3 Ne 28:2 We desire that after we have lived unto the age of
man…that we may speedily come unto thee
The disciples didn’t ask to
go speedily to spirit paradise after death. They wished to return to their
Master and Lord. They specifically requested to come
unto thee in thy kingdom. We may fairly assume that the Lord does not
currently reside in spirit paradise but rather in his rightful place on the
right hand of the Father. This is where the nine disciples wanted to go.
Bruce R. McConkie
“We
conclude from this that they desired to remain in paradise for but a short
time, after which they would come forth in immortal glory and sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God, to go no more out. Jesus
grants their request. ‘Blessed are ye because ye
desired this thing of me,’ he said.” (Mortal Messiah, book 4, p.
388)
3 Ne 28:3 after that ye are seventy and two years old
The disciples didn’t specify
the age at which they wished to die. Rather, they requested to live unto the age of man. The “age of man” was set by
the Lord at seventy-two. Currently, the life expectancy for a man in the United
States is 73.6 years, for a woman is 79.4 years. (1997 National Vital
Statistics Reports, vol. 47, no. 28) Interestingly, the miracle of modern
medicine has made the ideal “age of man” attainable for most.
Experts in human longevity
and life expectancy have found that there are internal determinants of life
expectancy. The rate at which DNA errors occur during cell division is fairly
constant and has implications for the breakdown of cells and the development of
cancer. Thus, even with the best set of genes, the best diet, and the best
medicine, life cannot be extended much beyond the age of 100. The human body is just not designed to last
much longer. One could argue that the Lord, as the premier scientist and
physician, was well aware of the average rate of physical decay and therefore
set the “age of man” appropriately.
For those who are alive when
the Lord comes again, this age of seventy-two will again be significant. The
righteous will not become glorified and resurrected beings immediately. Rather,
they will grow to the age of seventy-two before this transformation will take
place, he that liveth when the Lord shall come, and
hath kept the faith, blessed is he; nevertheless, it is appointed to him to die
at the age of man, Wherefore, children shall grow up until they become
old; old men shall die; but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be
changed in the twinkling of an eye (DC 63:50-51, italics added).
3 Ne 28:5 they sorrowed in their hearts for they durst not speak
It’s fascinating that these
righteous disciples were afraid to tell Jesus what they wanted. They feared
that their unusual request would be met with a reprimand. Yet, their desires
were righteous, and, in fact, the Lord said they were more
blessed because they desired to bring souls to Christ. How many times
are we like these three Nephites? Do we fear to ask the Lord for unusual
things? Are our prayers cut short because we dare not ask for what we really
want?
This passage teaches us an
important lesson. The Lord is interested in the desires of our hearts.
Therefore, if our desires are righteous, he is not going to reprimand us, even
if we ask for blessings which are unprecedented or unusual. We must remember
that the Lord giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not (James 1:6).
3 Ne 28:6 ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved…desired
of me
As recorded in Jn 21:21-23
and DC 7, John the Beloved was translated just like the three Nephites. Like
John, the reason that their desires were granted was because they had great
faith, And it was by faith that the three disciples
obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not
the promise until after their faith. (Ether 12:17)
Wilford Woodruff
“To
these three Jesus gave a promise similar to that which he gave to John the
Revelator--namely, that they should tarry in the flesh until he came. History
informs us that the wicked tried to kill John in various ways, placing him, on
one occasion, in a cauldron of boiling oil, but his life was preserved; and
that finally, in the reign of Domitian Caesar, he was banished to the Isle of
Patmos to work in the lead mines. While there he was blessed with visions,
revelations, knowledge, light and truth, a portion of which we have recorded in
what are called the Revelations of St. John. In the reign of Nerva John was
recalled, and afterwards wrote his epistles. The first quorum of Apostles were
all put to death, except John, and we are informed that he still remains on the
earth, though his body has doubtless undergone some change. Three of the
Nephites, chosen here by the Lord Jesus as his Apostles, had the same
promise--that they should not taste death until Christ came, and they still
remain on the earth in the flesh.” (Journal of Discourses, 13:320)
3 Ne 28:8 ye shall never endure the pains of death; but…shall be
changed in the twinkling of an eye
Bruce R. McConkie
“Will
translated beings ever die?…note that Jesus promises the Three Nephites, not
that they shall not die, but that they ‘shall never
taste of death’ and shall not ‘endure the
