After his resurrection, Jesus visited his other sheep among the scattered tribes of Israel. He shared his Sermon on the Mount recorded in the New Testament¹ with the Nephite peoples in the Americas.  His sermon is revolutionary. It completely replaces old ways of thinking with new concepts.  In the Book of Mormon account, Mormon was careful to record Jesus’ actions and teaching before the sermon and after the sermon. These additional details supplement the sermon and actually become part of a larger sermon. The combined actions and teachings together form a living poetic chiasmus where the beginning is paired with the end leading towards a central theme. Entire books have been written on his Sermon on the Mount. It uses the full range of the ancient poetic toolset and is full of all sorts of imagery, contrasts, reflections, comparisons, and beautiful phrases. By analyzing his chiasmus poetry of actions and words, we can see how Jesus reinforced his teachings. I hope to add these unique observations to the larger body of research analysis on Jesus’ beautiful sermon.

Upon studying Jesus’ sermon to the Nephites, I noticed that his poetry was alive. His poetry was more than only words spoken, but also living poetry with words, actions, and miracles. It was holy performance art. In Mormon’s account of the Sermon in 3rd Nephi 11-15, we have several markers that are used to highlight the chiasmus poetry. The sermon ends with the parable about the wise man who built a house on rock and the foolish man who built a house on sand. Prior to giving the sermon, Jesus taught the Nephites about his doctrine of becoming as a child and being baptized which he declared was building upon his rock. Those that did not abide by his doctrine built upon a sandy foundation. This parallel teaching immediately prior to giving the sermon does not appear in Matthew’s account in the New Testament and is unique to the Book of Mormon. 

A chiasmus often has a central theme or point of transformation that the poem is built around.  It can have an effect of emphasizing a central point or theme.  The following figure is a visual representation for how I organized the chiastic structure of Jesus’ sermon.  Jesus made it easy to map out by beginning and ending with the parable of the wise and foolish man.  There is a lot going on in the sermon and others may structure it a little differently or highlight additional parallels.  I believe that this is a fair representation of the chiasmus structure of Jesus’ sermon shared with the Nephites when looking at it in the aggregate.  I have listed the themes in the order that Jesus communicated them.  A couple of these occur before the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapter 5. Some of these pre-teachings and actions cover baptism as well as telling the people to follow the twelve that he had chosen to minister to the people. This action of calling the people to follow the twelve who he gave power to baptize is likened to wise men.  His disciples are contrasted against his warning at the end of his sermon to avoid false prophets and sheep in wolves clothing which are the foolish men who build on sandy foundations. The central theme which is unique to the Book of Mormon account is that the sermon is centered around the phrase, “old things are done away, and all things have become new.” Jesus’ sermon is all about a new way of doing and being.

Jesus’ Sermon at the Temple

After Jesus shared his sermon with the Nephites, he provided additional commentary.  Jesus said that whoever remembered these sayings and did them, would be lifted up at the day of judgment. They would become wise men and women. Jesus perceived that some of the people were marveling at what he would do about the law of Moses. They did not understand the central statement within his message that “old things had passed away, and all things had become new.”²  If I had been there, I would have also needed more time to soak in and understand his message.  Even after studying and pondering his message, I’m still processing it!  I’m still writing it in my mind and in my heart. I’m still discovering its meaning.

Jesus gave the ten commandments to Moses when he wrote with his spirit finger onto the stone tablets. That was what the people needed at that time. Jesus was and is the lawgiver who gives according to our needs.  He didn’t come to destroy the prophets but to fulfill the law that he had given. He had come to fulfill the prophecies of the prophets.³  Jesus is the law. The law is based on love. Jesus is the law of love. The greatest commandments are to love God and love others.⁴  Jesus revealed to the people with this sermon a new way of doing. He showed his disciples a new way of being. The law of Moses pointed the people towards Jesus who is the divine law of love.  Nephi said that the law of Moses prepared the people for receiving Jesus who would come.⁵  Jesus’ new words that he revealed were to be written on the minds and hearts of the people rather than on stone tablets.⁶  

