3 Nephi 12
Christ Preaches at the Temple (cf. Matthew 5–7)
3 Nephi 12:1
1 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
Comments
Jesus had been instructing the twelve, and now returns to addressing the whole congregation. It is doubtful that Jesus had separated the disciples in order to instruct them individually, so the congregation clearly saw, and heard, Jesus select and teach them as a group. In verse 1 he introduces them to the congregation as those who have been chosen to minister to them. Thus, the twelve were called, and in the presence of the congregation, presented as a group that was to be followed.
Even though the Nephites had been performing baptisms before, and with divine authority, Jesus appropriates baptism as an important ordinance of his doctrine. Thus, it might be the same action, but it has been placed into a new context. In that new context, that of the doctrine of the risen Christ, these twelve have been given public authority to baptize. They are also authorized to “baptize . . . with fire and with the Holy Ghost,” a feature not present (that we know of) in the previous Nephite baptisms.
3 Nephi 12:2
2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
Comments
Jesus establishes the authority of the twelve to baptize beyond those who were present. It was undeniable that those who were present would all desire baptism, for they were in Christ’s presence. However, there would come a time when Christ would not be with them, and yet people would need to repent and believe. Therefore, Christ notes that they, too, are blessed. They will believe upon the words of those who testify that they have seen him, even if they see him not.
The intent is an echo of what we see in John 20:29: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
After this verse, the text follows Matthew 5. Orson Pratt made his divisions of these chapters so that the Book of Mormon sections that closely follow the Sermon on the Mount would be easily compared. The 1830 text did not tie chapter endings to the endings of New Testament chapters.
3 Nephi 12:3
3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:3. The form of the Beatitudes is to start with a declaration that a people who are usually considered distinctly not blessed, will receive a blessing in the heavens.
In this case, the poor on earth, where they have no power or kingdom, receive a kingdom in heaven. The intended contrast is between their poverty on earth, and heavenly wealth.
The idea that they are poor in spirit goes along with the idea of poverty. Alma2 specifically noted that correlation in The Book of Alma:
Ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble. And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved. And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word? (Alma 32:12–14)
3 Nephi 12:4
4 And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:4.
The contrast here is between the great sadness of mourning, and the idea that they would be comforted. Typically, mourning is associated with the death of a loved one. The comfort that Jesus promises is the resurrection. In the next life, the sadness of our earth life will be turned to joy, for we will be with our loved ones again.
3 Nephi 12:5
5 And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:5.
On earth, if one is meek, one might not attempt to improve one’s situation. The meek might not seek to improve their status. Thus, they represent powerlessness. However, in the next life, those who are meek because of their circumstances on earth will be able to change places with the mighty. They may not inherit power on earth, but they will in heaven.
Of course, as with all the beatitudes, each of these conditions assumes that the person who is represented by the trait is faithful in living the gospel.
3 Nephi 12:6
6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Comments
In Matthew 5:6 (KJV), the sentence ends with “they shall be filled.” In 3 Nephi, “with the Holy Ghost” has been added.
The pure contrast is between those who hunger and those whose hunger would be sated. However, there is also the desire to move the meaning from simple desire for food to a more spiritual meaning. Therefore, those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” That hunger will also be sated, through the influence of the Holy Ghost. The addition adds to the parallelism.
3 Nephi 12:7
7 And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:7.
This Beatitude is a comparison rather than a contrast. There is not reversal, but rather what Alma2 taught as a doctrine of restitution. That is, we have restored to us according to what we have done on earth. “The meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful” (Alma 41:13).
The last phrase of Alma 41:13 is merely a different way of stating the message of verse 7 here.
3 Nephi 12:8
8 And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:8.
This Beatitude continues the trend of parallels rather than contrasts. The pure in heart, regardless of their physical circumstances, will have the ultimate reward, for they shall see God. Of course, the pure in heart are those who keep God’s commandments.
3 Nephi 12:9
9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:9.
In both Jesus’s Jerusalem and in the Nephite world, there was a context of conflict. For those in Jerusalem, it was with the Romans. In the Nephite world, it was traditionally with the Lamanites, but also within the Nephite people themselves. Those conflicts led to dissensions, and those wars and contentions were always dangerous.
In those conditions of conflict, Jesus is preaching conciliation and peaceful ways of living, rather than rising in rebellion, or initiating military actions on those with whom we might disagree.
When he indicates that “they shall be called the children of God,” he is indicating that this is the way to follow God’s commandments.
3 Nephi 12:10
10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Comments
There is no change from Matthew 5:10.
In Jesus’s Jerusalem, this Beatitude perhaps looked to the future. There would come a time when there would be persecution for his sake. Jesus declares that the persecution, while sad, is rewarded in heaven.
While persecutions were in the future for the incipient Christians in the past, persecutions were in the very recent past for many of those assembled in Bountiful. For them, this Beatitude was particularly personal.
