sword. Then ADONAI will be seen over them as His arrows flashes like lightning. ADONAI Elohim will blow the shofar and march in whirlwinds of the south. ADONAI-Tzva‘ot will defend them. They will consume and conquer with sling stones. They will drink and roar as with wine and be filled like a bowl, like the corners of the altar. ADONAI their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people. They will be like gems of a crown sparkling over His land. How good and beautiful it will be! Grain will make the young men thrive and new wine the virgin women.“
Zechariah 9: 9-17
“Praise ADONAI, for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever. O let Israel say: For His lovingkindness endures forever. O let the house of Aaron say: For His lovingkindness endures forever. O let those who fear ADONAI say: For His lovingkindness endures forever. Out of a tight place I called on ADONAI – ADONAI answered me with a spacious place. ADONAI is for me – I will not fear! What can man do to me? ADONAI is for me, as my helper. I will see the downfall of those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in ADONAI than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me – in the Name of ADONAI I cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, all around me – in the Name of ADONAI I cut them off.
Psalm 118
You pushed me hard to make me fall, but ADONAI helped me. ADONAI is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory are in the tents of the righteous: ‘ADONAI‘s right hand is mighty! ADONAI‘s right hand is lifted high! ADONAI‘s right hand is mighty!‘
I will not die, but live, and proclaim what ADONAI has done! ADONAI has chastened me hard, but has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and praise ADONAI. This is the gate of ADONAI – the righteous will enter through it. I give You thanks, because You have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. It is from ADONAI: it is marvelous in our eyes! This is the day that ADONAI has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Hoshia-na! Please, ADONAI, save now! We beseech you, ADONAI, prosper us! Baruch ha-ba b‘Shem ADONAI – Blessed is He who comes in the Name of ADONAI. We bless you from the House of ADONAI. ADONAI is God, and He has given us light. Join the festival with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I praise You. You are my God – I exalt You! Praise ADONAI, for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever.“
“Now as they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Yeshua sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village before you. Right away, you‘ll find a donkey tied up and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Master needs them.‘ And right away he will send them.‘ (…) The disciples went and did as Yeshua had directed them. They brought the donkey and colt and put their clothing on the road, and others began cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. The crowds going before Him and those following kept shouting, saying, ‘Hoshia-na to Ben-David! Baruch ha-ba b‘shem ADONAI! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hoshia-na in the highest!‘“
Matthew 21: 1-9
It is very likely that the branches which the people cut from the surrounding trees to salute the Messianic King and accompany Him in a festive procession were branches from olive trees – it is called Mount of Olives for a reason, after all. And having seen, several times, the Mount of Olives, its slope, the valley between the mount and the city, and the gate through which Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, I assure you of this: There are, indeed, still olive trees, and it‘s easy to imagine that back then the entire mountain slope was filled with olive groves.
In the gospel of Saint John we read about “palm branches“:
“The next day, the huge crowd that had come up for the feast heard that Yeshua was coming to Jerusalem. So they took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, ‘Hoshia-na! Baruch ha-ba b‘shem ADONAI! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! The King of Israel!‘“
John 12: 12-13
Olive branches, palm branches – these branches can point us to the thread of the “tree of life“ imagery running through Sacred Scripture from the beginning to the end. Let us look into it a bit more, though none of this can be exhaustive.
An altar of wood, and a menorah like an almond tree
In the book of Exodus we read how God gives Moses specific instructions for Israel‘s portable tabernacle of worship with all its equipment. The altar the Israelites shall fashion for the tabernacle is an altar of wood:
“Make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide. The altar will be square and its height is to be three cubits. Make horns on the four corners – of one piece. Overlay it with bronze.“
Exodus 27: 1-2
The menorah – the lampstand with seven arms whose light was to be kept burning continually with pure olive oil (cf. Leviticus 24) – resembles a tree, an almond tree to be more specific:
“You are to make a menorah of pure gold, by hammered work. Its base, stem, cups, bulbs and flowers are to be one piece. There are to be six branches coming out of the sides, three branches of the menorah out of one side, and three branches out of the other. There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms in one branch, each with a bulb and a flower, then three cups made like almond blossoms in the next branch, each with a bulb and a flower, and so forth for the six branches coming out of the menorah. Within the menorah will be four cups made like almond blossoms, with bulbs and flowers. There is to be a bulb under two branches of the firts piece, a bulb under two branches of the second piece, and a bulb under two branches of the third piece, for the six branches coming out of the menorah. Their bulbs and their branches are to be one piece – all of it a single hammered work of pure gold. You are also to make the seven lamps for it, and set the lamps up to shed light over the space before it.“
Exodus 25: 31-37
But why an almond tree as the template for the continually burning lampstand?
