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The Garden of Humanity's Spiritual Growth in Scripture

The concept of spiritual growth in Scripture is frequently illustrated through the metaphor of a garden, drawing parallels between the cultivation of plants and the development of human character and faith. This imagery is rooted in the biblical understanding of creation and the natural world, where God is depicted as the ultimate gardener, causing life to spring forth [5, 6].

From the earliest accounts, the Bible presents humanity in a garden setting. The Garden of Eden, for instance, was a place where "Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food" [8]. This initial environment for humanity was one of growth and sustenance. The natural world, with its cycles of planting, flourishing, and reaping, provides a rich vocabulary for spiritual development. Psalms 103:15 compares human life to grass or a flower of the field that flourishes [1, 9]. While this verse can highlight the ephemeral nature of human life, other passages emphasize growth and increase. For example, Psalms 107:37 speaks of sowing fields and planting vineyards to reap the fruits of increase [2].

The imagery of growth extends to the spiritual realm. The prophet Isaiah uses the metaphor of a garden to describe the springing forth of righteousness and praise: "For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations" [7]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, interprets this passage as referring to the "righteousness and salvation of his people through Christ," which will "spring up freely, strongly, and constantly" [13]. He also notes the care given to a garden, being "enclosed, and better taken care of, and well watered, and dunged, and cultivated" [13].

The New Testament explicitly calls believers to "grow in grace" [10, 11]. The Greek word Crescens means "growing; increasing" [3]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, views grace as a "heavenly seed" that, when "watered with the dew of heaven from above, will endlessly increase and multiply itself" [11]. He describes the Christian life as a continuous growth, moving from a "little child" to a "young man, and a father in Christ" [11]. Similarly, John Gill interprets "grow in grace" as an increase in the "gifts of grace" and "internal grace," noting that "the work of grace is gradual; it is like a grain of mustard seed, or like seed cast" [10]. He suggests that gifts, when used, are improved and increase, and believers can desire and seek an increase of them through means [10].

The concept of spiritual increase is also tied to divine blessing. Psalms 115:14 states, "The Lord shall increase you more and more" [17]. Gill interprets this as an increase in "spiritual blessings; with renewed instances of divine layout: with an increase of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, as faith, hope, love, joy, patience, humility, and other graces; and with more knowledge of God and Christ, and of divine and spiritual things" [17]. The flourishing of the righteous is likened to grass and branches, with Gill noting that "the dews and rain of grace descending upon them" contribute to their growth [12]. Even in times of affliction, like the palm tree that grows more when pressed, believers can grow in grace and experience, becoming fruitful in good works [12].

The imagery of sowing and planting extends to the spiritual work of God and his ministers. Jeremiah 31:27 speaks of God sowing the "house of Israel, and the house of Judah, with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast," which Gill understands as a promise of multiplication [14]. He also applies the agricultural metaphor to the spread of the Gospel, where "the 'fields' are the world, and the seed which is sown is the word; the persons that sow it are the ministers of the Gospel, which, by a divine blessing, brings forth fruit" [16]. The "vineyards" are the churches, and believers are the "pleasant plants" within them [16]. God's promise to "multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field" in Ezekiel 36:30 is seen by Gill as mystically signifying "spiritual blessings; the fruits of righteousness, with which the saints, who are trees of righteousness, shall be laden; and an increase of gifts and grace in the churches of Christ, and the members of them" [15].

Gardens in biblical times were often enclosed, refreshed by fountains, and cared for by gardeners [4]. They were places for cultivation, but also for retirement and even burial [4]. This rich imagery underscores the idea that spiritual growth is not accidental but requires divine provision, careful cultivation, and an environment conducive to flourishing.

