Since 1982, the Book of Mormon has had
the subtitle, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” reflecting its Christocentric
nature. However, a number of critics have claimed that the text’s use of the
name “Jesus” and the title, “Christ” are anachronisms. Let us examine the
evidence and see why critics who raise this “argument” are guilty of lousy
research and reasoning skills.
Jesus
"Jesus" comes into the
English language from the Latin form (Iesous) of the Greek name Ιησους, which is how the
LXX renders the Hebrew name יְהוֹשׁוּעַ and הוֹשׁעַ “Joshua”
(e.g., Exo 17:9). There is no problem with
the Book of Mormon, which is an English translation, rendering the name
as the familiar “Jesus” when used in reference to the Messiah.
Christ
“Christ” derives from the Greek term χριστος, meaning “anointed
one.” The Hebrew verb “to anoint” is משׁח (LXX: χριω), appearing 70 times in 67
verses in the OT; its noun form, מָשִׁיחַ meaning “anointed one” or “Messiah”
appears 38 times in 37 verses in the OT, including in a number of pre-exilic
texts (e.g., Lev 4:3, 5, 16; 6:15; 1 Sam 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 16:6; 24:7, 11;
26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam 1:14, 16; 19:22; 22:51; 23:1; 1 Chron 16:22; 2 Chron
6:42; Psa 2:2; 18:51; 20:7; 28:8; 84:10; 89:39, 52; 105:15; 132:10, 17). Again,
there is no anachronism when one realises that the Book of Mormon purports to
be an English translation (something a lot of critics tend to ignore, though
that is a central consideration when examining the Book of Mormon and its
historicity).
Some critics
claim that Joseph Smith believed that “Christ” was a surname for Jesus, not a
title; a text that some point to in support of this is 2 Nephi 25:19:
For according to the words of the prophets, the
Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the
angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Firstly, it
should be noted that the “name” given is “Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” which
is a proper name25 coupled with titles, “Christ/Messiah” and “Son of God.” A
parallel would be the Messianic text in Isa 9:6:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of
peace.
Of course,
the “name” of this figure are not proper names, but a series of titles. The
Hebrew term שֵׁם means both a proper name and a title; something reflected in
both Isa 9:6 and 2 Nephi 25:19. Some may object, however, as 2 Nephi 25:19 uses
both Messiah and Christ, perhaps indicating that Joseph did not know that “Christ”
and “Messiah” meant the same thing. However, both terms are part of the English
language, so such an interchange is to be expected, and perhaps used here as
(1) “Christ” is the usual term coupled with the proper name “Jesus” in 19th
century and modern usage and (2) to avoid redundancy.
One piece of evidence that proves that Joseph Smith knew that “Christ” was not a proper name but a title can
be seen in texts in the Book of Mormon itself where it is coupled with the
indefinite article:
And I said unto him, Deniest thou that the Christ
shall come? And he said: If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but
I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, or ever will be. (Jacob 7:9)
O ye that are bound under a foolish and a vain hope,
why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a
Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come . . . How do ye know
of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see;
therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ . . . And ye also say
that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall
be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world.
(Alma 30:13, 15, 26)
That it is not reasonable that such a being as a
Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of
earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as
unto them who shall be at Jerusalem? (Helaman 16:18)
There is a
reason why I am blogging on “Jesus Christ,” and that is, in a rather nerdy way,
to post on a recent video on the true meaning of Christmas by my Church, “He is
the Gift”: