3 Nephi 7

3 Nephi 7:1

1 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.

Textual: The beginning of our current chapter doesn’t really make much sense when it is conceptually divorced from the information from the end of our current chapter 6 that those who were forming secret combinations desired a king. Mormon records their desire, but also notes that it did not happen. That statement is a foreshadowing of the next verse. However, it appears to be related to the second phrase, where Mormon tells us that they “did destroy upon the judgment-seat… the chief judge of the land.” These two statements are not really related. The murder of the chief judge was one of the maneuvers by this new secret combination to change the political order so that they could create a king.

Typologically, it is important for Mormon to note the murder of the chief judge, since this has been one of his verifications of the secret combinations. This is what the secret combinations have done. They have sought power, and have sought that power by removing those who were in their way.

Chronological: The thirtieth year would be approximately 26 AD.

3 Nephi 7:2

2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.

The result of killing the chief judge has a different result this time than when we saw a flurry of the same kinds of activities reported in the Book of Helaman. The fragmentation of opinions appears to have been greater at this point in Nephite history. Certainly there are those who remain faithful, but Mormon tells us that there are not many of them (verses 7-8 below). It would also appear that there is no specific acceptance of a particular form of government. They appear to have three governmental models available to them. There is the traditional Nephite model, which they have rejected. There is the typical kingship model which has been around for ages, and finally there is some newer type of model that appears to be related to the secret combinations of the Gadianton robbers. It would appear that none of these models could build a sufficient consensus to be implemented. The net result was that the government was dissolved. Mormon’s type of the secret combination has been fulfilled. They have completely destroyed the government and therefore the Nephites as a distinct people.

Of course the dissolution of the government does not mean that the people were gone. They were still there, but the governmental arm that held them together was missing. When that level of organization was removed, the people remained, and even remained organized. They simply fell back to the next level of organization, the kin unit. Mesoamerican cultures retained strong kin organizations inside of the overall political unit It is quite logical that these kin units would easily be able to continue to govern and care for “their own” in the face of the removal of the overarching government.

Historical: In Mormon’s narrative we therefore have two destructions of the Nephites, not one. This destruction tends to be overlooked by many modern readers because it is limited to a few verses, and obviously the Book of Mormon continues. However, in Mormon’s definition of a Nephite, which is always associated with a polity, the Nephites have been destroyed.

It is important at this point to understand what happens when a civilization is “destroyed.” David Webster provides some important examples:

“For example the Tasmanians, foraging people who for thousands of years occupied the large island off the southeastern coast of Australia, were destroyed both as a population and as a culture by European colonists in the 18th and 19th centuries. For more complex societies this kind of collapse is exceptional, in part because human behavior is so flexible and capable of such rapid change, and because large populations are less vulnerable to such extinction (there were only about 4000 Tasmanians). More typically, humans change their customs, technologies, institutions, and beliefs to accommodate new circumstances, and in the process leave behind a cast-off and outmoded husk of recoverable materials that forms the archaeological record.

If we apply the idea of collapse to civilizations as we have defined them, we obviously must distinguish between two levels of phenomena - what happens to individual state-type polities and their populations on the one hand, and to their associated Great Traditions on the other. We must, in other words, separate the process into its institutional and cultural manifestations. Take a familiar example. When we say that western Roman civilization "collapsed" what we really mean is that the centralized Roman state broke up, its characteristic institutions were destroyed or fundamentally altered, its economy was severely disrupted, and its Great Tradition elements were lost, dramatically changed, or absorbed into other cultures.

When Samuel Johnson noted in his dictionary that individual states could rise from "barbarity" to "civility," and then fall again, Rome was probably the foremost example in his mind. Yet the city of Rome was never abandoned, the Cortes in core population of northern Italy never disappeared, and the Latin language slowly evolved into modern Italian (among others). Just as important, elements of the Roman Great Tradition, including architecture and art, legal and social concepts, military organization, royal titles, and written history, philosophy; and literature, to name just a few, all survived in one form or another. To put all this another way, the specific, integrated civilizational "package" of western Roman political and social institutions and their Great Tradition elements was so disrupted that it no longer makes sense for us, from our historical vantage point, to talk about Roman civilization after the 5th century AD. On the other hand, a larger cultural entity we call Western civilization inherited a complex legacy from Rome that has proved very durable. This is a far cry from the kind of extinction visited on the Tasmanians and much more like what happened to the Maya.” (David Webster. The Fall of the Ancient Maya. Thames and Hudson, 2002, pp. 72-3).

