The Christmas Tree and Christmas Celebration

The Light of the World

Is there a basis for a star on top of a Christmas tree?Is there a basis for decoration of such trees?Is there a basis for the tree?

Jesus called himself a star at Revelations 22:16.A star is a luminary and gives light.Since Jesus Christ is the capstone or cornerstone of Christianity, it is metaphorically appropriate to place a star on the top of a tree symbolizing Christianity (or the body of Christ).It is perhaps not appropriate to say the star on such a Christmas tree represents the star of Bethlehem, since the Magi were probably being led by Satan, to aid Herod in killing the baby Jesus.
 
 
 
 

Re 22:16

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to announce these things to you in the churches.I am descended from the family of David; I am the bright morning star.

Jesus called himself the light of the world, so it may be appropriate that this light be symbolized by lamps, candles, and reflectors.Fir trees decorated with tinsel, glowing bulbs, and brightly colored objects are metaphorically appropriate symbols (not objects of worship or idols) for the fruitage of God's spirit which brought Jesus to the earth.
 
 
 
 
 

Mt 4:15-16

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, on the road to the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee, land of the Gentiles!   The people who live in darkness will see a great light.On those who live in the dark land of death the light will shine.

 
 
 

Joh 8:12

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again, I am the light of the world, he said.Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.

 
 
 

Joh 11:9

Jesus said,A day has twelve hours, doesn’t it? So, whoever walks in broad daylight does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world.

 

Note:There is no basis for the star on a Christmas tree to represent the star of Bethlehem (which led uninvited astrologers to Herod, a murderer of babes).Murder is not the fruitage of God's holy spirit.No, so the Magi were walking in darkness, without the aid of God's holy angels.Further, the event did not happen at the conception of Jesus or even at his birth.Almighty God did use angels who invited shepherds in the fields to visit Jesus as a babe in a manger.

Jesus: Big Tree of Righteousness and Wisdom

Jesus Christ was personified as wisdom in the book of Proverbs, and we are told to catch hold of the skirt of a Jew [meaning Jesus Christ].Why? It is because Jesus Christ is symbolically a tree of wisdom per Proverbs 3:18 and Proverbs 11:30 (The Jerusalem Bible,1968, Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, New York).
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pr 3:18

She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her live happy lives.

Pr 11:30

From fruits of virtue grows a tree of life; the wicked are carried off before their time.

What kind of tree makes a sweet smelling odor?Fir trees give off vapors of turpenes which can be seen in the sap of fir trees, and some of the largest of such fir trees were those of Lebanon; and Jehovah used this symbolism in Psalms 92:12.
 
 
 
 
 

Ps 92:12

…….so the virtuous flourish like palm trees and grow as tall as the cedars of Lebanon.

Here are some scriptures on the symbolism of trees quoted from Ezekial and Luke in the NWT.
 
 
 
 

Eze 17:22-24

This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said:I myself will also take and put some of the lofty treetop of the cedar; from the top of its twigs I shall pluck off a tender one and I will myself transplant [it] upon a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain of the height of Israel I shall transplant it, and it will certainly bear boughs and produce fruit and become a majestic cedar. And under it there will actually reside all the birds of every wing; in the shadow of its foliage they will reside. And all the trees of the field will have to know that I myself, Jehovah, have abased the high tree, have put on high the low tree, have dried up the still-moist tree and have made the dry tree blossom. I myself, Jehovah, have spoken and have done [it].

Further, the nation of Israel was metaphorically called a tree by Jesus Christ.What tree withered?What tree blossomed?
 
 
 
 

Lu 23:31

Because if they do these things when the tree is moist,  what will occur when it is withered?

In conclusion, the Bible supports the use of the fir tree as a metaphorical symbol for Jesus Christ, the biggest tree of righteousness.
 

 

Do not judge your brother

Ro 14:1

Welcome the person who is weak in faith, but do not argue with him about his personal opinions.

 

Firmly make up your own mind

Ro 14:5

One person thinks that a certain day is more important than other days, while someone else thinks that all days are the same.Each one should should firmly make up his own mind.

 

You must account for yourself to God

Ro 14:12

Every one of us, then, will have to give an account of himself to God.

 

Do not make your brother fall

Ro 14:19

So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another.

 

How to be happy

Ro 14:22

Keep what you believe about this matter, then, between yourself and God.Happy is the person who does not feel guilty when he does something he judges is right!

 

Please others, not yourselves

Ro 15:1

We who are strong in the faith ought to help the weak to carry their burdens.We should not please ourselves.

Ask yourselves, are you celebrating Christmas (or not doing it) because you have love for one another; because you are not judging one another; because you do not want your brother to fall; because you want to do what is right; and because you want to please others?

Many Christians do not celebrate Christmas, since they want to keep separate from the world and avoid its materialism and practices.

Many do not celebrate Christmas, so they may protect their brothers from the temptations (of wild office parties, of unruly school events, and of other social functions which can cause a brother to fall into alcoholism or drugs or sexual debauchery).

Whole religious groups do not celebrate Christmas in order not to feel guilty about doing it, and many wish to please their associates.

Therefore, it should be clear (from the Bible) to Christians that Christmas (or any holiday, except the celebration of the Last Supper, which Jesus specifically requested to be observed) is optional for celebration.

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