According to Victor Ludlow, the third major sermon given by Christ in the New World is called “The Covenant People Discourse.” It goes from chapter 20, verse 10, through chapter 23, verse 5. The previous day, Christ had stopped preaching after just mentioning a few of the words of Isaiah (3 Nephi 16:-20). Upon seeing that the people were not absorbing his message, he stopped and told them to go home and ponder (3 Nephi 17:2-3). Now, at the beginning of this sermon he says:
Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled … And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 20:11-12)
Now I wish that somewhere or another the Lord had sat one of His prophets down with a large manuscript and said, “I’d like to give you a list of, say, 200 absolutely essential prophesies of the last days in chronological sequence and I want you to record them and have many copies of it made so it can be circulated throughout all the children of man.” … but He’s not going to tell us the specific order in which they will be fulfilled. But this verse (3 Nephi 20:12) is as close as He’s going to come… . In other words, the most important checklist is in the words of Isaiah because when they are fulfilled, then the covenant is fulfilled.
If this Covenant People Discourse could be located in some Ancient Near Eastern manuscript, biblical scholars would be ecstatic--important new teachings of the Savior! But we have it and I’m afraid we often just kind of skip over it, partially because not only is there chapter 52 of Isaiah here, but all of chapter 22 of 3 Nephi is chapter 54 of Isaiah. So within this three chapter discourse are two full chapters of Isaiah blended in there, plus a little bit of Micah. So we think, well, this is just a bunch of Old Testament teachings. Oh, but this is gleaning from the essential Old Testament teachings that would have application for Israel in the latter days with a sign so that we would know when the work hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which the Lord hath made 4,000 years ago, almost, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… . And where is that sign? Right at the center of the whole chiastic sermon--3 Nephi 21:1-7:
And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place … when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles unto your seed … it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.
[Victor L. Ludlow, “The Covenant Teachings of the Book of Mormon,” F.A.R.M.S., pp. 10-15]
[3 Nephi 20:10] -- 23:1 (Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse--Chiastic Outline):
A The Father and Son work together (20:10)
B Isaiah’s words are written, therefore search them (20:11)
C Isaiah‘s words and the Father’s covenant with Israel will be fulfilled! (20:12)*
D Scattered Israel to be gathered (20:13)
E America an inheritance for the Lamanites (20:14)
F Gentiles to repent & receive blessings (Micah 4:12-13; 5:8-9) (20:15-20)*
G The Lord’s covenant with Moses, Gentiles, etc. (20:21-29)******
H Gospel preached and Zion established; the marred servant (Isa. 52) (20:30-44)
I Kings shall be speechless (Isa. 52:15) (20:45)
J Covenant and work of the Father (20:46)**
K A key sign to be given when things are “about to take place” (21:1)
L Gentiles learn of scattered Israel (21:2)
M These things (B. of M.) to come from Gentiles to you (21:3)
N The Sign of the Covenant (21:4)**
M’ These works to come from Gentiles to Lamanites (21:5)
L’ Some Gentiles to be with Israel (21:6)
K’ Sign as Lamanites begin to know B. of M. that work “hath commenced” (21:7)
J’ Work and covenant of the Father (21:7)*
I’ Kings shall be speechless (Isa. 52:15) (21:8)
H’ A great and marvelous work; the marred servant (Isa. 52:14) (21:9-10)
G’ Moses, the Gentiles and covenant Israel (21:11)*
F’ Unrepentant Gentiles will be cut down (Micah 5:8-14) (21:12-21)
E’ America an inheritance for the righteous (21:22-23)*
D’ Gentiles to help in the gathering of Israel (21:24-25)
C‘ Father’s work with his people (21:26-27)
A’ The Father and Son work together (21:28-29)
B‘ Isaiah’s portrayal of Zion; search his words! (Isa. 54) (chap 22; 23:1-3)
X Christ’s command to heed and write these things; to hearken to his words and be saved; and
to “search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.” (3 Nephi 23:4-5)
Note: The symbol * = the fifteen specific “covenant” references in this sermon.
[Victor L. Ludlow, “Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse,” handout]
3 Nephi 20:10 -- 23:1 (Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse--Chiastic Outline) [Illustration]: Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse--A Chiastic Outline. [Victor L. Ludlow, “Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse,” handout]
[3 Nephi 20:10] -- 23:1 (Jesus’ Covenant People Discourse--Chiastic Outline):
Hugh W. Pinnock reports that after studying chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and then expanding his study to encompass other literary qualities of the Book of Mormon, he introduced several examples of Hebrew writing forms found in that book to a well-educated and intelligent Jewish woman, Mary Kay Lazarus. She called a rabbi friend she knew in Ohio and said, “Rabbi, I have found a book filled with chiasmus.” “Then, my dear,” he responded, “you have found one of God’s books because chiasmus is the language of God.” Since that time she has had great respect for the Book of Mormon.
Elder Pinnock further writes that a vital part of understanding Hebrew writing structures is knowing why the ancient prophets and other authors expended so much time and energy to create the artistic, poetic devices that became standard Hebrew writing forms. He suggests a few:
1. Form: Format is often revelatory. Hebrew writing forms in the Book of Mormon are not alone. They can be found not only in the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Doctrine & Covenants.
2. Clarity: Hebrew poetic forms helped authors and prophets communicate what they wanted the reader to know. Because these forms are complex, they imply extensive editing and review before inscription.
3. Translation Tools: These forms provide a checklist for verifying the accuracy of translating the message into other languages.
