Hugh Nibley loved the Book of Mormon, and rightfully so. He reminded us how important the Book of Mormon should be in our daily lives.
The Book of Mormon is like nothing else as it is a book that was translated by the gift and power of God. When you read the Book of Mormon, you understand how different it is from the Bible. The Book of Mormon has no errors but only truth. The only explanation of how the Book of Mormon came to pass is through the gift and power of God.
Table of Contents
- The Book Of Mormon Is Different From The Bible (Which Is A Good Thing)
- The Book Of Mormon Is The Word Of God
- Related Content
The Book Of Mormon Is Different From The Bible (Which Is A Good Thing)
Many people who criticize the Book of Mormon say that the Book Of Mormon cannot be true as it is different than the Bible. It is precisely because it is different than the Bible that testifies that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
In speaking of the Book of Mormon and Bible, Hugh Nibley said this:
“The Book of Mormon is like nothing else. It is totally different from the Bible by virtue of its genesis. Look at the Bible. It took hundreds of years to give us the Bible—thousands, actually, if you include the Old Testament, of course. The documents had to trickle in from different times, different places, and different writers. The Tanakh, the Torah; Nebiim, the prophets; and the Kethubim, the literary writings. These are the three things that make up the Bible—all from different authors. Some parts are poetry, some parts are prophecy, and some “parts are history. There are lots of chronicles, etc. