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

JESUS QUOTES THE PROPHETS, VER. 1-33
Book of Mormon Commentary
3 Nephi Chapter 11
3 Ne 11:1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had expounded all the scriptures in one, which they
had written, he commanded them that they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them.
Perhaps the first verb "had expounded," should read harmonized or organized. He then
commanded that they write the words he would quote as they had been given to the prophet
Malachi. This prophet wrote about 397 B.C., and therefore his writings were not found on the
brass plates which the Lehites had brought from Jerusalem 600 B.C.
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me” (Mal. 3:1). This
sounds as if it referred to John the Baptist, who was indeed a forerunner of the Lord Jesus (Matt.
11: 10, 11). However, as we quote Malachi further, we see that it does not refer to Jesus' first
coming. Malachi spoke of a time when "the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his
temple" (III N. 11:4). There was nothing sudden about his appearance when he came as
Bethlehem's babe.
"But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?" (5; Mal. 3:
2). History does not show that the times were unusually difficult when He came to Palestine.
"Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old"
(7; Mal. 3:4). Jesus' ministry was not pleasant to the Jews but rejected by them A.D. 34. "He came
unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11; Luke 13:34-36).
3 Ne 11:11 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In
tithes and offerings.
The law of tithing is first mentioned in the Bible concerning the worship of Abram (Gen. 14:20;
37-39), who paid tithes to Melchizedek, the high priest and "keeper of the storehouse of God."
Moses was inspired of God to teach the law of tithing (Lev. 27:30-34; Num. 18:24-28; Deut. 12:6,
11; 14:22, 28).
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now
herewith” (III N. 11:13; Mal. 3:10), The Lord has said, "1 the Lord, am bound when ye do what I
say" (D. and C. 81:3 b). We "prove" him by meeting all the conditions attached to his promises.
The Lord has promised, I will "open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing."
The attendant condition is to bring all the tithes. A token payment is not sufficient to bind the
Lord. The attitude one holds toward his obligation in temporal matters makes a great difference.
3 Ne 11:19 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and
heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that
thought upon his name.
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Prov. 8: 13). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom" (Prov. 9: 10). The righteous have no need to be afraid of their Lord. He is a God of love.
Those who are moved by his Spirit will find fellowship as they meet together often. These "shall
shine" and be spared when the Judgment I Day comes.