2 Ne 9:2 the
Jews…gathered…to the lands of their inheritance, and…their lands of promise.
“This is a promise of the restoration
of the Jews to the true Church and fold of God ‘when they shall be gathered
home.’
“The Lands of their Inheritance
(See map #5). When Israel entered Canaan under Joshua, the country was divided
by lot ‘for an inheritance’ among the families of the various tribes. In the
division the larger tribes received a larger territory than those with a
smaller number of families. The country east of the Jordan was allotted to
Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh. The rest of the people were settled
between the Jordan and the Mediterranean. To the descendants of Levi, who were
devoted to the temple service and literary pursuits, a certain number of cities
with surrounding land for grazing purposes were to be allotted. (See Numb.
33:54–34:1–15) The total number of Levitical cities was to be 48, six of which
were to be cities of refuge, where one guilty of manslaughter, but accused of
murder, might find protection against the ‘avenger,’ which was the next of kin
to the victim. (Numb. 35:1–8) This was the land of their inheritance. The
southern boundary was the ‘River of Egypt’ (Numb. 34:5), which is a brook running
through the Sinai peninsula to the Mediterranean south of Gaza. The northern
boundary was a line drawn through Hazarenan, which some have identified as the
modern Kuryetein, sixty miles northeast of Damascus.
“Their Lands of Promise. This,
probably, refers to the entire territory which the Lord promised the
descendants of Abraham. (Gen. 15:18–21)” (Reynolds and Sjodahl, Commentary
on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 297)
2 Ne 9:4 in
our bodies we shall see God
This comment sparks Jacob’s discussion of
the resurrection. He knows that there is something after heaven and hell. He
understands that heaven and hell end in the resurrection to be replaced by
kingdoms of different glories. Since the Bible speaks mostly of heaven and
hell, and rarely speaks of events thereafter, this concept is important. It was
taught by Job who said, And though after my
skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God (Job
19:26).
The context is clearly talking about
seeing God after one is resurrected, but Nephi and Jacob have both learned by
personal experience that one who exhibits enough faith and purity of heart can
see God while in the flesh. This can only occur when the mortal body undergoes
a transfiguration so that it can withstand the presence of God. As Moses
explained, But now mine own eyes have beheld God;
but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have
beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was
upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him (Moses
1:11).
2 Ne 9:5 he
suffereth himself to become subject unto man…that all men might become subject
unto him
It is amazing to Jacob and Nephi that
the being they know as Jehovah, the creator of the heavens and the earth, will
be subject to Jewish and Roman political authority. There is a tone of
incredulity in Nephi’s statement, The Son of the
everlasting god was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record (1 Ne
11:32). The events near the end of the Savior’s life reflect the fact that He
had power over those who became his judges in mortality. He said to Pilate, Thou couldest have no power at all against me,
except it were given thee from above (Jn 19:11). Of his power over
death, Christ said, I lay down my life, that I might
take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (Jn 10:18).
Therefore, the Jewish and Roman authorities would have had no power to take the
life of Jesus Christ unless he allowed them to. He was the One who was to lay
his own life down, that all men might become subject
unto him.
“Modern revelation speaks of our Lord
as he that ‘ascended up on high, as also he
descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might
be in all and through all things, the light of truth ‘ (D&C
88:6). Christ's rise to the throne of
exaltation was preceded by his descent below all things. Only by submitting to the powers of demons
and death and hell could he, in the resurrection, serve as our exemplar of a
saved being, one who had placed all things beneath his feet. ‘I am Alpha and
Omega,’ he said, ‘Christ the Lord; yea, even
I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world. I, having accomplished and finished the will
of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might
subdue all things unto myself—retaining all power, even to the destroying of
Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment.’
(D&C 19:1-2.)” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, vol. 1, p. 234)
2 Ne 9:7 Wherefore,
it must needs be an infinite atonement
The fall of Adam brought death into the
world. The atonement must be infinite in that it must conquer death for all of
Adam’s children. In a more profound sense, it must pay the price for those sins
which are committed by the followers of Christ. Those that exercise faith in
him are given the promise of forgiveness of sins. How can one count the number
of those sins? The infinite atonement means that no matter how many sins need
forgiving, no matter how many people turn to the Lord as their Savior, no
matter how many mistakes we make, there will never come a point when the
redemptive power of the atonement runs out. There is no limit to the power of
the atonement to save souls. There is no limit to the number of souls who can
receive eternal life through the name of the Only-Begotten. There is no limit
to the number of sins a person commits before the Lord says, “I’m sorry, that
is one too many!”