Sources

  1. Psalms “As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. -- Psalms 103:15”
  2. Psalms “sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase. -- Psalms 107:37”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Crescens — growing; increasing”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gardens — Often made by the banks of rivers -- Nu 24:6. Kinds of, mentioned in scripture Herbs. -- De 11:10; 1Ki 21:2. Cucumbers. -- Isa 1:8. Fruit trees. -- Ec 2:5,6. Spices, &c. -- Song 4:16; 6:2. Often enclosed -- Song 4:12. Often refreshed by fountains -- Song 4:15. Taken care of by gardeners -- Joh 20:15. Lodges erected in -- Isa 1:8. Often used for Entertainments. -- Song 5:1. Retirement. -- Joh 18:1. Burial places. -- 2Ki 21:18,26; Joh 19:41. Idolatrous worship. -- Isa 1:29; 65:3. Blasting of, a punishment -- Am 4:9. Jews ordered to plant, in Babylon -- Jer 29”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Grass — A green herb -- Mr 6:39. Called Grass of the earth. -- Re 9:4. Grass of the field. -- Nu 22:4. Springs out of the earth -- 2Sa 23:4. God Originally created. -- Ge 1:11,12. The giver of. -- De 11:15. Causes to grow. -- Ps 104:14; 147:8. Adorns and clothes. -- Mt 6:30. Often grew on the tops of houses -- Ps 129:6. When young, soft and tender -- Pr 27:25. Refreshed by rain and dew -- De 32:2; Pr 19:12. Cattle fed upon -- Job 6:5; Jer 50:11. Ovens often heated with -- Mt 6:30. Destroyed by Locusts. -- Re 9:4. Hail and lightning. -- Re 8:7. Drought. -- 1Ki 17:1; 1”
  6. Psalms “Psalms 104:14 (YLT) — Causing grass to spring up for cattle, And herb for the service of man, To bring forth bread from the earth,”
  7. Isaiah “Isaiah 61:11 (BSB) — For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”
  8. Genesis “Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. -- Genesis 2:9”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Flowers — Wild in fields -- Ps 103:15. Cultivated in gardens -- Song 6:2,3. Described as Beautiful. -- Mt 6:29. Sweet. -- Song 5:13. Evanescent. -- Ps 103:16; Isa 40:8. Appear in spring. -- Song 2:12. Mentioned in scripture The lily. -- Ho 14:5; Mt 6:28. The lily of the valley. -- Song 2:1. The rose. -- Isa 35:1. The rose of Sharon. -- Song 2:1. Of the grass. -- 1Pe 1:24. Garlands of, used in worship of idols -- Ac 14:13. Representations of, on the Golden candlestick. -- Ex 25:31,33; 2Ch 4:21. Sea of brass. -- 1Ki 7:26; 2Ch 4:5. Wood work of the temple. -- 1Ki 6:18,2”
  10. 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace,.... In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase. And though men are to be thankful for their gifts, and be contented with them, yet they may lawfully desire more, and in the use of means seek an increase of them, which may be a means of preserving themselves, and others, from the error of the wicked. Moreover, by "grace" may be meant internal grace. The work of grace is gradual; it is like a grain of mustard seed, or like seed cas”
  11. 2 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace - Increase in the image and favor of God; every grace and Divine influence which ye have received is a seed, a heavenly seed, which, if it be watered with the dew of heaven from above, will endlessly increase and multiply itself. He who continues to believe, love, and obey, will grow in grace, and continually increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as his sacrifice, sanctifier, counsellor, preserver, and final Savior. The life of a Christian is a growth; he is at first born of God, and is a little child; becomes a young man, and a father in Chr”
  12. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 72:7: In his days shall the righteous flourish,.... As the grass of the field, Psa 72:16; the dews and rain of grace descending upon them; and as a branch, Pro 11:28. They being branches in Christ the vine, flourish and bring forth fruit; and as the palm tree, Psa 92:12; which the more it is pressed with weights, the more it grows; so they, the more they are afflicted, as the Israelites, the more they grow in grace and experience, and become fruitful in every good word and work; which is owing to their being planted in a good soil, in the house and courts of the Lord, where”
  13. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 61:11: For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,.... Of tender grass in the spring of the year, after a long and cold winter, being well manured: and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth being enclosed, and better taken care of, and well watered, and dunged, and cultivated; seeds sown in such a rich soil spring up freely, strongly, and constantly: so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations; that is, the righteousness and salvation of his people through Christ, by which they shall be justified”
  14. Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 31:27: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,.... Or, "are coming" (k); and will be here shortly: that I will sow the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast; that is, will multiply both man and beast, so that there shall be a great increase; whereas, through war, famine, pestilence, and captivity, their number was greatly reduced. The allusion is to the sowing of a field with seed, which in due time springs up, and produces a large increase. Some understand this of the spiritual blessing of regeneration; but that is not”
  15. Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 36:30: And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field,.... The fruit of trees that grow in gardens, and orchards, and vineyards, as pomegranates, apples, olives, grapes, &c. and the corn and grass of the field; so that there shall be great plenty of each of these, and no want of anything for man or beast: and by these are mystically designed spiritual blessings; the fruits of righteousness, with which the saints, who are trees of righteousness, shall be laden; and an increase of gifts and grace in the churches of Christ, and the members of them: ”
  16. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 107:34: And sow the fields, and plant vineyards,.... And so raise a sufficient supply of corn and wine for the support of themselves and families. In a spiritual sense the "fields" are the world, and the seed which is sown is the word; the persons that sow it are the ministers of the Gospel, which, by a divine blessing, brings forth fruit, in some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred fold: the "vineyards" are the churches, planted by Christ and by his ministers, as his instruments; believers are the pleasant plants in them, and young converts are the tender grapes Whic”
  17. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 115:14: The Lord shall increase you more and more,.... The Word of the Lord, as the Targum, shall do it; in a temporal sense, with a numerous posterity, with riches, wealth, and honour; and in a spiritual sense, with an addition of spiritual blessings; with renewed instances of divine layout: with an increase of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, as faith, hope, love, joy, patience, humility, and other graces; and with more knowledge of God and Christ, and of divine and spiritual things. You and your children; not only they that feared the Lord of the present gene”
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