The parallel nature of Jesus’ sermon is centered on the idea of old things being done away and all things becoming new. Jesus is our transformation. He is our baptism into a new life. He is our rebirth. He is our forgiveness. He is our cleansing. He is our transformation into a new way of thinking, feeling, praying, breathing, loving, and interacting with others. Jesus taught us to even love our enemies. He is our resurrection. Jesus is our “All things have become new.”⁷

A Double Chiasmus

While studying his sermon, I noticed that each chiastic parallel in his sermon produces a larger theme. Not only is the overall structure chiasmatic, but there is also another hidden chiasmus within it. The second chiasmus is built by taking the themes of the parallel messages. If a chiasmus is taking a list of thoughts or statements and folding the list so that the first is paired with the last, a double chiasmus is a double folding. It is a chiasmus within a chiasmus. It is a poem within a poem. It is a parable within a parable. The top and bottom are folded towards the center.

I have attempted to highlight and summarize the general themes from the first chiasmus pairing.  These themes can then be used to view the double chiasmus.  Starting at the ends of his sermon and heading inwards to the heart of the thematic parallels, we find Jesus throughout.  At the center of this double chiasmus poem, we find that Jesus is our light and our law.  He is the law that is founded on love.

A    Wisdom and Servant Leaders (Wise & Foolish, Servant Ministers, Wolves and Sheep, Test the Fruits)

B   Baptism (Baptism and the Straight Gate)

C   Receive Gifts (Ask & Receive,Inheritance of the Poor, Meek, and Hungry in Spirit)

D   See Clearly (See God, Remove the Beam from the Eye)

E  Ministry Work (Persecution, Salt of earth, God will provide for his disciples in their ministry)

F  Heavenly Light (Be a light, light of the body is the eye)

F Heavenly Law (jots and tittles, commandments, humble heart, love others, heavenly treasures)

E Self Mastery (Avoid Anger and Lust, Remember to Forgive & Fast)

D  Divine Communication (Oaths, Prayer)

C  Service and Giving (Go Extra Mile, Secret Alms)

B  Children of God (Love Enemies, Be Perfect)

A  All Things Become New

Paired themes within the double chiasmus:

AA: Wisdom, Servant Leaders, All Things New

Jesus taught the people a new way of being.  He offers a new transformation.  He contrasted the wise and foolish man.  He contrasted servant ministers to wolves in sheep’s clothing.  He contrasted the idea of old things which passed away and that all things had become new.  Jesus is our example of the wise man, a servant minister, and “All things become new.” He enables our repentance. He is our transformation, our spiritual rebirth, and our resurrection. The parable of the wise man and the foolish man bookends the sermon and identifies it as a temple text, with the house (or temple) being built on Christ who is the Foundation Stone. John Welch has written extensively about the Sermon at the Temple being a temple text. Some of his research is available to read for free online at BYU. I have been unable to find any previous research on the Sermon at the Temple being a large chiasmus let alone a double chiasmus, hence my work on the topic.

BB: Baptism & Children of God

Jesus taught that his doctrine was to be baptized. Through baptism we put away old things and all things become new in our lives. We are willing to become new creatures and new children.  We are reborn. We take upon ourselves the name and title of Christ being called Christians.  Those seeking Jesus should enter in at the straight gate and follow the narrow way of discipleship. They should become the children of God by loving their enemies and becoming whole (or perfect) like Jesus.  

CC: Receiving and Giving Love

After baptism we continue on our journey of divine transformation. Like newborn babes, we require nourishment. As covenant children of Jesus, we give love. Jesus taught that if we ask in faith we will receive. Those who are humble and come to Jesus will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Those who mourn will receive comfort. Those who are meek will inherit the earth.  Those who hunger after righteousness or after Jesus, will be filled with the Holy Ghost.  Likewise Jesus taught that we should be good gift givers. We should love our enemies, go the extra mile, and give secretly. By seeing others as God sees them we grow into divine love.

