The Tree of Jesse, The Tree of Jesus, The Tree of You and Me

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 

            Even though as Baptists we don’t make them, Jesse Trees have been a part of the Christian tradition since the Middle Ages.  Their purpose is to convey the story of the Bible, beginning with the creation of the world until the nativity of Jesus.  This story reflects the genealogy that is in Matthew, which goes back until the time of Abraham through David and ending with Jesus.  Jesse is King David’s father; Isaiah 11.1-4 tells the background of the tradition of the Jesse Tree: “A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  The spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.  His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.  He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth…” (NRSV).  “A branch is a sign of new life and new beginnings” (whychristmas?.com).  While many, if not most of us at CBC, do not focus on prophetic fulfillment as the source of our faith, that does not negate the  reality that we see Jesus as the one who brings new life and new beginnings.

            Although Jesse Trees today are seen as like an advent calendar, in the past they took many forms: stained glass windows, carvings, and tapestries.  They were created in these forms so that the many people in the Middle Ages and even beyond who could not read would be able to learn the story of the Bible from the creation of the world through the birth of Jesus.  With a free-standing Tree of Jesse, ornaments are put on it every day that tells its story.  There is a Bible story that is associated with each ornament.  For example, the Creation of the World has the symbol of the earth with Genesis 1 as the Bible story.  Another example is Jesus with the symbol of a baby in a manger and the Bible verse is Luke 2.1-8 (whychristmas?.com).

            Since the culture of the Old Testament is often seen as patriarchal, it is a surprise to many that Matthew’s genealogy has four women: Tamar, Ruth, the wife of Uriah, and Mary.  I do not think that this makes Matthew 1.1-17 a feminist text, as I have heard some women say.  I think that it universalizes it.  I think that all people are included in the Tree of Jesse: men and women, Jews and Gentiles, even you and me.  Jesus does not deny anyone who is loving and just access to him, and I think he believes that anyone can become a new creation.  It is truly The Tree of Jesse, The Tree of Jesus, and The Tree of You and Me.