Brant Gardner notes that Nephi had asked to do two things, to see what his father saw, and to understand the meaning of it. The angel proceeds to provide the answer to both requests simultaneously. Nephi beings to be carefully walked through the vision, but the meaning is inextricably woven into the vision itself. Rather than symbol only, Nephi sees precisely how Christ is the meaning of the dream, and the symbols are explicated by their relevance to the life and mission of the Savior: "and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God." [Brant Gardner, "Book of Mormon Commentary," 1Nephi/1Nephi11.htm, p. 9]
1 Nephi 11:27 I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world ([Illustration]): Christ [Gary Kapp, Verse Markers, Book of Mormon, Vol. 1, p. 2]