If Jesus Christ is the central figure of the Book of Mormon, why isn’t the name Christ used until 78 pages in to the Book of Mormon?
Some years ago while teaching a Book of Mormon class at Brigham Young University, I discussed with the class titles and names for Jesus Christ used throughout the Book of Mormon. As is well known, the Book of Mormon is saturated with references to Jesus Christ.
We reviewed some of the names for Christ used early in Nephi’s record: Messiah, Holy One of Israel, Lord, God, Lord God Almighty, God of Israel, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, Savior, Redeemer and Son of God. It was clear that many of these titles originated in an Old Testament religious context.
We also discussed the frequency of use of the name Christ, which appears nearly 400 times throughout the Book of Mormon.
As we studied this topic further, I had the following exchange with the students, trying to invite them to read the Book of Mormon more carefully, looking for details, asking questions, and seeking answers: