Question
Gramps,
In the New Testament Jesus blessed the bread then broke it. Yet in 3 Nephi; He broke and then blessed it. Do you know why?
Marco
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Let’s examine the two different accounts.
In Matthew 26:26 it reads,
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Then in 3 Nephi 18:3 it says,
3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat.
So why the difference in the order of things between the New Testament and the Book of Mormon? Keep in mind that the Book of Matthew was written several years after the death of Christ. Small details such as the order could have been easily forgotten.
I think the best answer would come from Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible.
In Matthew 26:22 of the Joseph Smith translation it says:
22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and brake it, and blessed it, and gave to his disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is in remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you.
We can see from Joseph Smith’s translation that the order of the Sacrament is exactly how it was recorded in the Book of Mormon and how the order of the Sacrament is today.
Gramps
