Showing posts with label Literary Notes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Literary Notes. Show all posts
Monday, April 9, 2012
With Healing in His Wings
The sun is darkened because Christ is removed from the world, and then he pronounces his desire to gather Israel under his wings. This shows us that the NT chicken image is the same as Malachi's sun of righteousness (quoted later in 3 Nephi).
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Mosiah 13
1. We continue the Exodus imagery, explicitly comparing Abinadi to Moses.
2. This idea that Abinadi expresses that things that we do now are a "type and a shadow" of things to come is at the heart of the religion of the visionary men. This is the lesson of the Small Plates of Nephi: they saw the temple rites that they practiced, which are confused and half-reported in the OT, as foreshadowing the Lord's future incarnations and the redemption of Israel.
3. I like that Abinadi describes the law of Moses as a law of "performances". It makes me think of a play, and the temple ordinances are all -- and were all -- a kind of prophetic theater. The performances keep people "in remembrance"(cf. Leviticus 24 and Luke 22).
4. This reads like a thumbnail interpretation of the Day of Atonement rite, except possibly the resurrection of the dead reference. I'll have to think about that one.
2. This idea that Abinadi expresses that things that we do now are a "type and a shadow" of things to come is at the heart of the religion of the visionary men. This is the lesson of the Small Plates of Nephi: they saw the temple rites that they practiced, which are confused and half-reported in the OT, as foreshadowing the Lord's future incarnations and the redemption of Israel.
3. I like that Abinadi describes the law of Moses as a law of "performances". It makes me think of a play, and the temple ordinances are all -- and were all -- a kind of prophetic theater. The performances keep people "in remembrance"(cf. Leviticus 24 and Luke 22).
4. This reads like a thumbnail interpretation of the Day of Atonement rite, except possibly the resurrection of the dead reference. I'll have to think about that one.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Mosiah 12
1. What kind of disguise is it, when he uses his own name? Maybe it was like Catholic priests in Tudor England -- he traveled around in disguise, but revealed his identity to the faithful. In any case, someone heard his preaching who didn't like it.
2. The furnace reference echoes interestingly in the OT: Sodom & Gomorrah, refining by affliction, and the Exodus. This last is especially interesting in that what follows sounds a lot like the plagues of Egypt.
3. I guess the trap that Noah's priest is laying for Abinadi in vv. 20-24 is that Abinadi's message seems contrary on first reading to Isaiah. Abinadi is not a messenger who brings good tidings. So Abinadi has to distinguish himself from what Isaiah was saying, and the priests will be able to accuse him to denying the truth of the prophets. Abinadi avoids the trap by not answering the question, and blasting the priests instead.
4. One of Abinadi's criticisms of the priests is that they haven't been "wise".
5. I am reminded that the LXX translation of zevach hashelamim ("the sacrifice of peace offerings") in Leviticus 7:11 is thusia soteriou, the "sacrifice of salvation".
2. The furnace reference echoes interestingly in the OT: Sodom & Gomorrah, refining by affliction, and the Exodus. This last is especially interesting in that what follows sounds a lot like the plagues of Egypt.
3. I guess the trap that Noah's priest is laying for Abinadi in vv. 20-24 is that Abinadi's message seems contrary on first reading to Isaiah. Abinadi is not a messenger who brings good tidings. So Abinadi has to distinguish himself from what Isaiah was saying, and the priests will be able to accuse him to denying the truth of the prophets. Abinadi avoids the trap by not answering the question, and blasting the priests instead.
4. One of Abinadi's criticisms of the priests is that they haven't been "wise".
5. I am reminded that the LXX translation of zevach hashelamim ("the sacrifice of peace offerings") in Leviticus 7:11 is thusia soteriou, the "sacrifice of salvation".
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Mosiah 11
1. In Lehi-Nephi, too, the King is the head of the church.
2. The description of Noah's building projects and his priests reminds me of the great and spacious building and its occupants in 1 Nephi 8. Remember that "fine" in the KJV OT is the adjective par excellence that describes things made for use in the temple -- see it occur here three times in succession in vv. 8-10.
3. Both the various references to building in wood (vv. 8-10 again) and the vineyards in this chapter make a Mesoamerican setting challenging to accept.
4. A "fifty" as a military unit recurs (remember that Laban commanded a fifty).
5. Abinadi arrives, and will occupy center stage for the next six chapters. Unlike Sherem, who "came among" the Nephites, Abinadi "was among" Noah's people. This sounds to me like he was a local boy upon whom the mantle of prophecy fell. The people try to arrest and try Abinadi once and he escapes. Noah hardens his heart against Abinadi, like Pharaoh did against Moses.
2. The description of Noah's building projects and his priests reminds me of the great and spacious building and its occupants in 1 Nephi 8. Remember that "fine" in the KJV OT is the adjective par excellence that describes things made for use in the temple -- see it occur here three times in succession in vv. 8-10.
3. Both the various references to building in wood (vv. 8-10 again) and the vineyards in this chapter make a Mesoamerican setting challenging to accept.
4. A "fifty" as a military unit recurs (remember that Laban commanded a fifty).
5. Abinadi arrives, and will occupy center stage for the next six chapters. Unlike Sherem, who "came among" the Nephites, Abinadi "was among" Noah's people. This sounds to me like he was a local boy upon whom the mantle of prophecy fell. The people try to arrest and try Abinadi once and he escapes. Noah hardens his heart against Abinadi, like Pharaoh did against Moses.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Mosiah 10
1. P.S. to Mosiah 9. There's an interesting ambiguity to the two accounts of Zeniff's revolt, in Omni and in Mosiah. I think the normal way to read them is that Omni's "stiffnecked man" and Mosiah's "austere and bloodthirsty" "ruler" are the same unnamed man, Zeniff's commanding officer. But this guy isn't identified, and I think there's another way to read these verses: that for Omni, the "stiffnecked" leader is Zeniff, and for Mosiah (Zeniff), the "austere and bloodthirsty" "ruler" is Benjamin. This gives us more nuanced visions of both Zeniff and Benjamin, and eliminates the need for an unnamed mystery officer in our interpretation, and explains why Omni doesn't have Benjamin comment on or try to help Zeniff's apparently righteous mission, and why Zeniff doesn't say anything about the apparently righteous King Benjamin.
It's an interpretation, a theory. I think the accounts can be read either way, and it's not clear to me that Occam's Razor cuts in either direction here. Personally, I kind of like to think of Benjamin as an amazing man who was not perfect. But that's me.
2. Mosiah 10 reminds me of 2 Nephi 5, in which Nephi talks about his people in the same place. Hard to imagine the similarities are accidental -- Zeniff sees himself as the new Nephi.
It's an interpretation, a theory. I think the accounts can be read either way, and it's not clear to me that Occam's Razor cuts in either direction here. Personally, I kind of like to think of Benjamin as an amazing man who was not perfect. But that's me.
2. Mosiah 10 reminds me of 2 Nephi 5, in which Nephi talks about his people in the same place. Hard to imagine the similarities are accidental -- Zeniff sees himself as the new Nephi.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Mosiah 8
1. Post-script to Mosiah 7. Hem is also a name with a royalist echo to it. It's an Egyptian word that means "person", and means "Majesty" in the expression equivalent to "Your Majesty" (hm.k). So Ammon is described as a nobleman, and Hem and Amaleki have royalesque names. And Hem and Ammon both have Egyptian names -- Ammon is a very old name in Egypt, the name of a god, whose position developed into early virtual monotheism. Don't know about Helem.
2. If Limhi knew Benjamin's last words (presumably because Ammon reported them), then he may have deliberately modeled himself on Benjamin in summoning everyone to the temple.
3. Verse 12 is a sort of verbal pin that ties together a lot of what the Book of Mormon is about through the missions of several men. Limhi wants to read the record of the destroyed Jaredites, and needs a translator; Mormon is composing the record of the destroyed Nephites, knowing that there will be a future audience who will read it in translation; and Joseph Smith translated the verse of the dead Nephite historian talking about the record of the dead Jaredites. And why do we want knowledge of these dead people? To "know the cause of their destruction". Mormon must have seen the Jaredites as an analog of his people.
4. At this point, verses 19-20 come like a punch in the eye. "Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates", but men "will not seek wisdom, neither do they suffer that she should rule over them!"
2. If Limhi knew Benjamin's last words (presumably because Ammon reported them), then he may have deliberately modeled himself on Benjamin in summoning everyone to the temple.
3. Verse 12 is a sort of verbal pin that ties together a lot of what the Book of Mormon is about through the missions of several men. Limhi wants to read the record of the destroyed Jaredites, and needs a translator; Mormon is composing the record of the destroyed Nephites, knowing that there will be a future audience who will read it in translation; and Joseph Smith translated the verse of the dead Nephite historian talking about the record of the dead Jaredites. And why do we want knowledge of these dead people? To "know the cause of their destruction". Mormon must have seen the Jaredites as an analog of his people.
4. At this point, verses 19-20 come like a punch in the eye. "Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates", but men "will not seek wisdom, neither do they suffer that she should rule over them!"
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Mosiah 7
1. Interesting that after two generations the Nephites didn't know how to get back to Lehi-Nephi. These are record-keeping people; does their ignorance reflect the nature of their flight, hurried and arduous rather than the orderly exodus of 1 Nephi?
2. Of course, forty is a significant number. It's how long one always spends in the wilderness -- forty years for the Israelites, forty days for Jesus. It's also how long Jesus taught the disciples after the resurrection, and how long King David reigned, and idem Solomon, et cetera.
3. Amaleki is the first appearance of a triliteral root (M-L-K) name variants of which are going to recur throughout Nephite history, and frequently be associated with dissent. Amlici, Amalickiah, Amulek, Mulekites, Amalekites, Amalickiahites and even "king men" all have this root in common, this last because melekh in Hebrew (M-L-K) means "king". Interesting that Amaleki is in the expedition of Ammon, who was a descendant of Zarahemla. I wonder if he and Ammon were kin -- brothers or cousins.
