1 AND now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings [ Or when he had completed the same instructions that he gave to the people in Jerusalem. ] he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before I ascended to my Father; [ So that would have been what he taught to the Jews, as that was before he was resurrected. ] therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings [ Which would have been essentially the law of Moses. ] of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last day. [ If we remember God and have faith in him will will obtain resurrection. See also Matt 5:19 ]

2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. [ 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ]

3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. [ What was the purpose of the Law of Moses? God gave laws through Moses to the house of Israel to replace the higher law that they had failed to obey (Ex. 34; JST, Ex. 34:1–2; JST, Deut. 10:2 [Appendix]). The law of Moses consisted of many principles, rules, ceremonies, rituals, and symbols to remind the people of their duties and responsibilities. It included a law of moral, ethical, religious, and physical commandments and performances—including sacrifices (Lev. 1–7)—that were intended to remind them of God and their duty towards Him (Mosiah 13:30). The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, Gal. 3:19–24. We keep the law of Moses and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, 2 Ne. 25:24–30. ]

5 Behold, I am he that gave the law, [ I am Jehovah who gave the Law to Moses. ] and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, [ The law was fulfilled in Gethsemane and on Golgotha – even the great atonement. ] for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end. [ The law is no longer needed, but has been fulfilled. ]

6 Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled. [ I am sure that the people would also have been wondering about the rest of the instructions given by the apostles of old, the second coming and such and where do they play in the grand scheme of things. Here the Lord is perceptive of that and provides them with the answer that they will still come to pass; so it is only the law of Moses that has been done away with. ]

7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.

8 For behold, the covenant [ The covenant promises made to Abraham, numerous prosperity, a chosen land…restoration blessings, The first shall be last and the last shall be first – the covenant was given first to abraham  - then came the law of Moses – the Law of Moses was first fulfilled then the covenant will be fulfilled – The Law of Moses was fulfilled with the first coming of the Savior – The Covenant will be fulfilled with his second coming see 3 Ne 20. ] which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me. [ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles taught how the law of Moses relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ: “The modern reader should not see the Mosaic code—anciently or in modern times—as simply a tedious set of religious rituals slavishly (and sometimes militantly) followed by a stiffnecked people who did not accept the Christ and his gospel. This historic covenant, given by the hand of God himself . . . was . . . a guide to spirituality, a gateway to Christ. . . .“. . . It is crucial to understand that the law of Moses was overlaid upon, and thereby included, many basic parts of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which had existed before it. It was never intended to be something apart or separated from, and certainly not something antagonistic to, the gospel of Jesus Christ. . . . Its purpose was never to have been different from the higher law. Both were to bring people to Christ” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 136–37, 147). ]

9 Behold, I am the law, [ Jesus Christ alone can fulfill the Law – but he alone cannot fulfill the covenant, he needs us – one party cannot do it alone. These few words here expose the Deuteronomists when they took Jesus Christ out of the old Testament and replaced him with THE Deuteronomists LAW. We have further reference of this in Alma 34:14. ] and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life. [ Or our part of the covenant. ]

10 Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; [ Christ is suggesting that there is a difference between what I have told you to this point - the commandments, and what I will tell you now. ] therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly testified of me. [ Do you suspect that there was still some confusion among the people. Yes we get that the law is done away with but what do we do now? Take the Sabbath for example what part of Sabbath observance is to stay and what is done away with? This would have been the same problem that Paul was dealing with in the book of Acts as some of the members of the church were more adamite about what was to stay and what was not to stay especially among the Judaizers. ]

11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen: [ Jesus is now going to turn his remarks away from the people and specifically address the 12 apostles. ]

12  Ye are my disciples; [ The Nephites. ] and ye are a light unto this people, [ You have to live honorable lives; you have to be an example in all things. ] who are a remnant of the house of Joseph. [ When he speaks of a house it usually means that there is more than one group associated. They are descendants of Manasseh. So we know that he is specifically saying that you are the other sheep of whom I spoke to the people in Jerusalem about. ]

