By Jodi Hiser

The carol entitled, “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming” is one of the most beautiful and tender carols we sing at Christmas time. Its words come straight out of Isaiah:

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:1-2)

While many speculate that the rose in this song represents the Virgin Mary, this is a song about Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of Isiah 11, coming forth from the line of Jesse, the very essence of God in human form, as the embodiment of all wisdom and truth. He is the promised seed, springing forth from the line of Judah, bringing righteousness into full bloom.

In this fitting metaphor, Christ is like a rose through His beauty, His fragrance, and His healing power. Christ is like a rose that is forever blooming, bringing forth light into the winter darkness of our sinful hearts.

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

This Flow’r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.