Publication date
8/15/21
Volume
42
Number
16
Publication page
243
The WatchTower
The Olive, the Fig, and the Vine
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1921/16/1921-16-3.html
~WATCH 
TOWER 
AND 
HE~ALD 
OF 
CHRiSTS 
PRESENCE 
VOL. 
XLII 
AUGUST 
15, 
1921 
No. 
lG 
THE 
OLIVE, 
THE 
FIG, 
AND 
THE 
VINE 
"The 
7cingdom 
at 
God 
is 
not 
eating 
and 
drinking, 
hut 
righteousness 
and 
peace 
and 
joy 
in 
the 
holy 
spirit."-Romans 
14: 
17 
you 
think 
it 
would 
be 
right 
for 
me 
to 
leave 
my 
fatness, 
which 
both 
God 
and 
man 
honor 
in 
me? 
No, 
gentlemen, 
I 
am 
afraid 
I 
cannot 
accept.' 
Then 
the 
committee 
re­ 
paIred 
to 
the 
fig 
tree, 
repeating 
their 
request. 
The 
fig 
tree 
was 
also 
previously 
occupied, 
and 
said: 
"Should 
I 
leave 
my 
sweetness 
and 
my 
good 
fruit, 
and 
go 
to 
wave 
to 
and 
fro 
over 
the 
trees?" 
'No, 
no: 
without 
some 
indlc.ltion 
of 
divine 
direction 
I 
must 
remain 
at 
my 
appolllted 
task 
of 
bearing 
sweet 
fruit.' 
N 
e}·t 
the 
king­ 
hunters 
came 
to 
the 
vine 
and 
used 
their 
illfllkllt:e 
tv 
get 
it 
to 
be 
king. 
But 
it 
replied: 
'How 
can 
I 
leave 
my 
new 
wine, 
which 
cheers 
both 
GOlf 
B:2Q 
man, 
and 
go 
merely 
to 
make 
a 
show 
over 
the 
other 
trees? 
No, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
right; 
you 
must 
count 
me 
out.' 
But 
a 
king 
they 
must 
have, 
whether 
or 
no. 
So 
they 
came 
last 
of 
all 
to 
the 
bramble 
or 
thorn 
bush 
to 
present 
the 
matter 
to 
it. 
The 
bramble 
received 
them 
ingratiatingly 
and 
bo\\ed 
them 
into 
its 
study. 
When 
the 
object 
of 
theIr 
mi~sion 
was 
made 
known, 
the 
bramble, 
with 
ill-concealed 
pride, 
scarcely 
demurred 
in 
the 
customary 
hypocritIcal 
man­ 
npr, 
but 
embraced 
the 
opportunity 
at 
once, 
l'emm 
kll1g 
that 
he 
did 
not 
mind 
being 
fourth 
choice 
for 
the 
place 
and 
that 
he 
was 
glad 
that 
the 
committee 
had 
at 
]a"t 
shown 
good 
judgment. 
Yes, 
indeed: 
he 
would 
be 
glad 
to 
be 
their 
king. 
'Just 
leave 
it 
all 
to 
me. 
Put 
your 
trust 
in 
my 
shadow. 
[How 
little 
political 
speeches 
ha\ 
e 
changed 
in 
three 
thou~::md 
years!] 
But,' 
his 
profes­ 
sional 
smile 
changing 
to 
dreadful 
mien, 
'there 
is 
one 
thmg 
that 
I 
want 
dishndly 
understood: 
seeing 
that} 
Oll 
must 
have 
a 
king 
and 
that 
no 
one 
else 
will 
have 
tl,o 
place, 
I 
wlll 
begin 
right 
now 
by 
telling 
you 
that 
I 
menn 
to 
have 
my 
own 
way. 
1£ 
anyone 
cro~ses 
my 
path, 
fire 
Wlll 
con,e 
out 
of 
this 
bramble 
and 
burn 
up 
the 
cedars 
of 
Lebanon.' 
Thus, 
with 
some 
twentieth-century 
color­ 
ing, 
dId 
the 
trees 
get 
their 
king. 