4. The encounter with Limhi in vv. 7ff looks judicial. Verb of motion "surrounded", "taken and bound", brought before an authority, the stakes are capital punishment. It's not identified as a trial, but it's narrated like one.
5. Who built this temple? It's hard to miss the parallel between Benjamin summoning everyone to the temple in Zarahemla to invite his people to take upon them the name of Christ, and Limhi inviting his people to the temple in Lehi-Nephi to invite them to make a break for it. Freeing the slaves is one of Isaiah's metaphors for the atonement.
6. Limhi reports Abinadi's prophesy in temple language. As the Lord created Adam in his image (Genesis), he would take that image on himself. It's also reminiscent of Lehi's vision (going forth upon the face of the earth).
2. Of course, forty is a significant number. It's how long one always spends in the wilderness -- forty years for the Israelites, forty days for Jesus. It's also how long Jesus taught the disciples after the resurrection, and how long King David reigned, and idem Solomon, et cetera.
3. Amaleki is the first appearance of a triliteral root (M-L-K) name variants of which are going to recur throughout Nephite history, and frequently be associated with dissent. Amlici, Amalickiah, Amulek, Mulekites, Amalekites, Amalickiahites and even "king men" all have this root in common, this last because melekh in Hebrew (M-L-K) means "king". Interesting that Amaleki is in the expedition of Ammon, who was a descendant of Zarahemla. I wonder if he and Ammon were kin -- brothers or cousins.
4. The encounter with Limhi in vv. 7ff looks judicial. Verb of motion "surrounded", "taken and bound", brought before an authority, the stakes are capital punishment. It's not identified as a trial, but it's narrated like one.
5. Who built this temple? It's hard to miss the parallel between Benjamin summoning everyone to the temple in Zarahemla to invite his people to take upon them the name of Christ, and Limhi inviting his people to the temple in Lehi-Nephi to invite them to make a break for it. Freeing the slaves is one of Isaiah's metaphors for the atonement.
6. Limhi reports Abinadi's prophesy in temple language. As the Lord created Adam in his image (Genesis), he would take that image on himself. It's also reminiscent of Lehi's vision (going forth upon the face of the earth).
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Words of Mormon
1. Mormon transitions from Amaron's death farewell (O 30), which lacks the glorious and prophetic quality of Nephi's and Moroni's parallel farewells, nicely into the destruction of the Nephites in his own day. Then, since the small plates are full of teaching and prophesying about Christ, he notes that in the meantime, Christ has come, and he hopes his son Moroni will be able to write something about him.
2. This is a stark change out of the constant temple imagery of the small plates, other than the sly hint in v. 7 (a "wise purpose"). It's administrative, behind the scenes, explaining what Mormon has been up to.
3. WM 10 here again, it looks like Mosiah took with him the Nephite royal records (and in v. 13, we have the sword of Laban) (cf. 2 Nephi 5:12-14). So one guesses he was of the royal class or party of the Nephites before he fled, maybe a (more or less distant) cousin of the record-keeping branch of Nephi's descendants.
4. Interesting that plates get "delivered up" (vv. 1, 10) and "handed down" (v. 11).
5. WM 15 it seems that in Benjamin's day, whatsoever a man believed could indeed be a crime.
6. WM 16 the Lamanites might have been barbarians in tents, but there was still something attractive enough about them that they continued to attract Nephite defectors... "many dissensions". What was it? A different doctrinal preference? Maybe not everyone liked Benjamin's reforms and consolidation of power.
2. This is a stark change out of the constant temple imagery of the small plates, other than the sly hint in v. 7 (a "wise purpose"). It's administrative, behind the scenes, explaining what Mormon has been up to.
3. WM 10 here again, it looks like Mosiah took with him the Nephite royal records (and in v. 13, we have the sword of Laban) (cf. 2 Nephi 5:12-14). So one guesses he was of the royal class or party of the Nephites before he fled, maybe a (more or less distant) cousin of the record-keeping branch of Nephi's descendants.
4. Interesting that plates get "delivered up" (vv. 1, 10) and "handed down" (v. 11).
5. WM 15 it seems that in Benjamin's day, whatsoever a man believed could indeed be a crime.
6. WM 16 the Lamanites might have been barbarians in tents, but there was still something attractive enough about them that they continued to attract Nephite defectors... "many dissensions". What was it? A different doctrinal preference? Maybe not everyone liked Benjamin's reforms and consolidation of power.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Enos - Jarom
1. E 1 what are the nurture and admonition of the Lord? If the Lord = the fruit of the tree in 1 Nephi 8 and 11 = the shewbread, isn’t the Lord’s nurture the eating of the fruit? Admonition is warning… is “nurture” the endowment, the eating of the fruit, and “admonition” the Day of Atonement, the great warning of the Lord’s coming?
