Genesis 49:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When it was expected to be nurtured properly (which, I believe, is the essence of circumcision), it has instead become unfruitful and burned, for it failed to acknowledge the true gardener, who, with a discerning sickle through the Spirit's work, removes what is unworthy—namely, that which is earthly and carnal—so that we may be prepared for all that is good. Thus, we hear the clear proclamation from Christ, our Savior: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that bears no fruit He cuts off, and every branch that bears fruit He cleanses, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:1-2). Our Lord Jesus Christ serves as both the root and the vine, overflowing with an abundance of grapes that foster the renewal of life. We are like the branches, united with Him in the Spirit, drawn to Him in thought, bound together by love, flourishing in the richness we receive from Him, nourished by divine grace leading to virtuous fruits. The Father, in partnership with the Son, cares for what concerns us. Clearly, if Christ is the vine and the Father the gardener, then in Christ He surely excises that which is undesirable and tends to what brings glory and produces fruit. When Jerusalem should have been regarded as "a green olive tree, abloom with pleasant fruits," it faced destruction, and "a fire was kindled round about her" (Jer. 11:16). Thus, the wise John proclaimed, "Even the axe is at the root of the tree: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). The prophet Zechariah foretold the severe trials that would befall this glorious city: "In that day a great lamentation shall rise up in Jerusalem, as the lamentation of Gadadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon" (Zech. 12:11). He also calls out to her, "Open, O Lebanon, thy gates, and let fire devour thy cedars. Weep, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for even the stately ones are devastated; weep, O oaks of Bashan, for the impenetrable forest has fallen" (Zech. 11:1-2). Lebanon, a mountain adorned with cedars, symbolizes Jerusalem, which was endowed with a multitude of priests, signifying the honors of the law. They were established as leaders, much like tall, imposing oaks standing above the people they shepherded. But Lebanon, that is, Jerusalem, faced destruction. The most esteemed and renowned among them cried out as they fell, subjected to the might of the Roman generals. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ became a "budding stalk" for those who had perished (cf. Matthew 21:41). He continuously takes delight in uplifting us, extending His presence throughout the heavenly realms. This was prophesied by Ezekiel, who said, "And I will take from the top of the high cedar, and plant it; from its upper shoots I will pluck a tender branch, and plant it on a high and majestic mountain. And I will plant it on the high mountain of Israel, and it shall put forth branches, and bear fruit, and shall become a majestic cedar, and all manner of birds shall dwell under it, and all manner of feathered creatures shall dwell in the shade of its branches. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, make the high tree low, and the low tree high, and the green tree dry, and make the dry tree blossom: I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do" (Ezekiel 17:22-24). Can you see that by selecting the elect of the cedar, God the Father planted the tree of life for us—Christ? The "chosen of the cedar" refers to the tribe of Judah, the most noble and glorious, from which Jesse, David, and the Holy Virgin, who bore Jesus, descended. Clearly, the tree upon which they hanged Him was taken from the chosen cedar, a plant both beautiful and flourishing; how could one doubt this? We, too, once barren and lifeless like trees, have grown according to the Father's will, as even those who were desolate in the spirit of the law—the Israelites—were mighty but ultimately rejected. We are raised up in Christ through faith. They lost their former glory and became humbled. Hence, God is the Lord of all, who lowers the proud and uplifts the humble, who withers the earthly tree and causes the dry tree to flourish. Those once part of the ancient synagogue, producing only thorns and wild berries, were nearly exiled from the holy land, making way for a multitude of believers to arise, akin to the most fragrant trees; this you may gather from the words of God: "I will make the wilderness a lake and the dry land a spring of water; I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittim, and the myrtle and the olive tree; I will plant in the steppe the cypress, the jabor, and the beech together" (Is. 41:18-19). Again, He states, "Instead of thorns the cypress shall grow; instead of nettles the myrtle shall grow" (Is. 55:13). The cedar symbolizes the hope of those who trust in immortality since it is a tree that does not decay. The beech suggests that Christians are steadfast and grounded, not characterized by a capricious spirit. They possess reason, having Christ as their mind. The beech tree is dense and substantial. The myrtle tree represents purity and perpetual green in grace. The cypress implies lofty virtue and fragrant glory in teaching. The poplar embodies lightness and purity in righteousness. Christians shine brightly, clothed with the grace that flows from Christ. Therefore, the "stem" that blossoms could refer to Naphtali, or Christ Himself, or those who know Him. When it speaks of one "budding forth beautiful branches," it may suggest that initially, many did not recognize Christ as the God He is, despite taking on flesh; the Jews sought to stone Him, accusing Him of making Himself equal with God (John 10:33; cf. John 10:31-32). Even the holy Apostles were astonished by His miracles but did not yet fully grasp the mystery of His nature. Consequently, when Christ calmed the sea and silenced the strong winds by His command, they marveled, asking one another, "Who is this, that both the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Matthew 8:27; Mark 4:40). Hence, it becomes evident that what He was by nature—God, though manifested in the flesh—was still not recognized by the world at that time, and His glory was incomplete. However, as our understanding of Him has deepened, our faith in His divine nature has grown, so that "every knee shall bow" (Phil. 2:10), and all of heaven worships Him. When our knowledge is perfected, then, and only then, He, being "redder in kindness than the sons of men" (Psalm 44:3), will be fully acknowledged. If the phrase "he that buddeth forth beautiful branches" also applies to us, the meaning remains clear. Always excelling in virtue and striving for the highest ideals, or "reaching forward," as the blessed Paul puts it (Phil. 3:13), we ascend to a more glorious beauty. I refer to spiritual beauty, so that it may ultimately be said of us, "The King desires your beauty" (Psalm 44:12).