There are some interesting connotations to the almond tree in other places in the Old Testament: In the book of Genesis, almonds are mentioned as one of the choice fruits of the promised land. Jacob tells his sons to take them with them as an offering for Joseph, as they travel to Egypt for the second time:
“(…) take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and bring an offering down to the man – a little balsam and a little honey, gum and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.“
Genesis 43: 11
In the book of Numbers, we are told that after the rebellion of Korah, who set himself up against the leadership of Moses and Aaron, Moses placed twelve staffs taken from the twelve princes of the tribes of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, with Aaron‘s staff representing the house of Levi:
“The next day, Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and behold, Aaron‘s staff, from the house of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!“
Numbers 17: 8
This was proof of the exalted position of Aaron and his descendants as the high priests of Israel. Aaron‘s rod was then placed in the ark of the Covenant, together with “a golden jar holding the manna“ that Israel ate in the wilderness “and the tablets of the covenant“ (Hebrews 9: 4).
It is Aaron who is charged with keeping the lamp burning all the time:
“Order Bnei-Yisrael to bring to you pure olive oil, beaten for the light, to keep a lamp burning continually. Outside of the curtain of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron is to keep it in order from evening to morning before ADONAI continually. (…) He is to keep the lamps in order on the pure gold menorah before ADONAI continually.“
Numbers 24: 2-4
The Hebrew word for “almond“ also means to “watch“ or “wake“. In the book of Jeremiah there is a play on words because of this connection:
“Moreoever, the word of ADONAI came to me, saying, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?‘ I answered, ‘I see an almond branch.‘ Then ADONAI said to me, ‘You have seen correctly, for I am watching over My word to perform it.‘“
Jeremiah 1: 11-12
This semblance of the almond to the verb “to watch“ is making the almond tree a fitting shape for a lamp that may signify and demand the high priest‘s – and Israel’s – watchfulness before God as well as convey God‘s watchfulness over His people. We see how God tells the prophet Jeremiah that ultimately it is His watchfulness that will accomplish it all – as if He is the high priest watching “to perform“ the Torah, and not Aaron.
Fitting to the theme of “watchfulness“, the almond tree is also one of the very first trees to show forth blossoms in Israel while it is still winter, announcing the upcoming spring.
Jesus uses the imagery of continually burning lamps as he instructs his disciples to be watchfully waiting for Him:
“Have your belt strapped on and lamps burning. Be like people waiting for their master to return (…).“
Luke 12: 35
Palm branches in the temple of Solomon, and Jesus, “the Branch“, entering the temple on Palm Sunday
King David wanted to build a temple for the LORD, yet it was only his son Solomon who was able to execute this plan. The first temple the nation of Israel had as a place of worship in the chosen city of Jerusalem was the temple built by King Solomon:
“Now it came to pass, 480 years after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon‘s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv (which is the second month), that he began to build ADONAI‘s House.“
1 Kings 6: 1
The following verses describe this temple in more detail. Reading it, one finds that wood and gold – wood covered with gold – are materials that were used a lot. And the whole inner decor of the temple is reminiscent of paradise, of Gan-Eden… Let us read the Genesis account of the Garden of Eden and parts of the description of the temple of Solomon side by side. It will be easy to see how the temple of Solomon was designed to represent the “home“ mankind had lost.
“Then ADONAI Elohim planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Then ADONAI Elohim caused to sprout from the ground every tree that was desirable to look at and good for food. Now the Tree of Life was in the middle of the garden, and also the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon, the one that winds around the whole land of the Havilah, where there is gold. The gold of that land is good – bdellium and lapis lazuli stones are also there. The name of the second river is Gihon – it winds around the land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris – it runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. Then ADONAI Elohim took the man and gave him rest in the Garden of Eden in order to cultivate and watch over it.“
Genesis 2: 7-15
“So Solomon built the House and finished it. He paneled the walls of the House on the inside with cedar planks of cedar; from the floor of the House to the ceiling he overlaid on the inside with wood; and he overlaid the floor of the House with planks of cypress. Then he partitioned off 20 cubits at the rear part of the House, using cedar boards from the floor to the ceiling, building it as the inner Sanctuary – the Holy of Holies. The House, that is, the Sanctuary, was 40 cubits long in front of the inner Sanctuary. The cedar of the interior of the House was carved as gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was visible. He prepared an inner Sanctuary within the House, to set there the ark of the covenant of ADONAI. The inner Sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in breadth and twenty cubits in height. He overlaid it with pure gold; and overlaid the cedar altar. So Solomon overlaid the interior of the House with pure gold; and he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner Sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. So the entire House he overlaid with gold until the entire House was finished; even the entire altar by the inner Sanctuary he overlaid with gold.
