Great tree

Great tree []

Discussion

The parable [1] progresses from the seed, which represents Jesus in the event of his birth [2], to the herb, which also represents Jesus in the event of his life [3] and then to the tree , which we can safely say also represents Jesus, and the event of the cross.

The Hebrew word for 'tree' is ets עץ also means 'the flesh ע of the judge (the righteous man) died ץ.

Jesus has pointed backwards now to Ge 1:11, 12 [1][2] He references the seed, the herb and the tree and is giving a commentary on it. It would be fulfilled by him.

Please notice that this is a reference to the cross on day 3 of creation, and man was not created until day 6. It displays God's love that he had a plan to reveal himself to us through Christ and the cross before he made man.

  1. ± Ge 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, [and] the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed [is] in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. [{grass: Heb. tender grass }]
  2. ± Ge 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, [and] herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed [was] in itself, after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good.

If we use Greek methods of interpretation, we must read Ge 1:11,12 literally. They determine that God literally made grass and herbs with seed and trees with fruit which had seed. However, the purpose of scripture is not to give us a history, though it does. It's purpose is to reveal the invisible Father through the Son [1]. If we miss the son in it, we have missed the point. [2]

  1. ± Mt 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him].
  2. ± Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.