By the way, still flying high from the WorshipGod ‘06 conference. Thank you, Bob, for your excellent leadership.

While picking out scripture passages in preparation for our Christmas Eve evening service of lessons & carols, I was struck by the correlation between the references to the “fruit” mentioned in Genesis 3Genesis 3
[3:1]Now the serpent was more crafty than any other
beast of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall
not eat of any tree in the garden'?" [2]And the woman said
to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in
the garden, [3]but God said, 'You shall not eat of the
fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden,
neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" [4]But the
serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. [5]For
God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." [6]So
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and
that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to
be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,
and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and
he ate. [7]Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew
that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together
and made themselves loincloths.
[8]And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in
the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the
trees of the garden. [9]But the LORD God called to the man
and said to him, "Where are you?" [10]And he said, "I heard
the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I
was naked, and I hid myself." [11]He said, "Who told you
that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I
commanded you not to eat?" [12]The man said, "The woman
whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree,
and I ate." [13]Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What
is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent
deceived me, and I ate."
[14]The LORD God said to the serpent,
"Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
[15]I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel."
[16]To the woman he said,
"I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you."
[17]And to Adam he said,
"Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
'You shall not eat of it,'
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
[18]thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
[19]By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return."
[20]The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was
the mother of all living. [21]And the LORD God made for
Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
[22]Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become
like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach
out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and
live forever--" [23]therefore the LORD God sent him out
from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he
was taken. [24]He drove out the man, and at the east of the
garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword
that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
(ESV)

(which was the object used by man to execute disobedience toward God, leading to the ‘fall’) and that mentioned in Isaiah 1:1Isaiah 1:1
[1:1]The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw
concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (ESV)

which states “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear FRUIT” - ESV.

Although, possibly, the most widely accepted interpretation of this passage may be that the “branch” is the object which is referring prophetically to Jesus, and that the “fruit” would pertain to His accomplished redemptive work, I would like to offer another take. That the “branch” might be a reference to the lineage of Joseph through Jesse. Then the “fruit” which is borne (or, perhaps, even born) of the branch would be the very person of Jesus, Himself. Who could then also be referred to, metaphorically, as the new (and redeeming) “fruit” of God’s provision.

Especially in light of the celebration of the Eucharist. We now partake, according to his positive direction to “DO this in remembrance of Me” (as opposed to “…thou shalt not eat…”), of the “fruit” of redemption. Of Jesus Himself (not to imply a doctrine of Transubstantiation).

Much in the same way that He is referred to as the new “Adam”, perhaps Jesus might also be referred to as the new (and thereby redemptive) “fruit”.

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Bob, and for pointing others to Dever’s outstanding work.

Kyle

Thank you for your faithfulness in serving us with these blogs.

In awe of the Cross,
Angela

“To truly find joy in Christmas, I have to acknowledge that Jesus didn’t become a baby because I’m so good. He came because I’m so evil and needed a Savior. He didn’t come to reward us for what we’ve done, but to save us from what we’ve done.”
That also moved me. It’s easy to get caught up in the love that God had for His creation and sending His Son to die for us, but this puts it in perspective again. My sin. I’m no better than the worst sinner to walk the earth. God has covered me with the blood of Jesus and without that covering, I’m judged and found wanting.

Bob,
Thank you for the time that you spend on this blog. I appreciate the articles you write and the thought behind them.

Merry Christmas!

In Him,
-Peter

A great Christmas post.