Comments on Ether 12 Moroni introduces us to Ether (v. 1-5), the author of the plates he is abridging and editorializing, and then gives us a rather lengthy parenthetical discussion on faith (v. 6-41). Moroni is prompted to do so because Ether's contemporaries reject him because they do not believe in things they cannot say (v. 5). He perceives that faith is essential and that if the Gentiles who receive his record choose to find fault with it rather than have charity and faith, then they will be cut off from the Lord. He is warning the latter-day Gentile readers to not be like the ancient Gentiles who rejected Ether's testimony. v1-5 Ether, the rightful heir to the throne, lived during the time that one Coriantumr was king (v. 1). Ether was a prophet who testified to the people. The Spirit was in him and he could not be confined (v. 2). He preached from sunup to sundown telling the people to repent or be destroyed. He testifies to them that by faith (v. 3) they can hope for a better world, which hope motivates people to be diligent in good works (v. 4). But, the people do not believe all of the great things he preaches because they refuse to believe in what they cannot see (v. 5). They cannot see the "better world...at the right hand of God" so they refuse to accept it. v2 "he could not be restrained", we are informed in 11:23 that Ether's father Coriantor lived all of his life in captivity. We would have to assume that Ether was therefore born in captivity. But at what point does Ether escape captivity? I would assume the phrase "he could not be restrained" is informing us that because of his prophetic calling and considerable faith he was delivered from the captivity that kept his father down. v6-41 Moroni editorializes on the subject of faith. His springboard is the people's rejection of Ether's testimony on account of them not being able to see this "better world" spoken of in v. 4. v6 Moroni indicates he is now editorializing. He says a person has faith in things they believe they will see but cannot presently see. He then warns people from challenging things they cannot see, because the evidence supporting your faith does not come until your faith is tested and shown to be true. v7-9 Moroni then gives the central thesis of his comments, namely that faith has always been used in the past (v. 7) and it will continue to be used in the future (v. 8-9). This pattern is then expanded upon considerably with past more examples (v. 10-21) and the plan for the Gentiles to have their faith tested in the future (v. 22-35). v10-21 Moroni gives a list of various historical characters (v. 10-11) who operated by faith and accomplished a variety of miracles by it. He states that without first having faith there will be no miracle (v. 12) and then lists various people who's faith propelled them into the service of the Lord and they saw great miracles as a result (v. 13-21). v12 "if there be no faith...God can do no miracle", I would take this to mean "will not do" as opposed to "cannot do". The Lord occasionally does public miracles in the eyes of the faithless (e.g., the plagues on Egypt prior to the Exodus, the night of light among the Lehites, Christ's appearance to Saul-Paul, etc.), so it isn't a matter of Him not being able to do them as though His ability to do things were contingent upon people's faith. It is simply a matter of Him generally not being willing to provide signs to the faithless, because it usually just hardens them more and more (cf. 3 Ne. 2:1). What Moroni is referring to is miracles that are contingent upon people's faith, or the "witness...of your faith" which he refers to in v. 6. If the various people in v. 13-21 didn't have faith first then they would not have accomplished the great miracles they did. If Alma and Amulek had no faith then they never would have tried to preach repentance to the apostate people of Ammonihah so they never would have experienced the trials and miraculous delivery they did (v. 13). And it is the same with the examples of Nephi and Lehi (v. 14) and the sons of Mosiah (v. 15) and so on. Had these people not had the faith to propel them into the Lord's service they never would have had been tested and subsequently seen the many miracles which resulted. This is what Moroni is talking about when he says "if there be no faith...God can do no miracle". The underlying premise Moroni is addressing is that if you refuse to believe in anything you cannot see (i.e. God as in v. 5) then you have no faith, and you will end up never doing anything for God, so you never see anything of His works. If you are carnal and reject God, you will not do godly works, so you will never see any miracles. People like this are in a self-imposed condition that verifies their notion that there are no miracles. They do not believe in miracles or in God, so they do not live a godly life, so they never see any miracles. And, even if they do see some sign or miracle from God they just rationalize it away (cf. 1 Ne. 16:38). It's a self-fulfilling prediction. v22-35 Moroni changes the subject from the ancient ones who had great faith to the future recipients of his writings. The