After having taught the multitude about the restoration of
the Jews, he continued speaking.
He begins by quoting Isaiah 52:1-3.
“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no
more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
“Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down [IE Arise
from the dust and sit down in dignity, being redeemed at last], O Jerusalem:
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
“For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for
nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.”
He then explains His people will know His name. When the day (referred to by Isaiah) comes,
all will know it is He that speaks.
He next quotes Isaiah 52:7. “How beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth
peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that
saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”
“Since ‘God is not the author of confusion, but of peace’ (1
Corinthians 14:33), we can follow his example by writing about the peace that
salvation brings. Citing Isaiah, Book of Mormon prophets promise that those who
publish peace will be beautiful upon the mountains (see 1 Nephi 13:37; Mosiah 12:21;
15:16–18; 3 Nephi 20:40).”[1]
He continues by quoting Isaiah 52:11-15.
“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no
unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the
vessels of the Lord.
“For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for
the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.
“As Israel is gathered to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to
its lands of inheritance in the last days, it will come forth in joy and peace.
The gathering in joy and peace greatly contrasts the exodus from Egypt, which
was fraught with fear and turmoil (Exodus 5–14; Isaiah 52:12). Joy and peace
are two of the most desired fruits of the Spirit (Romans 14:17; Galatians
5:22). They are also the two primary messages of the gospel.”[2]
“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be
exalted and extolled, and be very high.
“It is in this context of the gathering that Jesus quotes
Isaiah 52, although in a version rearranged and modified from that found in the
biblical text. At the end of 3 Nephi 20 Jesus quotes Isaiah 52:13–15 … In its
Isaianic context, the role of this servant is to do away with the uncleanness
and defilement of Zion. In the 3 Nephi context, however, the servant’s role is
more specifically to prepare Israel for the gathering.”[3]
“As many were astonied [OR astonished] at thee; his visage [OR
appearance] was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of
men:
“So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut
their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and
that which they had not heard shall they consider.”
“These references seem to show that the Gentiles are those
who are blind or in darkness and that it is the servant’s responsibility to
provide them with judgment and the light of understanding. The shut-mouthed
reaction of the ‘kings’ of the many nations’ only goes to show the power the
servant’s message/mission will have on the leaders of the Gentiles. In the Book
of Mormon, Nephi implies that the servant of Isaiah 49 would do ‘a marvelous
work among the Gentiles,’ which would be ‘of great worth’ unto both the
Gentiles and the house of Israel (1 Nephi 22:8–11).”[4]
[1]
Inspiration
from the Book of Mormon for LDS Writers, Cynthia Hallen, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1
(2005): 106.
[2]
The
Restoration and the Gathering, Visualizing Isaiah, pg. 113.
[3]
Christ’s
Interpretation of Isaiah 52’s “My Servant” in 3 Nephi, Gaye Strathearn and
Jacob Moody, Journal of the Book of
Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 18/1 (2009): 9-10.
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