Moroni’s Directive Reexamined: Pondering the Book of Mormon

2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

(Moroni 10:2-5)

However the original reading of the Book of Mormon as found in both the Printer’s Manuscript and the 1830 Edition has:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, and he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

(Moroni 10:4-5 Printer’s Manuscript and 1830 Edition)

This word “and” which was removed starting with the 1837 edition, is retained in both the Restored Covenant Edition (from the ZRF) and in The Book of Mormon; the Earliest Text (Royal Skousen).

In Hebrew the word “and” can also indicate “then” (as indicated in a footnote to the Restored Covenant Edition text).  However this is not the case in English, so beginning in the 1837 edition the word “and” was removed to create an implied “then” understanding the text to mean:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [then] he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

However one can just as easily retain the “and” in verse 4, and understand the “and” at the beginning of verse 5 to mean “then” as follows:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, and he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 [Then] by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

This gives us a radically different meaning.  If we understand the “and” in verse 4 to mean “then” there is an implied guaranteed answer.  However is we understand the “and” at the beginning of verse 5 to mean “then” there is no such implied guarantee.

In the original text, Moroni 10 does not guarantee that everyone who asks with a sincere heart will get a special revelation. 

In fact the directive from Moroni is not about a mystical process, but a rational one.  In verse 3 Moroni directs us to: “ponder it in your hearts”.  Lets look at this word “ponder”.

The 1828 edition of Webster’s dictionary defines “ponder” as follows:

1. To weigh in the mind; to consider and compare the circumstances or consequences of an event, or the importance of the reasons for or against a decision.

Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19.

2. To view with deliberation; to examine.

Ponder the path of thy feet. Proverbs 4:26.

The Lord pondereth the hearts. Proverbs 21:2.

To ponder on, is sometimes used, but is not be to countenanced.

And the 1828 edition of Webster’s Dictionary defines “deliberation” as:

1. The act of deliberating; the act of weighing and examining the reasons for and against a choice or measure; consideration. We say, a measure has been taken with deliberation

2. Mutual discussion and examination of the reasons for and against a measure; as the deliberations of a legislative body or council.

This word is clearly describing a rational process, by which one considers the Book of Mormon with rational judgment.  The text goes on to say that if a person receives a mystical revelation, that person will know “by the power if the Holy Ghost”, but that the typical person would have to simply rely on rational judgment. 

Rethinking Easter

Something to think about:

"Easter as now celebrated has come into being as a compromise between pagan and apostate Christian views, and obviously it does not pretend to be the anniversary of the actual resurrection of Christ. Nonetheless the true saints gladly take it as appropriate occasion on which to turn their attentions to the infinite and eternal atonement of Christ as such was climaxed by his coming forth as the firstfruits of them that slept"
- Bruce R. McConkie; Mormon Doctrine; Article "Easter"

Yet D&C 84 says:

54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
(D & C 84:54-58)

Alma and the Four Sons of the Passover Seder

The Passover Seder /ˈseɪdər/ (Hebrew: סֵדֶר [ˈsedeʁ] 'order, arrangement'; Yiddish: סדר‎ seyder) is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover.  One of the rituals of the seder is that of the account of the four types of sons.

The Four Sons

The Passover Haggadah speaks of "four sons"—one who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple, and one who does not know to ask. Each of these sons phrases his question about the seder in a different way. The Haggadah recommends answering each son according to his question, using one of the three verses in the Torah that refer to this exchange.

The wise son asks "What are the statutes, the testimonies, and the laws that God has commanded you to do?" (Deut. 6:20) One explanation for why this very detailed-oriented question is categorized as wise, is that the wise son is trying to learn how to carry out the seder, rather than asking for someone else's understanding of its meaning. He is answered fully: "You should reply to him with [all] the laws of pesach: one may not eat any dessert after the paschal sacrifice."

