Book of Mormon Commentary - 2 Nephi 32

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             CHAPTER 32

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost—Men must pray and gain knowledge for themselves from the Holy Ghost. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.]

1 AND now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the waya. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?
2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had areceived the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the btongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
3 aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, bfeast upon the cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will dtell you all things what ye should do.

The Tongue of Angels 
 Angels speak the truth of God and it is the Holy Ghost that bears witness to that truth, which is of and from God. Even by a still small voice is the truth spoken for thus is the testimony of the truth so given unto man and from one man to another when they speak the truth of God by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. And this is how it is that a man may speak with the 'tongue of angels' for angels speak the truth of God by the power and confirming authority of the Holy Ghost. And when one is in tune with the Holy Spirit they may hear the tongue of angels being spoken though it be but by the mouth of a man. For if one speaks the truth of God and that voice is accompanied by and confirmed by the Holy Ghost to be the truth of God, then you have heard it spoken by the 'tongue of angels.' And when so spoken sayeth the Lord 'whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.' (D&C 1:38) 		 1a ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way Some do consider the Doctrine of Christ to be but faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. But that is but the gate by which one enters. Once the Holy Ghost is given, this is the spirit of revelation, it is the power by which Angels speak the words of Christ to men. It is that same spirit of revelation, the power of the Holy Ghost which speaks to and by men, that they do speak with the tongue of angels. Which is the 'word of Christ'. The Doctrine of Christ speaks not of an end in the receipt of the Holy Ghost, but of the continueance upon that strait and narrow path which leads to heaven, that power given to men to know the will of God concerning all things, all truth, and by which men will be led principle upon principle, ordinance upon ordinance, line upon line as the whole of the way, the whole of the path is revealed as to what men shall 'do next'.  2a Alma 36:24; 3 Ne. 9:20
   b 2 Ne. 31:13; D&C 1:38
 3a TG Angels
   b Jer. 15:16; TG Bread of Life; TG Study
   c Col. 3:16
   d Ex. 4:15; TG Problem-solving
4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye aask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will ashow unto you all things what ye should do.
6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall amanifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.

 4a TG Ask
 5a 3 Ne. 16:6; Ether 4:11-12; D&C 28:15;
     Moses 8:24; TG Holy Ghost, Gifts of;
     TG Revelation
 6a 1 Ne. 12:6
7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the aunbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the bstiffneckedness of men; for they will cnot search dknowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in eplainness, even as plain as word can be.
8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the aSpirit which teacheth a man to bpray ye would know that ye must cpray; for the devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must apray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall bpray unto the Father in the cname of Christ, that he will dconsecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the ewelfare of thy soul.

 7a TG Doubt; TG Unbelief, Unbelievers
   b TG Stiffneckedness
   c 2 Pet. 3:5
   d TG Knowledge
   e 2 Ne. 25:7-8; 2 Ne. 31:3; Jacob 4:13;
     Alma 13:23; Ether 12:39
 8a TG Discernment, Spiritual
   b TG Prayer
   c Jacob 3:1
   d 2 Ne. 9:39; 2 Ne. 28:21 (20-22); Mosiah 2:32;
     Mosiah 4:14; Alma 30:42, 53;
     TG Spirits, Evil or Unclean
 9a Mosiah 26:39; 3 Ne. 20:1; D&C 75:11
   b 3 Ne. 18:19;
   c Col. 3:17; Moses 5:8
   d Micah 4:13; 2 Ne. 2:2
   e Alma 34:27
BM Book Previous BM Chapter Next BM Chapter Commentary Page Home Page