General Comments on 3 Nephi 20-21 These chapters are a continuation of the redemption of Israel theme left of in ch. 16, cf. 20:11. In ch. 20 Jesus discusses the role of the Gentiles (cf. 20:10-28) and the fulfilment of various OT prophecies concerning the gathering of Israel (cf. 20:29-46). In ch. 21 Jesus gives the sign of the start of the gathering of Israel (cf. 21:1-7), and ties it to the determining factor on which of the Gentiles and which of Israel are gathered in and which are cast off and destroyed (cf. 21:8- 29). Both of these chapters rely heavily on the rhetorical style of the OT prophets, particularly Isaiah. Familiarity with the OT prophetic writings will definitely be an aid in understanding this text. Comments on 3 Nephi 20 In reading this chapter we cannot take the events describe herein as occurring linearly. Reading it as though v. 10-19 happens, then v. 20-28 happens, then v. 29-46 happens will leave the reader terribly confused as they really are all talking about the same single event. What each portion does is address the same even from a different viewpoint so as to emphasize a particular point. Verses 10-19 emphasize that Israel will be gathered and made the Lord's people and the Gentiles will be under Israel's heel, a reversal of Israel's general history. Verses 20-28 then expound upon this theme to emphasize this reversal is because Israel is the Lord's covenant people where the Gentiles have no covenant. And, v. 29-46 emphasize that Israel's return to the Lord will be when the remnants receive the fulness of the gospel and accept Christ. All three sections address the gathering of Israel, each emphasizing a particular point thereof. v1-9 Jesus administers the sacrament to the enlarged audience. He initially administered it the day before (cf. 18:1-11) using the same pattern of administration (v. 2-7) and explanation (v. 8). The noteworthy differences here are Jesus providing bread and wine miraculously (v. 6-7) and the people being filled with the Spirit afterwards (v. 9). v1 Ending the prayers of the preceding chapter, Jesus tells them to continue to pray in their hearts. To the Western mind this is somewhat baffling as we consider prayer a formalized act, so how could they keep praying when they are watching Jesus administer the sacrament? The Semitic notion of prayer is less formal. The Hebrew term "palal" (which term also serves as the root for the Hebrew "tephillah" [Strong's 08605] which is commonly translated to "prayer") is defined in Strong's as follows: 06419 palal {paw-lal'} a primitive root; TWOT - 1776; v AV - pray 74, made 3, judge 2, intreat 1, judgment 1, prayer 1, supplication 1, thought 1; 84 1) to intervene, interpose, pray 1a) (Piel) to mediate, judge 1b) (Hithpael) 1b1) to intercede 1b2) to pray The term applies to considerably more than just the formal act of praying and carries a meaning of entreaty, supplication and thought (see the KJV on Gen. 48:11 for the translation to "thought"). Thus, Jesus' command for them to continue to pray in their hearts, the heart being the seat of one's desires to the Semitic mind, means he is telling them to keep the same thoughts and desires continuing with them even though they stop the formal act of prayer to participate in the sacrament. v3 "bread", the previous day the bread was provided by the disciples at Jesus' request. Here, Jesus provides the bread. As the people were probably observing the Passover the bread provided by the disciples would have been unleavened. In this case with Jesus providing the bread and teaching them concerning the end of the Law (cf. 15:1-10), it would have been a particularly poignant symbol for him to provide his own bread and it be leavened. If he did, then the Lamb of God, the ultimate symbol of the old Passover, supercedes the disciple's unleavened bread of the old Passover with his own leavened bread of the Sacrament as a transformation of the old Passover Seder. Unfortunately, Mormon doesn't give us any details concerning the bread itself which would indicate such symbolism, only that it was produced miraculously. But, it does stand to reason that if Jesus was teaching them to no longer observe the old Passover that the bread he would provide would leavened. v10-28 Jesus reviews the material covered the preceding day (v. 10-19, cp. 16:4-20), and then expands upon the subject (v. 20- 28). v10-19 Jesus informs them that when all of the words of Isaiah concerning Israel are fulfilled (v. 11), only then is the Father's covenant with them fulfilled (v. 12). When it is fulfilled all of the scattered remnants of Israel will know that Jesus is the Christ (v. 13) and be gathered to their ancestral lands (v. 14). Those Gentiles who do not repent and accept the gospel that was granted to them (v. 15) will be punished by Israel (v. 16-19). Given the considerably larger size of the crowd today over the day before, Jesus would recap yesterday's material for the benefit of the majority who were not present the day before. v10 "now I finish the commandment", cp. 16:3-4, 18:27. v11-12 Jesus' intent is to keep the remnants of natural Israel focused on their enduring covenant status until it is completely fulfilled, cp. 15:6-7. v11 "the words of Isaiah...search them", the words of Isaiah are recommended by Nephi (cf. 2 Ne. 25:5-7), Jesus (cp. 23:1), and Moroni (cf. Mormon 8:23). Despite this, it is largely treated as an impenetrable text by the LDS community. v16-19 are a composite paraphrase of a series of Micah passages, cp. v. 16-17 with Micah 5:8-9 and v. 18-19 with Micah 4:12-13. Jesus is invoking the Messianic and Redemptive themes of Micah 4- 5 and saying that when Israel does chose to return to him they will be made great and powerful and overthrow the nations that afflicted them. v20-28 Jesus expands upon the subject of v. 10-19 by contrasting the perilous situation the Gentiles are in (v. 20, 28) with the elect condition of Israel (v. 21-27). The underlying premise is that while there are promises to Abraham and all the subsequent patriarchs (v. 24-27) to preserve at least a remnant of their lineage, there is no such promise for the Gentiles. When the Lord says His sword is hanging over them in Judgement, it means there is no covenant there to prevent Him from annihilating them utterly if they deserve it. In the case of Israel, the Lord is bound by covenants such that he cannot utterly annihilate them, even if they deserve it. The Gentiles have nothing of the sort to protect them, and when they rebel against Him and reject His gospel they will be annihilated even as were the Jaredites. Naturally, the condition for Israel being restored to her full glory and is the acceptance of Christ (v. 23-24). v20 "the sword of my justice shall hang over them", cp. Ether 8:23, Isa. 34:1-8, D&C 87:6-8. v23 "cut off", i.e., from the covenant with Abraham, cf. 21:11. v28 "I will return their iniquities upon their own heads", cp. Isa. 51:23, D&C 45:25-31. v29-46 Jesus then expands upon the subject of v. 23-24 to explain that when scattered Israel receives the fulness of the gospel and accepts Him as Christ (v. 30-31) then they will be gathered and established upon her ancestral lands (v. 29). And when this occurs, all of the predictions of the OT Prophets be fulfilled and Zion will be founded and her people rejoice and so on (v. 32-45). Jesus then closes the quotations by stating plainly that all the predictions he just quoted will come to pass and Israel will be established on her ancestral lands (v. 46). v32-45 are a compounded quotation of selections from Isa. 52 and Isa. 54. v40-45 Note these verses quote Isa. 52:7 and Isa. 52:11-15 in the context of the marred servant being Israel, and not the Messiah as Christians generally like to read it, cp. 21:10. 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.