Chapter 5
Jacob quotes Zenos relative to the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees—They are a likeness of Israel and the Gentiles—The scattering and gathering of Israel are prefigured—Allusions are made to the Nephites and Lamanites and all the house of Israel—The Gentiles will be grafted into Israel—Eventually the vineyard will be burned. About 544–421 B.C.
1 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words of the prophet aZenos, which he spake unto the house of Israel, saying: Zenos must have been an Old Testament prophet that the Jews knew about....Drawing heavily from this commentary: It is thought Zenos was a prophet about 1000 BC and that all later writers would know of his allegory and draw upon it. Any similarities between this and the Old or New Testament writings means those writers knew of this allegory too.
2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a prophet of the Lord.
3 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of aIsrael, like unto a tame bolive tree, which a man took and nourished in his cvineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began to ddecay. There is much knowledge here about how to grow and care for olive trees, that Joseph Smith would be unfamiliar with. Israel is the tame olive tree. The "man" is Christ and the "vineyard" is the world.
4 And
it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw
that his olive tree began to decay; and he said: I will aprune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not. If there is a modern application, it could be said that the church has been nourished these last 200 years but there has been some decay. 2020 was a year of pruning as we were cut off from our “ways” of doing our religion. During this time, the Lord has had his prophets focus on the young, tender branches so they perish not. All their communication has been through social media. They are currently doing almost weekly devotionals with the young adults. The “old” branches are pretty set in their ways, and the young branches are growing wild. To become the productive “tame” olive tree, the main stem of the wild tree must be cut back completely and a branch from a tame olive tree grafted into the stem of the wild one. With careful pruning and cultivating the tree will begin to produce its first fruit in about seven years, but it will not become fully productive for nearly fifteen years. In other words, the olive tree cannot become productive by itself; it requires grafting by the husbandman to bring it into production. Throughout its history Israel has demonstrated the remarkable aptness characterized by the symbol of the olive tree. When they gave themselves to their God for pruning and grafting the Israelites prospered and bore much fruit, but when they turned from Christ, the Master of the vineyard, and sought to become their own source of life and sustenance they became wild and unfruitful.
5 And it came to pass that he apruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it according to his word.
6 And
it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth somewhat a
little, young and tender branches; but behold, the main atop thereof began to perish.
7 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it, and he said unto his aservant: It grieveth me that I should lose this tree; This phrase is repeated 8 times and shows the great love the Lord has for us and His great longsuffering and mercy. wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a bwild
olive tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off those
main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we will cast them
into the fire that they may be burned.
8 And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take aaway many of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them bwhithersoever
I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be that the root of this
tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit thereof unto myself;
wherefore, I will take these young and tender branches, and I will graft
them whithersoever I will.
9 Take thou the branches of the wild olive tree, and graft them in, in the astead
thereof; and these which I have plucked off I will cast into the fire
and burn them, that they may not cumber the ground of my vineyard
10 And
it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did
according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard, and grafted in the
branches of the awild olive tree. "...the Gentiles [or branches of the wild olive-tree] were expected to take from the Jews [or the branches of the natural olive-tree] the mantle of the Gospel and be grafted into the tree [Christianity] until the last days when . . . the “times of the Gentiles” would be “fulfilled” (D&C 45:25).
11 And
the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged about, and
pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant: It grieveth me that I
should lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps I might preserve the
roots thereof that they perish not, that I might preserve them unto
myself, I have done this thing. Zenos’ allegory uses the root as the Abrahamic covenant itself; the original covenant between God and his people is what is being preserved. For the Lord, it is his covenantal relationship that is the important aspect of his relationship to man. It is not necessarily the amount of time it takes for the tree to bear good fruit, nor is it necessarily the particular make-up of the branches (the race of men who become attached to the collective designation as “tree,” or “Israel.” What is important is that the branches (or covenant people) are cultivated to match the roots (or covenant terms) which are continually preserved.25
12 Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it, according to my words. I feel like the Lord does a lot of "watching" to see what we will do as a church. He's still presiding, but there is a lot of room for agency!
13 And these will I aplace
in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it
mattereth not unto thee; and I do it that I may preserve unto myself the
natural branches of the tree; and also, that I may lay up fruit thereof
against the season, unto myself; for it grieveth me that I should lose
this tree and the fruit thereof. This sounds like the leading away of the tribes of Israel or individual groups like the Mulekites, Lehi's family, to other places in the world.
14 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural abranches of the tame olive tree in the nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and pleasure.
15 And
it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the Lord of the
vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard,
that we may alabor in the vineyard. The master of the vineyard does not always labor in the vineyard himself. He has servants. He lets them labor the best they can. Sometimes things do not go so well and he has to come into the vineyard to try to set things right. He can wait a long time before he intervenes...
16 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard, and also the servant,
went down into the vineyard to labor. And it came to pass that the
servant said unto his master: Behold, look here; behold the tree.
17 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and beheld the
tree in the which the wild olive branches had been grafted; and it had
sprung forth and begun to bear afruit. And he beheld that it was good; and the fruit thereof was like unto the natural fruit.
18 And
he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree have
taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof
hath brought forth much strength; and because of the much strength of
the root thereof the wild branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now,
if we had not grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have
perished. And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree
thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up against
the season, unto mine own self. What is 'the season' that the fruit is laid up for?
19 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the vineyard, and behold if
the natural branches of the tree have not brought forth much fruit also,
that I may lay up of the fruit thereof against the season, unto mine
own self. There is much reference to the importance of laying up fruit against the season. This is preparation language for coming hard times when stored fruit will be needed during a season of famine. This has temporal and spiritual implications.
20 And
it came to pass that they went forth whither the master had hid the
natural branches of the tree, could footnote this with "other sheep I have which are not of this fold" and he said unto the servant: Behold
these; and he beheld the afirst that it had bbrought forth
much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good. And he said unto the
servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season,
that I may preserve it unto mine own self; for behold, said he, this
long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought forth much fruit. Just had the thought that this could be the visit to the Nephites and the 'fruit' could be the records they kept that were "laid up against the season"...
21 And
it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou
hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it
was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. America is not the "poorest" spot, so maybe they aren't talking about the Nephites afterall...Where is the "poorest" spot, and what makes it the poorest?
22 And
the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it
was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished
it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much
fruit. “Counsel me not”. That is an important phrase. I should never think to counsel the Lord. I can ask him what He is doing or planning but never speak as if He doesn’t know what is going on or doesn’t understand what he is doing. Notice it did require that the Lord of the vineyard nourish the branch of the tree Himself.
23 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and
thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But,
behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought
forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the
season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self. The master is called “master” for a reason. He has all wisdom and skill and knowledge. He can make choices that seem to not make sense to us, but He is still involved and His work will not be frustrated. He knows how to nurture His creations to bear fruit even in the worst of conditions. Another "poor" spot. Where is this? Who are these people? What is their fruit? Is this showing that they have visited all peoples like the Nephites?
24 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another abranch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit. This is the third group that the Lord 'hid'...who/where are they?
25 And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last. Behold, this have I planted in a agood spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a bpart of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the cother part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others. Maybe this is the Nephites and the Lamanites...
26 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth good afruit, and cast them into the fire.
27 But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it a little alonger, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up against the season.
28 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant of the
Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of the vineyard. Is this really "all" the fruit of the whole vineyard or just the parts that were "hidden" they just visited?
29 And it came to pass that a along time had passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard said unto his bservant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard. For behold, the time draweth near, and the cend soon cometh; wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own self. The trees were left to themselves for “a long time”. This was not the master not caring, but letting the trees grow as they chose. When the end is near, the master and his servant go into the vineyard again to gather the fruit for the “season” of no fruit. The "laboring in the vineyard" this time is to harvest, not to prune, dig, sow.
30 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant went down
into the vineyard; and they came to the tree whose natural branches had
been broken off, and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold
all asorts of fruit did cumber the tree. When Elder Packer used this story to teach that the programs of the church had become cumbersome, he was also teaching that God allowed it to happen. He didn’t intervene with revelation to course correct until after we had made our choices and the fruit or lack of it was self-evident. Instead of saying “don’t do this, or this will happen”, He allowed us to do it and see what happens when we make those choices. Then He teaches as we look at our own fruits, after the fact. This is how we learn “by experience”.
31 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did ataste
of the fruit, every sort according to its number. What does "according to its number" mean? And the Lord of the
vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I
have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit. This makes it sound like even though they were absent, they still somehow were nourishing the tree this long time.
