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3 Nephi 18 |
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3 Nephi 18:1 1 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
Mark 14:22-24 22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. There are two elements participating in this
symbolic exercise, bread and wine. Both of those physical symbols had a
connection to understood Israelite lore associated with the Tree of Life. In
the stories associated with the Tree of Life in Jewish lore there were two
important aspects of the Tree, not just the one we usually associate with the
experience in the Garden. For them, there was a fruit that was eaten, but there
was a also a liquid that was associated with the Tree. Sometimes the liquid was
the juice of the fruit, sometimes it was in the water of a river that flowed
from the base of the Tree of Life. One of the symbolic associations that was present
in the larger cultural area of the Middle East was the association between wine
and the liquid of the Tree of Life: "Whether in
masculine or feminine terms, the palm tree was from early times a symbol and
literal source of sacrament, in that the earliest wine was made from the dates,
and was in Babylonia known as the “drink of life.” (Goodenough, Erwin B. Jewish Symbols in the Graeco-Roman Period.
12 vol. New York: Pantheon Books. 1958. 7:94). Specifically, this association between wine and
the liquid of the Tree of Life became attached to grape wine: “The oldest and most prevalent view
identifies the forbidden fruit with the grape, which goes back to an old
mythological idea that the wine is the beverage of the gods." (Ginzberg,
Louis. The Legends of the Jews. 7
vol. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America. 1909.5:97). The apparent anomaly of the drink which caused
the Fall being used in the Last Supper is explained in Ginzberg’s note: “the fruit which brought
sin into the world will become a 'healing' in the world to come (Ginzberg,
Louis. The Legends of the Jews. 7
vol. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America. 1909. 5:98). This type of reference in John appears again for
the second symbol of the sacrament, the bread. John 6:48-51 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The immediate referent of the “bread” in John is manna,
which is certainly not the fruit of the Tree of Life. However, the context of manna
in this verse indicates that it became a substitute for the fruit that gave
life. In addition to symbolic associations, bread and
wine have two other features that were important in the Old World context. They
were available foods. It is at this point that we cannot be certain how the
sacrament transferred to the New World setting. The New World did not have bread. They may not
have had the tortillas that we understand to have been their “bread” at this
time in their history. The archaeological presence of the comal which
was used to cook the flat corn tortillas does not come until after Book of
Mormon times. It is probable that there was some form of a corn mass, though it
would not have been anything we would associate with bread. However, there need
not have been bread as we know it to fulfill the symbolic function of bread in
the sacrament. They would require some solid form of food that could be
separated into pieces for consumption. In later Aztec times, loaves of amaranth
dough were formed into shapes and given as offerings to the gods. Amaranth
dough might therefore have been another option for the Nephite sacrament. Even though there is some archaeological evidence
of grapes (David L. Lentz, “Plant Resources of the Ancient Maya: The Paleoethnobotanical
Evidence”. Reconstructing Ancient Maya Diet. Edited by Christine D.
White. The University Of Utah Press, 1999, p. 9), there is no evidence
that they were used in wine, and certainly not extensively used for wine. The
liquid symbol of this New World sacrament must have been altered just as was
the bread to accommodate the foodstuffs commonly available in the New World. A
plant wine was available, and perhaps would have been sufficiently symbolic to
be the representation used in the Sacrament. Since the institution of the
Sacrament in the New World was most obviously connected with this miraculous
appearance of the Savior, it is also quite probable that no prior symbolic
associations were needed to bring sacred meaning to this particular event of
sharing eat and drink. The current institution by the Savior in this context
would have been sufficient to transform even the most ordinary food into an
extraordinary experience.
2 And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth. 3 Nephi 18:3 3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat. 3 Nephi 18:4 4 And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.
In early Christianity the presentation of the bread and wine was a symbolic part of the communal meal. In the New World, it appears to be established separate from a communal meal.
5 And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name. 3 Nephi 18:6 6 And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.
