Understand the Context & Content of the Scriptures and Words of the Prophets

From the Gospel Teaching & Learning manual we read, "Understanding the context and content of the scriptures and the words of the prophets prepares teachers and learners to recognize the messages of the inspired authors" (p. 23). Such is absolutely true! Identifying the context and content from a scriptural passage enables the principles and doctrines to almost leap off the page at us and our students.

Two quick definitions before going further:

1. Context. According to the Gospel Teaching & Learning manual we learn that "Context is (1) the passages of scripture that precede or follow a verse of series of verses or (2) the circumstances that surround or give background to a particular scriptural passage, event, or story" (p. 24).

2. Content. The manual explains this as "the story line, people, events, sermons, and inspired explanations that make up the scriptural text. The content of the scriptures gives life and relevance to the doctrines and principles that are found in the scripture [passage]" (p. 24).

With these thoughts in mind, how often in your life have you sat in a class where 1 Nephi 3 was the subject and the teacher gives a quick background of something like, "Here we have Lehi and his family in the wilderness and Lehi commands his son Nephi to return to Jerusalem and get the plates of brass from Laban, and this is what Nephi says to his father about it: 'And it came to pass that I, Nephi said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded...'" and then the instructor says something like, "Wow, isn't Nephi amazing? He went and did what his father asked of him and got the plates" and then the instructor moves on to the next subject to be discussed. Wait, what? Stop right there teacher! I have a question for you:

"As your students, what context & content might help us understand what is going on here?" What if you as my teacher, simply showed me and our class a map and quickly made some estimates of about how far it is from Jerusalem, where Lehi and his family had come from, to where they were? According to 1 Nephi 2:4-5, Lehi and his family had come from Jerusalem to the shore of the Red Sea. If the Red Sea starts at the north end of the Gulf of Aqaba, where current day Elat is situated, then we are looking at about a 180 miles from Jerusalem to Eliat. Okay, 180 miles does not seem like too big of a deal, but wait, "Teacher, did you just say they either did this on foot or on the back of camel?" Okay, now as a student I am sitting at attention waiting for you to help me discover more!

Now, with that picture in mind, think about what Lehi was asking his sons to do: Go all the way back, some 180 miles and get the plates of brass, and I can almost hear Lehi thinking, "And oh, by the way, I am not really all that sure Laban is going to just simply give the plates to you!" With that simple content and context in mind, it seems that Nephi's words, "I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7) mean so very much more! Think of it, they have come 180 miles south to the Red Sea, now they are to go back to Jerusalem 180 miles, and then back down to the Red Sea, that is approximately 540 miles! And we have no clue in the record whether this was done on foot, by camel, or what. Wow! Now,

we have yet to even mention that in 1 Nephi 7, Lehi is going to send his sons back one more time to bring Ishmael and his family along, one more round trip of 360 miles brings our grand total at this point to 900 miles! Again, wow! And we grumble getting into our automobile to drive 5 or 6 miles, or around the block, depending on where we live, to do our home teaching and think as we drive or walk, "I will go and do...I will go and do...Ya, I am like Nephi...I will go and do..." Right.

This was a very simple addition to the context and content of 1 Nephi 3:7, a wise teacher could do quite a bit more to help their students draw out the doctrines and principles in scriptural passages by helping their students have a better sense of the context and content of the scriptures. I absolutely believe that as we help our students better understand the context and content of the scriptures and living prophets, they, our students will feel a deepened sense of reverence for these sacred texts as well as an increased desire to live by the doctrines and principles they find.

It is so good to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ!