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PAUL’S SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS NOW AVAILABLE

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THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS: RADIATING THE GREAT PRINCIPLES OF THE RESTORED
GOSPEL

9:00 Zoom Webinar, no registration or password required:
https://zoom.us/j/95770639916.

Welcome: John W. Welch, Michael Rhodes, Richard Draper, and Eric Huntsman

9:05 John W. Welch, What Should a Scholarly LDS Commentary on Hebrews Look
Like? (Introduction: Eric Huntsman)

9:35 Michael Rhodes, Highlighting Unique LDS Interpretations of Three Passages
in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Introduction: Camille Fronk Olson)

9:50 Richard Draper, Using the Joseph Smith Translation in the BYU New Testament
Commentary (Introduction: Camille Fronk Olson)

10:15 Q&A with Michael Rhodes and Richard Draper. Use the chat function for
asking questions.

VIDEOS: FOR THE PLAYLIST OF ALL THE VIDEO PRESENTATIONS ON MARCH 6, VISIT
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/PLAYLIST?LIST=PLXBAVRWVW61YXGGXH2XQJ1MULRBJEFWQS

Joshua Matson, Placing Hebrews amidst Studies of the New Testament among the
Latter-day Saints (Introduction: Eric Huntsman)

Alan Farnes, Appreciating the Great Value of the Earliest Surviving Copies of
the Greek New Testament (Introduction: Cecilia Peek)

Eric Huntsman, Evaluating Families of Greek Texts and Their Preferences behind
New Testament Translations (Introduction: Cecelia Peek)

Andrew Skinner, Feeling the Power of the King James Version Generally and in the
Epistle to the Hebrews in Particular (Introduction: Eric Huntsman)

Brent Schmidt, Who Wrote the New Testament Epistles and What Differences Might
that Make? (Introduction: Camille Fronk Olson)

Tom Roberts, Taking a Theological Spin through the Epistle to the Hebrews
(Introduction: Camille Fronk Olson)

S. Kent Brown, Assessing Apocryphal Accounts of Isaiah’s Death in Hebrews
(Introduction: Cecelia Peek)

David Larsen, Detecting Jewish Sources Quoted in the New Testament Not Found in
the Old Testament (Introduction: Eric Huntsman)

Avram Shannon, Seeing the New Testament in Its Several Surrounding Cultural
Contexts (Introduction: Cecilia Peek)

John Gee, What We Can Learn from Joseph Smith’s Approaches to Reading James 1:5
(Introduction: Camille Fronk Olson)

This entry was posted in Conferences, Hebrews on February 25, 2021 by
Administrator.

THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS AT THE TEMPLE AND THE TESTIMONIES OF SIMEON AND ANNA:
LUKE 2:21-38

Extracted from The Testimony of Luke, by S. Kent Brown

Luke 2:21–24, New Rendition

21 And when eight days for his circumcision were fulfilled, then his name was
called Jesus; it was so named by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days for their purification were fulfilled, according to the law
of Moses, they brought him up into Jerusalem to present him before the Lord,
23 just as it was written in the law of the Lord that, “Every male who opens a
mother’s womb shall be called holy to the Lord,” 24 and to offer a sacrifice
according to what was spoken in the law of the Lord, “Either a pair of
turtledoves or two young doves.”

Notes

2:21 eight days . . . for the circumcising . . . his name was called: As is
apparent here and in 1:59, both circumcising and naming a male child occur on
the eighth day. Among ancient sources, only Luke preserves this linkage.

conceived in the womb: The force of this expression is to say that Jesus comes
to birth as other children do: in a natural manner. He is fully and physically a
part of this world and is not a metaphysical, mythological creature.

2:22 purification: A woman is to pay a five-shekel tax and offer sacrifice for
ritual purity after giving birth to her firstborn—forty days after a male child
and eighty after a female (see the Note on 2:23). Until she does so, she is
judged to be ritually unclean. The sacrifice is to consist of a lamb and either
a young pigeon or a turtledove. For the poor, the sacrifice is to be either two
pigeons or two turtledoves, the offering that Luke affirms in 2:24 (see Ex.
13:2, 11–13; Lev. 12:2–8). Importantly, the best manuscripts read “their
purification” rather than “her purification.” The discussion is whether the
pronoun “their” points to Mary and Joseph or to Mary and Jesus as needing
purification. In light of the plural “their,” if Luke obtains his information
from Mary about her experience, then he misunderstands it.

according to the law: The concern with the law here and in later verses has to
do with the respect for law and custom that Joseph and Mary exhibit. It also has
to do with reverencing the Mosaic law in particular, giving this legal code its
due respect as law from God (see the introduction to chapter 1, section C, and
the Analysis on 2:21–24 below).

they brought him: This action of bringing the infant Jesus to the temple recalls
Hannah’s act of bringing her son Samuel to the sanctuary (see 1 Sam. 1:24). This
sort of action is implied in Jesus’ later journey to the temple with his parents
(see 2:42), thus forming connections between this account and Hannah’s story.

to Jerusalem: More properly, “up to Jerusalem,” preserving the notion of the
sacred, elevated geography of the city.

to present him: As the next verse implies, the intent is to offer the five
shekels that redeem the firstborn (see Ex. 13:2, 11–15; 34:19–20; Num.
18:15–17), as is hinted at in 2:27. To be sure, Jesus is already dedicated to
God by the words of the angel (see 1:31–33), perhaps mirroring the pattern of
Hannah (see 1 Sam. 1:11).

