Egyptian Temple, Hebrew Bible, and Book of Mormon

It being Friday, a new article has appeared in the Interpreter Foundation’s flagship publication:  Carl J. Cranney (on whom, see here), “Reading Disciple Consistently As New-world Apostle in the Book of Mormon.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 66 (2025): 385-402, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/reading-disciple-consistently-as-new-world-apostle-in-the-book-of-mormon/.

Abstract: In the Book of Mormon, the term disciple occurs fifty-five times. Of those, forty-eight are unambiguous references to the Twelve called by the risen Christ to preside over his new-world Church. The remaining six instances could plausibly be read either as references to more generic followers of Jesus or as references to the Nephite Twelve. If they are read as references to the Nephite Twelve, subtle themes emerge, generating insights into Mormon’s life, the apostasy in 4 Nephi, Mormon’s letters to his son, and the translation process of the Book of Mormon.

And this too went up today on the Interpreter Foundation website, in company with Dr. Cranney’s article: “Interpreting Interpreter: New World Apostles,” written by Kyler Rasmussen:

This post is a summary of the article “Reading Disciple Consistently As New-world Apostle in the Book of Mormon” by Carl J. Cranney in Volume 66 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https:/interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/.

A video introduction to this Interpreter article is now available on all of our social media channels, including on YouTube at https://youtube.com/shorts/jo8TR8nuH4w.

The Takeaway: Cranney notes the near-universal use of the term “disciple” to refer to Christ’s apostle-like servants in the New World, and explores what it would imply if the remaining ambiguous cases (which could refer either to apostles or to Christ’s followers more generally) also referred to apostle-level figures. Such would mean that Mormon and Moroni refer to themselves as New World apostles, and that apostolic figures sometimes stood nearly alone in the faithful service of Christ.

And another item went up yesterday:  Seek Ye Words of Wisdom: “From the Egyptian Temple through the Hebrew Bible to the Book of Mormon,” written by John Gee.

Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in Seek Ye Words of Wisdom: Studies of the Book of Mormon, Bible, and Temple in Honor of Stephen D. Ricks, edited by Donald W. Parry, Gaye Strathearn, and Shon D. Hopkin. For more information, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/seek-ye-words-of-wisdom/.

“My first day as a student at BYU I took a class from Stephen Ricks; it was his first day teaching at BYU. His was easily the most memorable course of that first semester. From him I eventually took Modern Hebrew, Ugaritic, Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, and ancient temples. I regret not being able to take a class from him on the subject on which he literally wrote the book: Epigraphic South Arabic. Over the years Stephen Ricks has served me in various capacities: professor, mentor, classmate, boss, benefactor, house-guest, co-author, colleague, collaborator, and even student. He helped me through my first academic conference and my first international academic conference. Back when he was the committee in charge of the Nibley Fellowships, the fellowships had a greater success rate than they have ever had with any subsequent committee. Stephen has had a lengthened and quickened stride, a voracious appetite for learning languages, a bibliographic memory, and a contagious enthusiasm for his subjects. When I was a student many considered him the most likely successor to Hugh Nibley. It has proven something of a challenge to find a topic that covers both the breadth of both our association and shared interests, and so I have opted for something more modest in scope.”

Here’s an interesting article that emerges from a place that has long been known as a hotbed of devout religiosity:  “Bibles and Islam? — The unexpected roots of France’s ‘baptism boom’: Why are young people flocking to the Catholic Church 200 years after the French Revolution?”  It appears that the tide of religious disaffiliation may no longer be clearly rising.  We seem to be seeing that in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well.  If true, it’s wonderful news.

We continued making the rounds of my regular Orange County nostalgia tour with brunch this morning, right on the beach and only a few feet from high tide, at The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove.  Yesterday, though, we broke new ground with a somewhat early dinner at Sol Mexican Cocina on the marina in Newport Beach, from which we watched the sun set over the masts of dozens of sailboats.  I don’t recall having been in this restaurant before, but I recommend it to you if you’re ever in the area. The menu isn’t your standard Mexican fare; for one thing, it emphasizes the cuisine of coastal Baja California.  But I suspect that it’s a kind of creative “fusion” version of that cuisine.  Maybe I am becoming a foodie.

Last night, we watched T. C. Christensen’s Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story, which stars our own Paul Wuthrich in the title role.  I’ve wanted to see it for quite a while.  We also talked a bit about music, and the friend who is visiting California with us — who holds a master’s degree in choral conducting and is a former member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square — called our attention to a piece of which she is especially fond.  In fact, she appears in this rendition of it:  “His Voice as the Sound” (2013) – The Tabernacle Choir.”  The words sung by the Choir bear an ambiguous relationship to this text, which I’ve taken from a Church website:

1. His voice as the sound of the dulcimer sweet
Is heard through the shadow of death.
The cedars of Lebanon bow at His feet;
The air is perfumed with His breath.
His words like a fountain of righteousness flow
That waters the garden of grace.
The source of salvation all people shall know
And bask in the smile of His face.
2. The robes of His righteousness— who can describe?
Their purity words would defile.
The heav’ns to His presence their beauties ascribe,
And earth is made rich by His smile.
The warmth of His mercy in excellence bright
Shines down from His kingdom above.
Like morning, He fills all creation with light
And comforts His people with love.
3. He looks, and ten thousands of angels rejoice,
And myriads wait for His word.
He speaks, and eternity, filled with His voice,
Reechoes the praise of the Lord.
Dear Shepherd, I hear and will follow Thy call;
I know the sweet sound of Thy voice.
Restore and protect me, for Thou art my All;
In Thee I will ever rejoice.

I’m very happy that “His Voice as the Sound” will be included in the forthcoming new hymnal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Both the words and the melody of the hymn are exquisitely beautiful.  Serene.  Listen to it.

Posted from Newport Beach, California