DD: Pure Sight and Pure Communication

Jesus taught that the pure in heart would see God. He taught that we should remove our own hypocrisy and faults so that we could see purely with our hearts so that we can help others. He taught that our communication should be pure. He taught the people how to pray. He taught the people that they should both communicate and see with a pure heart. By purifying the inner vessel, they are able to then move outward and help others.

EE: Ministry and Self Mastery
Jesus taught his disciples that if they minister with faith that God would provide. They are to be like the salt of the earth to give life additional flavor and help lift up others. That they should endure persecution. They should avoid anger and lust. They should remember to forgive others and fast. By doing these things they are able to be better conduits to minister to others.

FF: Heavenly Light and Heavenly Law

In the center of the double chiasmus, Jesus taught that he is our heavenly light. He taught that he is the heavenly lawgiver and the heavenly law of love. He holds the keys to the kingdom of God and access to heavenly treasures. We should follow his commandments. We should align our eyes, our hearts, and our minds⁸ with his glorious light and love so that it might radiate throughout our bodies. Then his love can emerge through our language and actions to others.  His law is that we should be humble and filled with his love. We should have a broken heart and a contrite spirit so that we can receive his divine light and radiate his love to others.

Jesus’ post sermon commentary

After giving his sermon whose central theme is that through Jesus, “Old things are done away and all things have become new”⁹ Jesus went on to explain and highlight the double chiasmus. Jesus explained that he was the heavenly law and the heavenly light.¹⁰ Whoever looks to him and endures to the end would be given eternal life. He then finished his explanation of his sermon by stating that he had given the commandments and that his disciples should follow them. This was the law and the prophets which testified of Jesus.¹¹  

To harmonize everything, Jesus explained the double chiasmus within his sermon with another separate explanatory poem. This explanatory chiasmus links the original larger chiasmus and the embedded double chiasmus within his sermon. It contains the elements of the Servant Leaders who are the prophets, the message that Jesus is the law and the light, and re-emphasizes that he has put away the old law with a new law. The explanatory chiasmus in 3 Nephi 15:5-9 confirms the original larger chiasmus of his sermon. It also confirms that Jesus intended his sermon to also have a double chiasmus within it. To review, the central theme found at the center of his sermon is that “old things are done away and all things have become new”. The center of the double chiasmus is that Jesus is the law and the light of Israel. The explanatory chiasmus is shown below.

A I am he that gave the law, I am he that covenanted with my people Israel

B I have come to fulfill the law; therefore it hath an end

C I do not destroy the prophets. I do not destroy the prophecies yet to be fulfilled 

D I said unto you that old things have passed away

C The covenant which I made is not all fulfilled

B The law which was given to Moses hath an end in me.

A I am the law and the light.  

If that wasn’t enough, the Master Poet also summarized his last point again that he is the law and the light with a second companion explanatory chiasmus.¹² This second explanatory chiasmus is filled with dual pairings.  I have paraphrased the structure as follows. 

A Jesus is the law and the light 
B look to Jesus and endure to the end
C live and receive eternal life
B Jesus gives commandments, we keep commandments
A law and prophets testify of Jesus

You are found in the center of Jesus’ poem. We are to live and receive eternal life. We are to shed our old way of being, be transformed through Jesus, and become something new. We are to be reborn spiritually, resurrected, and receive eternal life. When Jesus was stating that old things are done away and all things have become new, he was talking about our transformation of becoming new through him. We are invited to be transformed by his love and temple covenants. In explaining his sermon, Jesus said that his disciples are to hold up their light and that Jesus is their light.¹³ Hence, the prophets and the disciples that radiate light and love, are really radiating Jesus within them. They are following his example and mirroring him. Law, love, light, prophets, saints, rebirth, and eternal life are all connected in Jesus.

Jesus’ retelling of the sermon that he gave to the Jews is wrapped up on both sides in a pre-sermon and post-sermon in the Book of Mormon.  These wrappers also extend the parallel nature of his teachings and become part of his sermon.