2:23 Every male that openeth the womb: Even though Luke mentions the need to
redeem the child here, the offering noted in 2:24 is not the redemption offering
of five shekels. Instead, it is the purification offering made by poor people
for a new mother (see the Note on 2:22). The verb “to open” (Greek dianoigō)
appears in the Septuagint tied not only to the first, sacred manifestation of
life from a female, whether a woman or an animal, underlining its link to
holiness (see LXX Ex. 13:2, 12–13, 15; 34:19; etc.), but also to the opening of
celestial understanding (see LXX Gen. 3:6, 8; also LXX Hosea 2:15). It is in
this latter sense that the verb appears later in Luke’s narrative, highlighting
the Risen Jesus as the one who opens the understanding and holds the keys to
opening the scriptures (see the Notes on 24:31, 32, 45). Moreover, because this
verb occurs only here and at the end of Luke’s account, it forms an inclusio
that emphatically underscores the unity of the whole Gospel.

holy to the Lord: Although it is true that the firstborn child belongs to God
and thus parents must redeem the child by offering sacrifice, as underlined in
the Exodus story (see Ex. 13:2), also implicit in this passage stands Jesus’
holiness, as well as the holiness of children in general, which is respected and
preserved when the angel of death passes over the homes of the Hebrew slaves
(see Ex. 11:4–5; 12:12–13, 23, 27).

2:24 A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons: For these purification
offerings, see Leviticus 12:6–8. In accord with this law, Mary offers a gift of
the poor, costing an eighth of a denarius per bird (see the Note on 7:41). She
holds her infant son while watching the sacrificial process from the Court of
the Women where she can see clearly the altar of sacrifice and the sanctuary
through the large Nicanor Gate that leads from the Court of the Women into the
inner courts of the temple. As an adult, Jesus will return to this same Court of
the Women and witness another poor woman, a widow, offer a gift of “all the
living that she had” (21:4; see the Notes on 21:1–2 and the Analysis on 21:1–4).

Analysis

At the heart of these verses beats the principle of respect for law. In a
concrete sense, Mary and Joseph fit snugly within this picture. It seems that
Luke’s report takes pains to note that those associated with the momentous
events that lead to the Christian movement are, as we might expect, upright and
honorable people before the law. Unlike others who revolt when the census is
declared (see Acts 5:37), Mary and Joseph comply with the new law. Unlike those
who seek to kill Jesus (see 22:2; Matt. 2:20), they do not break any of the Ten
Commandments. Unlike those who stand as protectors of the law of Moses but break
its tenets (see 9:22; 19:47; 20:46–47; 22:2), they obey the law, even its minor
points.

A good reason stands behind this portrait. Luke seeks to answer questions about
Christianity that have arisen in the larger Roman world, a world that his friend
Theophilus represents (see 1:3; JST 3:19; Acts 1:1). After all, within recent
memory there has been a bitter war between Jews of Palestine and Roman legions
which ends with the fall of Jerusalem and its temple in Ad 70, as well as Masada
a few years later. Romans have long identified Christians simply as Jews. But
Luke seeks to set the record straight by clarifying that Christians, and those
involved in founding their movement, are very different from other Jews (see
1:6; 2:4–5, 22, 24, 27, 39, 42, 51; etc.; the introduction to chapter 1,
section C). Significantly for him in his continuing story, it is Jews who
inflame the unruly crowds that oppose Paul and his companions in Asia Minor and
elsewhere (see Acts 13:50; 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13; etc.).

In another vein, amidst these verses we meet other possible connections to
Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel (see the introduction to chapter 1,
section D; the Notes on 1:46–48; the Analysis on 1:5–25). They have to do with
the presentation of a child. Only in the story of Hannah do we see a mother
bringing her firstborn son to the temple to present him to the Lord. Only in the
story of Hannah do we read of a woman offering sacrifice for her new son. Only
in the story of Hannah do we witness a parent redeeming a son (see 1 Sam.
1:24–28). Though the law requires these acts of parents, it is only in the
stories of Hannah and Mary that we see such actions carried out. The possible
echoes are not to be missed.

One further observation needs attention. Jesus comes to the temple very early in
his life in the arms of his mother, who is a poor young woman, as her redemption
offering of two birds illustrates (see 2:24). The place where Mary brings him is
the Court of the Women where she can see both the sacrificial altar and
beautiful sanctuary through the connecting Nicanor Gate. Notably, in one
brushstroke, Luke’s Gospel paints Jesus’ life with the color of poverty in a
place where the opulence of the temple is stunningly visible. As an adult,
literally at the end of his life, with only a couple of days until his arrest,
Jesus sits in the same courtyard and sees poverty, this time also in the person
of a poor woman, a “poor widow” who “of her penury hath cast in all the living
that she had” (21:2, 4). In a literary sense, Luke encloses his report of Jesus’
life within the notices of poor women in the temple’s Court of the Women whose
circumstances in life contrast sharply with the visible luxuriousness of the
temple. He knows poverty, both spiritual and physical; he comes to help those
who seek a way out of their spiritual and economic penury.

