Audio podcast of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

This is Scripture Roundtable 35 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #31, "Sealed … for Time and for All Eternity," focusing on D&C 131, and 132. Continue reading →

Following the account of the ministry of Christ among the Nephites as recorded in the Book of Mormon, Christ gave a charge to His New World disciples (Mormon 9:22–25). These words are very similar to the commission of Christ to His apostles at the end of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:9–20). According to the consensus of modern Bible scholars, Christ did not speak those words; they are a later addition. If so, this is a problem for the Book of Mormon. Fortunately, recent modern scholarship offers compelling reasons for overturning the old consensus against the longer ending of Mark. Some of the factors from modern scholarship that indirectly help overcome a potentially serious objection to and apparent weakness in the Book of Mormon also help us better appreciate its strength as we explore unifying themes derived from an ancient Jewish perspective. In this Part 1 of a two-part series, we look at the evidence for the unity of Mark and the plausibility of Mormon 9:22–25. In Part 2 we examine further Book of Mormon implications from the thematic evidence for the unity of Mark. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 34 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #30, "The Prisoners Shall Go Free," focusing on D&C 2, 124, 127, 128, and Joseph Smith-History. Continue reading →

Royal Skousen’s Book of Mormon Critical Text Project has proposed many hundreds of changes to the text of the Book of Mormon. A subset of these changes does not come from definitive evidence found in the manuscripts or printed editions but are conjectural emendations. In this paper, I examine one of these proposed changes — the merging of two dissenting Nephite groups, the Amlicites and the Amalekites. Carefully examining the timeline and geography of these groups shows logical problems with their being the same people. This paper argues that they are, indeed, separate groups and explores a plausible explanation for the missing origins of the Amalekites. Continue reading →

We do not have the Book of Mormon metal plates available to us. We cannot heft them, examine the engravings, or handle the leaves of that ancient record as did the Three Witnesses, the Eight Witnesses, and the many other witnesses to both the existence and nature of the plates. In such a situation, what more can we learn about the physical nature of the plates without their being present for our inspection? Building on available knowledge, this article estimates the total surface area of the plates using two independent approaches and finds that the likely surface area was probably between 30 and 86 square feet, or roughly 15% of the surface area of the paper on which the English version of the Book of Mormon is now printed. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 33 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #29, "Building the Kingdom of God in Nauvoo, Illinois," focusing on D&C 124, and 126. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 32 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #28, "O God, Where Art Thou?," focusing on D&C 121, 122, and 123. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 31 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #27, "They Must Needs Be Chastened and Tried, Even as Abraham," focusing on D&C 101, 103, and 105. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 30 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #26, "Go Ye into All the World, and Preach My Gospel," focusing on D&C 42, 88, and 142. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 29 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #25, "Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness," focusing on D&C 84, 121, and 107. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 28 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #24, "Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness," focusing on D&C 26, 28, 43, 50, and 52. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 27 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #23, "Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith," focusing on D&C 88. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 26 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #22, "The Word of Wisdom: 'A Principle with Promise,'" focusing on D&C 89, and also some from 49, 59, and 88. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 25 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #21, "Looking Forth for the Great Day of the Lord to Come," focusing on D&C 29, 34, 45, 88, 101, and 133. Continue reading →

This is Scripture Roundtable 24 from The Interpreter Foundation, in which we discuss Doctrine & Covenants Gospel Doctrine Lesson #20, "The Kingdoms of Glory." Continue reading →