Before Jacob quotes Zenos’s
allegory of the olive tree, he asks a question that frames why he quotes the
whole thing.
And
now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected the sure
foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their
corner? (Jacob 4:17)
His concern before the
allegory is to draw out how the Jews who rejected Christ would ever be
persuaded to believe in Him. His
purpose for quoting the allegory is to show how the Lord meant to scatter
Israel so that the wicked would forget all they knew so that when the gospel
was brought to their descendants they would recognize the miracle that it was
and finally accept Christ.
However, the allegory
doesn’t just focus on this issue.
Much of it is taken up with showing the scattering of Israel’s righteous
branches is to prevent them from being tainted by the corrupt whole, showing
how the Gentiles would be grafted in to the main tree to remind the Jews of the
miraculous blessings Israel had been born to, and showing the gradual decay of
the vineyard after all the Lord of the vineyard has done to try to save it.
As it happens, when Jacob is
finished quoting the allegory, he doesn’t refocus on his initial question. Instead, he likens the allegory to his
people who are branches broken off and placed in a different part of the
vineyard. His concern becomes
persuading them not to become corrupted, wild branches that bring forth wild
fruit after having been planted in a good spot of ground and nourished by the
word of God all the day long.
4 And how
merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots
and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and
they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden
their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
5 Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would
repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth
unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of
the day, harden not your hearts.
6 Yea,
today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?
7 For
behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long,
will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the
fire? (Jacob 6:4-7)
These words are also
highly applicable to us as members of the church. Jacob urges us not to reject the words of the prophets, the
words of Christ, or reject the Holy Ghost, or quench it in any way, and to not
mock the plan of salvation. After
all, we are in the last time when the vineyard is being nourished and pruned
and we only have this chance.
Jacob’s purpose of
quoting changes from explaining how the Jews who rejected Christ will be
eventually be grafted back in to instructing his people (and us) to remain in
the tree as good branches bringing forth good fruit and not become wild
branches bringing forth evil fruit or withered branches that die off. It is likely that as he labored to
quote the allegory, the Holy Ghost impressed upon him the importance of
persuading to repentance the people who are within the reach of his influence
so that purpose began to overshadow his previously stated intention to
discourse on how others afar off would come back to the fold.
I appreciate Jacob’s
words. They remind me that as a
branch of the tree I’m not here just to suck the sap and put out leaves forever. I’m supposed to bring forth good fruit.
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