Lessons on the Book of Mormon 2020
Lesson No. Thirty-Six
Third Nephi’s Testimony of Jesus Christ
Third Nephi’s Testimony of Jesus Christ is for all people in the latter days – The four Gospels contained in the Bible are presented under the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gospels are not biographies but are rather testimonies. In fact the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST) changes the word Gospels to Testimonies. The four New Testament Gospels or Testimonies have preserved inspired accounts of the life and mortal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Each gospel was written primarily to a specific audience. Matthew wrote to the Jews, Mark and Luke wrote primarily to the gentiles, and John’s Testimony was directed to members of The Church of Jesus Christ in Ancient Days.
Third Nephi’s Testimony of Jesus Christ was written for all people in the latter days, and it is wonderfully unique in many ways, including the following:
Third Nephi is the irrefutable testimony of 2,500 people (see 3 Nephi 17:25) that Jesus is the Christ – This is the number of men, women, and children who “did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come. And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him” (3 Nephi 11:15-17).
Third Nephi uniquely preserves the ministry of the Lord among people of great faith – In His resurrected ministry among the Nephites Jesus taught doctrines that are reserved for people of great faith, many of which are taught in holy places such as the temple. In His mortal ministry people generally were lacking in faith, therefore Jesus limited what He taught them.
Jesus also performed greater miracles among the Nephites than he did in His mortal ministry. He told His Nephite disciples: “So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief” (3 Nephi 19:35).
In Third Nephi the Father testifies to a great multitude that Jesus is His Beloved Son – While the people at the temple in the land Bountiful were “conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death….they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.
“And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not…And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:
“Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well please, in whom I have glorified my name – hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:2-7).
In Third Nephi Jesus testifies to the same great multitude that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are, and that He is the God of the whole earth – After describing the great destruction that took place among the Nephites at the time of His crucifixion, Jesus continued speaking from heaven: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name” (3 Nephi 9:15).
Jesus invited the Nephites to “feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (3 Nephi 11:14).
In Third Nephi Jesus prayed often to His Father on behalf of the people – This shows the great compassion Jesus has for all those who believe on His name. One account reads: “And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.
“And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;
“And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard him pray for us unto the Father” (3 Nephi 17:15-17).
Third Nephi should be read and read again as it is a primary source for people in the latter days to gain a testimony of the teachings, compassion, and divinity of Jesus Christ – President Ezra Taft Benson said: “It is clear that 3 Nephi contains some of the most moving and powerful passages in all scripture. It testifies of Jesus Christ, His prophets, and the doctrines of salvation. What a blessing it would be if every family would frequently read together 3 Nephi, discuss its sacred contents, and then determine how they can liken it unto themselves and apply its teaching in their lives! Third Nephi is a book that should be read and read again. Its testimony of the resurrected Christ in America is given in purity and beauty” (A Witness and a Warning p. 42-43).