Mormon Discussions: 352: Jacob Chapter 5 – The Allegory of the Olive Tree

Today I dissect Jacob Chapter 5: The Allegory of the Olive Tree.  This chapter has been shoved down the throat of believers as an evidence of the Book of Mormon’s divine origins.  Olive horticulture is unique we were told.  Joseph couldn’t have possibly known the concepts therein.  How one grafts, dungs, burns, plants, and nourishes olive trees is beyond the knowledge base of Joseph Smith, we are told.  But is this true. Today we explore what Joseph could have known and what those sources say about Zenos’ Allegory.  And in examing this we learn that once you grant 1.) that the Smiths were farmers 2.) Many other fruit trees known to the Smiths can be grafted. 3.) that the concepts and themes seem heavily borrowed primarily from Isaiah Chapter 5 and Romans 11 4.) and that a significant theme seems plagiarized from Luke 13 What is left is not only is every idea and concept within Joseph’s milleu but that Jacob chapter 5 gives us insight into how Joseph, by plagiarizing a multitude of sources, may be history’s greatest Eclectic Aggregator known to man. (Hat tip to Anthony Miller for the term Eclectic Aggregator) (Hat tip to Anthony Miller sharing of 2think.org/hundredsheep/bom/zenos.shtml and Michael Tweedy two important notes that made up portions of this episode) RESOURCES: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/jacob/5?lang=eng patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2020/05/some-notes-on-olive-cultivation-and-the-book-of-mormon.html?fbclid=IwAR12JBtkBnmxWZLZBbz15Mx9rSZwZw_M8mkUHXHWdwQu8t7kvwMIzuSyooM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Olive_Tree https://books.google.ca/books?id=fodGAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA364&lpg=PA364&dq=jim%20whitefield%20and%20the%20olive%20tree%20allegory&source=bl&ots=iWgKXwiDd9&sig=ACfU3U0Ga1gGqfVKYkCmO3XsxMozXb07Jw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi4tv_x-q7pAhUnGTQIHdpWAgYQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ&fbclid=IwAR37_rwO9YqLPs1UO_phZNWbc359YXrh4HgWPVnOvMycN2KW6fWqUjTMPug#v=onepage&q=olive&f=false http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bom/zenos.shtml https://exploringmormonism.com/jacob-5-why-vinyards-and-olives/?fbclid=IwAR3yqWBlvn829_9md-Y15gipwZKok7HIHnqDTuCJQNlEBZHWDrdce0ZpkOU https://byustudies.byu.edu/lessons/13-allegory-olive-trees https://radiofreemormon.org/2020/05/radio-free-mormon-161-magic-and-the-book-of-mormon/ https://rsc.byu.edu/book-mormon-jacob-through-words-mormon-learn-joy/botanical-comparisons-allegory-olive-tree https://homeguides.sfgate.com/olive-trees-planted-around-vineyards-57257.html?fbclid=IwAR3L3fFEOcX0fD9JLWGsAdXjYyVWn1AvCJDuYh2A_-4os0sluSY_lRRaFlM The Allegory of the Olive Tree – Jacob 5 https://www.ldsliving.com/Dissecting-the-Meaning-and-Symbols-Found-in-Jacob-5-The-Allegory-of-the-Olive-Tree/s/92569 https://zelphontheshelf.com/a-plagiarized-plan-the-origin-of-the-3-degrees/ http://www.mormonthink.com/book-of-abraham-issues.htm http://jur.byu.edu/?p=21296 The post Mormon Discussions: 352: Jacob Chapter 5 – The Allegory of the Olive Tree appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.