3 Nephi 12:11–12
11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;
12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.
Comments
Verse 11, and most of verse 12, are unchanged from Matthew 5:11–12. The change at the beginning of verse 12 does not add to or alter the meaning from Matthew.
Matthew: “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.”
3 Nephi: “For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad.”
These two verses are a continuation of the saying in verse 10. It repeats the basic theme and expands upon it. This duplication and expansion are indications that, in the Old World, this was a condition that would come to pass for most who listened. For the New World, it was again more relevant to their immediate past experience. The current Nephites would usher in a period of peace, where this kind of persecution would not be seen again for two hundred years.
Becoming Salt and Light (cf. Matthew 5:13–16)
3 Nephi 12:13
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.
Comments
As with verse 12, the beginning of this verse differs from Matthew 5:13.
Matthew: “Ye are the salt of the earth.”
3 Nephi: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth.”
The addition in 3 Nephi appears to be related to a difference in the audience. The address is slightly different, but the essential meaning is unchanged.
Why are the people who are listening to Jesus, in either hemisphere, the “salt of the earth”? The ancient world valued salt much more highly than do modern societies, for we have discovered ways to produce it in such quantities than none who desire it would lack it. For ancient Rome, it was valuable enough that wages were declared in units that would be required to purchase salt.
So, the people are being told that they are valuable, but that isn’t all. If we season with salt, we do not use much. Thus, the people are valuable, even if they are few, even if they are not the majority in the populations around them.
As for losing flavor, if there are impurities in the salt, then it loses its ability to be salty. Thus, Jesus is admonishing this small group of believers to remain pure and faithful so that their value to the world might be fulfilled.
3 Nephi 12:14–16
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;
16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Comments
There are minor changes from Matthew 5:14–16. The change at the beginning of verse 14 is the same kind as the change we saw in verse 13 of this chapter. In Matthew we have the simple statement: “Ye are the light of the world,” and here “I give unto you to be the light of this people.” The most interesting part of that change is the use of people instead of world. Perhaps it is an indication that the New Testament would have a longer and wider distribution than the Book of Mormon.
These verses continue the concept of Christians being the salt of the earth. They are also the light. They are not the world, but a way of enlightening the world by bringing the understanding of Jesus’s gospel to the world.
Therefore, the admonition is to share the gospel. The light is to be put on display and used for a good purpose rather than be hidden away. In the Old World, this commission often led to the problem of being persecuted for Jesus’s sake. Nevertheless, the mission to preach Christ’s message was more important than the possible persecutions for so doing.
Fulfilling the Law (cf. Matthew 5:17–38)
3 Nephi 12:17–18
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil;
18 For verily I say unto you, one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.
Comments
There is no change in verse 17 from Matthew 5:17, but there are interesting changes in the next verse.
Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
3 Nephi 12:18: “For verily I say unto you, one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.”
In 3 Nephi, the Matthean phrase “Till heaven and earth pass” is deleted. The final phrase is altered from “till all be fulfilled,” to “but in me it hath all been fulfilled.” The difference is the distinction between the mortal Jesus and the resurrected Jesus. In his mortal realm, that fulfillment was still in the future; by the time Christ appeared to the Nephites, it had already been accomplished. Therefore, there was no reason to declare that the law of Moses would continue until it was fulfilled, which is what earlier Book of Mormon prophets had taught, because (also as prophesied) Jesus was that fulfillment.
In Jerusalem, the people were interested in whether what Jesus taught contradicted the law under which they lived. He affirmed that the law was valuable, but that there would come a point where it would be ultimately fulfilled.
The people gathered in Bountiful would have had the same questions about the relationship of Christ’s doctrine to what they had known. Jesus sets the stage for teaching them the important differences by declaring that the prophesied fulfillment had come.
3 Nephi 12:19–20
19 And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.
20 Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Comments
Verses 19 and 20 of Matthew are absent. In their place are two new verses. The essential difference is that the Matthean verses were more specific to the congregation in the Old World, whereas these verses are more specific to the people in Bountiful and those to whom they would preach.
For the New World, Christ declares that he has come to give “the law the commandments of my Father.” That distinction between Jesus (Yahweh, whom the Nephites understood to be their God) and the Father, is one of the lessons being taught at this time.
Rather than the law that emphasized actions, Christ emphasizes a broken heart and a contrite spirit. It is not that those concepts were never previously required, but rather that they were being elevated in importance while the more communal aspects of religion, that were part of the law of Moses, were fulfilled.
The declaration is not that the people should become righteous, but rather that the individual person should become righteous. Each individual must keep Christ’s commandments, or not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
3 Nephi 12:21–22
21 Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God;
22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Comments
The major difference in 3 Nephi 12:21 from Matthew 5:21 is the addition of “and it is also written before you.” There will be other times when the New World Sermon appears to emphasize a written word where the Old World Sermon spoke mostly to the oral law.
In 3 Nephi 12:22, the phrase “without a cause” in Matthew, is left out. That is a disputed clause and might not have been part of the original sermon. The effect is to point out the danger of anger rather than the action of murder.
In the Book of Mormon, verse 22 also introduces a number of doctrinal amplifications, where a condition is set, and then there is an elaboration or alteration of that condition. In this case, the statement comes with the declaration of a known law: “[T]hou shalt not kill” (referenced in verse 21). While that phrase is well known in English, the intent is much more to be “thou shalt not murder.” Jesus does not remove that law. He said he wouldn’t, and he doesn’t.
He does, however, provide a form of fulfillment for the law by amplifying it. Not only should one not murder, they should not become so angry that they would contemplate murder. It is unlikely that Jesus thought that humankind could ever rid ourselves of all anger. The problem that is presented is intended to fit into the context of murder. One can only murder another if the other person dies. However, attempted murder differs only in the result for the victim. For the perpetrator’s soul, the damage is the same.
Since Jesus is encouraging individual righteousness, that personal righteousness requires that we no longer anger so much that we even wish we might murder. The eternal consequences for us might be the same, regardless of the effect on the possible victim.
3 Nephi 12:23–24
23 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—
24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.
Comments
The corresponding verses are Matthew 5:23–24:
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
The 3 Nephi version leaves out references to bringing a gift to the altar. That “gift” was the sacrifice under the law of Moses. Since the New World situation is moving away from the context of the law of Moses, bringing a sacrifice as part of a petition to God was no longer applicable. Therefore, it was removed.
What becomes important in Jesus’s elaboration of the meaning of the law was that one’s heart be an appropriate sacrifice. Thus, if one came to the Lord burdened with conflicts with another, those earthly issues should be reconciled so that one could approach the Lord with a pure heart and a contrite spirit.
3 Nephi 12:25–26
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be cast into prison.
26 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while ye are in prison can ye pay even one senine? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Nay.
Comments
The verses in Matthew 5:25–26 read:
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
The 3 Nephi teaching adapts to the New World context by removing the layers of authorities that were part of Jesus’s world. The Old World farthing becomes a New World senine (see Alma 11:3–8 for the definition of a senine).
To be “in the way with him” means to be on the same road or path. Thus, differences might arise, but they should be settled amicably at the time, and not accelerated to the point that legal authorities would become involved. This admonition is arguably more relevant to what we know of Jesus’s Jerusalem than to what would be present in Bountiful at the time of the sermon.
3 Nephi 12:27–28
27 Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery;
28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.
Comments
The only difference between these two verses and the same-numbered verses in Matthew 5 is the New World emphasis on written scripture rather than oral learning that was a feature of the Matthean Sermon.
Similar to the amplification of the commandment that we should not commit murder, the commandment against adultery is shifted from the sin of the accomplished fact to the desire that might lead to the attempt. As with the amplification of the commandment on murder, the emphasis shifts from the victim to the perpetrator as the location of the problem. This is not to say that Jesus did not have sympathy for victims, but rather than he was concerned for all souls, and particularly those whose hearts had become so hardened that they might even consider some of these heinous crimes.
3 Nephi 12:29–30
29 Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart;
30 For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.
Comments
Matthew 5:29–30 are not represented here at all. They read:
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
In their place are two verses that act as a summary of the commandments up to that point. In the New World sermon, this section has an interim summary indicating that these are all things that should be done. Even though it follows directly the teaching on adultery, it is meant to deal with all of the previous similar amplifications.
3 Nephi 12:31–32
31 It hath been written, that whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.
32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whoso shall marry her who is divorced committeth adultery.
Comments
The major difference between these verses and those in Matthew are the change from “it had been said” in Matthew to “it hath been written” in 3 Nephi. The “verily, verily” has been added to verse 32, but it doesn’t alter the meaning.
These verses are difficult for modern readers because we understand, and the Church allows, that there are times when divorce is appropriate. The intent of these verses is also likely to be an amplification of divorce conditions. In that context, Jesus is contrasting the ease of obtaining a divorce under the law of Moses with the desire to treat marriage as a serous contract. Jesus did note that there were conditions where divorce would be necessary, although the only one he listed was fornication. Even without a list of other conditions, the idea is that marriage is to be treated seriously, and not ended frivolously.
There is no way of knowing what the conditions surrounding divorce might have been in the New World. The teaching that it was to be treated seriously would still have been applicable.
3 Nephi 12:33–37
33 And again it is written, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths;
34 But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair black or white;
37 But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil.
Comments
There are two differences of note between the 3 Nephi verses and those in Matthew. The first, in verse 33, in 3 Nephi, is the continued New World emphasis on the written commandment, where Matthew speaks of the oral law.
