3 Nephi 17
The Savior Heals the Sick and Afflicted
3 Nephi 17:1–4
1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.
2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.
3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.
4 But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.
Comments
Leading up to verse 1, Jesus has descended to stand before the people gathered at Bountiful. He has had that multitude come to him and examine his wounds. He has called twelve disciples, and then given to them a version of the Old World Sermon on the Mount. He has added even more teachings. It has been a very long day, and one that undoubtedly had sapped the people’s spiritual and physical strength.
Jesus compassionately recognizes this, and therefore suggests that he had done enough for the day. He tells them to go home and rest, promising that he would return the next day. His statement that “Behold, my time is at hand” must refer to the information in verse 4: “But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel.”
3 Nephi 17:5–6
5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.
6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.
Comments
Although it was true that it had been a long day and that the people were spiritually and physically tired, it was not true that they were ready for their God to leave. Very few in the history of the world have been in the physical presence of God, and typically even then for a relatively short period of time. The people in Bountiful understood that they were living through an experience unique in recorded history. They did not want it to end. At the thought of their God leaving, their emotions spilled out, and “they were in tears.”
Christ saw this, understood this, and had compassion for their heartfelt desires.
3 Nephi 17:7–10
7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.
8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.
9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.
10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.
Comments
The Nephites had been taught since the time of Nephi3 that their God would rise with “healing in his wings” (2 Nephi 25:13). That phrase, and idea, is best known for Malachi 4:2, but Jesus will repeat it later in 3 Nephi 25:2. Perhaps for that reason, the people understood that healing was associated with the Messiah, and that would be what Jesus perceived.
He invites them to bring those who are sick to him. There are very few populations of any size who do not have some who are ill, or lame, or blind, or are otherwise afflicted among them. In the ancient world, before modern medicine, it was even more common. Therefore, there were in the congregation those who could be healed.
They came, and they were healed. Understandably, their thankfulness, their adoration, was so great that “they did bathe his feet with their tears.”
Christ Ministers to the Children
3 Nephi 17:11–12
11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.
12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.
Comments
Christ had healed in Jerusalem. He had also said, on one occasion: “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me.” He then “laid his hands on them” (Matthew 19:14–15).
The risen Christ is even more dramatic in Bountiful. He has all the children in the congregation brought to him, and he stands in the midst of them as they sit on the ground around him. As this was a request for the children, the adults back away to see what will transpire.
3 Nephi 17:13–15
13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.
14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.
15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.
Comments
Jesus has the entire congregation kneel. The children are closest, but the adults are not far off. Everyone is kneeling. While standing, Jesus begins to pray. About what? He is “troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.” Why begin this way in such a joyous occasion when he has appeared to the faithful of the house of Israel in Bountiful?
We do not know the rest of the prayer, for “the things which he prayed cannot be written.” However, we can guess from the presence of the children and the beginning sadness for the wicked of the house of Israel, that the Savior was praying for the future. Although it appears to begin in sadness, it certainly would not have ended that way. The presence of the children placed them in a position to represent the future, and his blessings and prayers for them would not be forgotten. They were the next generation which would more fully enjoy the peace and prosperity that would follow Christ’s visit.
3 Nephi 17:16–18
16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;
17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.
18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.
Comments
We can only wonder at what was said. We can only hope to one day have the power of the communication that Jesus had with his father. There was information in that prayer, but more than information, there was powerful emotion. Both the words and the emotions were beyond capturing in a written record.
Nevertheless, we do learn that even though the prayer began with dismay at the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel, that was not the whole theme of the prayer for the result was far from the sadness of the prayer’s beginning. At the end, “so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.”
3 Nephi 17:19–22
19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.
20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.
21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
22 And when he had done this he wept again;
Comments
At the end of the prayer, it was not the end of the event. Jesus had all arise, and his own emotions spilled over. He declared “my joy is full,” and he wept.
Then, he focuses on the children around him. They had been around him during the prayer, and much of the prayer likely foretold the future to, and about, them. He gives each a blessing. And “he wept again.”
3 Nephi 17:23–25
23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.
24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.
25 And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.
Comments
After the blessing, the congregation is asked to see their little ones. Not only to see them as their children, but to see with spiritual eyes. They see the children blessed through the ministering of angels, surrounded with the power of Heaven as though encircled by fire. Being surrounded by apparent fire was a visual witness to spiritual power, and it was previously manifested when the brothers Nephi2 and Lehi3 found themselves in a Lamanite prison. This current event is a much more glorious experience, but it places the children in the company of righteous prophets.
With such a transcendent experience, how could any of those children not remain faithful all their days? No wonder there was peace in their land, and they lived faithfully according to Jesus’s commandments.
This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition.
