Comments on 2 Nephi 26 v1 continues the thought from the last verse of the preceding chapter, and forms a segue into the next section. It states Christ, after his resurrection, will show himself to the Nephites, thus introducing the message of v. 2-11. And, he will give them the Law which supercedes the Law of Moses, ending the thought of 25:30. v2-11 Nephi parallels the appearance of Christ to the Nephites with Christ's appearance to the Jews discussed in the previous chapter. Nephi foresees many generations pass away under war and conflict (v. 2), and then the Messiah will be born. Signs will be given to the Nephites indicating the Messiah's birth and death and resurrection. The signs given concerning his death will be terrible for the wicked (v. 3) because massive natural disasters will destroy them (v. 4-6). Nephi laments over the destruction he foresees on his people, but he confesses that God is just in doing so because of their wickedness (v. 7). He then states the righteous will not be wiped out in the destruction on the wicked (v. 8), but will survive it to see the resurrected Christ. When he appears to them he will heal them both physically and spiritually. The result will be four generations of peace (v. 9). But, after these four generations of peace, the Nephites will rebel and suffer complete destruction (v. 10). This quick destruction comes when the Lord gives up struggling with man to get him to repent (v. 11). Note the narrative is both chronological and highly structured (see D. Lynn Johnson's reformatted text), as was the case with the account of the appearance of the Messiah to the Jews in the preceding chapter (cf. 25:9-19). v3 "and after the Messiah shall come there shall be...", I would assume by "shall come" Nephi is referring to the Lord's incarnation in the Old World. He cannot be referring to his appearance to the Nephites yet as he immediately follows with "there shall be signs given to my people...". v4-6 Nephi draws on classic OT rhetoric in describing the destruction of the wicked as being "burn[ed]...as stubble". The literal method of destruction is described in v. 5 while the literary devices of "the fire of the anger of the Lord" and "they shall be as stubble" are identified as figurative in v. 6. In matters of hermeneutics, or methods of interpreting passages as either literal or figurative, passages such as this which define which elements are literal and which are figurative accomplish a great deal to assist the reader in determining the meaning of the text. v7 Compare this lament with Nephi's previous lament in 1 Ne. 15:4-5 and Mormon's lament after the fact in Mormon 6:16-22. v8 The destruction described in v. 4-6 sounds cataclysmic in nature, so the question of the righteous being destroyed along with the wicked arises. This verse makes it clear the righteous will be spared. The theological implications of such a simple statement are considerable, as it requires large scale cataclysm which very selectively avoids some fraction of the population. Whenever cataclysms such as this occur and the mechanisms are revealed, it is always angels going about meting out punishment (e.g., Gen. 19, Exod. 12, Rev. 7, Rev. 14). The destruction by the angels must be very well-coordinated and micro-managed in order for it to avoid certain individuals. The alternative and more natural explanation to this would be the righteous are more likely to survive such a cataclysm because they would be better prepared for it and more prone to band together and assist one another afterwards. Whereas the wicked would be more prone to act selfishly and fight amongst themselves, and therefore do themselves in afterwards. Overall, surviving the calamity was probably a combination of both factors, however the account of the destruction in 3 Ne. 8-9 definitely forwards the former over the latter. v9 "Son of righteousness", see my comments on 25:13 in LDSS Vol. 4, No. 9. v10 The words Nephi uses here are harsh, and describe a deliberately rebellious people (cp. Mormon 6:17). Herein is the contrast between the Lamanites and Nephites. The Lamanites persist because they historically slouch into apostasy, where the Nephites are annihilated because they actively rebel. "speedy destruction", Nephi's intent is to draw on the rhetoric of Isa. 29:5 which says the rebellious will be destroyed in an instant, all of a sudden. Aside from this, in contemporary times we see "speedy destruction" in terms of minutes or days given the advent of nuclear weapons. However, the destruction Nephi foresaw is one that spanned Mormon's natural lifetime, from about 322 to 385 AD, although Nephi might have been more specifically foretelling the events from 375 to 385 AD (cf. Mormon 4:16-18). Even so, that is still some 10 years, which to us today seems a long time for the annihilation of an entire race. We just need to realize that subjective time measures are just that: subjective. v11 Nephi paraphrases Gen. 6:3, which is the judgement laid out on the wicked just before Noah's flood. Nephi is obviously drawing on that context to suggest the general context of the destruction of the Nephites. The Gen. 6:3 context is similarly