A Heavenly Visitor to Ancient America?
The Book of Mormon’s 3 Nephi 11 presents a dramatic and reverent scene: Jesus Christ descending from heaven and appearing to the Nephites in the Americas shortly after His resurrection. According to the narrative, He invites individuals to feel the wounds in His hands and feet, declares His divinity, and teaches foundational doctrines such as baptism and unity. To a Latter-day Saint, this is a cornerstone chapter. To a biblical Christian or a historian, however, it poses significant theological and historical problems. First, there is no historical or archaeological evidence whatsoever that ancient Jews (the Nephites) ever existed in the Americas. No reputable non-Mormon scholar has ever confirmed the presence of such a civilization with Hebrew roots or Christian theology prior to European contact. This puts the entire backdrop of 3 Nephi in serious doubt. Second, theologically, this scene contradicts the Bible’s view of final revelation. Hebrews 1:1–2 teaches that in these last days, ...