1 Kings 6: 14-36
In the inner Sanctuary he made two cheruvim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. (…) Both cheruvim were the same in measure and form: the height of the one cheruv was ten cubits and so the other cheruv. Then he placed the cheruvim inside the inner House. When the wings of the cheruvim extended, the wing of the one touched one wall while the wing of the other cheruv touched the other wall, while their wings in the center of the House touched one another. He also overlaid the cheruvim with gold.
Then he carved all the walls surrounding the House with carved engravings of cheruvim, palm trees and open flowers, in both the inner and outer rooms, and he also covered the floor of both the inner and the outer rooms of the House with gold. For the entrance of the inner Sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the frame of the doorposts having five angles. As for the double doors of olive wood, he carved on them carvings of cheruvim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. He beat out gold over the cheruvim and over the palm trees. He also made for the Temple entrance four-sided doorposts of olive wood and double doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. He carved cheruvim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the graven work. He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.“
It was probably not too hard for you to notice the correspondences between the Garden of Eden and the Temple of Solomon. While all the wood used for building the temple with its decor can remind us, all at once, of earth (from which wood grows), of humanity (taken from the dust of the earth just like wood), of the tree of life in paradise, and of Jesus the high priest sacrificing Himself on the cross, on the altar of wood, turning His cross and Himself into our tree of life, all the gold which covers the wood signifies divinity and kingship – and one could say, in fact, the “union“ of wood and gold, of man and God, a union forfeited by Adam and Eve in their fall, partly re-granted, at the very least reenvisioned and hoped for and prepared, in Israel‘s worship of the Old Covenant, and fully, effectively, and even in a surpassing manner restored by God through the New Eve, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the New Adam, the Son of God from her womb, in the New Covenant that grants men to “become partakers of the divine nature“ (2 Peter 1: 4).
And the many palm trees in Solomon‘s Temple – do they not remind us of the palm branches of Palm Sunday? Or the other way around: The palm branches of Palm Sunday can bring the hope and promise of paradise to our minds.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus not only enters the city of Jerusalem – but also the temple, as we read in the gospels. The temple he entered was not the one built by Solomon – a temple that once was filled with the “cloud“ of God‘s presence (“the kohanim could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of ADONAI filled the House of ADONAI“ (1 Kings 8: 11)). It was the second temple, the temple rebuilt by those returning from the Babylonian exile – by “Zerubabbal son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers – the kohanim, the Levites and all who returned from captivity to Jerusalem“ (Ezra 3: 8), in the days of the prophet Zechariah (as well as the prophet Haggai) from whom we have received one of the Psalm Sunday prophecies quoted above.
When this rebuilt temple is dedicated by those who returned from exile, we are told that the “sons of Israel (…) celebrated the dedication of the House of God with joy“ (Ezra 6: 16) and spent a joyful Passover celebration together at their restored house of worship. Yet unlike in the days of King Solomon, there is no report about the “cloud“ of God‘s presence filling the temple…
Yet through the prophet Haggai God had encouraged them to rebuild the temple, and had promised them to be by their side, though the remnant of Judah obviously could not achieve to make the temple as glorious as in Solomon’s days. But there is a prophecy of a “greater glory“ to come in the future:
“Speak now to Zerubabbel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, kohen gadol, and to the remnant of the people: ‘Who remains among you who saw this House in its former glory? So how do you see it now? Does it not seem as nothing in comparison in your eyes? But now, Zerubbabel, chazak!‘ – it is a declaration of ADONAI – ‘and be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, kohen gadol, and all people of the land, chazak!‘ – it is a declaration of ADONAI – ‘and work! For I am with you!‘ – it is a declaration of ADONAI Tzva‘ot. ‘According to the word I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. My Ruach is standing in your midst. Do not fear!‘
Haggai 2: 2-9
Fur thus says ADONAI-Tzva‘ot: ‘In just a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all the nations. The treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this House with glory,‘ says ADONAI-Tzva‘ot. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine!‘ – it is a declaration of ADONAI Tzva‘ot. ‘The glory of this latter House will be greater than the former,‘ says ADONAI Tzva‘ot. ‘In this place, I will grant shalom‘ – it is a declaration of ADONAI-Tzva‘ot.“
Zechariah, in those days of the rebuilding of the temple, reported a vision in which “the angel of ADONAI exhorted Joshua“ (Zechariah 3: 6), the high priest (“kohen gadol“), with these words:
