Book of Mormon Central

http://bookofmormoncentral.org/

Type: Book Chapter

The Twelve: A Light unto This People

Author(s): S. Kent Brown
Source: The Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 9-30, This is My Gospel
Editor(s): Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr.
Published: Provo, UT; Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University,
1993
Page(s): 149-158

Abstract: From those present at his appearance in Bountiful, Christ chose twelve
disciples, who were also apostles, to lead his Church as he had done in the Holy Land.
Some six hundred years before Christ come to earth, the Book of Mormon prophets saw in
vision that he would call twelve men in both lands. These men would be responsible for
proclaiming the gospel among their people and for judging all of Israel. Through twelve
apostles in various dispensations, Christ has led and will continue to lead all Israel to a
reunion with the Father. By following the light that Jesus has given to the Twelve, we, like
the Nephites, can unify with the Twelve and prepare to become one with God.

The Religious Studies Center is collaborating with Book of Mormon Central to preserve and
extend access to scholarly research on the Book of Mormon. Items are archived by the
permission of the Religious Studies Center.
https://rsc.byu.edu/
 The Twelve: A Light
unto This People 10
Kenneth W. Anderson

I n the meridian of time, Christ was assigned to go only to the

House of Israel (Matt 15:24). As he began his ministry in the
Holy Land, he chose twelve from among his followers, ordained
them apostles, taught them, and sent them out to find the lost
sheep of the House of Israel (Matt 10:5-6). They became his
special witnesses and the conduit through which he would send
his light into the world. These men would lead the Church after
the Savior had completed his mortal ministry.
In his visit to the American Continent following his death,
resurrection, and ascension into heaven from the Holy Land,
Jesus showed himself to the Nephites, a branch of Israel, and
invited them individually to "thrust their hands into his side"
and "feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet," and
they "did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and
did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he"—Jesus
Christ (3 Nephi 11:12-15).
From those present at his appearance in Bountiful, Christ
chose twelve disciples, who were also apostles, to lead his
Church as he had done in the Holy Land. Some six hundred
years before Christ come to earth, the Book of Mormon proph-
ets saw in vision that he would call twelve men in both lands.
These men would be responsible for proclaiming the gospel
among their people and for judging all of Israel (see 1 Nephi
12:10). The term "Israel" refers to those "who prevail with God"
Kenneth W. Anderson is director of the Evening Classes at Brigham Young University.

149
The Twelve: A Light unto This People

or to Church members (LDS Bible Dictionary 708). Elder Bruce

R. McConkie has written:
The concept of a chosen and favored people, a concept scarcely
known in the world and but little understood even by the saints of
God, is one of the most marvelous systems ever devised for admin-
istering salvation to all men in all nations in all ages. . . . In large
measure, the spirit children of the Father who acquired a talent for
spirituality, who chose to heed the divine word then given, and who
sought, above their fellows to do good and work righteousness—all
these were foreordained to be born in the house of Israel. They were
chosen before they were born. . . .

Israel are the seed of Abraham; they are the children of the prophets;
and they associate with the Lord's seers. Israel are the friends of
apostles and revelators. (Millennial Messiah 182-83)

Through twelve apostles in various dispensations, Christ has

led and will continue to lead all Israel to a reunion with the
Father. By following the light that Jesus has given to the
Twelve, we, like the Nephites, can unify with the Twelve and
prepare to become one with God.

The Twelve Are a Light to Israel

Both the Jerusalem apostles and the Nephite disciples were
to be the channel of light through which Israel would receive
Christ's true doctrinal word and the ordinances of his gospel.
Lehi literally sees the light of the Twelve in his vision (1 Nephi
1:9-10); he experienced the light of the Twelve through his
sense of sight. As Christ taught the Nephite Twelve, he ex-
panded their physical light into a metaphor of a guiding light:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light
of this people" (3 Nephi 12:14). Again he "said unto those
twelve whom he had chosen: Ye are my disciples; and ye are a
light unto this people" (15:11-12). Thus Jesus extends the
physical light of the Twelve that Lehi experienced into a direc-
tional light which the Nephite multitude would follow.
For today's technological world, the light of the Twelve
might be thought of as something like a laser. The Light of

