Mormon Dilemma 539

The New World & Jacob’s Olive Trees 

Jacob 5:4; “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.

Romans 11:17; “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree”

Jacob seemed pretty adamant about vineyards as they show up again and again in the following verses as well:  27, 62, 64 & 6:2. 

Just looking at these verses by themselves we aren’t able to see the serious flaws they contain, but there are a lot of problems with Jacob’s teachings.  

First of all grafting of trees in the New World didn’t take place until well past the time of Columbus’ arrival. Jacob supposedly lived circa 544 BC. 

Secondly, olive trees didn’t make it to the Americas until Antonio de Rivera brought seedlings over in 1560 AD and planted them in Lima, Peru. 

Thirdly, grape vines weren’t something the locals were known for cultivating. While grapes were in the Americas, they were gathered at this time in history, not pruned. 

Lastly, and most importantly, this vocabulary and teaching is from a New Testament setting. Israelites in the 6^th century BC wouldn’t have understood that Gentiles would someday be saved – vs. 74 alludes to this based on what Jacob said in becoming “one body”.