ABIMELECH 
MADE 
"KING" 
'fhereupon 
Abimelech's 
mother's 
people, 
the 
Shechem­ 
ites, 
gathered 
around 
him 
and 
made 
him 
king. 
On 
hearing 
of 
this 
proceeding 
Jotham 
emerged 
from 
hiding 
and 
went 
and 
stood 
on 
the 
top 
of 
Mount 
Gerizim. 
There, 
lifting 
up 
his 
voice, 
he 
uttered 
his 
famous 
pala­ 
ble 
or 
fable. 
(Judges 
9 
:8-15) 
Gerizim 
and 
Ebal 
wele 
mounts 
very 
near 
to 
each 
other. 
The 
former 
lay 
to 
t1:8 
"THE 
INTERPRETATION 
TIIEllEOF" 
north, 
the 
lattex 
to 
the 
south; 
while 
at 
tl'0 
foot 
C'f 
them 
It 
would 
not 
be 
proper 
to 
take 
this 
parable 
arbitrarily 
was 
Shechem, 
be~i:llling 
somewhere 
about 
the 
place 
or 
out 
of 
it;: 
settillg 
e:;.u 
make 
something 
out 
of 
it 
apart 
Jacob's 
well.-John 
4: 
n. 
from 
k 
lit.. 
Wll 
11l':ts. 
Let 
us 
therefore 
first 
look 
at 
its 
The 
parable 
proceeds, 
III 
paraphrase: 
Once 
upon 
a 
appaJent 
interpretafwn, 
and 
see, 
later, 
whether 
the 
facts 
time 
the 
trees 
went 
forth 
to 
anoint 
a 
king 
over 
them. 
\\all'unt 
anothc 
appltcatwn. 
They 
came 
first 
to 
the 
olive 
tree 
a~il 
besought 
it 
to 
The 
oll\'e 
tree 
e\iuently 
pictured 
Gideon, 
who 
had 
accept 
the 
office. 
But 
the 
olive 
declmed, 
saying, 
'Do 
been 
besought 
by 
the 
men 
of 
Israel 
to 
rule 
over 
them 
243 
V 
ARIOUS 
figures 
and 
illustrations 
are 
used 
in 
the 
Sacred 
Scriptures 
to 
convey 
certain 
lessons 
or 
to 
make 
lessons 
already 
known 
stand 
out 
more 
prominently 
than 
they 
would 
otherwise 
do. 
Again, 
utterances 
are 
made 
III 
parables 
and 
obscure 
saymgs 
that 
the 
meaning 
might 
be 
hidden 
during 
those 
tIlnes 
when 
God 
wished 
to 
hide 
it 
and 
from 
those 
persons 
whom 
he 
did 
not 
care 
to 
instruct.-Matthew· 
13: 
13,14; 
Acts 
28: 
26. 
Oldest 
of 
all 
the 
parables 
given 
us 
in 
the 
Bible 
is 
that 
delivered 
at 
the 
mouth 
of 
J 
otham, 
refugee, 
sole 
surviver, 
and 
youngest 
of 
Gideon's 
seventy 
sons. 
(Judges 
9: 
5) 
A 
seventy-first 
son, 
Abimelech, 
had 
slain 
the 
other 
sixty-nine 
upon 
one 
stone, 
because 
he 
feared 
that 
some 
of 
those 
sons 
might 
prove 
to 
be 
rivals 
of 
himself 
in 
his 
scheme 
to 
be 
judge 
over 
Israel. 
After 
the 
death 
of 
Gideon 
Abimelech 
had 
gone 
to 
his 
mother's 
people 
and 
played 
on 
their 
family 
pride. 
They 
led 
themselves 
to 
beheve 
that 
since 
some 
one 
of 
the 
sons 
of 
Gideon 
ought 
to 
be 
judge 
It 
might 
as 
well 
be 
one 
of 
their 
own 
loth. 
If 
glory 
\\ 
as 
to 
be 
had, 
why 
not 
have 
it 
themselves? 
In 
thus 
reasoning 
they 
became 
the 
prototypes 
of 
many 
political 
opportunists 
since 
that 
day. 