pains of death.’ Again it is an enigmatic declaration with a hidden
meaning. There is a distinction between death as we know it and tasting of
death or enduring the pains of death. As a matter of doctrine, death is
universal; every mortal thing, whether plant or animal or man, shall surely
die. Jacob said: ‘Death hath passed upon all men, to
fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator.’ (2 Ne. 9:6.) There are
no exceptions, not even among translated beings. Paul said: ‘As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.’ (1 Cor. 15:22.) Again the dominion of death over all is
acclaimed. But the Lord says of all his saints, not that they will not die, but
that ‘those that die in me shall not taste of death,
for it shall be sweet unto them; And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for
their death is bitter.’ (D&C 42:46-47.) The distinction is between
dying as such and tasting of death itself. Again the Lord says: ‘He that liveth when the Lord shall come, and hath kept
the faith, blessed is he; nevertheless, it is appointed to him to die at the
age of man. Wherefore, children shall grow up until they become old; old men
shall die; but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be changed in
the twinkling of an eye.’ (D&C 63:50-51.) Thus, this change from
mortality to immortality, though almost instantaneous, is both a death and a
resurrection. Thus, translated beings do not suffer death as we normally define
it, meaning the separation of body and spirit; nor do they receive a
resurrection as we ordinarily describe it, meaning that the body rises from the
dust and the spirit enters again into its fleshly home. But they do pass
through death and are changed from mortality to immortality, in the eternal
sense, and they thus both die and are resurrected in the eternal sense. This,
we might add, is why Paul wrote: ‘Behold, I shew you
a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ (1
Cor. 15:51-52.)” (The Mortal Messiah, book 4, p. 389)
3 Ne 28:9 ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto
me
God’s very purpose is to
bring the souls of men unto him. This is his work and glory (Moses 1:39). When
the three Nephites desire to bring the souls of men unto Christ, theirs is the
ultimate, righteous desire. Their desires had become like the Father and the
Son—they had become one with God. Hence, the Savior tells them, ye shall be even as I am
(v. 10). The message to all of us is the same, the
thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance
unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them
in the kingdom of my Father. Amen’ (DC 15:6).
“President
Hinckley remarks that when people asked Joseph Smith what would be the most
important thing they could do, the answer was repeatedly to share the word of
the Lord with others. He recounts the
story of Dan Jones, a Welsh convert to the Church who was with Joseph Smith on
the night before the prophet was murdered.
Joseph Smith prophesied at that time that Jones would see Wales again
before he died. Fulfilling the
prophecy, Jones returned to Wales and brought thousands of new converts to the
Church. President Hinckley urges the
members to follow Jones' example and ‘set about to bring the souls of our
families, neighbors, friends, and associates unto the Lord.’ (Ensign,
September 1993, Page 2)” (Hinckley Citations from the Ensign, “The Thing
of Most Worth”)
3 Ne 28:10 your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me
fulness of joy
Neal A. Maxwell
“The
Father and Son desire to share even further their joy with us. ‘For this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall
sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the
Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am.’ (3
Nephi 28:10.) Our share in such joy is wholly different from the fleeting
satisfactions of the world that come from satisfaction for a season in ‘the works of men.’ Even when sincere and
significant, those satisfactions only last ‘for a
season,’ for He who has known full and true joy has so said. (3 Nephi
27:11.)
“How
blessed we are, therefore, to experience such gospel gladness, as when, meekly,
we come to know what Paul called ‘the deep things of
God’ (1 Corinthians 2:10)…These transcending truths do bring us a
stunning perspective, a ‘knowledge of things as they
are, and as they were, and as they are to come.’ (D&C 93:24.)” (Meek
And Lowly, p. 46)
3 Ne 28:11 the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men,
because of me
Bruce C. Hafen
“Those
who have not embraced the covenants of the doctrine of Christ are not entitled
to this continuous and permanent healing influence in their lives, even though
at times their prayers may be answered and special blessings given to them.
This is the primary difference between having the gift of the Holy Ghost and
being touched temporarily by its influence for some particular purpose. That
holy gift is a result of the Atonement:
‘The Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men,
because of me,’ the Savior said. (3
Nephi 28:11.) This gift is available to all who forsake their sins and embrace
the gospel, thereby entering the gate that enables not only forgiveness but
also all the blessings of belonging to Christ.” (The Belonging Heart, p.
153)
3 Ne 28:13 they were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard
unspeakable things
Mormon later clarifies that
only the three Nephites who were caught up on this particular occasion (see v.
36). Their experience was almost identical to that of the Apostle Paul, who
wrote of himself saying:
‘I knew a man in Christ
above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out
of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third
heaven.
And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
How that he was caught
up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man
to utter’ (2 Cor 12:2-4).
Well, what are these
unspeakable things? Can we ever know what was so sacred that it was not lawful
for man to utter? We receive a clue from an experience of the prophet, Joseph,
who stated that the “occasion was the administration of the ordinances of the
endowment” (Heading, DC 137).
They then had an experience
like that of Paul and the three Nephites. In this account, the Prophet
described the appearance of ‘the third heaven,’
saying:
‘The heavens were
opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory
thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell.
I saw the transcendent
beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which
was like unto circling flames of fire;
Also the blazing throne
of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets
of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold.
I saw Father Adam and
Abraham’ (DC 137:1-5).
Certainly, the three
Nephites were privileged to see the same.
Franklin D. Richards
“They
wanted to tarry until Jesus came, and that they might, He took them into the
heavens and endowed them with the power of translation, probably in one of
Enoch's temples, and brought them back to the earth. Thus they received power to live until the coming of the Son of
Man. I believe He took them to Enoch's
city and gave them their endowments there.
I expect that in the city of Enoch there are temples; and when Enoch and
his people come back, they will come back with their city, their temples,
blessings and powers.” (Journal of Discourses, 25:236-37.)
3 Ne 28:15 whether they were in the body or out of the body, they
could not tell
Whenever the scriptures
describe this transitional state, which is almost an “out of body experience,”
they are describing what it is like to be transfigured. Transfiguration is a
change wrought upon a mortal to enable him to temporarily withstand the
presence of God and to behold the glory of heaven. Without a temporary change,
no human can withstand the presence of the Almighty. As Moses said, my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have
withered and died in his presence (Moses 1:11). This is what happened to
Moses, to Paul (2 Cor 12:2-4), to Jesus, Peter, James, and John (Matt 17:31-9),
to Joseph Smith (JS-Hist 1:17, DC 137:1), to the three Nephites and others.
3 Nephi 28:15 What is the
difference between being transfigured and being translated?
This verse can be confusing
because the three Nephites were both transfigured and translated. They were transfigured
when they were caught up into heaven and heard unspeakable things, and they
were translated when a change was wrought upon their bodies whereby they
would remain on the earth to bring souls to Christ. Jeffrey R. Holland said,
“A person who is transfigured is one who is temporarily taken into a higher,
heavenly experience, as were Peter, James, and John, and then returned to a
normal telestial status.” (Christ and the New Covenant, p. 306)
Translation is the process
by which a mortal body of the telestial order is changed to a mortal body of
the terrestrial order. The word “mortal” in this sense, means a being whose
body and spirit have not been permanently united by the resurrection. (See
commentary for verse 8). Richard Cowan
succinctly stated, “We are telestial mortals, translated beings are terrestrial
mortals, while exalted resurrected beings are celestial immortals.” (Alma,
The Testimony of the Word, pp. 201-2 as taken from Latter-day Commentary
on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 464)
We can learn a lot about
translated beings from descriptions of the three Nephites:
1.
They, like John the Revelator, will ‘never taste of
death’
2.
They will ‘be changed in the twinkling of an eye
from mortality to immortality’ (This reaffirms that a translated being
is still “mortal,” for the change from mortality to immortality occurs at the
Second Coming, see v. 8)
3.
They would experience no pain while they dwelt in the flesh,
4.
Translated beings have knowledge and wisdom given unto them that exceed human
perspective.
5.
Wicked or evil men and women have no power over them.
6.
They are as angels, administering to whomsoever they will
7.
Satan can ‘have no power over them’
8. They were sanctified in the flesh that they were holy
(v. 39).
9.
They belong to a terrestrial order.
10.