2. E 2 the famous Biblical character who wrestled before God was Jacob (Genesis 32); he met an angel and was given a new name, which are temple images. Genesis Jacob’s first encounter with angels is told in Genesis 28, an episode that is also rife with temple imagery: a dream, a ladder with angels ascending and descending it, the Lord above the ladder, a covenant promise about seed, and look what Genesis Jacob says in verse 17 – the “house of God” and the “gate of heaven”. Enos is the new Genesis Jacob, the third patriarch in the line (Abraham-Isaac-Genesis Jacob, Nephi-Nephite Jacob-Enos), and here in Enos we similarly have the voice of the Lord making promises about Enos’s seed.
3. E 14 Interesting that the Lamanites want to destroy the Nephite records. Why? Because they contained or supported Nephi’s claim to legitimacy as a ruler and teacher? Because they contained the teachings and writings of the visionary men, whom the Lamanites disliked, and against whom they had sent their missionary Sherem?
4. E 20 Interesting that “dwelling in tents”, which was repeated so often of Lehi, has now become the mark of the Lamanites’ savagery. Is this a sign they haven’t progressed? Is it irony – they hate the temple (God’s tent) and stick to their own tents instead?
5. E 22 The heirs to the “prophets” and “visionary men” continue to have “many prophets” among them. (See also Jarom 4, 10-12.)
6. E 27 is temple imagery. Enos plans to “put on immortality” (like a garment) and see God’s face.
7. J 1 Jarom is clearly not keeping their “genealogy” in any ordinary sense. Where are the lateral branches, not to mention the women? Instead, he’s making a record of who was in the line of keepers of the small plates.
8. J 2 Nephi wrote a book all about the temple, for the benefit of his brothers who rejected the temple. Jarom finds that Nephi’s explanation is thorough, and has nothing significant to add.
9. J 5 This sounds like a defense to me, like the Lamanites in their grudge against the Nephites are at this point still saying that the Nephites had forsaken the law of Moses. Since the shewbread was eaten on the Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8), and the Nephite endowment appears to contemplate the eating of the shewbread (1 Nephi 8, the bread = the fruit of the tree; remember that Christ is the “bread of heaven”), I wonder if Jarom’s statement in this verse that the Nephites kept the Sabbath day holy is a statement that the Nephites faithfully kept BOTH the law of Moses AND the visionary temple worship (see also verse 11, “the law of Moses and the intent for which it was given”). Also, did the Lamanites accuse the Nephites of “profanity” or “blasphemy” in their temple rites?
10. J 10-12 are poignant, since they tell us how it might have gone for Jerusalem, if the Jerusalemites had repented. I think Jarom includes the historical stuff on the temple plates because it’s specifically an account of how many of the temple prophecies about “seed” have been fulfilled. We still see absolutely nothing of the kings and other secular actors.
2. E 2 the famous Biblical character who wrestled before God was Jacob (Genesis 32); he met an angel and was given a new name, which are temple images. Genesis Jacob’s first encounter with angels is told in Genesis 28, an episode that is also rife with temple imagery: a dream, a ladder with angels ascending and descending it, the Lord above the ladder, a covenant promise about seed, and look what Genesis Jacob says in verse 17 – the “house of God” and the “gate of heaven”. Enos is the new Genesis Jacob, the third patriarch in the line (Abraham-Isaac-Genesis Jacob, Nephi-Nephite Jacob-Enos), and here in Enos we similarly have the voice of the Lord making promises about Enos’s seed.
3. E 14 Interesting that the Lamanites want to destroy the Nephite records. Why? Because they contained or supported Nephi’s claim to legitimacy as a ruler and teacher? Because they contained the teachings and writings of the visionary men, whom the Lamanites disliked, and against whom they had sent their missionary Sherem?
4. E 20 Interesting that “dwelling in tents”, which was repeated so often of Lehi, has now become the mark of the Lamanites’ savagery. Is this a sign they haven’t progressed? Is it irony – they hate the temple (God’s tent) and stick to their own tents instead?
5. E 22 The heirs to the “prophets” and “visionary men” continue to have “many prophets” among them. (See also Jarom 4, 10-12.)
6. E 27 is temple imagery. Enos plans to “put on immortality” (like a garment) and see God’s face.
7. J 1 Jarom is clearly not keeping their “genealogy” in any ordinary sense. Where are the lateral branches, not to mention the women? Instead, he’s making a record of who was in the line of keepers of the small plates.
8. J 2 Nephi wrote a book all about the temple, for the benefit of his brothers who rejected the temple. Jarom finds that Nephi’s explanation is thorough, and has nothing significant to add.
