Nephi was then promised that these Nephite writings would eventually come forth to both Gentiles and Jews “upon all the face of the earth” and “make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world and that all men must come unto him or they cannot be saved” (vv. In 2 Nephi 31, Nephi artfully combines quotations from the Father and the Son with his own insights and testimony to present the basic gospel message five times in varied ways, which build cumulatively to a comprehensive conclusion. [30]. Normally, Jesus Christ, as the Mediator, talks to the Prophets. . Enduring "to the end" (2 Nephi 31:20). 6. And again, this exact technique was used again in this same way by the Savior in his later presentations of the gospel to Nephites as reported in 3 Nephi 11 and 27, which makes Nephi’s presentation of the gospel in this way authentic and legitimate. 2 Nephi 2. Those who receive this blessing of the Spirit and then turn away or deny Christ would have been better off “not to have known” him. The passages discussed to this point seem to suggest that the principal themes for appreciation of the Book of Mormon in LDS discourse have never quite matched up with the perspective the Lord presents repeatedly to his prophets. In the second half (verses 17–20), Nephi restates the entire complex in his own words, developing in more detail his understanding of faith, the functions of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end more fully. Other examples of New Testament passages that feature meristic statements of the gospel include Ephesians 2:8, Matthew 3:11, 24:13–14, Acts 2:38, 19:4–6, and Romans 1:16. Quoting Joseph Smith, "I have always declared [that] . And while eternal life as described by Nephi at the end of the path is awarded as a final judgment to those who have endured faithfully to the end, the fruit of the tree of life described in Lehi and Nephi’s visions can be enjoyed by the faithful in this life, and can then be lost by those who may be embarrassed by the mocking of unbelievers and apostatize. That the Holy Spirit is God is shown by Peter's accusation of Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost" . . Jesus Christ is the Way to Eternal Life (2 Nephi 31-32) In 2 Nephi 31, we learn we need to follow Christ’s example and doctrine. In the process of telling us what the Father and the Son taught him on the original occasion, Nephi presents the basic gospel message five times using a total of twenty-three short-hand statements of the gospel. Alma. Nephi’s concluding sermon has two main sections that each have a separate message. However, he also incorporates his own commentary that most likely developed during his forty-plus years of reflection and teaching. . that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (v. 26). The scripture specifies that “the laborer in Zion” should not work for money, meaning you should not be paid when you are doing service for the Church. The first part is found in 2 Nephi 31 and is a complete, self-contained unit. 32:20 2 Nephi 31:21 Are there three Gods or one? [19]. [4]. While the negative consequences of this event are well known, the subsequent revelation that came to Joseph Smith seems to suggest that these happenings actually created the opportunity to include Nephi’s account of the gospel into the combination version of the Nephite record that Joseph would be publishing. But it also includes eventually the Lamanites, the Jews, and the Gentiles who will read and believe his words in the future. Also included in the doctrine of Christ is enduring to the end (see verse 16). Again we are referred back to Nephi’s great vision in which he was shown that after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, when the Bible first went forth from the Jews to the Gentiles, “it contained the fullness of the gospel of the Lamb” (1 Nephi 13:24). 2 Nephi 3. “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ; . By baptism we “witness to the Father”—in the manner he has prescribed for that witnessing—that we have repented, that we have covenanted to obey his commandments, and that we will “take upon [us] the name of Christ” (v. 13). See Reynolds, “This Is the Way,” 79–91. A third brief inclusio is created at the end of the sermon as Nephi expands the discussion to explain his phrase “voice of angels” and ends a second time repeating the full clause at 2 Nephi 31:21: “This is the doctrine of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:6). . 2 Nephi 7. (Isaiah 43:10) This tradition is continued in the New Testament as, for example, when Jesus prayed to the Father he said, "And this is life eternal: that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent." In note 2 of the latter article, I explained: “Inclusio is used here in the sense developed by biblical scholars and defined by David Ulansey as “the narrative device common in biblical texts in which a detail is repeated at the beginning and the end of a narrative unit in order to ‘bracket off’ the unit and give it a sense of closure and structural integrity.” See David Ulansey, “The Heavenly Veil Torn: Mark’s Cosmic ‘Inclusio,’” Journal of Biblical Literature 110, no. When Nephi quotes the Father saying, “He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved (v. 15),” only the last two gospel elements are stated explicitly. For, as Joseph learned in this revelation, these small plates of Nephi “do throw greater views upon my gospel,” and “contain all those parts of my gospel” the Nephite prophets had “desired in their prayers should come forth unto this people” (D&C 10:45–46; emphasis added). [6] We should also notice that immediately after describing the baptism of Jesus to his sons, Lehi spoke to them “concerning the gospel” (1 Nephi 10:11). [W. Cleon Skousen, Treasures from the Book of Mormon, Vol. “For this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved and . (4) "it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them" (2 Nephi 31:9). 