Jesus Christ Glorifies the Father

Book of Mormon Notes - Monday, January 1, 2024, 3 Nephi 11

Did Mormon write the heading to this portion of his abridgment of the record?

The beginning of this chapter reminds me that Mormon has prepared his readers and gathered them to this point, like those who were gathered around the Temple in Bountiful. Thus, when we read about these ancient people who marveled at the destruction and conversed with each other about the signs that had been given of Jesus Christ, I imagine that Mormon has deliberately gathered us together with them, if only in spirit. We, along with these ancient people marvel at the destruction and consider with them the meaning of the signs that had been given.

Mormon records that there were a great multitude ^agathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land ^bBountiful. Anyone who has read the Book of Mormon and reached this point may consider himself or herself as part of this great multitude. We have traveled with Lehi and Nephi from Jerusalem, through the wilderness, across the ocean, and into the Promised Land. We have followed Nephi, Jacob, Enos and others in their journey. We have followed Mosiah, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma, and the Sons of Mosiah. We have followed Alma the Younger, and we have fought together with Moroni and the courageous Nephite heroes in many battles. We have followed Helaman and his sons Nephi and Lehi. Mormon has been guiding us all along, and now we have arrived at the heart of the Book of Mormon.

The Church recently distributed the 200 millionth copy of the Book of Mormon. Consider the great modern multitude that Mormon has gathered around the Temple in Bountiful with these ancient people by means of his book. Of course, too many of these books that have been distributed are currently gathering dust on a shelf. But there are also many who have read the Book of Mormon and embraced its precepts. And there are also many who have read the Book of Mormon many times. In truth, each time we read the Book of Mormon it is like reading it for the first time, because there is always something new that the Lord can teach us.

It is no coincidence that the survivors of the calamities had gathered around the Temple in Bountiful and that they were marveling and wondering, and conversing with one another about this Jesus Christ of whom the ^asign had been given concerning his death. Mormon has gathered us with these ancient people and carried us toward this ancient Temple, this climax, and this core of the Book of Mormon. Everything about the record invites us to slow down, pause, ponder, reflect, and listen.

When we do so, we, along with the ancient people who had gathered around the Temple in Bountiful, can hear what they heard, see what they saw, and experience what they experienced:

And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a ^avoice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a ^bsmall voice it did ^cpierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they ^aunderstood it not.

And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did ^aopen their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came. (3 Nephi 11:3-5)

With hearts burning, ears opened, and eyes fixed on Heaven, the third time that they heard the voice, they began to understand. It was the voice of our loving Heavenly Father, introducing His Beloved Son Jesus Christ:

Behold my ^aBeloved Son, ^bin whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him. (3 Nephi 11:7)

Where else in scripture do we enjoy the experience of hearing the voice of Heavenly Father Himself as He introduces His Son?

And Jesus, when he was ^abaptized, went up ^bstraightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the ^cSpirit of God descending like a ^ddove, and lighting upon him:

And lo a ^avoice from heaven, saying, This is my ^bbeloved ^cSon, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17)

and

And after six days Jesus taketh ^aPeter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

And was ^atransfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them ^aMoses and ^bElias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

While he yet spake, behold, a bright ^acloud overshadowed them: and behold a ^bvoice out of the cloud, which said, This is my ^cbeloved ^dSon, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:1-5)

and

It no sooner appeared than I found myself ^adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I ^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith-History 1:17)

Joseph Smith’s vision was unique because he not only heard, but also saw both God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The theophany of the ancient people gathered around the Temple in Bountiful was also unique for many reasons. For instance, Heavenly Father introduced His ^aBeloved Son, as the One ^bin whom He was and is well pleased, and in whom He had glorified His name.

One reason that this is significant, I believe, is because during these sacred events around the Temple in Bountiful in ancient America, Heavenly Father directly answered the petitions of His Beloved Son - petitions that we refer to as the Great Intercessory Prayer. Furthermore, when we ponder why and how the Lord prayed to His Father, and why and how - and when - Heavenly Father responded to the earnest pleading of His Beloved Son, perhaps we can learn how to improve our own prayers and our capacity to receive and understand the answers to them.

In His great intercessory prayer, the Jesus Christ desired to glorify His Father:

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy ^aSon, that thy Son also may ^bglorify thee:

As thou hast given him ^apower over all flesh, that he should give ^beternal life to as many as thou hast ^cgiven him.

And this is ^alife ^beternal, that they might ^cknow thee the only true ^dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ^esent.

I have ^aglorified thee on the earth: I have ^bfinished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the ^aglory which I had with thee ^bbefore the world was. (John 17:1-5)

Even before His great intercessory prayer, the Lord sought to glorify His Father:

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a ^avoice from heaven, saying, I have both ^bglorified it, and will glorify it again.

The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An ^aangel spake to him.

Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. (John 12:27-30)

This was and is the Lord’s mission from the beginning:

But, behold, my Beloved ^aSon, which was my Beloved and ^bChosen from the beginning, said unto me—^cFather, thy ^dwill be done, and the ^eglory be thine forever. (Moses 4:2)

This was Jesus Christ’s purpose and mission:

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do ^anothing of myself; but as my ^bFather hath ^ctaught me, I ^dspeak these things.

And he that ^asent me is with me: the Father hath not left me ^balone; for I ^cdo always those things that ^dplease him. (John 8:28-29)

These prayers help us to better understand what is often called the Lord’s prayer:

^aAfter this manner therefore ^bpray ye: Our ^cFather which art in heaven, ^dHallowed be thy ^ename.

Thy ^akingdom come. Thy ^bwill be done ^cin earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily ^abread.

And forgive us our ^adebts, as we ^bforgive our debtors.

^aAnd ^blead us not into ^ctemptation, ^dbut deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the ^eglory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

These prayers also help us to better understand the Lord’s pleading in Gethsemane:

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, ^aremove this cup from me: nevertheless not my ^bwill, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:41-42)

Heavenly Father responded to these prayers specifically as the Resurrected Lord appeared to and ministered to the Nephites in ancient America. In Mormon’s abridgment of Nephi’s record we witness more fully how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ glorified Each Other with the glory that They enjoyed together before the world was.

How did Jesus Christ glorify His Father? When He descended out of Heaven, clothed in a white robe, He stretched forth His hand and declared:

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

And behold, I am the ^alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter ^bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in ^ctaking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the ^dwill of the Father in all things from the beginning. (3 Nephi 11:10-11)

Jesus Christ’s will was completely swallowed up in the will of His Father.