One of the more interesting parts of Joseph Smith’s revelations is his use of NT Elias to denote a “forerunner,” even when OT Elijah is also referenced. We can see this in three texts in the Doctrine and Covenants (emphasis added):
D&C 27:6-7, 9:
And also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of the bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days. And also John the son of Zacharias, when Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias . . .And also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse.
D&C 77:9, 14:
Q. What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse?
A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servant of our God in their foreheads. And, if thou will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things . . .
Q. What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?
A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.
D&C 110:12-13:
After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed. After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us . . .
In these three texts, we see that (1) Joseph Smith used the term Elias to denote a “forerunner” and (2) there is a differentiation between “Elias” and “Elijah.”
The Alleged Problem
Richard Packham, a former Latter-day Saint and longstanding online critic of the Church, in his paper, "A linguist looks at Mormonism: Notes on linguistics problems in Mormonism" writes the following:
The name in the form 'Elijah' does not occur in the Greek New Testament, nor does 'Elias' occur in the Old Testament. But 'Elias' occurs thirty times in the King James New Testament , and almost always in reference to the Malachi prophecy. John the Baptist was considered by many to be the returning Elijah. Notice however that it is always 'Elias' that is spoken of (Matt 11:14, 16:14, 17:11, Mark 9:11-13, John 1:21, 25 and parallels - KJV). At Romans 11:2-3, Paul quotes 'Elias' with the words of Elijah from I Kings 19:14.
At the Transfiguration, Moses and 'Elias' appear (Matt 17:3, Mark 9:4, Luke 9:30, KJV), and the disciples are informed that "Elias has come" (Matt 17:12, Mark 9:12).
Most modern translations of the New Testament use the Hebrew version of the name ('Elijah') instead of the Greek 'Elias' in order to avoid confusion and to emphasize that these two names refer to the same Old Testament prophet.
But Joseph Smith obviously did not know this, and apparently God didn't tell him: In D&C 27:6-9, 'Elias' and 'Elijah' are treated as distinctly different prophets:
"And also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days;
7 And also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias;
8 Which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto the first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron;
9 And also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse;..." [emphasis added] (see also D&C 138:45-46)
7 And also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias;
8 Which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto the first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron;
9 And also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse;..." [emphasis added] (see also D&C 138:45-46)
Both Elias and Elijah also are reported to have appeared as two separate beings in the Kirtland temple (D&C 110:12, 13):
"12 After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.
13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:
14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi--..." [emphasis added]
13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:
14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi--..." [emphasis added]
Thus, for Joseph Smith, the Greek name referred to one prophet and the Hebrew name referred to another.
Now let us examine the issues carefully.
OT Elijah and NT Elias
Firstly, it is true that Elias (Greek: Ηλιας in the LXX and NT) is the Greek rendition of OT Elijah (Hebrew: אֵלִיָּהוּ ). This is seen in the examples Packham cites, among many others (Jas 5:17). The use of Elias is simply a transliteration, on the behalf of the KJV translators, of the Greek Ηλιας, resulting in a bit of an inconsistency in the translation of the KJV OT and NT (cf. similar examples such as OT Jonah and NT Jonas; OT Noah and NT Noe). As Packham also correctly notes, modern translations are more consistent, translating both names as “Elijah” (e.g. the New Revised Standard Version [1989]).
Did Joseph Smith know that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person?
This is an essential question and one that is rarely discussed by both critic and apologist. However, if Joseph Smith knew that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person, this blows the critics’ claims out of the water, as their thesis necessitates ignorance of this fact on the behalf of Joseph Smith.
That Joseph Smith did know that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person can be seen, for instance, in D&C 35:4, where it is Elijah, not NT Elias who is coupled with John the Baptist, notwithstanding the KJV NT coupling Elias with John the Baptist in. Matt 16:4; Mark 8:28, and Luke 9:19, 54 (emphasis added):
Thou art blessed, for thou shalt do great things. Behold, thou wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way before me, and before Elijah—which should come and thou knewest it not.
