Ether 12:22-41
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapter 12
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Contents
Questions
Verse 27
- If. What does this verse starting out with if tell us about what is to follow?
- Come unto the Lord. How are we to "come unto" the Lord?
- Show. How does the Lord show us our weakness when we come unto Him? What does it mean for a weakness to be shown? How are they revealed? Can we know our weaknesses without coming unto the Lord?
- What does it mean for the Lord to "give" us our weakness? Does that mean weakness is a gift? What kind of a gift is a weakness? What might this verse imply about how we should consider are weaknesses? If weaknesses are gifts, what is the appropriate way to receive these gifts?
- What do our weaknesses reveal about the relationship between our body, with its unique strengths and weaknesses, and our spirit, with its own talents and perhaps deficiencies?
- Weakness vs weaknesses? What does it mean that the Lord gives us "weakness"? Is this a reference to our own individual weaknesses, or just the general weakness of our fallen natures? Is there a difference? Is it even possible to speak of a general weakness separate from our own personal weaknesses?
- Humility. What does it mean to be truly humble? How do we become humble? Is humility a choice? What might lead us to become humble? How might our weaknesses help us to be humble? What other choices might we have in dealing with our weaknesses? What happens if we don't allow our weaknesses to make us humble?
- Grace. What is grace?
- Sufficient. What does it mean to speak of grace as being "sufficient" for us?
- For all men. Does this mean that the Lord can heal all weaknesses, even the most intractable character flaws and physical limitations? Is there any person or weakness that is beyond his ability to reach? What conditions must be met for Him to be able to reach all men? Are there some who can't meet those conditions?
- Humble. What is true humility?
- Themselves. What does it mean for us to humble ourselves? Can anyone really make us humble?
- Before me. What does it mean to be humble before the Lord? Is there any other type of humility? What constitutes being humble before the Lord? Is it more than just acknowledging sin or weakness?
- Faith. What does faith in the Lord have to do with being humble and being made strong? How do we exercise a faith in the Lord that can make us strong?
- I. The Lord says that He will make us strong if we are humble and exercise faith. How does the Lord do that? Is this a process or an all of a sudden change? How is this a manifestation of grace?
- Will. What does it mean that the Lord will make weak things strong? What kind of promise might this entail? How does this reflect the Lord's will? Does this promise imply that the Lord wants to do this, that this is his will?
- Weak things. Is there a difference between a weakness and a weak thing? Why are weak things pluralized here? Does that reflect the separate weaknesses of an individual, or the collective weaknesses of everyone, or is it just a reference to all of us as fallen or weak mortal beings?
- Become. What does it mean that the weak things will become strong? Does this happen in this life, or does this reflect a restitution or change brought about in the resurrection? Does this indicate a sudden change, or a process of change, or can we even tell that from this verse?
- Strong. What does it mean for us to speak of a weak thing becoming strong? What does it mean to be strong?
Lexical notes
Verse 27
- Weakness not weaknesses. Verse 27 can be easily misunderstood to say God gives unto men weaknesses (plural) instead of weakness (singular). The difference suggests general and overall weakness, as opposed to several specific weaknesses. For example, our mortality and sinful nature is part of our inherent weakness. So when the Lord talks of his grace being sufficient, he may be saying that he will make humans, as weak things, become strong. This can be accomplished via the Atonement. Our state of weakness can become strong but only if we humble ourselves before the Lord and confess our sins before him. This helps explain why Moroni prays for grace in verse 36, so that we might have charity. In verse 34 Moroni states that we cannot inherit that place prepared for us in the heavens except we have charity, thus charity is something that will help us overcome (or compensate for) our general state of weakness. This prayer for the general virtue of charity stands in contrast to a prayer asking for specific strengths in light of specific weaknesses.
Exegesis
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Related links
Verse 27
- Anthony D. Perkins, "‘The Great and Wonderful Love’," Ensign, Nov 2006, pp. 76–78. Beware of false inadequacy, exaggerated imperfection, and needless guilt. Elder Perkins counsels us to place our burdens on Jesus Christ. "When you feel overwhelmed by expectations and challenges, do not fight the battle alone."
- See also 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, quoted here from the NIV translation. "To keep me [Paul] from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
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