The Book of Mormon Versus the Consensus of Scholars: Surprises from the Disputed Longer Ending of Mark, Part 2

There are 3 thoughts on “The Book of Mormon Versus the Consensus of Scholars: Surprises from the Disputed Longer Ending of Mark, Part 2”.

1. A thought-provoking article by Jeff Lindsay which gives us plenty to think about regarding parallels between Elijah and the Book of Mormon in conjunction with the longer ending of Mark’s Gospel.

   I believe that Jeff has a very valid point when he compares Elijah to the Nephites and Christ’s visitation.
   Note that in his article, Jeff ends with these parallels: “At this point, divine fire descends from heaven (v. 38), and the people fall to the earth in wonder, worshipping the Lord (v. 39). The evil priests of Baal are then cast out and slain (v. 40),” but at this moment, then leaves off from mentioning their parallel in the Book of Mormon.

   I like how Jeff prefaces this emphasis on the parallelism, by him showing how the 12 Nephite disciples divide the people into 12 bodies (reminiscent of the 12 parts of the sacrificed bull) whereupon the disciples teach each group how to offer up a broken heart and contrite spirit in similitude as their sacrifice.

   In contemplating these parallels, I kind of believe that some of the parallels of Elijah appear to have happened out-of-order for the Nephites. For the Nephites, some occurrences don’t happen in the same order as what Elijah relates. After Elijah calls fire down from heaven the people fall to earth and evil priests are cast out and slain. Instead, in the Book of Mormon, these parallels happen immediately after Christ’s crucifixion in the old world. (Divine retribution rains down from heaven causing death and destruction, the people fall to earth in wonder and all the of wicked are slain including false priests and others.) After which, the parallels continue as Jeff relates them.
   It is possible that this out-of-order parallel mirrors Elijah’s experience in as close to chronological order as possible, but then by necessity diverts in the mentioned particulars, seeing how the wicked Nephites by reason of a slightly different chronology have to be slain prior to the remaining parallels as noted by Jeff between Elijah’s account and that of the Nephites.

   Regardless, I find it fascinating how all of the particulars as mentioned in Elijah’s account can be matched (whether chronologically or not) by similar incidents incipient to Christ’s ministry in the New World.

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3. I don’t know if you plan on doing additional parts to this but it seems to me that the doctrinal implications are quite profound and possibly even might create a bias in the views of some scholars and students of scripture.

   This is because the longer ending of Mark is the ONLY place (I am aware of) where Christ himself declares that only those that believe AND are baptized will be saved.

   “..preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..”

   Modern Christianity is divided on whether the physical ordinance of baptism is a mandatory requirement of the Gospel for salvation because the NT does not seem to emphasize it with the same clarity as the Book of Mormon or modern revelation.

   Although there are a few instances where the apostles perform it, they are not considered by many to have the same level of doctrinal credibility as Christ.

   With that in mind, the validity of the long ending of Mark as part of the original commission given by Christ becomes hugely significant .

   When it is established that the long ending is credible, the additional testimony and clarity given about the importance of baptism as an integral aspect of the true doctrine of Christ as documented in the Book of Mormon and D&C emerges as another testimony of the truthfulness of the LDS restoration movement and the importance of the ministry of Joseph Smith.

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