1 Ne 6:1 the
genealogy of my fathers…. is given in the record which has been kept by my
father
This verse makes it clear that
Nephi is still abridging the record of his father. The most important part of one’s genealogy in Lehi’s day was to
show descent through Israel. The Jews did have a habit of declaring long
genealogies. Paul warned about this when he wrote to Titus, “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain (Titus
3:9) Nephi declares his father’s lineage through Joseph then kindly spares us
the details of who begat whom from Joseph to Lehi.
1 Nephi 6:5 the things which are
pleasing unto the world I do not write
Not everyone responds to the Book of Mormon the same way.
Some intellectuals find the book useless. Even some members never seem to get
the Spirit of the book. But, such a response says more about the individual
than it does about the book. As Paul taught, ‘the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned’ (1 Cor 2:14).
Hugh Nibley
“[Nephi] tells us he is going to
give us an abbreviated account. ‘Wherefore, the things
which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are
pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world’ (1 Ne. 6:51 Ne. 6:5).
That's important. The Book of Mormon is not to be peddled for entertainment or
TV fare. It's not meant to be diverting. Mark Twain said, ‘It's simply
chloroform in print.’ Most people can't even get through it; they think it's
the dullest book in the world. We know it's anything but that, but it isn't
written as a best seller. It isn't written for the sake of the story or the
thrills…When you pick up the Book of Mormon, you [have to] shift your mind into
another gear...” (Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts
of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young
University, 1988—1990, p. 171.)
Neal A. Maxwell
“Naturally, some would like to
have even more contextual material about the life, times, and culture of the
peoples in the Book of Mormon. In fact, though, there is much more already
given in the book than most of us have been able to assimilate and appreciate
thus far. Nevertheless, such supportive but ancillary data are not the purpose
for which the book has been brought forward. This reality is stated very early
in the book itself: ‘Wherefore, the things which are
pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto
God and unto those who are not of the world’ ("1
ne. 6:51 Nephi 6:5).
“No wonder these scriptures fail to please or to impress the
world. There are those who prefer details on ancient agriculture to the ‘bread of life,’ who prefer information on the
rising of dynasties to insights on the rising of Jesus from the tomb. Perhaps this
is so because the former type of data is very interesting without being very
demanding. The second type demands both faith and, thereafter, a certain
behavior.” (But for a Small Moment, p. 38)
1 Ne 6:4 that
I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham.
Nephi declares his intent to persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham. His
record begins with this invitation for the readers to come to Christ. It sounds like an invitation without
obligation. However, by the time Nephi finishes his record of the things of
God, the Spirit prompts him to hold the reader responsible for how they receive
his writings, ‘And if ye shall believe in Christ ye
will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath
given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if
they are not the words of Christ, judge ye--for Christ will show unto you, with
power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I
shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been
commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness….for these
words shall condemn you at the last day.’ (2 Ne 33:10-11,14)