150
 Kenneth W. Anderson

Christ through the Twelve emits a coherent beam of one color

directed on a salvational path. This light is emitted so precisely
that it marks a glowing course of safety for Israel. In the
hierarchy of available lights of this life, that light from the
Twelve stands supreme next to Christ's. Hence, his words:
"Behold, I am the light" and "ye are a light unto this people"
(3 Nephi 18:16; 15:12).
As a channel of Christ's light, the Twelve teach true
doctrine and ordinances. Elder Boyd K. Packer notes the im-
portance of true doctrine in our spiritual progression: "True
doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study
of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker
than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation
with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is
why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the
gospel" (17). Similarly, ordinances are equally important in
furthering our spiritual growth, for "in the ordinances thereof,
the power of Godliness is manifest" (D&C 84:20). Ordinances
are the means of transmitting the power of God, line upon line,
to worthy men and women who have made covenants with
Christ.
One of the first opportunities for us to make covenants with
God, to follow the Light of Christ presented to us by the Twelve,
is through baptism. Because this ordinance is primary to our
salvation, Jesus Christ immediately gave the authority to bap-
tize to his Nephite disciples with specific instruction and a
precisely worded prayer. The person to be baptized is to be
called by name saying: "Having authority given me of Jesus
Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." This is followed by a total and
complete immersion of the person in water (3 Nephi 11:25-26);
"For by the water ye keep the commandment" (Moses 6:60).
By using his authority and his specific instruction in this first
ordinance, the circle of the Twelve was drawn into oneness with
Christ; his light became their light. There were to be no dispu-

151
The Twelve: A Light unto This People

tations on this sacred, powerful and potentially sin remitting

ordinance as the disciples administered it to the people.
Next Jesus instructed these Twelve personally in his true
doctrine. He taught them to believe in him, repent, be baptized,
and be visited with fire and the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 11:32—34).
Some may argue that these teachings, these doctrines, are
merely the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel and then
pass them off as only for the elementary student in the Church.
But doing so denies the power of these principles and
ordinances. True doctrines practiced in daily living bring per-
sonal—and private—spiritual experiences so people can "bear
record" of the truth. They witness that God is our Father and
that Jesus is the Christ. This witness comes as a recording fire
from the Holy Ghost. Standing firm for and with these first
principles and ordinances will document in the cleansed soul
"the record of heaven" (Moses 6:61). Jesus stated: "This is my
doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them" (3 Nephi
11:39). He also said that to declare more or less than this and
establish it for doctrine was to build upon a sandy foundation
and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when floods
come and winds beat upon them. He then instructed the Twelve
disciples to "go forth unto this people and declare the word
which I have spoken" (vv 40-41). They were now prepared to
teach the first principles of true doctrine and administer the first
ordinance of the gospel; they were ready to be a light to their
people.

The Twelve Lead Us to Unity with Christ

Thereafter, Jesus establishes the position of the Twelve
among the people. He opens his discourse of "the things which
I taught before I ascended to my Father" (3 Nephi 15:1), the
Sermon on the Mount, by stretching forth his hand toward the
multitude and saying not "Blessed are the poor in spirit" as
recorded in the gospel of Matthew, but "Blessed are ye if ye

152
 Kenneth W. Anderson

shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have
chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your
servants; and unto them I have given power that they may
baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water,
behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost."
Then to these same people Christ said: "Yea, blessed are they
who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths
of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire
and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their
sins" (3 Nephi 12:1-2). Clearly, our oneness with the Twelve
is a factor in our salvation.
Paul taught the Ephesians that Christ gave apostles and
prophets to the Church "for the perfecting of the saints,.. . till
we all come in the unity of the faith . . . that we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine" (Eph 4:11-14). The Twelve are a unifying
channel of light as Jesus had proclaimed. Immaturity in the
gospel and shallowness of soul can create a lack of unity with
the Twelve. In the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, "And
Jesus dwells in the Father, because they are one; the Twelve
dwell in Jesus, because they are one; and all the saints dwell in
the Twelve, because the same perfect unity prevails in their
hearts. 'The Lord our God is one Lord' (Deut 6:4), and his
command to all his disciples is: 'Be one; and if ye are not one
ye are not mine' (D&C 38:27)" (Mortal Messiah 4:115).
Later that first day, after the celestial fire encircled the
Nephite multitude and angels ministered to them, Jesus insti-
tuted another unifying ordinance—the sacrament. He told the
disciples to administer the broken bread and wine of the cup to
the multitude, "in rememberence of [his] body" and "of [his]
blood" (3 Nephi 18:7-11). This new ordinance of the gospel
provided, "in the mouth o f (2 Cor 13:1) two separate lawful
acts, a testimony and a witness to the Father that Israel would
always remember Jesus. This renewing and rehabilitative re-
membrance of him generated companionship with the Holy
Ghost, which unified Christ, the Twelve, and the multitude

