Mosiah 15, 16
I included both of these
chapters together as I think they were meant to be a continuous message. I originally didn’t thing there was a larger Chiasmus
form, but after looking at the end of chapter 16 and working backwards now do
think there is a larger form. The
section seems to be made of two larger contrasting examples as well as many
smaller forms within a larger form.
I noted and marked with AA) that the words or concepts that Christ, here called the
spiritual Eternal
Father will come to bring redemption to his followers is at both the beginning
and the ending of Abinadi’s message. He
also includes the law of Moses at the end which he began with in chapters 12
and 13.
The two contrasting ideas
center with the concept that CC) Christ is the only way to
salvation and that
those who BB) hearken will
become the DD) children of God while
contrasting with that those who BB) would not hearken
become DD) children of the devil being subjected to him at
the time of judgement.
Also notice that ought ye not to tremble because of your sins occurs at the beginning of the
contrasting idea and also appears at the end summary of the message.
It is interesting that there
are two chiasmus structures with the term bands of death as the first and last
term in the top section. This is also connected with victory over death and the resurrection which are part of the two forms. These three terms also appear in Mosiah 16:7
which uses a Chiasmus structure to state a similar message to 1 Cor 15:55-57
and partially Isaiah 25:8. (Also of interest is that Bands of death is a unique B of M term.)
Mosiah 16:11 shows a strong
contrasting form which may summarize this discourse topic of who hearkens and shows the end results of “whether they be good
or whether they be evil”
Both the top and bottom
messages seem to have a positive focus on Christ. In the top that The Lord bore the sins of those that inherit the Kingdome
of God. In the bottom that Christ is the Light and Life of the world.
Overall I think it makes sense that Abinidi
would add parallel structure his discourse as he knew he would be delivering the
message to a King and highly educated priests.
Because Abinadi’s message is
explaining the things that Isaiah was teaching, in the chapters I have
highlighted all references to Isaiah’s text in mostly blue,
but some brown, green
highlight, and green text and then at the bottom copied Isaiah
52, 53 and 25:8 and also highlighted in blue and
the other colors the text used by Abinadi.
At the bottom I also copied 1 Cor 15:55-57 as well as some of the other
Book of Mormon sections that also use this theme.
AA) a) 1
And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the
children of men,
b) and shall redeem his people.
c) 2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called
the Son of God,
and
having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father,
being
the Father and the Son— (detailing)
3
The Father,
because he was conceived by the power of God;
and
the Son,
because of the flesh;
thus
becoming the Father and Son— (detailing)
4
And they are one God,
yea, the
very Eternal
Father of heaven and of earth.
c) 5 And thus the
flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God,
suffereth temptation,
and
yieldeth not to the temptation,
but
suffereth himself to be mocked,
and
scourged,
and
cast out,
and
disowned by his people. (synonymous
words)
6
And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of
men,
he
shall be led, yea, even as
Isaiah said,
as a sheep before the shearer is dumb,
so he opened not
his mouth.
7
Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, (Isaiah
slaughter)
c) the flesh
becoming subject even unto death,
the will of the Son
being swallowed up in
the will of the Father.
A 8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death,
B having gained the victory over death; (Isaiah
25:8, 1 Cor 15:55-57)
C giving the Son power to make intercession for
the children of men— (2
Ne 2:9-10, Heb 7:25)
D 9 Having ascended into heaven,
D having the
bowels of mercy; (Colo 3:12, Alma 7:12, 3 Ne 17:7)
C being filled with compassion towards the children
of men;
B standing betwixt them and justice;
A having broken the bands of death,
taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions,
having redeemed them,
and satisfied the demands of justice.
A 10 And now I say
unto you, who shall declare his generation?
Behold,
I say unto you, that when his soul has been
made an offering for sin he shall see his seed.
And
now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
B 11 Behold I say unto
you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets,
yea,
all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming
of the Lord—
BB) I say unto you,
that all those who have hearkened
unto their words,
CC) and believed that the Lord would redeem his people,
and
have looked forward to that day for
a remission of their sins,
DD) C I say unto you,
that these are his seed,
or
they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
D 12 For these are they
whose sins he has
borne;
D these are they for whom
he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions.
C And now, are they not his seed?
B 13 Yea, and are not the
prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that
has not fallen into transgression,
I
mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began?
A a) I say unto you that they are his seed.
b) 14 And these are they
who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published
salvation;
and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! (progression)
15
And O how beautiful upon the mountains were
their feet!
16
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that
are still publishing peace!
17
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who
shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and
forever!
A a) 18 And behold, I
say unto you, this is not all.
b) For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
of him that bringeth good tidings,
that
is the founder of peace,
yea,
even the Lord, who has redeemed
his people;
yea,
him who has granted salvation unto his people;
19
For were it not for the redemption
which he hath made for his people,
which
was prepared from the foundation of the world,
I
say unto you, were it not for this,
all mankind must have perished.
A 20 But behold, the bands of death
B shall be broken,
C and the Son reigneth,
D and hath power over the dead;
therefore,
he bringeth to pass the resurrection
of the dead.
E 21 And there cometh a resurrection,
even
a first resurrection;
yea,
even a resurrection of those
that have been, and who
are,
and who shall be,
F even until the resurrection
G of Christ—
G for
so shall he be called.