The destruction of a people might mean the complete extinction of the individuals, but when we are speaking of larger populations and societies, the destruction is typically not of the people themselves, but of the political tradition that bound them. Thus the archaeologist’s definition of such a destruction would not be the extinction of the people, but rather the removal of the government. This is precisely the case we have at this point in Nephite history. While we tend to skim over this destruction because we know that the people (and more importantly, the record) continued, we don’t see it in the same class as the final destruction of the Nephites.

This is our error, not Mormon’s. Mormon sees them as the same, and coming from the same causes. Form Mormon, the Nephites have been destroyed twice, and both times at the hands of secret combinations. Interestingly, this multiple collapse of society is part of the historical record of the Maya. Rather than a single instance in which all of the Maya simultaneously packed their bags for some mysterious unknown location, there were several “mini-collapses” where the effect was not the destruction of the people, but the dissolution of the governmental structures (David Webster. The Fall of the Ancient Maya. Thames and Hudson, 2002, pp. 178, 188). The Nephites give us another case where there were two mini-collapses. The people continued, but the government that held them together was dissolved.

3 Nephi 7:3

3 And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.

3 Nephi 7:4

4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great.

Social: These two verses are an accurate description of the underlying social organization of Mesoamerican cultures. Kinship was extremely important, and dictated any number of functions and associations. As Michael Coe notes:

“The ancient Maya realm was no theocracy or primitive democracy, but a class society with strong political power in the hands of an hereditary elite...

Now, while among many more primitive people such kin groups are theoretically equal, among the Maya this was not so, and both kinds of lineage [dominant patriarchal, and marriage-related matriarchal] were strictly ranked; to be abvle to trace one’s genealogy in both lines to an ancient ancestry was an important matter, for there were strongly marked classes.” (Michael D. Coe. The Maya. Thames and Hudson. 1999, p. 196).

Coe is describing the conditions of a time later than the Nephites, and the system that supported the kingship system among the Maya. Its relevance for our current discussion is that it is simply the continuation and extension of these same factors as we are seeing in Nephite society. Of course the class rankings of the lineage is the heresy that the Nephite gospel was combating, but the underlying social organization certainly existed.

When the political order than held the clans together was dissolved, the people remained, but automatically fell back into the clan organization, which is here described as tribes. The continued importance of the kin groups even inside the larger political organization is confirmed by Mormon’s comment that “there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends.”

3 Nephi 7:5

5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

The reference to the power of Satan should be seen in connection to this destruction at the hands of the secret combination:

Helaman 6:25-29

25 Now behold, it is these secret oaths and covenants which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they should be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction.

26 Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—

27 Yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.

28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven. And it was that same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.

29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.

The force that destroyed the Nephites was not war. Mormon explicitly notes that there were no wars at this time. Nevertheless, the government has been destroyed. The cause of the destruction was the secret combinations and their connection to the power of Satan.

3 Nephi 7:6

6 And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

The two elements that fissioned Nephite society were the secret combinations and the division of political interests along kinship lines. Mormon specifically links kindreds to “those who murdered the prophets.” It is quite unlikely that there would be a kinship affiliation that fomented hatred of prophets, but it is very likely that the kindred would have accepted a politico-religious ideal that was in conflict with the prophets. The struggle for power ironically removed the overall power base, and the government was destroyed.

3 Nephi 7:7

7 And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

3 Nephi 7:8

8 And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

As noted earlier, it is unlikely that such a major shift in worldview would happen is such a short time. Mormon has foreshortened the tensions into a more black and white picture of righteousness and wickedness rather than describe the complex interactions that were surely part of the social fabric at this time.

Mormon had a people who were almost all righteous after the signs of the birth of the Messiah. From the standpoint of religious history, he could have had nothing else. Of course the birth of the Messiah was powerful and convincing. Now, however, we have a nearly universal apostasy from that time of belief. At this point Mormon is setting the scene for the destructiveness that comes with the Atoning Messiah arrives. The arrival of the Messiah is supposed to destroy the wicked. This is a theme well-known in Biblical literature:

Psalms 101:6-8

6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

The Psalmist understands that the coming of the Lord will bring destruction for the wicked and favor to the righteous. In the New Testament, this theme is even more powerfully presented:

Matthew 13:36-43

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mormon is setting up the scene for just such a winnowing judgment. Even the burning with the fire will be part of the fate of the wicked of the land. The destruction is coming, and Mormon presages it with the widespread wickedness that will be destroyed.

3 Nephi 7:9

9 Now this secret combination, which had brought so great iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

3 Nephi 7:10

10 And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

One of the characteristics of this secret combination had been the desire for a king. In the Mesoamerican context, this was not simply a desire for a type of government, but for a style of living. This was a people attempting to adopt the social hierarchies they saw around them, and this style of living was identified with the rise of kings in Mesoamerican city states. This set of people is simply following an established trend in the land.

3 Nephi 7:11

11 And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.

The group that establishes a king also likely establishes a city. These other groups or tribes, also have some form of government, and it is unlikely that they have abandoned cities entirely. What has happened is that the overall governing of the people has been removed. There is no more “land of Zarahemla” looking to a centralized voice. There are now multiple separate cities with no accepted umbrella government. In addition, there continues to be tension in the land, described as “hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.” This is the lingering difference of opinion that splintered the government in the first place.

3 Nephi 7:12

12 Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

3 Nephi 7:13

13 And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people. And thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi.

There is a named band of Gadiantons who leave the Nephite territories and go to the “northernmost part of the land.” In that place they “build up unto themselves a kingdom.” Mormon tells us that there is a movement of this people into the lands northward, and that they found a city and kingdom. This becomes important in Mormon’s symbolic association between the Gadianton robbers at the end of the Book of Mormon. Mormon has a direct tie between the two groups.

3 Nephi 7:14

14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they were divided into tribes, every man according to his family, kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.

The dissolution into tribal organization was not a descent into anarchy. The tribes, or kinship groups, already had an internal organizational structure that had functioned within the larger government. Removing the larger governmental structure did not remove government entirely, only the recognition of a government that united them. In the division into tribes the different peoples occupied different lands and set about the task of providing. It was certainly in their best interests to decrease the threats of warfare, as warfare took time and resources. With the reduction of the governmental organization, there was also a reduction in the available surplus, and each of the communities needed to regroup and supply their own needs. It was in their best interests to be peaceful and to take care of the business of providing for their own.

3 Nephi 7:15

15 And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;

Mormon moves from his description of the social order to the religious order. We are not told how Nephi relates to the new tribal organization. Obviously Nephi continues to operate within a tribal structure, and it is also probable that he would be recognized and revered in his own kinship organization. We may surmise that Nephi did not limit his preaching to the single kin group in which he found himself. Although verse 14 indicates that “they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another,” we should not see the prohibition against “trespass” as a prohibition of any kind of contact. These groups would certainly want to be in trading contact, even if they retained their political separation. What “trespass” in this case would mean is an unwanted incursion, and probably military contact. Nephi would have continued to see all of these separate tribes as part of his responsibility. There was nothing in the geography of the land that made it more difficult for him to travel than before, and so we may suppose that he continued his ministry.

3 Nephi 7:16

16 Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The going forth must mean to other tribes. Nephi would certainly have had some recognition in his own kin group. The imagery of “went forth” also implies traveling to more than his local neighbors.

3 Nephi 7:17

17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.

