Talk:3 Ne 26:6-21

3 Ne 26:14

I'd like to open a discussion on what is happening in 3 NEPHI 26: 14. I'd like someone to confirm that my reading is correct or if it isn't to enlighten me.

To understand the full import of the happening in 3 Nephi 26: 14 first consider 3 Nephi 17:12 - 17 wherein the Savior is praying and the people report that “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 . . . “ and 3 Nephi 19: 34 “so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written neither can they be uttered by man.”

Now it is easy to understand how the Savior, the creator of worlds and inhabitants thereof, could in fact speak such marvelous things. His experience is vast even incomprehensible.

Assuming that I have read 3 Nephi 26: 14 correctly the thing that I find curious and wonderful is that the Savior allows the children to upstage him, so to speak, when “he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, EVEN GREATER THAN HE HAD REVEALED UNTO THE PEOPLE. . . “

My opinion is that in this scripture 3N 26: 14 the Savior demonstrates his humility. He is all powerful. He has no need to demonstrate it as in showing off. He can allow others, “ even the least of these thy brethren” to display their knowledge. Some of the doctrines of the gospel that are indicated here include the pre-existence, the knowledge we had before we came here and still possess, the veil, the humility and self-assurance of Christ. He is da man and he does not need to brag about it or use theatrics to demonstrate it.

I find whisperings of similar characteristics of Christ in John 14:12 and Helaman 5: 46 “And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying. . . .” and in 3 Nephi 11: 3 “. . . and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center. . . “

Have I read this scripture accurately? Any comments on my musings would be appreciated. Dennis

Two thoughts -

One of my favorite quotes from Joseph Smith is "[I]t is not always wise to relate all the truth. Even Jesus, the Son of God, had to refrain from doing so, and had to restrain His feelings many times for the safety of Himself and His followers, and had to conceal the righteous purposes of His heart in relation to many things pertaining to His Father's kingdom."

It is my belief that children show none of this restraint. What children see and understand they share. Not that Christ felt "restrain" but he shared with exactness, while the children shared their understanding of things they have seen.

Second, I believe that experiences are more powerful than a doctrinal discussion. In a misssion prep class I was taught (from the old missionary guide) that a good teacher explains the doctrine, backs it up by scripture, shares an experience (ideally personal or from this dispensation), and then bears testimony. Here the Savior emulates this pattern by explaining the doctrine, making sure it was written or understood by their own scripture, and then allowing the children to share experiences, thus strengthening the peoples' and their own belief, prior to confirming their belief with his own testimony (or the testimony of angels and the Holy Ghost).

Great insight/question - something I have thought about as well. Just wish I knew and understood all of THE reasons. -Visorstuff 19:15, 25 Mar 2005 (CET)

Hi Dennis,

I also enjoyed your thoughts and insights. I think there is good material here for thought questions and exegesis that could be added to the commentary page. If you get a chance before I or someone else does, please add something to the commentary page. --Matthewfaulconer 08:03, 27 Mar 2005 (CEST)

Dennis & Visorstuff,

I updated the commentary page with some thoughts related to this discussion, please add to it/edit it based on your intepretation of this scripture as you feel best. --Matthew Faulconer 06:21, 7 Apr 2005 (CEST)