14 And even I, myself,
have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not
be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was
grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves
are witnesses this day.
15 Yet, my brethren, I
have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things
that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know
that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.
16 Behold, I say unto
you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do
not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.
17 And behold, I tell
you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are
in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
18 Behold, ye have
called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you,
then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
19 And behold also, if
I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has
been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to
thank your heavenly King!
Mosiah 2:14-19
King Benjamin tells the people he had labored to support
himself and his family. He would not tax
them for his support. “King Benjamin was
a stickler for equality in word and deed. He labored with his own hands to make
it clear that his people should ‘labor to serve one another’ (Mosiah 2:14, 18).”[1] King
Benjamin was also following examples found in the Old Testament. “Moreover the prince shall not take of the
people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but
he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be
not scattered every man from his possession” (Ezekiel 46:18).
Paul used similar words in his ministry.
“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of:
for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
“For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if
against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
“What is my reward then?
Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ
without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16-18).
“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
“Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered
unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye
ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:33-35).
Then King Benjamin told the people, “all these things which
I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.”
“The references to being ‘witnesses this day’ shows that
covenants were not taken lightly and that the day they were entered into was a
day to be remembered. To help them remember the covenant, the events of the
ceremony were recorded and deposited to be read at later festival occasions
when the covenant was to be renewed.”[2]
Witnesses are an essential part of the gospel. We are told there will be Book of Mormon
witnesses (2 Nephi 27:12). Nephi wrote
that God’s word is established by three witnesses (2 Nephi 11:3). During Christ’s ministry, he called three
disciples to serve as witnesses.[3]
Benjamin makes things clear he is not boasting, nor accusing
the people of anything. He told them
these things so “that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.”
“Benjamin, who twice pointedly mentions his ‘clear
conscience’ (Mosiah 2:15, 17), did not do so to be legalistic, but instead, he
wanted to do everything he could to keep his people ‘in wisdom’s paths’ (Mosiah
2:36). But the wisdom’s path he cited is sharply distinguished from the “world
and the wisdom thereof” (I Nephi 11:35). Benjamin knew that without
revelations, prophets, and sacred records, mankind must settle for ‘preach[ing]
up . . . their own wisdom’ (2 Nephi 26:20), which is not much of an offering,
brothers and sisters. Only the Holy Ghost can keep us on the strait and narrow
path, which is wisdom’s path (see Mosiah 2:36).”[4]
Benjamin has spent his day in the service of his
people. In doing this, he has been in
the service of God. His purpose for
telling them this is for them to learn wisdom.
And we come to one of the most widely quoted scriptures in
the Church. “[W]hen yea are in the
service of your fellow beings, year are only in the service of your God.” Part of the power of this scripture is its
simplicity. Yet, the power and truth of
this precept is readily apparent.
“We have been inspired to do more to help our Master in His
work to lift up and to succor the children of our Heavenly Father.
“Our desire to serve others is magnified by our gratitude
for what the Savior has done for us. That is why our hearts swell when we hear
the words sung ‘Because I have been given much, I too must give.’ King
Benjamin, in his great sermon recorded in the Book of Mormon, promised that
feeling of gratitude would come (see Mosiah 2:17–19).
“When our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to qualify for the
joy of His forgiveness, we feel a desire to serve others for Him.”[5]
If he, their king, labors to serve the people, “ought not ye
to labor to serve one another?” Does he
merit thanks for his service to the people?
As he has been in the service of God.
“O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!”
[2]
The
Covenant Tradition in the Book of Mormon, Blake T. Ostler, Maxwell
Institute, accessed July 6, 2014.
[3]
Toward
an Understanding of the Sermon as an Ancient Temple Text, John W. Welch,
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 6, 2014.
[4]
King
Benjamin’s Sermon: A Manual for Discipleship, Elder Neal A. Maxwell,
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 6, 2014.
[5] Trust
in That Spirit Which Leadeth to Do Good, President Henry B. Eyring, April 2016
General Conference.
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