This concept is one of the unfathomable
truths of God’s merciful plan. A mortal trying to fully comprehend the power of
the atonement is like a mortal trying to comprehend the concept of eternity,
the concept of an infinite amount of matter, in an infinite expanse of space,
with an infinite number of kingdoms. Someday maybe we will be able to
comprehend in full. For now, it is as Paul said, we
see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face (1 Cor 13:12).
Hugh B. Brown
“Keep your eye on the Savior of the
world…He will forgive you…Don’t be deceived by the wiles of the adversary and
think because you may have made mistakes that you have committed the unpardonable
sin. This gospel is primarily the gospel of second chance, the gospel of
repentance.” (The Abundant Life, pp. 270-1)
Boyd K. Packer
“I readily confess that I would find no
peace, neither happiness nor safety, in a world without repentance. I do not
know what I should do if there were no way for me to erase my mistakes. The
agony would be more than I could bear. It may be otherwise with you, but not
with me.
“An atonement was made. Ever and always
it offers amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent.
Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we
can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and
agency is ours to use it.” (LDS Church News, Deseret News, July 13,
1996)
Bruce R. McConkie
“When the prophets speak of an infinite
atonement, they mean just that. Its effects cover all men, the earth itself and
all forms of life thereon, and reach out into the endless expanses of eternity….Now
our Lord’s jurisdiction and power extend far beyond the limits of this one
small earth on which we dwell. He is under the Father, the creator of worlds
without number (Moses 1:33). And through the power of his atonement the
inhabitants of these worlds, the revelation says, ‘are
begotten sons and daughters unto God’ (DC 76:24), which means that the
atonement of Christ, being literally and truly infinite, applies to an infinite
number of earths.” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 64-5 as taken from Latter-day
Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 113-4)
Marion G. Romney
“Jesus Christ, in the sense of being
its Creator and Redeemer, is the Lord of the whole universe. Except for his
mortal ministry accomplished on this earth, his service and relationship to
other worlds and their inhabitants are the same as his service and relationship
to this earth and its inhabitants.” (Ensign, Apr. 1976, p. 32 as taken
from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas
Bassett, p. 114)
Russell M. Nelson
“His Atonement is infinite—without an
end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from
never-ending death (see 2 Ne 9:7; 25:16; Alma 34:10,12,14). It was infinite in
terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the
preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be
done once for all (see Heb 10:10). And the mercy of the Atonement extends not
only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds
created by Him (see DC 76:24; Moses 1:33). It was infinite beyond any human
scale of measurement or mortal comprehension. Jesus was the only one who could
offer such an infinite atonement, since He was born of a mortal mother and an immortal
Father. Because of that unique birthright, Jesus was an infinite Being.” (Ensign,
Nov. 1996, p. 35 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 114)
2 Ne 9:8-9 What would happen to us if the flesh should rise no more?
While Christ suffered on the cross, the
rulers of the Jews mocked him saying, He saved
others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God (Lu
23:35). What would have happened if Jesus had taken the opportunity to save
himself? That he had power over death and more that 12 legions of angels at his
disposal is without dispute (Matt 26:53). So what would have happened if he
used this power? If he got down from the cross, killed the Roman soldiers, the
chief priests, and rulers of the people? This would have saved him from death
and the resurrection. All these acts would have been acceptable to the justice
of God but they would have destroyed his plan of mercy. The fall of Adam would
have remained in force, and all of God’s children would have been left as Adam
was—cast out of the presence of God—forever.
The scriptures teach us of several
different things that would happen if the flesh
should rise no more:
1)
All faith is vain (1 Cor 15:17)
2)
We could not receive a fullness of joy (DC 93:34)
3)
Those who had died in Christ would inevitably perish (1 Cor
15:18)
4)
We would have remained in our sins (1 Cor 15:17)
5)
We would become angels to a devil (v. 9)
6)
We would become like Satan (v. 9)
While in Gesthemane, Christ prayed Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from
me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done (Lu 22:42). What would
have happened if the Father had removed this cup? What would have happened if
Jesus had decided not to go through with it? Jacob encapsulates the answer in
his explanation, our spirits must have become like
unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil. What does it mean to
become as Satan, to be an angel to a devil? Again the scriptures tell us of
several unpalatable consequences:
1)
We would have remained in a lost and fallen state (Mosiah
16:4)
2)
We would remain with the father
of lies, in misery (v. 9)
3)
Like the sons of perdition, we would be cast into the lake of fire, or the second death
(Rev 20:14)
4)
We would return again to [our]
own place (to live in the kingdom of Satan) (DC 88:32)
5)
We must remain filthy (DC 88:35)
6)
We would have a perfect recollection of all our guilt (Alma
11:43)
7)
Our words, works, and thoughts will condemn us (Alma 12:14)
8)
We will not dare to look up to our God (Alma 12:14)
9)
We would be shut out of the presence of God (v. 9)
10)
We would be forced, by the justice of God, to suffer as
Christ did (DC 19:17-20)
Fortunately, neither the Father nor the
Son wanted these terrible things to happen. According to the mercy of the
Father, who watched from the heavens as his son plead for another way, He
required His Only-Begotten to suffer the pains of
all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and
children, who belong to the family of Adam (v. 21). He was only able to
comfort His son by sending him an angel, And there
appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him (Lu 22:43).
