Mosiah 13:7-35

7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message.  Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.

8 Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.

9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved.

10 But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.

11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives.

12 And now, ye remember that I said unto you: Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of things which are in heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which are in the water under the earth.

13 And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generations of them that hate me;

14 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

16 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

17 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;

18 But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man–servant, nor thy maid–servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;

19 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

20 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

21 Thou shalt not kill.

22 Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Thou shalt not steal.

23 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

24 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man–servant, nor his maid–servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments?

26 I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.

27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses.  I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.

28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

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.

33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people?  Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?

34 Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?

35 Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?

Mosiah 13:7-35

The king and priests realized they could do nothing to prevent Abinadi from delivering his message.  Abinadi emphasizes that point, telling them he will finish the message he was commanded to give them.  He reminded them that they were surprised to know he knew their sins.  Similar words were spoken by Solomon.  “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die” (Proverbs 15:10).  “[M]y words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.  But I finish my message.”  Jacob also used similar words.  “O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words.  Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.  Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker.  I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken” (2 Nephi 9:40).

After he finished his message, Abinadi said, whatever happens to him will happen; however, whatever they do to him, will be “a shadow of things which are to come.” 

Having reminded them of the first commandment, he told them that they not taught God’s commandments, but they have taught iniquity. 

He then recites each commandment to the priests.

Having recited the Ten Commandments, he asks the priests if they have taught them to keep these commandments.  He answered his question by telling them they had not.  Had they taught correct principles, he would not have been sent by the Lord to warn them of their evil.

The priests had taught that salvation was obtained through the Law of Moses.  He corrected that false teaching.  They kept the Law until God Himself makes an atonement for the sins of all people.  Nephi taught the same concept. “And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 25:24).  At that time, the Law will have been fulfilled.

Christ commanded the Nephites:

19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

3 Nephi 9:19-20

4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.

5 Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

3 Nephi 15:4-5

Paul taught the importance of Christ’s atonement to salvation.  “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified [GR vindicated, approved, guiltless]” (Galatians 2:16). “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21).

The reason the Lord gave the Jews the Law of Moses was because of their quickness to do evil.  Because of this they were given a “very strict law.”  King Benjamin would explain the reason for the Law of Moses.

14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the ^claw 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.

Mosiah 3:14-15

Their quickness to commit sin was a problem General Moroni faced when defending the Nephites.  It was such a problem, Mormon would write, “Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one” (Alma 46:8).

Because the Israelites were quick to do evil, a “Law of performances and of ordinances” that needs to be followed daily was given to them.  “Benjamin emphasizes the importance of daily religious observance, not just once a week or on special occasions. Abinadi also emphasized daily observance of the law of Moses (see Mosiah 13:30), which may be reminiscent of the daily sacrifices offered in the temple in Jerusalem.”[1]

But all of these were types of Christ and the time He comes. “As with the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon is filled with types and shadows. Moreover, Book of Mormon prophets make conscious and overt reference to them—especially Abinadi in teaching that all the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses ‘were types of things to come’ (Mosiah 13:31).”[2]

Did Israel understand the purpose of the Law?  No.  This was because of their wickedness.  They did not understand only through God comes redemption.

[W]e must frequently remind ourselves that the law of Moses has never been easy to understand completely. Various branches of Judaism, ancient and modern, in the center at Jerusalem and abroad in the Jewish Diaspora, have struggled mightily and in good faith, between themselves and even among themselves, to interpret and apply this extensive and detailed body of law. It is true that the priests of Noah misunderstood the law of Moses; but even the people of ancient Jerusalem could be accused of not understanding it very well either (Mosiah 13:32).[3]

Abinadi reminded them all prophets have prophesied of the coming of the Messiah.  They testified God would come down among us “and take upon him the form of a man.” 

The point is that although Jesus was born after "the manner of the flesh," the way all babies are born, his father was not a son of Adam, but the Father of Adam, God. The Book of Mormon reveals other ways in which he was distinct. Abinadi taught that "God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of a man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth" (Mosiah 13:34). Note that Abinadi did not say that he would be a man but rather he would have the form of a man.[4]

In addition to the atonement, he would bring forth the resurrection of the dead and that He would “be oppressed and afflicted.”

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[1] King Benjamin's Speech – Appendix: Complete Text of Benjamin's Speech with Notes and Comments, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 30, 2014

[2] "To Come Forth in Due Time" – Introduction, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 30, 2014.

[3] The Legal Cases in the Book of Mormon – Queries and Prospects, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 30, 2014.

[4] The Mortal Ministry of the Savior as Understood by the Book of Mormon Prophets, Richard D. Draper, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 30, 2014.