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

Book of Mormon Commentary
2 Nephi Chapter 14
CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PRAYER, VER. 1-12
2 Ne 14:3 And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels, save it were by the Holy Ghost?
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.
14:3 Nephi wrote that those who enter Christ's way of life and receive the Holy Spirit, can “speak
with the tongue of angels" (2). Not much is revealed in the scriptures about angels. The reason,
perhaps, is that this would not help us much in this life. The analogy used by Nephi is that each is
inspired by the Holy Ghost, and therefore would have similar thoughts and language.
Angels are referred to as "ministering spirits" (Heb. 1:14). They may come to us incognito (Heb:
13:2). They can use their agency and fall from grace, and thus become tools of Satan (Jude 1:6;
Rev. 12:8). Paul wrote, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass" (I Cor. 13:1).
2 Ne 14:5 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye can not understand them, it will be
because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in
the dark.
14:5 As man moves toward God he will find He has already anticipated his mood and his need.
“Ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you" (D. and C. 49:5c). Because of
failure to ask and know men finally "must perish in the dark" (II N. 14:5). To the one who enters
fully the way of Christ is promised the Holy Ghost which shall show "all things what ye should
do" (6).
2 Ne 14:7 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ; and there will be no more doctrine given, until after he
shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh.
14:7 Nephi had declared in plainness the light he had received about Christ's doctrines. He was
quite anxious that his people should know this doctrine and live by it. The declaration that no
further revelation of Christian doctrine should be made until Christ came to his sheep on .the
Western continent is rather startling. This looks ahead nearly six hundred years (III N.5:4-17).
2 Ne 14:9 And now I, Nephi, can not say more: the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to
mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men:
for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in
plainness, even as plain as word can be.
14:9 This is an unusual expression. The Spirit is subject to the prophet (1 Cor. 14:32). He can even
quench the Spirit and refuse to give a message (1 Thess. 5:19). The Spirit 0£ God is light and truth
(D. and C. 90:4c, 6a). One possessed of this Spirit would have the discernment to know when to
stop talking. This may be another way of saying, "The Spirit giveth me nothing further to say."
2 Ne 14:11 For if ye would hearken unto the spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye
must pray: for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.