Pre-Sermon	Post-Sermon	Themes
Jesus shows himself to the Nephites who are part of the House of Israel.  He is the Son of God and invites the Nephites to come to him.	Jesus is the shepherd of Israel.  The Nephites are his other sheep that he said he would visit.  He will also visit other parts of scattered Israel.	Jesus is the Shepherd 3 Nephi 11:14-17 3 Nephi 16:1-20
Jesus tells his chosen disciples that his doctrine is to have faith and be baptized. They must become as a little child.	Jesus will raise up his followers at the last day. He explains his sermon by stating that the law of Moses is fulfilled in him. He is both the law and the light.	Rebirth as children of Christ 3 Nephi 11:18-38 3 Nephi 15:1-15

In exploring the central themes and foci of Jesus’ chiasmus poems, my intent is not to reduce Jesus’ sermon down to a sound byte or to be reductionistic. There is so much richness and depth to his sermon. However, I also believe that he intended us to see the poetic structure and the central themes that his sermon is built around. He organized his sermon as both a chiasmus and as a double chiasmus. He highlighted the original larger chiasmus and the embedded double chiasmus with explanatory teachings. He offers a transformation from old ways of being to new ways of being. He is both the law of love and the heavenly light. He is our example in all things and provides commandments that lead us to gradually change our natures. He offers a way for his divinity to radiate outwards from within us thereby transforming us into new divine beings of love.

Jesus’ Sermon in Action

After Jesus gave his sermon and explained what it meant, he wasn’t finished. He then explained his role as Shepherd of Israel. He prophesied what would happen to future Israel and to the Gentiles.  He described what would happen when he returns to the earth again when he fulfills his messianic role and initiates his millennial reign. These prophecies mirror the prophecies in Jacob chapter 5 where Jesus is the Lord of the Vineyard. He then proceeded to parallel his sermon with additional actions. His visit to the Nephites became an extension of his sermon. This is another type of parallelism. It is a type of living poetry and divine performance art that goes beyond just words.

In his sermon Jesus taught the people how to pray to Heavenly Father.  Afterwards, he prayed to Heavenly Father for them. In his sermon he taught that if their eye be single, their whole body would be full of light. Afterwards, he prayed and the multitude was transformed so that they radiated heavenly light. In his sermon he taught that all those who hungered for righteousness would be filled. Afterwards he instituted the sacrament and filled their souls. In his sermon he taught that those who mourn would be comforted. Afterwards he healed their sick as well as healed their souls. Jesus not only spoke his sermon, but he also paralleled it with action and miracles.

Jesus departed the people in a reflective manner that he came. When Jesus arrived at the Nephite temple, he descended from heaven in light. When he left, a cloud came over him and Jesus ascended into heaven. When he arrived, he invited the people to come and feel with their hands and see with their eyes the scars of his atoning sacrifice. When he left, he touched his disciples one by one with his hand. When he arrived, he gave his disciples the authority to baptize the people. When he left, he gave them the power to give the Holy Ghost. When he arrived he told the people to not dispute over his doctrine. When he left, he also said that there should not be any disputes among the people concerning his doctrine. When he arrived, he gave the parable of the wise and foolish men. This was also found at the end of his sermon. He repeated the parable shortly before he left.

His sermon and visit among the Nephites included chiasmus poetry, double chiasmus poetry, and Hebraic parallel repetitive poetry. His miracles and actions paralleled the words in his sermon. He left as he came. The Nephite record truly witnesses that Jesus is the first and the last, the Poet of Poets.

References

1.  Matthew 5
2.  3 Nephi 15:2
3. 3 Nephi 15:4-6
4. Matthew 22:36-40
5. 2 Nephi 25:24-30
6. Jeremiah 31:31-33, Hebrews 8:10-13, 2 Corinthians 3:3
7. 3 Nephi 12:47
8.  Hebrews 8:10-13
9. 3 Nephi 12:47
10.  3 Nephi 15:9
11. 3 Nephi 15:10
12. 3 Nephi 15:9-10
13.  3 Nephi 18:24