Reference: As Moroni begins to discuss the problem of those who cannot “see” faith, he begins with an obvious reference that comes from Hebrews 11:1:
Hebrews 11:1
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We have seen a reference to this verse before, in Alma 32:21 (see the commentary following that verse for specific comments on the content of the phrase). What is important in this context is that Moroni is using the invisibility of faith to correlate to those who “did not believe, because they saw … not.” (verse 5 above). It is this essential dilemma of the necessity of faith contrasted to the invisibility of faith that is Moroni’s topic.
For Moroni, he completely accepts that it is faith that allows us to believe in that which cannot be seen. Nevertheless, Moroni is one of those who knows of a surety that the “unseen” world of God exists, for Moroni has conversed with the three Nephites whose lives were miraculously prolonged (Mormon 8:11). Moroni’s experience tells him that that faith need not always be based on the belief in the unseen. There are times when experience can come in ways that confirm that faith. The important point that Moroni makes is that such a confirmation does not come “until after the trial of your faith.” The irony of faith is that those who do not have it, seek it by a means that destroys it. Those who do have it, have it confirmed in powerful ways after they really do not need the confirmation.
The things of God are real, but they operate on principles that differ from the terrestrial reality in which we live. They are of a higher reality, but no less real for being “hoped for and not seen.” They may become “real” through our experience, but only after we have already had faith and exercised that faith diligently. The “reality” at the end of faith comes not as proof, but as reward.
Redaction: Moroni takes another touchpoint from the record of Ether and gives his own take on the subject. The frequency with which Moroni does this in the translation process tells us something of how he conceives his relationship to the material he is presenting. Moroni has multiple options open to him for the presentation of this material, and the one that he selects tells us much about his reasons for writing.
Moroni could have simply copied what Mosiah wrote. It does appear that he uses Mosiah’s copy, but he certainly does not copy from it. It is possible that he copied some of the revelation to the brother of Jared, but Moroni tells us that he is going on memory, so even when he is probably attempting to approximate Mosiah, he is not creating a one-to-one copy.
Moroni could have retold the tale without any editorializing. This would give an abbreviated record of the plates of Ether than simply gives the history that is contained in them. Moroni certainly gives us history, but hardly without editorializing.
What Moroni does do is select the information in such a ways that it illustrates spiritual principles that he is trying to teach. The addresses to his modern readers tells us that he is very cognizant of the future use of the Book of Mormon, and he is using the book of Ether as a springboard for lessons to be taught to his future audience. There are methods he uses in teaching his lessons. The first is direct lecture. This happens when he breaks into his narrative and addresses the future audience. The second type is the thematic lesson. The primary thematic lesson is the relationship of the people to the promise of the land.