Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISM, VER. 1-17
Book of Mormon Commentary
2 Nephi Chapter 13
2 Ne 13:4 For my soul delighteth in plainness: for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the
children of men.
13:4 As mentioned previously, a virtue rather generally acknowledged by readers of the Book of
Mormon is that it is easily understood. Nephi affirms that God's manner of working or communing
with his children is in plainness (1 N. 3:165, 174; II N. 6:96; 11:7; 15:7).
Nephi had the gift of prophecy, and he comes directly to the point and leaves no doubt as to the
intention and meaning which the Spirit has to convey (3). It is God's purpose to give "light unto
the understanding" (5).
2 Ne 13:6 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you, concerning that
prophet which the Lord shewed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away
the sin of the world.
13:6 Nephi's vision was of John the Baptist (I N. 3:7-12). Jesus was to symbolize the Pascal lamb
which each year at the Passover would be offered up as a sacrifice for "the sin of the world" (John
1:29). This is commonly interpreted as the “original sin," or as "Adam's transgression" which was
passed on to his descendants. In the earlier mention of Jesus' baptism by John (I N. 3: 12), the
form is in the plural, "the sins of the world," and doubtless refers to the individual sins, which are
remitted through repentance, faith in Jesus, and baptism. Christ is referred to as the "Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). John was "baptizing £or the remission of sins"
(Luke 3:3).
Nephi then points out: "If the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by
water to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be
baptized" (7).
2 Ne 13:9 But notwithstanding he being holy, he sheweth unto the children of men, that according to
the flesh, he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be
obedient unto him in keeping his commandments;
13:9 Only in the Inspired Version in Old Testament times, do we find the record of this command
to be baptized (Gen. 6:53; 7:13). The gospel was preached in the beginning of human history
(Gen. 8:7). Paul declares it was preached unto Abraham (Gal. 3:8), and that there is only one
gospel (Gal. 1:8) whenever and wherever it is preached.
It was after Jesus had rendered obedience to the doctrine of water baptism that the Holy Spirit, in
the form of a dove, bore record of his divine sonship (II N. 13:10). Jesus "was on all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). His baptism was not for individual sin, but
for obedience and as an example of the Lamb which carried away the sins of the race.
2 Ne 13:11 And again: It sheweth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the
narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.