Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte...
At the end of his life King Benjamin transfers the throne to his son Mosiah and instructs the people for the last time.
As a parent, I'm drawn to examples in the scriptures of prophets teaching their children. In the first words of the Book of Mormon we learned that the prophet Nephi was "born of goodly parents," "taught somewhat in all the learning of my father," and "highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days." Likewise, King Benjamin took great care to ensure his sons had a firm foundation of spiritual learning. "And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers" (Mosiah 1:2) King Benjamin further explains that the risk of not learning gospel truths is to "suffer in ignorance ... not knowing the mysteries of God" (Mosiah 1:3).
It is clear that "the language of his fathers" refers to both spiritual and secular knowledge and that parents have a responsibility to provide opportunities for children to learn and grow. While "the mysteries of God," may sound like obscure gospel teachings, they are the core aspects of the gospel like the existence and nature of God, principles such as faith and repentance, and essential ordinances like baptism. Though these truths may seem basic and foundational, they are unknown to the majority of God's children on earth. Merriam Webster defines a mystery as "a religious truth that one can know only be revelation." Referring to these truths as mysteries is not a comment on their accessibility, but the avenue by which they are obtained.
The ultimate purpose of this secular and spiritual education is "that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land." (Mosiah 1:7) All of the truths we learn in the scriptures, from good books, at school, at church, and through prayer are meant to be transformative. With every message we receive or piece of information we consume we can consider, "How would accepting this as true affect my behavior?" Even for data that are factually correct, we can choose how we embrace them and how much mental and emotional energy we give them by what it would prompt us to do. In addition to receiving direction and inspiration from the Spirit, we have the ability to judge right and wrong for ourselves, "for by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20).
King Benjamin's other purpose in assembling his people was to give them a new name. He commanded Mosiah that the people should be gathered together that "I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord. And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression" (Mosiah 1:10-12) After quickly scanning the subsequent chapters of King Benjamin's address, I can't find the name that he gave the people. I have never noticed this detail of King Benjamin's address and am struck by the significance that King Benjamin placed on giving them a new name. As Shakespeare famously questioned in Romeo and Juliet, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet."
King Benjamin's address would imply that the names by which people are known are significant, and that their specific purpose is to distinguish one from another and set them apart. His only reference to names later in his sermon was to preach the name of Christ: "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17). As members of Christ's church, we take upon us the name of Christ. Just as the truth we accept should change our behavior, the names we ascribe to ourselves define our identity and should shape our thoughts, words, and actions for good.
Application Questions:
What can I do as a parent (grandparent/aunt/uncle/friend) to ensure that the children in my life "might become [people] of understanding?" How can I help them apply gospel teaching to make good choices?
What names and titles are you known by? Which ones have you taken on and which ones have been given to you? How does this sense of identity help you keep the commandments?
Image Credit: Josch13
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