As Moroni worked with his source material, he was understandably impressed with the brother of Jared’s experience. It was something that he felt he needed to explain. First, he clarifies that Jehovah appeared “unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto the Nephites.” That statement both clarifies that the premortal spirit body reflects the mortal form, but also that the experience of the brother of Jared was confirmed in that Jehovah also appeared to the Nephites, albeit at a different phase of his mission.
Verse 18 continues the comparison. Moroni sees kinship between what the brother of Jared experienced and the visitation of the resurrected Christ. They were the same God, saving his children both before and after the act that performed the atonement.
Verses 17 through 20 are in Moroni’s direct voice. Nevertheless, we see him as the editor of the text in verse 14 (of this chapter) when Jehovah declares: “I am Jesus Christ.” That is a name by which Moroni knew the Savior, and a declaration that “I am the Messiah” would have been logical, the mortal name of Jesus would not have been given, nor would it have been useful. Since we do not know the language spoken by the Jaredites, they may not have understood the Hebrew behind the mortal name: “Jehovah saves.”