"Friend" as covenant term

I came across something interesting on this excellent blog. The blogger quotes from books that I don't have so I will just copy some of his quotes.

Amy Hardison writes that anciently, covenants were written with a specific vocabulary. Inside the covenant context, certain words had official and legal meanings that sometimes differed from their normal, everyday use. For instance, one of the words is "friend." In Isaiah 41:8 God chooses and blesses Israel because she is "the seed of Abraham my friend." Friendship is a binding of hearts and souls. We often describe this relationship with such phrases as "bosom buddies" or "soul mates." We attain a similar but far more sacred friendship with God by making covenants with him. Each covenant raises the level of our purity so we are more like him. Each covenant binds us to him in purpose and heart. This covenant unity, or sacred friendship, grants great blessings to us and our posterity. [Amy Blake Hardison, "Being a Covenant People," in Covenants Prophecies and Hymns of the Old Testament, pp. 24, 26-27]

I was not aware of this but realizing how the word, "friend" is used in the scriptures, it makes a lot of sense. Here are some examples.

Friends of God in the Old Testament

Abraham and Moses are both called friends of God

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23, see also 2 Chronicles 20:7)

And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend (Exodus 33:11)

What does it mean to be a friend of God? As per the above quote, this seems like covenant language. Abraham is the father of the covenant people and in the Exodus, God establishes a covenant with Israel.

Jesus as friend of church leaders in the original and latter-day church

When Jesus prepared to empower the new covenant with his sacrifice, he moved his closest relations from the status of "disciple" to "friend".

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15)

This is the first time he uses that term to his disciples. I think this creates a link to Jehovah's friendship with Moses and the old covenant.

Even though this use of the word as a covenant term is not common in our age, we see a similar pattern in the D&C. (I don't know but perhaps it was more common in Joseph Smith's time?). The word, "friend", is never used that way in the D&C until section 84, the section with the oath and covenant of the priesthood. He even makes reference to John 15.

63 And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends

After this first time the Lord calls his latter-day servants "friends", it is repeated 10 more times in the D&C.

Another relevant passage from D&C is this

Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen. (D&C 88:133)

This was a formal salutation when entering the school of the prophets. Considering the fact that they were instructed not to receive anyone who was not "clean from the blood of this generation" and receive them by the ordinance of the washing of feet, there was a bit more to this than just a friendship in the modern sense.

Nephi and Zoram

There are some examples in the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 1:30, we read

And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever.

Keep in mind that when Zoram came with Nephi out in the wilderness, they swore an oath to each other (see 1 Nephi 4:33-37). The blog I linked to comments on this verse

The usage of the word "friend" in this context refers to more than just a friendly relationship; it is a covenant term which tells us that Nephi and Zoram are in covenant. As Lehi's blessing over Zoram continues, he states that because Zoram has been faithful (to his covenant with Nephi), his seed will be blessed even as the descendants of Nephi, his covenant partner. [David Lamb, "Friend: A Covenant Term," in Recent Book of Mormon Developments, Vol. 2, p. 51]

King Benjamin and his people

Again I quote from the same blog commenting on Mosiah 4:4. This is in turn taken from the book by David Lamb that commented on Nephi and Zoram

In King Benjamin's proclamation we find another example of the word "friend" as it applies to a covenant relationship. King Benjamin begins his message by greeting his people as "my brethren" (Mosiah 2:9). While "brother" is also a covenant term, in this case "brethren" refers to blood lineage as they are all from the house of Israel. As he continues his speech, he salutes the people from time to time in various ways such as "O my people," or "O all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children," or "And again my brethren," etc. These various salutations during the first portion of his message can be found in Mosiah 1:47, 52, 70, 73, 79, 86, and 92.

     As King Benjamin finishes the first part of his message, he notices that the fear of the Lord has come upon his people and they have all fallen to the ground. In reading Mosiah 4:2-3, we find that these people enter into a covenant with God by asking that the atoning blood of Christ be upon them. Immediately after the people enter into a covenant with the Lord, King Benjamin addresses them in a different manner. For the first time in his speech, he addresses them as "friends."

     King Benjamin's introduction of the salute "my friends" into the proclamation at this particular point is more than an expression of fondness for his subjects; it is recognition that the people have entered into a covenant.

 This is so obvious now that I see it.

The wicked counterpart

I haven't seen any comment on this, but to me it seems that this meaning of "friend" also is used for the evil counterpart of righteous covenants, i.e. the "secret combinations" we read about, especially in the Book of Mormon, to gain power. At least when searching for the word, "friend" in the scriptures, I found that when this term is used among the wicked, it is very often used in that sense. Some examples:

For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God (Mosiah 29:22)

Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law. (3 Nephi 6:27)

Therefore, behold, it came to pass that because of the secret combinations of Akish and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer. (Ether 9:1)

Elah - more tree symbolism

You will see some of my recent posts are about trees. It is frequently used as a symbol in the scriptures. I'm not by any means an expert in the Hebrew language but very fascinated by it and try to use whatever online resources I can to learn. The common word for tree is "etz" in Hebrew. But there is another word, אלה "elah", usually translated as terebinth or oak. It appears more times in the Hebrew Bible than "etz", but this is because it is also used as a personal and geographical name.

I just can't help but see an interesting structure here. In Hebrew, we have
adam - adamah
el - elah

Translated to English:
Man/mankind - earth/ground
God - oak/terebinth (tree)

I searched but haven't found anyone else pointing out this pattern, so I hope I don't read too much into this, but I cannot unsee this now. One thing I have learned about the Hebrew language is that it is very structured and contains a multitude of connections like these. I find this particular connection very interesting and the Book of Mormon enhances it. I'll get to that in a moment.

Another important fact is that the noun "elah" comes from the verb, "alal", which means to protrude. I'll get back to that as well.

The relationship between adam and adamah are subject to word-plays in the Old Testament and quite well-known. I had to dig a bit further to find anything on the el-elah relation. It turns out "elah" became the Aramaic word for God and even the Arabic, Allah. It is assumed that the oak tree with its strength and durability characterizes God and is therefore a name for God. But the specifics about the origins and evolution of these words are probably associated with some uncertainty. It is, however, interesting to note that the tree is associated with

• God the Father, through the names, El and elah
• The divine feminine, being symbolized by trees
• Christ through his parable in John 15 ("I am the vine")

What is the meaning of this connection and structure? I think the difference between God and man is beautifully symbolized by the difference between tree and ground. The ground is two-dimensional and the tree is three-dimensional. The ground itself only contains dust but it can also become the soil for a seed growing into a tree producing fruit. Similarly, God lives in a higher dimension (literally or figuratively) than us. We are merely dust but at the same time we have a divine potential and can grow into becoming like Him. How do we achieve that?

the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken (Alma 42:2)

When man tills the very ground they are made of, I see that as symbol for overcoming the natural man and shaking off the dust that we read about in the scriptures. (See this previous post). Here the protruding comes in. By tilling the ground and planting a seed, a tree starts extending above the ground. It breaks forth from the two-dimensional ground into the three-dimensional realm. Like that tree rises up from the ground and produces fruit, so can we, thanks to the atonement, break out of this telestial state and death that binds us and ascend to become Gods. Notice the wording in Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree

Alma 32 adds depth to this symbolism as it shows how to till the ground

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me...

41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

Here the heart of man (adam) becomes the soil (adamah). The word of God (el) is what can cause this growth into a tree (elah). This article shows how Alma is using creation and Garden of Eden imagery in this chapter. This connection demonstrates to me that Alma was familiar with and related to the symbolism in early Genesis, where trees is a major theme.

The connection between Zenos's olive tree and the Tree of Life

I have started digging into tree-language in the scriptures since there is a lot of it. I believe that there are two primary sources of this: 

1. The trees in the Garden of Eden, especially the tree of life
2. Joseph of Egypt / The olive tree in Zenos' allegory

In the previous post, we saw how these two sources seem to influence almost all tree symbolism in the scriptures. Today we will look at a possible connection between the two.

Helaman 14:16-18 brought me down this rabbit hole.

16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.

17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.

18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.

We have already seen that "hewn down and cast into the fire" is a reference to Zenos' olive tree. But in verse 18, "hewn down" seems synonymous with "cut off", which is a reference to the tree of life. At least it talkes about Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, referring to the Garden of Eden and the first death in verse 16, and then "cut off again" in verse 18 as part of the second death.
The observation that the synonymous "hewn down" and "cut off" in this verse are associated with Zenos' olive tree and the tree of life, respectively, indicates a connection between the two.

