Enos 1:6-10
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Book of Mormon > Enos > Chapter 1
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Contents |
Questions
Verse 8
- Faith in Christ. What does it mean to have faith in Christ? Does it imply that we have faith that Christ can save us from our sins? If so, how is it that Enos, when forgiven, ask Christ how that is done?
Lexical notes
Verses 6
- Wherefore my guilt was swept away. The wherefore in this verse seems to be a result of Enos's knowledge that God cannot lie, in conjunction with God's staement that God cannot lie (v. 6).
Verse 8
- Thy faith hath made thee whole. God's use of the phrase "thy faith hath made thee whole" is used here approximately 500 years before its employment in 5 verses in the Gospels:
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- Matt 9:22 be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
- Mark 5:34 Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
- Mark 10:52 Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.
- Luke 8:48 Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
- Luke 17:19 Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Exegesis
Verses 7-8: How is it done?
After Enos's sins are forgiven (verse 5) and Enos's guilt is swept away (verse 6), Enos asks the Lord "how is it done?" Given that Enos is Jacob's son and has no doubt heard something about what we should do to seek forgiveness, the question is surprising. One way to understand this question is think of it in light of the difference between hearing about forgiveness and experiencing it. Though Jacob no doubt had heard about forgiveness and had learned something about it growing up, it seems that he hadn't experienced it. verse 2 suggests this: Enos describes this story as "the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins". Following this line of thinking then, Enos's question "how is it done" isn't the same type of question he could have asked when hearing from his father or others about repentance upon hearing about repentance. The question is not asking for more details about how forgiveness works. That he could have done. The question is also an expression of wonder and amazement at the miracle of his own changed heart--his guilt swept away. The Lord's answer to Enos's question is brief. He doesn't explain the 8 or 12 steps to forgiveness. The Lord's answer preserves the miracle of forgiveness; he simply says tells Enos that it is because of his faith that he is forgiven. This answer inspires feelings of love for his brothers the Nephites.
Alternatively we might read Enos's question as suggesting that he really didn't understand that it was through faith that we receive remission of sins. That would suggest that it is not necessary to understand a great deal about the nature of the plan of salvation in order to be able to take advantage of it.
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