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
Even after the miraculous experience of baptizing Jesus recorded in Matthew 3, in Matthew 11 it seems that John the Baptist was unsure that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. John was imprisoned by Herod, but sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3). At this point I would have thought it would be obvious to John the Jesus was indeed the Christ. John who had seen the Spirit descend like a dove and heard the voice of Heavenly Father testify of Christ's divinity. Perhaps something about being in prison prompted John's need for additional certainty and renewed hope in a bleak circumstance. Mercifully, Jesus answered and said to the disciples of John, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see" (Matthew 11:4). Without the slightest hesitation or chastisement Jesus offered John the added witness he desired. He showed him again the evidence John needed to find certainty and strength.
Jesus even went on to praise John as more than a prophet. "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:10-11). Even in his developing and imperfect faith, John the Baptist was a messenger of Christ. We too do not have to be perfect in order to fulfill God's foreordained purposes for us. We can sincerely ask God to help us renew our testimony of truths that maybe we should already know.
Wisdom Is Justified of Her Children
Christ commented on the criticisms levied against him and John. "But wisdom is justified of her children" (Matthew 11:19) The New International Version (NIV) of the bible renders this verse, "But wisdom is proved right by her deeds" (Matthew 11:19). I see parallels between this verse and Christ's warning against following false prophets: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7:16). In both cases the implication is that whether something is good or wise will eventually become self-evident because of the outcomes. This provides some reassurance to the religiously skeptical who are reluctant to rely on feelings and faith. Christ is applying the scientific method to know if a leader or course of action is of God. It is also a good reminder to the devout to focus on how religion is changing and improving you as an individual and making the world a measurably better place. Wheat and tares may be allowed to grow together for a time, and the distinction might not be immediately apparent, but if the time horizon is stretched long enough, wickedness will never be happiness, and righteousness will always bring blessings.
It Would Have Remained Until This Day
In chastising the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, Jesus commented: "if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day" (Matthew 11:23). Reading this verse I wonder why God did not show Sodom the mighty works which would have saved it. God loves all of His children infinitely and equally, but from a mortal perspective He clearly extends privileges to some over others. He is also omniscient and has foreknowledge of the choices we will make and the people we will become collectively and individually. That being the case, why would He know withhold knowledge from anyone on an unrighteous path, and only reveal his power and truth to those destined for righteousness? While I can't speculate on any given situation, I suspect it has something to do with preserving agency. If there was always a direct and immediate Pavlovian correlation between righteousness and blessings, or wickedness and punishment, our mortal experience would lose its meaning as a test, and our ability to choose would be undermined.
Thou Hast Hid These Things from the Wise and Prudent
"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (Matthew 11:25). Jesus thanked Heavenly Father for withholding the true meaning of Christ's words and the significance of His ministry from the unworthy. This protective mechanism ensures that those who are not prepared to follow Christ are not held accountable for knowledge they did not act on.
I can remember a number of times when I have felt sorrow because someone I loved did not understand the gospel or declined invitations to participate in the church. These rejections came with fear, apprehension, and hopelessness and sense that something had gone wrong. While we know that God also weeps for those who choose not to follow Him, what belief motivated Christ's gratitude? How could I emulate Christ and thank the Lord when the people around me dismiss God's overtures? Especially as a parent, it feels unimaginable to pray "I think thee, O Father, that my child still does not have a testimony" or "I'm grateful that my child continues to struggle to keep the commandments."
I Will Give You Rest "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). I've heard it explained that a yoke is designed to evenly distribute the weight of a load between two beasts of burden. When we take on the yoke of Christ, we limit ourselves by abandoning unrighteous behavior, but then enjoy the enabling power of Christ of forgive our sins, heal our sorrow , and accomplish our life's work. Attending hours of church, serving in callings, or donating 10% of your income may not seem very restful in the short term, but these choices can provide a deep sense of inner peace that comes from knowing that your life is aligned with God's will. The burden of Christ is not light because it requires less effort, or eliminates our exposure to pain and suffering. It is light in comparison to the captivity of the devil, which brings misery and death. Individualistic westerners who place a high emphasis on personal freedom are sure to balk at the idea of restrictions of any kind. But is it important to remember that there is no third option for yokes. Through our daily thoughts, words, and actions, we are either drawing closer to Christ, or enslaving ourselves to Satan.
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