Joseph Smith's Book of Moses: The Other Smoking Gun
-
_Gazelam
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 5659
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:06 am
The Book of Moses and the two commandments.
I'm finally getting around to answering this. I have no tread what was put up on the "non-bitter" board so as not to taint what I want to say on my own. Sorry its taken so long, but I've had a busy weekend.
The transfer of Sacred writing between dispensation heads has an interesting history. In Bin Gorion's Sagen 1:263-266 We get an account of Adam's receiving scripture from God. After he had come to earth, Adam was given a Book of Knowledge by an angel sent to instruct him, giving him a knowledge of the mysteries - the ordinances - surpassing that of the angels. According to the Zohar, Adam lost such a book upon leaving Eden, and when he "supplicated God with tears for its return . . . it was given back to him, in order that wisdom might not be forgotten of men."
In the Bet HA Midrash this book of Adam story is also told in the old book of Noah, which traces the record from Adam and Enoch to Noah; it begins with Adam's prayer after the fall, when the angel came to instruct him and gave him the book, which Adam hid in the ground and which was later dug up by Enoch. Another account tells how Enoch was shown in a dream where Adam's book was buried and how he should obtain it; he went to the place early the next morning and hung around until noon, lest he excite the suspicion of the people in the fields; then he dug up the book, whose characters were interpreted to him by divine revelation, learned from it the fulness of the gospel, and was so set apart by his knowledge that he withdrew from the society of men.
Then comes Noah, who has the same experiences with the books and passes on the same information as Enoch. (Van Andel, Structuur) "My grandfather Enoch," says Noah, "gave me the teaching of all the secrets in the book . . . which had been given to him" (1 Enoch 68:1), and indeed the Joseph Smith Enoch makes both Methuselah and Noah the heirs of his teachings and promises (Moses 8:2-3, 5-12).
Abraham, when he set up his model Garden of Eden in Hebron, also established a school in the midst of it; in the pre-existence Abraham had already learned the art of writing and was given the Book of Creation, but on earth he was not able to read it without assistance, and so his teacher Shem helped him at it. Recalling that Abraham possessed "the records of the fathers" containing "a knowledge of the beginning of the creation" according to the book of Abraham 1:31, one is interested to learn that "the writings of Seth and Idrisi were handed down to the time of Noah and Abraham," but in this Mandaean source is called "the first after Enoch son of Seth son of Adam to write with a reed." In the testament of Abraham he has almost the same visions and makes the same heavenly journey as the prophets before him.
After Abraham, Jacob became the holder of the heavenly tablets, which told about the premortal existence, the eternal nature of Jacob's own promise and calling, and the deeds of his posterity to the remotest times, according to a very old Jewish work called the Prayer of Joseph. (Origen In Genesim) Next Moses receives "the complete history of the creation" (Jubilees 2:1), which he transmitted to us. "The whole burthen of Moses' message," wrote C.L.Woolley, "is the restatement of Abraham's message," an appeal to the past. (Charles Leonard Woolley, Abraham (London: Faber, 1936)p.182)
Ezra too was commanded to "write down everything that has happened in the world from the beginning . . .that men may be able to find the path, and that those who live in the last days may live." (4 Ezra 14:22)
After his forty-day mission after the resurrection the Lord handed down books to his disciples concerning which "whoever knows and observes what is written therein shall be like the angels" and these were "entrusted to Peter, John, Matthew, and to others at Jerusalem, that copies might be sent to [certain carefully chosen disciples], and by them to all the branchs" The Apocryphon of James tells in detail how the books were entrusted by the Lord to Peter, James, and John for careful rationing; and in other new finds both Peter and Paul ascend to heaven and there receive holy books and are introduced to Enoch, who acts as scribe for Adam.
I mention the above to present a pattern that God follows with his prophets. Soon after the Book of Mormon was published and the Church organized the Lord commanded Joseph to begin a translation of the scriptures of the propehts who had come before him. We don't have the specific revelation authorizing and commanding him to begin this work, only reference to the fact that he was commanded to do so. (D&C 42:56; 76:15). The Prophet referred to this labor as a "branch of [his] calling".
The work proved to be an important part of Joseph Smith's spiritual education. The Prophet did not translate the Bible primarily on the Basis of what he already knew; he learned great and important truths in the process. He wasn't, as some have suggested, merely "Mormonizing the Bible", a moments reflection suggests that there would have been very little Mormon doctrine with which to Mormonize the Bible in June of 1830.
The work of translation illustrates a concept of revelation that has great relevance for all members of the Church. Revelation often comes line upon line to prophets, just as it does to you and I. The fact that Joseph Smith worked and revised and prepared the manuscripts from 1830 until the time of his death demonstrates this principle.
Just as Enoch had to study the work of Seth and Adam, and Noah read the works of the prophets before him, etc..etc.. so Joseph followed the same pattern. It is worth noting that over 50 percent of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received during the time period associated with the formal work of Bible translation. A number of revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (including sections 74, 76, 77, 86, 91, 132) came as a direct result of the translation.
Joseph Smith received his first vision while reading the epistle of James. It was while translating the epistle of John that the Prophet received "The Vision". Note this statement on the reception of what we know as Section 76:
Whether or not Joseph thought the Book of Genesis had multiple authors is a moot point. The idea was for him to study out the scriptures and obtain the same spirit they were written under. It is generally understood that Moses copied the second half of Genesis from chapter two forward from Abraham. He did so in order to aquire the spirit of Abraham, who was filled with the Holy Ghost. by all accounts Moses was successful, as was Joseph Smith.
In regards to the Fall, we are told in the book of second Nephi chapter two that prior to the Fall there was no death or corruption among God's creations. We would hardly expect God to create things in a state in which they are to die, decay, and dissolve. It was from this state - in which none of God's creations were subject to death, corruption, or change - that Adam fell. Further, Lehi told us that in this state no living thing could enjoy the privilege of procreation. Thus Lehi brought us to the understanding that Adam fell to keep the great commandment of God that he and Eve have posterity. In so doing they introduced death to all things - temporal death or the seperation of body and spirit, and a spiritual death in that they no longer lived in the divine presence. The Fall thus created the need for a redemption from death and from the seperation of man from God. Lehi testified that such a Redeemer would come in the fulness of time.
Mother Eve gave a most perfect expression of the doctrine of the Fall, saying "Were it not for our transgression we never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).
Gaz
The transfer of Sacred writing between dispensation heads has an interesting history. In Bin Gorion's Sagen 1:263-266 We get an account of Adam's receiving scripture from God. After he had come to earth, Adam was given a Book of Knowledge by an angel sent to instruct him, giving him a knowledge of the mysteries - the ordinances - surpassing that of the angels. According to the Zohar, Adam lost such a book upon leaving Eden, and when he "supplicated God with tears for its return . . . it was given back to him, in order that wisdom might not be forgotten of men."
In the Bet HA Midrash this book of Adam story is also told in the old book of Noah, which traces the record from Adam and Enoch to Noah; it begins with Adam's prayer after the fall, when the angel came to instruct him and gave him the book, which Adam hid in the ground and which was later dug up by Enoch. Another account tells how Enoch was shown in a dream where Adam's book was buried and how he should obtain it; he went to the place early the next morning and hung around until noon, lest he excite the suspicion of the people in the fields; then he dug up the book, whose characters were interpreted to him by divine revelation, learned from it the fulness of the gospel, and was so set apart by his knowledge that he withdrew from the society of men.
Then comes Noah, who has the same experiences with the books and passes on the same information as Enoch. (Van Andel, Structuur) "My grandfather Enoch," says Noah, "gave me the teaching of all the secrets in the book . . . which had been given to him" (1 Enoch 68:1), and indeed the Joseph Smith Enoch makes both Methuselah and Noah the heirs of his teachings and promises (Moses 8:2-3, 5-12).
Abraham, when he set up his model Garden of Eden in Hebron, also established a school in the midst of it; in the pre-existence Abraham had already learned the art of writing and was given the Book of Creation, but on earth he was not able to read it without assistance, and so his teacher Shem helped him at it. Recalling that Abraham possessed "the records of the fathers" containing "a knowledge of the beginning of the creation" according to the book of Abraham 1:31, one is interested to learn that "the writings of Seth and Idrisi were handed down to the time of Noah and Abraham," but in this Mandaean source is called "the first after Enoch son of Seth son of Adam to write with a reed." In the testament of Abraham he has almost the same visions and makes the same heavenly journey as the prophets before him.
After Abraham, Jacob became the holder of the heavenly tablets, which told about the premortal existence, the eternal nature of Jacob's own promise and calling, and the deeds of his posterity to the remotest times, according to a very old Jewish work called the Prayer of Joseph. (Origen In Genesim) Next Moses receives "the complete history of the creation" (Jubilees 2:1), which he transmitted to us. "The whole burthen of Moses' message," wrote C.L.Woolley, "is the restatement of Abraham's message," an appeal to the past. (Charles Leonard Woolley, Abraham (London: Faber, 1936)p.182)
Ezra too was commanded to "write down everything that has happened in the world from the beginning . . .that men may be able to find the path, and that those who live in the last days may live." (4 Ezra 14:22)
After his forty-day mission after the resurrection the Lord handed down books to his disciples concerning which "whoever knows and observes what is written therein shall be like the angels" and these were "entrusted to Peter, John, Matthew, and to others at Jerusalem, that copies might be sent to [certain carefully chosen disciples], and by them to all the branchs" The Apocryphon of James tells in detail how the books were entrusted by the Lord to Peter, James, and John for careful rationing; and in other new finds both Peter and Paul ascend to heaven and there receive holy books and are introduced to Enoch, who acts as scribe for Adam.
I mention the above to present a pattern that God follows with his prophets. Soon after the Book of Mormon was published and the Church organized the Lord commanded Joseph to begin a translation of the scriptures of the propehts who had come before him. We don't have the specific revelation authorizing and commanding him to begin this work, only reference to the fact that he was commanded to do so. (D&C 42:56; 76:15). The Prophet referred to this labor as a "branch of [his] calling".
The work proved to be an important part of Joseph Smith's spiritual education. The Prophet did not translate the Bible primarily on the Basis of what he already knew; he learned great and important truths in the process. He wasn't, as some have suggested, merely "Mormonizing the Bible", a moments reflection suggests that there would have been very little Mormon doctrine with which to Mormonize the Bible in June of 1830.
The work of translation illustrates a concept of revelation that has great relevance for all members of the Church. Revelation often comes line upon line to prophets, just as it does to you and I. The fact that Joseph Smith worked and revised and prepared the manuscripts from 1830 until the time of his death demonstrates this principle.
Just as Enoch had to study the work of Seth and Adam, and Noah read the works of the prophets before him, etc..etc.. so Joseph followed the same pattern. It is worth noting that over 50 percent of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received during the time period associated with the formal work of Bible translation. A number of revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (including sections 74, 76, 77, 86, 91, 132) came as a direct result of the translation.
Joseph Smith received his first vision while reading the epistle of James. It was while translating the epistle of John that the Prophet received "The Vision". Note this statement on the reception of what we know as Section 76:
"Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the Kingdom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the foregoing vision. Every law, every commandment, every promise, every truth, and every point touching the destiny of man, from Genesis to Revelation, where the purity of the Scriptures remains unsullied by the folly of men, go to show the perfection of the theory (of different degrees of glory in the future life) and witness the fact that that document is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness, and the punishments for sins, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to exclaim: "It came from God." - Joseph Smith
Whether or not Joseph thought the Book of Genesis had multiple authors is a moot point. The idea was for him to study out the scriptures and obtain the same spirit they were written under. It is generally understood that Moses copied the second half of Genesis from chapter two forward from Abraham. He did so in order to aquire the spirit of Abraham, who was filled with the Holy Ghost. by all accounts Moses was successful, as was Joseph Smith.
In regards to the Fall, we are told in the book of second Nephi chapter two that prior to the Fall there was no death or corruption among God's creations. We would hardly expect God to create things in a state in which they are to die, decay, and dissolve. It was from this state - in which none of God's creations were subject to death, corruption, or change - that Adam fell. Further, Lehi told us that in this state no living thing could enjoy the privilege of procreation. Thus Lehi brought us to the understanding that Adam fell to keep the great commandment of God that he and Eve have posterity. In so doing they introduced death to all things - temporal death or the seperation of body and spirit, and a spiritual death in that they no longer lived in the divine presence. The Fall thus created the need for a redemption from death and from the seperation of man from God. Lehi testified that such a Redeemer would come in the fulness of time.
Mother Eve gave a most perfect expression of the doctrine of the Fall, saying "Were it not for our transgression we never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).
Gaz
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
-
_Addictio
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:31 pm
Gazelam said in part:
I don't think Gaz understands what Tal B is claiming, or why. It isn't useful (or pertinent) to respond to an argument about the Bible that is based upon the historical/critical method by simply ignoring the analysis and conclusions reached through that method. Put differently, TB's opening post doesn't ask whether Gaz (or someone like Will Schryver, per the similar thread at MAD) can present a "dispensational" account of how the biblical patriarchs/prophets from Adam to Moses created and handed down one or more sacred histories, which process (as Gaz puts it) reflects a "pattern that God follows with his prophets."
I'm not sure what method or approach to the Hebrew Bible Gaz thinks he's following or adopting here, but it appears to be pre-critical. (Consider, for example, the bolded text in just the last-quoted paragraph.) That doesn't mean his account isn't doctrinally sound, of course, particularly given the contents of other LDS scripture like the D&C and PofGP.
Anyway, maybe I'm missing some contrary understanding between Gaz and TB about the basic argument the latter's presenting, but I don't see how G's above post is even responsive. If someone wants to argue that the historical/critical approach itself, or perhaps some version of the Documentary Hypothesis, should be rejected, fine. Or perhaps that Moses was indeed the author of Genesis or the entire Penteteuch, that might be a sensible place to start, as well. But I don't think that's what Gaz is doing. Without some kind of responsive argument along those lines, though, Joseph Smith's belief about the authorship of the Book of Genesis certainly hasn't been rendered "moot."
The transfer of Sacred writing between dispensation heads has an interesting history.
[snip]
I mention the above to present a pattern that God follows with his prophets.
[snip]
Whether or not Joseph thought the Book of Genesis had multiple authors is a moot point. The idea was for him to study out the scriptures and obtain the same spirit they were written under. It is generally understood that Moses copied the second half of Genesis from chapter two forward from Abraham. He did so in order to acquire the spirit of Abraham, who was filled with the Holy Ghost. by all accounts Moses was successful, as was Joseph Smith.
I don't think Gaz understands what Tal B is claiming, or why. It isn't useful (or pertinent) to respond to an argument about the Bible that is based upon the historical/critical method by simply ignoring the analysis and conclusions reached through that method. Put differently, TB's opening post doesn't ask whether Gaz (or someone like Will Schryver, per the similar thread at MAD) can present a "dispensational" account of how the biblical patriarchs/prophets from Adam to Moses created and handed down one or more sacred histories, which process (as Gaz puts it) reflects a "pattern that God follows with his prophets."
I'm not sure what method or approach to the Hebrew Bible Gaz thinks he's following or adopting here, but it appears to be pre-critical. (Consider, for example, the bolded text in just the last-quoted paragraph.) That doesn't mean his account isn't doctrinally sound, of course, particularly given the contents of other LDS scripture like the D&C and PofGP.
Anyway, maybe I'm missing some contrary understanding between Gaz and TB about the basic argument the latter's presenting, but I don't see how G's above post is even responsive. If someone wants to argue that the historical/critical approach itself, or perhaps some version of the Documentary Hypothesis, should be rejected, fine. Or perhaps that Moses was indeed the author of Genesis or the entire Penteteuch, that might be a sensible place to start, as well. But I don't think that's what Gaz is doing. Without some kind of responsive argument along those lines, though, Joseph Smith's belief about the authorship of the Book of Genesis certainly hasn't been rendered "moot."
-
_Gazelam
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 5659
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:06 am
Addictio
I started to respond to this, but then realized I have to be out the door in like five minutes. I'll explain why I responded the way I did when I get home.
thanks
Gaz
thanks
Gaz
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
-
_Coggins7
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 3679
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:25 am
harmony wrote:Daniel Peterson wrote:It seems that David Bokovoy's attention was drawn to this thread, and that he has posted a substantial response over on the better board.
David's tolerably familiar with the path to this board. It's too bad he isn't inclined to post his comments here, where the thread can be accessed by those he apparently is going out of his way to avoid. My first response would be: why? Is he that afraid of the rebuttal?
Of course4 he's not going to post here. This board has a long history, since its inception, of problems with both civility and intellectual substance, so why should he throw chum in the water here? MAD is a good place to discuss these things precisely because so many stalwarts of this forum have been banned from that one and hence, left the MAD boards relatively free for civil, adult debate between knowledgeable individuals, which just happens to be exactly what is so hard to come by around here.
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.
- Thomas S. Monson
- Thomas S. Monson
-
_Coggins7
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 3679
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:25 am
dartagnan wrote:It seems that David Bokovoy's attention was drawn to this thread, and that he has posted a substantial response over on the better board.
Don't tell me. He drew another "parallel" between the Book of Mormon and the "Ancient World."
Yes, those pesky parallels that so thoroughly call into question most of the other hypothetical claims critics make against it.
Those pesky, stubborn, inexplicable parallels. What will become of us?
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.
- Thomas S. Monson
- Thomas S. Monson
-
_Coggins7
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 3679
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:25 am
Tal would do well to see Bokovoy's decapitation of his lumbering straw man at MAD, as well as the clear evidence that Tal is in over his head in the area of the relevant biblical scholarship. He's clearly unfamiliar with Tov, Barker, and the body of scholarship regarding First Temple Judaism and the alterations ancient Israelite religion underwent during the Babylonian exile period and after Josiah's reforms, during which the apocalyptic tradition of ancient Judaism was largely edited from the Israelite scriptural record. It is precisely aspects of this tradition that we now have in the Deal Sea Scrolls, books of the Old Testament intertestamental corpus, some New Testament apocryphal writings and--the PofGP.
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.
- Thomas S. Monson
- Thomas S. Monson
-
_Blixa
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 8381
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:45 pm
Coggins7 wrote:Tal would do well to see Bokovoy's decapitation of his lumbering straw man at MAD, as well as the clear evidence that Tal is in over his head in the area of the relevant biblical scholarship. He's clearly unfamiliar with Tov, Barker, and the body of scholarship regarding First Temple Judaism and the alterations ancient Israelite religion underwent during the Babylonian exile period and after Josiah's reforms, during which the apocalyptic tradition of ancient Judaism was largely edited from the Israelite scriptural record. It is precisely aspects of this tradition that we now have in the Deal Sea Scrolls, books of the Old Testament intertestamental corpus, some New Testament apocryphal writings and--the PofGP.
Can you fashion a synopsis for us?
From the Ernest L. Wilkinson Diaries: "ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
-
_Coggins7
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 3679
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:25 am
Blixa wrote:Coggins7 wrote:Tal would do well to see Bokovoy's decapitation of his lumbering straw man at MAD, as well as the clear evidence that Tal is in over his head in the area of the relevant biblical scholarship. He's clearly unfamiliar with Tov, Barker, and the body of scholarship regarding First Temple Judaism and the alterations ancient Israelite religion underwent during the Babylonian exile period and after Josiah's reforms, during which the apocalyptic tradition of ancient Judaism was largely edited from the Israelite scriptural record. It is precisely aspects of this tradition that we now have in the Deal Sea Scrolls, books of the Old Testament intertestamental corpus, some New Testament apocryphal writings and--the PofGP.
Can you fashion a synopsis for us?
Absolutely not, I'm not going to waste my time doing that here. I know better.
For a substantive introduction to the subject at hand you have:
http://www.margaretbarker.com/
http://www.byub.org/devotionals/?select ... dYear=2003
Or:
http://maxwellinstitute.BYU.edu/publica ... &chapid=36
http://maxwellinstitute.BYU.edu/display ... iew&id=547
(this is a criticism of a book by apostate scholar Melody Monech Charles, and involves numerous relevant points).
http://maxwellinstitute.BYU.edu/publica ... &chapid=50
http://byustudies.BYU.edu/Reviews/Pages ... eviewID=40
http://maxwellinstitute.BYU.edu/publica ... &chapid=51
http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences ... _Book.html
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.
- Thomas S. Monson
- Thomas S. Monson