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Part one:
The reading from Salonius is fascinating because it shows us how drastic of a transformation a symbol can undergo when introduced into a new context: in this case, the Tree of Life in early and Medieval Christianity. The form of interpretation witnessed in the artworks and texts Salonius presents is called “typology,” a common Medieval approach that works on the assumption that every aspect of the Old Testament (i.e., Tanak; Hebrew Bible) prefigures Christ in some way. Hence, to the “old” meaning, new meaning is added (whether we moderns find this mode of interpretation valid or not).
Choose one of the works that Salonius shares and do a little extra research on both the artwork (or text, if you prefer) and its historical context. What additional information did you find that might help us further understand this piece and its use of the Tree of Life motif? Please include a bibliography so we can learn more later.
Part Two:
Go back and re-read Genesis 2:4-3:24, the narrative of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. How do the historical works we’ve read on the back-story (Echols, Balogh) and after-life (Salonius) of the Tree of Life symbol challenge or enhance your initial reading of the narrative? Which of the proposed meanings stand out to you as the most interesting or even the most compelling? What do you find to be the meaning of this symbol? (Remember: Meaning is in the eye of the beholder.)
Genesis 2:4-3:24 ESV – The Creation of Man and Woman – These – Bible Gateway
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+2%3A4-3%3A24&version=ESV
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