7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it. 3 Nephi 18:9 9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. 3 Nephi 18:10 10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
Narrative Setting: At this point the discourse focuses on the twelve. Jesus does not return to speaking to the multitude until verse 17. Social: The sacrament is an individual covenant with God, but it is an individual covenant made in a public and social setting. This communal affirmation of individual commitment is an essential part of our experience with our religion: “Prophets try to get people to put religion in perspective, to see it in terms of great fundamentals and in terms of ethics as well as theology. Prophets have never been bound by the past. They speak for God afresh in the interest of man, in the light of the great ideals of religion, and in the light of God's purpose and character. The other type of religious leader, Weber calls a priest. By this he means a man in any faith whose primary concern is to conserve the religion of the founder—of a Moses or Christ, for example. The priest canonizes scripture, refines doctrine, establishes tradition, records history, performs sacred rites and sacraments. In this way he builds and maintains the church, welding the believers into a meaningful fellowship. Religion wouldn't survive if we just had the prophetic word. It would die with the prophet. Religion needs an order of religious leaders who are concerned with conservation and preservation. And I have the greatest respect for men who have done and who do this for us. If we didn't come together and partake of the sacrament as a body of believers; if we didn't sing Mormon hymns together and pray together; if we didn't have traditions to inspire us, we wouldn't exist as a religious movement, and maybe our individual religious life would fade out.” (Lowell L. Bennion, The Best of Lowell L. Bennion: Selected Writings 1928-1988, edited by Eugene England [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988], 25.) The ability to come
together and openly share our covenants and our commitments is part of what
allows us to continue. The larger the church gets, the farther any single
person is from the individual we know as the prophet. However, when we come to
our meetings we sit next to another who believes as we do. We share songs, we
teach each other the same doctrines, and for a brief, one hopes reverent, time,
we share symbols that unite us in our resolve to live the commandments that
come from God through the prophets. The prophets may guide us, but the
community supports us. The prophet may teach us doctrine, but it is in our
communal settings that we teach each other what it means to endure to the
end. It is in this context that we see the following explanation: “The ordinance of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is vital in our quest for deeper spirituality. A friend once asked a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles how to live in this world in such a way as to be prepared to live hereafter in the celestial kingdom. The Church leader answered quickly: "Take the sacrament worthily every week." Though that answer may sound obvious, it points us to the need for ordinances. If we skip sacrament meeting once in a while, then we are not only missing the spiritual growth that could come through contact with the Saints and participation in sacred music and the spoken word but we are also denying ourselves a regular opportunity to be healed.” (Robert L. Millet, Alive in Christ: The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 141 - 142.)
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
The Principle of
Repentance: One of the guarantees of our mortal existence is sin. It is a possible consequence of choice, and
while many will avoid the greater sins, we all succumb to some sin at one point
or another. If sin is such a natural
consequence of our mortal existence, what is the harm? The harm is that is precludes us from one of
the prerequisites of Godhood in the Eternal Reality. One of the qualities, and therefore essential natures, of God is
to be pure. In Him no sin dwells. The nature of the Glory of God precludes the
presence of a sinful being: Moses 6:57 57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time. In a very real sense, sin precludes our ability to become
as God. While the scriptures are most
clear about the inability of the sinful to enter the final Glorious presence of
God, it is equally true that we on earth, as sinners, are unable to enter his
presence. Not even for the brief time
we take to pray. Had not God prepared a
way to recover from the eternally devastating effects of sin, we should be lost
forever. When we sin we create the conditions that require eternal
justice to exact from us a price. As we
saw in the discussion of Eternal Law, justice and mercy are opposing
forces. God provides a merciful
opportunity for us, but cannot save us in our sins. Alma 34:15 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. The atoning sacrifice of Christ brought "about the
bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice". His redeeming sacrifice, in
a real sense, is God's mercy toward his mortal children. However, note that the effect of Christ's
merciful mission is not our reconciliation with God, but the creation of the conditions
whereby we may become reconciled. As
Alma indicates, it "bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith
unto repentance" (Alma 34:15) Repentance is the means whereby we participate in the
process of mercy. We are cognizant of
our separation from God, and our inability to reach Him on our own merits. Through repentance we shed ourselves of the
sin that was holding us back. We clear
ourselves not only of the sin, but of the consequences of the sin. If others are involved, we reconcile
ourselves with them. Through repentance
we recover from our mistakes, and remove their effects from our lives. Had not Christ atoned us, we would be unable
to shed our sins, and they would burden us down to Hell. Through Christ, we may truly become
reconciled, and place our feet back on the path toward exaltation. It is this ability to change that is the wonder of
repentance. All too often we assume that repentance must be a sad thing, for it
is attached to concepts of sin. What we miss is that repentance is a wonderful
beginning. One of the most essential of all gospel principles is repentance,
because it is the very first mechanism through which we change. As we attempt
to become more like God, we must find those behaviors that are not in accord
with our goal, and change them. This recognition of the need and the
work necessary to begin the process, are the principle known as repentance.