Because of Christ’s great love for us, He partook
and finished [His] preparations unto the children of men (DC 19:19).
For behold, I, God, have
suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent (DC 19:16)
Because of His great sacrifice, we do not need to worry about whether the flesh
will rise no more. It will—for every person who ever lived on the earth. We are
left to rejoice, as did Paul and Jacob, O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor
15:55,57). O how great the goodness of our God… O
how great the plan of our God!… O the greatness and the justice of our God! (vs.
10,13,17).
Joseph Smith
“If the resurrection from the dead be
not an important point, or item in our faith, we must confess that we know
nothing about it; for if there be no resurrection from the dead, then Christ
has not risen; and if Christ has not risen He was not the Son of God; and if He
was not he Son of God there is not nor cannot be a Son of God, if the present
book called the Scriptures is true; because the time has gone by when,
according to that book, He was to make His appearance . . . And if He has risen
from the dead, He will by His power, bring all men to stand before Him; for if
He has risen from the dead the bands of the temporal death are broken that the
grave has no victory, if then, the grave has no victory, those who keep the
sayings of Jesus and obey His teachings have not only a promise of a
resurrection from the dead, but an assurance of being admitted into His
glorious kingdom.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 62. as
taken from McConkie and Millet’s, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, vol. 1, p. 240)
2 Ne 9:9 the devil…transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light
Satan can mimic a true angel in his appearance.
In this manner he can convince individuals to preach the doctrine of Satan
while they believe that they are doing the work of the Lord. This is what
happened to two anti-Christs in the Book of Mormon. Sherem admitted that he had been deceived by the power of the devil (Jacob
7:18). Korihor said, the devil hath deceived me; for
he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim
this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God (Alma
30:53). Joseph Smith gave us a key to be able to detect Satan when he appears
in this form, If it be the devil as an angel of
light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will
not feel anything; you may therefore detect him (DC 129:8).
2 Ne 9:10-13 the awful monster, death
and hell
Death and hell came into the world
through the fall of Adam. “Death” refers to physical death, or the separation
of the body from the spirit; “hell” refers to spiritual death, or being cast
out of the presence of God. Both death and hell would have force upon our souls
for eternity if it were not for the atonement of Jesus Christ. That is why the
Book of Revelation explains that the Savior held the keys of death and hell, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am
alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death (Rev
1:18).
Through the atonement death and hell
are overcome. Death is overcome for all who live on the earth. Hell is overcome
for all but the sons of perdition (DC 76:43-44). Even those of the telestial
kingdom will be redeemed in the due time of the Lord (DC 76:31-44). They also
are blessed with the ministration of the Holy Ghost and are therefore not cast
out of God’s presence forever (DC 76:86). For the sons of perdition, it is a different
story. They are cast out of the presence of God to rule with the devil and his angels in eternity (DC 76:44).
So, for all but the most wicked—because they were not willing to enjoy that which they
might have received (DC 88:32)—mankind is saved from the grips of that
awful monster. Paul taught that the Lord would reign,
till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death (1 Cor 15 26). John makes it clear that Death and
Hell are overcome at the same time when the Savior casts them into the lake of
fire:
And I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God…and the dead were judged…And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in
them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and
hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death (Rev
20:12-14).
2 Ne 9:14 we
shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt
In the resurrection, we will not suffer
the limitations of memory which we now have. Our personal computers will be
able to find files much better than they do now. There is scientific and
anecdotal evidence that the brain stores everything which happens to us in our
lives. Our inability to recall certain events does not mean the information is
not there.
Neurosurgical experiments, done on
awake patients, have shown that electrical stimulation to different portions of
the brain can stimulate the recall of events in the subject’s life that had
long since been forgotten. The experiments bring the memories back with the
same vividness as if the events took place yesterday. Placing the electrical
stimulation on different portions of the human cerebral cortex will produce the
recall of different events, suggesting that all events in one’s life are
recorded somewhere in the brain.
We commonly hear of people who believed
they were about to die say, “my life flashed before my eyes.” How could these
memories flash into one’s consciousness if they were not already stored in the
brain? If this is the case, and the scripture suggests it is so, we would be
wise to repent of those things which we do not want to remember at that day.
