Zenos and the Allegory of the Olive Tree {Jacob Chapter 5} Take Home Worksheet Joseph Fielding Smith said: “But we have something in the Book of Mormon that, if we did not have other truth expressed in it, would be sufficient evidence of the divinity of this book. I have reference to the fifth chapter of Jacob…I think that as many as ninety-nine out of every hundred who read the Book of Mormon, read this parable through without grasping the fullness and meaning of it. And I think this is one of the greatest passages in the Book of Mormon…No matter how many times you have read the Book of Mormon,…take a few minutes at some convenient time and sit down and just read carefully every word in the fifth chapter of the Book of Jacob…No greater parable was ever recorded…I tell you, my brothers and sisters, Joseph Smith did not write it. That was written by the inspiration of the Almighty…When you read that chapter through if you cannot say in your soul, ‘this is absolutely a revelation from God,’ then there is something wrong with you.” Zenosʼs Allegory Symbols Symbol Meaning Bad fruit kills good fruit Nephites destroyed by Lamanites Bearing good fruit= Adding life & strength to church Good Verses to Practice Branches Groups of people Interpreting Symbols: Jacob 5: 25, Decay Apostasy Jacob 5: 46, Jacob 5:52. Dunging Nourishing Final nourishing Gospel restoration / Gathering of Israel This “practice” is what Nephi in 2 Good fruit Lives or works of good people Nephi 32 explains as “searching Grafting Joining House of Israel through baptism knowledge”. Loftiness of vineyard Jesus Christ Natural fruit restored Millennium Natural fruit Eternal life Plucking (burning) Judgment / Justice Pruning (digging) Mercy, Patience, Long-suffering Roots of tame tree Covenant people / blood of Israel Same tree, bad fruit Lamanites Same tree, good fruit Nephites Servants Prophets & others called to serve Sweeping away of bad Second coming of Christ Tame olive tree The house of Israel (covenant people) Transplant natural branches Scattering of Israel throughout world Vineyard burned Final judgment / Earth restored Our Diligence + The Gift of the Vineyard The world Holy Ghost = God unfolding His Visit #1 of Master Time before Christ’s mortal ministry Visit #2 of Master Time of Christ mysteries to us through personal Visit #3 of Master Time of apostasy and conditions of all revelation. churches Visit #4 of Master Last days leading to millennium Wild corrupt fruit Breaking covenants Wild olive tree Gentiles (not born into house of Israel) Hugh Nibley: “The long and puzzling story of the olive orchard in the fifth chapter of Jacob seems to present an endless combination of tactics to preserve the orchard. The point is that any combination is possible; God will try any scheme, general or local, to redeem the people. sixteen times the trees are given a last chance to get growing again—there is no end to the Lord’s patience.” What do we learn about Zenos from the Book of Mormon? Zenos was a Prophet who lived after the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (Helaman 8:19) Zenos was of the house of Joseph (3 Nephi 10:15,16) Zenos was killed because he “testified boldly” (Helaman 8:19, 3 Ne.10:15) Zenos gave many specific prophecies which were important to the Nephites including the following: 1. He spoke concerning the three days of darkness as a sign of Christ's death. 2. He spoke of destructions that would accompany this time period, including thunderings, lightnings, tempest, fire, smoke, vapor of darkness, the opening of the earth, and by mountains being carried up. 3. He prophesied that the kings of the isles of the sea would be wrought upon by the Spirit of God to exclaim, at the time of the crucifixion, "The God of nature suffers." 4. He said that the people of Jerusalem would be scourged by all people because they crucified the Lord. 5. He prophesied that those who crucified the Lord would wander in the flesh, perish, and become a "hiss and a byword" and be hated among all nations. 6. He promised that the Lord would remember his covenants which He had made with the House of Israel. 7. He prophesied that the Lord would gather the House of Israel from the four quarters of the earth. He said that all nations would see the salvation of the Lord. (See 1 Nephi 19:11-17) Bruce R. McConkie: I do not think I overstate the matter when I say that next to Isaiah himself — who is the prototype, pattern, and model for all the prophets — there was not a greater prophet in all Israel than Zenos. And our knowledge of his inspired writings is limited to the quotations and paraphrasing summaries found in the Book of Mormon. Layer 1: (Story line) Jacob writes an allegory from the prophet Zenos written on the Brass Plates. The allegory is about an Olive Vineyard and of the Lord of the Vineyard’s tireless efforts with his servants to cultivate the olive trees. Main Points: References to write in headings of Scriptures: One way to approach an understanding: “ I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer?” --Joseph Smith Jacob poses two questions when introducing this allegory. 1. Why not speak of the _____________ of Christ, and attain to a ________ _________ of him? (Jacob 4:12) 2. How is it possible that these (the Jews) after having rejected the sure _________, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner? (Jacob 4: 17) “BEHOLD, I WILL UNFOLD THIS MYSTERY UNTO YOU” --Jacob 4: 18 Layer 2: (Character/Setting Analysis) A. Why does Jacob add in this parable? What is he trying to tell us? B. Who was Zenos? Why was he important to Jacob? C. Setting Analysis: What can we learn about Olive Trees that will help us gain insights into the atonement? • Olive Tree--takes 15 years to mature and produce good olives. A wild Olive tree will never become a producing olive tree on it’s own. It will become wild and will resemble a bush. Branches from a tame olive tree MUST be grafted into the wild olive tree. • Olive Trees are extremely slow growing, but can last hundreds of years, and actually produce new “shoots” while dying, so that essentially, they can be thousands of years old. • Olive Trees are very hard to kill, and will grow in rocky,dry soil and endure harsh condition Layer 3: (Doctrine) What do we learn about Christ in this Allegory? How does this allegory help us to have a “perfect knowledge” of Him? 1. 8. 2. 9. 3. 10. 4. 11. 5. 12. 6. 13. 7. 14. What are the ACTIONS or RESPONSES of the Lord in this parable? (circle in scriptures) Other Important Scriptures to Mark: Jacob’s Conclusions to the Allegory: Jacob 6:4-5 (circle action word) and 6:8 (circle nouns) Layer 4: (Personal/Collective Application) Macrocosmic Level: The Tame tree = the House of Israel. The Servants = The prophets. The Lord of the Vineyard = Jesus. Microcosmic Level: 1. The Tame tree = _____________ . The servants = ______________. Lord of Vineyard = Jesus. 2. The Tame tree = Any Church Member. The servant = _____________. Lord of Vineyard =Jesus. .