Nephi's Thesis
While most consider the scriptures to be the true word of God, few consider what other purposes the records may have served. For instance, 1 Nephi, in addition to being a sacred text, can also be read as a political account and a well-structured essay. Nephi, in fact, provides a thesis at the end of 1 Nephi 1:20, saying that he "will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty unto the power of deliverance." Over the next sixteen chapters, he provides examples from the lives of himself, his family, his descendants, and all mankind.
The first type of evidence Nephi provides is several incidents in which he is preserved from the wrath of his brothers. The first time his brothers smite him, an angel comes to rebuke them (1 Nephi 3:28-29). When his brothers "bind [him] with cords . . . that they might leave him in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts," Nephi prays and "the bands were loosed" (1 Ne 7:16, 18). Later, when Laman and Lemuel plot to kill Lehi and Nephi, the voice of the Lord comes to chasten them, again delivering Nephi from his older brothers' wrath (1 Ne 16:38, 39). This lesson did not stick with them long, for they began to murmur against Nephi's plan to build a ship shortly after arriving in Bountiful, but he is so filled with the Spirit that they "durst not [touch Nephi] lest they should wither before [him]" (1 Ne 17:17, 52).
Nephi also cites the spiritual blessings he receives for being faithful. He "[cries] unto the Lord" to receive a witness of what his father saw, and the Lord visited him (1 Ne 2:16). The Spirit of the Lord tells him that he is blessed for believing in the Son of God and will be shown what he desires (1 Ne 11:6-7). Later, as he prepares to build the ship, he has the privilege of speaking with the Lord due to his faith (1 Ne 17:7-8).
Moving beyond himself, Nephi provides examples of deliverance of his whole company. The first instance is the instruction for Lehi to take his family into the wilderness (1 Ne 2:2). Although they were not eyewitnesses to the actual destruction of Jerusalem, Nephi makes it clear that it was imminent (1 Ne 1:13, 2:13, 3:17, etc.), and that fleeing was also necessary to save his father's life (1 Ne 1:20, 2:13, 7:14). Later, when Nephi and his brothers go up to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates from Laban, they are preserved through all three attempts (1 Nephi 3-4). This is in part from a status of being a chosen people, and also in part a result of Nephi's faithfulness (see 1 Ne 3:7, for example).
There are various instances of the whole company being preserved when they first begin their travels in the wilderness. It is, in fact, so obvious to Nephi that he includes a "thus we see" statement to draw attention to his thesis (1 Ne 17:3). They "did live upon raw meat in the wilderness" and the Lord lit their way, thus avoiding the need to create attention-drawing fires that could potentially endanger the group (1 Ne 17:2, 13). In addition, the women "were strong, yea, even like unto the men" (1 Ne 17:2).
The most obvious example of Lehi's company being delivered "because of their faith" is the Liahona. The spindles of the Liahona "pointed the way whither [they] should go in the wilderness" and gave instructions on how to get food when Nephi's bow broke (1 Ne 16:10, 26). However, it only worked "according to the faith and diligence and heed" they gave it (1 Ne 16:28). The incident with the tempest in chapter 18 helps to illustrate this principle. When Laman and Lemuel bound Nephi, "the compass . . . did cease to work" and did not begin to function again until Nephi was loosed and he prayed (1 Ne 18:22). Nephi's thesis is thus proved positively when the Liahona works when they had faith. The Liahona also proves it negatively by failing to deliver the party when they lacked faith.
Nephi also showed how his thesis applies to a much broader base: his posterity and the posterity of his brothers. First, the Lord tells Nephi that if he keeps the commandments, he would "be made a ruler and teacher" over Laman and Lemuel. (1 Ne 2:22). The Lord then commands Nephi and his brothers to obtain the brass plates. Several important supports come from this episode, in addition to what was stated above. First, when the angel comes down to save Nephi from his angry brothers, he reiterates the words of the Lord: "[T]he Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you" (1 Ne 3:29). Second, the entire episode was necessary, because the brass plates would be essential for the Nephites to keep the commandments of the Lord (1 Ne 5:21). In this case, the Lord is having mercy not just on the current band of travelers, but all those who will descend from them.
The thesis continues to hold as Nephi recounts his vision. He beheld that due to their faith, his posterity was visited by the Savior following His earthly ministry (1 Ne 12:11). He also saw the inverse of his thesis: if the chosen ones are not faithful, they will not be delivered. Nephi sees his seed becoming unfaithful, prideful and unrighteous; thus, they are destroyed by the Lamanites (1 Ne 12:19). All is not completely lost, however, for Nephi also saw that his seed would receive his words in the last dispensation (1 Ne 13:35, 15:13-14), and that "the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of [his] seed" (1 Ne 13:30).
Nephi's thesis extends also to other peoples the Lord has chosen. He told of the gathering of the house of Israel and of the Gentiles who left Europe to come to America (1 Ne 15:13, 18-20). He told of how the Gentiles who came to the promised land were protected by the hand of God (1 Ne 13:18-19) and were "lifted up by the power of God above all other nations" (1 Ne 13:30). He also saw that it would be through these Gentiles that his seed would receive other books of scripture (1 Ne 13:39).
Finally, Nephi's vision connects his thesis to all of mankind. Prior to his vision, he speaks several times concerning the Messiah and refers to him as "a Savior of the world," "this Redeemer of the world," and "the Lamb of God (1 Ne 10:4, 5, 10). He emphasizes the Savior's role in taking away the sins of the world (1 Ne 10:6,10). As Nephi begins his vision, he connects every part of it back to the Savior and his atonement. He first sees the tree of life, and immediately afterward he sees the ministry and sacrifice of the Savior (1 Ne 11:22, 27-33). After he sees his posterity, he sees the "Lamb of God descending out of heaven" and his posterity's sins being washed away (1 Ne 12:6, 11). After he sees the Gentile nation established in America, he sees his seed "com[ing] to a knowledge of their Redeemer" along with "all the kindreds of the earth" (1 Ne 11:13-19; 13:14; 15:14, 18).
Nephi indicates that the Savior is not just for his people or even just the house of Israel. He tells the reader while relating Lehi's account that the Lord rules "over all the inhabitants of the earth" (1 Ne 1:14). Later, Nephi says "there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth" (1 Ne 13:41). In addition to noting the Lord's responsibility to the whole world, he notes that all people, not just the house of Israel, can be saved and blessed (1 Ne 17:17). "If the Gentiles hearken unto the Lamb of God," then they will be "numbered among the house of Israel," entitling them to all the blessings a natural member would receive (1 Ne 14:1-2).
Overall, Nephi does an excellent job of supporting his thesis with examples from his personal life, family life, and the events which he saw in his vision. He demonstrates not only the deliverance the Lord gives his chosen people, but also the mercies he extends and then relates them all back to the commandments. This essay style helps to introduce the reader to the records of the Nephites, organize Nephi's thoughts, and lay a framework that will be used over and over later by Mormon.
This paper was written September 25, 2000 By Beth Siler. Please do not use without permission.