They were to remain in this translated state until the ‘judgment
day of Christ,’ or in the words of the Savior until ‘I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven’” (adapted
from Clyde J. Williams, Book of Mormon
Symposium Series, 3 Nephi 9-30, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD
Tate, Jr., 1988, p. 241-7)
Joseph Smith
“Now
the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this Priesthood. There
are many things which belong to the powers of the Priesthood and the keys
thereof, that have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world; they
are hid from the wise and prudent to be revealed in the last times.
“Many
have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were
taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness, but
his is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial
order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be
ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are
resurrected from the dead. ‘Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance,
that they might obtain a better resurrection.’ (See Hebrews 11:35.)
“Now
it was evident that there was a better resurrection, or else God would not have
revealed it unto Paul. Wherein then, can it be said a better resurrection. This
distinction is made between the doctrine of the actual resurrection and
translation: translation obtains deliverance from the tortures and sufferings
of the body, but their existence will prolong as to the labors and toils of the
ministry, before they can enter into so great a rest and glory.” (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 170-1)
3 Ne 28:21-22 they were cast into a furnace and…into a den of wild
beasts
The Savior was careful to
give the Nephites important scriptures which were not contained in the brass
plates. He even performed many of the same miracles he had performed in
Jerusalem. The Nephites were not to have an inferior or incomplete scriptural
record. Interestingly, the Lord never said anything about the record of Daniel
even though this record was not part of the brass plates of Laban. However, in
this brief passage, we learn that the Nephites had their own story of “Daniel
and the lion’s den.” The only difference was that it was titled, “The three
Nephites and the den of wild beasts.” Furthermore, the Nephites lacked the
story of “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,” but they had their own story of
three righteous men cast into a furnace without receiving any harm (Dan
3:12-25; 6:10-24). Thus, the New World scriptures lacked nothing compared to
the Old World counterpart. Nor did the spiritual heroics of these men pale in
comparison to Old World prophets.
3 Ne 28:27 they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall
know them not
We know that the three
Nephites will minister both among the Gentiles and to the House of Israel. That
they are alive today—working miracles on behalf of the Lord and performing great and marvelous works (v. 31)—is a sobering
thought. Indeed, this is the stuff that legends are made of. It is also the
stuff that rumors and Mormon “urban legends” are made of. Who hasn’t heard a
story about how one of the three Nephites appeared to someone in our day?
Unfortunately, most of these stories are highly suspect. One example is given:
“The
‘Nephites on the Mesa’ [story] has also been around for at least thirty years.
Supposedly some good members driving to conference are stopped in the desert
between Las Vegas and St. George by a man dressed in black. The stranger warns
the members to accomplish some spiritual goal (food storage, genealogy, and so
on) by a certain date because something apocalyptic is about to happen. The man
in black then asks to be let out, and as the car drives away, he vanishes from
sight. Obviously, he was one of the Three Nephites. Less obvious is why these
instructions for the Church didn't come through the proper channels…Once
again—the Lord does not govern his people by rumor.” (Stephen R. Robinson, Following
Christ, p. 107-8)
So we should not expect the
three Nephites to appear to us and tell us to move to Missouri. That is not
their calling and ministry. They have been doing greater and more magnificent
things for the Lord even throughout the Great Apostasy.
Joseph
Fielding Smith
“It
is reasonable to believe that they were engaged in this work as far as the Lord
permitted them to go during these years of spiritual darkness (the Great
Apostasy). There are legends and stories which seem to be authentic, showing
that these holy messengers were busy among the nations of the earth, and men
have been entertained by them unawares. We may also well believe that these
translated prophets have always been busy keeping constraint upon the acts of
men and nations unbeknown to mortal man.
“Translated
beings have not passed through death; that is, they have not had the separation
of the spirit and the body. This must wait until the coming of the Savior. In
the meantime they are busy fulfilling their glorious mission in preparing the
way for the elders of Israel to go forth with the message of salvation in all
parts of the world.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 2, p. 46)
Elder John W. Taylor
“…in
a little while you will find another prophecy will be fulfilled, and that is
the prophecy that Jesus made to the three Nephites who, having power over
death, are still living upon this continent. He spoke to them of a time when
they would perform a great and mighty work among the Gentiles; and that has not
yet been fulfilled, but it will be. You will find that many districts where the
Elders of Israel cannot reach will be penetrated by these men who have power
over death…My testimony is that these men are going abroad in the nations of
the earth before the face of your sons, and they are preparing the hearts of
the children of men to receive the Gospel. They are administering to those who
are heirs of salvation, and preparing their hearts to receive the truth, just
as the farmer prepares the soil to receive the seed. The Lord has promised that
He would send his angels before the face of His servants, and His does so.” (Conference
Report, Oct. 1902, p. 75 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of
Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 463)
3 Ne 28:30 they can show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth
them good
“They
have the power to show themselves to whomsoever they desire. And the converse is true. They can keep themselves from being seen by
anyone they do not want to see them.
