The Jesse Tree
The Jesse tree is the family history of Jesus’ ancestors. The tree is named
after a man called Jesse, who lived a thousand years before Jesus. He was
Jesus’ many-greats-grandfather. This is what the prophet Isaiah had to say
about Jesse: ‘A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch
shall grow out of his roots’ [Isaiah 11:1]. Later Isaiah tells us that the Holy
One will come from Jesse and his family. He will be a person of peace and
justice. He will be wise and understanding and strong—strong enough to
defeat all that is evil. Every day during Advent you can read a story from
the Old Testament and put a symbol from the story on the tree. These
stories are rich with symbols and can add a lot to the meaning of Advent for
you and your family.
Week 1: Read about Creation, Noah’s Ark, and Abraham in the book of
Genesis.
Week 2: Read about Joseph, Moses, and Samuel in the Books of Genesis,
Exodus and Samuel.
Week 3: Read about Saul, David and Solomon in the Books of 1and 2
Kings, Isaiah and Jeremiah
Week 4: Read about Mary, Elizabeth, John and Jesus in the books of
Luke, John and Matthew.
The Jesse tree is a great opportunity for you to sit and read Bible stories that
you may or may not be familiar with but they never grow old. You may
want to read these stories from a children’s bible if you have younger
children in your home so that everyone can understand. Take this
opportunity as we wait patiently for the birth of Jesus to spend time with
your family to help you grow stronger through prayer, scripture and service.
JESSE TREE SCRIPTURES (The symbols are only suggestions)
December 1Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun, moon, stars, animals, earth
December 2Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols: tree, man, woman
December 3Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols: tree, serpent, apple with
bite
December 4Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols: ark, animals,
dove, rainbow
December 5Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols: torch, sword, mountain
December 6Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols: bundle of wood, altar, ram in bush
December 7Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15 Symbols: kettle, ladder
December 8Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well, silver coins,
tunic
December 9Moses: Ex. 2:1-10 Symbols: baby in basket, river and rushes
December 10Samuel: 1 Sam. 3:1-18 Symbols: lamp, temple
December 11Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13 Symbols: crimson robe, shepherd's staff
December 12David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51 Symbols: slingshot, 6-pointed star
December 13Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-14, 16-28 Symbols: scales of justice, temple,
two babies and sword
December 14Joseph: Matt. 1:18-25 Symbols: hammer, saw, chisel, angle
December 15Mary: Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38 Symbols: lily, crown of stars,
pierced heart
December 16John the Baptist: Mark 1:1-8 Symbols: shell with water, river
On December 17, the Church begins to intensify the preparation for Christmas with
the use of the "O" Antiphons during the Liturgy of the Hours. The symbols for the
Jesse Tree from December 17 to 23 are based on the "O" Antiphons.
December 17Jesus is Wisdom: Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus in old Bibles) 24:2;
Wisdom 8:1 Symbols: oil lamp, open book
December 18Jesus is Lord: Ex. 3:2; 20:1 Symbols: burning bush, stone tablets
December 19Jesus is Flower of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1-3 Symbols: flower, plant with
flower
December 20Jesus is Key of David: Isaiah 22:22 Symbols: key, broken chains
December 21Jesus is the Radiant Dawn: Psalm 19:6-7 (in older Bibles this will be
Psalm 18) Symbols: sun rising or high in sky
December 22Jesus is King of the Gentiles: Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20
Symbols: crown, scepter
December 23Jesus is Emmanuel: Isaiah 7:14; 33:22 Symbols: tablets of stone,
chalice and host
December 24Jesus is Light of the World: John 1:1-14 Symbols: candle, flame, sun
Activity Source: Jesse Tree Kit, A by Betsy Walter, Pauline Books and Media, Boston,
MA, 1983
Helpful Tips When Making Your Jesse Tree
 Keep it simple! You can draw the day’s symbol on paper, and
hang it on your tree with a bit of yarn or string, or you can find a
picture from your computer. Either way, have fun with it, and
allow your kids to help!
 Enjoy your time with your family as you read from the Bible each
day. It is so powerful when you sit down with your children and
read scriptures together. You are welcoming God to spend time
with you and your family as part of the Domestic Church!
 You can be as creative as you choose how you hang your daily
ornaments. You can be realistic and use a real or artificial tree, or
make a poster board tree and glue the ornaments on the board. It
is completely up to you!
 We invite your children to hang their ornaments on our St. Jude
Jesse Tree, located in the church this season. Look for it during
this season of Advent, and help us decorate it as we wait with joy
for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ!
Examples of Ornaments