Where we are
Mosiah 14 is the BoM's-verbatim Suffering-Servant chapter — Isaiah 53 in the mouth of Abinadi. The priests had cited Isaiah 52:7–10 (Mosiah 12:20–24) as their trap; Abinadi now-reads-them the chapter-that-follows-and-completes their citation — Isaiah 53, the chapter the priests-deliberately-did-not-cite because-it-is-the-suffering of-the-very-servant whose-beautiful-feet they-named. The chapter is the BoM's-most-Christological non-Nephite text — every-verse is a-direct-prophecy of-the-Christ-event written-by-Isaiah-in-the-eighth-century-BC, brought-from-the-Brass-Plates by-the-Lehite-colony, and-now-being-read-aloud in-a-Mesoamerican-court-room six-centuries-before-the-event-occurs.
The chapter has four movements: (1) the rejection and the despised-servant (vv. 1–3); (2) the substitutionary-suffering (vv. 4–6); (3) the silent-lamb and the unjust-trial (vv. 7–9); (4) the satisfied-servant and the dividing-of-spoil (vv. 10–12).
For the reader, the chapter contains six especially load-bearing texts: (1) v. 3 he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief — the chapter's-master-rejection statement; (2) v. 4 surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows — the chapter's-master-vicarious-suffering statement; (3) v. 5 he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed — the chapter's-master-substitution verse; (4) v. 6 all we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all — the chapter's-master-iniquity-of-us-all statement; (5) v. 7 he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth — the chapter's-master-silent-lamb statement, the structural-apex of-the-Isaiah-chiasm; (6) v. 10 yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin — the chapter's-master-asham (guilt-offering) statement.
The rejection and the despised servant (verses 1–3)
Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? — Mosiah 14:1
The chapter opens with Abinadi's-formal-citation. Even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The doctrine: the chapter is framed as Isaiah-being-cited; Abinadi is using-the-priests'-own-scripture against-them, finishing-the-citation they-deliberately-cut-short. The arm-of-the-Lord (zeroa adonai) the priests-named in Mosiah-12:23 is here-revealed as the suffering-servant — the priests-said the Lord's-arm-bared, Abinadi-says the arm-is-the-bruised-Messiah. Same arm-of-the-Lord revealed-as-Suffering-Servant grammar as Jn. 12:38 — that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the arm-of-the-Lord-is-Christ doctrine — and one of the BoM's-most-Johannine resonances.
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. — Mosiah 14:2
The chapter records the tender-plant and root-out-of-dry-ground image. He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness. The doctrine: the Messiah will-not-be-visibly-glorious; he will-grow-up like-a-shoot-from-a-desert-stump, unprepossessing, without-the-form-of-a-king; the colony's-king Noah-is-the-opposite — Noah-built-the-tower-and-the-gold-throne, the Messiah-will-have-no-form. The contrast is structural. Same shoot-from-the-stump grammar as Isa. 11:1's-stem-of-Jesse — and there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; Isa. 6:13's-the-holy-seed shall be the substance thereof. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the unprepossessing-Messiah doctrine — Christ-coming-without-form-or-comeliness, the inverse-of-every-king-of-the-colony.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. — Mosiah 14:3
The chapter's master-man-of-sorrows verse. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him. The doctrine: the Messiah will-be-rejected by-men, despised, a man-of-sorrows; the rejection is universal — we (the prophet, the colony, all-of-us) hid our faces; the Messiah comes-to-the-hidden-face of-his-people. Same despised-and-rejected grammar as Ps. 22:6's I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people; Jn. 1:11 — he came unto his own, and his own received him not. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the universal-rejection-of-the-Messiah doctrine — and one of the BoM's-most-Johannine-anticipations.
The verse's acquainted with grief — the chapter's-precise Hebrew-idiom. Yodea choli — knowing-sickness; the Messiah is-not-only-grieved but is-acquainted-with-grief as-its-intimate, knows-it-by-experience. Same intimacy-with-grief grammar as Heb. 4:15 — for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are; Heb. 5:8 — though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.
