“Unsteadiness of the Hearts of the Children of Men”

Mormon here begins a series of personal musings on the pathetic and pitiful plight of fallen man. With so many of the lemons of the immediately preceding events (Helaman 1-11) before him, he bemoans the fact that man, in roller-coaster fashion, is so very prone to wax and wane in his devotion to God and his commitment to the good. Book of Mormon prophets described spiritual maturity and stability as being “steadfast” or “steady” (see Commentary 2:162). Conversely, unsteadiness is to be as the reed driven with the winds of social clamor and to be as unpredictable as spring weather—running both hot and cold.

“Ye See That Ye Had Not Power to Save Those Who Had Been Cast into the Fire”

As men filled with the Spirit of God have conducted themselves with decorum and dignity in all ages and among all people with whom they have labored, so those filled with the spirit of the devil have manifested the same ugliness of spirit whenever they have appeared on the scene.

How similar these devils incarnate were to those who mocked the Christ! He too was smitten upon the cheek, gnashed at, and spat upon. He too was artfully questioned by unscrupulous and double-tongued lawyers and priests. He too chose to remain silent rather than dignify their cunning inquisition with answers. And he too was taunted for not having the power to save himself from the agonies of the cross.

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3

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