The date palm was a symbol of the Tree of Life in many traditions including the Genesis story of the tree in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:9,; 3:22-24). It was sacred to Greeks, Egyptians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, and Romans. The date palm flourished throughout the Middle East as long as 5000 years ago. At the time of Christ, forests of date palms grew in Palestine.
This tree, often reaching heights of 40 to 90 feet tall, was a welcome sight to the desert traveler for it bore a nutritious fruit and at its foot one was sure to find water. It was believed to have 360 uses. Its trunk provided lumber. Its leaves thatched roofs and were made into baskets. Its seeds were fed to camels or burned as charcoal for fires. Its crown was woven into rope and its sap was used to make "arrack," the "strong drink" referred to in the Bible (Prov 20:1; 31:6; Isa 24:9; Luke 1:15). Female plants lived to be 200 years old and produced an amazing amount of fruit each year. (Claims range from 150 to 1000 pounds.) Surely, to the desert dweller, this was a Tree of Life. Without it, the desert would be uninhabitable. Pagan peoples used the date palm to remind themselves of mother goddesses such as Astarte and Ishtar but for Christians it symbolized the crucifix - a macabre Tree of Life.
Godly wisdom, the righteous, a wholesome tongue, desires fulfilled, and those who win souls are referred to as "trees of life" (Prov 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4). For Jews, the "Tree of Life" came to represent Old Testament Law, but for Christians it symbolized the restoration of Paradise. In the book of Revelation, the Tree of Life is said to bear leaves "for the healing of the nations" (Rev 22:2). It grows "in the midst of the Paradise of God" (Rev 2:7). And those who overcome and who keep His commandments are rewarded by being permitted to eat from it (Rev 2:7; 22:14).
It was once believed that the palm tree would grow straight and tall in spite of any interference or weights hung upon it. In the Middle Ages this trait made it a symbol of triumph over adversity and the notion that people are often made stronger by overcoming various hardships. This failure to bend before adversity along with the palm's fruitfulness make it an emblem of the righteous (Psa 92:12). But it can also symbolize those who study the Law of God and yet refuse to obey it, in effect, refusing to bow before the Lord.
The palm tree, because of its height and its fruit clusters, symbolized fertility, the sun, growth, stature, sexual satisfaction, and female beauty (Song 7:7-8). The Lord compared idols to palm trees which could not speak or move or indeed do anything of their own volition (Jer 10:5). The phrase "palm branch and bulrush" meant "from the greatest to the least" (Isa 9:14; 19:15). The biblical city of Jericho was often called "The City of Palm Trees" (Deu 34:3; 2 Chr 28:15; Judg 1:16; 3:13).
Long before the advent of Christianity, the palm tree and its leaves were seen as symbols of resurrection, immortality, and rebirth along with other resurrection symbols such as the lion and the phoenix. It is with these meanings that ancient Egyptians placed palm fronds on their coffins and Christian artists placed palm leaves in the hands of martyrs. Both Solomon's temple and the temple prophesied in Ezekial's vision were decorated with pictures of palm trees (1 Ki 6:29; 6:32; see also 1 Ki 6:35; 7:36; 2 Chr 3:5; Ezek 40:16, 22, 26, 31, 34, 37; 41:18-20, 25-26). Today the palms waved in Palm Sunday celebrations not only welcome Christ but also the great and glorious resurrection.
It is easy to see how the sight of a cluster of life-giving palms in the desert would signify new life to the lost or weary traveler. But in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, the long-lived palm also stood for the passage of time; the frond was used as a symbol for months and the tree itself stood for years.
At the end of the fall fruit harvest, Israelites gathered in Jerusalem and celebrated the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) by living in temporary shelters made of the branches of various trees including those of the date palm. This feast lasted for seven days and on the eighth day a special assembly was held. It was to remind them of the years their ancestors lived in tents as they wandered in the desert (Lev 23:40; Neh 8:13-17). Israeli vineyard workers and soldiers also made temporary shelters from palm leaves.
Muslims believed the date palm sheltered Mary as she gave birth to the baby Jesus. Heeding the advice of an angel, she also ate dates to strengthen her during the delivery and to lessen the pains of childbirth (Qur'an 19:23-26). It was thought that the reason the date palm was so useful to humans was because it was the brother of humankind having been created from a bit of earth that God had leftover when He made Adam.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding upon a donkey, His disciples followed the Roman tradition of placing palm fronds in a conqueror's path and waving palm branches to welcome a triumphant war hero into the city. They apparently believed He was the Messiah who would drive the Romans out of Israel (John 12:12-13). Today, Christians see that His victory was over sin and death and Jesus is often portrayed holding a palm frond as the sign of His triumph over the devil.
Palm Sunday, Hosanna Sunday, or, as it is now officially called, Passion Sunday, ushers in Holy Week - a celebration of the last week of Christ's earthly life. In many Christian churches palm leaves are given to the congregation and blessed during the services held on this day. The leaves may also be carried in a procession inside the church or even out to the fields and barns in order to bless the crops and animals. After the service a worshiper may shape his or her palm leaf into a cross and hang it in the home to ensure blessings there. In countries where palms are not available the branches of olive trees, willows, other trees, and pussy willows are substituted. This has led to Palm Sunday being called Willowtwig Sunday, Branch Sunday, or Willow Sunday. South Americans and the Welsh refer to this day as Flower or Flowering Sunday and the Welsh often take this opportunity to place flowers upon the graves of their loved ones. Palm Sunday has also been called Fig Sunday because it was once the custom to eat figs on this day in memory of the parable of the barren fig tree which was given one last year in which to bear fruit or be destroyed (Lk 13:6-9). Superstitious people believed that the weather on Palm Sunday set the pattern for the whole summer.
The palm frond's symbolic meanings of victory, resurrection, and triumph over adversity, along with the belief that it was the Tree of Life made it the emblem of Christian martyrs everywhere. It was placed on the graves of Christians (esp. martyrs) to represent their triumph over death and painted along with the instruments of their martyrdom. In the book of Revelation, the martyrs who come out of the great tribulation appear before the throne of God and the Lamb with palms of victory in their hands (Rev 7:9, 14).
All scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.
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Comments© 1998 by Suzetta Tucker
To cite this page:
Tucker, Suzetta. "ChristStory - Palm Tree Page." ChristStory
Christian Bestiary. 1998. http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/palm.htm
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