Moreover, in D&C 133:55, Moses and Elijah are coupled with one another, again, notwithstanding Moses and NT Elias being coupled with one another in the KJV New Testament in the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:3-4; Mark 9:4-5; Luke 9:30, 33):
And from Moses to Elijah, and from Elijah to John, who were with Christ in his resurrection, and the holy apostles, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be in the presence of the Lamb.
In vol. 2, no. 2 of the Times and Seasons (p. 212) from 1840, Joseph Smith allowed for a parenthetical comment to his use of Elias that further indicates that he knew OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person (the corresponding journal entry also reads "Elias [Elijah] . . . ":)
When looking over the sacred scriptures, we seem to forget that they were given through men of imperfections, and subject to passions. It is a general belief that the ancient prophets were perfect -- that no stain, or blemish ever appeared upon their characters while on earth, to be brought forward by the opposer as an excuse for not believing. The same is said of the apostles; but James said that Elias (Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as themselves, and yet he had that power with God that in answer to his prayer it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and a half.
While this article in the Times and Seasons is signed O[liver] C[owdery], the original is in Joseph Smith's official history so it may be attributed to Joseph. Even if it purely from Oliver, it does show that early Latter-day Saints knew OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person, so clearly they imputed to it a wider range of meaning (e.g., one who acted as a forerunner/restorer, not simply OT Elijah).
Furthermore, that Joseph Smith’s followers knew that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person can be seen in an article from the Times and Seasons (vol. 4 no. 8, pp. 120-23 [1843]) entitled, “The Elias.” This article tackles the debate as to the relationship between the identity of John the Baptist and Elijah (discussed below), but the author shows his knowledge of OT Elijah being NT Elias with the following quote (p. 120):
Who is Elias? There has not been so much difficulty in identifying him with Elijah . . .
Recently, one non-LDS scholar has written an entire article on Joseph Smith's use of "Elias," and has stated it is preposterous that Joseph Smith did not know the fact that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person, all the more in light of the fact that Sidney Rigdon, a well-trained, biblically literate preacher who was Joseph Smith's right-hand man for many years, would have known this rather basic fact; for more, see:
Stevan Davies, "But I say unto you, Who is Elias?" in New Perspectives in Mormon Studies: Creating and Crossing Boundaries, ed. Quincy D. Newell, Eric F. Mason, and Jan Shipps (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2013), pp.145-68.
Why use NT Elias to denote a Forerunner?
Further evidence that Joseph Smith used "Elias" in a generic manner to denote a forerunner can be seen in JST John 1:28, where Joseph expands upon the words of John the Baptist in his description of the Messiah:
He it is of whom I bear record. He is that prophet, even Elias, who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose, or whose place I am not able to fill; for he shall baptize, not only with water, but with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. (Inspired Version [1867 RLDS Edition])
Here is page 106 of the JST Manuscript 2, Folio 1 for this verse (with "Elias" highlighted):
Needless to say, Joseph Smith did not believe that Jesus was OT Elijah; instead, this is further evidence of Joseph Smith used "Elias" to denote a forerunner.
The following are some examples of LDS authors and leaders who understood Joseph Smith to be using "Elias" to denote a "forerunner" in a generic sense:
Bishop Carl W. Buehner, Conference Report, April 1960, p. 76:
James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 376-7:
Orson F. Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts, part 6, p. 193:
Interestingly, Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) used "Elias" as a title of Joseph Smith and his role as a "forerunner":
The following are some examples of LDS authors and leaders who understood Joseph Smith to be using "Elias" to denote a "forerunner" in a generic sense:
Bishop Carl W. Buehner, Conference Report, April 1960, p. 76:
John the Baptist was one of the most distinguished of God's servants. That he found favor with the Lord is emphasized in the Angel Gabriel's appearance in the temple to his father, Zacharias, promising him that he and his wife were to have a son who should ". . . be great in the sight of the Lord." (Luke 1:15.) The birth of few men has been foretold. He was one of this select group whose coming was made known centuries before his birth. Isaiah prophesied concerning his mission approximately seven-hundred years before he was born. (Isaiah 40:3.) He was an Elias in that he was a forerunner of Jesus. He vigorously preached the gospel of repentance to the Jews. There came to him one of the highest privileges ever accorded man -- that of baptizing the Savior of the world. He was a personal witness of one of the greatest manifestations ever given. It came at the time of Jesus' baptism. As Jesus came forth out of the water, John beheld the Holy Ghost descend on him like a dove, and there came from the heavens the voice of the Father giving divine approval: ". . . This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17.)