Repentance is a transformational principle, and opens to door to all blessings
of the eternities. Through repentance, we realign our spirits with God, so
that we are no longer separated by the darkness of our sins. We are again able to feel his Glory. One of the best examples of this process is
Alma's conversion story: Alma 36:12-21 12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins. 13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments. 14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. 15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds. 16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. 17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. 18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. Alma contrasts the harrowing pain in his soul as he came to
understand the nature of his sin with the joy of the Lord which accompanied the
repentance process. Note particularly
verse 20, where he notes that the joy was as great as the pain. This is the repentance process. If we do not feel the pain in our souls, we
have not truly understood the consequences of our actions. Of course, the more serious the sin, the
greater that pain will be. Juxtaposed to the pain of recognition is the joy of
forgiveness. When we repent, we place
our souls again in God's hands, and say to Him "I bring you this unclean
thing, please heal it". The joy we
feel is the effect of our forgiveness, and our ability to once again feel of
God's spirit and Glory. Of all of the steps to repentance that have ever been devised,
there is one critical step which sees less attention that it should. In a very real way, our individual ability
to allow another to repent affects our ability to repent and be forgiven. We are clearly told that if we forgive our
fellow men, we shall be forgiven (3 Nephi 13:14-15). In fact it is more important that we forgive others: Doctrine and Covenants 64:9 9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. As Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount to both the Old and the New world: 3 Nephi 14:2 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. 3 Nephi 18:13 13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them. 3 Nephi 18:14 14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.
3 Nephi 14:24 24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock— 3 Nephi 14:25 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. 3 Nephi 18:12 12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. Both sayings have two parts. The first part deals with those who do the commandments. The second likens those who do or keep the commandments to being built upon a rock. What follows is therefore a comparison of the types of foundations upon which one might build. Absent from this most recent one is the explicit explanation of the correctness of building upon a rock. Of course that is implied, but the formal structure of the first saying is only referenced here, not replicated. 3 Nephi 14:26-27 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand— 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it. 3 Nephi 18:13 13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them. In this most recent restating we do not have the obvious contrast between those who do and those who do not. Nevertheless, it is clear that those who build upon a sandy foundation are the antithesis of those who build on rock. Apparently, since this occasion serves as a refresher for the first, the full structural relationship is not required. Verse 14 simply repeats the premise that began the reference. 3 Nephi 18:15 15 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him. Referent: The language of this verse echoes Luke: Luke 21:36 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. The language of the first phrase is obviously similar, and the general contexts of the admonition are the same. Those who are to keep the commandments must be continually diligent to keep on the path and to avoid the snares of temptation. In this location in the Book of Mormon text it becomes a reprise of an earlier teaching in the same way that the reference to building the house upon sand referenced the Sermon. Here the reference is to the Lord’s Prayer: 3 Nephi 13:12 12 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. As discussed after that verse in this commentary, evil may also have been the personification of evil, or the evil one and as such we have a reference to Satan tempting us as he did Jesus
before Jesus’ ministry. This admonition therefore reprises that part of the
Lord’s prayer, emphasizing the temptations of the evil one. The more obvious
presence of the translation into the devil here suggests that it should also be
read into the earlier text as well.
16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.
What Jesus has been doing at this point is reinforcing the earlier Sermon by intentionally cutting snips of information from the that sermon and reprising them. This tells us precisely where to look for the referent of this final phrase. It comes from early in the Sermon:
14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
Translation: As we examined the Sermon on the Mount we noted that the particular Sermon that was included was the modified Matthean text. In spite of that surface text, however, Jesus did preach something akin to the Sermon on the Mount to those assembled in Bountiful, and these phrases indicated that there is not an insignificant overlap in the content of the information presented. The language may be specific to the Matthean version, but it is faithfully reproducing concepts presented to the Bountiful saints.
