As I was on my tractor today, with plenty of time to sit and think, I had a thought about biblical imagery. I was thinking about poems and poetic images, and got to thinking about images that are used in the Bible and how there is, in some cases, progression from one image to the next, like Schilder's idea (at least I think it was Schilder, I could be wrong) that the Bible progresses from a garden (Eden in Genesis 1-3), to a city (the New Jerusalem of Revelation 20-21).
Here is another image I noticed: in the beginning there is a tree, the Tree of Life. In the middle there is the cross which is another tree, but this one cut down and used for a purpose. At the end we see the Book of Life, which is a paper product, further processing of a tree. All bring life, all are trees (or wood products).
The only problem is that in the days when Revelation was written, books were made from reeds and called Papyrus, or from animal skin and called Vellum, or even clay or wax tablets. I should look it up to see if the imagery holds all the way through.
Here is another image I noticed: in the beginning there is a tree, the Tree of Life. In the middle there is the cross which is another tree, but this one cut down and used for a purpose. At the end we see the Book of Life, which is a paper product, further processing of a tree. All bring life, all are trees (or wood products).
The only problem is that in the days when Revelation was written, books were made from reeds and called Papyrus, or from animal skin and called Vellum, or even clay or wax tablets. I should look it up to see if the imagery holds all the way through.
4 comments:
I think the idea of progressio from garden to city is from Wolters, although I'm not sure if it is original or unique to him.
Wolters uses it, but I don't think it is original to him. It might even be Kuyper or Augustine from whom it came originally. I can't remember.
I could be wrong, I should go check.
I read a children's book once about 3 trees which have "tree-like aspirations" to be involved in something great, and all 3 find their "use" or 'fulfilment' in Jesus' ministry... really cool book... I can't remember the title though
Calvin V
Hi Calvin,
I think what you're looking for is the "Legend of the Three Trees" or "the Tale of the Three Trees," based on a quick Google search.
I'll have to look it up. We're always looking for good children's books.
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