Moroni's Weakness and Our Weakness

Book of Mormon Notes - Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Ether 12, Part 2

It seems as though Moroni thought that he was about to finish his record in Ether 12. After drawing lessons of faith, hope, and charity from his abridgment of Ether’s book and Jaredite history, Moroni brings us into his tender heart and vulnerability. Moroni was concerned about his weakness in writing, and the weakness in writing of the Nephite prophets, especially in comparison with the powerful writings of the brother of Jared. The brother of Jared’s record was so powerful, even the written word, that Moroni describes it as mighty as the Lord Himself, and overpowering of man to read them. Imagine that experience when we finally obtain the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon.

Moroni shows that it was by faith that every miracle was wrought among the Nephites and the Jaredites, and that a great future miracle will be for the Gentiles to bring the words of the Book of Mormon to the descendants of Lehi. In keeping with the promises of the Lord to each of Moroni’s predecessors, Moroni added his portion to the Book of Mormon with faith the that Lord would fulfill His promises unto his fathers, and unto him. Moroni wrote by the power of God and because of God’s commandments. Moroni had great faith in Jesus Christ, but because of what he knew about the last days, Moroni had much less faith in the Gentiles.

In fact, Moroni expressed his concern regarding the Gentiles to the Lord in writing. Why was Moroni concerned that the Gentiles would mock at these things, or his writing, or the Book of Mormon? Why was he concerned about his supposed weakness in writing? I don’t know. In previous posts, I’ve mused about Moroni’s concern, but I don’t know why Moroni felt so inadequate in his writing. Apparently there was a great discrepancy in the power of the spoken word among the Nephites and their ability to record in Nephite language with the same power. Let’s take another look at the concern that Moroni shares with the Lord:

And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;

And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in writing like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he wrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.

Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words. (Ether 12:23-25)

It is amazing to me to consider that Moroni thought that he and his predecessors “could write but little.” Think of it: the Book of Mormon is “but little” of what there was to write. What does Moroni mean by “the awkwardness of our hands”? What problem did the Nephite prophets face that the brother of Jared did not? What was the difference between the brother of Jared’s hands and those of Moroni? Moroni informs us that the brother of Jared was mighty in writing, and that his written words were as powerful as the Lord Himself, so powerful that it overpowers man just to read them. No wonder the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon is still sealed. It sounds like an encounter with the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon - or at least an encounter with the brother of Jared’s record in that sealed portion - is tantamount to encounter with the Lord Himself.

Of course, Moroni encountered both the Lord and the brother of Jared’s writings. Moroni is our best guide for preparing for an encounter with both. I’ve speculated that the power of the brother of Jared’s writing had something to do with the purity of the Jaredite language and the proximity of that language to the original Adamic tongue. I've also speculated that the power of the brother of Jared’s writing springs from the nature of the content that the Lord delivered unto him. But Moroni informs us that the Lord also made the spoken words of the Nephites powerful and great. There was some kind of a barrier between the power of the spoken word among the Nephites and their capacity to record the spoken word.

Moroni attributes this Nephite “weakness” in writing to “the awkwardness” of their hands, a weakness that they beheld when they stumbled because of the placing of their words. Moroni later mentions that there would have been no imperfections in their writing if they had written in Hebrew. Thus it seems as though there was something about the reformed Egyptian language and writing system that posed a problem for Moroni and his fellow Nephite authors. One possible reason for Moroni’s concern is that the Nephite spoken language was different from the scribal language of reformed Egyptian. In other words, in order to place the words in the written record, Moroni and his fellow Nephite authors had to translate from the Nephite spoken language into the Nephite written language. Thus many things could get lost in translation.

Whatever the case, Moroni feared that the Gentiles would mock at his words and the words of his fellow Nephite authors. This was part of the face to face conversation that Moroni had with the Lord. The Lord laid Moroni’s concerns to rest with some of the most beautiful and powerful passages in all of scripture. Whatever concerns we might have in our own lives, about our own weakness and awkwardness, we can imagine the Lord responding to us in a similar way:

And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. (Ether 12:26-28)

Thus we see that the Lord gave weakness unto all men, and not just unto Moroni and his awkward-handed fellow prophets. Furthermore, the Lord teaches Moroni that as men come unto Him, the Lord shows us our weakness for a purpose. Part of the process of coming unto the Lord is to discover our own weakness, which the Lord reveals unto us as we come unto Him.

In fact, the Lord gives us weakness in order to humble us and help us to rely upon Him and His grace, which is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before Him. This is one of my favorite passages and promises in the Book of Mormon: “If they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” The Lord can make weak things become strong unto us. He makes strength out of weakness. One great evidence of this truth is how the Lord makes the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon powerful and strong, even though they were written in weakness. This is because the Book of Mormon authors came unto Christ, humbled themselves before Him, and had faith in Him.

The Lord promised to show unto the Gentiles their weakness as well. I find it very significant that the Lord promises to to show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and to teach them (us) that faith, hope and charity bring us unto Christ - the fountain of all righteousness. Both Mormon and Moroni also emphasize these three intertwining theological virtues. My reading of these passages is that many of the Gentiles of the last days suppose themselves to be powerful and strong, but they (we) lack the vital characteristics that are necessary for salvation, namely faith, hope, and charity.

Moroni was grateful for the Lord’s response, and it prompted further revelation on the great theological virtues:

And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;

For thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.

And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.

And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men.

And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.

Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly.

And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. (Ether 12:30-36)

Thank you Moroni! I am grateful that this great and final prophet of the Nephites prayed for us, because we need it. I am grateful for Moroni’s petition for the Lord to grant unto us grace, that we might have charity. Why would Moroni offer this prayer if he thought that we already had charity? Obviously Moroni, like his father Mormon, and like many other Nephite prophets, knew that the latter-day Gentiles would, for the most part, be utterly lacking in this most vital Christ-like attribute and spiritual gift, namely charity. After teaching us how faith in Christ, and hope in Christ, lead us to the love of Christ, and after teaching us what the love of Christ, charity, is, Moroni warns the charity deficient Gentiles of the last days (us), that the Lord will prove us and take away our talent and give it unto others who shall have more abundantly unless we repent and develop the gift of charity. We might want to join with Moroni in pleading with the Lord to give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.

The Lord responded to Moroni’s petition as follows:

And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. (Ether 12:37)

The Lord’s response reminds me that it is not Moroni or the Book of Mormon that are on trial, but us. Moroni is fine. The Book of Mormon is true. The standard of truth has been erected, and it is our job to repent and strive to live up to this great standard. The Lord’s response to Moroni also suggests to me that despite Moroni’s petition, the latter-day Gentiles will lack charity. Charity is the essence of the two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbors. Without it we are nothing, and the Book of Mormon gives every indication that in the last days, the Gentiles will be seriously deficient in this most vital gift and attribute. My own experience, study, and observation confirms this fact to me as well. But I will follow Moroni’s example and pray unto the Lord that He will grant grace unto us, that we might have charity.

After recording his conversation with the Lord, Moroni writes a conclusion that makes it seem as though he intended to conclude his record soon thereafter:

And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood.

And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things;

And only a few have I written, because of my weakness in writing.

And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12:38-41)

There is no greater invitation than this.