The second is Matthew 5:35: “Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.” In 3 Nephi, the phrase “neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King” is left out. That would make sense, since the New World Jerusalem was a city infamous for apostate Nephites who would not hear the sons of Mosiah2 (see Alma 21:1–4).
These verses deal with the more ancient custom of declaring oaths. Prior to the concept of written contracts, oaths were used to officially seal agreements. What had happened by Jesus’s time was that different oaths might have different meanings, some being stronger than others.
What Jesus is teaching is that we should be honest in our dealings with others. We should not create loopholes in our agreements that would allow us to break our agreement easily. Thus, we say “yea, yea; nay, nay.” In other words, we say what we mean, without so many nuances that we could not be trusted.
3 Nephi 12:38–39
38 And behold, it is written, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;
39 But I say unto you, that ye shall not resist evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also;
Comments
The only change from Matthew 5:38 is the now familiar change to an emphasis on “it is written,” rather than “it hath been said.”
These two verses deal with the way in which we are to retaliate against those who might harm us. The “eye for an eye” rule creates social balance by requiring that what one inflicts on another person might be inflicted against the perpetrator. This is a particularly horrible inversion of the Golden Rule.
The amplification for the rule of retaliation was that one should obey the law willingly. In the Old World, Jesus’s listeners were subject to Roman law. Even if they desired it, the “eye for an eye” rule was impossible in their situation. Even the ability to resist might be removed. Hence, it was wise not to retaliate (and make matters worse). The solution was to accept the subjugation that they could do nothing about.
Nevertheless, this was not an abject acceptance of being belittled. In order for one to be struck on the right cheek by a right-handed person, it would have to be a backslap, which was highly insulting. The typical result would be an escalation and attempt to regain honor by some form of retaliation. Particularly under Roman rule, that could be disastrous.
However, by turning the other cheek, the person could symbolically both recognize that they were politically powerless but insist that the person doing the smiting treat them as an equal, with the forehand slap rather than the backhand. Jesus was teaching his listeners to retain their dignity in a difficult political situation.
The situation was not like that for those listening to Jesus, at that time. However, perhaps all of them could remember a time when they also underwent oppression. It would still have been an important lesson to learn from their past, if not in their present.
3 Nephi 12:40–45
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also;
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.
43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;
44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.
Comments
There are no differences in verses 40 through 44 from the same verses in Matthew 5, save for the shift from “ye have heard” to “it is written.” 3 Nephi 12:45 removes the final phrase from Matthew 5:45: “and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
These instructions were certainly tailored to the conditions of the Roman rule. The intent of the verses is to teach Jesus’s listeners how to treat their enemies. In both the Old and New Worlds, Christians had lived in a society where they were surrounded by enemies, although that condition was much more recent for the Nephites.
Thus, the conclusion is in verses 43 and 44. The relationship of the community of their enemies is to love them rather than hate them. This principle is perhaps exemplified in Alma 31:5: “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.”
3 Nephi 12:46–47
46 Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.
47 Old things are done away, and all things have become new.
Comments
Verses 46 and 47 are unique to the Book of Mormon, and do not include the reference to publicans (see Matthew 5:46–47).
These verses conclude this set of lessons by linking them to the nature of the law. Nephi3 had preached that the Messiah would fulfill the law: “And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given unto Moses” (2 Nephi 25:30). Yahweh’s voice from heaven at the end of the three days of darkness declared the long-awaited event had come to pass: “In me is the law of Moses fulfilled” (3 Nephi 9:17).
Therefore, at the end of this section of the sermon that has been explaining how the law of Christ would related to the law of Moses, Jesus reiterates that the “those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.”
Verse 47 echoes the words of Paul: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
3 Nephi 12:48
48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Comments
The important addition to this verse is “even as I.” This difference marks the difference between the sermon given by the mortal Jesus and the resurrected being who taught the Nephites at Bountiful.
The command to be perfect sounds more daunting than it was meant to. The word that becomes, in English, perfect, has a different definition than our assumption of “without flaw.” It means that something is brought to its end or has become complete. Therefore, it signals, for us a process, not a state. We are not to become complete overnight. There are things that we must do. Therefore, even though Jesus was without sin in this life, he was still undergoing an important process, a process that was not completed unto after his death and resurrection.
We do not know how long it will take us to finish our progression, but the important fact is that we are moving along the right path in this life. Just as with Jesus, being complete in that sense is not part of this world. It was for him, and is for us, something to be finished only after our purpose in this life is over. Until then, we are admonished to “endure to the end” (for example, see 3 Nephi 15:9). It is significant that in that phrase, “end” is the same word that is used to define “perfect.”
We are on a path of progression, and we should be consistent, and persistent, in following it until we have reached its end, until we have completed the goals for which earth life was instituted.
This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. The chapter was ended here to better correlate with Matthew, chapter 5.
