V1.06.08 Jacob on the Parable of Zenos - Reimagining the Book of Mormon

Jacob on the Parable of Zenos

composed ca. 531 bc

Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word — And I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates, and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain, but whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away –- But we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers.

Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engrave
These words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren
And our children will receive them with thankful hearts,
And look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow,
Neither with contempt concerning their first parents.

For, for this intent have we written these things:

That they may know that we knew of Christ!
And we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming!
And not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory,
But also all the holy prophets which were before us.
Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name,
And also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent
We keep the law of Moses: it pointing our souls to him
And for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness,
even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness
To be obedient unto the commands of God, in offering up his son Isaac,
Which is a similitude of God and his only begotten son.

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations
And the spirit of prophecy. And having all these witnesses we obtain
A hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we
Truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us,
Or the mountains, or the waves of the sea!

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness
That we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions
Unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.
Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord!
How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him!
And it is impossible that man should find out all his ways.
And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him.

Wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.
For behold, by the power of his word Man came upon the face
Of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word.
Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was,
And to speak and man was created, O then,
Why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship
Of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?³⁰

Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord!
But to take counsel from his hand.
For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth
In wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.
Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him
Through the atonement of Christ, his only begotten son,
And ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power
Of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits
Of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope
Of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things!
For why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect
Knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection
And the world to come? Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth,
Let him prophesy to the understanding of men;
For the spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not.
Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are,

And of things as they really will be;
Wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly,
For the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone
In these things, for God also spake them unto prophets of old.

But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people!
And they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets,
And sought for things that they could not understand.
Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came
By looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall;
For God hath taken away his plainness from them,
And delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand,
Because they desired it. And because they desired it
God hath done it, that they may stumble.

And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying!
For I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me,
That by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone
Upon which they might build and have safe foundation.
But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become
The great, and the last, and the only sure foundation,
Upon which the Jews can build. 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?
Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you.
If I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit,
And stumble because of my over anxiety for you.

Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read
The words of the prophet Zenos? Which he spake unto the House of Israel?
Saying: Hearken, O ye House of Israel, and hear the words
Of me, a prophet of the Lord. For behold, thus saith the Lord:

I will liken thee, O House of Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree,
Which a man took and nourished in his vineyard.
And it grew, and waxed old, and began to decay.

And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth,
And he saw that his olive-tree began to decay;
And he said: I will prune it, and dig about it,
And nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches,
And it perish not. And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it,
And nourished it according to his word.
And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth
Somewhat a little, young and tender branches.
But behold, the main top thereof began to perish.
And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it, and he said
Unto his servant:

It grieveth me that I should lose this tree!
Wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild olive-tree
And bring them hither unto me, and we will pluck off those
Main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we will
Cast them into the fire that they may be burned.

And behold, saith the lord of the vineyard:

I take away many of these young and tender branches, and I will
Graft them whithersoever I will. And it mattereth not that if it so be
That the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit thereof
Unto myself. Wherefore, I will take these young and tender branches,
And I will graft them whithersoever I will.

Take thou the branches of the wild olive-tree, and graft them in,
In the stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off
I will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not
Cumber the ground of my vineyard.

And it came to pass that the servant of the lord of the vineyard did
According to the word of the lord of the vineyard, and grafted in
The branches of the wild olive-tree.

And the lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged about,
And pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant:

It grieveth me that I should lose this tree!
Wherefore, that perhaps I might preserve the roots
Thereof that they perish not, that I might preserve them unto myself,
I have done this thing. Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree,
And nourish it, according to my words. And these will I place
In the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will,
It mattereth not unto thee; And I do it that I may preserve unto myself
The natural branches of the tree;
And also, that I may lay up fruit thereof against the season, unto myself;
For it grieveth me that I should lose this tree and the fruit thereof.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard went his way,
And hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the nethermost parts
Of the vineyard, some in one and some in another,
According to his will and pleasure.

And it came to pass that a long time passed away.
And the lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:

Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor
In the vineyard!

