Jacob 4
People in this chapter
Jacob begins with a complaint every scripture writer could make: engraving on metal is hard, so he cannot write but a little (v. 1). But metal lasts. Whatever is written on anything else will perish and vanish away (v. 2). So he writes a few words for his children and for our beloved brethren, the Lamanites, hoping they will read them with joy and not with sorrow (v. 3).
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Jacob 4:1-4That They May Know That We Knew of Christ
1Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain; 2But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers— 3Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
Engraving on metal plates is slow and hard, so Jacob writes only a little. But what is written on plates will last.
Jacob hopes his readers, including the Lamanites, will learn about their ancestors with joy and not with sorrow.
4For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.
This is why Jacob writes: so that later readers will know the Nephites knew of Christ centuries before His birth. All the earlier prophets did too.
Jacob 4:5-7A Similitude of God and His Only Begotten Son
5Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.
The Nephites prayed to the Father in Christ's name and kept the law of Moses because it pointed them to Christ.
6Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea. 7Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.
Searching the prophets and receiving revelation gave the Nephites a hope and an unshaken faith, strong enough to command in Jesus' name.
God shows us our weakness so we will know our power comes from His grace. Grace is His enabling help.
Jacob 4:8-12Seek Not to Counsel the Lord
8Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God. 9For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
God's ways are too deep for us to find out on our own. We know them only when He reveals them, so we should not despise revelation.
10Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.
Jacob warns against trying to tell God what to do. Instead, take counsel from Him. He counsels with wisdom, justice, and mercy.
11Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh. 12And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?
Jacob asks: if we can speak of the resurrection, why not speak of the Atonement too, and come to know Christ fully?
Jacob 4:13-18Looking Beyond the Mark
13Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.
The Spirit tells the truth about things as they really are and as they really will be. God's prophets speak plainly so people can understand.
14But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.
Ancient Israel rejected plain truth and chased things they could not understand. That is looking beyond the mark, looking past Christ, the target.
15And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying; for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation. 16But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build. 17And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?
18Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you.
Jacob asks how people who rejected the foundation could ever build on it again. He promises to explain, and does so in the next chapter.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- How Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac Illuminates the AtonementScholars trace the parallels between Abraham's offering of Isaac in Genesis 22 and the Father's offering of His Son, building on Jacob's word similitude in verse 5.
- GraceGrace as the enabling power given through Jesus Christ, the teaching behind verse 7.
- Atone, AtonementWhat it means to be reconciled to God through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (v. 11).
- CornerstoneScriptures that identify Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone, the stone of verses 15-17.
Where this echoes in Scripture
That They May Know That We Knew of Christ
- John 5:46Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
- Acts 10:43To him give all the prophets witness.
- Enos 1:13That the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites… that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites.Jacob's son prays for the same readers.
- 2 Nephi 25:23We labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ.Nephi states the same intent.
A Similitude of God and His Only Begotten Son
- Genesis 22:2, 8Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest… God will provide himself a lamb.
- John 3:16God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.
- Galatians 3:24The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.
- Ether 12:27I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me.
- Moses 5:7This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father.Adam is taught the same word about his sacrifices.
Seek Not to Counsel the Lord
- Isaiah 40:13Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
- Isaiah 55:8-9For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
- 2 Nephi 25:26We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ.
Looking Beyond the Mark
- Psalm 118:22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
- Matthew 21:42The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.Jesus applies the Psalm to Himself.
- Acts 4:11-12This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
- Helaman 5:12It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.
- D&C 93:24Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.The same definition of truth, in modern revelation.