Mosiah 13 to Alma 16

352 Pages·2014·13.17 MB·English

E. Leroy Gunnell
Doctrinal Studies
Volume 4
Mosiah 13
to
Alma 16
Table of Contents
Volume 4
Mosiah 13 to Alma 16
Mosiah 13-14 ............................................................................. 3
Mosiah 15-16 ........................................................................... 52
Mosiah 17-18 ........................................................................... 89
Mosiah 19-21 ......................................................................... 110
Mosiah 22-24 ......................................................................... 120
Mosiah 25-26 ......................................................................... 133
Mosiah 27-28 ......................................................................... 165
Mosiah 29 ............................................................................... 191
Alma 1-4 ................................................................................. 207
Alma 5-7 ................................................................................. 237
Alma 8-9 ................................................................................. 266
Alma 10-11 ............................................................................. 272
Alma 12-13 ............................................................................. 284
Alma 14-16 ............................................................................. 322
Mosiah 13-14
BOOK OF MORMON - MOSIAH 13-14
I. ABINADI BEFORE HIS ACCUSERS (12:17-18)
A. Mos. 12:19. Abinadi did confound them in all their words and accusations.
B. Mos. 12:25-27. Abinadi takes the offensive and accuses them of not under
standing the scriptures and asks what do you teach the people?
C. Mos. 12:28-29. They say "we teach the law of Moses. Abinadi asks "then
why don't you keep it"?
a. Abinadi says, your hearts are set on riches;
b. you commit whoredoms;
c. you spend your strength with harlots.
D. Mos. 12:31-32. Abinadi asks "does salvation come by the law of Moses?
They say yes.
E. Mos. 12:33. I know that if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be
saved.
II. IF YE KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS THE LORD GAVE TO MOSES ON THE
MOUNT... (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS)
A. Mos. 12:34-35. Abinadi begins repeating the ten commandments the :Lord
gave to Moses.
1. "Thou shalt have no other God before me."
a. Give me all the reasons you can think of why this is the first
commandment: (1) God is our Father; (2) He is the ruler of
the universe; (3) With a strong hand He brought the Israelites
out of bondage in Egypt; (4) They were worshiping <?th~r 11 aU-~:.:.;I_ k 1h.
Gods of wood, stone, and precious metals, etc. lie ~-a, ~
~ fC "NIk eta-#~ .
b. Moses warned the Israelites not to forget the Lord nor go
after other gods-now Abinadi is doing the same for the
Nephites. See Deut 6:12-14; 6:4-7.
c. WHO is the God being referred to when it says "Thou shalt
have no other God before me?
r (1) Hosea 13:4 (Jehovah)
(2) Reynolds and Sjodahl 2:135
d. Now let me complicate your answer. See Moses 1 :1-6
This is obviously Eloheim. Now let me ask you again, Who
is the first commandment referring to?
e. How do we reConcile these two answers?
f. Joseph Smith said: "But to us there is but one God - that
is pertaining to us" HC 6:474; or TPJS: 370
g. And yet from the FALL of Adam and Eve.JJehovah has been
the one God:
(i;
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Talmage, J the C, p. 32 and note 2, p. 41
A.~ (1)
i$~dt.~(2) (j)
Andrus, GM&U, 112-113 (Attachedl
(3) Part of the confusion comes in the fact that Jesus is also
known as the Father (see Doctrinal Exposition of the
r Father and the Son, M of FP 5 :23-34.
(4) Better understanding comes from I.EJS:190 wherein
the true role of each member of the Godhead is given
therefore after the FALL Eloheim delegated to the Son
to be the one God of this earth until all the sons and
daughters of Eloheim have had their chance for salva
tion in the Celestial Kingdom.
2. v. 36. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
@
a. Reynolds and Sjodahl 2:142 lAttached)
b. Mos. 12:37.
c. Mos. 13:1-2. The reaction of Noah and his priests is that he
is mad-therefore, take him away and slay him. More prob
ably they could see what was coming and didn't want to lis
ten to the other commandments.
(1) Like Enoch (Moses 6:38); Christ (John 10:20); Paul
(Acts 26:24); Joseph Smith (JS-H 1 :24-25).
r
d. Mos. 13 :3-5. He had to deliver the message the Lord sent
him to deliver before they could slay him.
~
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e. v.5. Interesting clarification of biblical text (D. Ludlow, QQm/?··i
panion, 182-83. (Attachedt.. U-:..;~
3 ~ i'iti~CI\~ ~pr1 r
ttu
f. Mos. 13 :~-11. lWFtat is A~~~ti~$.!!lE!~A (Specifically th. ~ ~
the Ten Commandments and then to testify of the Divinity of
Christ and His Atonement)
(1) Why can't they slay him? The Lord protected him by
transfiguring him before them and thus divine power
protected him until his message was given. (see 0 & C
122:9);
(2) How do you account for the fact that the transfiguration
of Abinadi failed to dissuade King Noah and his priests
from wanting to slay him?
Jta')
Ostensible reason: he is mad, a trouble-maker I. 1 ofi.
Real reason: I Ne. 17:44-45; 3 Ne. 1:22; 2:1-3 {'/f.I }
A'f1 ,.
(3) Why does truth cut to the very heart? (I Ne. 16:1-3;
D&C6:2);
p,..
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(4) By killing Abinadi what did Noah condemn himself too?
2. Mos. 13:12-14. Abinadi picks up this message once again: "Thou
shalt not make unto thee any graven image"
"Idolatry has aptly been termed spiritual adultery" (Reynolds and
SjodahI2:142-43; Start with "to countenance its image worship, ,. I -)
the Roman Catholic church ... ). (Attacbed) (k.?
I
G._ '.)
Graven Images (My experience on temple square with
Jewish Family. (Attache~) !.
B. What is Abinadi's message to King Noah and his priests? (Specifically
the Ten Commandments and to testify of the Divinity of Christ and His
Atonement)
a. Dr. Adam Clarke gives some general information about the '-'"
lli)
Ten Commandments:(Reynolds & Sjodahl 2: 151 )(Attached)
3. Mos. 13:15. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.
AfP>...
I.
n/~ ~
a. So common in our day - even the youth, Jr. & Senior Hi J ,
b. D & C 63:62 (using Diety's name without authority)
4. Mos. 13:16-19. "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy."
a. Susannah Wesley writing to her son John offers this test
as a standard for the Sabbath. She asks:
WOULD YOU JUDGE THE LAWFULNESS OR UNLAWFULNESS
OF PLEASURE? THEN USE THIS RULE:
WHAT EVER-
WEAKENS YOUR REASON,
IMPAIRS THE TENDERNESS OF YOU CONSCIENCE,
OBSCURES YOUR SENSE OF GOD,
TAKES OFF YOUR RELISH OF SPIRITUAL THINGS,
INCREASES THE AUTHORITY OF YOUR BODY OVER
YOUR MIND;
THAT THING TO YOU IS SIN ..
BY THIS TEST ONE MAY READILY DETECT WHEN HE IS BEING
TEMPTED BY EVIL, HOWEVER SUBTLY OR PLAUSIBLY TEMPTATION
MAY BE PRESENTED.
b. D & C 59: 9-13.
5. Mos. 13:20. "Honor thy father and thy mother."
a. "The rightful place in the home is for parents to act, as it
were, in the place of God. The father and mother direct and
guide their youthful offspring, ... Parents are bound to
educate and instruct their children in all useful and
necessary knowledge, and not bring them up in ignorance
or idleness. They should teach their children the fear and
knowledge of the Lord." (Reynolds & Sjodahl 2:145)
6. Mos. 13:21. "Thou shalt not kill." (Does that apply to capital
punishment? (see JST Gen. 9:10-14) (~t{.>. fbt2 ~fL t(dd?J!iUf.,-/tf7",
l
7. Mos. 13:22. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (If someone
watches porno on the internet, or watches adult videos, etc. is that
like looking upon a woman or man and lusting after her or him?
a. Pres. Oaks comment (On back of triple combination)
8. Mos. 13:22. "Thou shalt not steaL" (Story of two freshmen at BYU
. 'IJ1"vM':
,ih.; ~~
t i aN, ,t101 /,t1 y
who were arrested for stealing $5000 of Hi Fi Stereo equipment
from the BYU bookstore. They said they were trying to get enough
money to go on missions. Phone bills at semester's end.
9. 13:23. IIThou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
10. 13 :24. "Thou shalt not covet."
C. Moses returning from the mount said: "It's just a first draft, but it appears
nobody is going to get away with anything." (Reader's Digest, Nov. '79.
D. Mos. 13:25-26. Have ye taught these things to the people? Nay.
How important were these commandments to ancient Israel? Deut 6:4-9.
E. Mos. 13:27-28. He answers his own earlier question: "Does salvation
come by the law of Moses? (12:31) r-~1Iv itJ~? _,
t..3--. ,;
1. Jackson & Tanner S in S 7:238 (~)l
F. Now comes art of Abinadi's message: the law of Moses and
the Ten Commandments are really meaning ithout the Atonement.
1. M & M 2:215-16 (Attached)
-.
.~.----...
G. Mos. 13:29-30. Then why was the law of Moses was given?
~J,~
1. Do we need the same kind of daily reminder.s or are we spiritually ... 6fIv
mature enough to discipline ourselves? I ~ ~ ~ ~. .. ~
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2. (M & M 2:217-18) , _ftjY:. ~') 'J~ (~ V. ()
~'.'j(, '1 ~.
v
3. The Lord's use of the term "stiff necked or stiffneckedness" to des-
.- 1\ cribe Israel is interesting: at least 30 ref. in B of M: Rey & Sjod. 2: /..t- .1L.
~~~~~t/,~~~; ~/IM4I~~
149-50
H. Mos. 13:31-33. All these things were types of things to come. The law of
Moses was prophetic, e.g. look at animal sacrifice (Moses 5:5-9).