9. J 5 This sounds like a defense to me, like the Lamanites in their grudge against the Nephites are at this point still saying that the Nephites had forsaken the law of Moses. Since the shewbread was eaten on the Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8), and the Nephite endowment appears to contemplate the eating of the shewbread (1 Nephi 8, the bread = the fruit of the tree; remember that Christ is the “bread of heaven”), I wonder if Jarom’s statement in this verse that the Nephites kept the Sabbath day holy is a statement that the Nephites faithfully kept BOTH the law of Moses AND the visionary temple worship (see also verse 11, “the law of Moses and the intent for which it was given”). Also, did the Lamanites accuse the Nephites of “profanity” or “blasphemy” in their temple rites?
10. J 10-12 are poignant, since they tell us how it might have gone for Jerusalem, if the Jerusalemites had repented. I think Jarom includes the historical stuff on the temple plates because it’s specifically an account of how many of the temple prophecies about “seed” have been fulfilled. We still see absolutely nothing of the kings and other secular actors.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Jacob 6-7
1. 6:3 "their own place" reminds me of the line from Paradise Lost: "Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven."
2. It seems like all this section (Jacob 4-6) is written and not spoken, and Jacob keeps addressing his "beloved brethren". Who is talking to? In light of 4:17, it feels to me like he's addressing "the Jews" in 6:4ff -- God is merciful to all of Israel, root and branch; God is patent (Jacob 5), so repent; will you reject the prophecies you had of Christ?
3. 6:11-13 is a quick dash of temple imagery. Strait gate; be wise; Day of the Lord.
4. 7:1 Sherem seems to have come from somewhere else. Is he from the Lamanite / Lemuelite group, bringing their Deuteronomist ideas to the erring Nephites? If so, his people might have seen him as a missionary (7:3) and a martyr.
5. 7:10-11 tie us back into the previous chapter, 6:8 -- if you read the scriptures and don't see Christ in them, you're missing the point. Maybe 4-7 is all together one unit, and that's the point. So maybe Jacob's "beloved brethren" include presumed or actual Lamanite / Lemuelite readers.
6. 7:12 ties together the two great visions of 1 Nephi: if there is no atonement (chapters 11-14), then all men are lost (chapter 8).
7. Remember that on the Day of Atonement, as the Name is pronounced, everyone falls down. In 7:21, at Sherem's confession, the power of God is made manifest, and it knocks everyone down.
8. 7:23 "peace" and "the love of God" are restored. Remember that the "love of God" is an image from 1 Nephi 11, and is associated with the tree and the plain and precious things.
"Peace," "shalom" in Hebrew, is an interesting word. Its three-letter root is SH-L-M, which gives us various words, expressing coming to an end, staying healthy, making amends, repaying or rewarding, and completing or becoming complete. When Matthew 5:48 urges us to be "perfect", it uses the Greek word "teleioi" for "perfect", a word that embodies many of the same meanings and can specifically refer to someone who is initiated, someone who has been through the mysteries, learned the secret doctrines and is a temple insider (in LDS parlance, "endowed"). "Peaceful" would be a Hebrew-English equivalent, and "peace" would be a word that means something equivalent to "mysteries" or "temple blessings". In this context, Isaiah 48:22 (there is no "peace" unto the wicked) is interesting, and, in fact, has already been quoted by Nephi (1 Nephi 20) in his temple-rich writings.
So, to recap: Sherem comes seeking to overthrow the "doctrine of Christ", which we've learned from Nephi includes various stages that lead one to speaking with the tongues of angels (2 Nephi 31:2, 13-14), which we know from Isaiah means being in the holy of holies (2 Nephi 16:2-4). Sherem works hard and has some success (7:3). After he's defeated and dies, "peace" and "the love of God" return. Yeah, Joseph Smith stuck his face into a hat and made that up. Ha!
9. With Sherem's mission having been foiled, Jacob immediately talks about the countermissions he sent back to the Lamanites (7:24).
2. It seems like all this section (Jacob 4-6) is written and not spoken, and Jacob keeps addressing his "beloved brethren". Who is talking to? In light of 4:17, it feels to me like he's addressing "the Jews" in 6:4ff -- God is merciful to all of Israel, root and branch; God is patent (Jacob 5), so repent; will you reject the prophecies you had of Christ?
3. 6:11-13 is a quick dash of temple imagery. Strait gate; be wise; Day of the Lord.
4. 7:1 Sherem seems to have come from somewhere else. Is he from the Lamanite / Lemuelite group, bringing their Deuteronomist ideas to the erring Nephites? If so, his people might have seen him as a missionary (7:3) and a martyr.
5. 7:10-11 tie us back into the previous chapter, 6:8 -- if you read the scriptures and don't see Christ in them, you're missing the point. Maybe 4-7 is all together one unit, and that's the point. So maybe Jacob's "beloved brethren" include presumed or actual Lamanite / Lemuelite readers.
6. 7:12 ties together the two great visions of 1 Nephi: if there is no atonement (chapters 11-14), then all men are lost (chapter 8).
7. Remember that on the Day of Atonement, as the Name is pronounced, everyone falls down. In 7:21, at Sherem's confession, the power of God is made manifest, and it knocks everyone down.
8. 7:23 "peace" and "the love of God" are restored. Remember that the "love of God" is an image from 1 Nephi 11, and is associated with the tree and the plain and precious things.
"Peace," "shalom" in Hebrew, is an interesting word. Its three-letter root is SH-L-M, which gives us various words, expressing coming to an end, staying healthy, making amends, repaying or rewarding, and completing or becoming complete. When Matthew 5:48 urges us to be "perfect", it uses the Greek word "teleioi" for "perfect", a word that embodies many of the same meanings and can specifically refer to someone who is initiated, someone who has been through the mysteries, learned the secret doctrines and is a temple insider (in LDS parlance, "endowed"). "Peaceful" would be a Hebrew-English equivalent, and "peace" would be a word that means something equivalent to "mysteries" or "temple blessings". In this context, Isaiah 48:22 (there is no "peace" unto the wicked) is interesting, and, in fact, has already been quoted by Nephi (1 Nephi 20) in his temple-rich writings.
So, to recap: Sherem comes seeking to overthrow the "doctrine of Christ", which we've learned from Nephi includes various stages that lead one to speaking with the tongues of angels (2 Nephi 31:2, 13-14), which we know from Isaiah means being in the holy of holies (2 Nephi 16:2-4). Sherem works hard and has some success (7:3). After he's defeated and dies, "peace" and "the love of God" return. Yeah, Joseph Smith stuck his face into a hat and made that up. Ha!
9. With Sherem's mission having been foiled, Jacob immediately talks about the countermissions he sent back to the Lamanites (7:24).
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Jacob 1-3
1. Jacob definitely wants to establish a continuity with Nephi's work. He's going to write the "precious" things (1:2, reminds us of 1 Nephi 11); we have talk of plates and seed (1:3); he'll only write sacred things, great revelations and prophesying, which Nephi did -- when Nephi wrote such things, they all had temple connections or themes, and, sure enough, Jacob immediately gives us a temple discourse (1:17 and 2:1); like Nephi, Jacob sees his people in terms of the Exodus (1:7); not rebelling and bearing the shame of the world (1:8) remind us of Lehi's vision.
2. 1:11 and 1:13 on the Nephite kingship and the division of the people into tribes effectively remind me how small a slice of Nephite history we have -- especially in the small plates.
3. In 2:8, 11 we see that, at least in Jacob's day, the Nephites continued the Israelite linguistic usage of describing all movement towards the temple as "going up". (Remember we see this something like 17 times in 1 Nephi, always accurately.)
4. 2:18-19 the kingdom of God = hope in Christ. This is interesting; I think that "hope" is the most misunderstood and most neglected of the three great spiritual gifts (faith, hope, charity).
5. 2:23-30 Jacob delivers the prohibition against polygamy like it's an original commandment in the name of the Lord. Interestingly, he then indicates that Lehi has already given his sons this commandment (2:34 and 3:5). What happened out there in the family's desert sojourn? Does this have anything to do with the disappearance of Sariah from the record before Lehi's youngest sons were born?
6. 2:32 "fair" daughters in Egyptian would be daughters who are nfrt, from the same root as Nephi and Nephites.
7. 3:2 Feasting on the "love of God" ties us back into 1 Nephi 11:21-22 -- the love of God is the tree who is the virgin who is Jerusalem.
2. 1:11 and 1:13 on the Nephite kingship and the division of the people into tribes effectively remind me how small a slice of Nephite history we have -- especially in the small plates.
3. In 2:8, 11 we see that, at least in Jacob's day, the Nephites continued the Israelite linguistic usage of describing all movement towards the temple as "going up". (Remember we see this something like 17 times in 1 Nephi, always accurately.)
4. 2:18-19 the kingdom of God = hope in Christ. This is interesting; I think that "hope" is the most misunderstood and most neglected of the three great spiritual gifts (faith, hope, charity).
5. 2:23-30 Jacob delivers the prohibition against polygamy like it's an original commandment in the name of the Lord. Interestingly, he then indicates that Lehi has already given his sons this commandment (2:34 and 3:5). What happened out there in the family's desert sojourn? Does this have anything to do with the disappearance of Sariah from the record before Lehi's youngest sons were born?
6. 2:32 "fair" daughters in Egyptian would be daughters who are nfrt, from the same root as Nephi and Nephites.
7. 3:2 Feasting on the "love of God" ties us back into 1 Nephi 11:21-22 -- the love of God is the tree who is the virgin who is Jerusalem.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
2 Nephi 1-4
1. 1 Nephi started with Lehi's ministry to Jerusalem, whose leaders proved wicked and unyielding, forcing Lehi's party to flee into the wilderness. 2 Nephi opens on Lehi again, preaching to his sons, the older of whom will prove wicked and unyielding, forcing Nephi's party to flee into the wilderness.
2. 1:10 gives off temple echoes, with its knowledge of the creation and its language about covenants; so does 1:15, and 1:24 (a "glorious view" is a same thing as a "view of glory", which is entrance into the Holy of Holies and seeing God on his chariot throne), and 2:4 (beholding the glory, and one eternal round-type language). See also seeking the glory of God (1:25 -- is this different from desiring to know the mysteries? I don't think so) and knowing the greatness of God (2:2). See also 4:16 and 4:25 and especially 4:33.
