Comments on 2 Nephi 10 On the second day of sermonizing, Jacob turns his attention back to matters of corporate salvation and covenant Israel. v1-2 Concerning this righteous branch he mentioned at the close of yesterday's sermon (v. 1, cf. 9:54, also cp. 3:5), Jacob tells them that while many of their children will perish in unbelief, they will not be annihilated. The Lord will merciful to them so some will be preserved over time to ultimately produce a righteous branch (v. 2). v3-22 Jacob then revisits material from ch. 6 and draws a parallel between the Jews at Jerusalem (v. 3-9) and the Lehites in the New World (v. 10-22). The Jews will fall away and be scattered and smitten, but they will ultimately be lifted up by the Gentiles and Redeemed (v. 3-9). So also will the Lehites fall away and be scattered, but still be preserved so they may ultimately be lifted up by the Gentiles and Redeemed by the Lord (v. 10-22). The material Jacob presents here is a distillation of the material appearing 1 Ne. 13-14. See my comments on those chapters in LDSS Vol. 4, No. 4 for more detailed discussion. v3 "Christ...this should be his name", from this point on the title "Christ" is favored over "Messiah" with "Messiah" falling out of use fairly quickly. I would assume this change in syntax was a result of the ambiguity of the title "messiah", as it simply means "anointed" without any requisite of a divine element. With Jacob presently emphasizing the divine and redemptive nature of this particular Messiah, I would assume the title "Christ" was coined so as to differentiate between the divine redeeming Messiah and other mortal anointed individuals. I would therefore conclude the Nephite terms for "messiah" and "Christ" were different words. v7 Compare 2 Ne. 25:6-8. v9 Compare 6:7. v11 "no kings", cp. 1:7, Ether 2:12, D&C 38:21. Lehi's statement in 1:7 concerning there being no kings is conditional upon the righteousness of the people. v18 The first half of the verse is referring to the covenant curses meted out in Lev. 26 and Deut. 28 where Israel was told if they did not keep His word the Lord would afflict them with Gentiles invaders. The second half of the verse is referring to the Gentiles assiting in the salvation of Israel by bringing the gospel to them and being adopted into Israel per the promise to Abraham to be a father to all nations, cf. Gen. 17:4-5. v20 "an isle of the sea", a paraphrase of Isa. 11:11. Jacob's intent is to let them know this presently small and seemingly insignificant branch of Israel actually figures in to the Lord's big plans, as detailed by Isaiah. v21-22 There are additional remnants of Israel scattered elsewhere, cp. v. 8. The Nephites run into the Mulekites some time later, and also cp. 1 Ne. 22:4, 2 Ne. 1:5-6, 3 Ne. 20:20-21, 3 Ne. 21:26. v23-25 Jacob concludes with an admonition to cheer up and rejoice in the opportunity to choose for themselves (v. 23). He encourages them to abandon the way of the flesh and to reconcile themselves to God because it is only through His grace they may be saved (v. 24). He then expresses his hope they will be raised up in both the resurrection and in eternal life, and be received into the Kingdom, where they may rejoice (v. 25). Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.