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

Book of Mormon Commentary
Helaman Chapter 5
Hel 5:82 And he said unto me that while the thunder and the lightning lasted, and the tempest,
that these things should be, and that darkness should cover the face of the whole earth, for the
space of three days. The time of Jesus' death, the duration of his stay in the tomb, and the time of
his resurrection have aroused some controversy. It is presumed that the darkness over the earth for
three days corresponds to the time he lay in the tomb. The time of his death is clearly established
by wit- nesses according to the Bible as on Friday after three P.M. and before sundown.
Concerning his being taken to the tomb, Mark said: "When even was come, because it was the
preparation day, that is the day before the Sabbath" (15:46). The Jewish Sabbath began on Friday
at sundown, and ended at sundown on Saturday. Therefore "preparation day" was synonymous
with Friday, because they made ready for the Sabbath that day.
The problem then is, Was he resurrected on Sunday or Monday morning? If he lay in the tomb
three full days, it had to be the latter; if it were on "the third day," as recorded in Matt. 16:22;
Mark 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:45; Acts 10:40; I Cor. 15 :4, it would be on Sunday morning.
This seems clearly stated in the record of Matthew 28:1-5: "In the end of the Sabbath day, as it
began to dawn towards the first day of the week, early in the morning," and so on. This does not
satisfy the literal interpretation in the book of Jonah (Jonah 1: 17) as quoted by Jesus: " As Jonas
was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:34). Neither does it harmonize exactly with
passages which say, "be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:33; Matt. 27:64; II N.
11:22; III N. 4:61). However, Mosiah said: "He shall rise the third day from the dead" (1:105).
When there are seeming or real conflicts in the scriptures, an interpretation based on the
preponderance of evidence is necessary. Our calendars are correct in making Sunday the first day
of the week, and Christians are logical and, I believe, scriptural in worshiping on Sunday, which
they properly call "the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). "And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them" (Acts 20:7). The collections for
the needy saints in Jerusalem, as Paul directed, were to be "upon the first day of the week. ..that
there be no gatherings when I come" (1 Cor. 16:2).
PREDICI1ONS OF THINGS TO COME, VER. 87-108
Hel 5:90 For behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he
loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them,
because he loveth them.
"The Lamanites hath he hated, because their deeds have been evil continually" (91) ."But.
..salvation hath come unto them, through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the
Lord prolonged their days" (92).
The last clause is quite significant. By God's mercy the time of their destruction was held off so
that the Lamanites might have the privilege of hearing and obeying the law of the Lord. Already it
was evident that the Lamanites were turning from the wicked traditions of their fathers and,
believing the prophecies of the scriptures, were "firm and steadfast in the faith" (95-97).
Hel 5:100 And now because of their steadfastness, when they do believe, in that thing which they do
believe; for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold the Lord shall bless them
and prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity;