“Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” So lamented Moses in utter humility after seeing in vision the complexities of the planet Earth and her countless inhabitants. Shortly thereafter Moses was to see once again the earth and her. Imagine, however, his profound astonishment when, in answer to his plea for an explanation, the Lord revealed himself to Moses and told him of even more wondrous creations. “And worlds without number have I created. . . . For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power.” Other heavens and earths had already expired. New heavens, star systems with inhabitable planets, would be born in the distant future. Moses would surely have felt even more insignificant had not the Lord reassured him with his presence and the counsel that “all things are numbered unto me.”

Chart

Map with explanation

Review of John A. Tvedtnes, Brian M. Hauglid, and John Gee, comps. and eds. Traditions about the Early Life of Abraham.

Idrimi of Alalakh lived in Syria about a century after Abraham and left an autobiographical inscription that is the only such item uncovered archaeologically from Middle Bronze Age Syro-Palestine. The inscription of Idrimi and the Book of Abraham share a number of parallel features and motifs. Some of the parallels are a result of similar experiences in their lives and some are a result of coming from a similar culture and time.

The plausibility of the attempted offering of Abraham by a priest of pharaoh and the existence of human sacrifice in ancient Egypt have been questioned and debated. This paper presents strong evidence that ritual slaying did exist among ancient Egyptians, with a particular focus on its existence in the Middle Kingdom. It details three individual evidences of human sacrifice found in ancient Egypt. Four different aspects of the attempted offering of Abraham are compared to these Egyptian evidences to illustrate how the story of Abraham fits with the picture of ritual slaying in Middle Kingdom Egypt.

Review of E. Douglas Clark. The Blessing of Abraham: Becoming a Zion People.

Since 1989, the Review of Books on the Book of Mormon has published review essays to help serious readers make informed choices and judgments about books and other publications on topics related to the Latter-day Saint religious tradition. It has also published substantial freestanding essays that made further contributions to the field of Mormon studies. In 1996, the journal changed its name to the FARMS Review with Volume 8, No 1. In 2011, the journal was renamed Mormon Studies Review.

Review of Hugh Nibley. Abraham in Egypt.

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

A travel journal of many Bible lands

No abstract available.

Republished in 2000 in a second edition with new materials and illustrations as Abraham in Egypt, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 14.

Nibley examines the Book of Abraham’s striking connections with ancient texts and Egyptian religion and culture.

Considered by many to be a classic in LDS literature, this new edition of Abraham in Egypt [published in association with the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS)] contains all the material from the first edition as well as additions from Nibley’s 1968–70 Improvement Era series “A New Look at the Pearl of Great Price.”

In 1968–70, Hugh Nibley wrote a series of articles for the Improvement Era titled “A New Look at the Pearl of Great Price.” Brother Nibley asked that some of these articles be made into chapters to be added to Abraham in Egypt. These new chapters are what constitutes the new edition; no changes were made to the original chapters. For the articles, Nibley drew from many Jewish and rabbinical sources, while his work in the first edition was based on Egyptian material.

The volume “An Approach to the Book of Abraham” contains diverse essays, including his three-year series of lengthy articles from Improvement Era, “A New Look at the Pearl of Great Price.” According to Nibley, “Until now, no one has done much more than play around with the bedizening treasury of the Pearl of Great Price. They would not, we could not make of the Book of Abraham an object of serious study. The time has come to change all that.”

Discusses Abraham’s dealings with men as a missionary.

The Book of Abraham, one of the canonized works of Latter-day Saint scripture brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith, has been attacked by critics since its publication in 1842. In Abraham in Egypt, LDS scholar Hugh Nibley draws on his erudition in ancient languages, literature, and history to defend the book on historical and doctrinal grounds. Nibley examines the Book of Abraham’s striking connections with ancient texts and Egyptian religion and culture. He discusses the book’s many nonbiblical themes that are found in apocryphal literature not known or available in Smith’s day. In opening up many other lines of inquiry, Nibley lays an essential foundation for further research on the biblical patriarch Abraham. This enlarged, second edition of Nibley’s classic 1981 work of the same title updates the endnotes, includes many illustrations, and adds several chapters taken from a series of articles in the Improvement Era entitled “A Look at the Pearl of Great Price,” which Nibley wrote between 1968 and 1970.

The Book of Abraham, one of the canonized works of Latter-day Saint scripture brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith, has been attacked by critics since its publication in 1842. In Abraham in Egypt, LDS scholar Hugh Nibley draws on his erudition in ancient languages, literature, and history to defend the book on historical and doctrinal grounds. Nibley examines the Book of Abraham’s striking connections with ancient texts and Egyptian religion and culture. He discusses the book’s many nonbiblical themes that are found in apocryphal literature not known or available in Smith’s day. In opening up many other lines of inquiry, Nibley lays an essential foundation for further research on the biblical patriarch Abraham. This enlarged, second edition of Nibley’s classic 1981 work of the same title updates the endnotes, includes many illustrations, and adds several chapters taken from a series of articles in the Improvement Era entitled “A Look at the Pearl of Great Price,” which Nibley wrote between 1968 and 1970.

A study of the story of how Sarah ended up at the royal palace

The Book of Abraham, one of the canonized works of Latter-day Saint scripture brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith, has been attacked by critics since its publication in 1842. In Abraham in Egypt, LDS scholar Hugh Nibley draws on his erudition in ancient languages, literature, and history to defend the book on historical and doctrinal grounds. Nibley examines the Book of Abraham’s striking connections with ancient texts and Egyptian religion and culture. He discusses the book’s many nonbiblical themes that are found in apocryphal literature not known or available in Smith’s day. In opening up many other lines of inquiry, Nibley lays an essential foundation for further research on the biblical patriarch Abraham. This enlarged, second edition of Nibley’s classic 1981 work of the same title updates the endnotes, includes many illustrations, and adds several chapters taken from a series of articles in the Improvement Era entitled “A Look at the Pearl of Great Price,” which Nibley wrote between 1968 and 1970.

Blake Ostler examines what relationship exists between the papyri of the ancient Egyptian Book of Breathings possessed by Joseph Smith and the Book of Abraham. Ostler finds that Joseph Smith, in associating vignettes of the Book of the Dead to explain Abraham’s experiences, was actually duplicating an ancient practice about which he could not have known from secular sources available in his day.

Hugh W. Nibley (1910–2005) was arguably the most brilliant Latter-day Saint scholar of the 20th century, with wide-ranging interests in scripture, history, and social issues. The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley comprise nineteen weighty volumes. But he was also one of the most enigmatic observers of the Church. In this volume readers will discover that the personal stories and perspectives behind the scholarship are sometimes even more captivating than his brilliant and witty intellectual breakthroughs. This comprehensive three-part collection of essays sheds fascinating new light on Hugh Nibley as a scholar and a man. Part 1, entitled “Portraits,” contains the first collection of observations—a “spiritual” portrait of Hugh Nibley by his close friend and colleague John W. “Jack” Welch, a description of the physical portrait by Rebecca Everett hanging in the Hugh Nibley Ancient Studies room at Brigham Young University, and a biographical portrait by Hugh himself. Part 2, “Nibley, the Scholar,” contains expanded and updated versions of the almost forgotten audio and video recordings of the BYU Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship lecture series celebrating the centennial of Nibley’s birth in 2010. An additional set of chapters on Nibley’s scholarship rounds out this collection. Part 3, “Nibley, the Man,” includes tributes given by family members and others at Nibley’s funeral service. A series of entertaining personal stories, reminiscences, and folklore accounts concludes the volume.

Abraham’s test

Abraham’s obedience

Discourse by Apostle Erastus Snow, delivered in the Tabernacle, Provo, Sunday Morning, May 31 (Quarterly Conference), 1885. Reported By: John Irvine.

Discourse by Apostle Erastus Snow, delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Sunday Afternoon, February 26, 1882. Reported By: Geo. F. Gibbs.

Discourse by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, July 29, 1877. Reported By: Rudger Clawson.

Discourse by President John Taylor, delivered at Parowan, Sunday Morning, June 24, 1883. Reported By: John Irvine.

Discourse by Apostle Moses Thatcher, delivered in the Tabernacle, Logan, Cache County, Semi-Annual Conference, Thursday Afternoon, October 8, 1885. Reported By: John Irvine.

Stories about Abraham circulated in ancient times and were continued into the medieval period. Many of these accounts were then lost and have come to light only recently. John Tvedtnes examines several such stories— ranging from creation accounts to the attempted sacrifice of Abraham— and shows how they support the Book of Abraham.

A FARMS symposium at BYU on Saturday, 26 January, highlighted findings from a years-long effort to collect, translate, and publish ancient accounts of the early life of the patriarch Abraham. Titled “Traditions about the Early Life of Abraham,” the free public event featured presentations by John Tvedtnes, Brian Hauglid, and John Gee, compilers and editors of a new book of the same title published by the Institute under the FARMS imprint.

Insights from the Old Testament to help strengthen the resolve for an eternal marriage

The Standard Works, the Masoretic text, and the JST arranged in columns with commentary to teach about Adam, Enoch, and Noah

The teachings of Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin

LDS teachings about Adam

How men and women can become one in heart and mind

The Eden account is both literal and figurative

Reprinted in Old Testament and Related Studies, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 1.

A controversial examination of evolution and the Latter-day Saint view on creation and the various roles of Adam.

How the statements cursing Eve in the garden were symbolic

The purposes for the Fall of Adam

An explanation of the Hebrew root behind “replenish” in Genesis 1:28

An explanation of what Adam and Eve did and why

The scriptural purpose of angels and references to angels in the standard works

Concludes that Jasher is a medieval work and not the one mentioned in the Old Testament

Review of LDS Perspectives on the Dead Sea Scrolls (1997), edited by Donald W. Parry and Dana M. Pike

An extensive bibliography of writings related to the Old Testament

How the scriptures were made more available through the translation of the Old Testament to Greek three hundred years before Christ

An edited version of an incomplete typescript.

Also circulated as “Teachings from the Dead Sea Scrolls.”

A survey of teachings in a large number of apocryphal, pseudepigraphal, and patristic writings.

In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?

The Book of Abraham, one of the canonized works of Latter-day Saint scripture brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith, has been attacked by critics since its publication in 1842. In Abraham in Egypt, LDS scholar Hugh Nibley draws on his erudition in ancient languages, literature, and history to defend the book on historical and doctrinal grounds. Nibley examines the Book of Abraham’s striking connections with ancient texts and Egyptian religion and culture. He discusses the book’s many nonbiblical themes that are found in apocryphal literature not known or available in Smith’s day. In opening up many other lines of inquiry, Nibley lays an essential foundation for further research on the biblical patriarch Abraham. This enlarged, second edition of Nibley’s classic 1981 work of the same title updates the endnotes, includes many illustrations, and adds several chapters taken from a series of articles in the Improvement Era entitled “A Look at the Pearl of Great Price,” which Nibley wrote between 1968 and 1970.

A stimulating comparison and analysis of the Apocalypse of Abraham and the Testament of Abraham, presenting the two traditions and offering others that have specif relevance to the Book of Abraham.

An address originally given on 5 July 1962 to the Seminary and Institute faculty assembled at BYU.

Hugh Nibley answers some questions about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Originally presented on 5 July 1962 to the Seminary and Institute faculty assembled at BYU.

Hugh Nibley answers some questions about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

In this work the Book of Mormon is seen in a new perspective; we see it in a world setting, not in a mere local one. It takes its place naturally alongside the Bible and other great works of antiquity and becomes one of them.

In the light of the Dead Sea Scrolls, all the Apocryphal writings must be read again with a new respect. Today the correctness of the 91st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants as an evaluation of the Apocrypha is vindicated with the acceptance of an identical view by scholars of every persuasion, though a hundred years ago, the proposition set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants seemed preposterous. What all the apocryphal writings have in common with each other and with the scriptures is the Apocalyptic or eschatological theme. This theme is nowhere more fully and clearly set forth than in the Book of Mormon. Fundamental to this theme is the belief in a single prophetic tradition handed down from the beginning of the world in a series of dispensations but hidden from the world in general and often confined to certain holy writings. Central to the doctrine is the Divine Plan behind the creation of the world that is expressed in all history and revealed to holy prophets from time to time. History unfolds in repeating cycles in order to provide all men with a fair and equal test in the time of their probation. Every dispensation, or “Visitation,” it was taught, is followed by an apostasy and a widespread destruction of the wicked, and ultimately by a refreshing or a new visitation.

Some brief references to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Some brief references to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Dead Sea Scroll evidence witnesses that the text of the Bible has not been so much altered as mutilated by the removal of material from the original

Reprinted from Qumran and the Companions of the Cave.

Cf. “Unrolling the Scrolls: Some Forgotten Witnesses,” in Old Testament and Related Studies, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 1. 115–70.

Hugh Nibley draws parallels between language and traditions found in the Apocrypha to the culture of the people in the Book of Mormon. In the second half of his lecture, Hugh Nibley compares the linguistics and culture of the Book of Mormon to that found in the Apocrypha. The imagery and practices found in the Book of Mormon are compared with certain phrases and material concerns found in Jewish and Christian apocryphal writings.

In Temple and Cosmos, Brother Nibley explains the relationship of the House of the Lord to the cosmos. In Temple, the first part of the volume, he focuses on the nature, meaning, and history of the temple, discussing such topics as sacred vestments, the circle and the square, and the symbolism of the temple and its ordinances. In the second part, Cosmos, he discusses the cosmic context of the temple-the expanding gospel, apocryphal writings, religion and history, the genesis of the written word, cultural diversity in the universal church, and the terrible questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going?

