In addition to the excellent materials in the lesson manual, these chapters contain some teachings that are especially pertinent to our day.
In recent years, certain LDS scholars have "interpreted" the text of the Book of Mormon to be a mysterious transmission of a text that originated in the 1500s (the "Early Modern English" theory, or EME). They claim Joseph did not translate the plates, but merely read words that appeared on a seer stone he put into a hat, which acted as a sort of supernatural teleprompter.
Certain scholars claim Joseph didn't even use the plates; instead, the plates stayed under a cloth during the translation.
Compare that with what Jacob said about the importance of the plates:
1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
(Jacob 4:1–3)
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This week's lesson begins with this statement: "The Nephites considered Nephi their “great protector” (Jacob 1:10)."
The term "protector" is a non-biblical Book of Mormon term unique to Jacob, who used it twice, once in Jacob and once in 2 Nephi 6, here:
1 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi:
2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
Jonathan Edwards used the term over 30 times, including the phrase "great protector" twice. In Prophecies of the Messiah, Edwards wrote:
What other great person that was to arise in Israel in after ages, could there be more worthy of such a name, than that great king so often spoken of in other prophecies as the greatest king of Israel, their greatest deliverer and redeemer, captain and protector , the grand instrument of their good and minister of divine blessings to them, spoken of all along and revealed by God as the grand promise to that people from the first calling of Abraham to that time; that is called God's elect, in whom his soul delights, Is. 42:1
When read with this context, Joseph's translation of Jacob's writings invokes a Messianic comparison.
Jacob also explained that because Nephi was a "great protector," the people wanted to "retain in remembrance" his name. This is another non-biblical phrase also used by Jonathan Edwards.
10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—
11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name.
(Jacob 1:10–11)
In recent years, certain LDS scholars have "interpreted" the text of the Book of Mormon to be a mysterious transmission of a text that originated in the 1500s (the "Early Modern English" theory, or EME). They claim Joseph did not translate the plates, but merely read words that appeared on a seer stone he put into a hat, which acted as a sort of supernatural teleprompter.
Certain scholars claim Joseph didn't even use the plates; instead, the plates stayed under a cloth during the translation.
Compare that with what Jacob said about the importance of the plates:
1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
(Jacob 4:1–3)
This week's lesson begins with this statement: "The Nephites considered Nephi their “great protector” (Jacob 1:10)."
The term "protector" is a non-biblical Book of Mormon term unique to Jacob, who used it twice, once in Jacob and once in 2 Nephi 6, here:
1 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi:
2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
Jonathan Edwards used the term over 30 times, including the phrase "great protector" twice. In Prophecies of the Messiah, Edwards wrote:
What other great person that was to arise in Israel in after ages, could there be more worthy of such a name, than that great king so often spoken of in other prophecies as the greatest king of Israel, their greatest deliverer and redeemer, captain and protector , the grand instrument of their good and minister of divine blessings to them, spoken of all along and revealed by God as the grand promise to that people from the first calling of Abraham to that time; that is called God's elect, in whom his soul delights, Is. 42:1
When read with this context, Joseph's translation of Jacob's writings invokes a Messianic comparison.
Jacob also explained that because Nephi was a "great protector," the people wanted to "retain in remembrance" his name. This is another non-biblical phrase also used by Jonathan Edwards.
10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—
11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name.
(Jacob 1:10–11)
In the Life of David Brainerd, Edwards wrote, "May God in infinite mercy grant that we may ever retain a proper remembrance of these things, and make a due improvement of the advantages we have had in these respects!"
Understanding that Joseph Smith translated the plates, using vocabulary and concepts familiar to him through reading the works of Jonathan Edwards and others, helps us better understand the text.
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