Keywords
Book of Mormon, Allegory of Olive Tree, Jacob 5
Abstract
In chapter 5 of the book of Jacob, we find a unique text commonly referred to as the allegory of the olive tree. President Joseph Fielding Smith once said that “the parable of Zenos . . . is one of the greatest parables ever recorded.”1 Composed of seventy-seven verses, this allegory is thought to follow the progression of a particular olive tree and its offspring in the Lord’s vineyard. Many readers have commented on the special nature of the allegory, with studies ranging from theological meaning, to linguistic comparisons, to actual viticultural practices. Though these studies differ in content, they are similar in one respect: each explores and explains the relationship between the tree and the Lord of the vineyard. This approach is the result of verse 3 concerning the tree itself: “I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and nourished in his vineyard” (Jacob 5:3). The olive tree, its offshoots, and their interaction with the Lord of the vineyard are the central features of these studies.
Original Publication Citation
The Religious Educator 7/1 (2006), 35-51
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Belnap, Dan and Belnap, Daniel L., "Behold, Ye Shall Have Joy With Me’: A Study on the Lord, the Servant and the Allegory of the Olive Tree" (2006). Faculty Publications. 5601.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/5601
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2006-1
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8333
Publisher
Religious Studies Center
Language
English
College
Religious Education
Department
Ancient Scripture
Copyright Status
2006 by Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. This is the author's submitted version of this article. The definitive version can be found at https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-7-no-1-2006/ye-shall-have-joy-me-olive-tree-lord-his-servants
Copyright Use Information
https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/