The Complete History of The Tree of Jesse

The tree of Jesse is, essentially, Jesus’ family tree. It’s the depiction of Christ’s ancestry in the form of a tree, where each branch represents a Biblical story or a figure.

In fact, the modern family trees originated from the tree of Jesse. In medieval times, noble families adopted the tradition of portraying their family lineage as tree branches and passed it over to their descendants.

Who was Jesse, though? The name “Jesse” isn’t another form for “Jesus,” but rather the name of great Jewish King David’s father. Jesus is the descendent of King David, and Jesse is the first “branch” of Jesus’ family tree.

Today, trees of Jesse are mainly found in churches in the form of a regular tree with ornaments hanging on it.

But, back in the days, they were depicted in nearly every form of art, and many astonishingly beautiful examples have survived to this day.

Purpose

Tree of Jesse is used to teach someone, usually children, or commemorate Christ’s story. In modern times, Christians read one Biblical story a day during the Advent season and hang one ornament on the tree until it’s fully decorated.

Instead of featuring specific portraits or quotes from the Bible, Jesse tree ornaments feature symbolic depictions of such.

In medieval times, Jesse tree depictions helped illiterate people, who were prevalent at that time, learn Jesus’ story.

Origins

The tree of Jesse originated in medieval times. Moreover, some of the earliest depictions of Jesus’ ancestry are over a thousand years old, dating to 1086.

These first trees of Jesse were found in an illustrated manuscript of Gospels in Bohemia.

The tradition is based on Isaiah’s prophecy, specifically on the following passage: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (1:11). The “branch” in this passage is a reference to Jesus.

Over the centuries, the look of trees of Jesse was altering numerous times. In medieval times, they were typically depicted on tapestries, carvings, or stained glass windows that can still be seen in some churches.

The tree of Jesse tradition was preserved over a dozen centuries mainly because of the form Jesus’ genealogy was depicted in.

Stained glass windows are long-lasting, unlike wooden carvings or manuscripts. As a result, historians were able to trace the custom to its very roots.

Over time, stained glass windows evolved into Advent calendars we are all used to today.

Of course, many modern Advent calendars don’t feature any Biblical references. But in the early 20th century, when they just appeared, Advent calendars often depicted the tree of Jesse.

Unsurprisingly, the tree of Jesse has acquired its name from Biblical figure Jesse, who was the father of King David.

Historians and theologists studying the Old Testament in medieval times have come o a conclusion that Jesus came from the royal bloodline of David based on Gospel genealogies from Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38.

Jesse was the son of Obed and the grandson of Ruth. However, this likely doesn’t tell you much since all we know of Obed and Ruth is that they were Jesus’ ancestors. They are also portrayed on the tree.

While his son, David, became the king of Israelites, Jesse was no noble. Instead, he was a farmer and sheep breeder who resided in Bethlehem, where Christ was born.

According to the Book of Samuel, Jesse had eight children, with David being the youngest. Other Jesse’s children aren’t present in the tree of Jesse, perhaps, because they didn’t influence Christ’s story.

Stories & Figures

The tree of Jesse features 25 symbols, each representing a specific story or Biblical figure. So, the first symbol is the Earth, representing the world’s creation by God narrated in Genesis 1.

The second symbol is an apple or a tree with fruit. As you may have guessed, it represents the familiar to most of us story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden, narrated in Genesis 2:4-3:24.

The third story present on the Jesse tree is the legend of Noah and the flood, symbolized by a rainbow ornament.

In Genesis 9:13, ending the story of Noah, God has set a rainbow in the sky as a symbolic promise never to destroy the world with a flood again.

A tent ornament represents God’s promise to Abraham to bless him and all his descendants. Why tent represents God’s promise to Abraham, you may wonder? It commemorates Abraham’s hospitality towards strangers who showed up on his doorstep.

Isaac, Abraham’s son and one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites, is depicted with a ram ornament.

A biblical story represented by a ladder ornament is known as Jacob’s Ladder. It narrates patriarch Jacob saw a ladder leading to heaven in his dream. Theologists interpret this Genesis as identifying Jacob’s faith as one of the people chosen by God.

A multicolored coat ornament may seem odd for people unfamiliar with Genesis 37, stating: “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.”

So, the ornament references the coat given to Joseph, Mary’s husband, by his father.

The burning bush ornament symbolizes the story of Moses, particularly Exodus 12:1-42, the most important prophet in Christianity and Judaism. The lamb ornament represents Israelites and the Passover.

The two-stone tablet ornament is a reference to Moses’ ten commandments. Most of us, even those who haven’t read the Bible, are familiar with them – they are the core principles of Christianity.

Ram’s horn trumpet image represents the story of the Battle of Jericho, the first fight of the Israelites.

The corn ornament symbolizes Ruth, grandmother of Jesse, and the six-pointed star, also known as Star of David, represents King David, her grand-grandson.

The Star of David, or Magen David, is the widely recognized symbol of Judaism in modern times.

The temple ornament represents Solomon’s Temple, the first temple in Jerusalem built in 957 BCE. Solomon was the son of King David.

The bonfire symbol represents the story of Elijah and Baal’s priests narrated in Isaiah 11:1. Baal was a false god worshiped by some priests in Israel, and the prophet Elijah strived to explain to them that worshipping idols was wicked. He asked God for help, and God sent fire from heaven, proving to people his power.

Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesse, which served as the tree of Jesse origin, is represented by a tree stump with a single branch ornament.

The whale ornament is a reference to the story of Johan and the whale. This story’s narrative revolved around the thought that God is always and everywhere with us.

A scallop shell image represents John the Baptist, who announced Jesus’ coming, and his mother Elizabeth is depicted as a mother holding a child. Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, is represented by a pencil and paper.

The white lily ornament references Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the carpenter’s hammer symbolizes her husband, Joseph. Jesus himself is depicted as a baby in a manger.

Lastly, the tree of Jesse features a symbolic depiction of the Wise Men – a gold star, three gifts, or three crowns, and the shepherds – a sheep.

Depictions

Tree of Jesse can be depicted in nearly any medium imaginable, from manuscripts to wall paintings, architectural carvings, and mosaics.

The most notable and old stained glass Jesse trees can still be seen in Chartres Cathedral (created in 1140-1150 and heavily reconstructed throughout the years) and in York Minster (created circa 1170).

Such monumental Jesse tree depictions often feature only a few most notable figures rather than the entire lineage.

The first trees of Jesse portrayed a large figure of Jesse, typically sleeping, near a tree trunk. The trees’ branches were the figures of Christ’s ancestors.

The Biblical stories were added centuries later, and the expanded version of the Jesse tree gained particular popularity with Advent calendars in the 20th century.

The number of figures the first Jesse trees features varied dramatically. Some only depict the main figures in Christ’s lineage; others portray the entire 43 generations between Jesse and Jesus.

Modern Times

Today, trees of Jesse are mainly set up in churches, often in the form of a real Christmas tree or a regular branched tree.

Sometimes, a banner with a tree image is used instead. In other words, the tradition has become less aesthetically sophisticated but has preserved its symbolism.

One notable modern example of Jesse’s tree can be found in Saint Louis Abbey in the US.

This newly built abbey features a stained-glass Jesse tree replicating the famous 12th-century tree in Chartres Cathedral, France. Local art students created the tree in a period of over four years.