UNDERSTANDING HISTORY

 

At the beginning of the year I wrote a post in which I mentioned my history professor tell us that we should be careful how we judge history because it is written by men from men’s perspective. That was a few years ago but I have never forgotten it. I try to think of that even when I am reading the scriptures.

The perspective of the author is not the only thing that matters but also cultural differences of the time, manner of speaking, changes in language and what Joseph Smith claimed were ‘certain errors that had crept into the Bible through arrogant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests’ (Joseph Smith Teachings, p 327)

The Old Testament is particularly susceptible to incorrect text because it has been translated many times. We are fortunate to have modern day revelation that makes a lot of doctrines simpler to understand through corrections that are needed for further clarification. I am particularly grateful for the JST and I always refer to it. Sometimes it’s just a missing word that makes a whole verse make more sense.

Already this year I have come across three important examples of what I am trying to say here:

1.      Exodus 6:3: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”  I ask, why would the forefathers not know His name??? Well they did….JST says: “….and unto Jacob, I am the Lord God Almighty; the Lord JEHOVAH. And was not my name known unto them?”

2.      Exodus 2:11-15: these verses say that Moses saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew and he ‘slew’ him. In King James English, the words ‘smote’ and ‘slew’ are both translated from Hebrew word NAKHAH, meaning to ‘beat down’. Different ancient writings and commentaries claim different things regarding this incident but the Church OT student manual quotes Elder Mark E. Petersen as saying that there must have been a good reason for Moses’ act as “most assuredly the Lord would not have called a murderer to the high office of prophet and liberator for his people Israel.” (Petersen, “Moses” p 42, Student Manual 1 p 105).  

3.      Exodus 4, 7, 9, 11: In His instructions to Moses regarding the plagues of Egypt, the Old Testament records the Lord saying He will harden the Pharaoh’s heart so he will not let the Israelites go. The JST says in every instance that Pharaoh will harden his heart which makes so much more sense. Why would the Lord try to stop His own work to the point where He had to do something so dire as extinguishing the lives of Egypt’s first born?

With the amount of study material available to us in the Church today, there really is no excuse for not understanding anything. But most important of all, make an important friend…..him who administers to all sincere seekers of truth……”and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5)

And now this promise: “I the Lord am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me and delight to honour those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end….and to them will I reveal all mysteries of my kingdom…for by my Spirit will I enlighten them…..(D&C 76:5-10)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Receiving the Spirit by Danny Hahlbohm)