“By the Power of His Word”

Brant Gardner

The argument continues by elaborating this great and mysterious power of God. Jacob begins with the most miraculous of God's visible works, the earth itself. He reasons that a being able to create this world solely through the exercise of his volition should surely be able to command the things that are on it. Thus this God will be continuing to act towards man. The implication is again that we must understand a God who is acting towards us so that we may understand both God's actions, and those responses that are required of us to please Him.

From the standpoint of examining the specifics of Jacob's text, we may note that he indicates that God creates through his word. Because this term becomes a special concept in John, and Jesus as the word is seen in a creative capacity, we are justified in asking if there is any connection here. We may be justified in asking, but the response is that there is no likely conation. It is part of Jacob's argument that God is able to act through is own volition, and the creation by "word" in the first clause is directly paralleled by the creation of man where God need only "speak." Jacob's emphasis is on the near triviality of effort this mighty God requires to work great wonders. It is that concept rather than John' Greek - influenced philosophical image.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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