Having been shown Mary, Nephi was commanded to look. He saw Mary holding a child in her arms. John Clark identifies this as a part of Nephi’s
messianic doctrine. The three parts are the
Messiah is God, the premortal Jesus, called Jehovah by Old Testament prophets;
He is the Redeemer, and the Messiah would be born in the flesh.[1]
The angel told Nephi to “[b]ehold the Lamb of God, yea, even
the Son of the Eternal Father” (1 Nephi 11:21).
He then turns Nephi’s question around and asks him to answer his
question. Does he know the meaning of
the tree?
Nephi knows the answer.
“[I]t is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of
the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things” (1
Nephi 11:22).
Alma2 would refer to the tree when preaching to
the people of Zarahemla. “I speak by way of command unto you that
belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by
way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also
may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life” (Alma 5:62). In an epistle to Moroni2, Mormon
wrote…
And
the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the
fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission
of sins;
And
the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of
meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter
filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer,
until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.
Moroni 8:25 - 26
Nephi then saw Christ going among the people and may
worshipped Him. He saw the iron rod (the
word of God). It led to the fountain of
living waters and the tree of life.
These represent the love of God.
The living water is the love of God
(1 Nephi 11:25). Ultimately, it represents Jesus Christ and his atonement, the
only true source of eternal life. The blessings of the atonement have no
temporal cost. Individuals pay no monetary price to receive the blessings of
the atonement of Christ. Yet God does require a spiritual price: a broken heart
and a contrite spirit (2 Nephi 2:7; 3 Nephi 9:20; D&C 59:8).[2]
[1] Painting
Out the Messiah: The Theologies of Dissidents, John L. Clark,
Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 11, 2013.
[2] The
Earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ, Donald W. Parry, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 11, 2013.
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