< 2 Nephi 10 >
v. 3: ... and they shall crucify him - for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God.
They should have known betterOnly Israel, God’s covenant nation, could crucify their God — because no other nation had entered into covenant with Him, received His law, and known Him personally.
So:
They should have known betterOnly Israel, God’s covenant nation, could crucify their God — because no other nation had entered into covenant with Him, received His law, and known Him personally.
So:
- The Romans physically performed the crucifixion, but they didn’t know who Jesus truly was.
- The Jewish leaders, representing the covenant people, knowingly rejected their own Messiah.
- Hence, Jacob says “none other nation” — not because others were morally superior, but because no other nation had the same light, knowledge, and relationship with God.
- The statement highlights the depth of covenant accountability — the more light we have, the greater our responsibility.
- It also magnifies the mercy and foreknowledge of Christ — He knowingly came to His own, “and His own received Him not” (John 1:11), fulfilling prophecy and opening salvation to all nations.
v. 5: But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they are Jerusalem will stiffen their necks, against him, that he be crucified.
PriestcraftsThe clearest scriptural definition is found in 2 Nephi 26:29:
“He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.”
So, priestcraft = using religion for self-promotion or material gain.
It’s not the preaching or teaching itself that’s wrong — it’s the motivation behind it.
Priestcraft = Ministry for self, not for God.
PriestcraftsThe clearest scriptural definition is found in 2 Nephi 26:29:
“He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.”
So, priestcraft = using religion for self-promotion or material gain.
It’s not the preaching or teaching itself that’s wrong — it’s the motivation behind it.
Priestcraft = Ministry for self, not for God.
Behavior |
Scripture |
How it Reflects Priestcraft |
Performing religious acts to be seen of men |
Matthew 6:1–5 — “They do their alms before men, to be seen of them.” |
Seeking praise rather than God’s approval. |
Loving chief seats and public honors |
Matthew 23:6–7 — “They love the uppermost rooms at feasts… and greetings in the markets.” |
Turning religion into status and vanity. |
Burdening others with rules but not helping them |
Matthew 23:4 — “They bind heavy burdens… but they themselves will not move them.” |
Using authority for control, not compassion. |
Exploiting widows while pretending to pray |
Mark 12:40 — “They devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.” |
Using religion for financial or social exploitation. |
Rejecting truth to maintain position and power |
John 11:48 — “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.” |
Choosing institutional preservation over revelation and righteousness. |
The Core Problem:
Pride + Profit + Power
Priestcraft arises whenever someone:
That’s why Nephi pairs priestcraft with contention and pride — because all three stem from the same root: self over service.
Pride + Profit + Power
Priestcraft arises whenever someone:
- Teaches truth for attention, admiration, or money.
- Uses spiritual authority to elevate self rather than lift others.
- Turns religion into a performance or a business.
That’s why Nephi pairs priestcraft with contention and pride — because all three stem from the same root: self over service.
v. 16 ... for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God.
Pick a side, no neutral groundJesus says in Matthew 12:30:
“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
And also in Luke 11:23:
“He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.”
What It Means — The Heart of the Saying
Jesus isn’t saying, “If you aren’t perfect, you’re my enemy.”
He’s teaching that there’s no neutral ground in our ultimate loyalties.
Every heart, every life, every choice is moving toward God or away from Him.
It’s less about condemnation and more about alignment of desire.
The idea is:
Why Jesus Said It
In Matthew 12, Jesus had just healed a man possessed by a devil, and the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by the power of Satan.
He responded by pointing out that good cannot come from evil — and evil cannot come from good.
Essentially, He’s saying: “You can’t be on both sides. You can’t work against the kingdom of God and claim to be part of it.”
So it’s about spiritual allegiance — whose work we’re participating in.
Pick a side, no neutral groundJesus says in Matthew 12:30:
“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
And also in Luke 11:23:
“He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.”
What It Means — The Heart of the Saying
Jesus isn’t saying, “If you aren’t perfect, you’re my enemy.”
He’s teaching that there’s no neutral ground in our ultimate loyalties.
Every heart, every life, every choice is moving toward God or away from Him.
It’s less about condemnation and more about alignment of desire.
The idea is:
- If our choices, words, and intentions build faith, compassion, and truth — we are with Him.
- If they oppose those things or ignore Him altogether, we drift against Him,even passively.
Why Jesus Said It
In Matthew 12, Jesus had just healed a man possessed by a devil, and the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by the power of Satan.
He responded by pointing out that good cannot come from evil — and evil cannot come from good.
Essentially, He’s saying: “You can’t be on both sides. You can’t work against the kingdom of God and claim to be part of it.”
So it’s about spiritual allegiance — whose work we’re participating in.
v. 24: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.
ReconcileWhat “Reconcile” Means
- The word reconcile means to restore harmony or bring back into agreement.
- It comes from the Latin re- (“again”) + conciliare (“to make friendly, to unite”).
- So Jacob is inviting us to align ourselves again with God — to return to friendship and peace with Him after being estranged by sin or pride.
It’s not that God must change His mind toward us; it’s we who must change our hearts to match His.
The Principle
Jacob teaches a two-step truth:
Our will opens the door, but His grace carries us through it.
Supporting Teachings
ReconcileWhat “Reconcile” Means
- The word reconcile means to restore harmony or bring back into agreement.
- It comes from the Latin re- (“again”) + conciliare (“to make friendly, to unite”).
- So Jacob is inviting us to align ourselves again with God — to return to friendship and peace with Him after being estranged by sin or pride.
It’s not that God must change His mind toward us; it’s we who must change our hearts to match His.
The Principle
Jacob teaches a two-step truth:
- We reconcile ourselves — meaning we choose to yield, repent, obey, and submit our will to His.
- We are then saved by grace — meaning we cannot earn reconciliation; it is made complete only through Christ’s mercy.
Our will opens the door, but His grace carries us through it.
Supporting Teachings
- Mosiah 3:19: “The natural man is an enemy to God… unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.”→ Reconciliation happens when we yield, not resist.
- Romans 5:10–11: “We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son… we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”→ Christ’s atonement is the means; repentance and faith are the bridge.
- Alma 24:18: The converted Lamanites “buried their weapons of war… as a testimony that they never would use them again.”→ True reconciliation brings change of heart and peace.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.
- Christ provides reconciliation (Paul).
- We accept it through willing submission and faith (Jacob).Grace and agency meet perfectly in that harmony.