Principle 
did 
not 
govern 
WIth 
them: 
they 
knew 
Abimelech 
was 
hatching 
out 
a 
wicked 
pIau 
to 
be 
rid 
of 
his 
brethren; 
but 
they 
gave 
him 
money 
wherewIth 
he 
hired 
still 
less 
principled 
ruffians 
to 
help 
him 
in 
the 
bloody 
work 
of 
exterminating 
hIS 
own 
brothers. 
GNATCH LOWER AND HERALD OF CHRISTS PRESENCE Vor. XLIT Avaust 15, 1921 No. 16 THE OLIVE, THE FIG, AND THE VINE “The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy spirit"—Romans 14:17 Sacred Seriptures to convey certain lessons or to make lessons already known stand out more prominently than they would otherwise do. Again, utterances are made in parables and obscure sayings that the meaning might be hidden during those times when God wished to hide it and from those persons whom he did not care to instruct.—Matthew. 13: 13, 14; Acts 28: 26. Oldest of all the parables given us in the Bible is that delivered at the mouth of Jotham, refugee, sole surviver, and youngest of Gideon’s seventy sons. (Judges 9:5) A seventy-first son, Abimelech, had slain the other sixty-nine upon one stone, because he feared that some of those sons might prove to be rivals of himself in his scheme to be judge over Israel. After the death of Gideon Abimelech had gone to his mother’s people and played on their family pride. They led themselves to believe that since some one of the sons of Gideon ought to be judge 1t might as well be one of their own kith. If glory was to be had, why not have it themselves? In thus reasoning they became the prototypes of many political opportunists since that day. Principle did not govern with them: they knew Abimelech was hatching out a wicked plan to be rid of his brethren; but they gave him money wherewith he hired still less principled ruffians to help him in the bloody work of exterminating his own brothers. V sont figures and illustrations are used in the ABIMELECH MADE “KING” Thereupon Abimelech’s mother’s people, the Shechemites, gathered around him and made him king. On hearing of this proceeding Jotham emerged from hiding and went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. There, lifting up his voice, he uttered his famous parable or fable. (Judges 9:8-15) Gerizim and [bal weie mounts very near to each other. ‘Tue former lay to the north, the latter to the south; while at the foot cf them was Shechem, begi:ming somewhere about the place of Jacob’s well—John 4: 6. The parable proceeds, in paraphrase: Once upon a time the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, They came first to the olive tree and besought it to accept the office. But the olive declined, saying, ‘Do you think it would be right for me to leave my fatness, which both God and man honor in me? No, gentlemen, I am afraid I cannot accept.’ Then the committee repaired to the fig tree, repeating their request. The fig tree was also previously occupied, and said: “Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?” ‘No, no: without some indication of divine direction I must remain at my appointed task of bearing sweet fruit.’ Next the kinghunters came to the vine and used their influcuve to get it to be king. But it replied: “How can I leave my new wine, which cheers both God azd man, and go merely to make a show over the other trees? No, it would not be right; you must count me out.’ But a king they must have, whether or no. So they came last of al] to the bramble or thorn bush to present the matter to it. The bramble received them ingratiatingly and bowed them into its study. When the object of their mission was made known, the bramble, with ill-concealed pride, scarcely demurred in the customary hypocritical manner, but embraced the opportunity at once, remarking that he did not mind being fourth choice for the place and that he was glad that the committee had at jast shown good judgment. Yes, indeed: he would be glad to be their king. ‘Just leave it all to me. Put your trust in my shadow. [How little political speeches have changed in three thousand years!] But,’ his professional smile changing to dreadful mien, ‘there is onc thing that I want distinctly understood: seeing that you must have a king and that no one else will have tle place, I will begin right now by telling you that I mean to have my own way. If anyone crosses my path, fire will come out of this bramble and burn up the ccdars of Lebanon.’ Thus, with some twentieth-century coloring, cid the trees get their king. “THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF” MT would not be proper to take this parable arbitrarily out of its setting end make something out of it apart from knuwn ftavts. Let us therefore first look at its apparent interpretafion, and see, later, whether the facts watrant anothe: application. The olive tree evidently pictured Gideon, who had been besought by the men of Israel to rule over them 243

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