Does Jeremiah 10 Condemn Christmas Trees?

According to some, Christmas trees are an abomination to the Lord and should not be used. A claim for this pertains to Jeremiah 10: "Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. “They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter," (Jeremiah 10:1-5 NASB1995).

The verse describes wood being cut, given to a craftsman with a cutting tool, it is decorated with priced medals, then it is fastened with nails so it does not fall. A question must be asked, does this sound like a Christmas tree? Not at all. Christmas trees are not taken to a craftsman and cut with a cutting tool, and they are not normally adorned with metals.

The context also really makes little sense if we are to believe it is a Christmas tree. In the beginning of the chapter, it speaks on nations: "Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them," (Jeremiah 10:2 NASB1995). Did the ancient people have any concept of Christmas trees? Certainly not, for the tradition began in the 16th century: "Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes... It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles," (History.com).

In verse 6, we read; "There is none like You, O Lord; You are great, and great is Your name in might. Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You," (Jeremiah 10:6-7 NASB1995). The context of Jeremiah 10 speaks on Pagan gods and notes how great our God truly is, but why? Is it not strange that, according to these skeptics, that after condemning Christmas trees Jeremiah starts praising God?

If not Christmas trees, what is Jeremiah condemning? Well, verse 8 tells us: "But they are altogether stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Violet and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skilled men," (Jeremiah 10:8-9 NASB1995). A focus ought to be on verse 8, "their idol is wood". What was described as wood previously? The supposed Christmas tree. This is not a Christmas tree, but an idol carved by a craftsman. Once again, we read in verse 14: "Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them," (Jeremiah 10:14 NASB1995). We see again a speaking on idols. The text gives us no context to believe this was a Christmas tree, it is a blatant anachronism.

Works Cited:

History.com Editors (2009) History of Christmas Trees, History.com. A&E Television Networks. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees (Accessed: December 12, 2022).