2ND NEPHI 31-33: AN ADDENDUM TO THE VISIONS
Nephi was very quick to point out that his father, while having a vision, was so preoccupied with other things that he failed to see the filthiness of the water.[1] However, Nephi is not as forthright with his own omission. As we will discuss below, Nephi tries to either correct an omission from the vision that he had originally written, or in the alternative, Nephi is prophetically adding to said vision. Either way, Nephi wants us to recall the vision he has written as he discusses his final thoughts towards the end of his record in 2 Nephi.
By having us recall his earlier
vision, and using explicit language, Nephi wants the reader to connect a symbol
with the vision that is not in his account, nor in Lehi’s account. The symbol
that Nephi adds to the vision is a gate.
John
the Baptist
Though Nephi is not clear on why he
is adding to the vision, he is very explicit that he wants to add to the
imagery previously describe in 1 Nephi 11-15. At the start of 2 Nephi 31 Nephi
writes:
“Wherefore, I would
that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet
which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which
should take away the sins of the world”[2]
The only
time that Nephi ever mentions a prophet baptizing the Lamb of God is found in 1
Nephi 11:27. Thus, when Nephi commands us (however lightly) to remember when he
spoke about the baptism of the Lamb of God, Nephi is drawing our attention/memory
to focus on the vision that he previously had.
Lamb
of God
The
title “Lamb of God” in Nephi’s writings is only found in Nephi’s vision in 1
Nephi 11-15, and the closing chapters of 2 Nephi. As discussed in another post[3],
there are 63 references to “lamb” in Nephi’s writings. 57 references are found
in Nephi’s vision in 1 Nephi 11-15, and refer to the “Lamb of God.” 4
references are found in the last 3 chapters of second Nephi beginning at 2
Nephi 31:4, and refer to the “Lamb of God.” Nephi will repeat this title in 2
Nephi 31:5, 6; 33:14 The other 2 references are found earlier in second Nephi
and only refers to a lamb in the millennium.[4]
By using a title that is only found in his earlier vision, Nephi is recalling
our memories to reflect specifically on his vision.
It is clear
from his reference to John the Baptist that Nephi wants to recall our attention
to his vision. However, after he directs our focus to his vision, he then
redirects our attention to Lehi’s vision.
I think it is important to note that
Lehi also taught about the the baptism of the “Lamb of God.”[5]
However, his teaching was outside of the context of the vision found in 1 Nephi
8.
Strait
and Narrow Path
The phrase “strait and
narrow” adds a peculiar twist to Nephi’s purpose. In 2 Nephi 31:9, Nephi writes
about the baptism of the Lamb of God, “And again, it showeth unto the children
of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which
they should enter, he having set the example before them.” He later mentions
the “strait and narrow path” two more times in the same chapter.[6]
The peculiar thing about Nephi’s reference to the “strait and narrow path”
is that Nephi never actually uses the word “strait,” or the word “narrow” in
his vision in 1 Nephi 11-15. The “strait and narrow path” is only found one
time in Lehi’s vision.[7]
The path did not play a prominent role in Nephi’s vision. It did, however, play
a big role in Lehi’s vision.[8]
Nephi has one more reference to strait and narrow in his closing words,
but it slightly tweaks the phrase “strait and narrow path.”[9] Nephi refers to the gate as narrow, and
the path strait.[10]
Follow
Next, Nephi mentions that Lamb of
God said unto the children of “Follow thou me.”[11]
This is similar to Lehi’s vision, where he finds himself in a dark and dreary
wilderness. In this state, a man in a white robe bade Lehi to “follow” him.[12]
Press
Forward
Nephi further links his closing
words to Lehi’s vision by using the phrase “press forward.” Nephi uses this
phrase twice in the last three chapters.[13] In context, the phrase “press forward”
comes after one is on the “strait and narrow path.” Once one is on the strait
and narrow path, one should press forward. This is similar to Lehi’s vision
where the people did “press forward” after they caught hold of the end of the
rod of iron.[14]
It is clear
that Nephi wanted us to read his final words in light of both his, and Lehi’s
vision.[15]
Why? I think it is pretty clear that one reason wanted us to read his final
words in light of the visions is because he wanted to add an element/symbol that
is not found in either of the visions- “the gate.”
The
Gate
Nephi introduces the gate
immediately after talking about the baptism of the Lamb of God. He writes, “And
again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the
narrowness of the gate.”[16]
Notice how the gate enters into Nephi’s writings after he begins the transition
to reference Lehi’s vision instead of his own. Quite literally the gate is
placed in the middle of both his and Lehi’s vision in Second Nephi 31.
Nephi also makes it clear that the
strait and narrow path begins after one enters through the gate.[17]
Once one travels through the gate and enters the strait and narrow path, then
they press forward.[18]
By associating the gate with both of the prior visions, Nephi wants us to read
a gate into those visions. We will delve into the gate and its characteristics,
as well as, its implications to specifically Lehi’s vision will be discussed in
great detail later on. However, for now, it is important to note that Nephi
wishes to include a gate, specifically in Lehi’s vision. This gate is at the
entrance to the “strait and narrow path” found in 1 Nephi 8:20.
More
interestingly, Nephi invokes his vision in the beginning, and then quickly
transfers our attention to Lehi’s vision. This begs the question, Why? Nephi
only devoted small portion of his writings to Lehi’s vision, compared to his
own.[19]
Nephi’s grandiose elaboration on his personal vision suggested that he viewed
his experience and vision as more important to Lehi’s account.
However,
towards the end of his life, he seems to think differently. Nephi’s vision was
a group/historical manifestation, whereas Lehi’s vision is an individual/group
journey. Lehi’s vision begins with one person, and concludes with groups of
people travelling (or not) the path to the tree. Perhaps the aged Nephi sees
the power of the personal journey to the tree. Perhaps Nephi wanted to correct,
what he might have seen was a gaping hole in the journey- where were the
covenants? To rectify this, Nephi either remembered a gate that was not noticed
before in the visions, or he constructed the gate to modify the
interpretation/application of the visions.
How does the
gate change the way Lehi’s vision is applied? What does the gate say about the
strait and narrow path? What does the gate say about the path that leads to the
gate? How does the gate change our application of how we interact with the
tree?[20]
[1] 1 Nephi 15:27
[2] 2 Nephi 31:4; the “Lamb of
God” phrase will be discussed later.
[3] see A Critical Link
Between Worlds: Nephi and John
[4] 2 Nephi 30:12
[5] 1 Nephi 10:7-11
[6] 2 Nephi 31:18, 19
[7] 1 Nephi 8:20
[8] Though the phrase “strait
and narrow” is only used once, Lehi’s vision references a path 5 times. 1 Nephi
8:20, 21, 22, 23, and 28
[9] 2 Nephi 33:9
[10] A more flushed out
explanation of this implication will be explored in a post about the gate
[11] 2 Nephi 31:10
[12] 1 Nephi 8:6-7
[13] 2 Nephi 31:20. Both of
the usages are found in this verse.
[14] 1 Nephi 8:24, 30. Lehi’s
vision uses the phrase more than twice. The ways that they are used will be
explored in a later paper
[15] There are other subtle
references to Nephi’s vision, but because they require us to link different
definitions with a symbol, I have chosen to leave them out
[16] 2 Nephi 31:9
[17] 2 Nephi 31:17
[18] 2 Nephi 31:20
[19] I haven’t done any
measurements, but if you read 1 Nephi 8 and compare it to 1 Nephi 11-5 you can
see for yourself
[20] Many of these ideas, and
more, will be explored later in much greater detail.
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