Revelation 22:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If someone comes to the tree through the apostles, he necessarily receives fruit. He gathers the fruits of Holy Scripture and tastes the divine meaning hidden in its words. If someone cannot gather the fruits, it is because he is still weak. He is not yet a disciple, but still belongs to the crowd, to those outside, to the Gentiles. Unable to pluck the fruit, he receives the words, that is, the leaves, for the healing of the nations. If someone is still among the Gentiles, among the crowd, and is not yet a disciple, he gathers the leaves themselves and receives the literal meaning as medicine. Therefore Scripture is medicine.

They are sent down through the throne of the Father and the Son, that is, through the cherubim, on whom God sits as on a throne, to the streets of the city, that is, to its numerous assembly. For these gifts are poured from the higher to the lower according to the order of the heavenly hierarchy. The tree of life signifies Christ, known through the Holy Spirit. For the Spirit is in Him, He is worshiped in the Spirit, and He is the Giver of the Spirit. Through Him the twelve fruits of the apostles grant us the eternal and unfailing fruits of prudence. Or here there is foretold “the acceptable year of the Lord” and “the day of recompense,” of which the prophet spoke (Isa 61:1-2). “And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” The leaves of the tree of life, Christ, signify the most subtle and radiant understandings of God’s judgments. Its fruits signify the most perfect knowledge, which will be revealed in the age to come. For the nations standing lower in the practice of virtues, these leaves will serve for the cleansing of their ignorance and for healing. For “there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars” (1 Cor 15:41). And there are many mansions with the Father (Jn 14:2), so that each may be deemed worthy of greater or lesser radiance according to the character of his deeds. This may also be understood otherwise. By the tree of life bearing twelve fruits one may understand the apostolic choir, because of its participation in the true Tree of life. He granted us participation in His Godhead through the Incarnation. Its fruits are those who brought forth a hundredfold, and its leaves are those who brought forth sixtyfold. These, transmitting to those below them the ray of divine illumination received from those who bore the hundredfold fruit, will bring healing and health to the nations that brought forth thirtyfold. For among those being saved there will be a difference, as between leaves and fruits. Some will be glorified more, and others less. In general, in Holy Scripture one tree is often mentioned instead of many, just as there are many instances where the plural is used instead of the singular.

The twelve months are the apostles of the Lord, because the Lord Himself is the acceptable year of forgiveness (Isa 61:2). They are the twelve months because each bears the abundant fruit of unceasing preaching from the abundance of knowledge.

The leaves of life are the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, evangelists, martyrs, and confessors united with Christ and having Him within themselves. They are also those who perform the evangelical services at the proper time, the pastors of the Church, and every righteous soul. Such persons heal souls even now, and in the future they will add good to the saints.

For we read of Him: “With You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Ps 35:10). He Himself is, as we read, the image of the wisdom of God, which can do all things. Remaining in itself, it renews all things, and passing from generation to generation into holy souls; cf. Wis 7:26-27. Therefore He is the fountain who is also the river. He is the fountain because He remains inexhaustible in Himself. He is the river because He gives Himself generously and without ceasing for the satisfaction of the saints. For where He is called the fountain, He is also called the torrent. When the psalm said, “You give them drink from the torrent of Your delights,” it then added: “For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Ps 35:9-10). It is well said, “in the midst of the street,” as though this were the common good of all the saints. It is refused to no one worthy and given to no one unworthy. “In the midst of the street” of the saints means, of course, an undivided inheritance for all who see God. Therefore we read: “Jerusalem, built as a city whose fellowship is in unity” (Ps 121:3). If the fruit is understood as the reward of blessed immortality, then the leaf is rightly interpreted as the song of unending praise. For when they sing, it falls away rather from health in a blessed lot. For there is the true healing of the nations, full redemption, and eternal happiness.