Return to Scriptures.
- "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
- Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith", pp. 59-60
- It is clear that the ancients must have had more knowledge of the Gospel than the Bible directly intimates. Consequently, not all revelation is contained in the Bible.
- Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith", p. 69
- Referring to the desolation of abominations, Joseph Smith stated:
- "Then, if this is the case, and if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love of the Bible, we must fall."
- Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith", pp. 119-120
- "'Do you believe the Bible?'
- If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do.
- 'Wherein do you differ from other sects?'
- In that we believe the Bible, and all other sects profess to believe their interpretation of the Bible, and their creeds."
- "The doctors (I mean doctors of law, not physic) say, “If you preach anything not according to the Bible, we will cry treason.” How can we escape the damnation of hell, except God be with us and reveal to us? Men bind us with chains. The Latin says Jacobus, which means Jacob; the Hebrew says Jacob, the Greek says Jacob and the German says Jacob, here we have the testimony of four against one. I thank God that I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I have got the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have all the four Testaments. Come here, ye learned men, and read, if you can. I should not have introduced this testimony, were it not to back up the word rosh—the head, the Father of the Gods. I should not have brought it up, only to show that I am right."
Linguistic Issues
Underlying Language
There are numerous linguistic traditions underlying the Bible including:
Sometimes, the linguistic traditions are especially layered. I'm currently most interested in Hebrew, so I will be developing out that content most particularly.
English Translation
These will mostly relate to the English of the King James Version of the Bible. There are really enough of these that it will probably become its own page, but for now, I'm gathering notes here.
General
- Hell - Generally a translation of the Hebrew, "Sheol", (at least, in the Old Testament) which is usually thought of as being a general abode of the dead. In LDS thought, we often think of this as the Spirit World. However, sometimes it might be better rendered as "the grave" or even just "death". It is not, generally, indicative of torment, except, possibly, for some subset of those who are there.
- Know/Knowledge - As a Hebrew concept, the primary meaning is not intellectual. The primary meaning that of discernment or experience.[1]
- Meet - In King James English, the word "meet" meant "suitable" or "fitting". A "helpmeet" is not a thing. It is instead a rather negative meme signaling the profound ignorance of the speaker in regards to the Bible. It is as silly as taking the "fruit meet for repentance" of Alma 13:13 and concocting the word "fruitmeet".
- Prevent - Does not mean to "deter" or "stop", but rather, to "anticipate" or, to "go before", "precede".
- Thee/Thou/Thy - These are NOT familiar second person pronouns. These are NOT honorific second person pronouns. These ARE merely singular second person pronouns.
- Ye/You/Your - These are NOT familiar second person pronouns. These are NOT honorific second person pronouns. These ARE merely plural second person pronouns.
Feelings Words
There are many concepts in Hebrew which we often think of as referring to internal psychological states, especially as they are translated, but, in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, these words are usually phenomenological in nature rather than truly psychological. These words refer more to what a person does than to what a person is really thinking and feeling.
- Love - Love is not just an adoring feeling, but instead, is more particularly the honoring of duties and responsibilities between two people.
- Hate - Hate, the opposite of love, is not just a feeling, but the act of neglecting one's responsibility to another, or abusing them.
- Faith - Often understood to refer to belief, but as James taught us, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Faith, in Jewish thought is not simply the belief that we have in God, but rather, the actions that are a manifestation of that belief. Faith is a motive force which leads to doing good, and taking action to bring ourselves closer to God, and if we are not found doing good, or actively reaching out to God to be healed, then we have no faith. "Thy faith hath made thee whole" is not an acknowledgement of an unseen belief that saved, but of the action taken, born of a belief in the true healing power of God.
Double-edged Swords
Many feeling words have both positive and negative translations, even though the word, in Hebrew was just one word.[2]
- Fear - The Hebrew word, Yir'ah, is sometimes translated "fear", but could also be translated as "respect". (eg. Psalm 55:5, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10)
- Pride - The Hebrew words, Ga'on and Ga'avah are often translated as "pride" or "arrogance". However, these same words, when used in a positive context, can be found translated as "excellency" or "majesty". (eg. Psalm 10:2, Psalm 68:34, Proverbs 16:18, Micah 5:4)
- Lust - The Hebrew word, Ta'avah, is sometimes rendered as "lust", "covetousness", or "greed". Other, more positive usages would render it as "desire". (eg. Deuteronomy 5:21, Psalm 132:13, Proverbs 11:23, Proverbs 21:26)
- Witchcraft - The Hebrew word, Qesem, is usually rendered as "divination", or "witchcraft", however, in more positive contexts, it can be translated as "an oracle" or "a divine decision". (eg. Deuteronomy 18:10, Proverbs 16:10, 1 Samuel 15:23)
- Mercy - The Hebrew word, Chesed, is sometimes rendered as "mercy", or "loving kindness", or "steadfast love", but can also be used to mean "disgrace", or "reproach". These meanings are very different, and it is generally understood that the general meaning is something like a strong emotion. (eg. Leviticus 20:17, Proverbs 14:34)
- Bless - The Hebrew word, L'vareikh, is usually used to mean "to bless", but is also sometimes used to mean "to curse". It is generally understood, in this case, that in the negative sense, the word is being used ironically; even euphemistically. (eg. Job 1:11)
Subtopics
Cross-References
References