Scriptures

Dear Gramps, There are various references in the Bible to the lineage of Abraham--House of Israel, Family of Jacob, House of David, Israel, etc. Why is there not more consistency? It seems to me that there are distinctions, otherwise why the variety of terms? For example, the Lineage of Abraham would include Esau and his descendants--am I making this clear? s/Mary Jane (Erie, PA).

P.S. Thanks for the answer to the lost ten tribes. I’m looking forward to going over it in more detail. [answer]

Dear Gramps, In the LDS version of the King James Bible, there is listed at the end of the different books, the supposed author - these authors do not conform to LDS beliefs. Example: Paul wrote the book of Hebrews as stated by Joseph Smith (see Bible Dic.) Yet, at the end of Hebrews it states that Timothy wrote the book. Are these listed authors just part of the King James manuscript? Or is there some other reason they are listed? Doug [answer]

Dear Brother Gorton, This past Sunday I taught Gospel Doctrine Lesson #38 where we learn that Paul apparently yields to the pleadings of his brethren and goes to the temple to participate in the prescribed ceremony for personal cleansing as a show of support for the Law of Moses in order to placate his detractors. I have two questions related to this incident; why do you suppose Paul would subject himself to the obvious dangers of being in the temple, knowing of the potential for violence the Jews were capable of, and why would he participate in a ritual so clearly associated with the Mosaic traditions he was so fervently teaching were no longer correct or acceptable to The Master? Your thoughts, please. Kind regards, Richard [answer]

Dear Gramps, This is my second time sending you this question, and either last time I did this wrong, or you couldn't answer. So I am writing again. This is something that has really been bothering me for a long time. About four months ago I started talking to a friend of mine that is an ex-Mormon. He was raised in the church and then at 17 became inactive and is now a very strong Christian. I asked him one time why he left the church and why he no longer believes it. As our conversations got more in depth, he told me about something he had learned about the Papyrus used by Joseph Smith that the Book of Abraham comes from. He has all kinds of books and other things that tell the story that the Papyrus was recovered some years ago, that the church even recognized them as being the original ones used by Joseph Smith. When they were sent to BYU to be translated again, the translations came to be about some Egyptian thing, with no mention of Abraham at all. The man that translated them sent the translations to the first presidency, with a letter asking to be removed from the church records. And then the church denied that those Papyrus were the right ones. What do you make of this story? And there is so much evidence that this happened that I don’t believe that it is just some anti-Mormon story. Please tell me what you know about this and what you make of it. I would really like to know what to say to my friend. Thanks. HNK [answer]

Dear Gramps, In 1 Timothy 2:11-12 it states "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection" and "But I suffer not a woman to preach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence".

In our Ward there are two young women who take strong issue with the idea that women are to let men be in the majority. I believe they are harkening to the modern ideas of some women that women are equal in every way and in some instances, perhaps are superior. Can you shed some light and understanding for them so as to help them understand what this really means? Thanks... Sam [answer]

Dear Gramps, A very dear friend of mine told me a story that she believes to be fact. The story goes like this. The (older version) of The Pearl of Great Price told about nine-foot tall giants that lived on our moon. When the astronauts went to the moon and found no living thing on the moon the Mormons had to change the book. The church sent out their missionaries from all over the world to every bookstore, library and any place there was a copy of The Pearl of Great Price. The missionaries replaced all of the books with a new version that didn’t mention the nine-foot tall giants that lived on the moon. That way no one would be able to read about the giants and tell Mormons their book was wrong.

What I would like to know is, is this a local story, or was that the belief of all “Fundamentalist Baptists?” How could anyone, regardless of religion, believe a story as silly as this? Have you ever heard anything similar to this story? Thank you very much. Bob [answer]

Dear Gramps, I teach the Young Single Adults in Sunday School. Last week, a nanny from Norway asked about Ezekiel 1:4 and whether he saw a UFO. It states “And I looked, and, behold a whirlwind came out the north, a great cloud and a fire unfolding itself, and a brightness was about it ...” Ezekiel goes on to describe a strange craft descending from the sky, noting its resemblance to a spinning wheel and mentioning that it is piloted by a powerful looking being. What is the Church's take on whether Ezekiel was visiting by beings in a UFO? Thank you, Brad Thomson [answer]

Dear Gramps, I have a further question, this time concerning Joseph Smith. In the earlier versions of the Doctrine and Covenants Joseph Smith is referred to by the name "Barak Ale". What is the significance of this name? Is it in any way related to his pre-mortal identity? We know a little bit about the pre-mortal identity and role of other prominent figures such as Gabriel, do you have any ideas concerning the pre-mortal identity and role of Joseph Smith? Thanks. John Campbell [answer]

Dear Gramps, I have just recently discovered Mormontown.com and I especially enjoy the questions posed to you and the answers given. I have a question: In Moses 1 where the Lord talks face to face with Moses and gives some explanation regarding the creation, he says in 1:33 & 34, “And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.”

While I know that the Lord also then told Moses that “.... only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you...” etc. I think it impossible for us not to wonder about those ‘other worlds’ and what hand the Lord played in their creation.

Since they were created by his Son, the only begotten, did the Son have a similar role in their creations as he has with planet earth? Was he a Savior to those inhabitants also? Did he go through the process of mortal birth, teaching, crucifixion and resurrection or similar pattern as he did on earth?