The substitutionary suffering (verses 4–6)
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. — Mosiah 14:4
The chapter's master-vicarious-suffering verse. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. The doctrine: the Messiah will-bear-our-griefs (chalayenu) and carry-our-sorrows (makh'ovenu); the bearing is vicarious — what-was-ours becomes-his; but-the-observers will-misread the bearing as God's-judgment-on-the-Servant (smitten of God) rather-than-as-God's-judgment-on-us-borne-by-the-Servant. Same vicarious-bearing grammar as Mt. 8:17 — himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses; 1 Pet. 2:24 — who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the vicarious-bearing-with-mis-reading doctrine — the Servant-bears-for-us but is mis-read as-judged-for-himself.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. — Mosiah 14:5
The chapter's master-with-his-stripes-we-are-healed verse — the BoM's-clearest-pre-Petrine substitution-statement. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The doctrine: the substitution is four-fold-precise — wounded (mecholal) for-our-transgressions (peshaenu); bruised (medukka) for-our-iniquities (avonotenu); chastisement (musar) of-our-peace (shalom) upon-him; stripes (chaburato) for-our-healing (nirpa). Each-element is precisely-matched — what-we-deserved he-took, and the result is our-shalom. Same wounded-bruised-chastised-striped substitution-grammar as 1 Pet. 2:24 — by whose stripes ye were healed; Rom. 4:25 — who was delivered for our offences; 2 Cor. 5:21 — for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Petrine articulation of the by-his-stripes-we-are-healed doctrine — one of the BoM's-most-Petrine-resonances.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. — Mosiah 14:6
The chapter's master-iniquity-of-us-all verse. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. The doctrine: the chapter names the universal-condition — all-have-strayed; the prescription is the iniquity-of-us-all laid-on-him; the substitution is total — every-stray-sheep's-iniquity is-on-the-one-Lamb. The same all-have-sinned of Rom. 3:23 paired with the laid-on-him of-this-verse. Same all-sheep-go-astray grammar as 1 Pet. 2:25 — for ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls; Rom. 3:23 — for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Ps. 119:176 — I have gone astray like a lost sheep. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Petrine articulation of the all-have-strayed-and-the-Lord-laid-it-on-him doctrine.
The verse's the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all — the chapter's-precise the-laying-on. The Hebrew is hifgia bo — caused-to-encounter-on-him; the iniquity is brought-to-encounter-the-Servant, not-merely-imputed-but-actually-laid. Same actual-laying-on grammar as Lev. 16:21–22's-Day-of-Atonement scapegoat — and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities… putting them upon the head of the goat. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the scapegoat-typology fulfilled-in-the-Servant doctrine.
The silent lamb and the unjust trial (verses 7–9)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth. — Mosiah 14:7
The chapter's master-silent-lamb verse, the structural apex of Isaiah 53's chiasm. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth. The doctrine: the Servant's-silence is the proof of-his-willingness; the lamb-before-the-shearer is silent because-it-yields; the chapter's-master-image of Christ-yielded-not-overpowered. Same silent-lamb grammar as Mt. 27:14 — and he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly; Acts 8:32–35 — Philip-explaining-Isaiah-53:7-8 to the Ethiopian-eunuch — and Philip… began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Matthean articulation of the silent-lamb-yielded doctrine — and the BoM's-clearest-cross-reference-to-Acts-8 — the Ethiopian-eunuch's-question Of whom speaketh the prophet this? is the very-question Abinadi-is-answering for-Noah's-priests.
He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken. — Mosiah 14:8
The chapter records the unjust-judgment. He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living. The doctrine: the Servant's-trial is unjust — taken-from-prison and-from-judgment, the trial-process itself collapses; who-shall-declare-his-generation is the rhetorical-asking what-children-will-he-leave (the implication is none, the Servant dies-childless from-the-perspective-of-the-flesh, though-his-spiritual-progeny will-be-multitudinous in vv. 10–11). Same unjust-judgment grammar as Acts 8:33 — in his humiliation his judgment was taken away; Lk. 23:14–25's-Pilate's-three-times-finding-no-fault and-still-delivering-Christ-to-be-crucified. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest pre-Lukan articulations of the unjust-judgment doctrine.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth. — Mosiah 14:9
The chapter records the grave-with-the-wicked-and-the-rich. He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death. The doctrine: the Servant's-burial is split — with-the-wicked (his executioners) and-with-the-rich (the wealthy-donor-of-the-tomb); both-true, both fulfilled in-Christ's-burial-by-Joseph-of-Arimathea (Mt. 27:57–60) in-a-rich-man's-tomb after-being-killed-with-the-wicked (the-two-thieves of-Mt. 27:38). Same with-the-wicked-and-the-rich grammar as Mt. 27:38, 57–60. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Matthean articulation of the wicked-and-rich-burial doctrine.
The verse's because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth — the chapter's-precise sinlessness statement. Same sinless-Servant grammar as 1 Pet. 2:22 — who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; Heb. 4:15 — yet without sin; 2 Cor. 5:21 — who knew no sin. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Petrine articulation of the sinless-Servant doctrine — and one of the BoM's-most-direct anticipations-of-Petrine-Christology.
The satisfied servant and dividing of spoil (verses 10–12)
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. — Mosiah 14:10
The chapter's master-asham (guilt-offering) verse. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days. The doctrine: the Servant's-soul-as-asham (the guilt-offering of Lev. 5–7) is the doctrine that-his-life-itself is the sin-offering; the result of-the-asham is paradoxical — he-shall-see-his-seed (resurrection-and-spiritual-progeny), he-shall-prolong-his-days (resurrection-to-eternal-life); the dying-childless of v. 8 becomes the multiplied-seed of v. 10 — through-death the Servant gains-the-multitude. Same asham-then-seed grammar as Jn. 12:24 — except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit; Heb. 2:10 — bringing many sons unto glory. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Hebrews articulation of the asham-becomes-many-seed doctrine — the death-of-the-Servant produces-the-multitudinous-progeny that-the-childless-death-could-not.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. — Mosiah 14:11
The chapter's master-satisfied-servant verse. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. The doctrine: the Servant's-travail produces-satisfaction; the labor-pains result-in-the-birth; by-his-knowledge (be-da'ato — by-his-experiential-knowledge) the Servant will-justify-many. The justification is by-his-knowledge — by-his-having-known the suffering-from-the-inside, not by-some-external-procedure. Same justify-many grammar as Rom. 5:18–19 — by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous; Heb. 9:28 — so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Pauline articulation of the justify-many-by-his-knowledge doctrine.
The verse's travail of his soul — the Hebrew amal-nafsho, the labor-of-his-soul. Same labor-of-soul grammar as Jn. 16:21's the woman in travail. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Johannine articulation of the labor-of-the-soul produces-many-children doctrine — the Servant-as-mother-of-the-redeemed.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. — Mosiah 14:12
The chapter closes with the satisfied-Servant's-portion verse. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. The doctrine: the Servant's-reward is the portion-with-the-great (the inheritance of-the-Kingdom); the dividing of-the-spoil is the victor's-share; the cause is fourfold — he-poured-out-his-soul, he-was-numbered-with-the-transgressors, he-bare-the-sin-of-many, he-made-intercession. The chapter ends-with-intercession — the same intercessory-ministry that-will-continue-in-the-resurrected-Christ (Rom. 8:34, Heb. 7:25). Same poured-out-soul-and-intercession grammar as Phil. 2:7–9 — but made himself of no reputation… wherefore God also hath highly exalted him; Lk. 22:37 — for I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors. The chapter is the BoM's clearest pre-Lukan articulation of the numbered-with-transgressors doctrine.
The chapter's architecture
The chapter is Isaiah-53 verbatim, and Isaiah-53 is genuinely chiastic. Unlike the forced-chiasms the no-forced-chiasms-rule rejects, Isaiah 53 has been-recognized-by-Jewish-and-Christian-scholarship as one of-the-Hebrew-Bible's-most-clearly-chiastic-chapters. The structure is:
The chapter operates as a citation-completed-by-the-prophet. The priests cited-Isaiah-52:7–10 as their trap (Mosiah 12:20–24); the prophet completes-the-citation by-reading-Isaiah-53 — the very-chapter that-contains the Christ-content the priests-deliberately-omitted. The chapter is therefore the answer-to-the-trap by-reading-the-rest-of-the-passage. The priests-cited-the-good-tidings; the prophet-cites-the-cost.
