Grant Underwood on the High Christology of the JST

  

Smith’s high Christology is apparent in a number of New Testament revisions and additions. When considering the young Jesus, Joseph Smith adds these words to the end of Matthew 2: “And it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his brethren and waxed strong and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come and he served under his father and he sape not as other men neither could be taught for he needed not that any man should teach him and after many years the hour of his ministry drew night.” (NTOB, 162-63 [compare 239]) Smith also revises passages to emphasize Christ’s earthly omniscience. For example, he emends the account of young Jesus “sitting in the midst of the doctors [in the temple], both hearing them, and asking the questions” (Luke 2:46) to read “sitting in the midst of the Doctrines, and they were hearing him, and asking him questions.” (NTOB, 371-72, emphasis added) Even so minor a matter as the account of Jesus “seeing a fig tree afar off” on his way from Bethany to Jerusalem and approaching it “if haply he might find any thing thereon” (Mark 11:13), was modified to preserve Jesus’ omniscience; Jesus “came to [the three] with his disciples; and as they supposed,, he came to see if he might find any thing thereon.” (NTOB, 342, emphasis added) (Grant Understood, “Joseph Smith’s ‘New Translation’ of the Bible,” in The Bible and the Latter-day Saint Tradition, ed. Taylor G. Petrey, Cory Crawford, and Eric A. Eliason [Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, 2023], 57)

 

Luman Shurtliff, Orson Pratt, and Lyman Wight's Recollection of Joseph Smith Believing the Saints Would Move to the Rocky Mountains

The following comes from:

 

Duane S. Crowther, "A Study of Eschatological Prophecies Found in the Scriptures and in the Works of General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," (M.A. Thesis, Brigham Young University, 1960), 18-19:

 

Luman Shurtliff, upon his arrival in the Great Basin in 1851, also made it clear that the Prophet had definitely contemplated a western exodus:

 

We got into the Salt Lake Valley, September 23, 1851, thankful to the God of Heaven that I and my family were in the valley of the Rocky Mountains—here where the Prophet Joseph Smith had said thirteen years before [in 1838] that the Saints would go if the government did not put a stop to the mobbing and the persecution of them. (“Biographical Sketch of the Life of Luman Andros Shurtliff,” 1807-1864, under date)

 

Orson Pratt also testified that the Prophet had anticipated the exodus long before it transpired. In a public meeting held on April 26, 1846, in the early days of the exodus, he stated:

 

It is eight years today since we all came out of Missouri. Before that time Joseph the Prophet had this move in contemplation and always said that we would send a company of young men to explore the country and return before the families can go over the mountains; and it is decidedly my mind to do so. (“Diary of John D. Lee, 1844, 1846, 1850-1851,” under date above)

 

His testimony was corroborated by Lyman Wight, who stated in a letter to Wilford woodruff that “such a mission was even talked of while in [Liberty] Jail.” (Letter written by Lyman Wight to Wilford Woodruff, dated August 24, 1857)

Further Reading:

 

Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies

 

Joseph Smith's March 10, 1844 Discourse Concerning William Miller and the Parousia

Joseph Smith, in his discourse dated March 10, 1844, made comments about the Parousia (Second Coming) against William Miller and indicates he did not believe Christ would come until at least 1890/91:

Wilford Woodruff account:

But I take the responsibility upon myself to prophesy in the name of the Lord that Christ will not come this year as [William] Miller has prophecyed for we have seen the bow. And I also Prophecy in the name of the Lord that Christ will not come in forty years & if God ever spake by my mouth he will not come in that length of time & Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that he would come go & read the scriptures & you cannot find any thing that specifies the exact he would come & all that say so are fals teachers Their are some important things concerning the office of the Mesiah in the organization of the worlds which I will speak of hereafter. May God Almighty bless you & pour out his spirit upon you is the prayer of your unworthy servant Amen

Thomas Bullock account:

the Rainbow is a sign for seed time and harvest when the Rainbow is not to be seen— it is a sign of the commencement of famine— & pestilence &c &c and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant the Messiah will not come this year— upsets Millerites the Messiah will not come for 40 years— and he told the people to write it— a very large & attentive congregation—

Willard Richards account:

The Savior will not come this year. <nor 40 year to come.>

The bow has been seen in the cloud & in that year that the bow is seen seed time and harvest will be. but when the bow ceases to be seen look out for a famine.

James Burgess account:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith in answer to a certain question Son of Man if you live untill you are 85 years of age you shall see the face of the Son of Man and so long as you see the rainbow stretching across the heavens there will be seed time and harvest and the Son of man will not come that year.

We find the following mathematical equation from Burgess on the same page:

Joseph Smith was born in the year

1805

85

1890

Further Reading:

Did Joseph Smith Predict that the Second Coming would happen in 1890/91? (cf. Vern Grosvenor Swanson on the Eschatological Timetable of Joseph Smith's April 6, 1843 Discourse; Joseph Smith III (1832-1914) Not Believing Jesus Would Come in 1890/91)

Joseph Smith and Imputation

Discourse, March 7, 1844 , as reported by Willard Richards:

I <Joseph> presented to the meeting the proceedings of O[rsamus] F Bostwick. & the Lawyers &c.— for the people to speak out. say whether such men should be. tolerated. and supported in our midst.— and from this time I design to bring such characters before the committee of the whole.— and if these things cannot be put a stop to. I will give them in to the hands of the mob—— the hands of the officers of the <city> fauter [falter]. and are palsied— <y the conduct of such men.>

There is another I will speak about he is a mormon.— a certain man. who lived here before we came here. the two first lette[r]s of his name is are Hiram Kimball—— when the city had passd an ordnanc [ordinance] to tax steam boats. He goes and tells th[e] captains of the steam boats that he owned the landing. and they need need not to pax [pay] tax— and I am determnd to use up such men if they will not stop their oppositi[o]n If this is not true. Let him come forward & throw of[f] the inputation [imputation].— when they people appeal to carthage I will appeal to this people— the highest court— I despise the La[w]yers who ha[n]g on these law suits.—

This shows that Joseph did know the term/concept of "imputation," and it is significant he never used it in his revelations or translations.

Further Reading:

Response to a Recent Attempt to Defend Imputed Righteousness

Lyman O. Littlefiend, February 16, 1844 on Joseph Smith and the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

Lyman O. Littlefield, Letter to Joseph Smith, February 16, 1844, p. 2:

I have learned that to Joseph Smith have been committed the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which are not to be taken away in this world or in the world to come.

Joseph Smith's May 12, 1844 Discourse and Resurrected Bodies Lacking Blood

 In George Laub’s account of Joseph’s May 12, 1844 discourse, we read:

as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive, all shall be raised from the dead— the Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection so that all shall rise from the dead— God Almighty himself dwells in Eternal fire, flesh and blood cannot go there, all corruption is devoured by the fire— our God is a consuming fire— when our flesh is quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood

In Thomas Bullock’s account of Joseph’s May 12, 1844 discourse, we read:

Concerning Resurection

Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god or the kingdom that god inhabits But the flesh without the blood and the spirit of god flowing in the veins in the stead of the blood for blood is the part of the body that causes corruption therefore we must be changd in the twinkling of an Eye or have to lay down these tabernacles and leave the blood vanish away therefore Jesus Christ left his blood to atone for the sins of the world that he might asend into the presents of the father for god dwels in flaming flames and he is a consuming fire he will consume all that is uncleen and unholy and we could not abide his presents unless pure spirits in us. for the Blood is the corruptible part of the tabernacles—— for the resurection of the dead is devised to take away coruption and make man perfect or in the glory which he was created for the body is sowen in coruption and raised in Incoruption then we will be able to goe in the presents of god

Joseph Smith's May 12, 1844 Discourse and Revelation 14:6-7

 Joseph Smith, Discourse, May 12, 1844 (as reported by Thomas Bullock):

John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro’ the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c. the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, judgments &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth— John saw the angel having the priesthood who should preach— God had an angel, ordained, & prepared for the that purpose in the last days— Woe! Woe! be to that man, or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his Witness in these last days—— for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones

In George Laub’s account of Joseph’s May 12, 1844 discourse, we read:

Nauvoo By Joseph Smith Prophet Concerning gods Witness

14 chapter of revelations of John 6–7 verses & the Original translation Reads thus and I will send you a nother witness and he shall preach this gospel to all nations to the Ends of the world. But woe to that man or woman who shall lift up his or their hands against gods witness for the[y] are rasing their arm against the power of god and the[y] will be cursed. But in these times in the last days there will many fals Prophets arise and fals teachers and deceave many the[y] shall have many followers by their deceit. the[y] strive to get power and by their pernitious ways lead of[f] many— For Brother Joseph Smith was chosen for the Last despensation or seventh Despensation the time the grand council set in heaven to organise this world Joseph was chosen for the Last and greatest Prophet to Lay the foundation of gods work therefore the Jews asked John the Baptist if he was Elias or Jesus or that great prophet that was to come—— and the devil or lucifer also organised his kingdom in oposit to overthrow gods and he Became a sun [son] of perdition . . .  Brother Joseph Smith was sent to remind the world of sin of rituousness and of a judgment that was to come But this is that of what John says in his 14th. chapter but he says of sin of rituousne [righteousness] and of a judgment to come to reprove the world. this is rong Translated for to remind is correct way Concerning thos[e] who here the gospe[l] Now concerning these who know the gospel and do not obey But fight against it will be shut up in prison under condemnation and shall not be visited till many days hence. Isaiah 24 ch. then some person has to redeem them By making a forfit of some payment for them. &

Such shows that Joseph believed that Rev 14:6-7 was not limited to merely Moroni and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. For more, see:

Defending the Latter-day Saint Interpretation of Revelation 14:6-7