Jacob 5 – The Allegory of the Tame and Wild Olive Trees
Jacob compared the House of Israel to an old olive tree.
Before beginning a study of this important chapter, review with students Jacob 4:15-18. These verses explain why Jacob is referring to the allegory written by the prophet Zenos.
Jacob 4:15-18
Scripture Analysis
15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying; for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling [apostasy] of the Jews they will reject the stone [Christ; see Jacob 4:12-14] upon which they [the Jews] might build and have safe foundation.
16 But behold [pay attention!], according to the scriptures, this stone [Christ] shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build.
17 And now, my beloved [people of Zarahemla], how is it possible that these [the Jews], after having rejected the sure foundation [Christ], can ever build upon it [the sure foundation; Christ], that it may become the head of their corner [the foundation upon which the Jews build]?
18 Behold [pay attention!], my beloved brethren, I [Jacob] will unfold this mystery [how the Jews can reject Christ and still be built upon faith in Christ] unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit [lose faith], and stumble [apostatize] because of my over anxiety for you.
This is Jacob’s purpose, to show how the Jews can reject Christ and still be built upon a foundation of faith in Christ. The allegory of the tame and wild olive trees is designed to show how that can happen. Remind students of this purpose over and over again as you review the allegory with them.
Jacob 5:1-13 The Branches Are Plucked Off
List various elements of the allegory on the board and ask students what they think these elements represent. Jacob tells us that the old, tame olive tree represents the house of Israel (see Jacob 5:3). What do the other elements of the allegory represent?
The Master of the Vineyard
The Servant of the Master of the Vineyard
The Decay of the Olive Tree
The Roots and Branches of the Olive Tree
Pruning, Digging About, and Nourishing the Olive Tree
The Young and Tender Branches
Plucking the Young and Tender Branches and Grafting Them into Other Trees
The Main Branches that Are Beginning to Wither Away
Burning the Main Branches that Are Beginning to Wither Away
The Branches of the Wild Olive Tree that Are Grafted into the Old, Decaying Olive Tree
What do these elements have to do with Jacob’s purpose? (See Jacob 4:15-18.)
Jacob 5:14-28 Inspecting the Vineyard
Have students report on what happened to each group of trees.
The Main Tree (Jacob 5:17-18)
The Groups of Branches
Group 1 (Jacob 5:20)
Group 2 (Jacob 5:23)
Group 3 (Jacob 5:24)
Group 4 (Jacob 5:25-27)
Ask students why they think there were four groups of branches in the allegory.
Jacob 5:29-37 The Progress of the Main Tree
Have students summarize what happened to the main tree. What did the Master of the Vineyard say about the tree, its roots, its branches, the wild branches grafted in? How do these statements relate to Jacob’s purpose (Jacob 4:15-18)?
Jacob 5:38-46 The Corruption of the Vineyard
Have students summarize what happened to the four groups of trees. Why is the Master of the vineyard grieved? (Jacob 5:46.)
Jacob 5:47-48 The Loftiness of the Branches
Review with students the symbolic meaning you established at the first of the lesson. Have them read verse 48 and explain what has happened to the House of Israel. What does the word “loftiness” mean?
Jacob 5:49-70 Purifying the Vineyard
Review these verses with students and have them explain the solution to the problem of corruption in the vineyard.
Step 1 (verse 52) Return to the tame tree the branches that were grafted into wild trees.
Step 2 (verse 54) Take the wild branches that were grafted into the natural tree and return them to their original trees.
Step 3 (verse 61) Call additional servants to return the branches where they belong.
Step 4 (verse 65) Manage the vineyard so that dead branches are taken away and high branches are cut back.
Remind students of Jacob’s purpose (Jacob 4:15-18).
Jacob 5:74-75 Building Upon a Sure Foundation
Have students read Jacob 5:74-75 and compare it to Jacob 4:15-18. Ask them how the Lord will make it possible for the Jews, who rejected Christ, to become a people who have faith in Christ.
Jacob 6:2-4 The Laborers of the Last Time
Have students read these verses and select words that help them understand the important role we all play in proclaiming the gospel in the last days.
Jacob 7:2-5 Sherem, an anti-Christ
Have students compare what Jacob says about himself (verse 5) with what he says about Sherem (verses 2-5). What was Sherem’s purpose? Why could Jacob “not be shaken” in his testimony of the doctrine of Christ? What must we do today to remain firm in our testimony of Christ?
Jacob 7:23-25 Trusting in Power
Compare the power of the Lamanites with the power of the Nephites. Ask students why they think Jacob said that his people “as yet” were conquerors over their enemies. By what power can we have power over our enemies?
Jacob 7:27 Adieu?
The last word in Jacob 7 is “adieu.” Some people have wondered why a French expression would appear in the Book of Mormon. They might ask, “Why would Jacob use a French word, when the French language did not exist?” The easy answer is that Jacob did not use a French word, Joseph Smith did. None of the words in the Book of Mormon existed at the time the book was written. No one spoke English, as it exists in the Book of Mormon, because that language did not exist. All the words found in the Book of Mormon come from the vocabulary of Joseph Smith. He translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God into his own language, 19th Century English. It was the language he spoke. This French word still exists in our language today in the form of the expression, “I bid you adieu.” Incidentally, the word means “goodbye,” in the final sense. A good French expression would be – Jusqu’ à ce que nous soyons à la présence de Dieu. (Until we are in the presence of God.) The short form of that expression would be – a Dieu.
