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

Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 2
1 Ne 2:54 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a
river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
2:54 The first Psalm tells of the happiness of the godly. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, ...he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth
his fruit in his season" (1:1, 3). At the head of the river which Lehi saw in his vision stood "Sariah,
and Sam, and Nephi.” They stood as though they “knew not whither they should go." So Lehi
beckoned to them, and they came and partook of the fruit. Laman and Lemuel refused to come
(2:59,61).
THE ROD OF IRON, AND SPACIOUS BUILDING, VER. 62-78
1 Ne 2:65 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they
might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
2:65 Not all of those whom Lehi saw wanted the path, but "many” tried to find the entrance to it.
Jesus said, "broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat"
(Matt. 7:22). It is easier to follow the crowd and to walk in the broad way. Men resent being
narrowed in their way of life or of thinking. To say one is narrow-minded is to insult his
intelligence. Often conformity to the ways of the world is classified as broad-mindedness. Paul
admonished, "Be not conformed to this world" (Rom. 12:2).
1 Ne 2:67 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceeding great mist of
darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off
and were lost.
2:67 Jesus uses this same figure of speech, saying, "If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be
full of darkness. If therefore the light which is in thee be darkness, how great shall that darkness
be" (Matt. 6:23).
Isaiah saw a time when “the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people" (Isa.
60:2).
1 Ne 2:68 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught
hold of the end of the rod of iron;
2:68 These were finally able to partake of the “fruit of the tree of life" (2:69; 3:68). Then a
peculiar thing happened, for they "cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed." Their feeling of
guilt was betrayed by their eyes.
1 Ne 2:72 And it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth;
2:71,72 The "other side" was the one which did not have the rod of iron. The "spacious building"
was the "pride of the world" (3:93, 126). The people in it were clothed lavishly, and they were
pointing at and mocking those "who were partaking of the fruit”. Few people can tolerate being