Fruiting laurel shrub near Kufur Sumei, Galilee, Israel.
LAUREL WAS USED TO CROWN WINners in ancient games. It remains a winner today but in a different way. The crowning use of laurel, Laurus nobilis, is still for its leaves, known as bay leaves—not for honor but to give an aromatic flavor to Mediterranean dishes. Laurel is a member of the Lauraceae, a family known for aromatic plants like cinnamon.
Two types of crowns are mentioned in the New Testament. The first is a regal crown of precious metal—what we would normally think of as a crown. The second is the laurel wreath that was presented to the winner of ancient games; the symbolism of this prize would be well known to New Testament writers acquainted with Greek culture. A kind of vegetable tiara, the laurel wreath was woven from the leaves and young branches of Laurus nobilis. A literal translation of the Latin name is “noble laurel,” an apt description of this shrub or small tree that is common in forest communities throughout the Mediterranean region. Laurel is one of the few plants mentioned solely in the New Testament.
Paul, the apostle, was strongly influenced by Greek culture, and the laurel wreath of Greek games is implied in three of his epistles. The wreath’s image is especially clear in the following verse: “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (II Timothy 2:5, NIV). And other apostles mention the laurel wreath. In one verse, a nonfading crown is contrasted with a fading laurel crown: “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (I Peter 5:4, NIV). James suggests a laurel crown for those who withstand struggle: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, NIV).
Laurel shrub near Kufur Sumei, Galilee, Israel. In the southern extent of its range (Jordan and Israel), laurel leaves are not used by local people, but the shrub is valued as fodder.
Laurel is a shrub or small tree with evergreen, leathery leaves. Like its relative sassafras, laurel is perfused with an aromatic oil. Flowers are greenish, small, and appear in the spring. Shiny, black, fleshy fruits are produced in October or November.
Best known today as the bay leaves of cooking, the tradition of laurel lives on in our language in such words as laureate and baccalaureate. The word “laurel” has been applied to a diversity of other plants that have a fragrance or flavor like Laurus nobilis (various types of bay leaves) or leaves resembling the plant.