Simeon (Luke 2:25–35)

New Rendition

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was
righteous and devout, waiting for the encouragement of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was upon him. 26 And revelation had been given to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death before he should see the Messiah of the Lord.

27 And he came in the spirit to the temple precinct when the parents were taking
the child Jesus in so that they could do for him according to the custom of the
law. 28 And he took him into his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Now you are releasing your servant, Master,

according to your saying, ‘in peace,’

30 because my eyes have seen your salvation

31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 a light for enlightening nations

and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 And his father and mother marveled at the proclamations concerning him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “See, this boy is
positioned for the falling and rising up of many in Israel and for a sign to be
spoken against 35 (but a sword shall run through your own soul, too) so that the
designs of many hearts shall be revealed.”

Notes

2:25 just: The term, which is made emphatic by the addition of the word
“devout,” is better rendered “righteous,” as in 1:6, where it is applied to
Zacharias and Elisabeth (Greek dikaios; see the Notes on 1:6 and 23:50).

waiting: Luke writes this same verb (Greek prosdechomai) to characterize Joseph
of Arimathea, placing them on the same turf. By doing so, he creates a literary
inclusio that arcs across his record from beginning to end, tying it together
(see the Note on 23:51).

consolation: The noun (Greek paraklēsis) is related to the term that is
translated “comforter” elsewhere (see John 14:16, 26).

the Holy Ghost was upon him: This notation first explains how Simeon is able to
find Joseph and Mary in the huge complex of the temple grounds (see the Note on
2:27) and, second, identifies one important result of a righteous life. In
addition, Luke’s introduction to Simeon seems to suggest that he is not noisy
about this spiritual gift that comes to him but is instead quiet and
circumspect, his righteousness and devotion clearly visible to God.

2:26 it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost: Luke’s report about the
righteous Simeon holds up the eternal principles that revelation can be personal
and that it always comes through the Holy Ghost. In Simeon’s case, we do not
know whether the revelation comes to him before the angel Gabriel appears to
Zacharias and then Mary, or afterward.

the Lord’s Christ: The expression preserves the archaic sense of the term
Christ, or Messiah: “the Lord’s anointed one.”

2:27 came by the Spirit into the temple: A miracle is at work. The temple
complex, indicated by the Greek term hieron, is distinct from the sanctuary
(Greek naos) and is large and generally crowded (see the Note on 1:9). That the
Spirit leads Simeon to Joseph and Mary, with their child, is miraculous.

to do for him after the custom of the law: The expression hints at the five
shekel payment to be made for the firstborn (see the Notes on 2:22–23).

2:29 now lettest thou thy servant depart: The Greek verb “depart” stands here as
a euphemism for “to die,” though it is not the usual term for dying (Greek
apoluō). Customarily, it means “to send [someone] away,” or “to release
[a prisoner]” as in 8:38 (“Jesus sent him away”) and 23:25 (“[Pilate] released
unto them [Barabbas]”). The tense is a simple present indicative, “Now you are
letting your servant depart,” though it may well carry a modal sense that
expresses a strong wish, because it stands in a hymn of praise. It may also bear
a future meaning, “Now thou wilt dismiss thy servant.” The juxtaposition of the
terms “servant,” which Mary applies to herself (see 1:38), and “Lord” point to
the act of manumission, freeing a slave. This hymn, as recited by Simeon in
2:29–32, is titled Nunc Dimittis from the opening words of the Latin version.

2:30 thy salvation: In Hebrew or Aramaic, which Simeon is doubtless speaking,
the term “salvation” comes from the same root that the name Jesus does (Hebrew
yāša‘, “to deliver”), thus forming a play on words.

2:31 all people: Simeon strikes a chord that will come to characterize Jesus’
(and Luke’s) interest in the gospel spreading to everyone (see the Notes on
6:17; 8:26; 10:1, 7, 33; 11:29; 13:29; 17:16; 19:46; 24:47), a point that
receives confirmation in the reference to Gentiles in 2:32.

2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles: The expression recalls the Septuagint
readings for Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6, “a light of the Gentiles.” These passages tie
to the four prophetic “Servant Songs” that anticipate the coming of the
Servant-King (see Isa. 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12). Simeon’s words can
be rendered “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” One finds a similar
expression applied to the Apostle Paul in Acts 13:47.

the glory of thy people Israel: In another allusion to Isaiah’s language (see
Isa. 46:13, “I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory”), Simeon draws
attention to the two peoples whom Jesus’ message will touch, Gentiles and Jews.

2:33 Joseph and his mother: The oldest manuscripts read, “his father and
mother,” no doubt underlining Joseph as the legal father, rather than biological
father, who raises Jesus. Later texts add the name Joseph to remove any
ambiguity that Joseph is not the father, a feature of verse 43.

