INTERPRETER§ A Journal of Mormon Scripture Volume 28 • 2018 The Interpreter Foundation Orem, Utah The Interpreter Foundation Chairman and President Contributing Editors Daniel C. Peterson Robert S. Boylan John M. Butler Vice Presidents James E. Faulconer Jeffrey M. Bradshaw Kristine Wardle Frederickson Daniel Oswald Benjamin I. Huff Noel B. Reynolds Jennifer C. Lane Allen Wyatt David J. Larsen Donald W. Parry Executive Board Ugo A. Perego Kevin Christensen Stephen D. Ricks Steven T. Densley, Jr. G. Bruce Schaalje Brant A. Gardner Andrew C. Smith William J. Hamblin John A. Tvedtnes Jeff Lindsay Sidney B. Unrau Louis C. Midgley Stephen T. Whitlock George L. Mitton Lynne Hilton Wilson Gregory L. Smith Mark Alan Wright Tanya Spackman Ted Vaggalis Donor Relations Jann E. Campbell Board of Editors Matthew L. Bowen Treasurer David M. Calabro Kent Flack Craig L. Foster Taylor Halverson Production Editor & Designers Ralph C. Hancock Kelsey Fairbanks Avery Benjamin L. McGuire Timothy Guymon Tyler R. Moulton Alan Sikes Martin S. Tanner Bryan J. Thomas Gordon C. Thomasson A. Keith Thompson John S. Thompson Bruce F. Webster The Interpreter Foundation Editorial Consultants Media & Technology Merrie Kay Ames Sean Canny Starla Butler Scott Dunaway Kasen Christensen Richard Flygare Jolie Griffin Brad Haymond Don Norton Steve Metcalf Kaitlin Cooper Swift Tyler R. Moulton Stephen Swift Tom Pittman Jennifer Tonks Russell D. Richins Elizabeth Wyatt Alan Sikes S. Hales Swift Victor Worth © 2018 The Interpreter Foundation. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA. ISSN 2372-1227 (print) ISSN 2372-126X (online) The goal of The Interpreter Foundation is to increase understanding of scripture through careful scholarly investigation and analysis of the insights provided by a wide range of ancillary disciplines, including language, history, archaeology, literature, culture, ethnohistory, art, geography, law, politics, philosophy, etc. Interpreter will also publish articles advocating the authenticity and historicity of LDS scripture and the Restoration, along with scholarly responses to critics of the LDS faith. We hope to illuminate, by study and faith, the eternal spiritual message of the scriptures—that Jesus is the Christ. Although the Board fully supports the goals and teachings of the Church, The Interpreter Foundation is an independent entity and is neither owned, controlled by nor affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or with Brigham Young University. All research and opinions provided are the sole responsibility of their respective authors, and should not be interpreted as the opinions of the Board, nor as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice. This journal compiles weekly publications. Visit us online at MormonInterpreter.com You may subscribe to this journal at MormonInterpreter.com/annual-print-subscription Table of Contents The Word and the Kingdom...........................................................................vii Daniel C. Peterson The Possibility of Janus Parallelism in the Book of Mormon.......................1 Jeff Lindsay Not Just Sour Grapes: Jesus’s Interpretation of Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard.........................................................................................21 John Gee Celebrating the Work of John W. Welch.......................................................37 Steven T. Densley, Jr. Changing Critics’ Criticisms of Book of Mormon Changes.......................49 Brian C. Hales Playing to an Audience: A Review of Revelatory Events............................65 Kevin Christensen “Possess the Land in Peace”: Zeniff’s Ironic Wordplay on Shilom...........115 Matthew L. Bowen Through a Glass Darkly: Examining Church Finances.............................121 Larry T. Wimmer Unveiling Women’s Veils of Authority.........................................................133 Lynne Hilton Wilson “Swearing by Their Everlasting Maker”: Some Notes on Paanchi and Giddianhi........................................................155 Matthew L. Bowen Two Notes on the Language Used in the Last Supper Accounts...............171 Robert S. Boylan Is the Book of Mormon a Pseudo-Archaic Text?........................................177 Stanford Carmack The Status of Women in Old Testament Marriage....................................233 Noel B. Reynolds Easters: The Eternal Atoning Sacrifice Testifies of the Everlasting Redeeming Savior................................................................237 Alan C. Ashton Approaching Abinadi.....................................................................................257 Stephen O. Smoot Abinadi: A Minor Prophet, A Major Contributor.....................................261 Andrew C. Smith “Thou Art the Fruit of My Loins”: The Interrelated Symbolism and Meanings of the Names Joseph and Ephraim in Ancient Scripture.......................................................................273 Matthew L. Bowen and Loren Blake Spendlove Pressing Forward with the Book of Abraham............................................299 Stephen O. Smoot A Valuable Book for the Increasingly International Church...................309 Jeff Lindsay The Word and the Kingdom Daniel C. Peterson Abstract: Members of the Church have been charged since ancient times with the covenant need to share the Gospel message with those around them. In more recent times, this has been described as a need for “every member” to be a missionary. There are many ways that we can do so through the use of modern technology and the dedication of our talents. The “ministry of the word” beckons each of us onward. cts 6:4 describes the ancient Christian apostles as engaged, shortly Aafter the death and resurrection of Jesus, in the “ministry of the word [diakonia tou logou].”1 But, evidently, it wasn’t only the apostles who were so engaged. Acts 8:4 suggests that other early Christian disciples “went every where preaching the word [ton logon].” The New International Version (NIV) rendering of the passage puts it slightly differently, saying that those who had been scattered by early anti-Christian persecution that broke out in Jerusalem “preached the word wherever they went.” Since ancient Greek manuscripts lack capitalization in the sense that English uses it, there’s a possibility that when these scriptural passages describe the early apostles and other Christians as “preaching the word,” they’re referring to “the Word” — or, to express it another way, to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, whom John 1:1 terms “the Logos.” (Indeed, in one sense, that is inescapably and necessarily what they were doing.) I doubt very much, however, that the distinctively Johannine use of the Greek term logos is relevant here. Instead, I’m inclined to think that 1. Unless indicated otherwise, English biblical quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible. Acts 6:2 uses similar language to describe the apostles’ reluctance to abandon “the word of God” (ton logon tou theou) in order “to wait on tables” or “to serve tables” (diakonein trapezein). The noun diakonia and the infinitive verb diakonein are both related to the English word deacon. viii • Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 28 (2018) the text simply means they were out speaking with non-Christians about the message of Christianity — they were using words. In 1 Peter 4:10–11, the chief of the apostles (or someone writing on his behalf) counsels his early fellow-disciples in the following manner: As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak [lalei], let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister [diakonei], let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Perhaps, though, it might be helpful to see this same passage in more modern language. I turn, once again, to the NIV: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves [diakonei], they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Let’s look more closely at the sentence, “If anyone speaks [lalei], they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God [logia theou].” The NIV’s translation of logia theou as “the very words of God” is far superior to the King James rendering “as the oracles of God” — far less confusing, anyway, for modern readers. It makes clear that early Christians weren’t merely preaching the Word but that, unsurprisingly because unavoidably, they were communicating the Christian message in words. Let’s go just a little bit further, though. The word used in 1 Peter 4:11 for “speaking” is the Greek verb laleo or (in its infinitive form) lalein. It’s the same verb used, in its appropriate conjugation, for the religious teaching of Jesus at Matthew 12:46, for the Savior’s speaking in parables at Matthew 13:10, and for Paul’s preaching at 2 Corinthians 12:19.