W. Jeffrey Marsh
Plain and Precious Truths Restored - The Joseph Smith Translation and the Old Testament
D&C 138:53-56 The Rising Generation
- choice spirits
- reserved for this day
- taught before birth
- prepared to come forth
"You are the rising generation . . . " President GBH 14Feb1998
What is the JST
- Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol.2
- LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 717
It is not the official Bible of the Church. Revision started in 1830. Offers valuable aids to interpretatuon Witness of restoration & Joseph Smith's divine calling
D&C 21:1 JS - seer, translator, prophet, apostle. more revealed truth than any other prophet
"The Bible, A Sealed Book" Bruce R. McConkie
Why do we need the JST
- learning experience for Joseph Smith
- method used by the Lord to restore "all things" (Acts 3:19-21)
- restores "plain and precious" truths and covenants (1Ne 13)
- took three years (1830-1833)
- numerous revelations came as result
- primary source for D&C revelations
What does JST restore?
- confidence in the Bible
- scriptures that have been lost
- scriptures that were not recorded
- blessings yet to come
The addition of JST scriptures to our Bible was "the crowning achievement in the administration of Spencer W. Kimball" and will prepare a generation to be confident in declaring Jesus Christ.
Why don't we have all the JST
- was it ever finished? Yes and No. Joseph Smith did go from Genesis to Revelation in three years, but then revisited the work for the next 11 years.
- money and time and distraction of persecution
- the Saints' failure to respond to Joseph's plea or the means to publish
Do we need the JST?
- 2 Nephi 29:4, 6, 8, 10 - refers to JST
- Article of Faith 8 & 9
Reasons to use the JST
- it is scripture ("translated by power of God")
- part of the restoration
- has approval of Lord
- some of it has been canonized
- best Bible now existing
Verses changed:
| Additional revisions | 25 (Moses) |
| Old Testament | 1289 |
| New Testament | 2096 |
| Total verses: | 3410 |
Footnotes
| Almost 700 verses | (footnotes and appendix) |
| 356 verses | (Book of Moses) |
| 55 verses | (Joseph Smith - Matthew) |
| 1111 | total verses |
Why don't we have all?
- space limitations
- instructions to the First Presidency
- RLDS Church owns manuscript
Help received from JST translation?
Book of Moses
- Godhead & Satan
- Premortal existence
- Gospel taught to Adam & Eve
- Adam & Eve had children, grandchildren
- Sacred records kept by Adam
- Gospel continued through dispensations
- Early patriarchs lives and teachings
- Enoch's ministry
- Melchizedek's ministry
- Noah's ministry and mission
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