2 Nephi 25:1-6

It’s time to move away from the record of Alma(2).  I would like to study the teachings of Nephi(1).  I would like to start with Nephi(1)’s teachings after his record of Isaiah in 2 Nephi.

Chapter 25

Nephi glories in plainness—Isaiah's prophecies shall be understood in the last days—The Jews shall return from Babylon, crucify the Messiah, and be scattered and scourged—They shall be restored when they believe in the Messiah—He shall first come six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem—Nephites keep the law of Moses and believe in Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel. About 559–545 B.C.

1  NOW I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah.  For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews.

2  For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.

3  Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken.

2 Nephi 25:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) shared the teachings of Isaiah with his people.  Here he begins his commentary.  He begins by saying that the words of Isaiah were hard for his people to understand because they didn’t understand the manner of prophesying among the Jews.

Hugh Nibley comments:

“[Nephi] gives his explanation in chapter 25, and that's what interests us. Let's start at chapter 25 where he gives his explanation of Isaiah which is very important for understanding these things. ‘Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand.’ Isaiah himself often mentions the fact that the people ask him to speak smooth things. They want to hear smooth things. I am not going to teach you smooth things, he says. If I just gave you the smooth things you want, you wouldn't need them [paraphrased]. If the scriptures told us only what we wanted to hear, of course we wouldn't need them.” [1] (Emphasis mine)

Matthew Roper explains that Nephi(1)’s explanation gives hints there might have been others living here when he arrived in the New World.

“If there were others in the land, it would also help explain why many of Nephi's people had difficulty understanding Isaiah, although not all of them did (2 Nephi 25:1—6). Converts who had never lived in the ancient Near East would have lacked the historical and cultural background that made the words of Isaiah ‘plain’ to Nephi. It is also apparent that some Isaiah passages cited by Nephite prophets would make better sense to a Nephite if there were others in the land.” [2] (Emphasis mine)

4  Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy.  But I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.

5  Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.

6  But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them.

2 Nephi 25:4-6 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) tells us that the words of Isaiah are plain to those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy.  Since he has that spirit, he will prophesy according to plainness as his heart delights in plainness. 

He delights in Isaiah.  Having come from Jerusalem, he knows and understands the things of the Jews. 

Grant Hardy explains the importance of Nephi(1)’s background. 

“Nephi was the only Book of Mormon author to receive what might be called a classical Hebrew education. He had ambivalent feelings about his training—indeed, he specifically noted that the tradition would end with himself: ‘I . . . have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews’ (2 Nephi 25:6; see vv. 1—2). So it is not surprising that he remains the most literate, book-learned of the Nephite prophets.” [3] (Emphasis mine0

Hugh Nibley explains:

“He explains that without a radical reinterpretation by him, his people could not even begin to comprehend what the prophets were talking about: ‘The words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, (emphasis in original)’ he tells them frankly (2 Nephi 25:4), being written in a special idiom that only the Jews understood (2 Nephi 25:5), and that Nephi understands because he knows their cultural and historical setting: ‘I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about’ (2 Nephi 25:6).” [4] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Lecture 20: 2 Nephi 25, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 21, 2011.

[2] Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations, Matthew Roper, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, December 21, 2011.

[3] 2 Nephi 26 and 27 as Midrash, Grant R. Hardy, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 21, 2011.

[4] The Bible in the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 21, 2011.

Mosiah 14:1-12

 Chapter 14

Isaiah speaks Messianically—Messiah's humiliation and sufferings are set forth—He makes his soul an offering for sin and makes intercession for transgressors—Compare Isaiah 53. About 148 B.C.

1  YEA, even doth not Isaiah say: 

    Who hath believed our report, 

         and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, 

         and as a root out of dry ground; 

    he hath no form nor comeliness; 

         and when we shall see him 

         there is no beauty that we should desire him.
 

3  He is despised and rejected of men; 

         a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; 

    and we hid as it were our faces from him;

         he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4  Surely he has borne our griefs, 

         and carried our sorrows; 

    yet we did esteem him stricken, 

         smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions,

         he was bruised for our iniquities; 

    the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 

         and with his stripes we are healed.

6  All we, like sheep, have gone astray; 

         we have turned every one to his own way; 

    and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, 

         yet he opened not his mouth; 

    he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 

         and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb 

         so he opened not his mouth.
8  He was taken from prison and from judgment; 

         and who shall declare his generation?  

    For he was cut off out of the land of the living; 

         for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
9  And he made his grave with the wicked, 

         and with the rich in his death; 

   because he had done no evil, 

         neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10  Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; 

          he hath put him to grief; 

     when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin

          he shall see his seed, 

     he shall prolong his days, 

          and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11  He shall see the travail of his soul, 

           and shall be satisfied; 

      by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; 

            for he shall bear their iniquities.
12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,

           and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; 

      because he hath poured out his soul unto death; 

           and he was numbered with the transgressors; 

      and he bore the sins of many, 

           and made intercession for the transgressors.

Mosiah 14:1-12 (Emphasis mine)

(Note:  The poetry formatting used in Mosiah 14 is found in The Book of Mormon - A Reader's Edition, by Grant Hardy, pgs. 211-212)

After teaching "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? 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?" (13:34-35), Abinadi quoted Isaiah 53, the above set of scriptures.  He reminded them that this was a part of their scripture, yet they did not teach this to the people.

At this point, I would like to compare the two records (Book of Mormon & Old Testament), identifying differences in the text.  The first entry will be from the Old Testament, the second from the Book of Mormon.  Differences will be highlighted in the Book of Mormon text.

9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

We see one difference in verse 9.  The King James version uses the word violence.  In the Book of Mormon, evil is used in its place.  The Hebrew word used in this verse is hāmās.  This translates as  violence, destruction, malice, ruthfulness and fierceness.  (See The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, entry Hebrew 2555.)  Using evil in place of violence doesn't change the meaning and intent of the verse.

There are no more differences in the verses.

Abinadi  makes it clear that the priests are not teaching the people the true word of God.

Alma 42:1-4

(Note - Alma(2)'s son Corianton is concerned about his eternal welfare because he consorted with a Lamanite harlot.  Alma(2) responds to his son's concerns in Alma 39-42.)

1  AND now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery.
2  Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee.  For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken—yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life—
3  Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit—
4  And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.

Repentance is the key to our "probationary time" on Earth.

I like to look at the etymology of words.  I looked up "repent" and found the following information...

late 13c., "to feel regret for sins or crimes," from O.Fr. repentir (11c.), from re-, intensive prefix, + V.L. *penitire "to regret," from L. poenitire "make sorry,"  Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed 1/31/2011

This shows that the root words  for repentance mean "to regret" or "make sorry." That sounds like a wonderful description of repentance.

As a Gospel concept, there are numerous references to the principal of repentance throughout the scriptures.  Here are a few examples.

17  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mark 2:17

12  And they [the 12] went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mark 6:12 

10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Luke 15:10 

The next two scriptures are a part of Christ's sermon to his apostles after his resurrection.

46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:46 - 47

37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:37 - 38 

Again, we have Peter's words... 

19  ¶ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

 Acts 3:10  

 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

2 Corinthians 7:10 

9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

So we see that from the scriptures the importance of our repentance.  If we don't repent, we will not be able to dwell with God.  Paul makes this clear...

9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?  Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1 Corinthians 6:9

If we repent, we have a great promise.  Isaiah wrote...

18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 1:18

As you will see as I continue this discussion, God promises much and all He asks of us is "to repent and serve [Him]."  God asks little of us.  As we will see, in return for our efforts, He promises us great things.