It is evident from this passage that Nephi as a humble servant of the Lord had not sought special privileges with the Savior, nor was he at the head of the line to meet the Savior.
Mormon’s wording is evidence of Nephi’s humility: he was “among the multitude.” Jesus called him forth to
(1) instruct Nephi in his duties as the mortal head of the Nephite church, and
(2) to demonstrate to the people who “the Lord’s anointed’ was.
This was in a manner a ”setting apart“ of Nephi as the Savior’s authorized servant among the Nephites.”
“Bowed Himself Before the Lord and Did Kiss His Feet”
Those who have served the Master most faithfully and have hearkened to his words most closely are the ones who know him most intimately.
Nephi’s gesture of worship, as described by Mormon, gives us a small glimpse of the love and adoration that Nephi had for his Savior. His entire ministry was one of testifying of Jesus Christ and teaching his people to turn to Christ; now he was able to personally worship the Only Begotten as an eyewitness of the Resurrection.
What greater reward could there be for a faithful follower and disciple of Christ! Perhaps we can better understand not only Nephi’s action but also his innermost feelings when we read the words of a modern-day special witness of the Savior. Demonstrating a Nephi-like love for and intimate knowledge of the resurrected Christ,
Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared:
“I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.”
(CR, April 1985, p. 12, italics added.)