3 Nephi 10:3-8 As a Hen Gathereth

3 - And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:

Once again, what does it signify to hear the voice of Christ and to witness of it? What do witnesses do? Do gospel ordinances make use of witnesses? Is this the same context?

4 - O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yeah, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.

Why is the Lord referencing their ancestor Jacob? Didn't they know that they were descendents of Jacob/Israel? What was Jacob promised by the Lord? How could that relate to "the house of Israel"? Who lives in houses? What do the promises made to the Fathers (ancient patriarchs) have to do with the Nephites at this time? Do they have anything to do with us? Is Christ reminding them of these promises? How does one qualify to have these same promises extended to them? Can we do it of ourselves, by ourselves? Is it necessary that we be "gathered" and "nourished"? Look up the footnote for "gathered" ( Helaman 7:19 ). What must be done to qualify to be gathered? What qualifies for scattering? Look up the second footnote for "nourished" ( 1 Nephi 17:3 ). What must one do to be qualified to be nourished? Have we been commanded to seek and receive the promises made to the Fathers? What is the way to have the means provided to us to accomplish that as outlined in 1 Nephi 17:3?


5 - And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

How many times does Christ use the analogy of a hen gathering her chickens under her wings in verses 4, 5, and 6? If Christ says it that many times, is it important to pay attention? If Mormon caused the same thing to be written in his compilation that many times, is it important to pay attention? Did Mormon understand what Christ meant by that analogy? Do we? If not, is Mormon trying to get our attention? Was Christ trying to get the attention of the Nephites here? The Lord repeats the phrase "the house of Israel" again. Why? Is he drawing attention to something? Why does Christ mention those that dwell at Jerusalem to those who are hearing his voice on the American continent? Is he trying to tell the Nephites something about the state of the people from whence they came? Is he trying to tell the Nephites something about themselves? (1 Nephi 19:11).


6 - O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

Do you want to be gathered by Him as a hen gathereth her chickens? What two things must each individual do to have this happen to them? What does "full purpose of heart" mean? Something similar to "eye single to his glory"? Something similar to "a broken heart and a contrite spirit"? If one doesn't doe these things with a "full" purpose of heart, but with a "partially full" purpose of heart, is this mocking God? What happens to those who do that? How do you get your heart more "full" of purpose? Is the second of the two things mentioned above dependent on the first? Do "listening" and "doing" have a place in that process as well?

7 - But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers.

What does it mean to have "places of your dwellings shall be come desolate"? Is this purely physical, or is there also a spiritual component of this as well? What is implied by a spiritual dwelling to become desolate? What does that mean when associated with the "house of Israel"? Does it have something to do with promises extended to the Fathers? To descendents of Israel? Which covenant(s) that were made to their fathers is Christ referring to? Have they been fulfilled? Are they in the process of being fulfilled? Is that fulfillment still a future event from now?

8 - And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their kindred and friends.

Why would the people start to weep and howl now? They had heard things that caused them to stop that and be silent for many hours. Did it have something to do with the fact that they understood the relationships between being "gathered" and "nourished" by Christ, the promises extended by God to the fathers/patriarchs, and being of the "house of Israel". Once they understood this and heard the voice of Christ lamenting that those who were destroyed ( their kindred and friends ) in the recent upheaval of nature at the time of his death had refused to be qualify themselves to be gathered and nourished by Him, were they lamenting the eternal consequences of that refusal that were going to be laid upon those that had perished?

... Great things 2 ponder upon.

3 Nephi 10:1-2 Initial Nephite Silence

1 - And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the land did hear these sayings, and did witness of it. And after these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many hours;

Who was it that heard the voice of Christ and what he had testified about? Look up the footnote for the word 'hear' ( 1 Nephi 19:11 ). What was the manner of visitation of the Lord promised by Zenos for the righteous? What was the manner of visitation of the Lord promised by Zenos for those who were not righteous? Which ones happened on the American continents? Which ones did those who heard his voice from the heavens in the Americas experience? Why? What can that mean in other instances when the Lord has made know that there will be different things happening based on the righteousness of the people? What do the words 'did hear these sayings' mean? What does it mean to 'witness of it'? What does hearing and witnessing of the words which they had heard imply? Why was there silence in the land? Why weren't they talking to each other about what they had just heard? This verse says that everyone heard it, so why weren't they talking?

2 - For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours.

