“He Spake with Power and Authority from God”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

Abinadi was direct in his manner of speech. He offered no apologies, no pretexts, or excuses. His condemnation of King Noah's wickedness was not diluted with meaningless words, nor was it a polemical discussion of what is right, or what is wrong. Abinadi did not argue that. The priests said they taught the Law of Moses; they knew the good, and recognized evil. They willfully sinned against God. Abinadi's words were convincing to those who desired to know the truth. With power and authority from God, he rebuked the priests; he reproved the error of their ways, and called for them to abandon the course they then pursued.

This account of the words of Abinadi is strangely like the record presented in the Bible, when, after a sermon preached by Jesus, the greatest Teacher of them all, Matthew says, "... the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matt. 7:29)

Also, we read in that sacred book, "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority...and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God." (St. Luke 9:1)

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

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