5 And he had hope to
shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many
things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels,
and they had ministered unto me. And
also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from
time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.
6 And it came to pass
that he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother
Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have
heard and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call
the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.
7 And ye have led away
much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the
law of Moses which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the
worship of a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you
that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell
of things to come. And after this manner
did Sherem contend against me.
Jacob 7:5-7
Why had Sherem come to challenge Jacob? Jacob tells us “he had hope to shake me from the faith.” After all that Jacob had been through
during his lifetime, only an outsider would believe he could shake Jacob’s
faith.
Jacob’s faith was based on the revelations he had seen. Speaking to the Nephites earlier he told
them, “Wherefore, as I said unto you, it
must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto
me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are
the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it
behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify
their God” (2 Nephi 10:3). Nephi had
faith in his brother’s testimony and commitment to the gospel because “my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I
have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to
prove unto them that my words are true.
Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my
word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words?”
(2 Nephi 11:3).
Jacob had also seen angels and heard the voice of the Lord. As a part of his blessing given to Jacob, Lehi
told him, “And thou hast beheld in thy
youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall
minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and
forever. And the way is prepared from
the fall of man, and salvation is free” (2 Nephi 2:4). Sherem was on a fool’s errand if he thought
he could shake Jacob’s faith.
After making previous attempts to meet with Jacob, Sherem
finally meets him. He tells him why he
wants to speak with him. “I have heard and also know that thou goest
about much, preaching that which ye call the gospel, or doctrine of Christ.” “Nephi
and his brother Jacob apparently spoke of the gospel of Jesus Christ by the
name of the ‘doctrine of Christ’ (see 2 Nephi 31:2, 21; 32:6; Jacob 7:2, 6).
They used these two terms for the teaching of Christ interchangeably (see Jacob
7:6).”[1]
Sherem’s statement to Jacob implies that he was most likely
a part of the Nephite population.
Now, the population of adult males
descended from the original group could not have exceeded fifty at that time.
This would have been only enough to populate one modest-sized village. Thus
Sherem's is a strange statement. Jacob, as head priest and religious teacher,
would routinely have been around the Nephite temple in the cultural center at
least on all holy days (see Jacob 2:2). How then could Sherem never have seen
him, and why would he have had to seek "much opportunity" to speak to
him in such a tiny settlement? And where would Jacob have had to go on the
preaching travels Sherem refers to, if only such a tiny group were involved. Moreover,
from where was it that Sherem "came . . . among the people of
Nephi" (Jacob 7:1)? The text and context of this incident would make
little sense if the Nephite population had resulted only from natural
demographic increase.[2]
Sherem wastes no time leveling his accusations. Looking at the accusations, it’s apparent he
was familiar with the Law of Moses. John
Welch explains Sherem’s accusations.
In light of the ancient Israelite
criminal law that was in force among the Nephites at this time and at least up
to the time of the reforms of Mosiah (see 2 Nephi 5:10; Jarom 1:5; Mosiah
17:7–8; Alma 1:17), it is evident that Sherem’s accusations were serious
allegations. On three accounts, he accused Jacob of offenses punishable by
death:
Ye have [1] led away much of this
people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses
which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a
being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I,
Sherem, declare unto you that this is [2] blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such
things; for he [3] cannot tell of things to come. (Jacob 7:7).[3]
[1]
Nephi's
Teachings in the Book of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds, Maxwell Institute,
accessed May 8, 2014.
[2]
When
Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? John L.
Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 8, 2014.
[3]
Sherem's
Accusations against Jacob, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed May
8, 2014.
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