“‘Thus says ADONAI-Tzva‘ot, ‘If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then you will judge My House and watch over My courts and I will give you a place to walk among these standing here. Listen well, Joshua kohen gadol, both you and your companions seated before you, because they are men who are a sign – behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch. For behold! The stone I have laid before Joshua is one stone with seven facets. On it I will engrave an inscription,‘ declares ADONAI-Tzva‘ot, ‘that I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day. In that day,‘ declares ADONAI-Tzva‘ot, ‘every man will invite his neighbor to sit under the vine and under the fig tree.‘“
Zechariah 4: 7-10
“And the word of ADONAI came to me saying: ‘(…) Take silver and gold, make crowns and set on the head of Joshua son of Johozadak, the kohen gadol. Then speak to him saying, ‘Thus says ADONAI-Tzva‘ot: Behold, a man whose Name is the Branch will branch out from his place and build the Temple of ADONAI. He will bear splendor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus He will be a kohen on His throne. (…).‘“
Zechariah 6: 9-13
“‘Destroy this Temple‘, Yeshua answered them, ‘and in three days I will raise it up.‘ (…) But he was talking about the temple of His body.“
John 2: 19-21
When Jesus enters into the temple in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, teaching there in the following days up until He gets arrested, the God of Israel is present in the midst of His people in a new and unsurpassable way – the “greater glory“ has come upon the temple of Jerusalem, the “Branch“ who will build a new temple in His body as both king and priest.
“The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.“
Matthew 21: 14
His presence cleanses the temple; Jesus drives out “all those selling and buying in the Temple“ (Matthew 21: 12) saying:
“‘It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer‘, but you are making it ‘a den of thieves‘!‘“
Matthew 21: 13
These are quotations from the writings of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah:
“For My House will be called a House of Prayer for all nations.“
Isaiah 56: 7
“Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and perjury, and offer incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom you have not known – and then come and stand before Me in this house that bears My Name, saying, ‘We are saved!‘ – so that you may keep doing all these abonimations? Has this House, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?“
Jeremiah 7: 9-11
Somehow, the spirit of true worship and prayer was not filling this temple any more.
In His final days before His crucifixion Jesus is either present in the temple or He is on the Mount of Olives with the disciples, where He also spends the nights. He talks with them about things that are about to happen, including the destruction of the temple and His second coming:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b‘shem ADONAI. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!‘“
Matthew 23: 37-39
The cross as the tree of life, and Crux gemmata
On the cross, Jesus draws all men to Himself (cf. John 12: 32) – gathering back together all those exiled from Eden, all the sheep gone astray; becoming a tree of life full of healing fruits.
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, removed from sins, might live for righteousness. ‘By His wounds you were healed.‘ For you like sheep were going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.“
1 Peter 2: 24-25
In early Christianity, there were certain depictions of the cross which are called crux gemmata – Latin for “jewelled crosses“. As one might suspect, these are crosses decorated with jewels…
Do the gemstone deposits of Gan-Eden or the wood covered with gold from Solomon‘s Temple come to mind? Or what about the twelve gemstones representing the twelve sons of Israel on the breastplate of the high priest (cf. Exodus 28) in connection with Jesus‘ high priestly sacrifice on the cross – twelve gemstones which we encounter in the book of Revelation as representing the twelve apostles, the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem (cf. Revelation 21)?
Sometimes, the crux gemmata is not an actual cross but rather a depiction of the cross in a mosaic or wall painting in a church. Look at these two examples featuring jewelled crosses, and contemplate how they connect paradise, the tree of life, Jesus‘ high priestly office “according to the order of Melchizedek“ (Hebrews 7: 11), “King of Salem“ (Hebrews 11: 2; cf. Genesis 14: 18-20), and the New Jerusalem:
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; tell the triumph far and wide;
English translation of a Latin hymn written by Saint Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop and poet in the 6th century
tell aloud the wondrous story of the cross, the Crucified;
tell how Christ, the world’s redeemer, vanquished death the day he died.
God in mercy saw us fallen, sunk in shame and misery,
felled to death in Eden’s garden, where in pride we claimed the tree;
then another tree was chosen, which the world from death would free.
Tell how, when at length the fullness of the appointed time was come,
Christ, the Word, was born of woman, left for us the heavenly home,
blazed the path of true obedience, shone as light amidst the gloom.
