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Description
In the Book of Mormon, the allegory of the olive tree—written by a prophet named Zenos and later quoted by the prophet Jacob to his people—stands out as a unique literary creation worthy of close analysis and greater appreciation. Besides its exceptional length and exquisite detail, this text conveys important teachings, deep emotion, and wisdom related to God’s tender devotion and aspirations for the house of Israel on earth.
In The Allegory of the Olive Tree, 20 scholars shed light on the meaning, themes, and rhetorical aspects of the allegory, as well as on its historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. In so doing, they offer answers to questions about the significance of olive tree symbolism in the ancient Near East, who Zenos was, the meaning of the allegory, what it teaches about the relationship between God and his people, how it might relate to other ancient texts, the accuracy of the horticultural and botanical details in the text, and much more.
Copyright Status
© 1994 Deseret Book Company
ISBN
978-0875797679
Owning Institution
Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Publisher
Deseret Book Company
Publication Date
1994
Disciplines
Religion | Religious Education
Recommended Citation
Ricks, Stephen D. and Welch, John W., "The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, the Bible, and Jacob 5" (1994). Maxwell Institute Publications. 79.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/mi/79