2:34 Simeon blessed them: There seems to be an omission in Luke’s account, for
he preserves only Simeon’s blessing of Mary in the next verse, not his blessing
of Joseph, or even a combined blessing.

fall and rising again: The image of falling appears also in 20:18. Both passages
take up a theme found in Isaiah 8:14–15 where “a stone of stumbling and . . . a
rock of offense” cause people to “stumble, and fall, and be broken.” The word
translated “rising again” refers elsewhere in the New Testament to the
resurrection (Greek anastasis). We compare the notions of rising, or ascending,
and falling in the earliest mention of the Messiah as “the Rock”: “whoso . . .
climbeth up by me shall never fall” (Moses 7:53).

a sign which shall be spoken against: Simeon prophesies that Jesus, who is the
sign itself, will face pugnacious opposition, indicated by the Greek participle
antilegomenon, which here bears the sense of “contested.” But that opposition
will “be revealed” to others (2:35), an important prophecy about Jesus’ role in
exposing this sort of evil (see 6:6–11; John 15:22).

2:35 a sword shall pierce through thy own soul: These words, spoken almost as an
aside, disclose to Mary that the future of her son will bring pain of soul to
her. We imagine that, on occasion, she is a witness to ill treatment of her son
by opponents, perhaps by persons whom she knows. We know for certain that she
witnesses his death on the cross, an event that brings anguish upon her (see
John 19:25–27; compare Matt. 27:55–56; Mark 15:40–41; Luke 23:49).

that the thoughts . . . may be revealed: This fits with the passage in John
15:22—“now they have no cloak for their sin.” It is not that the thoughts of the
wicked will be revealed to God who already knows each person’s thoughts. Rather,
Jesus will take away the cloak of sin so that evil doers are exposed to public
gaze, including those who contemplate wickedness. Moreover, the sense of
Simeon’s words points to thoughts as the springboard for evil acts (see 5:22;
6:8; the Note on 24:38).

Analysis

Our only record of the man Simeon appears in these verses. Attempts to link him
to other known persons do not succeed, though he may be tied both to the temple
and the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. Although we usually assume that he is an elderly
person because of his reference to death, he need not be very old.

Simeon’s entry into the story allows Luke to stress a number of important
characteristics of this man which fit into a gospel framework. First, Luke
emphasizes that Simeon is “just and devout,” aspects that mirror a high degree
of self-control and noble motivation. The result of Simeon’s righteousness, of
course, is that “the Holy Ghost was upon him” (2:25). This portrait of Simeon’s
life of devotion, brought forward in just a few words, underscores what is
available to anyone who receives the newborn Messiah. Moreover, to Simeon, who
has consciously cultivated a life of devotion, comes the spirit of prophecy,
allowing him to reveal something of the Savior’s future. That future will
include touching not only Israelites but also Gentiles with the message of
salvation. This universalism underlies Luke’s two volumes, his Gospel and the
Acts. In addition, according to Simeon’s prophecy, the future will include
conflicts that will dog Jesus’ footsteps throughout his ministry. Further,
Simeon becomes a witness of the first rank, both before the infant’s parents and
before others, that God has initiated a special effort among his children.

The hymn of Simeon (2:29–32), called Nunc Dimittis (“now thou dismissest”),
joins those of Mary (see 1:46–55) and Zacharias (see 1:68–79) to form an
interesting pattern. In a literary sense, it stands at the end of a cycle that
begins with promise (the hymn of Mary) and continues with fulfillment in the
birth of John (the song of Zacharias) and ends with a “response of praise” on
the lips of Simeon. Such praise, of course, also bursts forth in the song of the
angels (see 2:13–14) and in the words of Anna (see 2:38). But the angels’ song
comes from heaven and Anna’s praise stands unrecorded. Thus, Simeon’s earthly
hymn of praise neatly ties off Luke’s presentation of the initial events of
God’s imminent salvation, as seen by mortals, showing them to have come to one
Simeon who is guided by God’s Spirit.

Simeon’s hymn also discloses threads that tie back to Isaiah’s four Servant
Songs (see Isa. 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12). First identified by
Bernhard Duhm in 1892, these songs point expectantly to God’s servant who will
bring the reign of righteousness with him as well as bear away the sins of his
people. Hence, the Lord’s servant functions as both King and Messiah, aspects
that fit within Luke’s larger purposes. This explains why Simeon’s hymn is
important to record.

Anna (Luke 2:36–38)

New Rendition

36 And Anna was a prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in days, having lived with her husband seven years from her
maidenhood. 37 And she was a widow until the age of eighty-four, who did not
depart from the temple since she served by fasts and prayers night and day.
38 And she came that same hour, and praised God, and spoke about him to all
those waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Notes

2:36 Anna: A variant form of Hannah, the name is one more piece that ties back
to the earlier Old Testament account of Hannah and her son Samuel (see 1 Sam.
1:1–2:11, 18–21).

a prophetess: Luke’s term elevates Anna and indicates the respect that she
enjoys among her peers. Other women known to enjoy the spirit of prophecy are
Deborah (see Judg. 4:4), Hulda (see 2 Kgs. 22:14), and the four daughters of
Philip (see Acts 21:9).

she was of a great age: The expression is literally “she had advanced many
days.” For the term “days” as a common biblical way to describe old age, see
Genesis 5:4–5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, etc.

had lived with an husband seven years: Evidently, Anna’s husband dies a mere
seven years after their marriage, leaving her a widow, perhaps before she is
twenty years old, depending on her age at marriage (see 2:37). One senses the
pain of her loss within these words.

2:37 a widow: In a sense, Anna stands for all the widows whom Luke’s Gospel will
feature, women of goodness whose place and status in this world are regularly
under threat (see 4:25–26; 7:11–15; 18:2–6; 20:47; 21:1–4).

about fourscore and four years: Luke apparently sets out Anna’s age when she
meets Joseph and Mary to be eighty-four, though the number may point to the
years that have passed since her husband died. In either case, Luke firms up his
comment that “she was of a great age” (2:36). A certain symbolism may rest
undiscovered here because eighty-four is the product of twelve and seven, two
numbers that carry rich metaphorical meanings.

departed not from the temple: The word for temple here is hieron and refers to
the larger complex (see also 2:27, 46; 4:9; 18:10; the Note on 19:45) rather
than to the sanctuary (see 1:21, 22; 23:45; the Note on 1:9). Commentators are
unsure whether Anna is somehow a permanent resident within the temple precincts
or whether she comes from a nearby home every day. Residency at the temple for
women is not attested in Jewish sources. In any event, she is likely praying
inside the Court of the Women, where she enjoys a clear view of the great altar
and sanctuary through the Nicanor Gate. According to a second-century text
called Protevangelium of James, in verses 7:1–8:1, the parents of Mary bring her
as a three-year-old child to the temple, where she remains in residence until
she is twelve, agreeing with other sources that up to eighty-two girls serve as
weavers for the veil of the temple. But we should treat this story about young
Mary as legendary.

prayers night and day: This reference to the twice-daily sacrifice and prayer
services at the temple makes a case for Luke as a reasonably accurate recorder
of Jewish customs. The daily services, of course, include lighting the incense
in the sanctuary (see 1:9).

2:38 she coming in that instant: As with his notice of Simeon, Luke wants us to
understand that Anna comes to this spot by the aid of the Spirit, a point made
firm by calling her “a prophetess” (2:36). Moreover, she arrives at the end of
Simeon’s words, meaning that she does not take her clue about the child from
him. Her witness stands independent.

gave thanks likewise: Though we do not possess Anna’s words, the statement draws
together her response and that of Simeon, placing them on the same ground. Hers
too is evidently an expression of praise, a meaning inherent in the Greek verb
anthomologeomai.

spake of him to all them that looked for redemption: Two matters become clear.
First, Anna becomes a witness of God’s “redemption” through his son, essentially
mirroring the other privileged observers. Second, many in her society are
looking expectantly for God’s promised redemption. Her words to them will speak
to a deeply felt need.

redemption in Jerusalem: Whereas the texts on which the King James Version is
based include the preposition “in” (Greek en), some of the best early
manuscripts read “redemption of Jerusalem,” an expression that turns a different
light on how and where redemption is to occur. If redemption is to take place in
Jerusalem, then we look to the last days and hours of Jesus’ ministry, though
his deepest suffering and his death occur outside the city walls, in Gethsemane
and on Golgotha. If redemption is to be of Jerusalem, then the city represents
all Israelites, as hinted at in Moroni 10:31—“awake, and arise from the dust,
O Jerusalem; . . . that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made
unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.”

2:39 when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord: Luke’s
summary ties the actions of Mary and Joseph to others who are law-abiding
citizens, one of his points of emphasis (see the introduction to chapter 1,
section C). In addition, he stresses that they keep all the law. Further, the
law belongs to the domain of the Lord; it is divine in character.

they returned into Galilee, to . . . Nazareth: Luke’s report omits the flight
into Egypt (see Matt. 2:13–15). We do not know whether he chooses not to include
this event or whether he does not know about it. In either instance, the family
in time moves to Nazareth, where Joseph probably finds work during the
reconstruction of the city of Sepphoris, the main center of Galilee, rather than
staying in the area of Jerusalem where he can earn a much higher wage for his
skills. Sepphoris lies a mere three miles northwest of Nazareth. Its citizens
revolt after Herod dies in 4 Bc and are soon subdued by Roman legionnaires from
Syria under the command of P. Quinctilius Varus, legate of Syria. During the
battle, Sepphoris burns but is later rebuilt. Naturally, Joseph’s building
skills are then in demand. We surmise that Joseph takes Jesus with him to work
in the town, thus allowing the youth to learn Greek from Greek-speaking foremen.
This circumstance explains why, in the trial before Pilate, Jesus and Pilate do
not need an interpreter (see the Note on 23:3).

Analysis

The temple serves as the anchor in the series of stories that begin with the
visit of Mary and Joseph to perform the required sacrifices and to offer
the redemption gift following the birth of Jesus. Those accounts finally lead us
to Anna who is known openly in the city as one associated with the temple and
its services. Luke’s record, of course, will bring temple-related activities to
a conclusion in chapter 2 with the story of Jesus’ Passover visit at age twelve
(see 2:40–52). But a major focus of this chapter rests on events during one
momentous day, one on which Jesus’ parents present the Christ child at the
temple. Before the end of that day, God leads both Simeon and Anna to the child
and inspires them in their praise. Anna’s known gift of prophecy (see 2:36),
here manifested within the temple complex, confers on the infant Jesus a
visible, palpable stamp of divine approval. To be sure, other events will do the
same, but Anna’s arrival and subsequent witness borne to others will carry
weight into the minds of bystanders.

As with Simeon, Anna’s praise arises within sacred precincts, linking the
unfolding story of the Christ child more tightly to holiness. Her praise, too,
rounds off the sense of promise and fulfillment that weave their way through the
songs of Mary and Zacharias and the angels. Further, her status as a respected
woman elevates the unfurling events, conferring on them a dignity and a feminine
quality that they otherwise lack.

Anna’s name brings us back to the question of whether the story of Hannah
influences Luke’s narrative. Even if it does, this does not mean that we should
see Anna as fictional, as a mere symbol. Even if much in Luke’s narrative here
links back to Hannah and her son Samuel, it is plain that Anna is a real person
who comes by inspiration to where Joseph and Mary are. That said, summarizing
statements about Jesus seem to tie to similar observations written about Samuel
(see 1 Sam. 2:19, 26; 3:19). The statements about Jesus read: “the child grew,
and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon
him” (2:40) and “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God
and man” (2:52). As an additional piece, Mary’s song as she enters the home of
Elisabeth resembles that of Hannah (see 1 Sam. 2:1–10; Luke 1:46–55). And, of
course, both Samuel and Jesus come as children of promise, dedicated to God.

This entry was posted in Luke, Luke 2, S. Kent Brown on February 1, 2021 by
Administrator.

PLAGUES, PESTILENCES, PESTS AND PANDEMICS IN THESE LATTER DAYS

by Richard D. Draper

Basically, I am (and have always been) an insecure person seeking for security.
At an important point in my life and career, I was introduced to the wonder of
scriptural prophecy. It was in an eleventh grade Seminary class where the
teacher introduced us to the Revelation of St. John the Divine. He piqued my
interest. That interest led me on a journey that eventually took me not only
through the wonderful maze of John’s writings and other biblical prophecies but
also prophetic statements in the scriptures of the Restoration.

I continue to be intrigued that God not only knows but cares about and shares
with his children important information about events that will happen in the
future. Working with Michael Rhodes and others on the multi-volume BYU New
Testament Commentary, especially immersing myself again in the Book of
Revelation, helped to focus and refine my understanding of what God has revealed
about the last days.

Out of all this study came an even greater appreciation of the importance of
prophecy not only for humankind but also for God himself. In fact, foreseeing
and foretelling are two of the ways God proves He is God. In his admonition to
the Israelites to believe, trust, and follow him, He declares that He has
revealed the future to them. Those prophesied events, He points out, have since
come to pass. Their reality is proof, He insists, that He is the one and only
God (see Isa. 43:11–13; 48:3–6).

Given the importance of this ability and power to him, it is little wonder that
God is very jealous (in the good sense) of its use. Thus, He forbade Israel from
follow the practices of those nations who tried to imitate his power (see Deut.
18:9–13, the main passage in the Hebrew Bible that defines the nature of and
lists the punishment for those to practice of false prophecy).

The Book of Mormon denigrates those who promulgate false prophecy and those who
follow them (see, for example, W of M 1:15–16; Hel. 13:25–28; 3 Ne. 14:15; 4 Ne.
1:34). It also highlights authentic predictions given by the prophets Nephi,
Zenos, Abinadi, Nephi (the son of Helaman), and Samuel the Lamanite that were
precisely fulfilled at the birth and death of Jesus Christ and beyond.

In this regard, one important way in which the Book of Mormon teams up with the
Bible and also with the Doctrine and Covenants is in forecasting that various
catastrophes, plagues, pestilences and pests are to be expected as signs,
especially of the very last of times. Some of these are natural phenomena that
God may or may not choose to interfere with. Others are consequences that God
may be causing, directly or indirectly. But in all cases, He no doubt can make
things less extreme or serve than they otherwise might be. In biblical times,
famines were common and caused widespread suffering, starvation, and death, but
God warned people to save during years of plenty in order to survive the years
of pests, crop failures, and famine. By that means they could survive until the
windows of heaven would be open again.

The Book of Mormon speaks not only of then present famines and afflictions (for
example, in Helaman 11:1-18), but most especially about events that lie still in
the future. For example, in 2 Nephi 6:15–18, the prophet Jacob speaks of the
latter-day gathering of Israel and promises that God will protect those who
believe. But of those who do not, He states that they “shall be destroyed, both
by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by
pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy
One of Israel.”

And Doctrine and Covenants 84:96-98 puts it this way: “For I, the Almighty, have
laid my hands upon the nations, to scourge them for their wickedness. And
plagues shall go forth, and they shall not be taken from the earth until I have
completed my work, which shall be cut short in righteousness—Until all shall
know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest.”

To appreciate how the Lord uses prophetic and apocalyptic revelations, we must
put them into perspective, first by understanding their nature, and second by
understanding their purposes.

