General Comments on 3 Nephi 11-26 These chapters cover only two days of events, but do so in unprecedented detail. The volume of text dedicated to this event underscore its importance. No other event in the book receives so much attention or such detailed coverage. Topical Breakdown Day 1 (11:1-19:3) Introduction of Jesus the Christ (ch. 11) Christ teaches them his word (12:1-14:27) The end of the Law (15:1-10) The gathering and redemption of Israel (15:11-16:20) Brief Isaiah quote (16:18-20) Christ intercedes for the people (ch. 17) Institution of the Sacrament (ch. 18) Preparation for the next day (v. 19:1-3) Day 2 (19:4-26:15) Disciples teach Christ's word (19:4-14) Christ intercedes for the people (19:15-36) Sacrament observed again (20:1-9) Gathering and redemption of Israel, contd. (20:10-26:5) Micah quotes (20:16, 19) Compound Isaiah quote (20:32-45) Lengthy Isaiah quote (ch. 22) Malachi quote (ch. 24-25) Parenthesis by Mormon (26:6-15) Day 3 (26:16) Passover Themes As discussed in the comments below on chapter 11 Christ's appearance to the Nephites probably occurred on or near the Passover Feast. The Passover has been observed on and off by Israel since Moses led Israel out of Egypt. Some of the practices surrounding it are Scripturally instituted, and some are traditions derived from related Scriptural texts. When we compare the major Scriptural and traditional themes of Passover with the events among the Nephites they parallel each another closely. As such, it is instructive to see the events of 3 Ne. 11-26 in the light of the Passover. The general setting of the Passover serves to provide a broad context for the topics Jesus chooses to discuss and a number of actions performed. Each of the topics he discusses and each action performed is important in an of itself, but it makes more sense and is more contiguous when the seemingly separate sermons and actions are seen as a larger whole. The following table outlines the Passover practices which are Scripturally dictated with the accompanying OT reference and the corresponding text from 3 Nephi. The second table presents traditional Jewish Passover themes with their corresponding Scriptural texts. These traditional themes are just that, traditional. How ancient they are and how inspired they are isn't clear. It is plain from the NT that some of these traditions are ancient and accurate interpretations of the Scriptures (e.g., the Messiah would come at Passover), but it also plain from the NT that some the traditions are misguided (e.g., the Messiah would physically deliver Israel from their oppressors as did Moses). In any case, the major parallels follow: Scriptural Ingathering Lev. 23:1-8 3 Ne. 11:1-2 Seder/Sacrament Exod. 12:14-20 3 Ne. 18:1-11 Lev. 23:9-14 3 Ne. 20:3-9 Num. 28:16-25 Teach children Exod. 12:25-27 3 Ne. 17:11-25 3 Ne. 26:14 Traditional Elijah's Coming Mal. 4 3 Ne. 25 Messiah's Coming Isa. 11:1-5 3 Ne. 11 Mal. 3-4 3 Ne. 24-25 Intercession/Delivery 2 Sam. 22 (Ps. 18) 3 Ne. 19:28-34 Ps. 116, 118 Redemption of Israel Ps. 113-115, 117 3 Ne. 15:11- 16:20 Isa. 11:6-12:6 3 Ne. 20:12- 26:2 Resurrection/Judgement Ezek. 36:37-37:14 3 Ne. 26:3-5 The single largest theme of the Passover is the redemption of Israel. Just as the original Passover was the prelude to ancient Israel's Exodus from Egypt, the subsequent Passover Festivals become a prediction of the redemption of Israel. Hence the Jew's expectation that Jesus would free them from the Romans, and their complete abandonment of him when he failed to do just that. This is reflected in the amount of discussion Christ gives the Nephites on the topic. Also note the amount of text Mormon dedicates to it when he editorially summarizes a lot of other material. This theme of the redemption of Israel is spiritualized by Jesus in the NT when he institutes the Sacrament (cf. Matt. 26:26-28). The symbolism is that Israel's true redemption is a spiritual one, and the physical redemption would come if Israel were spiritually ready for it. Jesus takes the Passover Seder, the memorial meal of unleavened bread, representing Israel's imminent flight from Egypt, and changes is into a symbol of spiritual redemption where the unleavened bread represents the sacrifice of his body for the resurrection and the wine represents the sacrifice of his blood for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus teaches the same principle with the Nephites, but also discusses the literal physical redemption of Israel in an eschatological context. That the redemption of Israel from it's scattered state is only secondarily physical and dependant upon their spirituality is not a new theme. When Jesus reinterprets the Passover Seder into the Sacrament, he simply emphasizes something the Law has taught all along. The corporate well-being of Israel is dependant upon their spiritual condition. If they rebel against the Lord, then He punishes them and scatters them. If they repent and return to Him, He gathers them, just as promised in Lev. 26. The spiritual emphasis is plainer in ch. 11-26 because the audience has greater faith than did the audience in and around Jerusalem, cf. 17:8, 19:35 (this is not because the Lehites are intrinsically more spiritual, but because the most wicked among them have been destroyed, leaving a more spiritual remnant). Given this more spiritual audience, Jesus performs many great miracles among them, they witness angels, and he teaches them the truth about the gathering of Israel. Comments on 3 Nephi 11 Nearly a year after the Great Cataclysm of ch. 8 a large group of people are gathered to the Temple at Bountiful, probably to observe Passover. On the gathering to Bountiful, note Nephi and the other 11 disciples who are ultimately ordained to be the twelve are all present, cf. v. 22, 12:1. This suggests the more faithful among the survivors were gathered to the Temple for some purpose. There is nothing in the text explicitly suggesting they were doing anything more than discussing what had transpired and the connections of these signs to this Jesus Christ who was preached to them, cf. v. 1-2. However, the timing strongly suggests they were either preparing for or observing the Passover feast. The Passover Feast would be a particularly poignant time for Christ to reveal himself to them, given the blatantly Messianic message of that feast. Also, a gathering of some 2500 people consisting of men, women, and children (cf. 17:25), including people who are lame and ill (cf. 17:7-10), strongly suggests the people were there for some formal gathering. If it were some casual gathiner, it is unlikely