4. Verification of Translated Texts: By carefully examining passages that in English exemplify certain Hebrew writing forms, one can determine whether these forms have been preserved in the translation.
5. Substitute for Punctuation: The typical punctuation marks used today--periods, commas, colons, and semicolons, for example--were developed long after the ancient scriptural texts were written. Writings forms were sometimes used by ancient inspired writers as a form of punctuation which frequently delineated the beginning and end of a given passage.
6. Establish Priorities: Ancient authors may have employed writing forms to emphasize and focus on the items or concepts they felt to be most vital.
7. Relieve Possible Monotony: By adding interest, rhythm, and flow to scriptural texts, writing forms relieve the monotony of potentially redundant and repetitious writing.
8. Memorization Tools: Ancient people did not have their own personal scriptures, and of necessity they were trained to memorize great volumes of materials. Writings forms aided and encouraged the memorization of long passages.
9. Beauty: The incredible energy, time and resources required to produce these ancient writing forms inspires awe and gives inner beauty to the scriptures.
10. Strengthen Testimony: The number and variety of explicit ancient Hebrew writing forms found in the Book of Mormon are evidence of its origin and truthfulness. They indicate that the Book of Mormon is exactly what Joseph Smith, the Prophet, claimed it to be--an ancient religious and historical record written by ancient Hebrew prophets and authors. It contains language forms that were used by prophets and scholars of the earliest Hebrew periods but apparently not known to modern America until well after the death of Joseph Smith.
[Hugh W. Pinnock, Finding Biblical Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in the Book of Mormon, FARMS, 1999, pp. ix, 2-7]
[3 Nephi 20:10]--23:1 (Jesus’ Discourses):
Avraham Gileadi has a somewhat different perspective than does Victor Ludlow on Jesus’ discourse(s) found in chapters 20-22 of 3 Nephi. According to Gileadi, even as Nephi1 presents two versions of a prophetic sequence in relation to the great and marvelous work (see Gileadi’s commentary on 1 Nephi 13-22), so Jesus, speaking to the Nephites, gives two recapitulations of essentially the same events… . Thus, 3 Nephi 20:10 through 21:29 contains two consecutive discourses about the last days that Jesus gives to the Nephites. Both deal with essentially the same subject. The order of events varies, but that is not important because they are not chronologies. The second discourse by and large repeats what the first contains. Together, they are a twofold witness of major events of the last days… . [See the illustrations]
Jesus’ First Discourse
Jesus’ first discourse emphasizes what happens to the house of Israel. (By definition, the Lamanites, the Jews, and the Ten Tribes compose the house of Israel.) More specifically, the first discourse deals with the Lord’s fulfilling his covenant with the house of Israel (3 Nephi 20:12, 22, 25-27, 29, 46). The Gentiles feature in the discourse only so far as they receive an opportunity to be blessed under the covenant. Though the Gentiles enjoy this blessing for a time--after they exercise power over the house of Israel--in the end, many harden their hearts (3 Nephi 20:27-28). At that point, the house of Israel treads down the wicked (3 Nephi 20:15-17). The idea of permanence in the promised land, which the Lord’s fulfillment of the covenant exemplifies, we find only in connection with the house of Israel. At the center of the chiastic structure appear the words of Christ. Many refuse to hear his words and are cut off from his people (3 Nephi 20:23; compare 21:11). Thus, it is against the words of Christ, when they are revealed, that many Gentiles harden their hearts.
The house of Israel, on the other hand, reacts differently toward the words of Christ. At that time, the house of Israel comes to believe in Christ and to know him (3 Nephi 20:13, 30-31; compare 2 Nephi 25:16-18). As the house of Israel accepts Christ, the people gather together to the lands of their inheritance (3 Nephi 20:13-14,29). At that very time, also, the wicked Gentiles suffer the Lord’s justice (3 Nephi 20:13-22). These Gentiles are destroyed, therefore, after they reject the words of Christ, which words they reject after enjoying the blessings of the gospel for a time (compare 3 Nephi 16:10-16; 26:6-11; Ether 4:8-9).
Jesus’ Second Discourse:
Jesus’ second discourse emphasizes what happens to the Gentiles. Though the Gentiles receive an opportunity to be blessed under the Lord’s covenant with the house of Israel, in the end many Gentiles do not repent (3 Nephi 21:6,14). These are cut off from the covenant because they refuse to believe the words of Christ (3 Nephi 21:11). At that point, the house of Israel treads them down (3 Nephi 21:12-21). These things repeat essentially the same scenario we find in Jesus’ first discourse… .
That Jesus ends his first discourse by quoting most of Isaiah 52 (see 3 Nephi 20:32-45) and his second discourse by quoting all of Isaiah 54 (see 3 Nephi 22:1-17) raises a further point. Such structuring leads us to look for at least a reference to Isaiah 53 somewhere between the two. That reference we find in 3 Nephi 21:9 and 11. There, we read that some Gentiles “will not believe” the great and marvelous work nor the words of Christ that the servant brings forth. Of course, this statement implies that some Gentiles will believe… . The belief or disbelief that people show toward the words of Christ constitutes a grand key to the structures. [Avraham Gileadi, The Last Days: Types and Shadows from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, pp. 88-95]
3 Nephi 20:10--23:1 (Jesus’ Discourses) [[Illustration] Jesus’ First Discourse [Avraham Gileadi, The Last Days: Types and Shadows from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, p. 89]
3 Nephi 20:10--23:1 (Jesus’ Discourses) [[Illustration] Jesus’ Second Discourse [Avraham Gileadi, The Last Days: Types and Shadows from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, p. 92]