Another relevant scripture is this

that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God. (Alma 16:17)

"As a branch be grafted into the true vine" sounds like Zenos language we find in Jacob 5, but the outcome, "enter into the rest of the Lord", sounds like the tree of life. Perhaps there isn't that much of a difference? There are several other indications that there isn't. I was afraid I had read too much into this, but started to find parallels between Alma's tree of life and Jacob 5 as I looked further into it. While searching to see if anyone else had made this connection I found an article that I also linked to in my previous post on this subject and it points out the same plus a lot of other reasons to connect the tree of life with Zenos' olive tree. It's quite long but if you want read the details of these connections, the first 10 pages or so would do. A shorter summary is given below

• The end of Alma 32 talks about the seed (word of God) we plant in our hearts growing to a tree of life. It uses expressions like "nourish the tree" and focuses on "diligence" when doing so. He describes the fruit as "precious" and says that unfruitful trees are "plucked up and cast out". We find all of this language in Jacob 5 too.
• Jacob's comments after quoting the allegory in Jacob 6 shares many common elements with Lehi's vision of the tree of life in 1 Nephi 8. Jacob talks about a "narrow" way leading to "eternal life" (Jacob 6:11) and those who make "a mock of the great plan of redemption", elements found in Lehi's dream. Cleaving to God (Jacob 6:5) is similar to clinging to the iron rod. The vineyard represents "the world", similar to Lehi's field and the fruit is described in similar terms by Lehi (1 Nephi 8:10-12), Nephi (1 Nephi 11:8-9) and Zenos (Jacob 5:61)
• After Lehi has told his family about his dream of the tree of life, he starts talking about the scattering and gathering of Israel and uses Zenos's tree to explain it in 1 Nephi 10:12-14. In 1 Nephi 15, when Nephi's brothers ask Nephi what this means, he uses the same Zenos language to explain. After that, his brothers ask about the tree that Lehi had seen in vision. It seems evident that they saw a connection between these two trees.
• In early Jewish and Christian tradition, the tree of life is sometimes considered to be an olive tree. Hugh Nibley has pointed out that in the art-work of the third century A.D. Dura-Europos synagogue, the tree of life is depicted as both a tree and a vine.

But what does this all mean? Is the tree in Jacob 5 really the tree of life? Wouldn't it lead to a lot of inconsistency if the two were equated? The tree of life represents the love of God, the olive tree represents the House of Israel. People eat the fruit of the tree of life but produce the fruit of the olive tree. On the other hand, you could argue that the love of God is manifest through his invitation to us to become his covenant people. And the other argument is actually solved beautifully by Isaiah 3:10.

Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 

However, I don't think the point is that we are supposed to equate the two. I just think that this connection is meaningful and provides depth to my understanding of the gospel and the plan of salvation. Instead of talking about the two trees (in the Garden of Eden), perhaps we should talk about the three trees. Not to make it a tongue twister but to highlight all the aspects of the plan of salvation with the beautiful tree symbolism.

1. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents our transition from the premortal existence to this life. We become subject to death and sin. We enter into a world full of opposition to learn and grow.
2. Zenos's olive tree represents the covenants offered in this life (including the spirit world for many). The growth we were supposed to experience in this life of oppositions is multiplied when we are grafted into that tree through covenants and receive nourishment through the roots.
3. The tree of life represents the transition into the eternities for the righteous: Immortality and eternal life and a full-scale experience of the love of God that we only got a small taste of in mortal life.

As with all symbolism, there are different ways to look at it and layers of meaning. I have been thinking and posting about "Christ and covenants" lately. The connection between these trees adds depth to that. The tree of life represents the love of God manifest in the atonement of Christ. Being grafted into the olive tree through covenants bring us to Christ and enable us to experience the full effect of his atonement. It is like being grafted into the tree of life because life is exactly what Christ is offering and covenants ultimately unite us with God.

Seeing this connection helps make sense of the "cut off" expression discussed a while back. The "cut off from the people" (olive tree) in the Old Testament is synonymous with the "cut off from his presence" (tree of life) in the Book of Mormon. It also adds depth to these words by Christ

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15)

There is a lot of Zenos language here, but viewing this both in terms of the House of Israel (coming to Christ through covenants) and the tree of life (the effects of His atonement) is very meaningful.

Dust and fruit: Symbolism in the Garden of Eden and beyond

Long post warning! I have been fascinated with symbols and symbolism in the gospel for a long time. Finding meaning in symbols is a great way for me to learn eternal truths. I do realize that others might find different meanings in the same symbols teaching them equally important truths. I don’t think there always is necessarily one and only one correct interpretation. So what I’m about to share is just how I see things, not necessarily the "correct" interpretation.

Lately, I have been contemplating the Garden of Eden story. Perhaps this is more of an Old Testament note than a Book of Mormon note, but the thoughts I’m posting now are at least in part a result of previous posts on this blog and a verse in Alma 42 that caught my attention.