First, concerning their nature, they can be divided into two distinct types: One
type consists of events that will transpire unconditionally, that is, nothing
can stop them from happening. Many of these are positive parts of God’s plan for
the salvation of his children. For example, the latter-day restoration of the
gospel, its spread throughout the world, the consequent gathering of Israel, and
the Second Coming of the Lord and His millennial reign.

The other type of prophecies consists of events that will come about only if
certain human conditions are met. Interestingly, every frightening prophecy
falls into this category. What that means is that these calamities need not come
to pass provided conditions that would otherwise trigger them do not happen. A
dire prophecy in the Book of Mormon seems to illustrate this point. Three times
(in 3 Ne. 16:8–10; 20:15–18; 21:11–16), Jesus warns that if the “if the Gentiles
do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have
scattered my people” then shall “a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among
them” like a young lion among a flock of sheep that “both treadeth down and
teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.” Though it is possible that this
prophecy could yet be fulfilled, it seems more likely that the necessary
conditions were never met. Even though the early LDS Church was persecuted and
driven, enough “gentiles” responded to the gospel to nullify the conditions that
would have otherwise triggered the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Unfortunately, it would appear that most of the other dire prophecies will not
have such a positive ending, and thus the world may yet see plenty of plagues,
pestilences, and pests. And why? One of the most frightening insights in answer
to this question is found in the book of Revelation. In chapters 8 and 9, using
the power of apocalyptic symbolism, John records the vast devastations that will
take place preceding the Second Coming. These fall into two categories: the
first is the collapse of the natural order, bringing with it huge destructions;
and the second is the ensuing wars. After describing the slaughter these wars
will bring, the revelation of the Apostle John states that “the rest of
humankind, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works
of their hands so that they would not worship the demons and idols of gold and
silver and bronze and stone and wood, that cannot see, hear, or walk. And they
did not repent of their murders, drug use, immorality or stealing” (Rev.
9:20–21; that’s my translation, as rendered in the BYU New Testament
Commentary). It is that hardheartedness, that total recalcitrance, and that
desperate clinging to an immoral lifestyle even in the face of its consequences
that brings about the devouring of the nations by plague, pestilence, and pests.

As an aside, the English word “pestilence” comes from the Latin pestis which
denotes “a deadly contagious disease” usually initiated by insects or vermin.
However, Joseph Smith seems to have understood the word differently. Doctrine
and Covenants 63:24 states that “this is the will of the Lord your God
concerning his saints, that they should assemble themselves together unto the
land of Zion, not in haste, lest there should be confusion, which bringeth
pestilence.” Haste does not usually bring infectious disease, but it does bring
calamity and destruction, which the Saints indeed did experience.

This also seems to be the word’s intent in 2 Nephi 10:6, which, concerning the
Jews, states “because of their iniquities, destructions, famines, pestilences,
and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be
scattered among all nations.” Again, the usual definition of “pestilence” does
not seem to apply in this verse, but the idea of some type of far-reaching
devastation certainly does. When Nephi, the son of Helaman, smote the earth in
his area with “pestilence” (Helaman 10:6), it manifested itself as a very deep,
long-lasting famine.

Thus, it would seem that the word “pestilence,” in Joseph Smith’s usage,
described cataclysms that are both pernicious and far reaching in nature and
brought about due to deep wickedness. They could be brought about by natural
phenomena, climate change, insects, pests, or other means, but in the Book of
Mormon pestilence was allowed to spread when the Nephites refused to hear their
prophets and began to fight among themselves. This comports with John’s
conclusion, in Revelation, that pestilence comes when a large segment of society
falls away from God and his teachings.

We recall likewise the statement by Paul, found in 2 Timothy 3:1–5, that “in the
last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof.” The real shame and sorrow of the
danger and ruin that follows such lifestyles is that the prophesied horror need
not happen if members of society as a whole would just repent. And thus we can
understand the nature of these plagues and cataclysms.

The second way of appreciating how the Lord uses prophetic and apocalyptic
revelations is by understanding their purposes. That purpose is actually
twofold:

God’s first purpose in giving these prophecies is to keep His Saints and
faithful followers aware of the pace and direction of current events so that
they may know how to prepare. These warnings are often called “the signs of the
times.” According to Doctrine and Covenants 45:39: “It shall come to pass that
he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come,
even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.” Further, Doctrine and
Covenants 68:11 states, “Unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the
times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.” And finally, Doctrine and
Covenants 106:4–5 states that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and it
overtaketh the world as a thief in the night—Therefore, gird up your loins, that
you may be the children of light, and that day shall not overtake you as a
thief” (compare also 1 Thessalonians 5:2–5).

In all of these examples, the point is that neither the Second Coming nor the
events leading up to it are to take the Saints unprepared.

The second of the twofold purpose of these prophecies is to warn the nations.
The Lord states in Doctrine and Covenants 43:25 that He has called upon the
nations “by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by
mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings,
and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great
hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by
the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of
mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of
eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye
would not!”

This scripture lists the many ways and means through which God has reached out
repeatedly to his children. It shows that He has used both the carrot and the
stick. Unfortunately, as noted above, unrepentant wickedness will demand the use
of the stick. Therefore, the Lord states in Doctrine and Covenants 43:26,
“Behold, the day has come, when the cup of the wrath of mine indignation is
full.”

