Nils Ivar Johan Engelsen on Explicit Reference to True Christian Prophets Post-Ascension

  

Explicit References to Christian Prophets

 

In Acts 11:27-28 it is related that prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them is mentioned by name, Agabus. He is again referred to in Acts 21:10-11. Two other prophets are mentioned in connection with the council meeting (Acts 15), namely Judas and Silas. They are sent as deputies from the Jerusalem church to Antioch. These two men were distinguished members of the church, and must have shared the view which Paul represented. One of them, Silas, later became Paul's companion. The text referring to Judas and Silas as prophets reads: " . . . και αυτοι προφηται οντες . . . " The words και αυτοι imply that the two men they were to accompany, Barnabas and Paul, were prophets. This understanding is supported by Acts 13:1 which relates that in the church in Antioch five men served as prophets and teachers, and among them Barnabas and Paul are mentioned. Luke gives the meaning of the name Barnabas in Acts 4:36: " . . . Barnabas (which means 'son of Exhortation' (υιος παρακλησεως) . . . " (4:36). This meaning of the name is not a literal translation of Barnabas, which means "son of Prophecy," υιος προφητειας. The translation seems to fit a Pauline understanding of a prophet's function in the church. Also Anna, daughter of Fanuel, is called a prophetess (Lk. 2:36), and four daughters of Philip, the evangelist, had prophetic gifts (Acts 21:9).

 

The New Testament also refers explicitly to false prophets. Acts 13:6-12 speaks about a Jewish prophet, Bar-Jesus: " . . . ευτον ανδρα τινα μαγον, ψευδοπροφητην ‘Ιουδαιοu . . ." This man has a parallel in Simon, the magician in Samaria (Acts 8:9ff). The Book of Revelation also refers to and warns against false prophets (Rev. 2:20-23; 19:20; 20:10). The Gospels likewise issue warnings against false prophets, indicating that the question of legitimate prophets and prophecy was a problem the church had to face from the very beginning. (Nils Ivar Johan Engelsen, “Glossolalia and Other Forms of Inspired Speech According to I Corinthians 12-14 [PhD Dissertation; Yale University, 1970], 69-71)

 

 

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Walter Harrelson: The Temple is "the most plausible meaning" of the booth of David in Amos 9:11

  

The next section (9:11-12) seems to be an addition from the time of the Exile. The “booth of David” need not of course refer to the temple which was destroyed in 586, but such a reference seems to be the most plausible meaning of the term. It could be a word portraying the people of God in general; if so, the possibility exists that Amos is the author. More decisive, however, is the reference to the “remnant of Edom.” In our treatment of other prophetic texts we have frequently referred to the enmity of the Edomites against the Judean community destroyed by Nebuchadrezzar. We conclude, therefore, that this ' word of hope is not from Amos. It has been affixed to his message by the later tradition, probably during the time of the Babylonian Exile. The hope expressed is similar to that found in Jeremiah and Ezekiel as well as in II Isaiah. The nations called by Yahweh’s name are presumably those nations in which God’s people are scattered, where Yahweh’s name is still revered by the exiles in their midst. (Walter Harrelson, Interpreting the Old Testament [New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1964], 355)

 

 

Further Reading:

 

Listing of Articles relating to Amos 9, "Tabernacle/Temple/Booth of David," and the "Temple of Solomon" Issue

 

Oliver B. Huntington's Late Recollection of Joseph Smith Sr. informing Him that the Confidential Nature of the Move to the Rocky Mountains

  

When we first went to Nauvoo the old Patriarch Joseph came into our house one day and in a very confidential way, giving us to understand that it was not to be made public, asked a question as to who long we thought the Church would stay in Nauvoo and went onto say that the Lord had told Joseph (his son the Prophet) that we would stay there just 7 years and that when we left there we would go right into the midst of the Indians, in the Rocky Mountains—as this country, Utah, was then called.

 

That we have seen fulfilled. (Oliver B. Huntington, Journal, February 24, 1883, in Journal of Oliver Boardman Huntington, 15:54)

 

 

Further Reading:

 

Resources on Joseph Smith’s Prophecies

Late (March 3, 1883) Recollection of a Prophecy by Joseph Smith Fulfilled by Buchanan and the Utah War of 1857

  

Sister Beebe related a prophecy that Joseph Smith uttered in the presence of her husband when he was a boy, in the house of old father Johnson in Kirtland; when all the Church there could meet in a room 12 feet square or 12 by 14. Joseph was telling of the spread of the Gospel as it would be & the increase of the people of God & the persecutions that would come; & said “that the Church would yet be so numerous & such a great people that the United States would send an army out to destroy them, but they would not accomplish it.”

 

This was fulfilled when Bucannan sent the flour of the U. S. army under Johnson to Utah & had to winter at Bridger. (Oliver B. Huntington, Journal March 3, 1883, in Journal of Oliver Boardman Huntington, 15:59)

 

 

Further Reading:

 

Resources on Joseph Smith’s Prophecies

Orson Pratt Addressing the Nephi/Moroni Issue and the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood (March 11, 1876)

  

Historian Office,
Salt Lake City,
March 11^th 1876.

 

To John Christensen

 

Dear Bro.—Yours of the 9^th inst. is received. You inquire whether it was the Angel Nephi or Moroni who visited the Prophet on the night of the 21^st & 22^nd Sept., 1823? As Moroni holds the keys of the Stick of Record of Ephraim, (See B. of Cov. Pp. 201, 322,) we have reason to believe that Moroni was that angel. The discrepancy in the history to which you refer may have occurred through the ignorance or carelessness of the historian or transmission. It is true, that the history reads as though the Prophet himself was writing: but the Prophet was a slow and awkward writer; and many events recorded were written by his scribes who undoubtedly trusted to much to their memories, and the items probably were not sufficiently scanned by Bro. Joseph, before they got into print. The prophet after received visits from Nephi, Moroni, Peter, James, John (the beloved), John (the Baptist), Elijah, Moses, &c, &c, &c. the three Nephites, etc. etc. In giving the instructions which these angels imparted to him in a verbal manner, it would not be surprising that some of the hearers should in<n>ocently confound and intermix the names of the Angels.

 

You also inquire, when the Melchisedek Priesthood was restored? I answer that the office of Apostles & Elders was restored by Peter, James & John, before the rise of the Church; this office includes all the powers of the Melchisedek Priesthood; but when first restored, the Lord did not see proper to reveal it under the name of the Melchisedec Priesthood. If the Compendium had stated that on the 6^th of June, 1831, the name of the Priesthood, together with a more full description of its powers, were first given in the Conference assembled, it would have <conveyed> a more correct idea of the event. (Orson Pratt, Letter to John Christensen, March 11, 1876, pp. 1-2, CR 100 394, Church History Library)

 

 

 

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Some Interesting Entries in the Journal of Oliver B. Huntington

  

While visiting with Zina she related conversation that occurred between her and a Sister “Repshere” upon events in Nauvoo, where the Prophet Joseph Smith Sealed her, Sister Reps=here, to a judge Adams of Springfield Illinois.

 

The Prophet stated to her (Repsher) that Judge Adams was a literal descendant of Jesus Christ

 

The judge died in Nauvoo and Sister Repshere, his wife who had been married before to Repshere, died at Mill Creek. Utah. (Journal & History of Oliver B. Huntington, December 30, 1886, 16:146-47)

 

 

 

I met that day at the Hall of Relicks. Hopkins G. Pendar an old Nauvoo Mormon and from him learned that Joseph Smith just before he was killed made a sketch of the future home of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains and their rout or road to that country as he had seen in vision; a map or drawing of it. Levi <W.> Hancock drew a coppy of that map, which coppy H. G. Pendar had seen. He said that Levi W. Hancock told him that there <was> 4 coppies of that map taken—one of which Brigham Young kept, one was carried by the Mormon Battallion by which they knew where to find the Church, or, Salt Lake Valley. (Journal & History of Oliver B. Huntington, September 27, 1897, 18:78-79)

 

To my fellow LDS history nerds: Anyone have any idea re. this map and its purported copies? If so, drop me an email at ScripturalMormonismATgmailDOTcom—it would be important to my work on Joseph Smith’s prophecies and related topics

 

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Roger S. Bagnall on Weights and Measurements in the Roman Period

 Weight

 

The Greek weight system was based on the drachmê, or drachma, a term also used for coins of this weight. In the Roman period, the drachma was treated as 1/96 of the Roman pound (about 323 g), or about 3.36 g (table 8.5). But different Greek cities and other regions of the Greek world had their own weight standards, and one always needs to know what standard is in use in order to interpret figures in the texts. In general in the papyri one can presume that the drachma as a weight refers to the Ptolemaic standard (see the following section), which is close to but a bit higher than the figure given above. In Egyptian texts the drachma was reckoned as half of a qd (Copt. kite) and thus 1/20 of the dbn, which equated to 20 drachmas. In the Greek system of weights (described in the next section), the drachma was a subdivision in a system that included the mna and the talent, both also accounting terms for money. (For weights in jewelry see Ogden 1996.)

 

Table 8.5. Weights and Currency

8 chalkoi = 1 obol 6 obols = 1 drachma 2 drachmas = 1 qd (kite) 4 drachmas = 2 qd = 1 stater (tetradrachm) = 1 denarius 20 drachmas = 10 qd = 1 dbn 100 drachmas = 50 qd = 5 dbn = 1 mna 6000 drachmas = 3000 qd = 300 dbn = 1500 denarii = 60 mnai = 1 talent (Eg. krkr) 1 gold “quarter” (tetartê) = ½ drachma (a quarter of a didrachm or qd) 1 gold mnaieion = 8 drachmas (weight) = 16 “quarters” 1 Roman pound (litra) = 12 ounces (ounkiai) = 288 Roman grams (grammata) = 323 g 1 solidus (Diocletian to Constantine) = 1/60 pound = 4.8 grammata 1 solidus (post-Constantine) = 1/72 pound = 4 grammata = 24 carats

 

The Roman pound also had its own system of subdivisions and consisted of 12 unciae (Gk. ounkiai), or ounces, and grams (Gk. grammata), at 24 grams to the ounce. Thus 288 grams constituted a pound. (Roger S. Bagnall, “Practical Help: Chronology, Geography, Measures, Currency, Names, Prosopography, and Technical Vocabulary,” in The Oxford Handbook of Papyrology, ed. Roger S. Bagnall [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009], 188-89)

 

 

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