The visitation of Christ to the people of Nephi is one of the most visually descriptive passages in the the book of Mormon. The people look up to the sky, and witness Jesus descending from heaven, in a white robe, speaking to the people in a voice that “shaketh them to the core”. He orders the people to feel his wounds and know that it is him. There was never a visitation of Christ in this manner to the people of Israel in the Bible after his death, and this physical appearance of him seems to cater to a 19th and 20th century audience as grand spectacle that would have impressed readers.
Continuing with the use of spectacle, Christ blesses 12 disciples whom he wants to go out and baptize in his name. He selects these people from the crowd, including Nephi. This makes the anointed known to the people and reinforces Nephi as their true prophet, removing all doubt. Christ then orders everyone to bow to the earth and being to pray. His words to God are unknown to the people, but they fill them with an immense sense of joy that they begin weeping and praising him afterwards. He then performs several other miracles, including multiplication of the loafs, healing the sick and ascending to heaven in a cloud which obscures him. This would likely appeal to the previously discussed audience’s need for spectacle since it is a condensed version of Christ’s miracles into one visitation, making it all the more grand and impressive.
The use of spectacle in The Book of Mormon is fantastic, and this seems like one of the more embellished accounts of a visitation from Christ. It certainly is not aiming for subtlety. Readers get all the fireworks of the event, and are left shocked and a little bit overwhelmed. The early 18th century saw massive religious revival during the Great Awakening, which permanently affected American religion. The forceful preaching and use of spectacle was all important in this movement, and this passage from The Book of Mormon is reflective of that grand air of exhibition.
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