The Book of Mormon Title Page “For a Wise Purpose”

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The Book of Mormon Title Page “For a Wise Purpose”

Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (unpublished)

On the Title Page of the Book of Mormon we find that it was "written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation--Written and sealed up . . . to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile."

President Ezra Taft Benson taught:

The Book of Mormon . . . was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. . . . Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations. . . . If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, "Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his records?

[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Conference Reports, Oct. 1986, p. 5; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 6]

The major mission of the Book of Mormon, as recorded on its title page, is "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." Let us consider some of the attributes of our Lord, as found in the Book of Mormon, that show that Jesus is the Christ. [The following are only part of those given in President Benson's speech.]:

He is the Exemplar: He "set the example. . . . He said unto the children of men: Follow thou me" (2 Nephi 31:9.10).

He is Generous: "He commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation" (2 Nephi 26:24).

He is the Healer: "The "sick, and . . . afflicted with all manner of diseases, . . . devils and unclean spirits, . . . were healed by the power of the Lamb of God" (1 Nephi 11:31).

He is Humble: "He humbleth himself before the Father" (2 Nephi 31:7).

He is Joyful: "the Father hath given " Him a "fulness of joy" (3 Nephi 28:10).

He is Kind: He has "loving kindness . . . towards the children of men" (1 Nephi 19:9).

He is the Liberator: There is no other head whereby ye can be made free" (Mosiah 5:8).

He is Loving: "He loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life" (2 Nephi 26:24).

He is Obedient: Obedient unto the Father "in keeping his commandments" (2 Nephi 31:7).

He is the Resurrection: He brought to pass "the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise" (2 Nephi 2:8).

He is the Ruler: He rules "in the heavens above and in the earth beneath" (2 Nephi 29:7).

He is Sinless: He "suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation" (Mosiah 15:5).

Now, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us read the Book of Mormon and be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him. [Ezra Taft Benson, "Come unto Christ," Ensign, November, 1987, pp. 83-85]

Raymond Treat

According to Raymond Treat, the main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to restore a knowledge of the covenants made anciently with the house of Israel to a remnant of the house of Israel. One way to demonstrate that this is the primary purpose of the Book of Mormon is to point out that the book begins (and ends) with the covenant. In the title page we read:

A written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel [the covenant people];

B and also to Jew [the rest of the house of Israel] and Gentile [everyone else] . . .

A' to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel [the covenant people]

[1] what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers, and

[2] that they may know the covenants of the Lord that they are not cast off forever,

B' and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile [the rest of the house of Israel and the whole world]

[1] that Jesus is the Christ,

[2] the Eternal God manifesting himself unto all nations.

[see Raymond C. Treat, "Understanding Our Covenant," in Recent Book of Mormon Developments, Vol. 2, Zarahemla Research Foundation, p. 34]