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Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 3 Nephi 8–18 – Mike Parker

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Jesus Christ’s ministry among the people of Nephi, part 1

(3 Nephi 8–18)

by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best. This post will cover the content for the next two weeks, plus part of the following week.)

Class Notes

Additional Reading

John W. Welch explains that everything in 3 Nephi, especially the ministry of the Savior, echoes themes related to the temple and the presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies. Welch, “Seeing Third Nephi as the Holy of Holies of the Book of Mormon,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 1 (2010): 36–55.

The great destructions and thick darkness in the Book of Mormon lands described in 3 Nephi 8 have all the indications of intense volcanic activity. Several Latter-day Saint scientists have written about this; their conclusions are summarized in these brief articles from Book of Mormon Central:

Immediately before Jesus’s appearance at the temple in Bountiful, the people there “were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place great” (3 Nephi 11:1). What was this “great and marvelous change”? Clifford Jones argues that it refers to “the essential, infinite change wrought by the Atonement.” (Jones, “The Great and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Interpretation,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 2 (2010): 50–63.)

When Jesus appeared at Bountiful, “the whole multitude” of the people there “fell to the earth.” (3 Nephi 11:12) This description echoes Lehi₁’s dream of the tree of life, in which he saw “multitudes” of people who “did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” (1 Nephi 8:30) For more on the connections between these two passages, see Matthew L. Bowen, “‘They Came Forth and Fell Down and Partook of the Fruit of the Tree’: Proskynesis in 3 Nephi 11:12–19 and 17:9–10 and Its Significance,” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 5 (2013): 63–89.

 

Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.

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Comments

  1. Dennis Horne says

    See also Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, Oct. 1972 Conference talk:

    Let me tell you the greatest experience I believe I have had in all my readings of the scriptures—and I am sharing something that is very tender with me. I remember the night that I read 3 Nephi, the 17th chapter. That is when I discovered the Lord Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, the Lord of lords, the King of kings, my Savior, my personal Savior; and I believe that is where I finally found the description of the Savior as I thought him to be.

    He had been with the Nephite people all the day long, you will recall, and finally said:

    “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.

    “Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and … I come unto you again [on the morrow].

    “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.”

    And here I believe is where I found him.

    “And … when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and behold they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

    “And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

    “Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or maimed, or leprous, 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.

    “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.”

    And then you will recall that he had all those who were sick or halt or blind or lame come forth, and the scripture says, “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.”

    And when he had blessed all those who were sick and halt and blind and leprous, then he called the little children round about him; and then he commanded that the multitude should kneel down, and they knelt down, and he knelt in their midst and prayed; and the scripture says:

    “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.

    “… 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.”

    And then you will recall, after he had finished praying, he arose, but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome, and he commanded that they should arise, and he said, “And now behold, my joy is full.”

    And then Jesus wept. He blessed the little children, one by one, and when he had done this, he wept again, and then he said unto the multitude, “Behold your little ones.

    “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 the angels did minister unto them.

    “And the multitude did see and hear and bear record … and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred [and ONE] souls” who were in that beautiful experience with the Savior. (See 3 Ne. 17.)

    I want you to know I was there. I wouldn’t know any more surely if I had been there than I would know having read this book.
    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1972/10/the-sure-word-of-god?lang=eng