entire families would have come out and brought people who were not well suited to travel. Mormon leaves us uninformed as to the condition of the Temple itself as far as damage resulting from the Great Cataclysm. But, the city Bountiful is not on the list of cities destroyed in ch. 9. We hear about there being a Temple in Zarahemla in Mosiah 1:18-2:6, but after that we hear nothing of that Temple. If the Temple survived through the history of the Nephites up until the Great Cataclysm, it certainly appears to have not survived beyond that, cf. 4 Ne. 1:8. v1-17 The people gathered to the Temple at Bountiful are talking amongst themselves concerning the Great Cataclysm (v. 1) and also the Christ who was represented by this sign (v. 2). As they are talking they hear a transcendent voice, but do not recognize its source so they look all around (v. 3). The voice sounds again, but they still don't understand it (v. 4). Only after they open their ears and turn their eyes to heaven (v. 5) do they understand the voice when it sounds the third time (v. 6). The voice tells them to look and see God's Beloved Son, whom He is pleased with, who has made His name glorious (v. 7). They again look up into heaven and are awestruck to see a man in a white robe descend out of heaven into their presence. They assume it is an angel (v. 8). But when the man is standing among them (v. 9) he introduces Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ whom the prophets have talked about (v. 10), and who has accomplished the Atonement (v. 11). The people are stunned and fall down at the introduction when they remember that the prophets told them the resurrected Christ would appear to them (v. 12). Jesus bids them (v. 13) to come and witnesses the scars of His sacrifice so they may witness firsthand who He is (v. 14). The people do so one by one until all of them receive a personal witness (v. 15) and each of them fall down and praise God worshiping Him at His feet until all are before him praising God (v. 16). The initial confusion and failure to understand the voice is explained by the general context of what the survivors are doing. The survivors are gathered to the Temple, probably to observe the Passover feast, an institution of the Law of Moses. And, even if they aren't gathered to observe the Passover, it is plain from 15:2 that they haven't abandoned practice of the Law of Moses. This is despite statements by the Lord Himself about a year earlier (cf. 9:17-19) and a considerable history detailing this very subject (cf. 1:24-25, 2 Ne. 25:24, Mosiah 13:27, Alma 25:15, Alma 30:3, Alma 34:13). This all seems odd given the presence of one such as Nephi, who seems to have had a pretty direct line to the Lord. The probable source of confusion is the Lord's statement as documented in 9:17-19. He says there the Law is fulfilled and literal sacrifices are no longer to be performed, but He doesn't tell them what to do next. Do they still observe the Law of Moses, but just not do the literal sacrifices? Do they abandon the Law entirely? If they abandon the Law, what kind of ritual do they replace it with? Well, the Lord didn't tell them that back in ch. 9. And, they have generally forgotten that the Lord was supposed to appear to them Himself (cf. v. 12), so they weren't anticipating Him intervening. This is probably what the conversation in v. 1-2 was about. They know the Law of Sacrifice is over with completely, and the Law of Moses is "fulfilled". But now what? Do they still observe the feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles? What about the Sabbath? Does Temple worship change radically from this point out, and if so, how radically? Given such a dramatic change in the ritual of worship, I would have to assume Nephi himself had more questions than answers. Even if he did have all the answers, how willing would others be to listen to them if they represented such a huge shift in ritual? Aside from the context, a close look at the interaction of the people with Christ explains a good deal of what is happening as well. The section of text starts out with the people talking with one another about the Great Cataclysm and also Christ (v. 1- 2). A voice calls down from heaven twice and both times the people cannot understand it and are looking all around in confusion as to the source and meaning of the voice (v. 3-4). Only after they "open their ears" and turn their eyes towards heaven do they hear and understand the voice (v. 5-7), and then see Christ descending being dumbfounded in the process (v. 8). Let us contrast the behavior of the people: v. 1-4 v. 5-8 ------ ------ Talking among selves Silent Ears closed Ears opened Casting eyes about Looking straight up to heaven Not in Christ's presence In Christ's presence Their reaction in v. 5-8 informs us about what was happening in v. 1-4. Their failure to heed the Lord's word and abandon the Law of Moses caused them to be deaf to God's voice. Instead of heeding what the Lord told them they chose to reason amongst themselves. So, when God speaks to them, they do not recognize the source. It is not until they stop talking, listen to the voice of God, and look up into heaven that they see Christ. And the revelation of Christ causes an end to their confusion. When people reason things out on their own without, fail to seek revelation, and generally ignore what revelation has been given to them, it leaves them deaf to the word of God and blind to heavenly things. v1 "they were marvelling and wondering one with another", the destruction over the land was not uniform, cf. 3 Ne. 8:11-12. The cities cited in 3 Ne. 9 were the most hard hit, but clearly cities such as Bountiful were as badly damaged. When the people gathered together they would have been coming from different locations, so they were discussing the relative severties with they had individually witnessed and recovered from. As this appears to have been the first major ingathering, then it would be a natural human reaction to get the word of mouth about what had happened across the face of all the land. v18-41 The main theme of this section is that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one (v. 22-28), so those who worship Them must be one as well (v. 29-41). If they are not one, then they are contentious and are the sons of the adversary (v. 29, 40). To be one with the Father (v. 32, 36), we must do away with contention (v. 30-31), repent and be baptized by water and the Spirit (v. 32-36, 39), and become humble as little children are humble (v. 37-38). 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.