Culture: This verse needs to be read in conjunction with the final clause of the preceding verse: “… and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain.” Jacob is contrasting the permanence of the plates to the impermanence of other media on which he might write.
The first signs of writing in Mesoamerica occur between 700–400 B.C. The earliest examples are carved in stone and are unlikely to be the earliest carved writing. Joyce Marcus, a professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, describes the “literacy” of early Mesoamerica:
In the ancient world a relatively small number of individuals, often restricted to members of the nobility, were educated and trained to be the scribes, the record keepers, and the specialized personnel in charge of the state’s affairs. Not only were reading and writing skills restricted to a small segment of society, so also were the written records themselves. Books were often kept by religious personnel, to be consulted only by authorized persons. This inaccessibility of written records contrasts sharply with our modern egalitarian concepts, particularly in the United States, where our public libraries and public educational system throw open their doors to all children and adults.
Highly restricted access to knowledge, books, and education in most ancient civilizations, including those of Mesoamerica, makes the use of the term “literacy” inappropriate. Even the Maya should not be called a “literate civilization,” not only because a very small segment of society controlled access to writing, but also because their goal was never that the society as a whole become literate.
That most of the earliest surviving records are in stone is hardly surprising as it is a much more durable material than the amatle paper or lime-covered hides that were used by later scribes. However, the findings at San Bartolo indicate that there were painted texts on stone before there were carved texts on stone. The near-miraculous preservation of this example hints at how much of the early writing has been lost.
Even before Diego de Landa’s infamous burning of the codices in the Yucatán, native Mesoamerican societies had participated in periods where records were destroyed or intentionally repainted. When Jacob states that “we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain,” he is describing an essential aspect of metal records as opposed to more perishable materials. While stone is similarly long-lasting, it is certainly better suited to massive display than for the type of record that Jacob was writing.
Scriptural: Jacob directs his writing to a particular audience, whom he defines as “we,” even though he is the only person writing. Clearly, he includes himself in Nephi’s purposes, continuing his brother’s work, writing to his brother’s audience. This audience is the future Nephites (their descendants) and their “beloved brethren.” Nephi knew that his writings would go not only to his own lineage, but also to the descendants of Laman and Lemuel (2 Ne. 30:4–5). Jacob makes the same assertion.