The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar
Reviewed By Kerry A. Shirts
John Tvetdnes’ new book The Most Correct Book," Cornerstone Publishers, 1999, 367 pages, works with issues of the Book of Mormon. This is a very handy and easy book to read, yet profound in its discussions on the Book of Mormon. Most of the chapters are a few pages, each independent on their own so you don’t have to read it from the beginning. You can pick and choose which chapters you want to read and enjoy. Bro. Tvedtnes ranges from the ideas of Mormon being the editor of the Book of Mormon to who the Gentiles are in the Book of Mormon. You can read about the relationship of Satan to man and God, the plan of salvation, baptism to warfare. His chapter on Lehi being a caravaneer and metal worker is exquisite, and printed here for the first time, though his paper has been available through FARMS. The internal consistency is another chapter that I thoroughly enjoyed as that angle of study in the Book of Mormon has in recent years gathered steam as well. I personally enjoyed his chapter on the Messiah in the Book of Mormon and Dead Sea Scrolls. Here are insights that are truly incredible. This essay reminded me very strongly of Florentino Garcia Martinez’s article "Messianic Hopes in the Qumran Writings," in Donald W. Parry and Dana M. Pike (eds.) LDS Perspectives on the Dead Sea Scrolls, FARMS 1997.
Tvedtnes notes that newly released Dead Sea Scroll fragments identify the Messiah as the Son of God, who is involved, not only with healing but with resurrection of the dead as well. Book of Mormon themes of the Messiah here are exactly the same. It is known that Jewish and Christian writings and peoples have different conceptions of the Messiah, who he is or will be, and what he will do.
The Book of Mormon stands strongly on this issue thanks now also to the Dead Sea Scroll fragments coming to light. This Pre-Messianic aspect in the Book of Mormon was one of the most criticized elements of the book at one time. Tvedtnes points out (p. 335) that Lehi in the Book of Mormon uses the term "holy messiah", which is not in the Bible, yet is found in the Dead Sea Scrolls IQ30. He also notes concerning the Messiah that "All of the elements found in the Dead Sea Scrolls are also found in the Book of Mormon." (p. 334). "Nephi wrote of the meek, the poor, and of rejoicing, a;; concepts found in the Messianic Apocalypse 2.4, 6, 13." (p. 336). In King Benjamin’s discourse on the Messiah, the Book of Mormon has him saying "hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also the name by which he shall call you" (Mosiah 5:12). Tvedtnes notes that parallel with the Messianic Apocalypse 2.5, "in which the Lord calls the just "by name" is striking." (p. 339).
One point I have noticed in the scrolls, not discussed by Tvedtnes, is the world of spirits in the scrolls, even to the point, according to one scroll scholar, of saying "the primary meaning of the word ‘spirit’ in the Old Testament as the energy or power of God… it is natural enough to summarize his being as Spirit… God is spirit (John 4:24) where, however, the meaning is probably correctly paraphrased by ‘God is of the realm of spirit, not of this world.’" (A. R. C. Leaney, "The Johannine Paraclete and the Qumran Scrolls," in James H. Charlesworth, ed., John and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Christian Origins Library, reprint, 1991: 49. This is precisely how the Book of Mormon indicates that God is the "Great Spirit" at Alma 22:9-10, where He is the power and energy of creation. There is much to learn from Bro. Tvedtnes’ book, which I highly recommend reading.
Tvedtnes notes that the concept of hiding records written on metal plates is no longer a bogus issue against the Book of Mormon either. From the bronze tablet in the 14th century B.C. to the silver and lead plates with Hittite inscriptions, this has become a standard pattern of ancient recording. The burying them in stone boxes motif is a genuine one as well. (see pp. 26f).
Another intriguing insight Tvedtnes brings out is the slaying of Laban. This is the one episode which is tantamount to proof of the BofM’s falseness. Critics claim God does not teach to kill. Consider then, the Biblical story of Moses killing the Egyptian. One ancient source, the Abot de Rabbi Nathan 20 says Moses summoned a court of ministering angels and asked them if he should kill the Egyptian, and they said "kill him." This same story is told in the Midrash Rabbah Exodus 1:29, which notes that Moses perceived that no righteous man could descend from this wicked Egyptian, so the court of angels order was obeyed. Cf. This with the explanation of the killing of Laban, and we have the same thing. "The Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. "The fact that the rabbis attributed to Moses’ actions to a heavenly commandment, just as Nephi attributed his actions to the voice of the Spirit (1 Ne. 4: 10-13), lends further support to Welch’s study and to the Book of Mormon account." (Tvedtnes, p. 112). [Welchs study on the slaying of Laban shows the legal ramifications of the slaying of Laban].
There is much here that is instructional and useful for good students of the Book of Mormon. With fresh insights like this coming in so readily and through the years, it is a marvel to behold. Were the Book of Mormon phony, I can’t help but believe that these types of ideas and insights into ancient cultures would have shriveled up and dried long ago. The more that is found, the more the Book of Mormon fits an ancient setting. Tvedtnes’ book is marvelous to read for this approach.