2 Nephi 29. It constitutes the second part of Nephi’s final sermon, the three sections of which are formally delimited as inclusios. Noel B. Reynolds (noel_reynolds@byu.edu) is a professor emeritus of political science and frequent Book of Mormon teacher at BYU. Seek this guidance, and record the promptings that come. The most comprehensive and authoritative account of the full gospel of Jesus Christ was given around 590 BCE by the Father and the Son to Nephi, a young prophet from Jerusalem—and probably as well to his father, Lehi. Enos. “Whosoever should (1) believe in this gospel . (2 Nephi 31:211) What is the nature of this "oneness"? A male candidate was first circumcised. [17]. 16–20), Nephi draws together all the gospel elements that have been introduced in the first four—combining them with his own insights and testimony. While baptism is necessary as a prerequisite for the remission of sins, this remission is a subsequent gift from the Father that comes “by fire and by the Holy Ghost.”. Jarom. While space constraints will not allow exploration of all those connections, I will delineate below the basic structural features of this text. It may also be helpful to notice that these five presentations are divided into two main groups, each of which starts with repentance and baptism, and then builds cumulatively to a climax that includes all six elements. 2 Nephi 4. Only those who endure to the end can be saved. “I shall prophesy according to the plainness”, “According to the plainness of my prophesying”, “A few words . For the first demonstration of these six elements as definitional in these three presentations, see Noel B. Reynolds, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ as Taught by the Nephite Prophets,” BYU Studies 31, no. Indeed, chapters 31, 32, and 33 are relatively short, only 45 verses in total. For the baptism, each candidate was taken to "a pool, in which he stood up to his neck in water, while the great commandments of the Law were recited to him. [16]. Omni. Unfortunately, there is no single passage in the New Testament that demonstrates this insight so clearly as does 2 Nephi 31 for the Book of Mormon. Read this week's KnoWhy connected with the Come Follow Me curriculum, and watch a video elucidating an insight in The gospel represents the path by which all might find eternal life. The Meaning of Strait- President Spencer W. Kimball ; The Church under Condemnation- Treated Lightly the BOM- President Ezra Taft Benson ... 2 Nephi. (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. He or she must now “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ and endure to the end,” in order to receive eternal life (v. 20). The, indicates that baptism was a common practice in ancient Israel: "baptism was practiced in ancient Judaism (Hasidic or Essene), first as a means of penitence . 2 Nephi 6. 2 Nephi 8. 2 Nephi 31. 2 Nephi 9. (i) And there is none other way nor name given under heaven. [9]. Perhaps because of the unfamiliar writing techniques Nephi used to compose this spectacular passage, modern readers can easily overlook its full significance and character. . A former stake, mission, and temple president, he continues here a series of studies on the various elements of the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Book of Mormon prophets. the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; have they been shown unto me that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter" (2 Nephi 31:17). 2 Nephi 31. [W. Cleon Skousen. [26] Later, Alma also appears to take his instruction on this point directly from Nephi as he uses faith, hope, and charity to characterize the lives of the faithful (Alma 7:24). 2 Nephi 25. Among these, he is specifically shown the baptism of the Savior. For, “the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth” (2 Nephi 30:8). See Reynolds, “The Fifth Principle of the Gospel,” 117–27. Even the Lamb of God, being holy, “according to the flesh,” needed, in order “to fulfill all righteousness,” (1) to humble himself before the Father, and (2) to witness (by baptism) “that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.” Nephi teaches us here that the essence of repentance is to humble ourselves before the Father—giving up our own agendas and ways of doing things and turning back to him, accepting by covenant the path he will show us as the one we will follow. Compare Lehi’s account in 1 Nephi 10:7–10 with Nephi’s account in 1 Nephi 11:27. The doctrine spans the entire Book of Mormon time period and probably was taught in the plates of brass as well. Concerning the mode of baptism, the. Only now, at the conclusion, does Nephi finally introduce the requirement of faith in Christ. the [baptism] is only valid when performed by immersion in a natural fountain or stream or in a properly constructed [vessel]. 2 (Spring 1980): 1–18, for a detailed analysis of rhetorical structures in First Nephi. 2 Nephi 7. 2 Nephi 15:1-2 A winepress (Illustration): An ancient winepress. Previous: 2 Nephi Chapter 29 | Book Home | Next: 2 Nephi Chapter 31. And so, enduring to the end—to be discussed next—can also be characterized as a process of “feasting upon the words of Christ” or doing what the Holy Ghost directs us to do. Rather than proceeding directly to a presentation of the basic gospel elements, Nephi begins with a question—why did the sinless Lamb of God need to be baptized in order “to fulfill all righteousness”? As Nephi concludes and emphasizes that “as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off. 2 (Fall 1996): 26–56, for a basic survey of how each of these six gospel principles is developed and used by writers throughout the Book of Mormon. Even with the huge surge in teaching and scholarly writing about the Book of Mormon in recent decades,[7] very few readers of this chapter can remember confidently who it was that was teaching Nephi as he watched the baptism of Jesus in this vision. As they learn to appreciate its true value and content, it may help them understand the gospel of Jesus Christ even more correctly and more fully than has been possible on the basis of other scriptures or traditions. Helaman. 2 Nephi 31 Nephi's discourse on the doctrine of Christ 2 Nephi 31:3 My soul delighteth in plainness. Against you at the last day forth his words unto them prophecies are not brought into the has... 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