The only stipulation required for them to show themselves is that they
must pray to the Father in the name of Jesus for that power.
“Mormon
declares, ‘they are as the angels of God’ (3
Nephi 28:30). This would seem to mean
that travel and distances are of no consequence to them. We would suppose that walls and other mortal
barriers are also insignificant. Because
of their extraordinary powers and the prophetic words of the Savior himself,
which we do not yet possess, Mormon prophesied that ‘great
and marvelous works shall be wrought by them, before the great and coming day’ of
the Lord (v 31).” (Clyde J. Williams, Book of Mormon Symposium Series, 3
Nephi 9-30, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD Tate, Jr., 1988, p. 246)
3 Ne 28:34 wo be unto him that will not hearken unto…them whom he
hath chosen
Russell M. Nelson
“The
question is one of faith. Either one has the faith to hear and obey the word of
God and accept it as such, or one does not. ‘Without
faith it is impossible to please him.’ (Hebrews 11:6.) Note these words
of Mormon: ‘Wo be unto him that will not hearken
unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among
them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he
hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last
day; and it would be better for them if they had not been born.’ (3
Nephi 28:34-35.)
“Many
have difficulty accepting the word of God because it comes from their
contemporaries—their neighborhood bishops and local leaders who seem to be just
ordinary men. Even the prophets of God are just ordinary men, but with
extraordinary callings to communicate divine doctrine. We must have the faith
to know that ‘his word [we] shall receive, as if from [his] own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C
21:5.)” (The Power Within Us, p. 54)
3
Ne 28:37 since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord
Prophets
are not taught differently than the rest of us. They learn ‘precept upon precept; line upon line…here a little, and
there a little’ (Isa 28:10). The difference is a matter of speed,
for the time interval between each precept is much shorter. Prophets are more
adept at drinking living water from a fire hydrant because they have faster spiritual digestive systems.
Nevertheless, the process is the same.
Accordingly,
the prophet Mormon learned spiritual truths like everyone else—through the
spirit of prophecy and revelation—after fervent prayer. Hereby, he learned the
nature of translated beings. His prophetic progress is much like that of Alma
who at first did not know the state of the soul between death and resurrection.
His diligent inquiry gave us one of the greatest commentaries available on the
spirit world (see Alma 40:3-26).
Jeffrey
R. Holland
“As
noted above, these three Nephites, as part of their translation experience,
were also transfigured, caught up into heaven, where they ‘saw and heard unspeakable things. And it was forbidden
them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they
could utter the things which they saw and heard.’ (vs. 13-14)
“This
circumstance and promise was so new to Mormon, who was reading and writing it
nearly 400 years after it happened, that he did not initially know whether the
three ‘were in the body or out of the body’
during such a heavenly experience, or whether they had moved permanently beyond
mortality into immortality.
“So
moved was Mormon by this promise and the account of their deeds that he
inquired of the Lord about their state. In reply, the Lord informed him that
translated beings were still mortal but that a special change, more permanent
than transfiguration, was ‘wrought upon their
bodies, that they might not suffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of
the world…insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not
tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and
that the powers of the earth could not hold them.’ (vs. 37-39)
“This
terrestrial condition, however, was not to be their final state, for when
Christ came they would move from mortality to immortality in an instantaneous,
deathlike transition.” (Christ And The New Covenant, p. 306 – 307)
3
Ne 28:39 Satan could have no power over them
Satan can only tempt those
whom the Lord permits him to tempt (see Job 1-2). He is not allowed to tempt those
who belong to a terrestrial order which includes all those who have been
translated. Presumably, those of the city of Enoch were thus protected as were
Elijah and Moses after they were translated. This is why Satan must be cast out
during the Millenium, for the earth will be a terrestrial kingdom for those
1000 years, and Satan just doesn’t belong to that order, not even as a devil.