17 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said unto them: 3 Nephi 18:18 18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
Translation: The vocabulary here comes from Luke: Luke 22:31 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: In this case the vocabulary must come from Luke rather than the Mesoamerican context, as wheat was not a staple crop. Certainly if had there been some wheat, it would not have been a viable image.
19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name; 3 Nephi 18:20 20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.
3 Nephi 14:7-8 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. The emphasis here
is on the asking and receiving, which was the subject of the knocking saying presented in the Sermon. Once again, this reference indicates
that the topics and concepts of the Old World Sermon were presented, but the
specifics would have had to have change. It is interesting that in this
reference to the Sermon we have the meaning of the knocking saying without
the imagery of knocking, which was not part of the Mesoamerican
cultural catalog.
21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.
“THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.” (1995 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.)
22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not; 3 Nephi 18:23 23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name. 3 Nephi 18:24 24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.
Significantly, the Savior punctuates this instruction with a reference to the Sermon and letting their light shine. As he told the twelve (verse 16), he is the ultimate light of example. We are to take his example and follow it ourselves, and in so doing become a light to our neighbors. We cannot be a light to others if we exclude them from our presence. This inclusion/exclusion of non-believers has a wider significance for the Nephites than it does for modern saints. For us, this means that our religious meetings are open. For the Nephites, it meant that their communities should be opened to others. We already live in communities where peoples of different beliefs (both religious and political) are allowed. This particular Nephite group in Bountiful was most likely brought together based on their similarities after the destruction. They might have decided to exclude any who did not conform to the way they believed. They are told not to do that, and to be open to others. For them, this would necessarily require opening the community, else there couldn’t be anyone knowing of the religious meetings to even attempt to attend them.
25 And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.
26 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he turned his eyes again upon the disciples whom he had chosen, and said unto them: 3 Nephi 18:27 27 Behold verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you another commandment, and then I must go unto my Father that I may fulfil other commandments which he hath given me. 3 Nephi 18:28 28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; 3 Nephi 18:29 29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.
“To partake of the sacrament unworthily is to take a step toward spiritual death. No man can be dishonest within himself without deadening the susceptibility of his spirit. Sin can stun the conscience as a blow on the head can stun the physical senses. He who promises one thing and deliberately fails to keep his word, adds sin to Sin. On natural principles such a man "eats and drinks condemnation to his soul.” (Elder David O. Mckay, Conference Report, October 1929, First Day—Morning Meeting 14 - 15.) Translation: Much of the language of this passage echoes Paul: 1 Corinthians 11:26-29 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. The 3 Nephi account is clearer than that of Paul, but the intent of both is the same. There is a responsibility that we each have to come to the sacrament in an attitude ready for repentance. If we are not so humble before the Lord, then we deny the very purpose of the sacrament, which is to remind us of the atoning mission of the Savior, and the provision of the conditions under which we may repent and improve. We need not, and probably cannot, be perfect as come to the sacrament. We can, however, be in an attitude of humility and willingness to follow the path of God if the atonement is applied to us so that we may progress.
30 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood. 3 Nephi 18:31 31 But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered.
32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.
“Excommunication is the most severe form of discipline or penalty that can presently be imposed by a Church court. It consists in severing the person from his Church ties so that he can no longer be considered a member of the Church. If the excommunicant subsequently repents, proves to be faithful, and is found qualified and worthy by the appropriate Church authorities, he may be readmitted to the Church through baptism. Following further testing and proven faithfulness, the former blessings of the readmitted member may also be restored. Excommunication differs from disfellowshipment in its severity and in the steps that must be followed before the person can again become a member of the Church in good standing.” (Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 86.)
33 Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation; for wo unto him whom the Father condemneth. 3 Nephi 18:34 34 And I give you these commandments because of the disputations which have been among you. And blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you.
35 And now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that I should go unto the Father for your sakes.
36 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them. 3 Nephi 18:37 37 And the multitude heard not the words which he spake, therefore they did not bear record; but the disciples bare record that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. And I will show unto you hereafter that this record is true.
38 And it came to pass that when Jesus had touched them all, there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus. 3 Nephi 18:39 39 And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And the disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into heaven.
Textual: This is the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition. |
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by Brant Gardner. Copyright 2002 |
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