“Nephi Beholds Three Generations Pass Away in Righteousness”

Monte S. Nyman

In the second scene, Nephi is now invited to look upon the three generations and part of the fourth following the ministry of Christ among the Nephites. These would also attain eternal life. For some reason there is little said about these generations in the abridgment of the Nephite records. Mormon’s abridgment of A.D. 34 to A.D. 320 is a mere four pages in our present Book of Mormon. A generation was considered to be one hundred years. Mormon records “that two hundred years had passed away; and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few” (4 Nephi 1:22). Samuel the Lamanite prophesied that “four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people” (Helaman 13:5; see also vv. 6–10). There is a seeming contradiction between what Mormon recorded and what Nephi saw. However, the following should be considered.

Nephi beheld three generations pass away in righteousness (v. 11). As quoted above, Mormon says “two hundred years had passed away; and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few” (4 Nephi 1:22). He then describes the gradual downfall that started in the two hundred and first year, and gradually became worse until “both the people of Nephi and Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked … and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus” (4 Nephi 1:45–46). These “ disciples” must be the faithful members of the church, not the Twelve. As the pattern of the Nephite society and other societies shows, it is the rising generation that make up the core of those turning to wickedness. During the third generation (A.D. 200–300), “there was a great division among the people… . there arose a people who were called the Nephites, and they were true believers in Christ” (4 Nephi 1:35–36). Therefore the seed of Nephi and his righteous brothers remained faithful for the third generation. The fourth generation became more and more wicked, but there were still disciples of Jesus into the fourth generation (4 Nephi 1:46 quoted above). The two groups; Nephi’s seed and the seed of his brethren continues in the rest of Nephi’s vision as will be seen. There is no contradiction between what Nephi saw and what Mormon recorded.

A comment on Mormon’s brevity seems appropriate. Many of the blessings given to the Nephites during their Zion society (great period of righteousness), only briefly mentioned in 4 Nephi, were the greater ones that would not be understood by the world, or those first investigating the Church. These blessings include such doctrines as eternal marriage, the law of consecration, and calling and election made sure. Mormon was probably told not to teach about these blessings in his writings. They were left for the Prophet Joseph Smith to teach. Many of them are recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. President Ezra Taft Benson taught about the importance of using both sets of scriptures. “God bless us all to use all of the scriptures, but in particular the instrument He designed to bring us to Christ—the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion—along with its companion volume, the capstone, the Doctrine and Covenants, the instrument to bring us to Christ’s kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Nephi Wrote This Record

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