If we are to make sense of the events surrounding Zion’s camp, we need to understand the parable given in D&C 101:44-62.
According to the account in Matthew, the reason the Lord taught in parables was because the people were not open to truth in its plainness (see Matt 13:10-17). Therefore, that the saints were given this parable can be seen as an indication of the stiffneckedness of the people to whom the parable was given. In the account in Matthew, the disciples were blessed with an explanation of the parable of the sower by the Lord. Fortunately for us, the Lord has also give a few keys to help us interpret meaning from this parable of the nobleman in D&C 101.
Keys to Understanding the Parable of the Nobleman
In this parable we read of a tower that was commanded to be built, watchmen to be set round about olive trees in the vineyard, as well as a watchman upon the tower. The parable also speaks of one servant to whom additional commandments were given. In D&C 97:20 we are given a definition of who the tower represents:
And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high tower.
Later, in D&C 103:21, we are told plainly that Joseph Smith is the servant in the parable. By this I think it is safe to infer that he is also the watchman who was to be on the tower.
Additionally, in verse 12, before we arrive at the parable itself, we read:
And in that day all who are found upon the watch-tower, or in other words, all mine Israel, shall be saved.
Here we have “all who are found upon the watch-tower” equated with “all mine Israel“. It is apparent that the intent is that there be more than one watchman upon the tower.
Remember the account of Eldad and Medad:
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!
(Num 11:27-29)
That “all mine Israel” are to be found upon the watch-tower should remind us of the day referred to by Jeremiah:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them
(Jeremiah 31:33-34)
Parable of the Nobleman
Now I would like to take a look at the parable, starting at verse 43:
And now, I will show unto you a parable, that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion.
A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive trees; And set watchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.
Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower. And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower? And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace? Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things. (v. 44-49)
Here take note how these servants twist words from an earlier parable to justify their neglect to do what has been asked of them. In the parable of the talents (found in Matthew 25:24-30), it was the Lord who told the slothful servant he should have put his money to the exchangers. Here, in this parable of the nobleman however, these slothful servants justify their actions by quoting something the Lord said in the earlier parable. Does quoting the Lord or using scripture to justify wrong actions make one any less slothful of a servant? It is obedience to the Lord only that matters.
Also take note how the reference to “seeing this is a time of peace” relates to the words earlier in this revelation, “In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel” (v. 8).
And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord. (v. 50)
Again, note how these words relate to what we read earlier in this revelation, “there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.” (v. 6)
And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive trees. (v. 51)
What is the significance that “the enemy came by night“? Why does the Lord come “as a thief in the night?” (1 Thes 5:2) What is it about night that we need to be aware of as it relates to being ready for when the enemy or the Lord appears?
Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great evil? Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you, and—after ye had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set watchmen upon the walls thereof—built the tower also, and set a watchman upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen asleep, lest the enemy should come upon you? (v. 52-53)
“… and not have fallen asleep” What’s wrong with falling asleep? Should we not sleep? Isn’t needed rest and sleep a good thing? What is it about being “watchful” that suggests we be willing and ready at a moment’s notice to be inconvenienced in our sleeping hours to “awake and arise”?
And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy while he was yet afar off; and then ye could have made ready and kept the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard from the hands of the destroyer.
And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry; And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money. Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen. And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land. (v. 54-58)
If Christ is the tower of our vineyard, and Joseph Smith is the watchman there, then what is the enemy’s tower and who/what are their watchmen?
If the enemy’s tower is the devil or the devil’s kingdom, then how do you throw that down?
It is a misnomer to speak of the “kingdom of the devil,” because the description presumes something more organized than is the case. It is difficult to organize when fear, hatred, and anger are the primary motivations. Love is a far more cohesive, creative, and loyalty-producing motivation. All that Satan does is designed to destroy itself, as well as all those who follow him.
Satan’s aim is to cause division and create contention and anger and keep us in fear. So how do you scatter those watchmen and break down that tower? Can you do it with the same tools of anger, accusation, and contention that Satan uses? Will that work?
What if the tools you employ included persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned? (see D&C 121:41-42) Could that be effective in breaking down the enemy’s tower?
How would having a prophet on the tower help the situation? Do messengers of God shed light on things? Do they reveal the truth? What affect does that have on lies and deceit?
When truth is revealed, and people turn their attention to it, then what is untrue dissolves. Then that kingdom simply fades, it can’t stand, because you’ve revealed its motive. You’ve shown it for what it is, and when people see that and recognize it, and respond to the truth of it, then it just goes away. Darkness flees from light, not the other way around.
So how does this approach relate to the call for Zion’s camp to arm themselves and march forth to rescue their bretheren in Missouri?
It’s interesting to me God’s use of aggressive language in this parable. Why has God illustrated these things using vocabulary that conjures up imagery of war and destruction? Will God give us what we ask for? (See D&C 50:29-30)
Recall that by virtue of the fact that these teachings are being presented in the form of a parable is an indication of the stiffneckdness of those to whom it is being given. Take a look at the Lord’s explanation:
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
(Matt 13:10-15)
Consider the example of John Whitmer’s response to what is now section 84:
Some readers may have missed the implications of the priesthood revelation. John Whitmer was most excited by the verse warning Boston, New York, and Albany of coming desolation. Those verses reflected the millenarian thinking of the gathering to Zion and constructing the New Jerusalem, which had occupied the Saints for the last two years. The part about “exaltation” – the preparation to stand in God’s presence and commune with Him – did not register with Whitmer. Eager as the Saints were for spiritual gifts, not all were ready for the mysticism of the priesthood revelation.
Richard Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, p. 204-205
Continuing with the parable:
And the servant said unto his lord: When shall these things be? And he said unto his servant: When I will; go ye straightway, and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you; And this shall be my seal and blessing upon you—a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my kingdom. And his servant went straightway, and did all things whatsoever his lord commanded him; and after many days all things were fulfilled. (v. 59-62)
In a scriptural sense, a ruler is a teacher of truth. We were spirits before we were born. We were all there when some were chosen to be rulers, or in other words, teachers. (see Abraham 3:22-28). To rule is to be responsible to teach all those in one’s dominion. A ruler is a teacher responsible for instructing others (see 1 Nephi 2:22).
If, on the other hand, we view the term “ruler” in a modern day gentile sense, we get an image of one who rules with a fierce strong hand, tearing down walls, taking the offensive, and aggressively conquering an enemy.
If you are more like John Whitmer, focused on the condemnation of New York over the beauty and light of exaltation … if that’s the mindset from which you approach things, then this parable has all the elements in it that would justify an aggressive offensive approach.
In fact we see this was the case for some, in response to the revelation disbanding the camp:
Others protested, feeling that it denied them a chance to do more for the Missouri Saints. A few people were angry and ashamed that they had to return home without a fight.
Saints Vol 1, p. 205
By using the kind of imagery in this parable that He did, God exposed their hearts. If we are to do better in our day, then we need to have different hearts.