employed in Mormon 5:16 and given as a warning in Ether 2:15. v12-13 Nephi now turns his attention away from natural Israel, the subject of the preceding 25:1-26:11, and addresses the Gentiles, which topic will carry us through to the end of ch. 30. As such, these verses form a segue. Just as the Jews and the Nephites must be convinced Jesus is the Christ, so must the Gentiles (v. 12). This will be accomplished by the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles who have faith (v. 13). v12 "it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also", this is because of the promises to Abraham that he would become a father to all nations per Gen. 15. v13 While the Jews and Nephites both enjoy personal appearances of Jesus Christ, which is the subject of the preceding 25:1- 26:11, the Gentiles do not receive such a blessing because they are not covenant Israel. As such, the Lord will manifest Himself to the Gentiles via the Holy Spirit, cf. 1 Ne. 10:11, 3 Ne. 15:22-23, and also compare John 16:7. Hence the necessity for Joseph Smith Jr. to be of the lineage of natural Israel per 3:14- 15. v14-27:35 Verses 14-18 start out Nephi's selective quotation of Isa. 29, which continues on into ch. 27. The quotation of Isa. 29 is interrupted by a long parenthetical statement (v. 19-33), which sets the context for Nephi's subsequent usage of Isa. 29:6- 24 in ch. 27. What Nephi does is liken Isa. 29:3-5 to the Nephites here in v. 14-18, and then he likens Isa. 29:6-24 to the Gentiles in ch. 27. As the original context of Isa. 29 is that of natural Israel, Nephi has to explain his acontextual usage, and that is what v. 19-33 is doing. Regarding the selective quotation of Isa. 29 over these two chapters, see the parallel of 2 Ne. 26-27 with Isa. 29 below. Also, my comments on Isa. 29 can be found on the LDS Seminar archive at: http://www.cybcon.com/~kurtn/exegesis.html v14-18 Nephi quotes Isa. 29:3-5 and likens the text to the Lehites per 6:5. Note Nephi deliberately excludes Isa. 29:1-2, which explicitly identify Jerusalem using the rhetorical device "Ariel". Nephi informs the reader he is making a prediction concerning the last days, which is the time when these writing will be brought forth to all nations (v. 14). Nephi likens the abuse the Lehites will suffer at the hands of the Gentiles to Isa. 29:3 where it says the Lord will besiege Jerusalem. Nephi then states that the Lehites will be humbled down to the dust similar to what is stated in Isa. 29:4. And, the words of the righteous will go out to the remnant of the Lehites because of the prayers of the faithful (v. 15). Nephi then paraphrases Isa. 29:5, and states the words of the ancient ancestors will go forth to the remnant (v. 16). But, the intervening generations who have fallen into unbelief will not have the words of their ancient ancestors. Instead, it will be like a sealed book to them (v. 17). Nephi's intent on quoting this and likening it to the Lehites is to set up the subsequent likening of Isa. 29:6-24 to the latter-day Gentiles. As it is the latter-day Gentiles in the New World who have "camped against them round about" (v. 15) and who's sealed book (v. 17) is to come forth through them, Nephi wants to identify who it is the Gentiles are harassing and who's sealed book they are rejecting. v14 The time frame is the same as that described in 1 Ne. 13. v15 "even that they are not", i.e., they no longer exist, they have been annihilated. v18 Nephi's use of Isa. 29:5 here agrees with the Dead Sea Scrolls version of Isaiah (1QIsa) as opposed to the Masoretic, or the traditional rabbinical Hebrew, version. Nephi, by likening the text to his people, is saying the Lehites are the ones being destroyed, which would parallel the 1QIsa version which states it the multitude of haughty men, meaning the arrogant at Jerusalem, who are punished. The Masorah, which the KJV is based upon, says it is the multitude of strangers who are punished, which would suggest the multitudes of Gentiles brought up to Jerusalem to besiege her are ultimately punished. v19-33 Nephi addresses all of the sins the "religious" Gentiles engage in, and indicates that they are in fact part of the church of the Devil, cp. 1 Ne. 14. In doing so, Nephi reveals the reason these Gentiles reject the sealed book when it is manifest to them. After speaking in the rhetoric of Isaiah, Nephi states plainly that the Gentiles are the ones who have smitten his people (v. 19). The Gentiles have usurped the Church and because of their pride they have broken it into many factions, filled with contention and greed (v. 20-1). These splinter churches harbor secret combinations, which are of the devil (v. 22-23). Unlike the Lord, who's intent is inclusivity and selflessness, these Gentile churches are exclusive and selfish (v. 24-28). The Gentile churches flagrantly ignore the Lord's commands regarding how they ought to behave by practicing priestcraft (v. 29-31) and breaking all of the most fundamental commandments (v. 32). None of these things are of the Lord because he is good and they are evil. He welcomes all and rejects none who come to him, regardless of any superficial worldly