F 22 And
now, the resurrection
E of all the prophets, and all those that have
believed in their words, or all those that have kept the commandments
of God,
shall
come forth in the first
resurrection;
therefore,
they are the first resurrection.
D 23
They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them;
thus they
have eternal life
C through Christ,
B who has broken
A
the bands of death.
24
And these are those who have part in the first resurrection;
and
these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not
having salvation declared unto them.
And
thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these;
and
they have a part in the first resurrection,
or
have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord.
25
And little children also have eternal life.
-- Begin of contrasting idea --
A 26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before
God,
for
ye ought to tremble;
B for the Lord redeemeth none such
C that rebel against him
D and die in their sins;
D yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever
since the world began,
C that have wilfully rebelled
against God,
that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them;
B these are they that have no
part in the first resurrection.
A) a) 27
Therefore ought ye not to tremble?
b) For salvation cometh to none such;
for
the Lord hath redeemed
none such;
yea,
neither can the Lord redeem
such;
for
he cannot deny himself;
for
he cannot deny justice
when it has its claim.
b) 28 And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord
shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
29 Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice;
with the voice together shall they sing;
for they shall see eye to
eye,
when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
30 Break forth into joy,
sing together,
ye waste places of Jerusalem;
for the Lord hath comforted his people,
he hath redeemed
Jerusalem.
31 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm
in the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth
shall see the salvation
of our God.
Mosiah 16:1 And now, it came to
pass that after Abinadi had spoken these words he stretched forth` his hand and
said:
b) The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just.
B 2 And then shall the wicked be cast out,
and they shall have cause to howl,
and weep, and
wail,
and gnash
their teeth;
BB) and this because they would not hearken
CC) unto the voice of the Lord;
therefore the Lord redeemeth
them not.
DD) 3 For they are carnal
and devilish,
a) and the devil has power
over them;
yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents,
b)
which
was the cause
of
their fall;
which was the cause of all mankind becoming
c) carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing
evil from good,
subjecting themselves to the devil.
d)
4 Thus all mankind were lost;
d) and behold, they
would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people
from their lost and fallen state.
c)
5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature,
and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion
against God,
b) remaineth in his fallen state
DD) a) and the devil
hath all power over him.
C’) Therefore he is as though there was no
redemption
made,
B’) being an enemy to God;
and also is the devil an enemy to God.
E a 6 And now if Christ
had not come into the
world,
b speaking of things to
come
b as though they had
already come,
there could have been no redemption.
E a 7 And if Christ
had not risen from the dead,
or have broken the bands of death
b that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, (Isaiah
25:8, 1 Cor 15:55-57)
c there could have been
no resurrection.
c 8 But there is a resurrection,
b therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up
E a in Christ. (chiasmus)
F 9 He is the light and the life of the world;
a) yea, a light
that is endless,
b) that can never be
darkened;
a) yea, and also a life
which is endless,
b) that there can be no more death. (simple alternate
and detailing)
E 10 Even this mortal
shall put on immortality,
and
this corruption shall put on incorruption, (simple synonymous)
and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God,
to be judged of him according to their works
whether they be good or whether they be evil—
11 If they be good,
c to the resurrection
of endless life and happiness;
and if
they be evil,
c to the resurrection
of endless damnation, (contrasting ideas)
DD’) a) being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected
them, which is damnation—
c) 12 Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires;
CC’) having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended
towards them;
for the arms of mercy were extended towards them,
BB’) and they would not;
they being warned of their iniquities
and yet they would not depart from them;
and they were commanded to repent
and yet they would not repent. (simple alternate)
A’)
a) 13 And now, ought
ye not to tremble and repent of your sins,
b) and remember that
only in and through Christ
ye can be saved?
14 Therefore, if ye
teach the law of Moses, (This also
matches with Mosiah 12:28-29 and 13:33-34)
AA’)
a) also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come—
b)
15 Teach them that redemption
a)
cometh through
c) Christ the
Lord,
c) who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.
Isaiah 52:
21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace;
that bringeth good
tidings of good; that publisheth
salvation; that
saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice
together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring
again Zion;
23 Break forth into joy;
sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem;
for the Lord hath comforted his people,
he hath redeemed
Jerusalem;
24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of
all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?
Isaiah 53:
1 Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our
report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a
tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and
rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it
were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and
carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and
afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we, like sheep, have
gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he
is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut
off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions
of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the
rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither
was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he
hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong
his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great, and he shall divide
the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he
was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
8
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God
will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he
take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
1 Cor 15:53
For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
54
So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is
thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin;
and the strength of sin is the
law.
57
But thanks be to God, which
giveth us the bvictory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto
Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias,
and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I,
except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up
and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this,
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and
like a lamb dumb
before his shearer, so opened he not his
mouth:
33 In his humiliation his
judgment was taken away: and who shall
declare his generation? for his life is
taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray
thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself,
or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the
same scripture, and preached unto him
Jesus.
36 And as they went on their
way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Mormon 7
5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge
of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities,
and believe in Jesus Christ,
that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power
of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he
hath gained the cvictory
over the grave; and
also in him is the sting of
death swallowed up.
6 And he bringeth to pass the aresurrection
of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.
7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world,
whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment
day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his
kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and
unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness
which hath no end.
14
And since man had fallen
he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for
their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of
glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king.