Hugh Nibley draws parallels between language and traditions found in the Apocrypha to the culture of the people in the Book of Mormon. In the second half of his lecture, Hugh Nibley compares the linguistics and culture of the Book of Mormon to that found in the Apocrypha. The imagery and practices found in the Book of Mormon are compared with certain phrases and material concerns found in Jewish and Christian apocryphal writings.

Later published in Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present.

In the second half of his lecture, Hugh Nibley compares the linguistics and culture of the Book of Mormon to that found in the Apocrypha.

As evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls, Isaiah was subject to the same abridging as the Book of Mormon prophets

As evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls, Isaiah was subject to the same abridging as the Book of Mormon prophets

As evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls, Isaiah was subject to the same abridging as the Book of Mormon prophets

As evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls, Isaiah was subject to the same abridging as the Book of Mormon prophets

Reprinted as “Treasures in the Heavens” in Old Testament and Related Studies, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 1, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 171–214.

A complex and rich study of the cosmology of the Christian world, which is compared to other similar sources. — Midgley. As Christianity has been deeschatologized and demythologized in our own day; so in the fourth century it was thoroughly dematerialized, and ever since then, anything smacking of “cosmism” that is, tending to associate religion with the physical universe in any way has been instantly condemned by Christian and Jewish clergy alike as paganism and blasphemy. Joseph Smith was taken to task for the crude literalism of his religion not only talking with angels like regular people but giving God the aspect attributed to Him by the primitive prophets of Israe, and, strangest of all, unhesitatingly bringing other worlds and universes into the picture. Well, some of the early Christian and Jewish writers did the same thing; this weakness in them has been explained away as a Gnostic aberration, and yet today there is a marked tendency in all the churches to support the usual bloodless abstractions and stereotyped moral sermons with a touch of apocalyptic realism, which indeed now supplies the main appeal of some of the most sensationally successful evangelists. Over a century ago, J.-P. Migne argued that the medieval legends of the Saints were far less prone to mislead the faithful than those scientifically oriented apocrypha of the Early Church, since the former were the transparent inventions of popular fantasy that could never lead thinking people astray, while the latter, by their air of factual reporting and claims to scientific plausibility, led the early Christians into all manner of extravagant speculation, drawing the faithful astray in many directions. To appreciate the strength of their own position, Latter-day Saints should not be without some knowledge of both these traditions. Since the “cosmist” doctrines have been almost completely neglected, here we offer a look at some of them.

As Christianity has been deeschatologized and demythologized in our own day; so in the fourth century it was thoroughly dematerialized, and ever since then anything smacking of “ cosmism“ that is, tending to associate religion with the physical universe in any way has been instantly condemned by Christian and Jewish clergy alike as paganism and blasphemy. Joseph Smith was taken to task for the crude literalism of his religion not only talking with angels like regular people, but giving God the aspect attributed to Him by the primitive prophets of Israel, and, strangest of all, unhesitatingly bringing other worlds and universes into the picture. Well, some of the early Christian and Jewish writers did the same thing; this weakness in them has been explained away as a Gnostic aberration, and yet today there is a marked tendency in all the churches to support the usual bloodless abstractions and stereotyped moral sermons with a touch of apocalyptic realism, which indeed now supplies the main appeal of some of the most sensationally successful evangelists. Over a century ago, J.-P. Migne argued that the medieval legends of the Saints were far less prone to mislead the faithful than those scientifically oriented apocrypha of the Early Church, since the former were the transparent inventions of popular fantasy which could never lead thinking people astray, while the latter by their air of factual reporting and claims to scientific plausibility led the early Christians into all manner of extravagant speculation, drawing the faithful astray in many directions. To appreciate the strength of their own position, Latter-day Saints should not be without some knowledge of both these traditions. Since the “cosmist“ doctrines have been almost completely neglected, here we offer a look at some of them.

Reprinted as “Treasures in the Heavens” in Nibley on the Timely and the Timeless (1978), 49–84; (2004), 53–93; and in Old Testament and Related Studies, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 1:171–214.

A complex and rich study of the cosmology of the Christian world, which is compared to other similar sources. — Midgley

Review of ?Joseph Smith's Use of the Apocrypha? (1995), by Jerald and Sandra Tanner

Adam, Moses, Abraham, and Noah in apocryphal writings and traditions

The apocryphal book Susanna.

Review of Robert M. Price. The Pre-Nicene New Testament: Fifty-four Formative Texts.

Similarities between LDS doctrines and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not prove that Qumran had the gospel

An article reprinted from Leslie’s Weekly maintains that the excavation of Giza supports the truthfulness of the Bible

Archeological evidence. Reprinted from the Deseret News.

This is the manuscript of an essay submitted to the Instructor, rejected, and circulated with two letters, both dated 16 September 1965, one addressed to “Dear Brother” (1 page) and the other addressed to “Mr. W.” (5 pages).

An edited version of the manuscript of an essay submitted to the Instructor, rejected, and circulated with two letters, both dated 16 September 1965, one addressed to “Dear Brother” (1 page) and the other addressed to “Mr. W.” (5 pages).

Archaeological evidence incorrectly used as proof of scriptural accounts

The 1938–39 study manual for MIA

The fulfillment of the prophecy of Armageddon will depend on the faith of the Saints and there will be no nuclear or conventional war

“Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” So lamented Moses in utter humility after seeing in vision the complexities of the planet Earth and her countless inhabitants. Shortly thereafter Moses was to see once again the earth and her. Imagine, however, his profound astonishment when, in answer to his plea for an explanation, the Lord revealed himself to Moses and told him of even more wondrous creations. “And worlds without number have I created. . . . For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power.” Other heavens and earths had already expired. New heavens, star systems with inhabitable planets, would be born in the distant future. Moses would surely have felt even more insignificant had not the Lord reassured him with his presence and the counsel that “all things are numbered unto me.”

This book is a study of the text of Selections from the Book of Moses, an excerpt of Genesis from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Commonly called the Book of Moses, it is the first section in the Pearl of Great Price, one of the standard works of scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We now have access to the revealed text itself, which we did not have before, and we can examine the words as they were recorded when they first came from the inspired lips of the Prophet. We are in a new day, a day of closer access to one of the great fruits of the Restoration—an important branch of Joseph Smith’s calling, as he designated his inspired work on the Bible. With our ability now to examine the original documents closely, we can express our thanks to a loving God who has provided that “righteousness and truth.”

The book of Moses, Noah and the covenant, Melchizedek, tokens and priesthood ordinances, Lot in Sodom, Jacob’s prophecies of Joseph, and Moses and Joseph Smith

This article will attempt to look at the Church in the early 1830s and, so far as it is possible, will trace the introduction of several important doctrinal concepts into the Church during that time. In this context we will discuss the role of new translation of the Bible in the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation. When speaking of the “development” of the Church doctrine, we do not mean particularly to dwell on an evolutionary phenomena but rather simply to emphasize that all of the doctrines were not revealed at once and that there has been a developmental increase of doctrine from continuing revelation. It is in the spirit of this principle that we trace the historical relationship that exists between Joseph Smith’s new translation of the Bible and the increase of doctrine during the Kirtland period.

Papers presented at the BYU Symposium ‘As Translated Correctly’: Joseph Smith’s Translations of the Bible, January 13–14, 1995

Robert Matthews presents this survey of biblical textual criticism with the suggestion that omissions to the Bible text of today are more extensive and more intentional than most textual critics have realized. He sums up the history of biblical translations and discusses the church situation in June 1830, when Joseph Smith received the first revelation associated with an inspired translation of the Bible.

Robert J. Matthew’s first article in the Autumn 1968 issue of BYU Studies dealt primarily with the making of the Inspired Version of the Bible. It considered two major aspects: (1) the preparation of the manuscript notes by the Prophet Joseph Smith and his scribes, and (2) the publication of the printed editions by The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS). This article will discuss a number of passages that are unique to the Inspired Version and also some of the implications in the text that are frequently overlooked. There are at least three levels at which one may read the Inspired Version. The first and simplest level is to compare it with the King James Version to find the variant readings. The second and perhaps the most informative level is to analyze each variant to determine the actual change in meaning that resulted from the Inspired Version rendition. The third and most difficult level is to examine the Inspired Version not only for content but also for style. This level is not limited to what is said but also involves an analysis of how it is said. The third level is particularly important because it deals with the question of whether the Inspired Version is a restoration of the original text of the Bible. Although not all of the variants in the Inspired Version are suitable for this kind of critical examination, a number of passages are thus suited, and these are highly interesting and even provocative when analyzed. Such passages have characteristics about them which strongly suggest inspiration and even restoration of the original text in some instances.

This article examines the Inspired Version of the Bible translated by Joseph Smith, the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Matthews compares Joseph’s Inspired Version with the Bernhisel Manuscript, which has never been published. He also illustrates how Joseph Smith’s revision of the Bible was significant to the establishment of the church.