Then we will be as the righteous who shall have a
perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness.
John Taylor
“God has made each man a register
within himself, and each man can read his own register, so far as he enjoys his
perfect faculties. This can be easily comprehended.
“…Let your memories run back, and you
can remember the time when you did a good action, you can remember the time
when you did a bad action; the thing is printed there, and you can bring it out
and gaze upon it whenever you please.
“…Man sleeps the sleep of death, but
the spirit lives where the record of his deeds is kept--that does not die--man
cannot kill it; there is no decay associated with it, and it still retains in
all its vividness the remembrance of that which transpired before the
separation by death of the body and the ever-living spirit. Man sleeps for a
time in the grave, and by-and-by he rises again from the dead and goes to
judgment; and then the secret thoughts of all men are revealed before Him with
whom we have to do; we cannot hide them; it would be in vain for a man to say
then, I did not do so-and-so; the command would be, Unravel and read the record
which he has made of himself, and let it testify in relation to these things,
and all could gaze upon it. If a man has acted fraudulently against his
neighbor--has committed murder, or adultery, or any thing else, and wants to
cover it up, that record will stare him in the face, he tells the story
himself, and bears witness against himself. It is written that Jesus will judge
not after the sight of the eye, or after the hearing of the ear, but with
righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity the meek of the
earth. It is not because somebody has seen things, or heard anything by which a
man will be judged and condemned, but it is because that record that is
written by the man himself in the tablets of his own mind--that record that
cannot lie--will in that day be unfolded before God and angels, and those who
shall sit as judges.” (Journal of Discourses, pp. 77-9)
2 Ne 9:15 Who will be at the
judgment-seat of Christ?
We always imagine that Christ will be
our judge. However, He is not the only one who will judge us at the
judgment-seat. Nephi declared, I shall meet many
souls spotless at his judgment-seat…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 (2 Ne 33:7,11). Moroni also will be at the judgment-seat, we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where
all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood
(Ether 12:38). The Savior gave the responsibility of judging the twelve tribes
of Israel to his apostles (Matt 19:28) and the responsibility of judging the
descendants of Lehi to the disciples of the Americas (3 Ne 27:27). Therefore,
the Savior and his servants, who wrote the scriptures before us, will judge us
according to our faithfulness to the light we had received in mortality.
2 Ne 9:16 they
who are filthy shall be filthy still
This phrase suggests a willful
rebellion against God. The D&C teaches this principle beautifully:
‘he who cannot abide the
law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not
meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a
kingdom of glory.
‘…That which breaketh a law,
and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to
abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law,
neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy
still.’ (DC
88:24,35)
2 Ne 9:16 the
lake of fire and brimstone
Joseph Smith
“A man is his own tormenter and his own
condemner. Hence the saying, They shall
go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite
as a lake burning with fire and brimstone.
I say, so is the torment of man.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, p.357)
2 Ne 9:20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things
The 1981 Institute Manual on the Book
of Mormon states:
“As one reads 2 Nephi 9 one notices the
interesting way that Jacob approaches each of his subjects: always in terms of
God’s goodness and greatness. For instance verse 8 begins, ‘O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!’ Verse 10
begins, ‘O how great the goodness of our God.’
Look also at verses 13, 17, 19, and 20. Each item Jacob mentions is an
attribute of God: God is full of wisdom, goodness justice, mercy, and holiness.
The prophet Joseph Smith has said:
‘By a little reflection it will be seen
that the idea of the existence of these attributes in the Deity is necessary to
enable any rational being to exercise faith in Him; for without the idea of the
existence of these attributes in the Deity men could not exercise faith in Him
for life and salvation; seeing that without the knowledge of all things, God
would not be able to save any portion of His creatures; for it is by reason of
the knowledge which He has of all things, form the beginning to the end, that
enables Him to give that understanding to His creatures by which they are made
partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the
minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to
exercise faith in Him.’ (Lectures on Faith, fourth lecture, v. 11, p. 43)
2 Ne 9:21 he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living
creature
James E. Talmage
“Christ's agony in the garden is
unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The thought
that He suffered through fear of death is untenable. Death to Him was
preliminary to resurrection and triumphal return to the Father from whom He had
come, and to a state of glory even beyond what He had before possessed; and,
moreover, it was within His power to lay down His life voluntarily. He
struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on
earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental
anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an
extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only
God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of
physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism
would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and
welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the
horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict. The frightful
struggle incident to the temptations immediately following the Lord's baptism
was surpassed and overshadowed by this supreme contest with the powers of evil.
