3 Nephi 15
The Fulfillment of the Law Explained
3 Nephi 15:1–4
1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last day.
2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.
3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.
4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.
Comments
Jesus had taught for an unknown amount of time, perhaps as long, or longer, than it would take us to read Matthew chapters 5 through 7. Having finished with the teaching of the things Jesus had taught in the Sermon on the Mount, he looked around to assess how his message had been received. In Matthew, we have the end of the sermon and then Jesus descending from the mountain. In Bountiful, Jesus remains with them, and builds upon both what he said and the people’s reaction to it.
The first important reaction is what must have been paramount on his listeners’ minds. They had been taught, and looked forward to this day, that the law of Moses would be fulfilled. Once before, at the time of the signs of Christ’s birth, there had been those who tried to preach that the law was fulfilled, but they were in error (see 3 Nephi 1:24). They must have wondered if the law truly were fulfilled, and what that would mean. Therefore, Jesus addresses this issue directly. The beginning is twofold. First, he declared that “old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.” Then he declared: “I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.” It was now unambiguous.
3 Nephi 15:5–8
5 Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.
6 Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled.
7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.
8 For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.
Comments
The next part of the discourse deals with the question of what it meant for the law to be fulfilled. These were people who had lived the law of Moses and traced their living of that law back to the Old World. How does something that old and respected change, and what does it mean to say that it is fulfilled?
Christ reiterated the phrase from the Sermon at the Temple that he did not come to destroy the prophets (3 Nephi 12:17). He was not changing everything that the prophets had said. They taught truth, and truth remained.
However, there is a distinction and there is something new. Before discussing what is new, he reiterated the important part of what would be retained from that which was old: “The covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.”
3 Nephi 15:9–10
9 Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.
10 Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly testified of me.
Comments
The Yahweh of the heavens stood before the people in Bountiful, clothed in a resurrected body. Thus, when he declares that he is the origin of the law, it is both the firm foundation upon which the new law will be built, but it is also a declaration that he was the author of the law that was old. To make the connection between the old and new, he brings up the prophets again. He will give new commandments, but just as with the prophets of old, the message is that we owe God obedience to whatever God’s commandments might be. The prophets had testified of the importance of keeping covenants and commandments. They knew of Christ and knew that those fundamental principles would remain.
The Twelve Taught about “Other Sheep” (cf. John 10:16)
3 Nephi 15:11–13
11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen:
12 Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of Joseph.
13 And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.
Comments
Again, Jesus turns specifically to the twelve disciples. While Jesus had taught that those who followed him were a light to the world (3 Nephi 12:14), the disciples are expressly given the command to be that example. They are to be the teachers of the people, and the guardians of the covenant made with the house of Joseph of old.
When Jesus tells the disciples that “this is the land of your inheritance,” he is not specifically giving land to the twelve but defining their realm of operation. The New World has been given to the house of Lehi, and the twelve represent the New World and will have responsibility for it. This is not a promise of land ownership, but of responsibility to the people on the land. Even those not in Bountiful at this time must receive the light of the gospel, and that is in the hands of the twelve to direct.
3 Nephi 15:14–18
14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.
15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.
16 This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:
17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.
Comments
Jesus answers what might have been another question on the people’s minds. If Jesus had taught in the Old World, did that mean that he had told the Old World people about this people, and that perhaps there would be other Old World people (tribes) coming? That would happen in the future, according to Nephi1’s prophecy. Was that coming soon?
Jesus tells them that he did not let the Old World know about them. This people, and others that the Father had led out of Jerusalem, were known to God, but not to those of the Old World.
Nevertheless, even though they were currently multiple separate peoples, they would all have the chance to receive Christ’s teachings. They would all be brought into the fold of the Shepherd.
The contrast with these people who had been led away were those people in Jerusalem itself. Those people had not understood the gospel, and therefore they were not made aware of the peoples in other lands who were receiving the Gospel.
3 Nephi 15:19–21
19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.
20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them.
21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Comments
Jesus makes certain that these people know that they were one of the tribes that the Lord led out, but that there were others. Thus, they, and the others, will eventually be gathered back together. Before that ultimate reunion, they would all have the opportunity to learn the Gospel. Even though Jesus had not told the Old World about them specifically, he had obliquely included them as “other sheep” (John 10:16).
3 Nephi 15:22–24
22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.
23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.
24 But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.
Comments
Consistent with his message that his word was not received in Jerusalem, Jesus also notes that his oblique reference to other sheep was not properly understood. The discussion of what the alternative interpretation was appears to relate to post-Christ Christian interpretations of the scripture. Therefore, this might not yet have happened in the Old World, but it would. Thus, Jesus can speak of it as though it had happened, which would be less confusing.
These people are his sheep because they have directly heard his voice. That was not a privilege reserved only for the Old World.
This is not the end of a chapter in 1830. Indeed, the next chapter picks up this same theme of the “other sheep.”