A study of different renditions of the JST

Tabs as inexpensive aids to scripture study

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

Letter to the editor that criticizes Melodie Moench Charles’s article “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament, which appeared in Sunstone.

Bennion’s response to Melodie Moench Charles’s “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament, which appeared in Sunstone.

Criticism of the way Mormons interpret the Old Testament to support their views

Pre-Adamites, the location and return of the Ten Tribes, and the forbidden fruit

Early Mormon attitudes towards Jews differed from those of other Christians

A challenge to Anthony Hutchinson’s article “LDS Approaches to the Holy Bible,” published in Dialogue.

The implications of ancient Hebrew psychology including the divine origin of man and the responsibility for one’s actions

A letter to the editor agreeing with Melodie Moench Charles’s article “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament,” which also appeared in Sunstone.

The Pearl of Great Price documents are not ancient documents but later interpretations like the Jewish tradition of Midrash

Hutchinson defends his article “LDS Approaches to the Holy Bible,” (also in Dialogue) from a challenge by James E. Faulconer

One does not long study Mormon beginnings without realizing that the Bible held a special place in the hearts of the early Saints. Latter-day Saints use of its accounts and teachings greatly influenced the formulation of Mormon theology, and, in addition, helped the Saints find their personal and group identity in God’s Kingdom. The deep commitment of early Mormon intellectuals to the ancient scriptures is suggested by the frequency and nature of biblical references in their writings. Three Church periodicals published between 1832 and 1838, The Evening and the Morning Star (Independence, Missouri, 1832–33, and Kirtland, Ohio, 1833–34), the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate (Kirtland, 1834–47), and the Elders’ Journal (Kirtland, 1837, and Far West, Missouri, 1838) are the most important representative samples of the written expression of early Mormon thought, and serve in this investigation as indicators of the attitudes of the Saints towards the Bible, and their uses of its contents. Let us begin by identifying two leading assumptions which governed Mormon biblical interpretation.

Bibliographical references and excerpts from Joseph Smith’s discourses on the Bible

Reprinted in The Prophetic Book of Mormon.

Writing on tally sticks is related to Ezekiel 37 and the meaning of the prophecy that two sticks shall become one. Extensive commentary on the traditional interpretations given to Ezekiel 37.

Part a roundtable discussion. The status of the Bible in the Church; different ways of studying the Bible with a specific look at Nahum and the Revelation of John

Mormon views of the Bible

Early LDS interpretations of the Bible

How the scriptures were made more available through the translation of the Old Testament to Greek three hundred years before Christ

The development of different versions of the Bible

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

A critique of the New English Bible

No abstract available.

Most scholars who reject the one-man authorship of Isaiah do so because they reject prophecy

The need for examination of the Bible

An article reprinted from Leslie’s Weekly maintains that the excavation of Giza supports the truthfulness of the Bible

Archeological evidence. Reprinted from the Deseret News.

Arguments supporting the theory of a single author of the book of Isaiah

The reality of prophecy is disputed by scholars but is ultimately a matter of faith

Conclusion that the opponent is either Esau or God

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

The biblical canon and its organization

Originally presented as an address given on 19 June 1956 to the seminary and institute faculty at Brigham Young University.

Solving the problem of historicity of the Bible: how it came around, and what to do about it.

How Book of Mormon evidence contradicts biblical scholarship, especially the theory of multiple authorship of Isaiah

How Book of Mormon evidence contradicts biblical scholarship, especially the theory of multiple authorship of Isaiah

Biblical criticism and how the brass plates shed light on the multiple strand theory of the Old Testament

The Sunday School Supplement on the Mosaic Hypothesis of authorship

Biblical criticism’s contribution to increased learning

An extensive bibliography of writings related to the Old Testament

Extensive bibliography

A study of different renditions of the JST

Lehi’s exodus to the promised land is only the first of a series of exoduses occurring throughout the Book of Mormon. Indeed, Lehi’s exodus becomes mere precedent for later flights into the wilderness by Nephi, Mosiah, Alma1, Limhi, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. For the Nephites, continuing exodus is not merely historical fact. Understanding the biblical exodus as a type and shadow, the Nephites come to see their wandering as a metaphor of their spiritual condition. Thus, even centuries after Lehi’s arrival in the promised land, Nephite prophets recognize their status as “wanderers in a strange land” (Alma 13:23). As did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Nephites also looked beyond their temporal land of promise “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

**Only a selection of these chapters are available for online reading. An introduction to several key literary, cultural, linguistic, and religious connections between the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament. Since 1830, millions of people have read the Book of Mormon and studied its claims for ties with the ancient world. The Book of Mormon begins with references to Jerusalem and the Hebrew Bible. Readers often wonder to what extent the Book of Mormon reflects the literary, cultural, and religious world of ancient Israel. In the book Testaments, these and other issues are carefully addressed in a reader-friendly style. The authors, David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes illustrate that the Book of Mormon shares much in common with the Old Testament. These exciting links provide clear evidence that the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible serve as related testaments of the Savior Jesus Christ and his restored gospel.