The chapter is also the BoM's-most-densely-Pauline / Petrine / Johannine pre-figural-text. Mosiah 14:1 ≈ Jn. 12:38; 14:4 ≈ Mt. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:24; 14:5 ≈ 1 Pet. 2:24, 2 Cor. 5:21; 14:6 ≈ Rom. 3:23, 1 Pet. 2:25; 14:7 ≈ Mt. 27:14, Acts 8:32; 14:8 ≈ Acts 8:33; 14:9 ≈ Mt. 27:57–60, 1 Pet. 2:22; 14:10 ≈ Jn. 12:24; 14:11 ≈ Rom. 5:18–19, Heb. 9:28; 14:12 ≈ Lk. 22:37. Every-verse anchors-a-New-Testament-Christological-text. The chapter is the BoM's-evidence-by-citation that the Hebrew-Bible already-contains the Christ-content the New-Testament-will-make-explicit.
How this sits in the literature of its time
Hidden providence
Three threads.
The first is that the chapter is Isaiah-53 verbatim from-the-Brass-Plates, and the Great-Isaiah-Scroll-of-Qumran confirms the textual-stability of-Isaiah-53 from at-least 200 BC. The text Abinadi reads-aloud in Lehi-Nephi in 148 BC is functionally-identical to the text recovered-from-Qumran-Cave-1 in 1947. The doctrine: the BoM's-Isaiah-citations are textually-faithful to the Hebrew-Bible's most-stable-text-tradition, and Joseph-Smith's translation in 1830 produces what the manuscript-witnesses from 200 BC confirm. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the textual-stability-of-Isaiah providence — the same text across three-thousand-years and four-language-translations (Hebrew → Brass-Plates → Reformed-Egyptian → English).
The second is that the chapter's Christ-content is the direct-source for the Acts-8 conversion-of-the-Ethiopian-eunuch — Philip preaching-Christ from Isa. 53:7-8 (Mosiah 14:7-8). The same chapter Abinadi-cites in 148 BC is the same chapter Philip-explains in 35 AD to one-of-the-first-Gentile-converts. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the Isaiah-53-as-evangelistic-key providence — the chapter that-explains-Christ-to-Noah's-priests is the chapter that-explains-Christ-to-Candace's-eunuch nearly-two-centuries-later, and to every-reader-since.
The third is that the chapter's-chiastic-apex (v. 7's silent-lamb yielded-to-the-shearer) is the BoM's-clearest-image of Christ-as-the-passive-but-willing-victim. The lamb-before-the-shearer-is-not-fighting; the silence is consent, not powerlessness. The same silent-yielding Mosiah 13's-Abinadi will-himself-enact under-the-fire in Mosiah 17. The chapter is one of the BoM's clearest articulations of the prophet-becomes-his-own-citation providence — Abinadi cites-Isaiah-53's-silent-lamb and then becomes-the-silent-lamb himself in-the-next-chapters.
Where this lands
Three practices.
First, let the chapter be the test of your prayer-life. The chapter's vv. 4–6 doctrine is the four-verbs of-substitution — wounded, bruised, chastised, striped — for-our transgressions, iniquities, peace, healing. The practice: each-morning, take-one-of-the-four-verses and-sit-with-it: he was wounded for my transgressions; he was bruised for my iniquities; the chastisement of my peace was upon him; with his stripes I am healed. The personal-pronouns are the discipline — make-the-Servant's-bearing-your-bearing in-prayer. Same practice as Christian-mystical-tradition's-lectio-divina with Isaiah 53.
Second, practice the silence of-the-lamb. The chapter's v. 7 doctrine is he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. The practice: when-you-are-accused, when-you-are-misunderstood, when-the-conversation-could-be-won-by-vindication — try-the-silence first; it is-the-Servant's-pattern. Not-every-silence is-good (Eccl. 3:7's-time-to-keep-silence and time-to-speak holds), but-the-silent-yielding in-genuinely-unjust-affliction is-one-of-the-disciple's-most-Christ-like-acts. The lamb-before-the-shearer is silent because-it-yields, not because-it-cannot-speak. Same practice as Christ's-silence before Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate.
Third, believe the chapter's-promise of-the-Servant's-satisfaction. The chapter's v. 11 doctrine is he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. The practice: Christ-is-satisfied with-the-fruit of his-travail — that-includes-you. Your-redemption is-part of his-pleased-with-his-work. Live-as one-of-the-satisfactions-of-Christ. The doctrine is staggering and quiet at-once. Same practice as Heb. 12:2 — who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross — Christ's-joy was-in-the-fruit, and the fruit is-the-redeemed.