James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 376-7:
5. "The Spirit and Power of Elias".—That John the Baptist, in his capacity as a restorer, a forerunner, or as one sent to prepare the way for a work greater than his own, did officiate as an "Elias" is attested by both ancient and latter-day scripture. Through him water baptism for the remission of sins was preached and administered, and the higher baptism, that of the Spirit, was made possible. True to his mission, he has come in the last dispensation, and has restored by ordination the Priesthood of Aaron, which has authority to baptize. He thus prepared the way for the vicarious labor of baptism for the dead, the authority for which was restored by Elijah, (see page 149 herein), and which is preeminently the work by which the children and the fathers shall be united in an eternal bond.
Orson F. Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts, part 6, p. 193:
The Same Yet Not the Same.--"Elias," considered as a name, is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Elijah." Compared references in the New and Old Testaments clearly establish their verbal identity.m But Joseph Smith distinguished between "the spirit of Elias" and "the spirit of Elijah," the former a forerunner, the latter holding the sealing powers necessary to complete the work of preparation for Messiah's advent
That other early LDS, personally acquainted with Joseph Smith, knew that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person can be seen in the following excerpt of a debate John Taylor had in 1850:
Mr. Cater has found another difficulty, which is, that in one place an angel is said to have ordained Joseph Smith, and in another that Peter, James, and John, came to him. Now Joseph had several visits and ministrations. But the difficulty with Mr. Cater seems to be, that Peter, James, or John, could not be angels. I must instruct him, however, a little, on this point also. There was a certain individual spoken of in the Bible, called Moses, he was a servant of God, a Prophet; there was also another called Elijah; they died, or were translated. When Jesus was upon the earth, he went on to a mountain with Peter, James, and John, there appeared two glorious personages, angels; Peter was enraptured, and said, "Let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." For who? For Moses and Elias. Here then were Moses and Elias, who had both lived on the earth, came to minister to Jesus, Peter, James, and John. Mr. Cater, I suppose, would think they had done wrong, but nevertheless they came. (Three Nights' Public Discussion Between the Revds. C. W. Cleeve, James Robertson, and Philip Cater, and John Taylor, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France. Chairman, Rev. K. Groves, M.A., Assisted by Charles Townley, LL.D., and Mr. Luddy. Also a Reply to the W. Rev. K. Groves, M.A., & Charles Townley, LL.D. [Liverpool, 1850], p. 12, emphasis added)
Interestingly, Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) used "Elias" as a title of Joseph Smith and his role as a "forerunner":
Joseph Smith was the Elias, the Restorer, the presiding Messenger, holding the keys of the "Dispensation of the fulness of times." (Key to the Science of Theology, p. 79)
Why use NT Elias to denote a Forerunner?
In the Doctrine and Covenants, we learn that God spoke through Joseph Smith and gave him revelations in his own language:
Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding (1:24 [emphasis added])
Your eyes have been upon my servant Joseph Smith Jun., and his language you have known, and his imperfections you have known; and you have sought in your hearts knowledge that you might express beyond his language; this you also know. (67:5 [emphasis added])
In light of this (“accommodation” in theological circles), we should expect to find various expressions and terms that may sound “odd” to our ears but be perfectly in line with the theological language of the 19th century. That NT Elias was used to denote a “forerunner” as we see in texts such as D&C 27 (of Gabriel [whom Joseph Smith identified with Noah]) and John the Revelator in D&C 77 should not be surprising.
Alexander Campbell, co-founder of The Disciples of Christ, a Restorationist group that many important early LDS converted from (e.g. the Pratt brothers; Orson Hyde; Sidney Rigdon; Edward Partridge), wrote in his review of the Book of Mormon, “Delusions” (1831) the following (emphasis added):
Then it was said that Sabati Levi appeared at Smyrna and professed to be the Messiah. The Jews gave up their business and attended to him. He obtained one Nathan in Jerusalem to pass for his Elias, or forerunner.
