A Witness of the New Testament

Yesterday I wrote about how the Book of Mormon is a witness to the reality of many of the events recorded in the Old Testament as predicted by the angel to Nephi. The Book of Mormon similarly attests to the truthfulness of some of the events of the New Testament, particularly those of most importance concerning the Savior recorded in the four gospels. One of the places it does this is in the words of the angel to King Benjamin prophesying of the future mission of Christ. He declared, “the Lord Omnipotent… shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men” (Mosiah 3:5-6). This is very consistent with many of the descriptions of the Savior’s healing ministry in the four gospels, such as this: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:23-24). This also matches the testimony of Nephi concerning the Savior’s ministry: “And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out” (1 Nephi 11:31). This is another witness to the testimony of the gospel writers concerning the marvelous works the Savior did, as in this passage: “They brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick” (Matthew 8:16). The Book of Mormon unequivocally affirms the testimony of the New Testament that the Savior performed mighty miracles of healing, casting out devils, and raising the dead.

The Book of Mormon also stands as a witness of the suffering and death of the Savior as recorded in the New Testament. The angel further declared this to King Benjamin: “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people” (Mosiah 3:7). This confirms the testimony of Luke concerning the suffering of the Savior in the garden: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Nephi beheld what happened to the Savior after this: “And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record. And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 11:32-33). Many other passages similarly affirm the reality of the crucifixion. Jacob wrote, “It must needs be expedient that Christ… should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him…. They at Jerusalem will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified” (2 Nephi 10:3,5). Abinadi declared to King Noah, “Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father” (Mosiah 15:7). Nephi also recorded the words of other ancient prophets concerning these events: “The God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos” (1 Nephi 19:10). And of course the Savior Himself came among the Nephites and bore witness to the reality of His sufferings and death as recorded in the New Testament: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.” As a sure witness of the crucifixion he invited the Nephites to “thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet” (3 Nephi 11:10-11, 14). He further affirmed, “And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me” (3 Nephi 27:14). The Book of Mormon unequivocally confirms the testimony of the New Testament that Jesus suffered and was lifted up upon the cross for us.

Lastly, the Book of Mormon affirms the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as declared in the New Testament. He laid down His life and took it up again in the resurrection as declared to King Benjamin, “And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world” (Mosiah 3:10). Lehi prophesied of this event as well: “And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead” (1 Nephi 10:11). Nephi similarly wrote of the resurrection, “Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings” (2 Nephi 25:13). Samuel the Lamanite also spoke of His death and resurrection and the darkness they would experience “from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead” (Helaman 14:20). The most powerful witness of this, of course, is the Savior’s visit to the Nephites after rising from the grave. He said to them: “Whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Nephi 9:22). The Book of Mormon is indeed another testament of Jesus Christ and the reality of His ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection, affirming the testimony of the New Testament writers concerning the Savior and this most triumphant of declarations: “He is not here: for he is risen” (Matthew 28:6).