~ flU.{ IJI) ,~. ,
1. King Benjamin understoo~ Mos. 3:13-15;
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(fJZ" ~P.Jfa';') (2
2. ( M & M 2:220) (Attached)
3. (JST Luke 16:16-21) The Savior rebuked the Jews for not under
standing the Law and accepting Him which was testified of in Law
I. MOS<~ L~!. books quoted from. (Deut 18:18-19; Acts 3:22-23)
III. ISAIAH 53 OR MOSIAH 14. Chapter 53 of Isaiah is probably the best-known
chapter in the entire book of Isaiah because of its prophecies of the life of Christ.
TIJ.§js..ttte. fourth. otthe celebrated servant poems or songs written by Isaiah
about Christ; it Is a glorious song of praise of him who is the servant of all -
Reynolds and Sjodahl 2:152-53. This entire chapter -all 12 verses-are
written about Christ.
Abinadi has just finished reading the ten commandments to King Noah and his
priests and thereby condemns them because they neither teach these
commandments to the people nor do they live them themselves. Abinadi pOints
out in chapter 13:30, 32 (read them). Then in verses 33-35 he points out that all
of the prophets have prophesied about God coming to earth to bring redemption
and salvation to mankind." Here "Isaiah gives the most sublime mess
Ianic prophecy in all of the scriptures." (V. Ludlow, 447). Then Abinadi
gives explanation and commentary on Isaiah 53 in his own chapters 15 & 16
see 15:1. So Abinadi makes it very clear, even though many world scholars do
not agree, that this chapter is about Christ,_ Abinadi is absolutely certain that
Isaiah is prophesying about Christ's coming. "The fact that Abinadi Quotes this
chapter (Mos. 14) in an attempt to convince the people of the coming of the
Messiah would indicate that these particular writings of Isaiah definitely do
pertain to Jesus Christ." (D. Ludlow, 183).
Isaiah 52:7-10 and Chapter 53 (Mosiah 12:21-24; and 14) constitute the script
ural foundation of Abinadi's message to King Noah and his priests and his
people. The warning about their iniquities, the discussion of the law of Moses,
and the reading of the ten commandments, all were preliminary to the main
message-the divinity of Christ and the absolute necessity of His Atonement.
Mos. 13:34-::39 "Only God could redeem His people. Therefore "God himself"
theMessiah- was to come among men "in mighty power" and, in due course,
"be oppressed and afflicted." Then he quoted Isaiah's prophetic summary of the
Redeemer's birth, earthly ministry, suffering and atoning sacrifice."
"This is the chapter of the Jewish scriptures which practically all Jewish scholars
completely missed. By stressing other chapters on the coming of the Messiah in
power (the Second Coming), they missed this chapter showing that the Savior
would first come among men to suffer and die. After that he would be exalted in
the heavens, and afterwards come to earth a SECOND time to carry out His
role as the mighty Messiah and victor over the adversaries of the Jews. Think
how different the history of the Jews would have been if they had used this
chapter to help them recognize Jesus when He was born among them!
Instead, they tried to twist this chapter and make it refer to the persecution and
dispersion of the Jewish people rather than life and death of their Messiah."
C. Skousen, Hidden Treasures,2: 159)
A. In these 12 verses, Isaiah provides a preview of four major aspects of
Christ's life and mission:
1. vs. 1-3. His mortal life as the "despised man" & rejected by the
Jews;
2. vs. 4-6. His atonement; the Savior will suffer these things to save
the world;
3. vS.7-9. His trial and crucifixion as an "innocent lamb," but he will
not retaliate;
4. vs. 10-12. His sacrifice will be a freewill offering; he will see his
seed, and he will satisfy the demands of justice; his post mortal
glory as an exalted son.
B. vs. 1-3. Christ's Mortal life as the "despised man" & rejected by the Jews;
1. v. 1. What does Isaiah mean when he asks this rhetorical question,
"Who hath believed our report?" (all of the prophets have spoken
about Christ, including Isaiah, yet few have believed their
testimony (Mos. 13:33). Abinadi says the witness of the prophets
concerning the Lord's Servant (the Messiah) had been ignored.)
In our daYi\who will listen to the voice of the living prophets?
2. What does Isaiah mean, "to whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed?" (miracles performed among the Jews revealed
Christ's power to be the "arm of the Lord." ~~~,,~tQJJJLl2:37-3§. To
whom has God revealed his priesthood, his gospel, those things
wherein is found the power of God unto salvation, these are the
ones to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed.)
Victor Ludlow says, "The servant to be revealed by the Lord's
power is not named, but both the prophet Abinadi and the
evangelist Philip identify him as Jesus Christ.
(Mos. 15:1 and Acts 8:26-39).
So also do several New Testament writers:
a. Matthew in Matt. 8:17 (Isa. 53: 5)
Cf
Philip in Acts 8:26-3.i5 (lsa.53:7-8)
Paul in Rom. 4:25 (lsa.53:5)
Peter in I Pet. 2:24-25 (lsa.53:5)