“I Jacob”

Redaction analysis: While we know this to be written by Nephi (as will be even more apparent with some of Nephi’s insertions in the text at a later point) this section begins with “I, Jacob.” The intent of this section is therefore to be an intact inclusion of an actual sermon by Jacob. Nephi is presenting what should be Jacob’s original text, not Nephi’s own.

Because of the lack of recording equipment at the time, the only way in which this can actually be the precise text of Jacob is if Nephi is reading a text prepared by Jacob. There is no evidence that such is the case. As with all of the quoted sermons in the Book of Mormon, one must assume them to be written as best as possible from the oral original.

Scriptural analysis: Jacob appears to be giving us information that he was a priesthood holder: “I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi...” Certainly the language follows most of our expectation of priesthood. Jacob is called of God, and is ordained. The only thing slightly confusing is the “having been consecrated by my brother Nephi.” However, rather than see the ordination and consecration as two separate events, it is most likely that it was a single event, performed by Nephi, and simply referred to separately as the ordination and the event of the ordination, performed by Nephi.

The question of what this priesthood was, however, is an interesting one. Joseph Fielding Smith notes the historical difficulty this group faced:

"The Nephites were descendants of Joseph. Lehi discovered this when reading the brass plates. He was a descendant of Manasseh, and Ishmael, who accompanied him with his family, was of the tribe of Ephraim.3.

Therefore there were no Levites who accompanied Lehi to the Western Hemisphere." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol.1, p.124)

Without the inherited line of the priesthood, the Nephites had to operate under a different order or organization. In Joseph Fielding Smith’s view, this was clearly the Melchizedek Priesthood:

“Under these conditions the Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them. It is true that Nephi ”consecrated Jacob and Joseph" that they should be priests and teachers over the land of the Nephites, but the fact that plural terms priests and teachers were used indicates that this was not a reference to the definite office in the priesthood in either case, but it was a general assignment to teach, direct, and admonish the people. Otherwise the terms priest and teacher would have been given, in the singular. Additional light is thrown on this appointment showing that these two brothers of Nephi held the Melchizedek Priesthood, in the sixth chapter, second verse of II Nephi, where Jacob makes this explanation regarding the priesthood which he and Joseph held:

“Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceeding many things” (2 Nephi 6:1).

This seems to be a confirmation of the ordinations that he and his brother Joseph received in the Melchizedek Priesthood. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol.1, p.125).

While it is certainly possible to read the text in this way, it is not necessarily required. Just as Joseph Fielding Smith points out that the ordination of Jacob and Joseph as “priests and teachers” does not necessarily correspond to our known divisions of the Aaronic Priesthood, we do not know for certain what the priesthood “after the manner of his holy order” might mean.

While the “holy order” is frequently used to describe the priesthood in the Book of Mormon, it is not clearly associated with the Melchizedek Priesthood until 1835: “D&C 107:2 Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. 3 Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God.”

Why does any of this matter? It doesn’t, particularly. It is certain that the Nephites were operating under the authority of God, and that they maintained a priesthood passed by ordination rather than inheritance. Whether or not it corresponded precisely to our understanding of the Melchizedek Priesthood is a moot point. It was priesthood, and it was recognized by God.

We do not know if there were divisions in the Nephite priesthood that corresponded to divisions in the modern priesthood. It matters not. What matters is the authority. As to whether or not this revealed rather than inherited priesthood is more closely aligned to the Melchizedek or Aaronic does appear to be defined, and defined more closely to the Melchizedek, for Alma states: “Alma 13:1 AND again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.”

Anthropological analysis: It is probable that Jacob’s sermon is given some time after forty years from the departure from Jerusalem, just because of its location following that statement in the text. It need not be so, but is probable. It is interesting that at this date, Jacob could say Nephi was revered as a king (“my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector 2 Nephi 6:2). This is a dramatic contrast to Nephi’s earlier statement: ”2 Nephi 5:18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power."

It appears that while the people wanted Nephi to be king, and Nephi declined, he was yet revered and probably obeyed as one in any case. Jacob is telling us that the people are reacting to Nephi in the king/client relationship, whether Nephi proclaimed it for himself or not. With this beginning propensity to desire a king, it is no surprise that we later see that political model firmly entrenched in the people of Zarahemla, with King Benjamin.