3. Whom is Lehi quoting in 1:20? Or is this revelation to Lehi? (It gets quoted a lot subsequently in the BoM, but I think this is its first appearance.)
4. Lehi's exhortation to his sons to rise out of the dust (1:13-14, 21-23) also has a temple echo: Genesis 3:14. It also echoes what Nephi preached in 1 Nephi 22:23. The chains in this passage also echo Isaiah 3:19, where "chains" are one of the ornaments of the haughty and wanton daughters of Zion who will be punished -- remember Laman and Lemuel's recurring fascination with the wealth they've left behind.
5. 2:1 -- Jacob and Joseph are spoken to apart from Lehi's oldest four sons, and after the sons of Ishmael and Zoram. This makes me wonder further if Jacob and Joseph are born to an unnamed second wife. I can't find any mention of Sariah's death, or any mention of her at all after 1 Nephi 8, unless 1 Nephi 18:19 is a reference to her... which would be begging the question.
6. 2 Nephi 2 is full of temple doctrine. We start with the Day of Atonement (Christ sacrifices himself like the high priest sacrifices the Yahweh goat, to atone), and work backward into endowment narrative (the two trees, the serpent, etc.). These are the same two rites reported in visions in 1 Nephi 8 and 11ff, and we are taking them in reverse order -- in other words, 1 Nephi 8 reports a Sabbath/endowment vision, and 1 Nephi 11 is a Day of Atonement vision, and in 2 Nephi 2 we hear doctrine about the Day of Atonement, and then are told the endowment story. These rites are then tied together by the ideas of free will and probation, upon which Lehi preaches extensively.
7. 2:30 whom is Lehi quoting, about choosing the good part?
8. 3:24 doing wonders is a Moses echo, so bookends with 3:9.
9. 4:3-10. Nephi is recording Lehi's blessings later, after the split from the Laman-Lemuel group (5:30). It's interesting that he meticulously records Lehi's blessings to Laman and Lemuel's children -- it gives the sense of being an olive branch held out, a hope of reconciliation with the people from whom they've split.
10. Lehi dies and Laman and Lemuel want to kill him again. This is a low point for Nephi, and I find it beautiful that this is where he records his own great psalm (the second half of 2 Nephi 4).
2. 1:10 gives off temple echoes, with its knowledge of the creation and its language about covenants; so does 1:15, and 1:24 (a "glorious view" is a same thing as a "view of glory", which is entrance into the Holy of Holies and seeing God on his chariot throne), and 2:4 (beholding the glory, and one eternal round-type language). See also seeking the glory of God (1:25 -- is this different from desiring to know the mysteries? I don't think so) and knowing the greatness of God (2:2). See also 4:16 and 4:25 and especially 4:33.
3. Whom is Lehi quoting in 1:20? Or is this revelation to Lehi? (It gets quoted a lot subsequently in the BoM, but I think this is its first appearance.)
4. Lehi's exhortation to his sons to rise out of the dust (1:13-14, 21-23) also has a temple echo: Genesis 3:14. It also echoes what Nephi preached in 1 Nephi 22:23. The chains in this passage also echo Isaiah 3:19, where "chains" are one of the ornaments of the haughty and wanton daughters of Zion who will be punished -- remember Laman and Lemuel's recurring fascination with the wealth they've left behind.
5. 2:1 -- Jacob and Joseph are spoken to apart from Lehi's oldest four sons, and after the sons of Ishmael and Zoram. This makes me wonder further if Jacob and Joseph are born to an unnamed second wife. I can't find any mention of Sariah's death, or any mention of her at all after 1 Nephi 8, unless 1 Nephi 18:19 is a reference to her... which would be begging the question.
6. 2 Nephi 2 is full of temple doctrine. We start with the Day of Atonement (Christ sacrifices himself like the high priest sacrifices the Yahweh goat, to atone), and work backward into endowment narrative (the two trees, the serpent, etc.). These are the same two rites reported in visions in 1 Nephi 8 and 11ff, and we are taking them in reverse order -- in other words, 1 Nephi 8 reports a Sabbath/endowment vision, and 1 Nephi 11 is a Day of Atonement vision, and in 2 Nephi 2 we hear doctrine about the Day of Atonement, and then are told the endowment story. These rites are then tied together by the ideas of free will and probation, upon which Lehi preaches extensively.
7. 2:30 whom is Lehi quoting, about choosing the good part?
8. 3:24 doing wonders is a Moses echo, so bookends with 3:9.
9. 4:3-10. Nephi is recording Lehi's blessings later, after the split from the Laman-Lemuel group (5:30). It's interesting that he meticulously records Lehi's blessings to Laman and Lemuel's children -- it gives the sense of being an olive branch held out, a hope of reconciliation with the people from whom they've split.