153
The Twelve: A Light unto This People

(3 Nephi 19:9). And again, Jesus instructed them: "If ye do

these things [ordinances]... ye are built upon my rock." Doing
more or less than these ordinances causes one to be built upon
a sandy foundation. Storms easily blow and beat upon those
members, and "the gates of hell are ready open to receive them"
(3 Nephi 18:12-13).
So powerful and sacred were these renewing ordinances
that Jesus commanded the disciples: "Ye shall not suffer any
one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily
when ye shall minister it" (3 Nephi 18:28). The moral mainte-
nance of Church membership is a command to the Twelve of
any dispensation. A person's unworthy participation in these
ordinances brings damnation instead of renewal and reha-
bilitation to the soul; it ultimately disrupts the unity of the
community. However, in an attempt to preserve that unity,
Christ directed the Twelve, "ye shall not cast him [the unwor-
thy] out of your. . . places of worship" but "continue to
minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent
and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal
them." Condemnation was mentioned for not keeping this
command (vv 30-33).
In the closing moments of that first day of his visit to the
Nephites and before he reascended into heaven, Jesus gave
these special Twelve Disciples a supernal and matchless power.
It was a gift above gifts; it was the means by which they would
maintain a unity of the Saints and invite more people to join the
community. He touched with his hand the disciples "one by one
. . . and spake unto them as he touched them. And the multitude
heard not the words which he spake; the disciples bear record
that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost" (3 Nephi
18:36-37). We are indebted to Moroni for recording the exact
words of Jesus's instruction on the proper mannner of be-
stowing the gift of the Holy Ghost: "Ye shall call on the Father
in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye
shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands,

154
 Kenneth W. Anderson

ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it,
for thus do mine apostles" (Moroni 2:2).
And what the Twelve taught the people after they were
empowered follows an exact doctrinal pattern of what we are
taught. Specifically to " . . . kneel down upon the face of the
earth, a n d . . . pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus"
(3 Nephi 19:6). The Twelve ministered to the people, speaking
the same words that Jesus had spoken. Through ministering to
the multitude as Jesus had done, they lead the multitude toward
unity with Him.
When Christ returned to minister to them the next day, he
offered three separate prayers to his Father, two of which are
recorded. His words explain the value of the words of the
Twelve:
Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these
whom I have chosen;. . . Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the
Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words . . . And
now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall
believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in
them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. (3 Nephi
19:20-21, 23; emphasis added)

A factor in receiving the Holy Ghost is believing in the words

of the Twelve. Believing "in the words" of the Twelve leads us
to becoming one with the Father and with Christ.
In his second prayer among the Nephites, Jesus' words
verify that the doctrine of purification, becoming clean from the
sins of this world, is also dependent upon our "faith on the
words" of the Twelve. He prayed: "Father, I thank thee that thou
hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith,
and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their
words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their
words, even as they are purified in me" (3 Nephi 19:28; empha-
sis added). True doctrine, correct baptism, the renewing
sacrament, the gift of the Holy Ghost, a remission of sin,
purification—these doctrines and ordinances of the gospel were
made available to Nephite Israel through the Twelve Disciples

155
The Twelve: A Light unto This People

Jesus called from among them, and they were integral in creat-
ing and maintaining the unified Nephite Zion.

