3 Nephi 15

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CHAPTER 15

Jesus announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled in Him—The Nephites are the other sheep of whom He spoke in Jerusalem—Because of iniquity, the Lord’s people in Jerusalem do not know of the scattered sheep of Israel. About A.D. 34.

 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and ^bdoeth them, him will I ^craise up at the last day. doing is the key...can't just know. 
 2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.  
 3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. Jesus teaches them here that he knows their thoughts and can give us answers sometimes even when we don't ask. Maybe the principle here, is that because they were teachable he answered without asking. But I'm also remembering examples where prophets perceived the thoughts of wicked men...Ammon with King Lamoni, Alma with King Noah, Jacob to the Nephites, Amulek with the lawyers, Alma to Corianton, Moroni with his men when the Lamanites were attacking...So I'm not sure what the "law" is about perceiving thoughts and answering without asking. Maybe asking in your heart is good enough. And for the wicked it is a sign of God's power? 
  4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.
  5 Behold, ^aI am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to ^bfulfil the law; therefore it hath an end. I have a feeling that one of the reasons we are being asked to study 3rd Nephi is that it is about our time, right now. If that is true, then perhaps we are being prepared to receive higher laws. We may also marvel and wonder about what we are supposed to do with our "old" ways. We must remember that Jesus is the giver of all laws and that as D&C 88:38 says: "And unto every kingdom is given a ^alaw; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions." This earth is a telestial world. As we move into a terrestial world, the laws will change to fit that kingdom. I imagine what a great day it was to be there and witness the Giver of the Law of Moses, tell one and all that it was now fulfilled, that those first-born animals they had been raising and sacrificing for hundreds of years, would no longer be offered up, because Father's first-born had been offered up for all. That's the ultimate ministering.
 6 Behold, I do ^anot destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled. So if a prophet's words are not fulfilled, then he is "destroyed" as a prophet. By definition, I suppose that would have to be true, at least in that prophecy...
 7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.
 8 For behold, the ^acovenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me. Notice He is making a distinction between His covenant and His law. 
 9 Behold, I am the ^alaw, and the ^blight. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall ^clive; for unto him that ^dendureth to the end will I give eternal life. In other words, don't look unto the law itself, but see the law as an extension of Christ who is the real law. Look to Him and let Him help you ascend from preparatory laws to higher laws. The church is preparatory to the Church of the Firstborn, just as the Aaronic Priesthood is preparatory to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Ponder what it means that He is the Light. Light is everything...much more than we comprehend. You can't see anything in the dark. If you look anywhere else but Christ you won't see truth because it will be dark.
 10 Behold, I have given unto you the ^acommandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly ^btestified of me. The commandments He just gave were not the 10 commandments but the Beatitudes and the other laws. Do we see those as laws the same as the 10 commandments? Is this the "New Covenant" spoken of here: D&C 84:57 "And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new ^acovenant, even the ^bBook of Mormon and the ^cformer commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to ^ddo according to that which I have written"  The thought has occurred to me that some ministering is continual through many generations--what He ministered and taught and promised to many of the Prophets, have not happened yet (6), nor have all the covenants He made to His people (8). He is counseling them to stay true and keep the commandments to the end of their lives and they will be blessed with eternal life. The covenant He is referring to in verse 8, is the restoration of the Gospel, almost 2,000 years later, or the restoration of the 10 Tribes and the Lamanites to the gospel yet obedience will bring blessings that are layered through all generations of time.
 11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen:
 12 Ye are my ^adisciples; and ye are a ^blight unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of ^cJoseph. The apostles are to be a light to the Church. Think of the 16 stones that gave light to the Jaradite barges while they crossed the perilous ocean in boats that would otherwise be dark...they could represent the 15 that comprise the First Presidency and the 12 apostles and Jesus Christ. Note that if any of the last 15 fail to give light, there is still always the light of the 1st - Jesus Christ, who is the source of all their light in the first place. And surely, they are only a "light" as they reflect the light of Christ - the source of all light.
 13 And behold, this is the ^aland of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you. We know that during the restoration of the 10 tribes that all will return to the lands that they were given. The tribe of Joseph received the American Continent as a land of inheritance and will gather home to it. Ephriam and Manassah are also of the tribe of Joseph, so this land is our inheritance as well.
 14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should ^atell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.
 15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the ^aother tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.
 16 This much did the Father ^acommand me, that I should tell unto them:
 17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. This is the great dispensation of gathering that Pres. Nelson said is our most important charge and duty. "My dear extraordinary youth, you were sent to earth at this precise time—this most crucial time in the history of the world—to help gather Israel. There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. … This is the mission for which you were sent to earth.”
 18 And now, because of ^astiffneckedness and ^bunbelief they ^cunderstood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the ^dFather concerning this thing unto them. Ah ha! Here is the answer to the question often asked "preppers": "If it is so important that we have food stored, why aren't they talking about it anymore?" Answer: "Too many have been stiffnecked about self-reliance and have not believed the words of the prophets about its importance, so they have not understood. And thus, the prophets were commanded to say no more on this thing. It doesn't change it's importance one whit!" Jesus was strict about when and how and who He imparts knowledge to. Just because He knows something doesn't mean He shares it with everyone. He makes it clear that He only imparts as directed by the Father. We should do the same with our knowledge. We have been commanded to preach faith, repentance and baptism. Beyond that we should be careful to whom we share His "secrets".
 19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were ^aseparated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you. Another gathering scripture. The righteous will be separated from among the wicked. And it can be done in such a way that the wicked have no knowledge of it. Seems impossible? It's been done before and it will happen again! Christ now turns to the disciples and ministers to them in a little group, telling them that He needs them to be His ministers, or 'lights' to these people  He shares that He told the people in His land that He had other sheep, but He was commanded from Father not to tell them about the people in the Americas. The many things He's telling them now, He didn't tell the people in the Holy Land because of their unbelief, iniquity and stiff-neckedness. I understand from this that when I minister, the Holy Ghost will tell me things I need to say and things I shouldn't say.
 20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them.
 21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: ^aOther sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one ^bshepherd. Another gathering reference. "them also I must bring. one fold. one shepherd."
 22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the ^aGentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be ^bconverted through their preaching. When Jesus says, "I" shall bring, He means literally Him, not that they would hear Him through another. It would seem this applies as well to when He says He will baptize us with fire and the Holy Ghost, making it a separate thing from when we are given the gift "through" another.
 23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the ^aGentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the ^bHoly Ghost. I wonder about this...the Gentiles not at ANY time should hear His voice? Wasn't Joseph Smith a Gentile? These Lamanites got to hear and see him and were told they were His sheep. Am I not His sheep because I am a Gentile? I know I have a tribe - is it through adoption or lineage? Joseph Smith was told he was a direct descendant of Joseph of Egypt, so I guess it could be literal... Another possibility is that Joseph saw the Father and Son "in vision" so it wasn't like this visit to the Nephites where it was "in person" and "in the body"...? Or maybe it means Gentiles as a group, since, if God is no respecter of persons, anyone may "see Him" if they rend the veil and receive the Second Comforter. 
 24 But behold, ye have both heard ^amy voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath ^bgiven me. I believe this means that when we are numbered among the gathered sheep that we will hear and see the Savior personally.