"Lehi beheld 'numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which [he] stood.' It is just so today. Multitudes of the earth's inhabitants respond regularly to the Light of Christ and seek to know more of the will of him whose they are. They seek to get on that path which leads directly to peace here and eternal life hereafter. But navigating the strait and narrow path takes care and caution. One's eyes must ever be fixed upon the Lord and his glory, and thus the traveler must be willing to forsake the extraneous and the unnecessary things which the world offers so readily.
"The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in 1839 that 'there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it' (D&C 123:12). In some cases, even those who find the truth are not able to forsake the world and its trappings and thus travel unencumbered down the narrow gospel passageway. Indeed, it is not difficult to live the principles of the gospel and thus to hold to the iron rod, except where one also attempts to maintain a concurrent grasp on the world." (McConkie, Millet, and Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1,p. 59)
Merrill J. Bateman
"Lehi beheld four groups of people traveling in different directions, some toward the tree and others away from it. The first group found the path and began the journey toward the tree. Along the way they encountered a mist of darkness which caused them to wander off and become lost. Others pressed forward, caught hold of the rod of iron, pressed through the mist by clinging to the rod, arrived at the tree, and partook of the fruit. Even though they tasted the sweetness of the fruit, they did not persist. They succumbed to the mocking of finely dressed people who inhabited a great and spacious building across the river. The scoffing and finger-pointing of the well-dressed caused the second group to become ashamed, and they drifted away into forbidden paths and were lost.
"The third group pressed forward onto the path and caught hold of the rod. By continually holding to the rod of iron, they reached the tree, fell down, and partook of the fruit. Nephi's record of his father's vision does not elaborate more with regard to these people. However, it is obvious that these are the faithful, those who continually hold to the rod, those who are humbled by the tree and its fruit. This is the only group that falls down at the foot of the tree before partaking of the fruit.
"The fourth group in Lehi's vision felt their way towards the great and spacious building. They had little or no interest in searching for the tree or the life it provides. After entering the building, they joined the others in pointing the finger of scorn at Lehi and those eating the fruit. Lehi, Sariah, Sam, and Nephi did not heed the people in the large building. But Laman and Lemuel refused to travel the path toward the tree and partake of the fruit. This upset Lehi, as he feared that the two eldest sons would be cast off from the presence of the Lord. Nephi states that after father Lehi had related all the words of the dream, he exhorted his older sons 'with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words' (1 Ne. 8:371 Ne. 8:37).
"Lehi's vision contains many symbols, including the strait and narrow path, the rod of iron, the mist of darkness, the large and spacious building, the river of water, and the tree of life. Each symbol has a special meaning, but the central message concerns the tree and its fruit." (Heroes from the Book of Mormon, p. 19.)