Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a change wrought upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain nor sorrow save it it were for the sins of the world. (3Nephi 28:38)
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The part of the chapter that I've been really thinking the most about is that Jesus promised them that they would never suffer pain or sorrow, "save it were for the sins of the world". At first glance, this seems like the perfect life. They would never know physical pain. They could not be harmed. In fact, I learned from reading that they were cast into prison, cast into pits, cast into a furnace (3 times!), and cast into a den of wild beasts twice. The prison walls collapsed, the pits were not deep enough to hold them, they received no harm from the furnaces, and they were found playing with the wild beasts "as a child with a suckling lamb". Nothing could hurt them. They would never know the pain of death. There was "a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and the the powers of the earth could not hold them"(3 Nephi 28:39). Sounds marvelous.
As I was thinking though, I couldn't wrap my mind around them not feeling sorrow, "save it were for the sins of the world". I've felt some physical pain in my life - childbirth, broken bones, cuts, burns, things like that. I've also felt sorrow. I've felt sorrow at the death of a loved one. I've felt the sorrow of watching a friend slowly waste away because of disease. This past week, especially, I've experienced what was - to me - almost unbearable sorrow because of the inevitable suffering of people I care about due to choices they've made in their lives. I think that might be the worst kind of sorrow, because unlike death or disease, sin can be avoided. If given the chance to decide, I think that there are many times that physical pain would be preferable to feeling that kind of sorrow.
So why would Jesus take away everything but that? Why would he allow the Three Nephites to escape everything but sorrow for the sins of the world? If anyone knew the pain of that kind of sorrow, it was Jesus Christ. Just days earlier, he had bled from every pore because he took upon himself the sins of the world. The only thing that I could conclude after careful thought and prayer, is that they needed to feel that sorrow. Perhaps it is the motivation that they need to keep going. They have lived through some incredible and horrific times these last almost two thousand years. They have seen the cycles of righteousness and wickedness. I've wondered these last two days if it ever becomes overwhelming to them - the sorrow that they must feel for the increasingly sinful nature of the world. Or are they too busy bringing "the souls of men unto" Christ to be overwhelmed?
And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am...(3 Nephi 28:10)
Because of the great sorrow that these men must feel, the joy that they will experience at the coming of Christ will be all the more sweet. They will "live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men". The will see both joy and sorrow in prophesies being fulfilled. They will truly earn their eternal reward. Because they have seen the utmost sorrow, they will feel the utmost joy.
I don't think I've ever spent as much time pondering any scripture passage as I have this one. Even as I was typing my thoughts, I wasn't sure what Heavenly Father would have me learn from reading these chapters. Until right now. There are two thoughts that just came into my head. First, I realized that no one is exempt from sorrow. Jesus Christ felt sorrow more fully than I could even imagine. Why should I think I can go through my life without it? The second thing that I realized is that Heavenly Father is aware of all of our sorrows. If we can but endure through them to the end, we also can taste of that fulness of joy that was promised to the Three Nephites. We will also be able to sit down in the kingdom of our Father, where our earthly sorrows will be turned to joy. What a blessing!