3 Nephi 7:18

18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

Nephi went forth in power. That very manifestation of power came into conflict with the rulers of the various tribes. Mormon tells us that it was “because he had greater power than they.” The combination of politics and religion would require that the rulers of the tribes also be the leaders of the religion of the tribal organization. Nephi’s powerful presence undermined their authority because Nephi was clearly able to operate in religious matters more powerfully than these rulers. Because there was such a tight connection between religion and politics, the undermining of religious authority was tantamount to the undermining of political authority, and therefore these rulers “were angry with him.”

Mormon suggests that they were angry because “it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words…” What Mormon is telling us is that Nephi was preaching powerfully and effectively. Not only are angels ministering to him, but he has the power over death, as indicated in the next verse. These rulers cannot disbelieve what they see.

3 Nephi 7:19

19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

3 Nephi 7:20

20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

There is a powerful parallel in the preparation of the people for the resurrection of the Savior. In the New Testament, Jesus performs miracles. He specifically casts out devils, and he raises Lazarus from the dead. In the New World, and approximately the same time, Nephi functions as a Jesus-surrogate, performing the same types of miracles, including the raising from the dead.

This paralleling of events in preparation for the death and resurrection of the Savior suggests that these events had a particular meaning that pointed to, and were fulfilled in, the resurrection of the Atoning Messiah. Although the post-resurrection appearance of the Messiah in both continents would have some differences, there were parallels, and one of the parallels is in the preparation for the event. In the Book of Mormon, these preparatory parallels receive only passing notice, perhaps because Mormon does not know of the similar events that are recorded in the Old World. Mormon may not have understood the way in which Nephi functioned as a Jesus-surrogate in his actions just prior to the coming of the Atoning Messiah to the New World.

Cultural: The raising of Nephi’s brother from death is the only indication we have of this brother. We may assume that he was also a righteous man, as he was worthy of this pre-figuring “resurrection.” We may also assume that he was stoned by the people for his preaching, given the antagonism Mormon notes for Nephi.

Stoning as a means of punishing death was known in Mesoamerican culture. Of course there is no archaeological record of stoning, but there is textual information about the practice from the time of the Aztecs where it was used as the principle punishment for adultery (Warwick Bray. Everyday Life of the Aztecs. Peter Bedrick Books, New York, 1991, p. 69). Of course adultery would not have been Nephi’s brother’s crime, but the presence of the punishment confirms that it was known and used as a punishment in the region.

3 Nephi 7:21

21 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

3 Nephi 7:22

22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.

Some of the most powerful manifestations listed in Book of Mormon preaching occur during this time. Mormon has told us of powerful preachers, and miraculous protection of missionaries, but we have never had the healings that appear to have been manifest at this time. There is no other instance of the raising of one from the dead. It is likely that there were never such obvious manifestations of the spirit as there were at this time. In spite of this tremendous presence of the evidence of the spirit, yet the people did not believe. Their unbelief is firm, and condemnatory.

3 Nephi 7:23

23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins.

As the time of the Savior’s death and resurrection near, Nephi cries for the people. He did this thirty two years before (3 Nephi 1:11) and was answered by the miraculous sign of the birth of the Messiah, and event that ushered in a restoration of faith. Nephi prays again, and likely again expects a miracle that will restore his people’s faith in God.

Variant: In the Printer’s manuscript and the 1830 edition, this verse began: “And it came to pass that…” This introductory phrase was removed in the corrected Printer’s manuscript and all editions since 1837. (Book of Mormon Critical Text. FARMS 1987, 3:1019).

3 Nephi 7:24

24 Now I would have you to remember also, that there were none who were brought unto repentance who were not baptized with water.

3 Nephi 7:25

25 Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.

The government of the overall people may have vanished, but the order of the church has not. There is still a church into which the people may be baptized, and an ecclesiastical organization to serve them. It is certain that this church cut across the tribal delineations, and served as many as would believe.

Narrative: From the perspective of Mormon’s narrative, he has painted a bleak picture of those who would not believe. However, he knows that there were righteous people remaining, and those righteous will become the focus of his narrative with the Savior appears. Therefore, Mormon makes them explicitly present in his text.

3 Nephi 7:26

26 And there were many in the commencement of this year that were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year did pass away.

As hope diminishes for the wicked, hope dawns for the righteous.

Textual: This is the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition.