Gramps,

I was reading 1st Nephi chapter 3 and wondering if referencing the Lord is referring to Jesus Christ or to Heavenly Father. How do you tell the difference between when Lord is used in the scriptures and who it’s referring to?

LeAnn

Answer

Hi LeAnn,

This is a common question and is easy to get confused about, especially for those who are young in their gospel understanding, so you’re definitely not alone in wondering this. To be sure, there are quite a few spots in the scriptures where it can become a little ambiguous whether the Father or The Son is being referred to, especially without the aid of living prophets. This is likely why there was so much confusion in the first few hundred years A.D. when there were so many debates in the Roman Empire about the nature of the Godhead in general. But to help clarify this, let’s review two fundamental scriptural basics about The Father and The Son and their roles.

1. The Father is the spiritual Father and creator of our spirits, including the spirit of Jesus Christ, our Savior. (see Romans 8:16 and Bible Dictionary: “Firstborn”)

2. Jehovah, the sacred scriptural name title of Jesus Christ, is sometimes referred to as a father figure because, under His Father’s direction, He created all of it. He is also the Father of our Salvation, having paid the price for our sins and our salvation from all negative effects of the fall and mortality. He is the One anointed by the Father to be the means of our Salvation from sin and death.

Keith H. Meservy, an emeritus professor of ancient scripture at BYU, points out the following:

We are frequently told that Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament (see Bible Dictionary, “Jehovah,” 710–11). But when we open our Bibles, we find little evidence that this is so. What is missing in the translations is clear in the original Hebrew text, where Jehovah, the Savior’s Old Testament name, appears over 5,000 times!

 

Why then is Jehovah missing from our Bible translations? The answer can be found in the way His name has been treated by Jews since the days of Malachi and Zechariah. Jehovah is the name of God, and devout Jews, out of reverence for Him, never say His name. Instead they substitute Adonai, a Hebrew title meaning “Lord.” So whenever they speak of Him or read aloud His name from scripture, they substitute Adonai (Lord).

King James translators of the Hebrew Bible followed Jewish practice. Instead of printing Jehovah, the name of God, they substituted the English title LORD, printed in small capitals, every time the name Jehovah appeared in the Hebrew text.

Jesus earned His title as our Lord through His atoning sacrifice. The title “Lord” encompasses all of His unique roles within the family of His (and our) Father. Jesus is our Mediator, Savior, our Advocate with the Father. Sometimes you may hear people within the church discouraging the use of the term “Lord” when addressing Heavenly Father in prayer. This is because The Father did not pay for our sins, is not the same person, and is not our Savior.

So any time we see the word “Lord” in the scriptures, whether it be just that word, “Lord God” or any other use of that term, it’s safe to assume that it’s referring to Jesus Christ, especially since the scriptures are consistently referred to by their authors as “the words of Christ”.

I hope that helps.

Gramps

Gramps,

Please tell me which verses in the KJV have been translated correctly so that I am not confused..?

Ezek27

Answer

Dear Ezek27,

Perhaps it would be easier to tell you which verses in the KJV have not been translated correctly. Since you refer to Ezekiel, I will show you the verses in the book of Ezekiel that were corrected by the prophet Joseph Smith. The only change that the Prophet make to the book of Ezekiel was chapter 23 verse 22, in which he added the words “from me” after the word “alienated.” as—

Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated from me, and I will bring them against thee on every side.

This change corrects the implication that the pronoun, whom, refers to thy lovers, when it actually refers to the Lord.

If you really wanted to know which verses in the entire KJV of the Bible were changed by Joseph Smith, I would suggest that you obtain a copy of the Holy Bible published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah ,1979. This bible contains in the footnotes the changes made to every verse in which the changes were small enough to be placed in the footnotes, as in the verse above cited. Changes too lengthy for inclusion in the footnotes are included in a 13-page section at the end of the bible, entitled JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATION, Excerpts Too Lengthy For Inclusion In Footnotes.

Gramps

Dear Gramps,

Did Adam and Eve ever have a childhood?

Gary

Answer

Dear Gary,

The biblical account of the genesis of Adam and Eve is an allegorical account. It is not the literal history of the genesis of the parents of the human race. Adam was not made like a brick, nor was Eve manufactured from one of Adam’s ribs. However, there is some profound symbolism in the statement.

We read in the Book of Abraham,

It [the high priesthood] was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me. (Abr. 1:3)

In this scripture, Adam, the first man, is called the firstborn, not the first made.

The prophets of the Restoration, principally Brigham Young, have given us some rather specific information on where Adam and Eve came from.

According to the prophets Adam and Eve were born as you and I were born. However, they were not born on this earth, rather on a terrestrial world. Adam was one of chief organizers of this earth, under the direction of our Father in Heaven. Quoting from Brigham Young–

“All this vast creation was produced from element in its unorganized state; the mountains, rivers, seas, valleys, plains, and the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms beneath and around us, all speaking forth the wonderful works of the Great God. Shall I say that the seeds of vegetables were planted here by the Characters that formed and built this world–that the seeds of every plant composing the vegetable kingdom were brought from another world? This would be news to many of you. Who brought there here?…It was some Being who had power to frame this earth with its seas, valleys, mountains, and rivers and cause it to teem with vegetable and animal life” (Brigham Young, JD 7:285, Oct. 9, 1859)

 

“Though we have it in history that our Father Adam was made from the dust of this earth and that he knew nothing about his God previous to being made here, yet it is not so, and when we learn the truth we shall see and understand that he helped to make this world and was the chief manager in that operation.

 

“He was the person who brought the animals and the seeds from other planets to this world and brought a wife with him and stayed here. You may read and believe what you please as to what is found written in the Bible. Adam was made from the dust of an earth, but not from the dust of this earth. He was made as you and I are made, and no person was ever made upon any other principle. (JD 3:319, April 20, 1856)

Gramps

Dan

________________

Dear Dan,

You start with a strong assertion that the “Book of Joseph” was translated. If such is the case, I will be greatly edified if you sent me your references.

In referencing the Egyptian scrolls purchased in Kirtland, Joseph said that “one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt” (“History of the Church” vol 2 ch 16 entry for July 6, 1835). Joseph discovered this while examining the scrolls as a favor to the owner. Upon discovering the value of the records, he took up a collection to purchase the scrolls so they could be translated. The content of these scrolls were described by Oliver Cowdery:

“The representation of the god-head-three, yet in one, is curiously drawn to give simply, though impressively, the writers views of that exalted personage. The serpent, represented as walking, or formed in a manner to be able to walk, standing in front of, and near a female figure, is to me, one of the greatest representations I have ever seen upon paper, or a writing substance; and must go so far towards convincing the rational mind of the correctness and divine authority of the holy scriptures, and especially that part which has ever been assailed by the infidel community, as being a fiction, as to carry away, with one might sweep, the whole atheistical fabric, without leaving a vestige sufficient for a foundation stone. Enoch’s Pillar, as mentioned by Josephus, is upon the same roll…. The inner end of the same roll, (Joseph’s record,) presents a representation of the judgment: At one view you behold the Savior seated upon his throne, crowned, and holding the sceptres [sic] of righteousness and power, before whom also, are assembled the twelve tribes of Israel, the nations, languages and tongues of the earth, the kingdoms of the world over which satan is represented as reigning. Michael the archangel, holding the key of the bottomless pit, and at the same time the devil as being chained and shut up in the bottomless pit.” (Messenger and Advocate vol 2, no 3, pg 236)

As an observation, Oliver is not providing the translation but instead describing the vignettes from a latter-day saint perspective – or rather, if he is referencing a translation, it would only be a translation of the Book of Joseph facsimiles (for a reference of what he’s describing, you can find the Joseph Smith Papyri (specifically IV and V) at the Joseph Smith Papers site).

I have mentioned elsewhere that some scholars do suppose that the Book of Joseph was also translated, but they make no mention of what leads them to such a conclusion and I find it unwarranted.

Gramps

I teach the youth at seminary. Electronic Communication Devices are becoming a concern. Have the Brethren given any counsel on the uses of ECD in the classroom? I see them as a temptation to distract them rather than a blessing.  What advice would I give parents and youth about using their ECD?

Val

Val,

Electronic devices can sure be wonderful, can’t they? You can store all kinds of information on them and it’s all easily available.

To my knowledge, the Brethren have never made a statement for or against the use of such devices for the youth. However, my own bishop in my ward did make his own rule for the youth.

He said: “Until the missionaries can carry, use and teach out of electronic scriptures, the youth should use their printed scriptures.”

Hope this helps.

Gramps

That rule was not done by a prophet and not even a follower of God as much as a follower of Constantine.

My question there is why we still have not tried to bring into the church the other Gospels like the Gospel of Tom, Judas, or Mary?

Michael

Michael,

Good questions. Let’s look at these one at a time.

Did the LDS add The Book of Mormon “as a Gospel” when the Bible states that we cannot add to the Bible?

First, the Lord instructed the Prophet Joseph Smith to translate the record of the Ancient Americans. It is a foundation of our faith and another testament of the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have we added to the Bible?

Now, you have stated that the Bible says we can’t add to it AND that there was a rule during the time of Constantine that one cannot add to the Bible.

Remember that the word Bible literally means many books. In Revelation, it states:

Revelation 22:18-19

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The LDS church has never altered the words of the Book of Revelation.

But, let’s assume for a minute that it meant the whole Bible. What would this verse mean?

Deuteronomy 4:2

2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye dimminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

If that was meant in the same way you read Revelation, then the Bible would only consist of the first five books of Moses. We wouldn’t have Isaiah (whom the Lord quoted often), nor would we have the original Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

You can also read 2 Nephi 29 for more on how the Lord feels when men feel they should limit how much inspired word the Lord should make available to them.

Why haven’t we tried to add other inspired ancient words to our cannon of gospel? We can learn from the revelation given to Joseph Smith regarding the Apochrypha.

Doctrine & Covenants 91:

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha—There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly;

2 There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men.

3 Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated.

4 Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit manifesteth truth;

5 And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom;

6 And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen.

Perhaps we should read, appreciate and apply what has already been revealed, before asking for more.

Gramps

Hi Gramps,

Concerning the JST Bible.  I found a site by the RLDS that claims they have the complete JST Bible. I have read some of Genesis and it follows a lot with what is written in the Pearl of Great Price.  I have to admit it is a very interesting read. Is it sanctioned by the first Presidency?   If memory serves me you can pick up a version of the JST Bible from Desert Book,  I don’t know if it is the same. Any help you can render would be great.  One note: the JST footnotes in the scriptures reads the same as the their Bible version.
kosh

Answer

kosh,

The original documents of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, which was not complete, was kept by Emma Smith and then given to her son who became the first President of the RLDS Church, now called the Community of Christ.  Brigham Young tried to persuade Emma and her family to go west, but she refused, remaining in Nauvoo.  Brigham Young also tried on several occasions to persuade Emma to give the Church the original translation and sent several of the brethren to visit with her and ask for the translation, all to no avail.   The prophet’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, writes of the above in her book on the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price is an extract from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith, as is Joseph Smith–Matthew.  Also portions of the Joseph Smith Translation are found after the Bible Dictionary in the authorized King James version of the Bible published by the Church.  These, along with those appearing as footnotes in the Standard Works, would be the ones “sanctioned” by the Church.

Gramps

What is known about the route of travel taken by Lehi and his family as they made their way from Bountiful in the wilderness to the Promised Land in South America, and are we told where they came ashore at their new home? Thanks for your kind help.

Joy, from Utah

Dear Joy,

Little is mentioned in the Book of Mormon concerning the route of travel of Lehi and his family from Jerusalem to the shore of the ocean where Nephi built the ship to cross the ocean. We know from 1 Nephi 16:13-17 that they started out in a nearly south-southeast direction, and they traveled at first in the more fertile parts of the wilderness. We learn in 1 Nephi 17 that they were eight years in crossing the desert, and that as they traveled they were not permitted to make much fire and thus had to survive on raw meat. One would suppose that they traveled in secret to avoid being captured by hostile caravans also crossing the desert.

Beyond this all is conjecture. A number of interesting books have been written suggesting possible routes of travel from Jerusalem to the ocean, and research is presently being carried out in Oman to see if their departure site can be discovered. A very likely site has been discovered on the Gulf of Aden near the border between Yemen and Oman.

Concerning their arrival point in the New World even less is known. Their arrival is treated in only one verse in the Book of Mormon

And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land (1 Nephi 18:23).

Consensus has it that they landed somewhere along the west coast of South America. President Joseph Fielding Smith has written the following:

“When the Lord began to lead the family of Lehi to this land, he said to them: ‘And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.’ It is generally understood that they landed in South America, and that their nations, the Nephites and Lamanites, dwelt in South and Central America during the greater part of their sojourn here” ( Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, p.73 – p.74).

Gramps

I have always had a hard time really understanding Mosiah 15:1-5. How do I explain those verses to someone and make it clear that it is not saying that the Savior and the Father are the same being? The wording is really confusing. Thank you so much for this great service!

Robyn, from New Jersey

Dear Robyn,

There are a couple of statements in these verses that might be confusing to those who do not fully understand the true nature of Deity. First we read that “God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.” The Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is indeed a God. The word “God” in this context does not mean God, the Father, but God the Son. It is the Lord, Jesus Christ, that “shall redeem his people” through the merits of the great atoning sacrifice.