What astonished the people? What could cause them to stop mourning the violent deaths of their relatives? Go back to Chapter 9 and look at what the voice of the Lord said:

9:13 - 1st invitation given by the Lord.
9:14 - 2nd invitation from the Lord. Did they think they had been forgotten by the heavens?
9:15 - The Lord identifies himself in a context (1st) for the people to recognize.
9:16 - The Lord identifies himself in another context (2nd) for the people to recognize.
9:17 - 3rd invitation from the Lord. Is the same invitation as in 9:14? How many times in the scriptures is the term 'sons of God' used? The Lord identifies himself in another context (3rd ) for the people to recognize.
9:18 - The Lord identifies himself in another context (4th) for the people to recognize.
9:19, 20 - The Lord gives new doctrine given and ties it in to a grand spiritual experience that was well-known to the people so that they would know what to expect as a result of obedience to this new direction. This blessing had happened before as a result of obedience and will continue to happen as a result of obedience to the new doctrine given them by the Lord.
9:21 - The Lord identifies himself again in the same context that he did the 3rd time. If the Lord repeats himself, is that important? Should we pay attention? Should we ponder as to why?
9:22 - 4th invitation given from the Lord.

There is a lot there to ponder. Wouldn't you if you were suddenly given instruction and invitations by the voice of the Lord after passing through what must have seemed almost unbearable experiences just prior? In the experiences that these Nephites went through, is there a type that we should be aware of? Lots to ponder, maybe even for the 'space of many hours'?

... Great things 2 ponder upon

3 Nephi 9:13-18 -- The First Words of Christ to the Nephites after the Crucifixion, Part 2

13 - O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

Why do righteous still need to repent? Does that mean that the common definition of righteousness, as it is most commonly used is misleading? Is righteousness a process, not a destination reached once certain tasks are accomplished? What does Christ mean here by the word 'converted'? Does it mean being a member of a church? Does it mean something else?

14 - Yeah, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

What does it mean to come unto him? It must be important, it is repeated in this verse three times. What does coming unto Christ have to do with eternal life? What are the multiple possible meanings of 'arm of mercy is extended towards you'? How does Christ receive a person? Remember that Enos was called 'blessed' ( Enos 5, 27 ). Could that definition of blessed apply here?

15 - Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

This verse along with the previous verse sums up much sacred instruction, some of which you may have already received. They that have ears to hear, let them hear! There is some very deep and very sacred doctrine referenced in these two verses that must be sought for, received, pondered and understood by the Spirit by each person truly seeking eternal life.


16 - I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.

Who are his own referenced here? The Israelites of his just his time? The Israelites of all times? Are you an Israelite? What does your patriarchal blessing say? In what way could he "come unto my own" and have it apply to you? Is this just a one time event in our lives? Who limits how many times this can happen in our lives?

17 - And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.

Is the use of the word 'received' here the same as it was in the previous verse? What is the difference between the 'sons of God' and the 'sons of man' used elsewhere in the scriptures? Why the words 'given to become' rather than 'have made'? What does it mean when Christ says 'by me redemption cometh'? He spoke this after his crucifixion, so wasn't the atonement for our sins already accomplished? Maybe not? The word 'cometh' is future referencing. How does our redemption through Christ come after the events of his mortal life? Reference verses 14 and 15 of this chapter.


18 - I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

The path to eternal life has certain commonalities for all people everywhere who wish to walk it. There are other things to be learned while walking it that are particular to each individual person. Through the Spirit of Christ you personalized revelation concerning your progress and lessons for you in particular to learn upon the path to eternal life. How often do we make covenants concerning having the Spirit of Christ? Listen next time you are in sacrament meeting. The path to eternal life begins with baptism (Alpha). What is Omega? Is it an event? Is it a promise received when we have progressed to a certain point? Is it a state of being that can even be achieved in mortality?

... Great things 2 ponder upon.

3 Nephi 8:5, 3 Nephi 10:18-19 -- How Long Between the Crucifixion and Christ's Appearance in the Americas

How much time passed between when Christ was crucified and when he appeared in his resurrected form to the Nephites?

3 Nephi 8:5 - And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land.

Here we have an account of when the weather phenomenon that marked the death of Jesus started in the new world. According to the way that the Nephites marked the passing of time, it was on the 4th day of the first month of the 34th year, or in other words, (1/4/34).

3 Nephi 10:18 - And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them -


19 - Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings

This verse was inserted by Mormon and he says that at the "ending of the thirty and fourth year" Christ came and ministered to them in the flesh. How many months did the Nephite calendar have? Was it probable that the calendar was based on the land where Lehi brought his family from? The year from the land of Israel is roughly the same length of time as the civil year that we currently measure is. It is based on lunar cycles and can have 12 or 13 months. If we assume for the basis of this discussion, what month would qualify as being in the "ending of the thirty and fourth year"? The 6th? The 8th? The 10th? The 11th or 12th?

Why was their such a gap between the Crucifixion and Christ's appearance in the Americas? Is there a type being shown in the sequence and timing of the events?

...Great things 2 ponder upon.