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

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 and Michael Tweedy for 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

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 Discussion by Bill Reel.