“In some manner, actual and terribly
real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of
the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. Modern revelation
assists us to a partial understanding of the awful experience. In March 1830,
the glorified Lord, Jesus Christ, thus spake: ‘For
behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer
if they would repent, but if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I,
which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble
because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and
spirit: and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink -- nevertheless,
glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the
children of men.’ (DC 19:16-9)
“From the terrible conflict in
Gethsemane, Christ emerged a victor. Though in the dark tribulation of that
fearful hour He had pleaded that the bitter cup be removed from His lips, the
request, however oft repeated, was always conditional; the accomplishment of
the Father's will was never lost sight of as the object of the Son's supreme
desire. The further tragedy of the night, and the cruel inflictions that
awaited Him on the morrow, to culminate in the frightful tortures of the cross,
could not exceed the bitter anguish through which He had Successfully passed.”
(Jesus the Christ, pp. 613-4).
2 Ne 9:23 they must repent and be baptized
“The teachings of Jacob clearly
indicate that the early Nephites considered baptism an essential ordinance of
the gospel. (2 Nephi 9:23-24.) Nephi also taught the necessity of baptism (2
Nephi 31:5-13), and then, referring to the baptism of the Savior, he counseled
his followers to ‘do the things which I have told
you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause
have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter.
For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water’ (2
Nephi 31:17).
“Concerning baptisms by the early
Nephites, Joseph Fielding Smith has written:
The Book of Mormon teaches us that baptism for the remission of sins was
a fundamental principle of the gospel among the Nephites from the time of Lehi
all through their history. ...
All through the Book of Mormon there are references to baptism as an
ordinance for the remission of sins. What their word for baptism was is not revealed,
but in the translation the Prophet Joseph Smith used the familiar expression of
our time. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:66.)
“The Lord indicates in the Pearl of
Great Price that baptism has been practiced as an ordinance of the gospel since
the fall of Adam (Moses 5:58; 6:52), with Adam himself being baptized (Moses
6:64-65). The purpose and necessity of baptism is clearly and beautifully
explained by the Lord in this scripture. (Moses 6:52-63.)
“The following statement provides
additional information on the baptisms performed before the birth of Christ:
In the former ages of the world, before the Saviour came in the flesh,
‘the saints’ were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there
never was any other name whereby men could be saved; and after he came in the
flesh and was crucified, then the saints were baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ, crucified, risen from the dead and ascended into heaven, that they
might be buried in baptism like him, and be raised in glory like him, that as
there was but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and father of us
all, even so there was but one door to the mansions of bliss. Amen. (Times and
Seasons, 3:905.)
(Daniel Ludlow, A Companion to Your
Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 139)
2 Ne 9:25 where there is no law given there is no punishment
Orson F. Whitney
“What is Sin? Sin is the transgression
of divine law. A man sins when he violates his conscience, going contrary to
light and knowledge—not the light and knowledge that comes from his neighbor,
but that which has come to himself. He sins when he does the opposite of what
he knows to be right. Up to that point he only blunders. One may suffer painful
consequences for only blundering, but he cannot commit sin unless he knows better
than to do the thing in which the sin consists.” (Cowley & Whitney on
Doctrine, pp. 435-436 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of
Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 119)
2 Ne 9:26 the
atonement satisfieth the demands of justice upon all those who have not the law
The atonement has power to save those
in a state of innocence. In particular, this applies to two main groups,
children and those who have not the law given to
them. This principle is taught in the law of sacrifice as found in the
law of Moses, If a soul shall sin through ignorance
against any of the commandments of the Lord….[the priest] shall do with the
bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering…the priest shall make an
atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them (Lev 4:2,20).
The Book of Mormon teaches this
principle in several different locations. King Benjamin’s sermon includes the
following, his blood atoneth for the sins of those
who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the
will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned (Mosiah
3:11). Mormon teaches that both children and those without the law will be
saved, For behold that all little children are alive
in Christ, and also all they that are without the law, for the power of
redemption cometh on all them that have no law (Moroni 8:22).
The scriptures go so far as to say that
those without the law will come forth in the first resurrection, And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that
knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be
tolerable for them (DC 45:54). They will come forth in the first
resurrection after those who are “the first fruits”
(or those who come forth in the morning of the first resurrection). For the
most part, they will inherit the terrestial kingdom and will be resurrected as
“those who are Christ’s at his coming” (or
those who come forth in the afternoon of the first resurrection). See DC
88:98-9 and DC 76:71-73. If you are still confused by this doctrine, read
Mosiah 15:24-25, Heb 5:2, DC 137:7, and Mormon Doctrine, p. 640.