Thirty years among us dwelling, Jesus went from Nazareth,
destined, dedicated, willing, did his work and met his death;
like a lamb he humbly yielded on the cross his dying breath.
Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, be for all the noblest tree;
none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit your equal be;
symbol of the world‘s redemption, for your burden makes us free.
Jesus as the true vine
Jesus, having already compared the kingdom of God with a tree growing from a small seed, tells the apostles and us right before His cruxificion and resurrection that He is the “tree of life“ – whoever abides in Him, “bears much fruit“ (John 15: 5), being alive, but whoever does not abide in Him, “is dried up“ (John 15: 6).
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.“
John 15: 1
“I am the vine; you are the branches.“
John 15: 5
The “ekklesia“ as an ancient olive tree, and how “the righteous will flourish like a palm tree“
The chosen people of God – Israel from the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – are a tree planted by God, “a tree of life“ for all nations, we could say, from which “a shoot“ has come forth “out of the stem of Jesse“ (Isaiah 11: 1), a “branch“ on which the “Ruach of ADONAI“ rests (Isaiah 11: 1-2), “a Branch of Righteousness“ (Jeremiah 33: 15).
Saint Paul the Apostle talks about Israel as being “a cultivated olive tree“ (Romans 11: 24) into which the Gentiles – “being a wild olive“ – “were grafted in“, becoming “a partaker of the root of the olive tree with its richness“ (Romans 11: 17), as they are abiding in this Righteous Branch of Jesse.
“(…) Ekklesia is used frequently in the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people. By calling itself ‘Church‘, the first community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is ‘calling together‘ his people from all the ends of the earth. The equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the German Kirche are derived, means ‘what belongs to the Lord.‘“
Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 751
“The Church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God. On that land the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about again. That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the Church remain in Christ, without whom we can do nothing.“
Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 755
We encounter the “tree of life“ imagery in various places throughout the books of the Old Testament in connection with describing the state and life of those who have found “wisdom“ and walk in the path of “righteousness“ – those abiding in the ancient olive tree and the true vine:
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. (…) She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and blessed will be all who hold firmly to her.“
Proverbs 3: 13; 18
“The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, and whoever wins souls is wise.“
Proverbs 11: 30
“(…) Messiah, the power of God and the wisdom of God.“
1 Corinthians 1: 24
“We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Messiah.“
Colossians 1: 28; 2: 6-10
“Therefore as you received Messiah Yeshua as Lord, so continue to walk in Him – rooted and built up in Him and established in your faith as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness. See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah. For all the fullness of Deity lives bodily in Him, and in Him you have been filled to fullness.“
“Happy is the one who has not walked in the advice of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the Torah of ADONAI, and on His Torah he meditates day and night. He will be like a planted tree over streams of water, producing its fruit during its season. Its leaf never droops – but in all he does, he succeeds.“
Psalm 1: 1-3
“And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
John 1: 14
“But I – I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God. I trust in God‘s lovingkindness forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done. I will hope in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your kedoshim.“
Psalm 52: 10-11
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the House of ADONAI, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and freshness.“
Psalm 92: 13-15
“Blessed is the one who trusts in ADONAI, whose confidence is in ADONAI. For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, spreading out its roots by a stream. It has no fear when heat comes, but its leaves will be green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor depart from yielding fruit.“
Jeremiah 17: 7-8
“I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly!“
John 10: 10
Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church and our Spiritual father, son of David, evergreen branch of Judah, of the ancient olive tree, and humble woodworker of Nazareth, pray for us – that we may always remain in the sap of the True Vine and that we may flourish like a palm tree full of delight in God‘s creation, like an olive tree full of the Holy Spirit’s oil of healing and of joy poured out over us in measures beyond measure in God‘s salvation, and like a tree with roots so deep that we do not need to worry or fear even “in a year of drought“ and keep on growing and on “yielding fruit“.
Saint Jude Thaddeus, Holy Apostle and Martyr, one of the twelve beautiful and brightly shining gemstones of the New Jerusalem and patron saint of the impossible, pray for us! In your epistle which is part of Sacred Scripture and addressed “to those who are called, who are loved in God the Father, and kept safe for Yeshua the Messiah“ (Jude v. 1) you warn your brothers and sisters about “certain people (who) have secretly slipped in“, “ungodly people“ (Jude v. 4), people who are “fruitless trees in late autumn, doubly dead, uprooted“ (Jude v. 12), saying that “these are the ones who cause divisions – worldly-minded, not having the Ruach“ (Jude v. 19) – and you call upon us:
“But you, loved ones, continue building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.“
Jude v. 20