Lehite patriarchs, even Moroni's own descendants, obtained a promise from the Lord that these writings would go to their remnants, hence the command from the Lord to write and hide up the plates (v. 22). But Moroni laments in the weakness of his writings skills. While he can speak with power he cannot write with the same power (v. 23), unlike the brother of Jared. The brother of Jared could write things that would overpower the reader (v. 24). But Moroni fears his writing are weak and flawed, and this weakness will cause the Gentiles to deride the book (v. 25). The Lord responds to Moroni by pointing out that only a fool would take advantage of the superficial flaws to ridicule the text. Therefore, those who accept the book with meekness and do not look for faults in it will receive the Lord's grace and mercy (v. 26). It is the Lord's plan to give men weaknesses, so they will be humble before Him. And, if a man humbles himself before the Lord, He will make him strong (v. 27). The Lord says He will show the Gentiles their own weaknesses and if they pay attention to those instead of finding fault in others, like Moroni, then they will discover that faith and charity is what will lead them to the Lord (v. 28). Moroni is relieved when the Lord tells him this because he knows the Lord works with people according to their faith (v. 29), even as He worked with the brother of Jared (v. 30) and the disciples (v. 31, cp. 3 Ne. 27:1-2). And, he recalls that the Lord has laid down his life (v. 33) so that he might prepare a heavenly abode (v. 32) for those who are filled with the same kind of selfless love He had (v. 34). So, if the Gentiles do not have any charity in them, then they will deride the words of Moroni and the Lord will take away their allotment because of it (v. 35). By way of clarification, what this rather long section of text boils down to is Moroni being concerned that his lack of writing skill will have a negative impact on the Gentile readers. But, the Lord points out to him that anyone with faith and charity will not being impacted by such a superficial thing, so he shouldn't worry about it. v23 Moroni is well aware of the reception the BofM will receive among the Gentiles, given Nephi's prediction in 2 Ne. 27. He knows they will generally reject the word of the Lord. What Moroni is really doing is lamenting his own weakness at writing and his inability to overpower the reader as did the brother of Jared (v. 24). Moroni thinks if he could do that, then perhaps the outcome might be different as far as the Gentiles are concerned. But, the Lord points out to him that anyone with faith and charity will not be affected by the "weakness" of Moroni's writing as those with faith and charity will not be critical of it. v27 "I will make weak things become strong", the typical reading on this is if we approach the Lord and confess our personal weaknesses He will change them into personal strengths. However, if we look at v. 37 we can see the Lord is talking about something else. There, Moroni has confessed his weakness to the Lord so the Lord says: because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. When the Lord says "thou shalt be made strong" it is plain he is referring to Moroni inheriting immortality and eternal life (cf. v. 32, 34), and not making him a powerful writer as was the brother of Jared. Will the Lord sometime change our personal weaknesses into strengths? Sure. But, this passage isn't talking about that. And, if the Lord gives men weaknesses so they are humble, then if he takes the weakness away, then what happens to the humility? If that goes away too, then it seems more expedient to leave the weakness. v35 "take away their talent", this is phrase we would typically equate with the NT. While Jesus quoted the majority of the Sermon on the Mount to the Nephites in 3 Ne. 12-14 there is no explicit reference to the parable of the talents. But, we are informed in 2 Ne. 26:6 that Jesus taught considerable more than what was documented. So, it is safe to assume this parable was taught among the Nephites, even as was the Sermon on the Mount, only the latter was documented. v36-41 Moroni concludes his discussion on faith by bidding farewell to the Gentiles. In doing so, Moroni lets the Gentiles know that he had prayed for them that the Lord would grant them His grace that they might have charity (v. 36). But, the Lord does not grant this request. Instead, he tells Moroni that isn't his concern and he has done his job, so his hands are clean of their blood at the Day of Judgement (v. 37). So, Moroni bids his brothers as well as the Gentiles farewell until they meet at the Judgement (v. 38), where they will then know with certainty that he has been telling them the truth (v. 39). He informs us he has written only a little bit of what the Lord has said to him, as mentioned in v. 39, because of the difficulty in engraving the plates (v. 40). He then closes the parenthetical discussion on faith with an admonition to the reader that they learn more about Christ so they may have grace (v. 41), as mentioned in v. 26 and 36. 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.