Secondly, in verse 2, the Savior is referred to as “being the Father and the Son.” We must remember that every father among men is both a father and a son, but that does not make a man and his father one person. We understand that the Savior is “the only begotten Son,” but in what sense is he the Father? The explanation given in the following verse three may not be perfectly clear, but let’s try to examine it. The Savior may be called the Father “because he was conceived by the power of God.” Having been conceived by the power of God he had the ability to take upon himself the sins of the world and to overcome death, thus becoming the Great Redeemer. As the Redeemer he becomes the “spiritual father” of all those who accept him as their Savior and live according to his commandments. This is clearly explained in Mosiah 5:7.

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

Gramps

I stumbled on your site this evening and love it! I am feeling a bit dumb, but since all questions are good……..where is the best place to start with scripture study? I’ve been a member all my life and have only recently really wanted to have that influence in my life but I am struggling with what scripture study is and how to do it!!! Please help!

Laura

Dear Laura,

There are probably about as many approaches to scripture study as their are students of the scriptures. Choosing a particular approach would depend a lot on your specific interests. There is, however, something unique about the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith said about the book that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

So you might start by reading the Book of Mormon. It has been said that the Book of Mormon is true because it is saturated with the Spirit of the Lord, and if you read it with that spirit, you will know that it is true. So, first you might try reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, but do so, asking the Lord each time you pick it up to help you understand the messages that it contains. Reading it with the spirit of prayer is very important.

I wouldn’t try to read it like a novel, but I would suggest as you read a passage you might ponder a bit on what it could mean and how you might apply it in your own life. I also think it would be good idea to underline all the passages that impressed you as you read them.

After having done that, I’m sure that you will find many subjects or topics that will have been of particular interest to you. Then you might identify one of the subjects and study that subject in the Book of Mormon and in the other scriptures. The foot notes in the verses of interest and the Topical Guide in the back of the Bible would be great helps.

No other literature on earth can compare in importance with the word of the Lord, given to His children to assist in directing them back to His presence.

Gramps

Dear Shannon,
There is very much that we don’t know about questions like these. All we can really do is to make come conjectures and wait until the next life to find out if they are true or not. One thing we don’t know is what non-time is like. When Adam was expelled from the Garden of Eden, time as we know it did not yet exist.

But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord’s time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning (Abr  5:13).

Then we know that the earth will exist in time for only 7000 years.

Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals? A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence  (D&C  77:6).

Outside of this temporary restriction we understand that—

The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord (D&C 130:6-7).

Since what we call the future is continually before the Lord and apparently also the angels, we also must be there. So our beings could have what we might call an extended duration. Such a concept raises all sorts of unanswerable questions. Do the things that we do now affect what we are in what we call the future–or the past? This may be why it is so difficult to change our characters–i.e. to truly repent of undesirable actions, words and thoughts.
We are indeed eternal beings, and living for a period with the restriction of time only causes us to be unconscious of who we really are, and gives some deep significance to the concept and process of repentance.
Gramps

Dear Gramps,

Paul speaks quite degradingly about women. He makes it sound like women are completely inferior creatures. How they are subject to their husbands in such a way that they can only learn the gospel or ask any gospel questions to their husband inside the home. Why does Paul say it so unlawful for women to speak in church or ask any question? The writings of Paul are some of my favorite in the new testament. I find great power and confirmation through his writings. But what he says about women in these scriptures just blows my mind. Can you shed some light on this?

Bryce

Answer

Dear Bryce,

You are undoubtedly referring to the scripture found in 1 Cor. 14:34-35,

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

 

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Paul was not making up this law. He merely stated the existing law. Since there was a law that women weren’t to speak in church, Paul was merely upholding the law.

There is a tendency to judge all history from the perspective of the moment. We find today near equality of rights and opportunities between men and women, but those are only very recent social developments. The first voting rights in the United States were given only to white males. The first states to give the voting franchise to women were Wyoming, Colorado and Utah in 1869-1870. But that was a short-lived enterprise. Utah women were disenfranchised by the U.S. Congress in 1887. Universal women’s suffrage did not come until the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1920–less than 100 years ago. Paul was merely reflecting the social norm of the day. He was, indeed, respectful of women, and promoted their equality with men. His statement in 1 Cor. 11:11 of the equality between men and women goes much deeper than the superficial words, when taken in light of the social norm of that time.

Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

Gramps