Dr. Peter J. Williams once wrote a masterful thread on the topic of the change of the meaning of the word “tree” over time. It is worth the read and I don’t wish to lose it. So, I’m sharing it here:
'Tree' is a significant word in the Bible, occurring at its beginning & end.
But the meaning of the word 'tree' is not as obvious as it seems.
— Peter J. Williams (@DrPJWilliams) November 2, 2018
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1058159604704727041.html
But the meaning of the word ‘tree’ is not as obvious as it seems.
But the KJV was not always like that…
Now it’s one of those thingummies that generally sticks out of the ground.
Earlier it meant that *and* the substance ‘wood’.
That’s why the ‘tr’ of ‘tree’ is the same as the ‘dr’ in Greek dendron ‘tree’ or doru ‘spear’ or drus ‘oak’.
In other words, the cross is not just metaphorically described as ‘tree’. It is ‘tree’.
Using this broader, older understanding of ‘tree’ we’re able to link a wider array of biblical passages symbolically to the cross.
However, it’s the broader meaning which we need to remember. To paraphrase Galatians 3:13:
‘Cursed is anyone who hangs on wood or a tree.’
The cross is a symbol of death, but also a tree of life.
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