32 But behold, this time it hath brought forth much afruit, and there is bnone
of it which is good. And behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit; and
it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor; and now it
grieveth me that I should lose this tree. If you go back to Elder Packer, we need to see which fruit we bring forth is good and which is bad and not assume that since we are "the" Church that automatically, all our fruit is good...
33 And
the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What shall we do unto
the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit thereof unto mine own
self? This language sounds as if the master is trying to train the servant. Surely the master knows what to do, but he asks the servant for his opinion.
34 And
the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou didst graft in
the branches of the wild olive tree they have nourished the roots, that
they are alive and they have not perished; wherefore thou beholdest that
they are yet good.
35 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing
so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
36 Nevertheless,
I know that the roots are good, and for mine own purpose I have
preserved them; and because of their much strength they have hitherto
brought forth, from the wild branches, good fruit.
37 But behold, the wild branches have grown and have aoverrun
the roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome the
roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and because that
it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou beholdest that it
beginneth to perish; and it will soon become ripened, that it may be
cast into the fire, except we should do something for it to preserve it. The master is getting ready to intervene. He has allowed the wild branches their full agency and can see what will happen if they don’t intervene. Are we almost there? The Abrahamic covenant is good, as it is the message of the gospel delivered to all of the ancient prophets. However, what is stressed here is the fact that in spiritual terms, the result of having the gospel among mankind is that it is not producing power to salvation and exaltation. The gospel might be technically “alive,” however it is not producing good fruit, which is salvation and exaltation. Therefore it is producing “evil fruit.”
38 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if
the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.
39 And it came to pass that they went
down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard. And it came to pass
that they beheld that the fruit of the natural branches had become
corrupt also; yea, the afirst and the second and also the last; and they had all become corrupt.The condition producing the evil fruit is that the wild branches “have overrun the roots” (Jacob 5:37). Remembering that the roots represent Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord, the overrunning of the roots is apparently some force that will make that covenant relationship of lesser effect such that good fruit is not produced. This may be a very apt description of the way the apostasy occurred. The mixing in of worldly ideas and philosophies (associated with the “wild branches”) would become the pervasive mode of answering issues, rather than the appeal to revelation from the Lord. The weight of the intellectual world would overrun the purity of the roots representing man’s ability to communicate with his Heavenly Father by covenant. The logic of the world would be subtly brought into the realm of gospel teaching.27
40 And the awild
fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which brought
forth good fruit, even that the branch had withered away and died.
41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: aWhat could I have done more for my vineyard?
42 Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these, had become acorrupted.
And now these which have once brought forth good fruit have also become
corrupted; and now all the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing
save it be to be bhewn down and cast into the fire. This sounds like the part where all 10 virgins had fallen asleep...
43 And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did plant in a agood spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard. America
44 And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which acumbered this spot of ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead thereof.
45 And thou beheldest that a apart
thereof brought forth good fruit, and a part thereof brought forth wild
fruit; and because I plucked not the branches thereof and cast them
into the fire, behold, they have overcome the good branch that it hath
withered away.
46 And
now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of my
vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted, that they bring forth
no good afruit;
and these I had hoped to preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof
against the season, unto mine own self. But, behold, they have become
like unto the wild olive tree, and they are of no worth but to be bhewn down and cast into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.
47 But awhat
could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that
I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged
about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have bstretched forth mine chand almost all the day long, and the dend
draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees
of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned.
Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?
48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is it not the aloftiness
of thy vineyard—'loftiness' sounds like pride/wealth/power/ease/ have not the branches thereof overcome the roots which
are good? And because the branches have overcome the roots thereof,
behold they grew faster than the strength of the roots, btaking strength unto themselves. Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?
49 And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into
the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I
have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?
50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little alonger.
51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard. All of this could be talking about the structure of the church and it’s leadership still becoming too “lofty” and “taking strength unto themselves”. "spare it a little longer" could be the part where we are saying "the Lord delayeth His coming..."
52 Wherefore, let us take of the abranches
of these which I have planted in the nethermost parts of my vineyard,
and let us graft them into the tree from whence they came; and let us
pluck from the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter, and graft
in the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof.
53 And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that, perhaps, I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine aown purpose.
54 And,
behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree which I planted
whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore, that I may preserve them
also for mine own purpose, I will take of the abranches of this tree, and I will bgraft
them in unto them. Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their
mother tree, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self,
that when they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth
good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my
vineyard.