The Latter-day Twelve Light

and Unify the Church
If we are to liken these scriptures unto ourselves, it seems
appropriate to ask: In what light do we see the Twelve whom
Jesus has called today? Like the Nephites in Bountiful, do we
see them as the channel of light through which modern Israel
receives true doctrine, ordinances of the gospel, and the hope
of eternal rest? Is there any rebellion on our part to cut off or
diminish this light from our lives? At the October 1992 General
Conference, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said:
Remember how, with Pharaoh's angry army in hot pursuit, ancient
Israel aligned themselves with the Lord's instructions? Moses
stretched forth his hand and the Red Sea parted. With towering walls
of water on each side, Israel walked through the narrow passage
obediently, and no doubt quickly! There were no warnings about
conforming on that day! There are passages ahead which will require
similar obedience, as prophets lead the 'men [and women] of Christ'
in a straight and narrow course. (67)

By following the course set by the Lord's apostles, we too can

become one with each other and with him.
In accordance with Christ's admonition that the chief
among us become the servant of all (Matt 20:27), despite the
benefits of being called as an apostle of Jesus Christ, our
modern-day apostles focus on serving and leading those in the
Church rather than on their own self-aggrandizement. At the
October 1992 General Conference, President Gordon B.
Hinckley said:
I wish now to say a few words about the men who are members of
the Quorum of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles. . . . I am confident that no one of them ever aspired to
office. No one campaigned for it. I think none ever thought himself
worthy of it. This is a singular and remarkable thing. . . . I say for
each and all that we have no personal agenda. We have only the

156
 Kenneth W. Anderson

Lord's agenda. There are those who criticize when we issue a

statement of counsel or warning. Please know that our pleadings are
not motivated by any selfish desire. Please know that our warnings
are not without substance and reason. Please know that the decisions
to speak out on various matters are not reached without deliberation,
discussion, and prayer. Please know that our only ambition is to help
each of you with your problems, your struggles, your families, your
lives. . . . I know that there is no desire to teach anything other than
what the Lord would have taught. (54, 59)

Our Latter-day Twelve are constantly aware of their responsi-

bility to be a light to the members of the Church. They desire
to lead us to unity with God.

Conclusion

At the close of 3 Nephi, Mormon gives a solemn warning

to Israel in particular and to all people in general:
And wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus,
and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for
whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom
he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them
at the last day; and it would be better for them if they had not been
born. For do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an
offended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men? (28:34-
35)

It is an offense to God when we refuse to receive the words of

the Twelve he has called to lead us. We are thankful to John the
Revelator for his teaching the truth about ". . . the Devil, and
Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; . . . for the accuser of
our brethren [Satan] is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood
of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved
not their lives unto the death" (Rev 12:9-11). Despite Satan's
attempts to darken our perception of the light of the Twelve, we
must watch and follow that light.
A central message from Christ in 3 Nephi is clear: our
Heavenly Father gave his glorious gospel plan to his Son. Jesus

157
The Twelve: A Light unto This People

gave that same gospel plan, with its true doctrine and ordinances
to the twelve disciples; and the twelve disciples, in turn, made
the same eternal fulness available to all the Nephite Saints.
Through the Twelve all of Israel (Church members) may
become one with the God of heaven. This unity and oneness of
the Saints is an evidence of the truth of the Lord's work.
Finally, no greater truth or source of happiness has been
revealed than that given to Nephite Israel. It is a supernal truth.
The oneness of the Father and the Son and the Twelve provides
the light channel through which men and women of Israel may
access Christ's true doctrinal word and his ordinances of the
gospel including rest in mortal life and in eternal life. It comes
only through oneness with the Twelve. While there are thou-
sands of bishops and even thousands of stake presidents today,
there are still only Twelve Apostles of the Lamb who, with
power, serve as did the Nephite Twelve as the "light unto this
people." May we keep our eyes on the safe salvational path they
light and thereby achieve unity with God.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hinckley, Gordon B. "The Church Is on Course." Ensign (Nov 1992)

22:53-54, 59-60; also in Conference Report (Oct 1992) 7 6 - 8 1 .

Maxwell, Neal A. "Settle This in Your Hearts." Ensign (Nov 1992) 2 2 : 6 5 -

67; also in Conference Report (Oct 1992) 88-92.

McConkie, Bruce R. Millennial Messiah. Salt Lake City: Desert Book,

1982.

. Mortal Messiah. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981.

Packer, Boyd K. "Little Children." Ensign (Nov 1986) 16-18; also in

Conference Report (Oct 1986) 18-22.

158