Chapter 17
Jesus directs the
people to ponder His words and pray for understanding—He heals their sick—He
prays for the people, using language that cannot be written—Angels minister to
and fire encircles their little ones. About A.D. 34.
The Savior had finished His words to the Nephites. He looked around and told them His time is at
hand. He did perceive the people were
weak.
“But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said
unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
“Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to
say, Rise up and walk” (Luke 5:22-23).[1]
He perceived they did not understand the words He had been
commanded to speak to them. We see this has happened in the past with His
teachings. “I have yet many things to
say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12).
“Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all
things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth” (D&C
50:40).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and
ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own
hands and prepared for you;
“And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good
cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings
thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (D&C 78:17-18).
“It seems to me that as chapter 17 begins, the Lord
basically wants to leave at this point, that is, to end day one. But there is a
problem. They don't want him to leave. Let's read verses 1—7: ‘Behold, now it
came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again
on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand. I perceive
that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded
of the Father to speak unto you at this time’ (3 Nephi 17:1—2).
“By the way, I hadn't thought about this until this time,
but what does that indicate about him? Notice his ability to perceive their
weakness. He is a perceptive teacher. Notice he says, ‘I know you can't
understand everything I have said. I know you don't fathom all of this.’ I
remember very well at the October 1972 general conference, President Harold B.
Lee said the same thing. He referred to this incident and said, basically, ‘Look,
I know you can't grasp it all, but go home and think on these things. We will
come back in six months and do this again.’”[2]
Jesus told the Nephites to go home and ponder the words He
has spoken. Pondering the scriptures is
essential to gain a full understanding of what they offer us. “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth
not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth
not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works”
(Proverbs 20:12).
“For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things
that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them
known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit
of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before
seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot” (1 Nephi 11:1).
“And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of
the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul
delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for
the learning and the profit of my children” (2 Nephi 4:15).
“And it came to pass that [Nephi2] went his way
towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto
him” (Helaman 10:2).
“Why do many active members of the church not love the
scriptures? We believe it is because they haven't learned to ponder them. To
ponder, according to Webster, means ‘to weigh in the mind; to think or consider
especially quietly, soberly, and deeply.’ After a lengthy discourse, the Savior
told the Nephites they needed time to ponder and pray about what he was saying:
‘I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am
commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time. Therefore, go ye unto
your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the
Father, in my name, that ye may understand’ (3 Nephi 17:2–3). He has repeated
this counsel in our time: ‘My friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder
in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call
upon me while I am near—Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek
me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you’ (D&C 88:62–63). So when we don't understand and
appreciate the scriptures, the Lord's counsel is to ponder and pray about them.
More specifically, we are to ponder first and then to pray. As the Lord says, ‘You
must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right’ (D&C
9:8).”[3]
They were also instructed to ask the Father, in His name, to
not only understand His words, but to prepare their minds for tomorrow.
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the
Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10).
“Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that
they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare
their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and
desolation are sent forth upon the wicked” (D&C 29:8).
“Eternal principles will take root in us as we take time not
only to read the teachings of the prophets and the scriptures but also to
ponder them in the spirit of prayer. Nephi, for example, took time to sit and
ponder. By so doing, he was exposed to doctrinal pearls (see 1 Nephi 11:1).
Take the time to do what the Lord has directed us to do: “Treasure these things
up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds”
(D&C 43:34). In a world that increasingly demands more of our time, it is
essential that we take time to ponder in our homes, so that we may understand
divine doctrine and its principles. As the Savior said, “Go ye unto your homes,
and ponder upon these things … that ye may understand, and prepare your minds
for the morrow” (3 Nephi 17:3).”[4]
By doing this, they will be ready to hear His words
tomorrow.
“When the Savior appeared to the people of the Book of
Mormon, He gave us a great example about not waiting to administer relief to
those who have lost a sense of happiness and joy. Having taught the people, He
saw that they were unable to understand all His words. He invited them to go to
their homes and ponder the things that He had said to them. He told them to
pray to the Father and prepare themselves to come again on the morrow, when He
would return to teach them.”[5]
[1] “But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he
answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
“Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise
up and walk” (JST Luke 5:22-23).
[2] The
Doctrine of the Risen Christ: Part 1, Robert L. Millet, Maxwell Institute
website.
[3] Pondering
the Word, Dennis Packard and Sandra Packard, Maxwell Institute website.
[4] Today
Is the Time, Walter F. González, October 2007 General Conference.
[5] Doing
the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay, Elder José L. Alonso,
October 2011 General Conference.
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