While this branch is lovely, even more so is that branch which has been grafted into the spiritual vine, from which we draw our sustenance and bear fruit, provided we remain connected to the vine; otherwise, we risk being severed (John 15:1-6). The holy patriarch Naphtali exemplifies this abundance. Consequently, Moses declared that Naphtali is filled with grace and overflowing with blessings from the Lord; he possesses the sea and the southern lands (Deut. 33:23). This clarifies what Jacob expressed, referring to Naphtali as the vine that endures, signifying that by the grace of faith, he has escaped the chains of death. This represents the people of God, called to the freedom of faith and the richness of grace, who spread across the earth, adorning the cross of Christ with good fruit, enveloping the very tree of this true vine, which symbolizes the sacrament of the Lord's cross. These people fearlessly profess Him, and amidst persecution, they find greater joy in the name of Christ.

The expression ‘He who gives beauty in his offspring’ implies that through regeneration via water, they will receive the grace and beauty of the Word, who is ‘the fairest of all the sons of men’ (Psalm 44:3).

Another interpretation of the term trunk set free indicates a people invited to freedom through faith so they can yield fruit for God. Indeed, the spiritual vine is the Savior (Jn. 15:1); its branches and trunks are the believers (Jn. 15:5); the clusters represent the martyrs; the husks linked with the vine illustrate suffering; the grape harvesters are the angels (Rev. 14:18-19); the baskets for gathering the vine's fruit are the apostles (Matt. 15:36-37); the Church acts as the winepress (Matt. 21:33); and the wine signifies the potency of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:14-17). Thus, the term stem set free alludes to those liberated from the ties of death, echoing Isaiah’s assertion, ‘You shall go out and shriek like well-fed calves released from bonds.’ Furthermore, the phrase he who gives beauty in his sprout signifies that through regeneration in water, they will obtain the grace and beauty of the Word, who surpasses all the sons of men in beauty (Psalm 44:3).

If we choose to perceive the name Naphtali more as a tree that bears beautiful fruit rather than a vine, then what can this tree that showcases its beauty through fruit be but the Wisdom of God, of whom Solomon declares, “She is the tree of life to them that obtain it.”