She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that retains her.
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Caesarius of Arles
AD 542
What is that tree which the Lord pointed out? Solomon shows us when he says of wisdom, “She is a tree of life to all who embrace her.” If the tree of Christ’s wisdom is put into the law, showing us how circumcision should be spiritually understood and how the sabbath and the law are to be observed, then the bitter water becomes sweet. When the bitterness of the law is changed into the sweetness of spiritual understanding, then the people of God can drink.… For this reason it is certain that if one wants to drink of the letter of the law without the tree of life, that is, without the mystery of the cross, the faith of Christ or spiritual understanding, he will die because of the excessive bitterness. Paul the apostle knew this when he said, “The letter kills.” In other words, the bitter water plainly kills if it is not changed into sweetness by the Spirit. For this reason the tree is cast into the water, so that it may be turned into sweetness. It is true, brethren, the bitterness is re...
Risen is the light of the kingdom, in Ephrata the city of the king. The blessing wherewith Jacob blessed, to its fulfillment came today! That tree likewise, [the tree] of life, brings hope to mortal men! Solomon’s hidden proverb had today its explanation! Today was born the child, and his name was called Wonder! For a wonder it is that God as a babe should show himself.
In the book of Genesis, where the lawgiver depicts the paradise planted by God, we are shown that every tree is fair to look upon and good for food. It is also stated that there stands in the midst of the garden a tree of life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Next, [we are told] that the garden is watered by a stream that divides into four heads. The prophet Solomon teaches us what this tree of life is in his exhortation concerning wisdom: “She is a tree of life to all them that lay hold upon her and lean upon her.” This tree then is living; and not only living, but, furthermore, guided by reason. Guided by reason, that is, in so far as to yield fruit, and not casually nor unseasonably, but in its own season. And this tree is planted beside the rills of water in the domain of the kingdom of God, that is, of course, in paradise and in the place where the stream as it issues forth is divided into four heads.
This tree of life was planted in the Garden of Eden, and in Eden there rose a river that separated into four branches. … Likewise, we read in Solomon, … “She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,” [and here] he is speaking of wisdom. Now, if wisdom is the tree of life, wisdom itself, indeed, is Christ. You understand now that the man who is blessed and holy is compared to this tree, that is, he is compared to wisdom. Consequently, you see, too, that the just man, that blessed man who has not followed in the counsel of the wicked—who has not done that but has done this—is like the tree that is planted near running water. He is, in other words, like Christ, inasmuch as he “raised us up together, and seated us together in heaven.” You see, then, that we shall reign together with Christ in heaven; you see, too, that because this tree has been planted in the Garden of Eden, we have all been planted there together with him. Homilies on the Psalms (Psalm ).