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard, and also the servant,
Went down into the vineyard to labor. And it came to pass that the servant said
Unto his master: Behold, look here! Behold the tree!
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and beheld the tree
In the which the wild olive branches had been grafted; and it had
Sprung forth and begun to bear fruit. And he beheld that it was good;
And the fruit thereof was like unto the natural fruit.
And he said unto the servant:

Behold, the branches of the wild tree have taken hold of
The moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof
Hath brought forth much strength! And because of the much
Strength of the root thereof the wild branches have brought forth
Tame fruit. Now, if we had not grafted in these branches, the tree
Thereof would have perished. And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit,
Which the tree thereof hath brought forth. And the fruit thereof I shall
Lay up against the season, unto mine own self.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:

Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the vineyard!
And behold if the natural branches of the tree have not brought
Forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit thereof
Against the season, unto mine own self.

And it came to pass that they went forth, whither the master had hid
The natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the servant: Behold these!
And he beheld the first that it had brought forth much fruit.
And he beheld also that it was good.

And he said unto the servant:

Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season,
That I may preserve it unto mine own self.
For behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it,
And it hath brought forth much fruit.

And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master:

How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree?
For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.

And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him:

Counsel me not! I knew that it was a poor spot of ground.
Wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time,
And thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:

Look hither! Behold I have planted another branch of the tree also;
And thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first.
But, behold the tree! I have
Nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit;
Therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season,
That I may preserve it unto mine own self.

And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant:

Look hither! And behold another branch also, which I have planted;
Behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit.

And he said unto the servant:

Look hither and behold the last!
Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground;
And I have nourished it this long time, and only a part
Of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part
Of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit;
Behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others.

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!

But behold, the servant said unto him:

Let us prune it, and dig 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.

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.

And it came to pass that a long time had passed away,
And the lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:

Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor again
In the vineyard. For behold, the time draweth near,
And the end soon cometh!
Wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own self.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard and the servant
Went down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree
Whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches
Had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree.
And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard did taste of the fruit,
Every sort according to its number. And the Lord of the vineyard said:

Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree,
And I have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit.
But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and
There is none of it which is good. And behold, there are all kinds
Of bad fruit! And it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor;
And now it grieveth me that I should lose this tree.

And the lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:

What shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again
Good fruit thereof unto mine own self?

And the servant said unto his master:

Behold, because thou didst graft in the branches of
The wild olive-tree they have nourished the roots, that
They are alive and they have not perished;
Wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good.

And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:

The tree profiteth me nothing!
And the roots thereof profit me nothing
So long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
Nevertheless, I know that the roots are good,
And for mine own purpose I have preserved them;
And because of their much strength they have hitherto brought
Forth, from the wild branches, good fruit.

But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun
The roots thereof! And because that the wild branches have overcome
The roots thereof, it hath brought forth much evil fruit;
And because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit
Thou beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon
Become ripened, that it may be cast into the fire,
Except we should do something for it, to preserve it.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:

Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard,
And behold if the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.

And it came to pass that they went down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard. And it came to pass that they beheld that the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also; yea, the first and the second and also the last; and they had all become corrupt. And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had withered away and died.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant:

What could I have done more for my vineyard?
Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these,
Had become corrupted. And now these which have once brought forth
Food fruit have also become corrupted! And now all
The trees of my vineyard are good for nothing,
Save it be to be hewn down and cast into the fire.

And behold this last! Whose branch hath withered away,
I did plant in a good spot of ground;
Yea, even that which was choice unto me above all
Other parts of the land of my vineyard. And thou beheldest
That I also cut down that which cumbered this spot of ground,
That I might plant this tree in the stead thereof.
And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good fruit, and a part
Thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I plucked not
The branches thereof and cast them into the fire, behold, they
Have overcome the good branch, that it hath withered away.
And now, behold, notwithstanding
All the care which we have taken of my vineyard,
The trees thereof have become corrupted,
That they bring forth no good fruit. And these I had hoped
To preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season,
Unto mine own self. but, behold, they have become like unto
The wild olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn
Down and cast into the fire.
And it grieveth me that I should lose them.

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?

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?

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:

Let us go to, and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them
Into the fire! That they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard,
For I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?

But, behold, the servant said unto the lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer. And the Lord said:

Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me
That I should lose the trees of my vineyard. Wherefore, let us
Take of the branches of these which I have planted in
The nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft them
Into the tree from whence they came, and let us pluck
From the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter,
And graft in the natural branches of the tree
In the stead thereof. And this will I do that the tree
May not perish, that, perhaps, I may preserve unto myself
The roots thereof, for mine own purpose.
And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree which I planted
Whithersoever I would, are yet alive!