differences (v. 33). In 1 Ne. 14 Nephi talked about the same subject, but there the treatment was more a matter of ideological opposites. Here, Nephi goes into detail and explicitly identifies what it is these Gentile churches are doing that is what. This isn't a philosophical discussion about opposites, it is a list of indictments. Also, in 1 Ne. 14 Nephi's definitions of who is and who isn't the church of the devil is a lot more ambiguous. There he paints with a broad brush to create two binary opposites, you are either in one church or the other. His definition there was ambiguous enough to take in any apostate religion as well as anything secular which wasn't part of the Church of the Lamb. Here, Nephi is being a lot more concrete and he is specifically addressing apostate religionists. He states what the Gentile church is, what is represents, who its leader is, and how it blatantly contradicts the Lord's teachings. v19 repeats the first few lines on v. 15, and in so doing closes off a tightly structured parallelism centered on the middle of v. 16. But, it also returns us back to the simple language and concrete ideas Nephi favors after his use of the rhetoric of Isaiah. It sets the stage for the plain message regarding the state of religion among the Gentiles. v25 Nephi paraphrases Isa. 55:1 to show how far off the Gentile churches have diverged from the Lord's way of doing things. v33 The formula of inclusion of "black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" is echoed in Alma 11:44 "bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous". We read "black and white" as referring to skin color, owing to our present cultural context. However, it is unlikely Nephi would have viewed it in a similar manner. It is more likely Nephi would have seen "black and white" as "wicked and righteous", as did Amulek. For context contemporaneous to Nephi, see Jer. 4:28, Jer. 8:21, Jer. 14:2, Lam. 4:8, Lam. 5:10. Parallel of 2 Nephi 26-27 & Isa. 29 2 Ne. 26 Isa. 29 -------- ------- 1 And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do. 2 For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. 3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them. 4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for they shall be as stubble. 5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder. 6 And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts. 7 O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are just. 8 But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution-behold, they are they which shall not perish. 9 But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness. 10 And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell. 11 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul. 12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; 13 And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith. 14 But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things forth unto the children of men. 15 After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after the Lord God shall have camped 3 And I will camp against thee against them round about, and shall round about, and will lay siege have laid siege against them with a against thee with a mount, and I mount, and raised forts against will raise forts against thee. them; and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust, 4 And thou shalt be brought down, even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. 16 For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out and shalt speak out of the ground, of the ground, and their speech and thy speech shall be low out of shall be low out of the dust, and the dust, and thy voice shall be, their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the as of one that hath a familiar Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the spirit, out of the ground, and thy ground; and their speech shall speech shall whisper out of the whisper out of the dust. dust. 17 For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and sealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God. 5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, 18 Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed speedily; and the multitude of and the multitude of the terrible their terrible ones shall be as ones shall be as chaff that passeth chaff that passeth away-yea, thus saith the Lord God: It shall be at away: yea, it shall be at an an instant, suddenly- instant suddenly. 19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles. 20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor. 21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice. 22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. 23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. 28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden. 29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. 30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. 31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. 32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish. 33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile. 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.