Scripture Journey

Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees,” Book of Mormon Class Member Study Guide, 9

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Jacob 5 contains a fascinatingly detailed description of the ancient cultivation of an olive vineyard.  It is hard to imagine that Joseph Smith could have known how to describe these techniques.  See this link for a discussion of the actual ancient techniques and you will be surprised at the accuracy of the description in Jacob 5.

Putting aside for a moment the literal accuracy of the olive tree allegory, my favorite verse in Jacob 5 is this one:

  64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may grow.

Since the trees are the modern saints, this verse makes it clear that the saints need to be cultivated further: dug about, pruned, dunged, "for the last time."  This is in order to prepare for the natural fruit.  What type of cultivation is this allegory suggesting we need?  I like to think of it at a ward level and I believe that what it is talking about is the work that must occur among the saints as they magnify their individual callings and exert themselves to strengthen those around them, to be become more Christ-like and to repent of their sins. 

Lesson 12: “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”, Book of Mormon Class Member Study Guide, 8

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Jacob 2:35 contains one of the most concise, best and most poignant descriptions of the effects of adultery on a family in literature:

35 Behold, ye have done ^agreater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the ^bstrictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.

It is a bit difficult to imagine that Joseph Smith could have had the maturity and experience to "create" this description at the age at which he translated the Book of Mormon.  It is also a rather odd speech for a Nephite prophet to give to his people and contains such specific counsel and is related to such a specific set of facts that it rings authentic. 

I also think that Jacob 1:19 contains a very unique description of the level of commitment and responsibility that a priesthood leader should have:

19 And we did ^amagnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the ^bresponsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not ^cteach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their ^dblood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.

As I read that scripture I begin to worry about my own commitment and it seems to me that I may have some blood on my garments, because I don't think I have consistently magnified my callings and I don't think I've consistently taught the word of God with all diligence.  It is inspiring to imagine that a young man like Jacob could have the maturity to do this.

2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lessons “Chapter 9: Gifts of the Spirit,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),114–24

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2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lesson “Chapter 8: The Everlasting Priesthood,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),101–13

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The restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood to the Earth is a very audacious claim.  Joseph Smith claims he and Oliver Cowdery were visited by Peter, James and John and given this priesthood.  This is the sort of black and white statement that is either true or it is not.  If true, the ramifications are significant.   

2008 Gospel Doctrine Lesson 11: “Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ”, Book of Mormon Class Member Study Guide, 8

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2 Nephi 31 outlines what Nephi calls the "doctrine of Christ" -- the very plain and simple doctrine that in order to be saved, one must be baptized, then press forward with steadfastness of faith in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men (verse 20).  How incredible that Christ himself would humble himself to be baptized!  To submit himself to this very simple yet symbolic ordinance, in which we are buried in the water (in similitude of His death!) then brought out of the water (in similitude of His resurrection!).  This ordinance also symbolizes the spiritual death we experience when we sin, and the spiritual "resurrection" or rebirth we experience when we repent.  And yet He did not sin, therefore He never experienced spiritual death.

Why did He "suffer" himself to be baptized?  Nephi points out it is because Christ had to fulfill all righteousness, and he goes on to explain that what he means by this is that Christ had to show that he would humble himself to witness that He was willing to be obedient to all of God's commandments.  And so what is the lesson for us?  There is something incredibly important about obedience and about humility being demonstrated here.  Christ is showing us that if it is important for Him to obey a commandment that isn't really necessary for His salvation, how much more important it must be for us to obey commandments that are clearly necessary for ours.  And given this level of humility, how can we expect to enter God's Kingdom if we argue about whether or not particular commandments are really important for us (when we know full well that they might be, even if we can't see the reason today)? 

I have thought about this issue over the past week, particularly the question of obedience.  When the Israelites were in the desert and had the opportunity to look at the brass serpent and be saved, many of them perished:   

1 Ne. 17: 41

  41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they ^ahardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying ^bserpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be ^chealed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the ^dsimpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

The act of obedience is often to do something that seems so simple that it might look foolish to someone without a spiritual perspective.  Looking at a brass serpent on a rod has nothing to do with being healed from a purely physical or worldly perspective.  And yet for whatever reason, God tied the solution to their illness to a symbolic act that had spiritual significance and symbolism.  The serpent represented Christ on the cross, and we can only be spiritually saved by looking to him, or accepting him as our Savior.  And baptism is an identical symbolic act -- in and of itself, it does not perform a true cleansing of sin, but God has tied the cleansing of our sin to our obedience with the simple commandment of undertaking this spiritually symbolic step.  And Christ demonstrated the importance of this step by undertaking it himself.

2008 Gospel Doctrine Lesson Lesson 10: “He Inviteth All to Come unto Him”, Book of Mormon Class Member Study Guide, 7

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2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lessons: "Chapter 7: Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),88–100

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2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lesons: “Chapter 6: The Mission of John the Baptist,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),79–87

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2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lessons: “Chapter 5: Repentance,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),69–77

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2008 Priesthood and Relief Society Lessons: "Chapter 4: The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),57–68

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