Other contemporaries of Joseph Smith used “Elias” in a like manner. For instance (emphasis added):
At the time there was a general expectation among the Jews, that the Messiah's kingdom was approaching, and that he would be preceded by one or more prophets. When John, therefore, made his appearance, the Sanhedrim sent some learned members of their body, to inquire of him, who he was, in regard to his public character; expecting to find, that he was either the Messiah, or his forerunner, Elias. John readily satisfied their inquiries, assuring them, that he was not the Messiah. (Timothy Kenrick, An Exposition of the Historical Writings of the New Testament: With Reflections Subjoined to Each Section , 3 vols.[Boston: Munroe and Frances, 1828], 2:157. Emphasis added.)
For our Lord plainly saying, that that Elias, of whom the scribes made mention as the forerunner of his advent, was "already come." (Charles Swan, Sermons on Several Subjects with Notes [London: C&I Rivington, 1823], 35. Emphasis added.)
That Elias the forerunner would baptize the Messiah. (James Amiraux Jeremie, The Office and Mission of St. John the Baptist [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1824], 63 n. 2. Emphasis added.)
Other instances of the Prophet Joseph Smith using “Elias” to denote a forerunner can be seen in the following from the History of the Church 3:388-89 (emphasis added):
This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he wanted to bring them into the presence of God. They looked for a city, etc., ["whose builder and maker is God."—Heb. 11: 10]. Moses sought to bring the children of Israel into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but he could not. In the first ages of the world they tried to establish the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore these very glories, but did not obtain them; but they prophesied of a day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation of the fullness of times, when God would gather together all things in one, etc.; and those men to whom these keys have been given, will have to be there; and they without us cannot be made perfect.
Here, the prophet uses the plural of Elias, “Eliases” to speak of plural forerunners, again, showing us that he did not view “Elias” always as a proper name, but that it could also be used to denote a forerunner.
The reason why I stress the fact that Joseph Smith’s contemporaries (and in the case of Campbell, even his critics) used “Elias” to denote a forerunner in the same manner Joseph Smith did is that Packham and other critics who raise this “argument” view the “Elias as a forerunner” explanation as purely ad hoc; however, it is clear when one investigates the religious literature of Joseph Smith’s time that this is far from the case. Coupled with the fact that Joseph Smith knew that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person (see above) blows the critics completely out of the water on this issue.
The New Testament Origins of “Elias” denoting a “Forerunner”
Of course, a question that arises when one investigates this issue is where did this come from? Nothing in Ηλιας means “forerunner,” so where did this usage come from?
At the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus along with Peter, James, and John, were visited by Elijah (NT: Elias). Afterward, Jesus implied that John the Baptist was Elias, but he stated that there was yet an Elias to come. In this sense, the term was used as the title of any forerunner to a restoration of priesthood authority on the earth. No doubt, this confusion about the relationship between John the Baptist and Elijah/Elias in the New Testament informed the usage of this term by Joseph Smith and his contemporaries.
Who is the “Elias” in D&C 110?
Who is the “Elias” in D&C 110?
Finally, let us address the final question to be answered—the identity of the “Elias” in D&C 110:12.
Elias is Noah/Gabriel
The most popular explanation (and one which I believe to be most plausible) is that Elias in D&C 110:12 is Noah (whom Joseph Smith identified with the angel Gabriel [cf. History of the Church 3:385]). This is based on the parallels between D&C 110:12-14 and the coming of “Elias” and Elijah with the then-future promise in D&C 27:6-7, 9 quoted at the beginning of this article. In D&C 27, the angelic figure labeled a forerunner/Elias is clearly Gabriel (cf. Luke 1:19).
In the April 1960 General Conference, Joseph Fielding Smith made the same identification:
On the 3rd day of April, 1836, certain heavenly messengers appeared to the Prophet and to Oliver Cowdery. First came the Son of God himself. And they described him. Then the Lord sent certain messengers with keys to restore pertaining to the restoration of all things. Moses came and gave to the Prophet the keys of the gathering of Israel, otherwise you would not be here today, and through those keys the gospel is being preached in all the world, and scattered Israel is being gathered out again according to the fulfillment, that is, in fulfillment of the promises that were made by the Lord to his ancient prophets, that he would gather Israel in the latter days. Elias came and restored the gospel of Abraham. Who was Elias? That question is frequently asked. Well, Elias was Noah, who came and restored his keys. (Conference Report, April 1960, p. 72 [emphasis added])
Elias was “another” Elijah
Another proposed possibility is that the “Elias” in D&C 110 had the same Hebrew name, Eli’yah[u] as the well-known Old Testament prophet, and as a result of wanting to avoid confusion, Joseph Smith used the NT equivalent of the name, Elias, to refer to this figure.
In the biblical texts, figures with the same names in the underlying Hebrew are rendered differently from one another to avoid confusion, often with the major prophetic figure with that name. For instance, the prophet Isaiah is not the only “Isaiah” (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ ) in the Old Testament; other people with that name have their names rendered as “Jesaiah” (1 Chron 3:21; Neh 11:7); Jeshaiah (1 Chron 25;3, 15; 26:25; Ezra 8:7, 19) and “Jesiah” (1 Chron 12:6; 23:20). Furthermore, there is “another” Elijah in the Old Testament (Ezra 10:21). It is not impossible that, if a figure who was a contemporary with Abraham and had the name Elijah appeared in the Kirtland Temple, to avoid confusion with the better-known Elijah in the Old Testament, his name would be rendered differently to avoid confusion.
Even if a figure with the same Hebrew name as that of Elijah the Tishbite did not appear in the Kirtland Temple, we do see something like this happening with Joseph Smith’s use of NT Esaias and Jeremy to differentiate between “different” Isaiahs and Jeremiahs (cf. D&C 84:10-13). See my post, "Jeremiah of Libnah: 'Another' Jeremiah."
Elias was John the Baptist
Kevin L. Barney, a well-respected LDS scholar and apologist, wrote the following in a blog entitled, “Who was the Elias of D&C 110?” where he proposed this identification (square brackets added):
Mark 9:3 reads:
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
The JST adds the following words immediately after “Moses”: “…or in other words, John the Baptist and Moses.”
The LDS B[ible] D[ictionary] s.v. “Elias” opines: “The curious wording of JST Mark 9:3 does not imply that the Elias of the Transfiguration was John the Baptist, but that in addition to Elijah the prophet, John the Baptist was present.” Well, I hate to be disagreeable, but the LDS BD is just plain wrong: the curious wording of JST Mark 9:3 implies exactly that the Elias of that passage should be understood as John the Baptist. LDS scholars understandably don’t like that reading and would like to sweep it under the rug, but that is clearly what the JST means to convey. The source of this equation would seem to be Jesus himself, who equated John the Baptist with the Elias who was to come.
Note, too, that in D&C 110 Elias is paired with and immediately follows Moses.
I suggest that this pairing is not accidental, but harks back to the Mount of Transfiguration. Elijah is then presented at the scene, but tied to the ending quotation of the OT.
So, my tentative suggestion to the question is that Joseph understood the Elias of the Mount of Transfiguration, which was the model for who appeared to him at the Kirtland Temple in these verses, to be John the Baptist, a separate individual from Elijah the Tishbite.
Why would John the Baptist commit the gospel of Abraham to Joseph? Not because he lived in the time of Abraham, obviously, but because he was the last great prophet of the old covenant preceding the time of Christ.
Admittedly, this is a question for which we do not have a clear answer for, and there are different theories, with varying degrees of plausibility.
Conclusion
This post is not meant to be exhaustive all the arguments and responses to this issue. However, it should be clear to the reader that (1) Joseph Smith knew that OT Elijah and NT Elias were the same person; (2) contemporaries of Joseph Smith used NT Elias to denote a forerunner in the same way that the prophet did and, in light of these facts (3) the claim that this is a “blunder” on Joseph Smith’s behalf is without warrant.
Suggested Reading
Stevan Davies, "But I say unto you, Who is Elias?" in New Perspectives in Mormon Studies: Creating and Crossing Boundaries, ed. Quincy D. Newell, Eric F. Mason, and Jan Shipps (Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 2013), pp.145-68.
Kevin L. Barney, “Who was the Elias in D&C 110?”
The FAIR Wiki page “Elias and Elijah at the Kirtland Temple”
