1 Ne 11:31-36

From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.

The Book of Mormon > First Nephi > Chapter 11

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Contents 1 Questions 1.1 Verse 31 1.2 Verses 32-33 1.3 Verses 34-36 2 Lexical notes 2.1 Verse 31 2.2 Verses 32-33 2.3 Verse 32 3 Exegesis 4 Related links

Questions

Verse 31

• Why does the vision include this relatively lengthy description of the physical and psychological healings that Jesus did?
• How were they important to his mission of salvation?

Verses 32-33

• Why does Nephi see a vision of the crucifixion of Jesus, but not of his resurrection?

Verses 34-36

• Verse 34 tells us that the building is the wisdom of the world. If we compare that to 1 Nephi 8:26-27 we see that the world and its wisdom is derision of those who are outside. What does that mean?
• 1 Ne 12:18 says that the building is human vain imaginations and pride. How do those three versions of the building fit with one another?
• How do we participate in the "wisdom" of the world?
• Why does the angel describe the occupants of the building as the house of Israel (verse 35)?
• Don't the events to which this corresponds occur after the loss of the ten tribes?
• What does "pride of the world" mean here (verse 36)?
• All three of these verses speak of those who fight against the apostles. What fight are they speaking of? Why is it a fight against the apostles rather than against God?

Lexical notes

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Verse 31

• Like verse 30, this verse is organized by "and":

1 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look!
2 And I looked,
3 and I beheld . . . among the children of men.
4 And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick,
5       and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases,
6               and with devils and unclean spirits;

7 and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me.  
8 And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; 
9 and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.  

The second part of the verse corresponds to the first. Line 1 is parallel to line 7. Lines 2 through 5 are parallel to line 8. And, line 6 is parallel to line 9. Lines 7 through 9, therefore, act as a kind of synopsis of lines 1 through 6.

Verses 32-33

These verses are complicated rhetorically. A diagram helps show the complexity:

1 And it came to pass that the angel spake . . . saying: Look!
2 And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God,
3        that he was taken by the people;
4        yea, the Son . . . was judged of the world;
5 and I saw and bear record. 
6 And I . . . saw that he was lifted up . . . the world. 

Line 1 introduces the verse. Lines 2 through 5 are a chiasm. Line 6 is parallel to line 5 in that it tells in more detail what Nephi saw and bears record of. But line 6 is also parallel to lines 3 and 4. Specifically, it tells how the people condemned the Lamb of God.

Verse 32

• "Judged" is ambiguous. It can mean only "to hear a case, such as a legal case, and to make a decision in regards to it." But it can also mean "to condemn."
• "Saw and bear record": though "saw" is in the past tense, "bear" is in the present tense. Nephi saw the vision in the past, but he now bears record through the Book of Mormon. (The same phrase appears in verse 36.)

Exegesis

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Related links

• Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links

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