Jacob 3

Verse 5:
"Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father -  that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredomes committed among them."
The Book of Mormon speaks pretty strongly against polygamy. I am not sure how they have the reputation of being polygamists, I guess it is something I should ask.

This is also the case in the first chapter of Jacob, "And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring may wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son." (Jacob 1:15)


Written 9-4-14






Verse 10:

“Wherefore ye shall remember your children, how that ye have grieved their hearts because of the example that ye have set before them; and also, remember that ye may, because of your filthiness, bring your children unto destruction and their sins be heaped upon your heads at the last day.”

 

It is a common theme in the Bible to have, the sin of the parents affect their children. A prime example of this thinking is present in the Ten Commandments, “for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5-6) In these verses it states that the curse of a parent may be passed on to the children. One can see how this works primarily through the principle of original sin, “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Another passage that exemplifies this idea as a common belief is in John, “His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).

            Although it seems that God and the cosmic laws may work in this manner, God does command that justice should not be served (at least by humans) in this way; Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin. (Deuteronomy 24:16). Ezekiel 18 is an excellent example that not only regards but wrestles with this common thought.

 

What I find interesting about Jacob 3:10, is that although there is plenty of examples of the punishment of the parents being passed on to the children, there is not many examples of the punishment of the children being heaped on the parents. That is, the parents are being blamed for the sins of the children because of how they were influenced or raised; as if the parents are held accountable of the lives of the children. There is a sense of this theme in the New Testament as well, “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:2) But Jacob 3:10 connects the concept of accountability with inter-generational punishment.

Written 9-8-14