Book of Mormon Commentary - 3 Nephi 13

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             CHAPTER 13

Jesus teaches the Nephites the Lord's Prayer—They are to lay up treasures in heaven—The Twelve in their ministry are commanded to take no thought for temporal things—Compare Mathew 6. [A.D. 34]

1 aVERILY, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have aglory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their rewarda.
3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;
4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

 2a they have their reward Though the performances of the Lord have associated blessings and rewards, not all who do perform will recieve that associated reward of God. For many do such for the wrong reasons. Here one reason for 'outward' performances which men do is to be seen of other men. When such an incorrect motive is behind the performance, such is its own reward and the reward from God is not received. If one performs to be seen of men, then being seen of men is what they will be rewarded, gaining but the 'temporary' awareness and perhaps praise of man, but not of God. For God views the heart and the intent of the performance and determines if it is unto God for the correct motive and intent. Thus works alone without 'charity' or the pure love of God, doing the mind and will of God and purely unto God, are not acceptable unto the Lord. Each good work must be good to the core, that is the intent of the heart must also be correct before the Lord.  1a Matt. 6:1 (1-34); TG Almsgiving
 2a D&C 121:35 (34-35)

5 And when thou aprayest thou shalt not do as the bhypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast ashut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who bseeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 5a TG Prayer
   b TG Hypocrisy
 6a 2 Kings 4:33
   b TG God, Omniscience of

7 But when ye pray, use not avain repetitions, as the bheathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father aknoweth what things ye have need of before ye bask him.

 7a TG Sincerity
   b TG Heathen
 8a D&C 84:83
   b Ezek. 36:37

9 After this amanner therefore bpray ye: Our cFather who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
12 And alead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

   9a Matt. 6:9-13
     b TG Prayer
     c TG God, the Father — Elohim
 12a See JST Matt. 6:14 in
       footnote for Matt. 6:13

14 For, if ye aforgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 14a Mosiah 26:31; TG Forgiveness

16 Moreover, when ye afast be not as the bhypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and awash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in asecret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 16a Isa. 58:5-7; Zech. 7:5-6; TG Fasting
     b TG Hypocrisy
 17a TG Washing
 18a Isa. 45:15; D&C 38:7

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where amoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 19a 3 Ne. 27:32
 20a Hel. 5:8; Hel. 8:25; TG Treasure

22 The alight of the body is the beye; if, therefore, thine eye be csingle, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can aserve btwo masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

 22a Ezra 9:8
     b Matt. 6:22 (20-25)
     c D&C 88:67; TG Dedication
 24a 1 Sam. 7:3; Alma 5:41 (39-42); Moses 1:15
     b Hosea 10:2

25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the atwelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to bminister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, ctake no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than draiment?
26 Behold the afowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 25a Matt. 6:25; 3 Ne. 12:1; 3 Ne. 15:11
     b TG Church Organizations;
       TG Delegation of Responsibility
     c Alma 31:37; D&C 84:81 (79-85)
     d Job 27:16-17
 26a D&C 117:6

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the alilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;
29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

 28a TG Nature, Earth

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But aseek ye first the bkingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. aSufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

 33a TG Commitment
     b Luke 12:31 (22-34); TG Objectives
 34a Matt. 6:34


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