Why wasn't JST finished by later prophets?

[rex8499]

My best friend, who's been investigating for awhile now, mostly just us chatting about what the church believes and him reading the BOM, posed this question to me, and I don't know the answer.

"Why didn't the later prophets after JS continue to create an accurate translation of the Bible and finish the JST? Why do we still use the KJV when we could have a more accurate version through modern revelation?"

I thought it was an excellent question. Anybody know?

[slamjet]

Because Christ, who is the head of the Church, didn't want it that way? And who's to say there still isn't more stuff to be had later on?

[Wingnut]

The text of the JST was retained by Emma Smith, and the copyright for it still remains with the Community of Christ today. The LDS Church doesn't have the rights to do it.

[rex8499]

Ah, interesting.

I'm at least enough aware of Emma Smith's history after JS's death to see the trouble with that being the case.

[Wingnut]

I'm pretty sure that's how it went. If Elphaba stumbles across this thread, she could certainly shed more light on it.

[pam]

If you ever want an answer to a Church History question, Elphaba is the one to ask.

[Suzie]

Professor Robert J. Matthews who was a known expert on this topic (and I believe was the key instrument/mediator between the Church and the COC to get a transcription of all the original papers in 2004) quoted on his book/papers/dissertations that JS felt he finished the translation of the Bible (by 1833) however he continued making corrections (however editing isn't the same as translating for me).

[Wingnut]

Now that I think more about it, I'm pretty sure that Joseph finished the JST. The LDS Church just doesn't own the copyright to print the whole thing. But you can find it pretty easily. I live in the Kirtland Stake, and I think I've seen it in the gift shop at the Kirtland Temple visitors' center (owned by CoC). Also, see here: Amazon.com: joseph smith translation

[Suzie]

Now that I think more about it, I'm pretty sure that Joseph finished the JST. The LDS Church just doesn't own the copyright to print the whole thing. But you can find it pretty easily. I live in the Kirtland Stake, and I think I've seen it in the gift shop at the Kirtland Temple visitors' center (owned by CoC). Also, see here: Amazon.com: joseph smith translation

I think the version they are selling right now is different from the original one (1867 and the copyright for that one expired). In any case, when Emma gave the manuscripts to the COC they made their own editing.

[UrbanFool]

I'm more comfortable with the KJV the way it is. People already think we're kooks, and if we had "our own" Bible like the Jehovah's Witnesses, we'd appear just that much more kooky.

[Elphaba]

Pam and Wing, I am very flattered at your faith in me, but I have to admit, I did not know about Emma and the JST.

I haven't been able to keep up with LDS history like I used to, and honestly, I think I have been passed up by a few people on the board. Suzie is one of them, and not only have I been impressed with her grasp of the subject more than once, I've learned some things I did not prevously know, and have gained a better understanding of some I did.

So, if you don't mind, I'd like to pass my torch on to her. She obviously is passionate about it, and you'll all be in very good hands. :)

I did find this at FAIR, but only by doing a search. It wasn't something about which I had any prior knowledge.

Elph

Edited April 21, 2011 by Elphaba

[Suzie]

I haven't been able to keep up with LDS history like I used to, and honestly, I think I have been passed up by a few people on the board. Suzie is one of them, and not only have I been impressed with her grasp of the subject more than once, I've learned some things I did not prevously know, and have gained a better understanding of some I did.

So, if you don't mind, I'd like to pass my torch on to her. She obviously is passionate about it, and you'll all be in very good hands. :)

Oh wow, I am very, very flattered! (coming from you specially) Thanks for your kind words Elphaba. :) There is no need for passing the torch, we are all here to learn and share knowledge with each other, not so? :)

Have an amazing Easter weekend!

Suz

[Guest saintish]

perhaps (this is me thinking out loud) it was better for us to not have the most accurate version in exchange for some mainstream credibility by using the KJV. As has already been mentioned many people already think we have a "mormon bible" how more confusing would it be if we actually had a mormon version of the bible with the book of mormon.

also, some one can correct me if i am wrong, I believe the sections of the JST included in our scriptures are the only sections that are different from the KJV. I do know that the book of moses is the book of genesis in the JSV of the bible

[rex8499]

People already think we're kooks, and if we had "our own" Bible like the Jehovah's Witnesses, we'd appear just that much more kooky.

I'd had that same thought as well.

Thanks everyone for the informative answers.

[miztrniceguy]

Hmmm....Doesn't Gospel Link 2000 have all of it? I seem to remember seeing it, tho I haven't reinstalled it after my last 3 windows Installs. I still have the disk.

[Obolus]

It kind of blows me away that the Lord revealed it, Smith did it, and we only utilize chunks of it. The guy wanted to publish the JST and the BoM together in one volume, and we bury it in the footnotes and appendices like it's an embarrassment.

Our fear of appearing "kooky" might grease the wheels for some cultural baptisms, but that sort of bait and switch is a strange conceit when you think about it. I think the truth is a) the mainstream church was at odds with the holders of the copyright (RLDS) for over 100 years, and b) that our culture is still acutely desperate to fit in with the rest of the Christian world.

The other problem it creates is that our current scriptures are more than a little confusing to many of our youth. When you gift a quad to a 12-year-old, how can they not be overwhelmed by all the Talmage footnotes and cross references? The JST merely serves as an added confusion to many of our teens. Why can't we just give them a cheap, clear, unapologetic version of the scriptures with no footnotes that they can easily read until they are ready for more scholarship?

If you want to see miracles, try giving young people a version that has a blank space at the bottom for them to make their own footnotes. Tons of kids would make great use of such an opportunity.