II Nephi 26 Structure Intro & Commentary

Introduction

II Nephi 26 is a prophecy by Nephi of the destiny of his people, both anciently and in these latter-days as they interface with the Gentiles.  The chapter heading in the LDS scriptures reads:

"Christ shall minister to the Nephites -- Nephi foresees the destruction of his people -- They shall speak from the dust -- The gentiles shall build up false churches and secret combinations -- The Lord forbids men to practice priestcrafts."

The 2 Nephi 26 structure has a little bit of everything in it, literary structure-wise, doctrine-wise, and prophecy-wise.  It was the first major structure I ever discovered and unfolded to this length.  I found it just after writing the essay, "Will the Gentiles Also Look Beyond the Mark" (the thesis of Greater Things). It confirmed the daring assertions of that essay.  It marked the beginning of a new season in my life in which I would end up doing hundreds of chapters of scripture in similar fashion.  Each would prove another facet of this new paradigm that was unfolding to plain view.

Structure-wise, this chapter has several chiasms of varying sizes, some overlapping another.  These are followed by a fairly large parallel structure, in which the correlating ideas proceed in the same order rather than inverse.  The content of these parallel and chiastic forms validate the Grand Parallel and the Grand Chiasm.

As you read through these various chiasms and the large parallel in II Nephi 26, bear these two themes in mind:  the Grand Parallel, which compares the Nephites anciently and the Gentiles today; and the Grand Chiasm which compares the Jews anciently and the Gentiles today.  "Gentiles," in this context, refers to those people who are called of God to be his husbandmen to prepare for his coming in these latter days, but who will reject His work as did the Jews, minus a remnant among them who will embrace the truth -- just as there was a remnant of Jews who embraced Jesus and Christianity.   This is a very controversial thesis with far-reaching implications so far as the major world religion based in Utah; but it is born out by the scriptures in a thousand different ways.  There are no shortage of validating scriptural witnesses.  II Nephi 26 is one of the more significant testaments of this polemic.

Doctrine-wise, chapter 26 touches on matters both spiritual and temporal.  It relates to individual salvation as well as to the deliverance of entire nations.  It juxtaposes righteousness and wickedness on both levels, mentioning, for example, secret combinations (which the Gentiles -- especially including those people who call themselves the people of God -- build up) as being a driving force behind the destruction of nations, including the destructions that are about to come upon this proud and prosperous country in "an instant suddenly," as II Nephi words it.

The Jews have been focused on the temporal aspects of the kingdom.  The Gentiles have been focused on the spiritual aspects.  The Jews are right, it is going to be a physical kingdom, a government of God on the earth.  The Gentiles are right, it is based on individuals whose hearts have been transformed by God.  The irony is that the Gentiles are going to get what the Jews have been looking toward -- a government of God that will no more be thrown down -- and they as a body will reject it (building up Satan's New World Order instead); just like the Jews got what the Gentiles are now focused on but rejected it (building individually on the works of the arm of flesh rather than a mighty change of heart through which the righteousness of God flows).  In both cases, it is Messiah, or Christ, who is rejected or received.   He will be Lord of the individual and King of the world -- willfully.  The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head stone of the corner.  Out of the rejection comes redemption for those who will receive it.

Commentary

The first chiasm in II Nephi 26:1-9 meant a great deal to me as I first discovered it in 1992 shortly after finishing the essay, "Will the Gentiles Also Look Beyond the Mark?"  It gave strong scriptural credence to what was a very controversial thesis.  There in the focal point was wording very similar to the very scripture I had selected as the theme scripture of the essay:

"The stone which the builders rejected [Jews first Gentiles last], the same is become the head  of the corner [Gentiles first, Jews last].   This is the Lord's doing; and it is marvelous in our eyes.  ...Whosoever [Jews] shall fall on the stone [Christ] shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall [Gentiles], it will grind him to powder [e.g. they shall be trodden under feet]."  (Matt. 21:42-44; Luke 20:18; Ps. 118:22-24.  [bracketed comments borne out in JST Matt. 21:47-56])

The focal point, D, of the chiasm in II Nephi 26:1-9 mentions "buildings," which matches "builders."  It also uses the word "fall;" and it uses the phrase "grind them to powder," which is virtually verbatim to Matthew 21. 

D    v5 and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces
D'   and grind them to powder.

There are only three verses in all the Bible and Book of Mormon and other Standard Works of scripture that use the word "grind" and "powder:" Matt. 21:44, Luke 20:18, and II Nephi 26:5.  This usage of such rare wording placed at the focal point of this first chiasm in II Nephi 26 spotlights this pivotal scripture of the Grand Chiasm.  It makes it very clear that the Lord is not just talking about the Nephites here, but something far beyond that.  He intends these lessons to be compared and applied to us in these latter days, for our warning and edification -- warning if we are wicked (which all have been to a degree), and edification for the righteous to bolster them in their faith in that which is to come so that they might hold out strong, notwithstanding the persecutions.

The wording in B and B', leading up to this focal point and coming away from it, use definite Malachi 4:1 language.  "Shall burn them as stubble;" and "the day that cometh shall burn them up," is explicit Malachi wording.  The purposeful usage of this eschatological wording in reference to the Nephites (in reference to their "end times" as it were) becomes a very strong validation of the Grand Parallel between the Nephites then and the Gentiles now.

This linkage is further validated in the close similarity of word usage in C and C', in reference to the Nephites, compared to II Nephi 27:1,2 in reference to the Gentiles.   Though the people and times are different, the wording is nearly identical.   Though separate, they are parallel.

C v5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, [Compare 2 Ne. 27:2-b]
. . .

C' v6 And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions [Compare 2 Ne. 27:2-a.]

As noted in the brackets, compare that wording with 2 Nephi 27:2.  Verse one states unequivocally that the prophecy refers to the time of the Gentiles -- which is now.

    1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles--yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations--
    2 And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.

The phrase "shall be visited" is used but five times in scripture (one worth particular note is Alma 9:18 (chapter arranged in a chiasm).  This very obvious repeating of rare word usage, first in reference to the Nephites (chapter 26), and then in reference to us in these latter days (chapter 27), unequivocally proves a parallel between the two -- the Grand Parallel.

The focal point of the second chiasm, which covers verses 10-12, matches spiritual destruction (being "cast down to hell") with physical "destruction."

. . . . . . . . D-1 for, for the reward of their pride
. . . . . . . . D-2 and their foolishness
. . . . . . . . D-3 they shall reap destruction;

. . . . . . . . D-1 for because they yield unto the devil
. . . . . . . . D-2 and choose works of darkness rather than light,
. . . . . . . . D-3 therefore they must go down to hell.

This confirms the major premise of the essay, "The Law and the Word of the Lord" which discusses the parallel between the gospel and the government of God, and our duty as saints toward both. The one pertains to individual salvation, and the other to temporal.   Though separate, like man and wife, they are intended to be as one. We cannot think that ignoring principles of rectitude when it comes to nations will have any less deleterious effect on our soul than doing so in our individual lives.  The day of judgement for nations, of which all are a part, is manifest physically.  The day of judgement of individuals is manifest spiritually.  This chiasm aligns the physical and the spiritual as being parallel.

The beginning and ending of this chiasm, A and A', provide yet further validation of these pivotal themes.  Element A is the first chiasm, covering verses 1-9, which address the Lehites and their need to come to Christ or be cut off in the day of judgement (the day of truth coming to bear).  Element A' at the end of this 26:10-12 chiasm is the focal point of the chiasm covering verses 10-18, which speaks of the "convincing of the Jews and the Gentiles that Jesus is the very Christ."  Hence the three major groups being considered here are linked together:  the Nephites, the Jews, and the Gentiles -- being on a parallel.  The Grand Parallel, temporal and spiritual, and the Grand Chiasm are both accounted for.

Another validating highlight of the II Nephi 26 structure is the focal point of the II Nephi 26:10-18 Chiasm.  This one addresses the Grand Chiasm again, which, as just mentioned, parallels the Jews and the Gentiles.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1 v14 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the JEWS,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2 that Jesus is the very Christ,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1 it must needs be that the GENTILES be convinced also
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2 that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;

There again at the focal point is a comparison of Jew and Gentile, with the explicit statement that just as the Jews need to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, so also do the the Gentiles need to be convinced.  The unspoken message (born out very plainly elsewhere) that can be insinuated here by this focal-point placement of Jews parallel to Gentiles, is that just as the Jews rejected the stone upon which they might build, so also will the Gentiles reject that stone.  Yet in the perfect plan of God this rejection turns to redemption for all who will receive it.  The stone which the builders reject, the same becomes the head of their corner.  He will be their God, and they will be His people, Jew and Gentile.

The focal point of the last chiasm of II Nephi 26 (26:13-20 chiasm) and the points leading up to it look toward the promised redemption of the offspring of Israel according to the covenant of God.  The center point refers to the role that the Book of Mormon will play in accomplishing that miracle.  The power inherent in the words of scripture, such as is illustrated by these chiasms and parallels, will win many souls.

Before we discuss the last structure of this chapter, it would be good to make an observation about the general form of the chiasms and parallel in this chapter.  Note that they do not come in separate pieces, but each one is tied to the previous as well as the one that follows.  26:1-9 is element A of 26:10-12, which overlaps 26:10-18, which overlaps 26:13-20, which overlaps the parallel at the end which covers 26:20-33.   I believe this overlapping represents the interconnectivity of these ideas.   Thought the actual text is moving from one subject of prophecy to another, the overlapping poetic structures show the parallel nature of the peoples being spoken of:   the Nephites, the Jews, and the Gentiles.

The closing match in the parallel that ends the chapter draws focus again to the theme of Jew and Gentile Grand Chiasm, ending on the positive note of the redemption that is provided (by virtue of the rejection) and offered to all.

Hence we now understand the grand paradox spoken most concisely by Paul.  "God hath concluded them all [Jew and Gentile] in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all."  (Rom. 11:32.)  Through the blindness of the Jews came spiritual redemption for all mankind -- as many as will.  Likewise, through the blindness of the Gentiles will come temporal redemption for all mankind -- as many as will.

This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

by Sterling D. Allan; Mapleton, Utah; December 5, 1998