Jacob, the third prophet of the Book of Mormon, related an allegory first told by an ancient prophet named Zenos. We no longer have his writings and we know only that he was a great prophet much loved by the Nephites, who quoted him frequently, and that he was killed for his powerful teachings. We know the Bible was not written as a single unit, that it was written as separate pieces later gathered, and that there were many writings lost or not canonized. The Book of Mormon gives us a glimpse into some of these lost writings, including the work of Zenos.
This allegory was considered by Joseph Fielding Smith, an early church prophet, one of the greatest parables of the Book of Mormon, one that could only have come through prophecy, and not through the imagination of any mortal man, much less one with as little education as the young Joseph Smith had received when he translated the Book of Mormon. Many consider it powerful evidence, if evidence were required, that the Book of Mormon is true.
You can read the allegory yourself in the Book of Jacob, in chapter five.
Following is the basic story contained in the parable. In my next articles, I’ll help guide you through an understanding of this parable.
This is the story of a master who is upset because his prize olive tree is growing old and decaying. He doesn’t want to lose it, but hopes to preserve it so he can preserve the fruit for the future. He and his servant work constantly to do what is needed to save it—pruning it, working the ground around it, and nourishing it.
Initially, this seems to help. Some young new branches begin to appear. However, the top of the tree began to decay, upsetting the master. He sends his servant to pluck some branches from a wild olive tree. They then pluck off the dead branches, burning them, and graft branches from the wild tree onto the tame tree. They again work the ground and nurture the tree, hoping to preserve the roots. Natural young branches of the tame tree were hidden in various parts of the vineyard in hopes they would grow well.
When they return to evaluate the results, the tree has again begun to bear fruit, and the fruit is good. The master instructs the servant to preserve the fruit for his own purposes.
The servant, however, is puzzled. He asks why the master planted a tree in the poorest spot in the vineyard. The master agrees the spot was poor, but points out it has given good fruit for many years. He demonstrates that he had planted a branch in a spot that was even worse, and it too had given good fruit. In fact, the branches planted in bad spots generally grew well, but the ones they planted in good spots often produced bitter fruit and had to have the bad portions removed.
26 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth good fruit, and cast them into the fire.
27 But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up against the season.
28 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of the vineyard. (Jacob 5)
After a long season of careful care, they again went to inspect the initial tree they wanted to save. It was filled with fruit of all kinds, but none of it was good. The master was frustrated. He had worked so hard to save the tree, but the wild branches had overtaken the roots and were destroying the tree.
They then went to check on the other natural branches they had planted. These too had been destroyed, so that even the parts that had borne good fruit were now corrupted. The master grieved:
47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?
48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard—have not the branches thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves. Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?
Again the master decides the trees must be destroyed, and again, it is the servant who pleads for them to be saved and given a bit longer. The master agrees, hating the thought of losing his trees.
This time, the master decides to take branches from the new trees, which, you recall, came from the original tree. These he will graft onto the original tree, removing branches that are the most bitter. With the most bitter branches gone, and new branches grafted from trees created from that same tree, he hoped the roots would grow strong again.
This was the last chance. A small number of servants were called to assist in the preparations for this important last time. The effort was successful and the master rejoiced, calling his servants to him.
75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