A correlation of the Book of Mormon and the history of Old Testament events

A glossary of archaic words

A linguistic analysis of the symbol of a barren woman associated with Zion, the earth, and the Lord’s servants

Third Nephi 22 (quoting Isaiah 54) addresses a desolate woman who will be redeemed in the latter days. The desolate woman represents Zion, which itself signifies the city of Enoch in ancient times, the hill where the temple was built in Jerusalem, the celestial city of God, the kingdom of God on earth, and a covenant community of temple-worthy Saints. The Lord promises to relieve the desolation of Zion felt through barrenness, lack of a permanent home, and being forsaken and persecuted. The destiny of Zion parallels the pattern of Noah—both remain faithful to their covenants and witness a cleansing of the earth. The Savior serves as Zion’s husband. The servants of the Lord are equated with Zion—the Lord will not allow oppressors to be successful against Zion. The Lord promises to redeem Zion as he sings a song of redeeming love.

The Book of Mormon theme “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” evidenced in the Bible

The Book of Mormon fulfills prophecy

When the prophet Abinadi preached repentance to the Nephites, the people were upset and turned him over to King Noah. While in the king’s presence, Abinadi explained to the king and to the priests the meaning of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies. Although they did not heed Abinadi’s teaching, modern readers of the Book of Mormon are now able to better understand the life of Jesus Christ and the key principles of the atonement through Abinadi’s teachings.

Originally published as a lesson in An Approach to the Book of Mormon (1957).

The Latter-day Saint claim that Ezekiel’s account of the Stick of Joseph and the Stick of Judah is a clear reference to the Book of Mormon has, of course, been challenged. There is no agreement among scholars today as to what the prophet was talking about, and so no competing explanation carries very great authority. The ancient commentators certainly believed that Ezekiel was talking about books of scripture, which they also identify with a staff or rod. As scepters and rods of identification the Two Sticks refer to Judah and Israel or else to the Old Testament and the New. But in this lesson we present the obvious objections to such an argument. The only alternative is that the Stick of Joseph is something like the Book of Mormon. But did the ancient Jews know about the Lord’s people in this hemisphere? The Book of Mormon says they did not, but in so doing specifies that it was the wicked from whom that knowledge was withheld. Hence it is quite possible that it was had secretly among the righteous, and there is actually some evidence that this was so.

Reprinted as “The Lachish Letters,” in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8. 380–406.

Suggests connections between the Lachish letters written at the time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and events associated with Lehi’s departure. Includes political pressures on prophets, types of proper names, and a possible identification of Mulek.

In this work the Book of Mormon is seen in a new perspective; we see it in a world setting, not in a mere local one. It takes its place naturally alongside the Bible and other great works of antiquity and becomes one of them.

The Latter-day Saint claim that Ezekiel’s account of the Stick of Joseph and the Stick of Judah is a clear reference to the Book of Mormon has, of course, been challenged. There is no agreement among scholars today as to what the prophet was talking about, and so no competing explanation carries very great authority. The ancient commentators certainly believed that Ezekiel was talking about books of scripture, which they also identify with a staff or rod. As scepters and rods of identification the Two Sticks refer to Judah and Israel or else to the Old Testament and the New. But in this lesson, we present the obvious objections to such an argument. The only alternative is that the Stick of Joseph is something like the Book of Mormon. But did the ancient Jews know about the Lord’s people in this hemisphere? The Book of Mormon says they did not, but in so doing specifies that it was the wicked from whom that knowledge was withheld. Hence it is quite possible that it was had secretly among the righteous, and there is actually some evidence that this was so.

The essays in this book, written by some of the finest LDS scholars, take a variety of approaches to help readers make the most of the Isaiah passages in the Book of Mormon. These scholars use the prophets of the Book of Mormon as knowledgeable guides, examining how and why those ancient writers used and interpreted Isaiah in order to clarify for modern readers what the Isaiah sections in the Book of Mormon are all about.

