Having seen the gentiles prosper in the land, Nephi saw “a book, and it was carried forth among
them” (1 Nephi 13:20). Nephi did not
know anything about the book. The angel
told him “it proceedeth out of the mouth
of a Jew” (1 Nephi 13:23). This book
is a record of the Jews. Lehi, speaking
to Joseph, said, “Wherefore, the fruit of
thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and
that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which
shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto
the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and
establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the
knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my
covenants, saith the Lord”” (2 Nephi 3:12).
This book contains covenants the Lord made with Israel; it
contains prophecies made by the holy prophets; it is a record similar to the
brass plates, “save there are not so many”
(1 Nephi 13:23). The book contains
the covenants the Lord made with Israel, so this is valuable to the gentiles.
Hugh Nibley explains:
This is our Old Testament, but such
a book was quite strange to Nephi, and the angel explains that "it is a
record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass,
save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the
Lord... unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the
Gentiles" (1 Nephi 13:23). The only scriptures Nephi knew were a
collection of writings, more extensive indeed than what is contained in our Old
Testament, but not conflicting with it.[1]
A common criticism of the Church by its opponents is we
don’t believe in the Bible.
Of course, Latter-day Saints
believe in the Bible, but it is sometimes stated by some not of our faith that
we do not. In fact, we love the Bible and believe its teachings. It holds a
special place in our religion that cannot be filled by any other book. On the
day the Church was organized, the Lord affirmed the Bible's truthfulness
(D&C 20:11), and the Book of Mormon itself bears testimony of the Bible and
commits us to it (1 Nephi 13:20–23; 2 Nephi 29:2–13). With many other
Christians we have faith that the Bible's ancient writers were inspired, and we
reject the trends in modern society that devalue it and its teachings. We can
be grateful for the many good people who have held fast to this book, and we
join with them in expressing our thanks to God for it.[2]
When the book (the Old Testament) goes forth, it will
contain the fullness of the gospel. The
twelve apostles will bear witness to its truthfulness. When it goes forth, it will be a pure record
of the gospel.
And
because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible!
We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.
But
thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed
forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible
which they receive from them? Yea, what
do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember
the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence
unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?
O
ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated
them, and have not sought to recover them.
But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I
the Lord have not forgotten my people.
Thou
fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more
Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it
were by the Jews?
2 Nephi 29:3 - 6
The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith, “my work shall go forth, for inasmuch as the knowledge of a Savior has
come unto the world, through the testimony of the Jews, even so shall the
knowledge of a Savior come unto my people—“ (D&C 3:16).
Eventually, may plain and precious things will be taken away
from the Old Testament. As I mentioned
earlier, many critics erroneously claim we don’t believe in the Bible. This shows a misunderstanding of the 8th
Article of Faith, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is
translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” We do not accept the claim that our Bible
today is not without flaws. Biblical
textual criticism shows this to be true. (See the writings of Bart Ehrman for
examples.)
John Welch looks at this issue.
[A]s it was handed down, important
parts were lost, removed, or obscured. A more detailed and more informative
picture than this, however, can be gleaned from the words of 1 Nephi 13:24-32,
given by an angel to Nephi. Close reading shows that Nephi saw other, more
fundamental factors first at work.
These words of the angel seem to
identify three stages in this process—not just one. First, the
Gentiles would take "away from the gospel of the Lamb
many parts which are plain and most precious" (1 Nephi 13:26). This stage
possibly could have occurred more by altering the meaning or understanding of
the things taught by the Lord than by changing the words themselves. This
changing of understanding was a fundamental problem seen by Nephi. What would
cause many to stumble were those things "taken away out of the
gospel" (1 Nephi 13:29, 32).
Second, the Gentiles would take
away "many covenants of the Lord" (1 Nephi 13:26).
This step, too, could be taken without deleting any words from the Bible as
such. The knowledge and benefit of the covenants of God could become lost
simply by neglecting the performance of ordinances, or priesthood functions, or
individual covenants as the Lord had taught.
Third, Nephi beheld that there were
"many plain and precious things taken away from the book" (1
Nephi 13:28). This step was apparently a consequence of the first two, since
13:28 begins with the word "wherefore." Thus, the eventual physical
loss of things from the Bible was perhaps less a cause than a result of the
fact that, first, the gospel, and second, the covenants had been lost or taken
away.[3]
[1] A New Age of Discovery, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute,
accessed February 24, 2013.
[2] Some LDS Perspectives on the Bible, Insights Volume -
20, Issue
- 3Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 24, 2013.
[3] The Plain and Precious Parts, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed February 24, 2013.
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