2 Ne 9:27 wo
unto him that has the law given…and that transgresseth them
Both of the scriptures in the book of
Mosiah which teach of the redemption of those who were ignorant the laws of God
are followed by warnings to those who have the law given to them. Jacob does
the same thing. The Lord is merciful with the ignorant because they don’t know
better. For those who have the law given, obedience is the best option. For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and
he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation
(DC 82:3). Mosiah 3:12 states, But wo, wo unto him
who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! When Abinidi was teaching the
wicked king Noah and his priests, he warned them against their sinful state,
because they had the law given to them. Their sin was particularly heinous
because of their willful rebellion against God:
But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to
tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in
their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the
world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the
commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part
in the first resurrection.
Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none
such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem
such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its
claim
(Mos 15:27-8).
2 Ne 9:28 When
they are learned they think they are wise
Ezra Taft Benson
“The two groups who have the greatest
difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and proud who
are rich. The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees
with them otherwise, the prophet is
just giving his opinion—speaking as a man. The rich may feel they have no need
to take counsel of a lowly prophet.” (1980 BYU Speeches of the year, p.
29 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by
K. Douglas Bassett, p. 120)
Ezra Taft Benson
“Increasingly the Latter-day Saints
must choose between the reasoning of men and the revelations of God. This is a
crucial choice, for we have those within the Church today who, with their
worldly wisdom, are leading some of our members astray. President J. Reuben
Clark, Jr., warned that the ‘ravening wolves amongst us from our own membership
and they, more than any others, are clothed in sheep’s clothing, because they
wear the habiliments of the Priesthood….We should be careful of them.’” (Conference
Report, Oct. 1967, p.34 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book
of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 121)
Ezra Taft Benson
“Pride is concerned with who is
right. Humility is concerned with what is right.” (Ensign, Nov.
1993, p.16)
Boyd K. Packer
“There is almost a universal tendency
for men and women who are specialists in an academic discipline to judge the
Church against the principles of their profession. There is a great need in my
mind for us, as students and as teachers, to consciously and continually
subjugate this tendency and relegate our professional training to a position
secondary to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In other words,
rather than to judge the Church and its program against the principles of our
profession, we would do well to set the Church and its accepted program as the
rule, then judge our academic training against this rule.” (BYU Speeches of
the year, 1969, p. 6 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of
Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 119-20)
Theodore M. Burton
“A university education, I believe,
would be desirable for every intelligent man and woman….A little learning is a
dangerous thing, and too many men and to many women who have become experts in
a tiny field of learning think that because they are trained in that field of
learning, they are experts in all fields of learning. Many men who are
well-trained in one limited field feel that this equally qualifies them to
express learned opinions in the field of faith and religion…Now, brothers and
sisters, in our Church in this day and age, when education is becoming more and
more popular and more and more necessary, there is grave danger of intellectual
apostasy…(2 Ne 9:28-9). What causes intellectual apostasy?…Principally out of
vanity and pride. They want to impress others with their learning. To put it
indelicately, it is the problem of the swelled head, because that is exactly
what the Prophet said” (Conference Report, Apr. 1961, pp. 128-9 as taken
from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas
Bassett, p. 121)
2 Ne 9:30 wo
unto the rich…their treasure is their god
When Paul said,
the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10), he understood
the trap that the rich often fall into. They are guilty of violating the first
commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before me
(Ex 20:3). Loving money more than God is one of the best latter-day examples.
We worship other gods when we fail to place the Lord first in our lives. One
clue is seen in our speech, conversation, and desires. If we have placed the
Lord first in our lives, we will talk about spiritual matters, we will be
concerned with the spiritual development of our children and family members, we
will not be Sunday-only Christians. If you listen to the conversations and
concerns of people, you will see that they often talk about material goods,
cars, houses, etc. Often times the “concern for other people” is really a cloak
for the opportunity to share gossip and frivolous speculations. If we love
money and gossip more than God, we are unlikely to be able to hide it. Our love
of the mammon of unrighteousness will be evident in our conversations and
actions. The Lord has promised us, however, that if we seek the kingdom first,
He will take care of the rest, But seek ye first the
kingdom of god, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you (Matt 6:33).
2 Ne 9:31-2 wo
unto the deaf that will not hear
When Jacob is warning the deaf and the
blind, he is obviously referring to those who are spiritually deaf and
spiritually blind. Their deafness and blindness was a product of their willful
rebellion against the prophets, the deaf that will
not hear and the blind that will not see.
The Old Testament scripture which most closely resembles this concept is found
in Jeremiah, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without
understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not (Jer
5:21). See also Isaiah 6:9-10.