I would like your answer to these questions and the views of Church Doctrine regarding them. Sincerely Gene, Springville, Utah [answer]

Dear Gramps, I stumbled on your site this evening and love it! I am feeling a bit dumb, but since all questions are good...where is the best place to start with scripture study? I’ve been a member all my life and have only recently really wanted to have that influence in my life but I am struggling with what scripture study is and how to do it!!! Please help! Laura [answer]

Gramps, Who wrote the chapter headings in the Scriptures? Bruce R McConkie? What is the history of the development of the 1981 LDS Scriptures? Also, how do you define the difference between the Index and the Topical Guide? They seem so similar to me. Thanks so much. Jenn [answer]

Dear Gramps, Some time ago I was reading 2 Nephi chapter 2 purely because it is one of my favorite chapters. When I reached the verse about Adam & Eve having no children before the fall, I had one of those moments that I can only describe as the cartoon scientist who suddenly has a light bulb appear over his head and he shouts “Eureka.” Into my mind came the words “Adam and Eve could have no children before the fall because of the law of opposition; they could not bring life into the world until they had also brought its opposite ‘death’ into the world.”

I know that I have never read such a thing, but wondered if such an idea is written or mentioned anywhere else. Thanks for your time. David [answer]

Gramps, Where can I find out what happened to the golden plates when Joseph Smith finished the translation of the “Book of Mormon”? Is there anything that directly states what happened to them? Thank you, Jack, from California [answer]

Gramps, Some time ago I heard a story (I don’t know where or if it is even true) about when some modern day church leaders were at the Hill Cumorah and found a cavern with many records in it. The first time they saw it the sword of Laban lay on a table in its sheath and then the second time they saw it the sword was on the table unsheathed. I have also noticed that the sword of Laban was passed down through all the Book of Mormon prophets and when Joseph got the plates it was there too. My question is, what is the significance of the sword of Laban -- is there any? Also, did that story really happen and do you know where I can find it if it did? Janice [answer]

Dear Gramps, My dad, a non-member, loves to bring this issue up whenever we get to talking about religion. He said that years ago (that may mean anywhere from 10 to 40 years ago) he’d read an article or had seen a news program that said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would, on a certain date of some anniversary, bring forth the gold plates to prove that Joseph Smith had actually received them. And when this date came, Church officials “apparently” said, “Well, gee, we don’t have them.” My dad claims to recall a big uproar in the media and the public over this. It is my understanding that Moroni took the plates back after the Book of Mormon was translated, and I’m glad he did. I would hate to see evil people get their hands on those plates to destroy them or alter them. Is there any evidence at all that the church made a claim to reveal the plates? Was there ever an occasion that the church made a claim to produce something to the public, and then didn’t? I have a hard time believing this, since my dad can’t remember anything in any kind of detail, and also because he so often likes to point out how this church can’t possibly be true. I know it is, and that’s all that matters. Nothing my dad says can ever change the truth! Thanks for looking into this! Pam, from BC, Canada [answer]

Dear Gramps, This is in reference to the tribes of Israel. Most members of the church seem to be from either Ephraim or Manasseh, in my patriarchal blessing I was told I was from the tribe of Benjamin. That wasn’t one of the 10 lost tribes was it? What does it mean? Thank you for any information you can give me. Lori, Oklahoma [answer]

Gramps, All during the Book of Mormon, there is continuous warfare. Right from the beginning, with Nephi and Laman and Lemuel’s grandkids. It always says a few years with peace then years with wars- actually saying how many of thousands died in the separate wars. I don’t see how so many people could have come from Lehi’s small colony. It seems that they should have died out sooner, or there would be less people to actually engage in the wars. It is my opinion, although Mormon doesn’t say it , that the Nephites, Lamanites, Mulekites mingled with other groups of people who came later, or were already here. i.e., 1 year war, 20,000 died 60 BC, then 2 years later, another war, another 15,000 people died. Thanks for your time, Rog, CA. [answer]

Gramps, Why could Mary Magdalene NOT touch Christ at the tomb? My husband’s priesthood quorum got way off track last week and he asked me (he figures because I teach Gospel Essentials and sometimes Gospel Doctrine I should know, but…) well, I’m hoping you do? Thanks. Nancy [answer]

Greetings Gramps, It is 12:30 a.m so this will be short and crude; I just stumbled onto the site Mormontown, looked around a few minutes and found it quite interesting. I found myself searching for any commentary or discussion on the Word of Wisdom and came across your lesson discussion, found it very interesting -- thank you. My question relates to the statement (new to me by the way) about the "spurious" comma between 'used' and 'only'. That does seem to change the intended meaning somewhat -- sorry for rambling -- like I said, it's 12:30 am.

My question is -- what do you make of the verse in the Joseph Smith translation of Genesis that says "and the blood of every animal will I require at your hand."? Also, I believe that in D&C 49 some place it says something about pleasing God by only using meat "to save your life."

Thank you for letting me ramble -- any insight or provocative comment would be most appreciated. Thanks again Guy Hendriksen, South Jordan, Utah [answer]

Hi, Why is the name of our Savior written and transliterated from the Hebrew Scriptures as “YAHWEH.” What is the connection to Jesus and Yashua? I understand that there is a great importance in a name. My understanding is that the “J” sound was part of the Greek alphabet. That at the time the scriptures were written, and the Father told Moses the Name to take back to the people, Hebrew was the language used. Why has the name changed? Doesn’t Yahweh have significance towards the word Father, and Yashua as Son and Savior? I am presently reading 3rd Nephi. I mean no harm to the LDS Church, for I have loved ones in the Castle Rock Ward and respect Bishop Davis and the Council. My research has been part of a long journey and I only need know that my family and I are on the right path. Sincerely, W.R.T., from Washington State [answer]