Lord Wilmore has posted both on the topic of nakedness and dust. In another post, I linked both of these to the Garden of Eden. The passage in Alma 42 that caught my attention is in verse 2:

the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken

Alma is quoting Genesis, so this passage is also found there. There is a certain irony in the statement. Adam is cultivating the very substance he is created from. Indeed, we learn that Adam’s physical body is created from the «dust of the ground» (Genesis 2:7). To keep us humble, we are reminded of this throughout the scriptures (e.g. Ecclesiastes 3:20, Psalms 103:14, Mosiah 4:2, Helaman 12:7). For ancient Israelites, this reminder was even constantly there as part of their language. In Hebrew, the word for ‘ground’ is ‘Adamah’. The ‘ah’ ending is really just the Hebrew letter corresponding to the Latin, ‘h’, usually not pronounced at the end of a word. Consequently, the Hebrew word for 'ground' is very similar to and pronounced more or less the same way as ‘Adam’, the word for ‘man’ or ‘mankind’.

So in Hebrew, the dust/ground is associated with man, but the physical/carnal side of him. Keep in mind that it was the body of Adam that was formed from the dust of the ground and it had no life until it had a spirit. (It is usually translated as 'breath', but the Hebrew word 'ruach' can be translated as 'breath', 'wind' or 'spirit'). As opposed to the serpent, who was confined to the ground to eat dust, Adam had the potential to rise above the ground and even cultivate it.

What happens when Adam or mankind "arise from the dust" (2 Nephi 1:14) and start cultivating it? It produces fruit! Elder Neil L. Anderson just gave a talk on fruit this last General Conference. Fruit can be good or bad but Jacob 5 is a good illustration of how much God wants his children to produce good fruit. Elder Anderson quotes John 4:36, where Christ invites us to gather "fruit unto life eternal". He also talks about Lehi's dream, where people had to hold on to the iron rod and overcome obstacles like the mist of darkness and the mockery from those in the great and spacious building, to taste the fruit from the tree of life. Another example from the Book of Mormon is Alma 32, where we exercise faith, patience and diligence to plant a seed and nourish the tree, before we can finally partake of the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma 42:5:

5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

Alma reminds us that the tree of life was there and Adam could just "stretch out his hand" but God prevented it. Instead, he wanted us to go through all the trouble described in 1 Nephi 8 and Alma 32. Why? Because it is a necessary part of his plan that we partake of this mortal experience, use our agency and knowledge of good and evil to rise above the ground/dust/flesh/carnal to till/cultivate/master it. In this way we produce fruit and ultimately get to taste the sweetest fruit of them all, the one from the tree of life. If Adam/mankind could just stretch forth his hand without any other effort and in their current state, "the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated".

In Mosiah 16:3-4 we read

3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.

4 Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.

If we are carnal, we are confined to the ground (which is the substance the flesh is created from) where the serpent/devil has dominion and we become subjects to him. But because of the redemption from God, we are able to arise. When we arise and cultivate the ground instead of crawling on it like the serpent, fruit becomes the result. In fact, the ultimate act of arising is the resurrection, which Abinadi talks about only a few verses later. Because of his resurrection, Christ became the "firstfruits of God" (2 Nephi 2:9). The sweetest fruit is the one on the tree of life that represents God's love manifest in Him sending his Son. In other words, the fruit can represent Christ himself. Just as the juice is squeezed out of a grape or oil squeezed out of the olive, blood was squeezed out of Christ. Blood in Hebrew is 'dam', also related to the word, 'mankind', it's Adam without the first letter, aleph. Acts 5:30:

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree

1st Corinthians 15:22:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive

The atonement is the reversal of the fall! The fall came about when Adam took the fruit from the tree. The atonement came about when the firstfruit of God was hanged on the tree. The fall was figuratively a fall to the ground, to the carnal and the captivity of the devil. The atonement enabled mankind to rise, to "cultivate the ground", i.e. to become master of the carnal instead of subject to it. It enables us to eat fruit instead of dust. John 15:5:

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

When we come unto Christ, his grace enables us to "till the ground" and produce good fruit and ultimately taste the fruit of the tree of life. Then we're back in the Garden of Eden, back in God's presence, we just needed this detour to learn and grow and come back differently from how we started. Like a tree arises from the ground as it grows, so must we.

Perhaps this all seems a bit jumbled, but I find much meaning in these symbols. I think we lose out when we are more concerned with what's historical than what we can learn from this story. The layers of symbolism are there for us to uncover.