Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon among the Nephites, and the Joseph Smith Translation

[MarginOfError]

At the risk of invoking the wrath of Ben's muscles, I am going to post this response that I never got a chance to submit as I was diligently studying the texts while others worked to derail the thread beyond the point of recognition.

If we discount the first two verses of Matthew 5 (introductory verses) there are 46 verses in that chapter. Comparing these verses to the record of this same sermon among the Nephites yields the following results

• 11 verses show no difference
• 30 verses show a difference in words, but the message of the verse is perfectly identical
• 2 verses do not appear in 3 Nephi (two verses that expand on loving your neighbors and your enemies
• In 1 verse, Christ refers to himself as perfect (he does not call himself perfect in Matthew)
• Two verses are altered by the Joseph Smith Translation

I proceeded to compare Matthew 6 and 7 with 3 Nephi 13 and 14, respectively, but did not record notes and numbers as it was rather tedious. The verses were very similar, and never in one instance did the message being taught change. Words would change, but not the principle being taught.

Now let us move on to comparing the JST with the other accounts.

• Matthew 5:19 (JST 5:21) -- there is no real difference in these accounts as far as the message is concerned. The JST expands on words such as "least" and "greatest", describing them as "not saved" and "saved", respectively. This part does not appear in 3 Nephi at all. In Matthew, verses 19-20 make reference to the scribes and Pharisees. In Nephi, these groups did not exist and there would be no need for this reference. The description would be meaningless to the Nephites. The Nephite version commands the people to come to Christ and be saved. Ultimately, the message in unchanged.
• Matthew 5:30 (JST 5:34) -- Christ explains that the offending right eye was a parable. The parable wasn't given to the Nephites, and so there was no need to explain it. The Nephites were told to "deny themselves [of wicked] things." Again, the message is unchanged.
• Matthew 5:48 (JST 5:50) -- JST becomes "Ye are therefore commanded to be perfect." Not much difference. In Nephite version, Christ declares himself perfect also.
• Matthew 6:1 (JST 6:1) -- adds, "and it came to pass that, as Jesus taught his disciples, he said unto them."
• Matthew 6:13 (JST 6:14) -- JST adds "suffer us not to be led into temptation." Nephite record has the original "lead us not into temptation." The message is commonly understood to be the same.
• Matthew 6:22 (JST 6:22) -- adds "eye single tot he glory of God." No change in meaning.
• Matthew 6:25 (JST 6:25-27) In the Nephite record, these verses are directed to the Twelve. In the JST, Christ expands on his discussion about not worrying about temporal needs when preaching the gospel. The messages are, again, identical.
• Matthew 6:30 (JST 6:30) -- No difference in message between the three records
• Matthew 6:33 (JST 6:33) -- Again, words are different, but the message is identical
• Matthew 7:1 (JST 7:1) -- JST adds "judge not unrighteously"
• Matthew 7:3 (JST 7:4-8) -- Christ gives the disciples instructions to go to the scribes and Pharisees. This does not appear in the Nephite record, but there were no scribes or Pharisees in the Americas.
• Matthew 7:6 (JST 7:9-11) -- A call to repentance is added in the JST. Christ explains more about not casting pearls before swing. In the Nephite culture, the wicked had already been destroyed. There wasn't a need to explain more about pearls and swine because there weren't very many swine.
• Matthew 7:7 (JST 7:12-17) -- JST adds a question asked by the disciples in Jerusalem. The Nephite disciples didn't ask an additional question, apparently.
• Matthew 7:21 (JST 7:31) -- JST adds "that day soon cometh"
• Matthew 7:28 (JST 7:36) -- JST adds that these sayings were with the disciples and makes reference to and description of the crowds in Israel.
• Matthew 7:29 (JST 7:37) -- JST adds that Christ had authority of God and not of the scribes and Pharisees. No need to refer to scribes and pharisees with the Nephites

So, after looking at these more closely than ever before, I still can't make out how this casts a shadow on Joseph Smith's prophetic calling. As far as I can see, his translations consistently reflect a similar message to two different groups at two times. Each translation takes into consideration cultural, political, and historical elements consistent with the record. Both are doctrinally similar. When read in their entirety--when not looking at the differences in individual words--the messages are identical.

I have to thank you for providing this challenge. My testimony of Smith's calling as a prophet received a big boost from this.

[Dr T]

or copied word for word

[Connie]

MOE, you are my hero!

[pam]

MOE, you are my hero!

Now you've done it. Mrs Moe and baby Moe will never see him again as he will be stuck in his office because his head is too big to get through the door.

[applepansy]

I'm impressed. Thank you Moe.

[ldslesson]

or copied word for word

It is funny because there are always multiple ways to see something. Those with faith see this is as a faith promoting situation because you can see that the doctrine tht Christ teaches is the same everywhere and of course he would tell different groups of people the same thing. Those without faith would say that Joseph was simply copying. I still don't know how you explain the other hundreds of pages of the Book of Mormon. As Ezra Taft Benson said, "We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial—the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ."

Dr. T, you and I are on trial as to what we will do with the word of Christ. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I hope I pass the trial, and I hope you will too.

[Justice]

Without trying to be a spoil-sport, because I do believe that what MoE said is true. The same basic doctrines are being taught in both accounts of these sermons, even all 3 if you include the JST.

But, there are slight differences between the one given before the Atonement and the one given after. Yes, they teach the same doctrines, but with a different perspective of the Atonement having been complete. It's interesting to lay the 2 side-by-side and look for just those differences.