3 Nephi 5
All Nephites Believe in Christ
3 Nephi 5:1–3
1 And now behold, there was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled.
2 And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.
3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.
Comments
There was originally no chapter break between the text of our chapters 3–5. Understanding that these three verses were part of the previous chapter allows us to see the context for this discussion of Nephite righteousness. They had just almost two years of struggle against the Gadiantons, during which they had been confined to a much smaller area. In spite of the hardships, however, they had managed to retain their faithfulness to the commandments, and thus understood that it was the fulfillment of the promise of the land that they were saved from the Gadiantons.
Although Mormon has told his readers that the Gadiantons would eventually be the downfall of the Nephite nation (see Helaman 2:13–14), he also wants us to understand that faithfulness to God, his commandments and his covenants, could have protected them. Because such faithfulness could protect the Nephites, we are to understand that it may also protect us.
An important aspect of this Nephite faithfulness was knowing “that Christ had come.” We are reading Mormon’s lead into the supreme event of Nephite history, when Christ not only had come to the world, but would come to the righteous Nephites in the New World.
3 Nephi 5:4–6
4 And now it came to pass that when they had taken all the robbers prisoners, insomuch that none did escape who were not slain, they did cast their prisoners into prison, and did cause the word of God to be preached unto them; and as many as would repent of their sins and enter into a covenant that they would murder no more were set at liberty.
5 But as many as there were who did not enter into a covenant, and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their hearts, yea, as many as were found breathing out threatenings against their brethren were condemned and punished according to the law.
6 And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed.
Comments
The end of the Gadiantons at this time resulted in the removal of this particular Gadianton gang. As with other iterations of the Gadiantons, their destruction only appears to be their final downfall. They will return.
The Nephites continue to use the same tactics as we saw with Chief Captain Moroni. When he took prisoners, he allowed them the opportunity to gain their freedom through a covenant. In this case, the covenant was not that they would not fight, but that they converted to the Nephite religion and covenanted with God.
Verse 6 declares that “thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations,” at least until they arise again, and in not too many years.
Mormon Explains His Record
3 Nephi 5:7–12
7 And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, and the twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the twenty and fifth; and thus had twenty and five years passed away.
8 And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a hundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space of twenty and five years;
9 But behold there are records which do contain all the proceedings of this people; and a shorter but true account was given by Nephi.
10 Therefore I have made my record of these things according to the record of Nephi, which was engraven on the plates which were called the plates of Nephi.
11 And behold, I do make the record on plates which I have made with mine own hands.
12 And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people, yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.
Comments
In the middle of Mormon’s narration of events, he inserts something about his writing, and about who he is. From verse 8 through the end of this chapter (which also ended a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon), we have Mormon describing himself and the reason he is writing his record.
The first thing of note is in verse 9. After saying that he cannot write the hundredth part of all the records, he notes that there is, in addition to the archive of the large plates, “a shorter but true account . . . given by Nephi.” Mormon is telling us that he is taking some of the account in 3 Nephi from Nephi3’s personal record. Even though he announces it at this point, it is not clearly the source until 3 Nephi 8.
Next, we have the introduction of Mormon himself. This is the first time in our current Book of Mormon that we are introduced to the editor who has framed what we have read. Surely in the part of his work that was lost (known as the 116 lost pages), there must have been another introduction to Mormon and why he was writing. Nevertheless, we get it here.
Why here, if it must have been done earlier? The answer is in the next few verses.
3 Nephi 5:13–17
13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.
14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done—
15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time.
16 Therefore I do make my record from the accounts which have been given by those who were before me, until the commencement of my day;
17 And then I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes.
Comments
Mormon is nearing the reason for which he writes, which is the appearance of the Savior to those gathered in Bountiful. He identifies himself as “a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” He further notes that “I have been called of him to declare his word among his people.” In the Book of Mormon, the word disciple is used where a modern writer would use apostle. This is Mormon’s introduction of himself as an apostle, and one who has received a command to write so that future readers would know this message.
Mormon’s commission was to make “a small record” of the Nephites from the time Lehi1 left Jerusalem to his own day. He does that by working with what we call the large plates of Nephi. He declares that he will also write “the things which I have seen with mine own eyes.”
3 Nephi 5:18–20
18 And I know the record which I make to be a just and a true record; nevertheless there are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write.
19 And now I make an end of my saying, which is of myself, and proceed to give my account of the things which have been before me.
20 I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls.
Comments
In his capacity as disciple, or apostle, Mormon declares that he has made “a just and true record.” It is interesting that Mormon understands that it can be “just and true” even though it is not comprehensive. He has selected those things that fit the message he wanted to deliver.
In verse 19 he says that “now I make an end of my saying,” but he is only beginning to end what he has to say. Mormon is writing off-script at this point. Verse 19 tells us that he knows that he needs to return to the planned text, but he still has more on his mind before he does.
The beginning of this final statement (at this time) is a repetition of who he is. He declares that he is a “pure descendant of Lehi.” There is no way to fully know what he means. He might trace his genealogy through one of the tribes of Lehi1’s sons, but it is unclear how any lineage would be considered “pure” after a thousand years. The concept is probably not genetic, or even political. Mormon has said that he was to write about the Nephites from the time Lehi1 left Jerusalem, and Mormon the apostle is connecting himself as an ideologically, or religiously pure, descendant of Lehi1, and therefore drawing a straight line from Lehi1’s righteousness to Mormon as an apostle.
3 Nephi 5:21–26
21 Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph.
22 And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word.
23 Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God.
24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.
25 And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them.
26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen.
Comments
The amen ends Mormon’s inserted testimony and declaration. What he has declared is that he is a disciple, or apostle, and that he has a mission to spread God’s word. He is doing that through what he writes, but he also knows that what he writes is for some future generation. Therefore, at the end of his insertion, his thoughts turn to the house of Jacob to which his people will eventually be reunited and reconciled. Nephi3 spent time thinking of, and preaching about, the restoration of the House of Israel. Mormon, at the end of the Nephite nations, thinks, and writes, of the same thing: “surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob.” Mormon ends with his apostolic declaration: “then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
This ends a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
