The Convincing of the Jews

Each of the four major writers of the Book of Mormon—Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, and Moroni—wrote about the future of the Jews and their desire that the Jews come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. Nephi wrote “concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ” and prophesied that “the Jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome people” (2 Nephi 26:12, 30:7). Among his final words were these: “And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good” (2 Nephi 33:10). He wanted all, including specifically the Jews, to believe in Christ. His brother Jacob prophesied of how the Jews would reject and kill Jesus, but that they would one day believe in Him: “Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God…. But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance” (2 Nephi 10:3, 7). He also wrote about how the “Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation,” and he gave the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees specifically in order to show how “this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build” (Jacob 4:15-16). After quoting it, he wrote how “how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (Jacob 6:4). He knew that the Jews and all the house of Israel could repent and come unto the Savior who stands still with arms outstretched.

                Mormon and Moroni were similarly concerned with the future of the Jews and their belief in the Savior. Mormon gave one of the reasons that he was writing in these words: “And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God” (Mormon 3:21). He also wrote how his words would indeed go to the Jews: “And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant” (Mormon 5:14). Thus we see that one of the great purposes of the Book of Mormon is to persuade the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Mormon finished his account inviting them and all of the house of Israel to believe in the Savior: “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 victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up…. Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you” (Mormon 7:5, 8). Mormon’s son Moroni recognized this crucial purpose of the Book of Mormon and put it in the title page: “And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.” The book was written to convince the Jews, along with the Gentiles, that Jesus is the Christ. Among Moroni’s final words were this invitation: “And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:31-32). Though he didn’t specifically mention Jew here, his reference to “Jerusalem” and “daughter of Zion” and “house of Israel” surely included the Jews. He hoped for them and for all of us that we would come unto Christ and be perfected in Him. The Book of Mormon is the second witness to the Jews—and to all the world—that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.