Book of Mormon Commentary - 3 nephi 14

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             CHAPTER 14

Jesus commands: Judge not; ask of God; beware of false prophets—He promises salvation to those who do the will of the Father—Compare Matthew 7. [A.D. 34]

1 aAND now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judgeda.
2 aFor with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

 1a Judge not, that ye be not judged Akin to but not exactly the same as the principle of forgiveness is the principle of judgment. We are to forgive all that the Lord might also forgive us. For when we do not forgive another, the Lord in turn does not forgive us. In that same vain, with what judgment we exercise, so will the Lord judge us. In either case we can not be aware of all the circumstances surrounding the issue at hand, either the seeming sin or our myopic judgment perspective of it. Thus only God who sees, knows and undrstands all is fit to judge and forgive whom he will or will not forgive. For the Lord sees into the heart and intent of a person and beyond the mere temporay circumstance within which one might 'once' so be seen to perform.  1a Matt. 7:1 (1-27);
      See also footnote to Matt. 7:1
 2a Morm. 8:19

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou ahypocrite, first cast the bbeam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 5a TG Hypocrisy
   b John 8:7 (3-11)

6 Give not that which is aholy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 aAsk, and it shall be given unto you; bseek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

 6a TG Holiness
 7a 3 Ne. 27:29; TG Prayer
   b TG Initiative; TG Objectives

9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the astrait gate; for wide is the gate, and bbroad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;
14 Because strait is the agate, and bnarrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and cfew there be that find it.

 12a TG Benevolence; TG Compassion;
       TG Courtesy
 13a Luke 13:24; 3 Ne. 27:33
     b D&C 132:25
 14a 2 Ne. 9:41; 2 Ne. 31:9, 17-18; D&C 22:4
     b 1 Ne. 8:20
     c Matt. 7:14; 1 Ne. 14:12

15 Beware of afalse prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their afruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

 15a Jer. 23:21-32; 2 Ne. 28:12 (9, 12, 15);
       TG False Prophets
 16a Col. 1:6; Alma 32:42 (28-42);
       D&C 52:34 (18, 34)

17 Even so every agood tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that abringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore, by their afruits ye shall know them.

 17a Alma 5:41
 19a Matt. 3:10; Alma 5:36-41; D&C 97:7
 20a Matt. 7:17 (16-20); Matt. 12:33;
       Luke 6:43-45; Moro. 7:5

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall aenter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will asay to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will aI profess unto them: I never bknew you; cdepart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 21a 1 John 2:17
 22a Alma 5:17
 23a Matt. 7:23
     c Mosiah 5:13; Mosiah 26:25 (24-27);
       D&C 112:26
     c Ps. 119:115; Luke 13:27

24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a arock—
25 And the arain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it bfell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a afoolish man, who built his house upon the bsand—
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

 24a TG Rock
 25a Alma 26:6; Hel. 5:12
     b Prov. 12:7
 26a TG Foolishness
     b 3 Ne. 11:40


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