10. Lehi dies and Laman and Lemuel want to kill him again. This is a low point for Nephi, and I find it beautiful that this is where he records his own great psalm (the second half of 2 Nephi 4).
Friday, November 18, 2011
1 Nephi 19-20
1. The book motif is back.
2. 19:13 interesting that the apostates in Jerusalem don't ask for signs -- they reject signs and wonders. Reminds me of Isaiah 7, where Ahaz is told to ask for a sign, refuses, and is given one anyway (and remember that the DSS copy of Isaiah has "ask a sign of the mother of the Lord", in response to which "the" Virgin shall conceive, etc...
3. Trying to read the Isaiah passages strictly for how they might sound to Laman and Lemuel. 20:6 really resonates differently for me now -- about showing us "new" and "hidden things". And of course the end of the chapter sounds themes of fleeing the wickedness of civilization, and the Exodus.
2. 19:13 interesting that the apostates in Jerusalem don't ask for signs -- they reject signs and wonders. Reminds me of Isaiah 7, where Ahaz is told to ask for a sign, refuses, and is given one anyway (and remember that the DSS copy of Isaiah has "ask a sign of the mother of the Lord", in response to which "the" Virgin shall conceive, etc...
3. Trying to read the Isaiah passages strictly for how they might sound to Laman and Lemuel. 20:6 really resonates differently for me now -- about showing us "new" and "hidden things". And of course the end of the chapter sounds themes of fleeing the wickedness of civilization, and the Exodus.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
1 Nephi 16-18
1. "Father's tent" references here in chapter 16 bracket some marriages and God's commandment to move on. Don't know if this is significant or not, it's not as obvious to me.
2. It's nice to see Paleo eating endorsed (17:2) (ha!).
3. I note vv. 17:12-14... when did the Lord say this? Was it on the Liahona? Is this a revelation Lehi received? Hmmn.
4. Sam (or someone else) helps build the ship ("ye" in 17:19).
5. Laman and Lemuel (and Ishmael's sons?) are Deuteronomists (17:22). Someone in Lehi's party has to be, for this strain to show up again in Sherem (as we'll discuss in December). Nephi takes up the cudgels for the visionary men and the prophets (vv. 23-26), arguing that the law is not the important thing about Moses, his revelations were. This is the position of the Enoch people, who thought that the Babylonian captivity was the result of the forsaking of "Wisdom" (revelation, etc.), and who were so underwhelmed by the Law of Moses that they couldn't even bring themselves to mention it in their entire corpus. Righteousness is not obeying the Law, it is accepting Revelation (vv. 34-35).
6. Temple and temple vision imagery in vv. 39-47: the heavenly throne, covenants, the rod (1 Ne 8), the serpent (Genesis, Numbers 21 -- 2 Kgs 18:4), angel.
7. In 2:14, Lehi "confounded" and made Laman's and Lemuel's "frames" "shake" with the "power" of his exhortation. Now in 17:52-55, Nephi does the same, with all the same words used to describe the action, so we see that Nephi has grown in stature, and is destined to assume Lehi's mantle.
8. 18:7 says that Lehi begat Jacob and Joseph, but doesn't specify that Sariah was the mother. "Their mother" is mentioned but not named in verse 19. Is there a verse elsewhere that clarifies that, or might Lehi have had other wives or concubines?
2. It's nice to see Paleo eating endorsed (17:2) (ha!).
3. I note vv. 17:12-14... when did the Lord say this? Was it on the Liahona? Is this a revelation Lehi received? Hmmn.
4. Sam (or someone else) helps build the ship ("ye" in 17:19).
5. Laman and Lemuel (and Ishmael's sons?) are Deuteronomists (17:22). Someone in Lehi's party has to be, for this strain to show up again in Sherem (as we'll discuss in December). Nephi takes up the cudgels for the visionary men and the prophets (vv. 23-26), arguing that the law is not the important thing about Moses, his revelations were. This is the position of the Enoch people, who thought that the Babylonian captivity was the result of the forsaking of "Wisdom" (revelation, etc.), and who were so underwhelmed by the Law of Moses that they couldn't even bring themselves to mention it in their entire corpus. Righteousness is not obeying the Law, it is accepting Revelation (vv. 34-35).
6. Temple and temple vision imagery in vv. 39-47: the heavenly throne, covenants, the rod (1 Ne 8), the serpent (Genesis, Numbers 21 -- 2 Kgs 18:4), angel.
7. In 2:14, Lehi "confounded" and made Laman's and Lemuel's "frames" "shake" with the "power" of his exhortation. Now in 17:52-55, Nephi does the same, with all the same words used to describe the action, so we see that Nephi has grown in stature, and is destined to assume Lehi's mantle.
8. 18:7 says that Lehi begat Jacob and Joseph, but doesn't specify that Sariah was the mother. "Their mother" is mentioned but not named in verse 19. Is there a verse elsewhere that clarifies that, or might Lehi have had other wives or concubines?
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