This second of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the authors have learned from Nibley. Nearly every major subject that Dr. Nibley has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the sacrament covenant in Third Nephi, the Lamanite view of Book of Mormon history, external evidences of the Book of Mormon, proper names in the Book of Mormon, the brass plates version of Genesis, the composition of Lehi’s family, ancient burials of metal documents in stone boxes, repentance as rethinking, Mormon history’s encounter with secular modernity, and Judaism in the 20th century.

Are there indirect evidences of distinctive contents of the brass plates? Can we learn anything about the plates and their contents through an examination of indirect textual evidence in the Book of Mormon?

The chronology of the use of plant imagery

Biblical criticism and how the brass plates shed light on the multiple strand theory of the Old Testament

How the Book of Mormon is the stick of Ephraim, even though Lehi was from Manassah

Support for the single authorship theory of Isaiah

Chart

An outline of time from Abraham to the birth of the United States written by W. J. Cameron and pedigree charts written by James H. Anderson showing the relationship of Mormonism to the past and the future of the covenant

Covenant-making and breaking in the Old Testament

In the text of the Old Testament Yahweh is described as the Redeemer of Israel. A redeemer in Israelite society was a close family member who was responsible to help his enslaved kinsmen by buying them out of bondage. A comparable family relationship is created between the Lord and individuals by the making of covenants and the giving of a new name. The adoptive covenant becomes the basis for the Lord’s acts of redemption. This pattern of adoptive redemption can be seen in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon identifies Yahweh, the God and Redeemer of the Old Testament, with Jesus Christ. It further explains that redemption from spiritual bondage comes through the ransom price of his blood and is available to those who enter into adoptive covenants, which create a familial relationship and allow the Lord to act as their redeemer.

Kinship redemption

Discusses temples in relation to the patriarchal promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

The revival of scholarly interest in Abraham in recent decades provides a timely opportunity to explore the contemporary findings of biblical scholars from a Latter-day Saint perspective. This review leads to an in-depth exploration of how the Lord’s covenants with Abraham were understood by the Nephite prophets in the Book of Mormon, how their perspectives compare with contemporary biblical scholarship, and how the Nephite perspective may modify or expand standard Latter-day Saint approaches to understanding the Abrahamic covenant. This article identifies three interrelated streams of covenant discourse in the Book of Mormon—each defined by its respective focus on the (1) Lehite covenant, (2) Abrahamic covenant, or (3) gospel covenant. Though these three streams of covenant discourse are closely related, each is distinct in purpose. Nephite prophets integrated these three in unique ways to develop one larger understanding of God’s use of covenants to bring salvation to the world.

Covenant making and personal revelation

Discourse by Apostle Erastus Snow, delivered at the Quarterly Conference, Parowan, Sunday Afternoon, June 24, 1883. Reported By: John Irvine.

Insights from the Old Testament that can help today’s children

Discourse by President John Taylor, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon (Annual Conference), April 8, 1883. Reported By: Gibbs and Irvine.

A description of the Abrahamic covenant and who its heirs are

The timing and the materials of the Creation

The timing and the materials of the Creation

The timing and the materials of the Creation

The timing and the materials of the Creation

The timing and the materials of the Creation

The timing and the materials of the Creation

Seven scriptural accounts of the Creation arranged in parallel columns

The different scriptural accounts of the Creation and theories on the meaning of article eternity from a scientific perspective

The anthropomorphism of God and origin of man

Grand as it is, planet Earth is part of something even grander—that great plan of God. Simply summarized, the earth was created that families might be.

Reprinted in Old Testament and Related Studies, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 1.

A controversial examination of evolution and the Latter-day Saint view on creation and the various roles of Adam.

Biblical criticism and the Creation accounts

Discourse by Elder Charles W. Penrose, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 4, 1882. Reported By: Geo. F. Gibbs.

Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, August 1, 1880. Reported By: John Irvine.

The Creation from a scriptural and a scientific viewpoint

Argument as to when man was created, reconciling the apparent discrepancies in Genesis 1 and 2 and the Pearl of Great Price

Discourse by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered at the Fourteenth Ward Assembly Rooms, Sunday Afternoon, Jan. 20, 1878. Reported By: Geo. F. Gibbs.

LDS scholars on the Creation

The Creation, premortality, and evolution

The Creation, premortality, and evolution

A Jewish custom of blessing God after eating one’s fill at a meal is reflected in passing in Amulek’s household and when the resurrected Christ blesses the sacrament for the Nephites and thereafter instructs them to pray. They “gave glory to Jesus” on this occasion.

This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.

This paper presents data, culled primarily from talmudic and midrashic sources, pertaining to the commercial and religious laws that governed Jewish seafaring up to ca. AD 500.

Howard W. Hunter - May the spirit of Elijah burn deep into our hearts and turn us toward the temples.