I noticed two attempts by Noah's priests: First in their question about the Isaiah passage, and second in their answer that they teach the law of Moses. In each case, they have missed seeing the Savior. Isaiahs words (52:7-8) are a Messianic prophecy testifying of the mission of Jesus when he will walk the earth. Instead of an earnest question, Noah's priests seem to be using it to try to justify not teaching - or practicing - repentance, but instead only bringing "good tidings." Ironically, angels declaring the Messiah's birth in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy will use those same words - "good tidings" in their triumphant message of His birth.
Abinadi asks "Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying...?" As a teacher, I asked "Do I understand the spirit of prophesying?" Revelation 19:10 came to mind: "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Among the serious wrongs Noah's priests are guilty of is missing the mark -- not seeing or teaching the Savior, Jesus Christ, as the focus of all gospel truth. Truly there is no other way nor means and all things testify of Christ - including the law of Moses. President Packer taught regarding the doctrine of Christ, "This is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut from that truth, there will be no life or substance nor redemption in them" ("The Mediator," Ensign, May 1977, 56). A gospel teacher's central and solitary purpose is to help others see and come to Him.
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