In the last few years, there has been a language change, I first noticed in Grant Hardy’s Maxwell Institute Book of Mormon Study Edition about the Three Nephites—nowhere in the scriptures are they called the three Nephites. They may have been Lamanites, Nephites, or both.
In President Dallin H. Oaks' April 2023 General Conference talk, he said, "After His ministry in the Holy Land, Jesus Christ appeared to the righteous on the American continent." Other scholars have used a variety of descriptors including, Lehi’s descendants or Lehi’s children, Nephites and Lamanites, and Lehite survivors. This is something to consider as we work through these chapters of the Savior's visit.
3 Nephi 8:5, 6, 17-19, 21-23
Timing
Even in the bright light of written commentary and artistic depiction, a question persists about the dating of the risen Jesus’ visit to the Americas. One view holds that approximately one year had passed following the severe destruction that attended Jesus’ death. A second view suggests that the Savior’s visit occurred in connection with or soon after his initial appearance to his disciples in Jerusalem following the resurrection (see Luke 24:28–43; John 20:11–18). A third view, which stands between these two, maintains that the Savior’s manifestation occurred only following his forty-day ministry (see Acts 1:3–4).
S. Kent Brown, “When Did Jesus Visit the Americas?” in From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1998), 146–156.
“As with other ancient measurements of time, the term hour is not necessarily a standard unit of time. The word “hour” does not even appear in the Bible until the book of Daniel, and the word “hour” in the New Testament can mean anything from an instant, to 45 minutes, to an hour and a quarter, a period of three hours or even longer.” That there may be different measurements in Mesoamerica for the term hour is evidenced in Alma 18:14, where it indicates that the “king answered him not for the space of an hour according to their time”. Although the length of an hour is not necessarily critical to this hazard analysis, a longer hour may provide for a longer length of time for the hazards that are delimited to the three-hour period identified in 3rd Nephi.” Jerry Grover. 2014
3 Nephi 8:5 This is the seventh and last event in the BoM to be dated precisely, by year, month, and day. The others were Amulek’s encounter with an angel (Alma 10.6); Alma and Amulek’s deliverance from prison (Alma 14.23); the destruction of Ammonihah (Alma 16.1); an invasion by the Lamanites (Alma 49.1); the death of Amalickiah (Alma 52.1); and Captain Moroni’s receipt of a letter from Helaman (Alma 56.1). (Footnote)
Hardy, Grant. The Annotated Book of Mormon (p. 634). Oxford University Press.
Three Days of Darkness
The Know
In the 1960s, Hugh Nibley compared these Book of Mormon accounts to descriptions of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Since that time, several other scholars, including many professional geologists, have examined these accounts and widely agreed that the three-day darkness and other destructive forces described in the Book of Mormon accounts involve a volcanic eruption.
The main reason for this is the three-day period of darkness. Geologists who have studied the 3 Nephi 8 account generally agree that nothing except volcanic ash and dust clouds could account for the three days of darkness, as it is described. Not only the darkness, but the excessive lightning, thundering, tempest, and many other features can all be explained by volcanic activity.
The Why
In graphic detail, the Book of Mormon documents a divinely caused natural disaster occurring at the time of Christ’s death that many geologists agree appears to have involved a volcanic eruption, most likely occurring simultaneously with an earthquake along a strike-slip fault line. Thus far, current geologic evidence supports the following conclusions:
At least one region in the Americas (Veracruz, Mexico) possessed the necessary geologic characteristics.
At least one volcano in that region (San Martín) appears to have erupted in the first century AD.
There was further volcanic activity in Mesoamerica in and around the first century AD.
Ice core samples indicate that a major volcanic event took place somewhere in the world around AD 30–40—around or close to the time of Christ’s death.
While none of this can be linked directly to the events described in 3 Nephi, it goes to show that, as with the sign at Christ’s birth, there is nothing scientifically implausible in the account given in 3 Nephi 8–10. In fact, the fulfillment of this prophesied volcanic disaster is strikingly realistic, especially its three days of smoky vapor and thick darkness.
Also, as was the sign of great light at the time of Christ’s birth, the profound darkness at his death and time in the tomb is strongly symbolic. Just as the “excessive light surrounding Christ’s birth acts as a kind of morning,” the “darkness surrounding Christ’s death acts as a kind of evening.” Alvin Benson aptly stated, “It appears that the earth was symbolically manifesting its gloom over the death of its creator.”
Now, it's easy enough to say these are horrible destructions, natural disasters. We see more of these today than we would like to. But the ancients would've seen this in a very particular way. . . . [the] wind, . . . fire . . . sea. . . . earth. And the way the ancients looked at things, these were the four primal elements. You have wind, earth, fire, water, and those elements that constitute the building blocks of creation are being undone.
Eric Huntsman, https://followhim.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BM-39-Dr.-Eric-Huntsman-3-Nephi-8-11-followHIM-Podcast-SHOW-NOTES.pdf
3 Nephi 9:14-15, 18-21
President Oaks
“Most of the scriptures reporting Jesus’s mortal ministries are descriptions of what He did. My message today consists of a selection of the words of our Savior—what He said. These are words recorded in the New Testament (including the inspired additions of Joseph Smith) and in the Book of Mormon.
After His ministry in the Holy Land, Jesus Christ appeared to the righteous on the American continent. These are some of the words He spoke there:”
3 Nephi 9:15.
3 Nephi 9:18–21
3 Nephi 11:38.
I affirm the truth of these teachings in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
President Dallin H. Oaks
Jason Olson
Whereas in the Book of Mormon, it is a bridge testament, and you actually transition from the Nephites before the coming of Jesus Christ living according to the Torah and the covenant that they took with them from Jerusalem, and then you can actually see their transition into covenant teachings that Jesus Christ brought them.
In the Book of Mormon, God is not creating a new people. He's working with the same people.
Before Jesus is coming to Bountiful, they're living the law of Moses and they're building temples and we don't have that much evidence, but it's clear that they're at least living the Sabbath and I can see patterns where they're living the holy days.
3 Nephi 9:20
Jason: And this is where you can see perfectly the transition from you could say Old Testament to New Testament. Jesus says, “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
Everything Jesus is doing is actually just taking us further inward. So Jesus is getting rid of all the superficialities and he's going inside.
Jason Olson, The Burning Book: A Jewish-Mormon Memoir
3 Nephi 10:1-13
“Cumulatively, Christ says, in effect: I have done everything I could, I would do more if you let me, and I will continue to do everything I can. For Mormon, Christ’s maternity is reflected at least in the consistency of his love: that he has, does, would, and will continue to extend his hand to Israel.”
Daniel Becerra, 3rd, 4th Nephi Maxwell Institute Brief Theological Introduction.
10:4–7: These four questions beginning with how oft—which range from the past, to the hypothetical past, to the future—are all variations of Jesus’s lament for Jerusalem at Mt 23.37 and Lk 13.34. The first two questions are addressed to the deceased Nephites, the third to deceased Jerusalemites, and the fourth to those hearing his voice. In contrast with the NT parallels, the last question was still an open one, an invitation that could be either accepted or rejected.
Hardy, Grant. The Annotated Book of Mormon (p. 634). Oxford University Press.
3 Nephi 11
Although Book of Mormon prophets regularly foretold Jesus’s life in Judea, there were only a few references to his New World ministry (1 Ne 12.4–7; 2 Ne 26.1–9; 32.6; Alma 16.20; 45.10). In particular, Samuel the Lamanite apparently said nothing about it, even though he prophesied in detail about the signs the Nephites would see of Christ’s birth and death (Hel 14; cf. 1 Ne 19.10–12). The Nephites in the city of Bountiful eventually remember prophecies that the Lord would appear to them, but this was not something they had been specifically looking for.
Hardy, Grant. The Annotated Book of Mormon (p. 555). Oxford University Press.
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