2 Ne 9:39 to
be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal
Christ fasted for forty days while he
communed with his Father prior to beginning his mortal ministry. At the end of
this time period, he was tempted by Satan. Satan tempted the Master with carnal
temptations. The first thing he offered was bread. The Savior, of course,
refused. Contrast this with the famished Esau, who after wandering in the field
(probably for no more than 1-2 days), sold his birthright to his brother Jacob
for some red pottage (Gen 25:29-33). The Savior is a good example of one who is
spiritually-minded; Esau is a good example of one who is carnally-minded.
The scriptures are replete with
explanations of this principle. In King Benjamin’s sermon, he states, For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from
the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the
enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a
saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,
submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all
things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth
submit to his father (Mosiah 3:19).
The eighth chapter of Romans
beautifully teaches that man cannot please God if he follows his carnal
desires, they that are in the flesh cannot please
God (Rom8:8). Instead, we must please God by putting off the natural man
and following the enticings of the spirit. If we do, we will become the sons
and daughters of God, if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:13-4).
According to Alma the carnal state is a state contrary to the nature of happiness (Alma
41:11). This occurs from following the plan of Satan, for his words are
pleasing to the carnal mind (Alma 30:53). Much of current advertising methods,
primetime TV shows, music videos, magazines, and popular music appeal to the carnal mind. That is why the brethren
have been so faithful to warn us of their influence.
In a Church News article, Bruce L.
Olsen remarked:
“You are part of the media generation.
You are growing up in an era which looks to the media for news, information and
entertainment. There is no doubt that your generation has the possibility of
being the best informed of any that has lived.
“…Today’s media can have a positive
effect on you….Of course, the opposite can also be true. Vulgar videos, foul
language, taking the Lord’s name in vain, obscenity, deviant sexual behavior,
and violence have become the cornerstones of much of today’s media fare.
“Just look at a few statistics:
- Youth spend about 23 hours a week
watching TV. By age 70 they’ll have spent seven years in front of the tube.
- American youth watch an average of
14,000 sexual references - not counting commercials - a year.
- Youth view 2,000 beer and wine
commercials a year. They watch an hour of music videos on weekdays, two on
weekends. About 75 percent of music videos have sexual themes, and 50 percent
have violence.
- A study by the national Coalition on Television
Violence points out that by the time an American is 18 years old, he or she
will have witnessed 32,000 murders and 40,000 attempted murders on television.
- The percentage of R-rated movies has
increased 61 percent since ratings began in 1968.
- Nearly 33 percent of all close
relationships on TV involve conflict or violence.
- Male/female associations on TV tend
to over-emphasize the physical aspect of relationships. Couples tend to spend a
disproportionate amount of time expressing love physically rather than through
acts of kindness, sacrifice and service.
- Sometimes called ‘Raunch’n’roll,’
teenagers listen to an estimated 10,500 hours of rock music between the seventh
and twelfth grade.
- By the time a student leaves high
school he or she will have spent 24,000 hours in front of the television, twice
the amount of time that will have been spent in the classroom.
“The list, of course, is much longer,
but what is important is how your exposure to such events affects you. You
might feel that your family life, education, standards and values make you
‘immune’ to such influences. They don’t. Dr. Fredric Wertham, a psychiatrist,
notes, ‘ . . . my work convinces me that no immunity exists. Harm is harm. . .
. There may be defenses against a snowball, but there are not against an
avalanche.’
“Too many teenagers and adults want to
pass off exposure to sleazy media as having no effect. They are simply wrong.
What is portrayed as the norm in the media often becomes accepted standard of
expectation and behavior.
“President Spencer W. Kimball,
in an address to the students at Weber State College, cautioned this way:
“’Each person must keep himself (or
herself) free from lusts, from adultery and homosexuality and from drugs. He
must shun ugly, polluted thoughts and acts as he would an enemy. Pornographic
and erotic stories and pictures are worse than polluted food. Shun them. The
body has power to rid itself of sickening food. The person who entertains
filthy stories or pornographic pictures and literature records them in his
marvelous human computer, the brain, which can’t forget such filth. Once
recorded, it will always remain there subject to recall.’” (LDS Church News,
Deseret News, Jun 8, 1991)
2 Ne 9:40 the
words of truth are hard against all uncleanness
The word of God can cut the wicked to
the very center. This concept is taught with the imagery of the sword, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (Heb 4:12). Mormon tried to
speak with the sharpness of a two edged sword to his people in a desperate
attempt to get them to repent. But when he speaks the
word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no
sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the
Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them (Mor 9:4). Nephi
learned this principle firsthand from his older brothers. He was left to
conclude, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard,
for it cutteth them to the very center (1 Ne 16:2).
2 Ne 9:41 the
keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel
There is no way into the celestial
kingdom except through the gate made available by the atonement of Jesus
Christ. He is the keeper of the gate. He will only open the gate to those who
knock, And whoso knocketh, to him will he open (v.
