Morm 3:1-4:23

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Home > The Book of Mormon > Mormon > Chapter 3-4
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This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.


Summary[edit]

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Relationship to Mormon. The relationship of Chapters 3-4 to the rest of Mormon is addressed at Mormon.

Story. Chapters 3-4 consists of ____ major sections:

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 3-4 include:

Discussion[edit]

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

  • Morm 3:9-10. It is interesting to notice how all oaths and covenants outside of those covenants to God lead to trouble. We see oaths of secrecy and oaths to avenge those that are lost in the Book Of Mormon and they always lead to adownfall and further wickedness and treachery. They eventually lead to oaths to pagan Gods and idols.
  • Morm 3:12: Without faith. Mormon was a man of exceedingly powerful faith. We can see this by reading Mormon 8. Mormon explains some of the prophecies which had been revealed to him. He also says in Morm 8:35 "But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me..." By this verse we see that Mormon had a close relationship to Christ which, presumably, requires a lot of faith. In Morm 1:15 Mormon says he was "visited by the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus." This seems to make a strong case that Mormon has faith in Christ. So why were his prayers "without faith"?
  • Morm 3:15: Vengeance is mine, and I will repay. Some of the targumim of Deut 32:35 (esp. Targum Neofiti I, a.k.a. Fragmentary Targum) render this verse in a way that is almost word for word what Mormon writes here. In the New Testament, we read this exact phrase in the KJV of Rom 12:19, and a very similar phrase in Heb 10:30. Whether Mormon is quoting a version of the Old Testament they had access to but is somewhat different than the Masoretic Text, or whether Joseph Smith is translating this in a way that is identical with Rom 12:19, is unclear.

Unanswered questions[edit]

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Prompts for life application[edit]

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  • Morm 3:16-22. You can really feel the sincerity in which he writes with. He is not writing as an angry man, but someone that is saddened by the iniquities of his people and someone that sincerely wants to see other generations succeed in living the gospel. He is sincerely concerned about the judgements that will come upon the wicked. It is humbling to see of his patience and charity.

Prompts for further study[edit]

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

  • Morm 3:11: Why did Mormon refuse? Why is it at this time that Mormon refuses to lead his armies? What did the Nephites do that was so much more wicked than before that Mormon couldn't bear it anymore?
  • Morm 3:12: Without faith. In this verse Mormon prays to God for the wicked Nephites, but he says that "it was without faith because of the hardness of their hearts." Were Mormon's prayers "without faith" due to his lack of faith, lack of faith that the Nephites would repent and change? Or were his prayers "without faith" because of the lack of faith among the wicked Nephites. A simplified version of this question would be: Does "without faith" refer to Mormon or the wicked Nephites?
  • Morm 3:18-19: It is said that the twelve tribes of Israel will be judged by the twelve disciples of Christ. When does this judging take place? It also mentions that the remnant of His people will be judged by the "other twelve". Who are the "other twelve"?
  • Morm 4:5: Mormon tells us here that it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished. He then follows the statements with "for ...." This construction suggests that the following phrase is a reason that the Lord uses the wicked to punish the wicked. But how does the fact that "it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed" explain why the Lord uses the wicked to punish the wicked?

Resources[edit]

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Notes[edit]

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.



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