The wicked son, who asks, "What is this service to you?" (Ex. 12:26), is characterized by the Haggadah as isolating himself from the Jewish people, standing by objectively and watching their behavior rather than participating. Therefore, he is rebuked by the explanation that "It is because God acted for my sake when I left Egypt." (Ex. 13:8) (This implies that the Seder is not for the wicked son because the wicked son would not have deserved to be freed from Egyptian slavery.) Where the four sons are illustrated in the Haggadah, this son has frequently been depicted as carrying weapons or wearing stylish contemporary fashions.

The simple son, who asks, "What is this?" (Ex. 13:14) is answered with "With a strong hand the Almighty led us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage." (Ex. 13:14)

And the one who does not know to ask is told, "It is because of what the Almighty did for me when I left Egypt." (Ex. 13:8).

Alma’s Admonition to his Three Sons

This corresponds closely to Alma’s admonition to his three sons.  We read in Alma:

16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.

(Alma 35:16)

As we continue to read Alma’s admonitions, it appears evident that the occasion for which Alma “caused that his sons should be gathered together” was that of a Passover Seder. 

Alma’s admonition to Helaman (Alma 36-37) corresponds to the that of the wise son.  In fact the word “wisdom” appears eight times in Alma’s admonition to Helaman.  Alama begins his admonition to Helaman saying:

1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.

2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.

3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

(Alma 36:1-3)

Alma’s admonition to Corianton (39-42) corresponds to that of the wicked, indifferent son.  Alma opens this admonition saying:

1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?…

8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.

(Alma 39:1,8)

Finally Alma’s admonition to Shiblon (Alma 38) corresponds to that of the simple son.  Alma tells Shiblon:

1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence….

5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

(Alma 38:1,5)

Passover is a wonderful time for Book of Mormon believers to review Alma’s admonition to his three sons.  Those who hold a seder may want to incorporate this material into their seder as part of the account of the four types of sons.  And let us all choose to be like Heleman, the wise son. 

Non-Levitical Priests: The Book of Mormon Gets if Right After All

Book of Mormon critics have criticized the fact that Nephi consecrated his brothers Joseph and Jacob as priests:

And it came to pass that I Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they

should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.

(2Nephi 5:26)

For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of  this people, by the hand of Nephi.

(Jacob 1:18)

Jacob and Joseph were both sons of Lehi (1 Nephi 18:7; 2 Nephi 2:2) and as we all know, Lehi was a Josephite (1 Nephi 15:12, 19:24; 2 Nephi 3:2-5; Jacob 2:5; Alma 10:3, 26:36). Thus Jacob and Joseph were both from the Tribe of Joseph and NOT from the Tribe  of Levi.

So how could Nephi claim that he and his people “did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the law of Moses” (2 Nephi 5:10) when in fact he was consecrating his own Josephite brothers who were not even Levites, much less sons of Aharon to serve as priests?

The truth is that there is nothing in the Torah that actually prohibits a non-levite from serving as a priest.  Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם אִבְּן עֶזְרָא or ראב"ע‎‎‎, also known as Abenezra or Aben Ezra, 1089–1167) was one of the most distinguished Jewish biblical commentators and philosophers of the Middle Ages. His is one of the classic commentators included in the Miqrat Gedolot. He writes in his commentary on Deut. 19:6:

A Kingdom of Priests. In my opinion, “priest” in the Bible means “one who serves,” just as the verbal form is taken in 28:41 to mean “serve me as priests.” Jethro is the “priest of Midian” (18:1) because he served God, as did Melchizedek of Salem, the “priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18). The same is true when David’s sons are called “priests” in 2Sam. 8:18. There would be no point in telling us that they were “princes,” for we know that a king’s sons possess high rank; this verse informs us that they served God. So telling Israel that they will be “a kingdom of priests” means, “By means of you, My kingdom shall appear, when you are serving Me.” But others understand it to mean “There is no kingship other than serving Me.”

As cited by Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra above, the actual Hebrew of 2Sam. 8:18 identifies David’s sons as “cohenim” (“priests”) where the KJV translates “chief rulers”.  Here the original Hebrew is clearly using the word “cohenim” to refer to non-Levites (David was of the House of Judah) as “priests”.   The Book of Mormon gets it right after all.