The Olive Tree Allegory

Treating the Further Decay by Grafting and Burning

Jacob 5:49

The exasperated master, now referred to as the Lord of the vineyard, proposes to cut down all the trees and burn them.

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?”

Jacob 5:50

The servant suggest waiting a little longer.

But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard:

“Spare it a little longer.”

Jacob 5:51–54

The Lord of the vineyard agrees, and plans to take out the offshoots and graft them back into the tree that they came from, and take out the wild branches from that tree.

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.”

Jacob 5:55–56

They act according to plan, re–grafting all branches back to their original tree.

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.

Jacob 5:57–59

Following the grafting, the Lord of the vineyard tells the servant to keep the wild branches, and to remove only the very worst ones.

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.”