Herbs and Vegetables, Plants and Flowers, Trees and Crops in the Bible
I brought a suitable vase into my office with a large bunch of crucifix orchids for the ladies in the office to enjoy. I pointed out how perfectly the calix formed a crucifix in each orchid and made some comment about how many of the herbs and vegetables, plants and flowers, trees and crops are found in the Bible. We do not plant them for that reason, although many gardeners design a garden around all the plants of the Bible. I have seen quite a number, particularly in America.
A common one is the Holy Thistle, named after its white sap, which reminded early generations of Mary’s milk. It is believed to be the thistle talked about in Genesis 3:17-18, Isaiah 34:13, and Matthew 13:7. Early generations were fascinated by Mary’s lactation and feeding of the infant Jesus. I have been in a holy cave with white chalk floor in Israel, revered as a place where Mary fed the Infant Jesus, and some drops of her milk on the ground were the cause of the white chalk floor in the cave!
Of better repute are the Hyacinths. This plant originated in Palestine and was cultivated very early in recorded history (Solomon 6:2). I love their strong colour and very strong scent. You can place a bulb above a wide mouthed glass partially filled with water and held by a couple of paperclips or toothpicks. The roots will grow down to the water, and the flower will rise before you while it sits on the window ledge.
On a side sun porch we have a huge glazed pot filled with water lilies and water Iris. We have some small goldfish growing until they are big enough to go into the fishpond outside. In the bottom of the tub is a low voltage, underwater light, my Father’s Day present. Irises are well known in Palestine. They prefer the moist soils found in valleys. Botanists believe this is the plant discussed in Hosea 14:5.
More controversial is the Madonna lily. Over centuries it was believed that the Madonna Lily was not native to Palestine. Yet, early Christian artists pictured Mary with a Madonna lily in her hand and this lily has been a tradition at Easter for centuries. Then botanists in 1916 found clumps of the lily growing in isolated and uninhabited areas of northern Palestine. They now believe this is one of the lilies found in Solomon’s famous garden (Song of Solomon 6:2) and was the lily mentioned in Hosea 14:5.
One interesting plant is the Crown of Thorns plant, so called after the ring of thorns that was pushed into the scalp of Jesus before he was raised on the Cross. Thorns grow in Israel. Israel is a predominantly dry country and the mountain ranges of Judea upon which Jerusalem stands are barren and rocky. Despite the many plantations and forests created by the Israelis today, most of the mountainside is totally barren, rocky and growing not a blade of grass. But its does grow dry, rambling thorns.
There are several kinds of thorns, from a prickly thistle, like Scotch thistle, to the Crown of Thorns tree that can grow up to thirty feet high and which has long trailers of thin, sharp spikes. This kind of tree was near Pilate’s palace. Thorns dry completely and burn fiercely. These long, briar-like branches bearing their strong thin prickles can pierce a leather shoe inflicting a serious foot injury. But they can be rolled with some difficulty towards a fire. I have warmed myself with dry thorns on a chilly Judean night. Platted and pushed down upon a scalp, they would inflict serious injury and very great pain.
Thorns were once considered to be signs of evil. When the Bible records the Creation of the world there were no thorns in Eden. Thorns grew only after the sin of Adam. The thorns were the result of human sin. (Gen. 3:17-18) “To Adam God said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.”
So in pushing upon His head a crown of thorns, the soldiers were unknowingly confirming that Jesus wears the curse of sin. It was an indication that upon His head is being borne the symbol of Satan’s invasion upon the lives of humans. In seeking to add injury to insult, the soldiers never knew that Jesus Himself had often mentioned the spiritual significance of thorns. He taught that thorns were signs of Satan destroying the Word of God. (Matt. 13:7,22) He taught that thorns were signs of evil in the world, growing alongside God’s work, which He described as wheat in the field. He taught His disciples not to attack every sign of evil because in so doing, they would damage God’s work, but to leave it to God to bring the judgement. (Matt. 13:30)
I have taken long trailers of poinsettias with their sharp thorns, and woven them into a circle, including the stems, leaves and thorns, then hung it up in the barn to let it dry. The leaves fall off and only a crown of thorns is left. This is great for using as a symbol on Good Friday.
I do not intend to comment on all the 150 herbs and vegetables, plants and flowers, trees and crops found in the Bible. But here are some.
Herbs and Vegetables: Beans, Cinnamon, Coriander, Corn, Cucumbers, Cumin, Garlic, Gourds, Jacinth, Melons, Millet, Mint, Mulberry, Mustard, Nuts, Oak, Oil-tree, Olive-tree, Onions.
Plants and Flowers: Brambles, Bulrushes, Cane, Flax, Garlic, Gourds, Heath, Hemlock, Hyssop, Jacinth, Juniper, Lily, Mandrake, Melons, Millet, Mint, Nettle, Nuts, Raisins, Reeds, Roses.
Trees and Crops: Acacia, Almond, Apple, Ash, Barley, Bay tree, Box-tree, Cassis, Cedar, Chestnut tree, Cypress, Date, Ebony, Elm, Fig, Fir, Gopherwood, Hazel, Millet, Mulberry, Mustard, Myrtle, Oak, Olive-tree, Palm tree, Pine tree, Plane tree, Pomegranate, Poplar, Sycamore, wheat.
With our similar range of climates and terrains, it is not surprising to see how many plants from the Bible are found in our gardens here in Australia.
Rev The Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.