“It Grew and Waxed Old, and Began to Decay”

Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet

And perhaps there is a typology not so readily apparent in the olive tree and its fruit, one which, like all things to the spiritually attentive, points toward and bears witness of him who is Eternal. One Jewish legend identifies the tree of life as the olive tree. (See Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews 1:93; 2:119.) It was during the closing hours of our Savior’s mortal life that he “[trod] the winepress [or, we might say, oil press, since the word Gethsemane means literally ”garden of the oil press“] alone, even the oil press ”of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God“ (see D&C 76:107; D&C 88:106; D&C 133:50; Isaiah 63:3). ”

He who never took a backward step from the will of the Father, he who was supersensitive, could and did feel. For us. With us. The pressure worked upon him, as the olive press worked upon the olive. “After his death on the cross,”at the last, a spear was thrust into his side. Out of it flowed water and blood, as oil flows from the purged and pressed olive.“ (Madsen,”The Olive Press, “ p. 61.)”

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

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