Wherefore, that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose,
I will take of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them.
Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree,
That I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self,
That when they shall be sufficiently strong, perhaps
They may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I may
Yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard.

And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree
Which had become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees,
Which also had become wild. And they also took of the natural
Trees which had become wild, and grafted into their mother tree.
And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:

Pluck not the wild branches from the trees, save it be
Those which are most bitter! And in them ye shall graft
According to that which I have said. And we will nourish again
The trees of the vineyard, and we will trim up the branches thereof;
And we will pluck from the trees those branches which are ripened,
That must perish, and cast them into the fire.
And this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take strength
Because of their goodness; and because of the change of the branches,
That the good may overcome the evil. And because
That I have preserved the natural branches and the roots thereof,
And that I have grafted in the natural branches again into
Their mother tree, and have preserved the roots of their mother tree,
That, perhaps, the trees of my vineyard may bring forth again good fruit;
And that I may have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps,
That I may rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved
The roots and the branches of the first fruit.

Wherefore, go to!
And call servants! That we may labor diligently with our might
In the vineyard, that we may prepare the way,
That I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit
Is good, and the most precious above all other fruit.

Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time,
For behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time
That I shall prune my vineyard.
Graft in the branches! Begin at the last that they may be first,
And that the first may be last,
And dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last;
And the last and the first, that all may be nourished
Once again, for the last time. 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. And as they begin to grow, ye shall clear
Away the branches which bring forth
Bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof;
And ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest
The roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof
Shall perish, And I lose the trees of my vineyard.

For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.
Wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow,
That the root and the top may be equal in strength,
Until the good shall overcome the bad,
And the bad be hewn down and cast into the fire,
That they cumber not the ground of my vineyard;
And thus will I sweep away the bad out of my vineyard.
And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into
The natural tree; and the branches of the natural tree will I graft
Into the natural branches of the tree. And thus will I bring them
Together again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they
Shall be one. And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out
Of all the land of my vineyard;
For behold, only this once will I prune my vineyard.

And it came to pass that the lord of the vineyard sent his servant.
And the servant went and did as the lord had commanded him,
And brought other servants; and they were few.
And the lord of the vineyard said unto them:

Go to! And labor in the vineyard, with your might.
For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard;
For the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh;
And if ye labor with your might with me
Ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up
Unto myself against the time which will soon come.

And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their might;
And the lord of the vineyard labored also with them.
And they did obey the commandments of the lord.
And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard.
And the natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly!
And the wild branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away!
And they did keep the root and the top thereof equal,
According to the strength thereof. And thus they labored,
With all diligence, according to the commandments of the lord
Of the vineyard, even until the bad had been cast away out of the vineyard,

And the good, the lord had preserved unto himself: that the trees had brought
Again the natural fruit, and they became like unto one body;
And the fruits were equal; and the lord of the vineyard had preserved
Unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him
From the beginning.

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.
For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my
Vineyard unto mine own self against the season which speedily cometh.
And for the last time have I nourished my vineyard,
And pruned it, and dug about it. And dunged it.
Wherefore I will lay up unto mine own self of the fruit,
For a long time, according to that which I have spoken.
And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come
Into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered!
And the good will I preserve unto myself,
And the bad will I cast away into its own place.
And then cometh the season and the end.
And my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.

And now, behold, my brethren, as I said unto you that I would prophesy, behold! This is my prophecy: That the things which this prophet Zenos spake,
Concerning the House of Israel,
In the which he likened them unto a tame olive-tree,
Must surely come to pass. And the day that he shall set his hand again
The second time to recover his people,
Is the day, yea, even the last time,
That the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power,
To nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh.

And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard!
And how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place!
And the world shall be burned with fire.
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. 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.
Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;
For why will ye die? 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?

Behold, will ye reject these words?
Will ye reject the words of the prophets?
And will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ?
After so many have spoken concerning him?
And deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God,
And the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock
Of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?
Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power
Of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you
To stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?
And according to the power of justice,
For justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire
And brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable,
And whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake
Of fire and brimstone is endless torment.

O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate,
And continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life.
O be wise. What can I say more?
Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before
The pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked
With awful dread and fear. Amen.

<<Previous Page | Next Page>>