55 And
it came to pass that they took from the natural tree which had become
wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees, which also had become wild.
56 And they also took of the natural trees which had become wild, and agrafted into their mother tree.
57 And
the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck not the wild
branches from the trees, save it be those which are most bitter; and in
them ye shall graft according to that which I have said.
58 And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we will trim up the abranches thereof; and we will pluck from the trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and cast them into the fire.
59 And
this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take strength because of
their goodness; and because of the change of the branches, that the
good may aovercome the evil.
60 And
because that I have preserved the natural branches and the roots
thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural branches again into
their mother tree, and have preserved the roots of their mother tree,
that, perhaps, the trees of my vineyard may bring forth again good afruit;
and that I may have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and,
perhaps, that I may rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots
and the branches of the first fruit—All of this sounds like "restoration" language
61 Wherefore, go to, and call aservants, that we may blabor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may cprepare
the way, for the return of the Messiah that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural
fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit. This sounds like the prophecy that "the knowledge of the Lord will flood the earth". Because Jesus is the fruit "most precious above all other fruit".
62 Wherefore,
let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the
end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall aprune my vineyard. There is a "last time"...at some point it will be "too late". Until then...repent and come unto Christ!
63 Graft in the branches; begin at the alast that they may be first, and that the first may be blast,
and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last;
and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the
last time. Are "first" and "last" Jews and Gentiles?
64 Wherefore, dig about them, and
prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end
draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and
bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them,
that they may grow.
65 And as they begin to grow ye shall aclear
away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the
strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away
the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong
for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees
of my vineyard. This sounds like the tares being allowed to grow up with the wheat
66 For
it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard; wherefore
ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the
root and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome
the bad, and the bad be hewn down and cast into the fire, that they
cumber not the ground of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad
out of my vineyard. We seem to be at a point in our society where the bad is overcoming the good. We have allowed the "bad" to stand beside us, trying to be loving and tolerant, but now they have overcome our society, industry, government, schools. Here it says, "until the good shall overcome the bad" - that gives us hope.
67 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into the natural tree;
68 And
the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the natural branches
of the tree; and thus will I bring them together again, that they shall
bring forth the natural afruit, and they shall be one.
69 And the bad shall be acast away, yea, even out of all the land of my vineyard; for behold, only this once will I prune my vineyard. Without tracking who is who in this story, the main point is that God is aware of all of his children; where they are; and how they are doing. He is moving people around to where he needs them, giving them the best chances for growth and learning. All the while he is willing to remove the corruption after it has grown and taken over and putting new people and opportunities in place. We need to trust him in this process no matter how messy it looks. He knows what He is doing and why.
70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his aservant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other bservants; and they were cfew. We need to ask why there are so few servants. Are we truly one of them or are we part of the wild branches who have taken strength unto ourselves?
71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and alabor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the blast time that I shall cnourish
my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily
cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the
fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon
come.
72 And
it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights;
and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey
the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things. I love that in this last laboring in the vineyard that the Lord of the vineyard labored with them as they obeyed the commandments of the Lord in all things. We must be able to hear the voice of our master and obey all that he directs us to do. Are these servants translated beings? Are they ones who have been "born again" and received the Holy Spirit for their constant companion?
73 And
there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard; and the
natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and the wild
branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away; and they did keep
the root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength thereof.
74 And
thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the commandments of
the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had been cast away out of
the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved unto himself that the trees had
become again the natural fruit; and they became like unto aone
body; and the fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had
preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto
him from the beginning. This is restoration and gathering and Zion language. “preserved”, “cast away” “natural fruit” “one body” “equal” “most precious from the beginning”.
75 And it came to pass that when the aLord
of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was
no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold,
for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest
that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural
fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And bblessed
art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my
vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again
the cnatural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have djoy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.
76 For behold, for a along
time will I lay up of the fruit of my vineyard unto mine own self
against the season, which speedily cometh; and for the last time have I
nourished my vineyard, and pruned it, and dug about it, and dunged it;
wherefore I will lay up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long
time, according to that which I have spoken. Is the “season” for which the master is laying up fruit for “a long time” the millennium where there will only be the “good fruit” that has been gather in?
77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my vineyard, then will I cause the agood
and the bad to be gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself,
and the bad will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the bseason and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be cburned with dfire. This sounds like the end of the millennium.
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