A very graphic description of those dire consequences can be in found in
Doctrine and Covenants 29:14–20. There the Lord speaks of both heavenly and
earthly signs, including the falling of stars, a great hail storm, and then
notes that, because people will not repent, “I the Lord God will send forth
flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants
thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon
them; And their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me;
and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their
sockets; And it shall come to pass that the beasts of the forest and the fowls
of the air shall devour them up.”

Here we see pestilence at its very worst, as a plague brought on through vermin
and insects, with these very nasty “flies” and maggots, whatever they may be,
doing their assigned work.

The Lord has revealed all this for a purpose: as a warning to the world and also
to his Church. To us, He has stated very clearly in Doctrine and Covenants
97:25–26, “Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have
commanded her. But if she observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I
will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with
pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire.”

Given the attitude, counsel, and instructions from leaders of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today, it appears the Church has successfully
dodged that bullet so far. Our leaders exude optimism and encouragement.
Reflecting this is a statement made by President Dallin H. Oaks on March 14,
2020. He stated, concerning our present distress, “This is not the end of the
world but merely a test. A trial run for the Second Coming if you
will—physically and spiritually. If you’ve been following the counsel from the
prophet about ministering, emergency preparedness, and at-home Church, you have
no need to fear, you passed the test.”

His statement does not mean that people don’t need to be careful and diligent.
Indeed, they must do all they can to be both prepared and protected. As Joseph
Smith explained “concerning the coming of the Son of Man, [that] it is a false
idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked will
suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly
escape;’ still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith;
yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by
reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So
that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed
because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject
to death.” (History of the Church 4:11; Joseph Smith Papers
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-c-1-2-november-1838-31-july-1842/149).

The persistent point is that the Saints are to be wise and should protect
themselves by being independent of all adverse influences and by following sound
procedures of spiritual and temporal preparation.

The work of the team of scholars who are preparing the BYU New Testament
Commentary volumes has made us very aware that there is no doubt that we all are
in for a rough time, but the righteous will be spared from the worst of it. My
hope and very optimistic outlook rests fundamentally on three scriptures.

The first is Amos 3:7, which states God will do nothing but He reveals His
intent to His servants the prophets.

The second is the encouragement found in Doctrine and Covenants 106:4–5, “the
coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and it overtaketh the world as a thief in the
night—Therefore, gird up your loins, that you may be the children of light, and
that day shall not overtake you as a thief.”

And, finally, the third comes from Doctrine and Covenants 38:30, “If ye are
prepared, ye shall not fear.”

Through prophesy, a merciful and generous Heavenly Father has shown His Saints
and all His children here on this earth who have ears inclined to hear, how He
can and will thus protect them in the last days from the plagues, pestilences,
and pests that certainly will appear.

Note: Michael Rhodes’s New Rendition of the Revelation of John the Apostle is
available free online here: https://byustudies.byu.edu/new-rendition/revelation

This entry was posted in Revelation, Richard D. Draper on July 8, 2020 by
Administrator.

NARRATIVE ATONEMENT THEOLOGY IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Julie M. Smith

Since each of the four New Testament Gospels contains an account of the
suffering and death of Jesus Christ, it is perplexing that they receive so
little attention in discussions of the Atonement: thinkers both ancient and
modern are more likely to turn to Leviticus, Isaiah, or Paul’s letters than they
are to the actual accounts of Jesus’s death. But the Gospels— particularly
Mark’s Gospel as the oldest canonized account of the life and death of Jesus
Christ—surely deserve attention when thinking about the concept of atonement.
Yet at the level of discourse,[1] Mark is almost silent on the meaning of
Jesus’s death: save a line here or there,[2] reasons for the death—and the
impact of that death on humanity—are barely mentioned in the text, and these
scant wisps of discourse-level atonement theology are inadequate to the
importance of the topic, especially since on the three occasions[3] when Jesus
predicts his suffering and death and shows their necessity, neither Jesus
himself nor Mark explains their meaning.

But that does not signify that Mark is barren ground for efforts to harvest
meaning from Jesus’s death. We just need to orient our gaze away from discourse
and toward narrative. In the last few decades, scholars have increasingly
examined Mark’s Gospel as a narrative, looking for ways in which his message is
conveyed through the stories that he tells about Jesus.[4] Recent research
emphasizing the origin of Mark’s Gospel as an oral performance designed for
storytelling[5] has further invigorated the idea that this text should be
interpreted with close attention to its narrative. One advantage of a narrative
approach is that it acknowledges that Mark is primarily a storyteller and not a
systematic theologian.

This essay applies a narrative focus specifically to the meaning of Jesus’s
death and seeks to identify narrative atonement theology in the Gospel of Mark.
Mark describes Jesus’s death quite briefly: “And Jesus cried with a loud voice,
and gave up the ghost” (Mark 15:37). But then Mark recounts three events that
take place immediately after Jesus dies. By looking closely at these three brief
stories, we will see how Mark uses each one to explain the meaning of Jesus’s
atoning death. And we will find that each story yields greater light when
refracted through the prism of Jesus’s baptism. Continue reading →

This entry was posted in Easter, Julie M. Smith, Mark on March 29, 2020 by
Administrator.

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