“He Is the First–fruits Unto God”

Alan C. Miner

In Lehi's sermon to Jacob on the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation, he declares that Christ is "the firstfruits unto God" (2 Nephi 2:9). According to Hugh Nibley, the image of "the firstfruits" is an image that the Jews all understood. It means the best you have--the best and most beloved. It is the prize. It couldn't be anything less, you see. Nothing less than the supreme sacrifice could be made. [Hugh W. Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, p. 266]

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

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