3 Nephi 20 - Feeding the Multitude and Isaiah

Two things struck me as I read through this chapter with the first being the Sacrament which the Savior administers to the multitude. The other is his quoting and paraphrasing of Isaiah.

First, the Sacrament and feeding the multitude: The day before, the Savior has bread and wine brought and He administers the sacrament to the disciples. He teaches them about it and then we have the amazing experience where He prays for and blesses the children and heals the sick, the maimed and afflicted.

On this second day, no bread or wine is asked for. He provides it miraculously and administers it to the disciples and then has them administer it to the gathered multitudes. It’s reminiscent of when the Savior fed the 5000, but here He associates this feeding with the covenants in the Sacrament ordinance.

Thereafter He begins to teach the people and makes this reference to Isaiah: “Ye remember that I spake unto you and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled,” and here’s what struck me most. “Behold, they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them.”

There is a sermon in this. The gist of it is being, the Lord expects us to study and learn from what He’s already revealed. By implication you can also. See, we won’t receive more until we’ve learned what we can from what we already have. One application of this principle is, until we, or at least enough of us, understand all the Book of Mormon that we have and need more, we won’t get the rest it.

The rest of the chapter is an exposition of the Nephites’ future as written in Isaiah. As you read through it you can see where He quotes Isaiah and then expounds on it. It makes for interesting reading when you consider the gentiles the Savior is speaking of is us.

3 Nephi 18 - Lessons to the Church

The context switches in this chapter, as well as the content make this a remarkable one.

First, the Savior introduces the Sacrament and how to administer it and what it’s for, to His twelve disciples. Then He speaks to the audience and instructs them on meeting together often and watching after one another. Finally, He gives further instructions to the twelve on the Sacrament and how they should treat people who desire to worship with them.

He counsels the believers should not cast out the unbelievers. This resonates with Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians that the believing spouse does not divorce the unbeliever.

I thought it interesting the Savior explains what the bread and water each represent. The bread is a token of us remembering what the Savior has done for us in the Atonement. Drinking the wine is a token of our covenanting to be obedient to His commandments.

It’s also interesting to note the Savior uses simple things such as bread and water to represent significant things. With the church’s releasing of a photo of the “Seer stone” Joseph Smith used, it’s harmonious with this approach in that it’s just a stone. A rather ordinary one at that, yet it’s what it represents and what God does with it that becomes so amazing and important to us.

Peace…