Outrageous Scriptural statements or proclamations
All of us have encountered statements in the scriptures that defy explanation or description. Here are some of my favorites:
- Matthew 4:8-9 “Again, the devil taketh him [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” First of all, those kingdoms were not Satan’s to give. Second, Satan equated ‘glory’ with possession or size, while the Savior knew that glory was determined by holiness. Thirdly, Satan was audacious beyond comprehension to think that the Lord would worship him, knowing of the Savior’s sweet relationship with His Father!
- John 5:8-10 “The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.” Could a group of people be so insensitive and unfeeling as to focus on carrying your bed on the Sabbath rather than on the fact that the Savior had just healed him of an infirmity that had plagued him for 38 years?
- 1 Nephi 5:2-3 “… and she [Sariah] also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness. And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.” I am quite certain that I can’t begin to comprehend the feelings in Sariah’s heart as she left her home, her security, and her extended family members to follow Lehi into an unknown future, but this scripture still leaves me befuddled.
- 1 Nephi 17:19 “And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their [Laman and Lemuel] hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.” Lacking in judgment? Could they possibly be that blind? Obtaining the plates? Convincing Ishmael and his family to join them in the wilderness? The broken bow incident? Respecting his parents, especially his father? Finding ore, making tools, ‘shocking’ them by reaching out his hand? Lacking in judgment? Nephi was the very epitome of sound judgment!
- Mosiah 10:16 “And again, they [Laman and Lemuel] were wroth with him [Nephi] because he [Nephi] departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records witch were engraven on the plates of brass, for they [Laman and Lemuel] said that he [Nephi] robbed them.” How preposterous that Laman and Lemuel would accuse Nephi of robbing them of the brass plates. Recall the scenario that led up to the obtaining of the plates. Laman tried to simply ask Laban for the plates and was chased away. All the sons tried to purchase the plates and lost considerable wealth in the attempt. At that point Laman and Lemuel flatly refused to make any other effort to obtain the plates. It was Nephi who said he would not return to Lehi’s tents without the plates. While the others waited outside the city walls, Nephi went alone, guided by the Spirit. At great peril, he was finally about to obtain the plates. He alone had the tenacity, the persistence, and the spiritual wherewithal to accomplish the task. And Laman and Lemuel have the audacity to claim that Nephi was stealing the plates when he took them with him into the wilderness!
- Alma 30:27 “Korihor said, And thus ye [the chief priests] lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.” Eight blatant lies, one right after the other!
Click here to return to the Scriptures index
Click here to return to the Main Menu page