This article is an in-depth look at Images of spiritual reality in Revelation.
Texts from the Apocalypse, official liturgical translation (©AELF):
Ap 2, 7 :
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give a taste of the tree of life in God’s paradise.
Rev 22:2:
In the middle of the city square, between the two arms of the river, there is a tree of life that bears fruit twelve times over: every month it produces its fruit; and the leaves of this tree are medicine for the nations.
Rev 22:14-15:
Blessed are those who wash their clothes: they will have access to the tree of life, and through the gates they will enter the city. Out with the dogs, the sorcerers, the lewd, the murderers, the idolaters, and all those who love and practice falsehood!
Rev 22:18-19:
And I testify before everyone who hears the words of this book of prophecy: if anyone overloads it, God will charge him with the plagues that are described in this book; and if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away his share: he will no longer have access to the tree of life or the Holy City, which are described in this book.
The tree of life
The tree of life is Jesus, but also those who are animated by his spirit, the apostles, the saints, the righteous in the world. Just as a bad attitude towards the tree of life transforms it into a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, a bad attitude towards someone good and just deprives us of the source of life, of the opportunity to taste the source of joy that is offered to us in friendly and fraternal relationships with others. In this way, the tree, the righteous one, reveals the injustice and misconduct committed against it, and becomes the judge. “The righteous will judge the earth” and “the righteous is like a tree”, say the psalms. And Jesus reminds us: “No one takes my life, but I give it” ( ), for he is the tree of life who offers his life to his neighbor, to those who come close to him; he offers his friendship, his love, a source of life. But whoever acts badly towards him, whoever deprives him of life thinks he is gaining an advantage, “it is better for one to die than for all the people” ( ), but in reality he is cutting himself off from life, from the love offered to him in his fellow man. When we take advantage of our fellow man, when we exploit him, use him, steal from him, suppress him, we put ourselves outside the source of life, the earthly paradise of happiness offered to us in friendship and fraternal relationships, the source of life found in the bond of love. It is then that the tree becomes a judge, because in spite of offering its life and love, it finds itself the cause of the exclusion of its neighbor from its love. Not that the righteous man wants this exclusion, for he seeks the friendship of his neighbor, but when he is despised, set aside, the one who commits an injustice against him excludes himself from his love, which remains always offered, as we see in Jesus crucified and forgiving his persecutors. But his enemies deprive themselves of what is offered to them, pursuing what they believe to be their interest, their profit, their advantage, but they are mistaken: there is no joy outside love. So the persecuted righteous man finds himself a judge, in spite of himself, for those who refuse his love exclude themselves.
The tree of life, from which we receive divine life, is the tree of the cross. From it flow rivers of living water, as in Paradise, for on this tree Jesus offers us his life: from his pierced side flowed water and blood. And the water and blood are the sign of his infinite love, manifested in his forgiveness, which is poured out on the multitude through the sacraments. The sacraments communicate life, God’s life-giving Spirit, for God’s Spirit is the love with which he loves us, and if we are filled with this love, if we discover just how much he loves us, then overflowing with gratitude we will be filled with love and will be able to pour it out on our neighbor. Par-giving as we are forgiving. To forgive means to give again, to repeat the gift of love over and above offenses. It means renewing trust in the one who has faltered, who has betrayed. This is what Jesus promises Peter, forgiveness, the renewal of the covenant after the fault:
Luke 22:31-34
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has claimed you to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. You, therefore, when you return, strengthen your brothers.”
Peter said to him, “Lord, with you I’m ready to go to prison and to death.”
Jesus answered: “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me.
And when Peter returns, he will be strengthened by the gift of the Spirit, by Christ’s forgiveness. The Spirit creates in us a new heart, a new spirit as David says. He reveals God’s true face to us, and lets us share in his glory by making us his sons. In this way, creation is brought to perfection, human beings to their fullness. On the sixth day, on the cross, God breathes his spirit into human beings, as on the sixth day of creation. At the foot of the cross, the creature who has not sinned, Mary, becomes the woman who transmits God’s life to the world, the Church that welcomes and transmits Christ’s life to her creatures. And St. John becomes her son, and in him all the men and women who had strayed from the divine life are recreated by his Spirit, who attain the dignity of children of God by rediscovering their trust in him. God then rests from his work, he joins his creatures to dwell in them, and they will rest in him who joins them in death, who is placed in the tomb to lead them with him to the splendor of the Father, to his dwelling place. In this way, Christ’s resurrection ushers in the eighth day, eternal life, where renewed creation rests in God and God in it.
John 19:25-30
Now standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary, wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing by her, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son.
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home.
After this, knowing that everything had now been completed so that Scripture could be fulfilled to the end, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
There was a container full of a vinegar drink. A sponge filled with the vinegar was attached to a branch of hyssop, and brought to his mouth.
When he had taken the vinegar, Jesus said, “It is finished. Then, bowing his head, he gave up the spirit.
As it was the day of Preparation (i.e. Friday), the bodies were not to be left on the crosses on the Sabbath, especially as the Sabbath was the great day of the Passover. So the Jews asked Pilate to remove the bodies after breaking their legs.
So the soldiers went to break the legs of the first, and then the other man crucified with Jesus.
When they came to Jesus, seeing that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers pierced his side with his spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
He who has seen bears witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he speaks the truth, so that you too may believe.
Jesus gave his Spirit into the hands of the Father, and this Spirit will be poured out on mankind on the day of Pentecost. The water and blood that flowed from his side is his life offered in sacrifice, which will be transmitted to mankind through the sacraments, the life he has entrusted to his Church.
To continue our understanding of the images that represent the reality of the Spirit. We must now turn to the image of the cup. From the tree of life flow the rivers of God’s love, his life, his shed blood is gathered in the cup, the cup of the covenant. For more on this theme, see The cup, judgment.
On the subject of the tree of life, already mentioned in the book of Genesis and which stands in the middle of Paradise, see the article: Genesis 3, 1-24 La faute.
Tyconius, Commentaire de l’Apocalypse, Introduction, traduction et notes par Roger Gryson, Brépols, 2011, p.209-210, n.50:
“And on either side of the river a tree of life bearing twelve fruits, which yielded its fruit every month”, – thanks to the teaching of the twelve apostles, indeed, the cross of Christ bears fruit at all times, – “and the leaves of the tree bring healing to the nations” (Rev 22:2). He makes it clear what this city is, and where it is; for it is not after the end of the world that nations will be healed.