14 Yet the Lord God
saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law,
even the law of Moses.
15 And many signs, and
wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and
also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened
their hearts, and understood not that the claw of Moses availeth
nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood.
16 And even if it were
possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto
you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so
the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.
17 And moreover, I say
unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means
whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the
name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.
Mosiah 3:14-17
After detailing the ministry of Christ, Benjamin returns to
the Law of Moses. The Jews were a
stiffnecked people. This is why they
received the Law of Moses. Those tablets
were received the second time Moses went up on Sinai and spent 40 days and
nights speaking to the Lord.
Previously, Moses had spent 40 days and night on Sinai. He received tablets that were written by the
finger of God. When he went down among
the Israelites, they were worshipping the golden calf. He was angry and broke the stone tablets
(Exodus 32:19). It is believed by some
scholars that those tablets contained the gospel and the higher law. It was only after they proved they were not
ready for the higher law that they received the lesser law, the Law of
Moses.
The Nephites will keep the Law of Moses until the death of
Christ. Even though they will keep the
Mosaic Law, the only way they will be saved is through the atonement of
Christ. Nephi wrote, “And my soul delighteth in proving unto my
people that save Christ should come all men must perish” (2 Nephi 11:6).
Hugh Nibley writes:
Eager as they are, the people must
again be cautioned before the law itself is set before them, for though the law
of Moses is adapted to their weaker natures, these people, like those taught by
Moses, remain "a stiffnecked people" (Mosiah 3:14), and after all God
did for them, "yet they hardened their hearts" (Mosiah 3:15).[1]
Abinadi would teach the Law of Moses to Noah and his
priests.
29
And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given
to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a
stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their
God;
30
Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances,
a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in
remembrance of God and their duty towards him.
31
But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.
32
And now, did they understand the law? I
say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the
hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man
be saved except it were through the redemption of God.
Mosiah 13:29-32
The sons of Mosiah taught their Lamanite converts the
importance of the Law of Moses.
15
Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should
keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they
did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was
a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward -performances
until the time that he should be revealed unto them.
16
Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law
of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did
retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of
prophecy, which spake of those things to come.
Alma 25:15-16
As we will see, the Law of Moses will become the foundation
of the legal system.
[I]t is clear that the Nephites
viewed the law of Moses as the foundation of their law and legal system. They
understood that the purpose of the law was to foster obedience: "And for
this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to [Christ]; and
for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness" (Jacob 4:5);
"The Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he
appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses" (Mosiah 3:14). Explicit statements by Nephi (2 Nephi 5:10),
Jarom (Jarom 1:5), Alma (Alma 30:2–3), and others demonstrate beyond any doubt
that for six centuries the Nephites saw themselves as strictly observing the
judgments, statutes, commandments, and ordinances of God in all things
according to the law of Moses until the coming of Christ.[2]
Earlier in his sermon, King Benjamin mentions that those who
are ignorant of the law will be covered through the blood of Christ. So it is with little children. If little children could sin, they would not
be saved. He makes it very clear little
children cannot save. Like with those who never know Christ or His
commandments, “the blood of Christ atoneth
for their sins.”
Mormon would emphasize this in an epistle to Moroni2.
8
Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that
are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of
committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it
hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.
9
And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore,
my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should
baptize little children.
Moroni 8:8-9
King Benjamin makes it clear how salvation is given. “[T]here
shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can
come … only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.” King Benjamin could have been referring
to the writings of Nephi1.
Towards the end of his record, Nephi1 wrote, “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this
is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man
can be saved in the kingdom of God. And
now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without
end. Amen” (2 Nephi 31:21).
These two scriptures make the requirements of salvation very
clear. “Some people think that if Christ
had not completed the Atonement, another person would have been brought in.
That is not true.”[3]
Robert Millett continues Todd Parker’s observation. “Jesus Christ is also known as Father through
the spiritual rebirth of mankind (see Born of God). As the
foreordained Redeemer, he became the ‘author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him’ (Heb. 5:9). He is the Savior. No person will come unto the
Father except through him and by his name (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Mosiah
3:17).”[4]
The essential role of Christ gives us insight into Lehi’s
Tree of Life vision.
We recall that, early on in Nephi's
vision (1 Nephi 11:26–33), the interpretation of the "rod of iron"
was given as the ministry and atonement of Jesus Christ. Now we can more fully
appreciate the symbolism involved in that interpretation. Even as the rod of
iron is the only manner by which the multitudes can approach and obtain the
fruit of the tree of life, so is the atonement of Jesus Christ the only way by
which we can overcome the effects of the fall, be forgiven of our sins, and
return to the presence of God (see Mosiah 3:17). (As we have seen, the
strait and narrow path, and the rod of iron by which it runs, represent the
atonement of Jesus Christ. In this context, it may be remembered that the
Savior himself declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the
life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6).)[5]
[1] Work
We Must, but the Lunch Is Free, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed July
25, 2014.
[2] The
Legal Cases in the Book of Mormon – Queries and Prospects, Maxwell
Institute, accessed July 25, 2014.
[3] Abinadi:
The Message and the Martyr (Part 2), Todd Parker, Maxwell Institute,
accessed July 25, 2014.
[4] Jesus
Christ, Fatherhood and Sonship of, Robert Millett, Maxwell Institute,
accessed July 25, 2014.
[5] Lehi's
Dream of the Tree of Life: Springboard to Prophecy, Corbin T. Volluz,
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 25, 2014.
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