To "descend" means to "come down." "Condescend" means to come down "with or to a level with another." Nephi saw the condescension of the Messiah on several different levels:
- Jesus was born as a baby, just like everyone else.
- He was also born into a lowly social station. Jesus could have been born into an aristocratic or royal family, with wealth and status. But no, He was born as lowly as possible.
- Nephi saw the baptism of Jesus. What did Jesus condescend to by participating in the ordinance of baptism? He condescended to the Father’s will. He condescended to say, "I will be obedient, and I will submit myself to the will of the Father." Baptism is a symbol of death followed by being raised to a new life. So, Jesus’ participation in the ordinance of baptism symbolized His willingness to submit to the will of the Father, even unto the point of death.
- Nephi saw Jesus casting out evil spirits. Is that condescension? He was doing the dirty work, interacting with some pretty nasty folks. Jesus was even willing to deal with wicked, evil spirits. That’s condescension.
- Following that, Nephi saw Jesus suffer, condescending to experience not just some pain, but pain to the fullest extent.
- Next, Nephi was shown that Christ would die. That also is a type of condescension, going into the world of the dead, those who have died.
- And finally, even after Christ was exalted, what did Nephi see Him do? Christ came down among the Nephites as a glorified being. What does that say? Even after Christ has overcome, when He could sit on His cloud of glory forever, He is still willing to descend again, and again, to care for those who will come unto Him.