42).
Brigham Young
“Let me give you a definition in brief.
Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord,
which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you
to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as
sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens,
pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of
earth and hell.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, compiled by John A.
Widstoe, p. 416)
“God's
is a loving and redeeming hand which we are to acknowledge, for ‘eye hath not seen nor ear heard.’ Even His
children in the telestial kingdom receive ‘… the
glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding’ (D&C 76:89D&C 76:89) He is an exceedingly
generous God! … One later day, Jesus' hand will not give the faithful merely
a quick, approving pat on the shoulder. Instead, both Nephi and Mormon tell of
the special reunion and welcome at the entrance to His kingdom. There, we are
assured, He is ‘the keeper of the gate … and He
employeth no servant there.’ (2 Ne. 9:412
Ne. 9:41.) Those who reject Him will miss out on a special personal moment,
because, as He laments, He has ‘stood with open
arms to receive you.’ (Morm. 6:17Morm.
6:17.) The unfaithful-along with the faithful-might have been ‘clasped in the arms of Jesus’ (Morm. 5:11Morm. 5:11). The imagery of the holy temples
and holy scriptures thus blend so beautifully, including things pertaining to
sacred moments. This is the grand moment toward which we point and from which
we should not be deflected. Hence, those who pass through their fiery trials
and still acknowledge but trust His hand now will feel the clasp of His arms
later!” (Cory H. Maxwell, ed., The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book [Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1997], 137.)
2 Ne 9:44 I
shook your iniquities from my soul…and am rid of your blood
The watchman on the tower has a
responsibility to warn the people of impending danger. Ezekiel taught that the
watchman was responsible if he did not fulfill his responsibility, if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the
trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any
person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I
require at the watchman’s hand…if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from
his way…his blood will I require at thine hand (Ezek 33:6-8). Jacob
echoed these words, we did magnify our office unto
the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people
upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence;
wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our
garments (Jacob 1:19).
Jacob is always concerned that he cry
repentance to the people so that he is not held accountable for their sins. In
the next several verses, he explains that he would not be calling them to
repentance if they were pure, Would I harrow up your
souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the truth
if ye were freed from sin (v. 47)? He did not enjoy this duty, but he
couldn’t shrink from it without being responsible, it
grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my
Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts
(Jacob 2:6). Those bishops, stake presidents, and higher authorities must
follow the example of Jacob in their respective stewardships.
2 Ne 9:49 my
soul abhorreth sin
It takes a lot of purification and
sanctification before there is no more room in your soul for even the
entertainment of a sinful thought. This is the state of God for he cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance
(Alma 45:16). This is the degree of godliness we must strive for while on the
earth. It is a state reached by few.
Immediately after their conversion,
king Lamoni and his servants had a change of heart so dramatic that they had no more desire to do evil (Alma
19:33). Jacob had developed this as a permanent quality. The qualities of
godliness and purity exemplified by this phrase are difficult to master. We are
not likely to be successful in this endeavor without divine help.
“The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier….One
who lives worthy of the guidance and cleansing influence of the Spirit will, in
process of time, become sanctified.
Sanctification is the process whereby one comes to hate the worldliness
he once loved and love the holiness and righteousness he once hated. To be sanctified is not only to be free from
sin but also to be free from the effects of sin, free from sinfulness itself,
the very desire to sin. One who is
sanctified comes to look upon sin with abhorrence (cf .Mosiah 5:2; Alma 13:12;
Alma 19:33).” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, vol. 1, p. 263)
2 Ne 9:53 our
seed shall not utterly be destroyed
If the Nephites were destroyed in 385
AD, how could the descendents of Jacob and Joseph, presumably numbered with the
Nephites, have survived this great battle?
It should be remembered that the
division of the people into these two camps, the Nephites and the Lamanites, is
a vast oversimplification. Jacob records, Now the
people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called
Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and
Ishmaelites. I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but
I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi and those
who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi,
according to the reigns of the kings (Jacob 1:12-13). The Book of Mormon
record states that there were Lamanites among the Nephites and Nephites among
the Lamanites. These had chosen their allegiance based on religious and
political lines and not racial lines. Therefore, it should not be surprising
that the promise was given to Joseph (in 2 Ne 3:3) that some of his seed would
be preserved even after the final destruction of the Nephites. This means that
some Josephites and Jacobites who had defected to the Lamanite side would merge
with Lamanite society (see Alma 45:13-4) and their blood would be preserved. DC 3:16-17 explains that the blood of Joseph,
Jacob, Nephi and Zoram was preserved and that the testimony of the Book of
Mormon was to come to their descendants in the last days.