13 And behold, this [ The America's. ] is the land of your inheritance; [ The tribe of Joseph. ] and the Father hath given it unto you. [ We should also add, along with those other's whom I will bring to this land, in order to accomplish my work. ]

14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem. [ The Jews. "I should tell it" - vs 13 this land the Father has given to you for your inheritance. This was not told to the Jews. So you were brought here because of the disobedience in Jerusalem and they do not know that you are here; but you know that they are still there in Jerusalem. ]

15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, [ The Lost Ten tribes. "I should tell unto them" - vs 13 this land the Father has given to you for your inheritance. This was not told to the Jews. And they do not know where the other 10 tribes have been taken either. This suggests to me that there is a body, a group that he can minister to as he is doing here to the Nephites. If they were scattered in 720 BC there must be a pretty large group. This is pretty significant. ] whom the Father hath led away out of the land. [ They were lead away by Heavenly Father. Under his direction. The were lead away not scattered. Hence they will return, and the other tribes that were scattered will need to be gathered. There is a distinct difference between what happened to each group, and how each will need to be redeemed. What does it mean out of the land? 1) the land of Assyria; 2) the middle east; 3) the entire contentant; 4) or the earth itself. If it were written that the people of Enoch were lead away out of the land we would know that they were take from the land of this earth. ]

16 This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:[ The Jews. The tribe of Judah. ]

17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; [ The Jews mistakenly thought that Jesus was talking about the Gentiles. ] them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; [ The Jews. Why do we have to believe in order to understand? We must exercise a little faith; without faith we limit the power of God in our lives. If we do not believe that he can do something for use then with our agency we do not allow him to enter in; to change us, to work with us. ] therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them. [ The Jews. What is this thing? The other tribes and where they are or anything about them. Why can he not or will not say more about it? Because of their pride and unbelief. ]

19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, [ So Heavenly Father has commanded Jesus, has told him what he wants the message to the people to be. And what is that message here 1) that you were separated from the Jews and are considered other sheep, 2) the ten tribes were separated and they as well are considered other sheep. I know all of them, and I will teach all of the them. ] and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; [ Them = The Lews. The reason why Lehi and his family and others were lead out of the old world. ] therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you. [ Since a big part of this message that the Savior is commanded to teach by the Father is that their are other sheep, and that the Jews were so caught up in their own pride and such tha they did not even ask, they simply did not care. However; Heavenly Father must feel that the message is important as he has given the son a commandment to share it - so we meed to really listen to it. Are we guilty as well of just skipping over the importance of the fact that there are other sheep? So what then is the importance of this message? How does it apply to us? The reason why they do not know of the Lehite's is because they were not in tune when the Savior was teaching them in the old world. The faithfull in the new world know of the disciples in the old world, but those in the old world do not know of those in the new world. ]

20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them. [ The Jews do not know of the 10 tribes either because of the iniquity that they have. The Jews in a way did not care, they were in a pride cycle I think such that they did not ask or care to know, so the Lord never tells them. ]

21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; [ Ye = Manasseh. John 10:16 ] them [ Reference to the Lost ten tribes who since he is going to visit them also we can assume that they are in a group a body not scattered all over as that would require him to preach to them as individuals. ] also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

22 And they [ The Jews. ] understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their [ The Jews. ] preaching.

23 And they [ The Jews. ] understood me not that I said they [ A remnant of Joseph. ] shall hear my voice; and they [ The Jews. ] understood me not that the Gentiles [ The rest of the world. ] should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them [ The Gentiles. We might ask ourselves why would Christ not personally minister to the Gentiles? I think tha part of the answer is that Abraham was given that responsibility - which according to our scriptures, we are taught that Christ’s personal ministry was limited to the House of Israel, meaning Christ did not go in the flesh to minister amongst the Gentiles.  If we understand this in the context of the history of the post-Abrahamic world we quickly realize that God covenanted to Abraham that the world would receive the gospel through the ministration of his posterity.  Thus, Christ did not minister to the Gentiles directly but left that ministration to the House of Israel to carry out. ] save it were by the Holy Ghost.

24 But behold, ye [ A remnant of Joseph. ] have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.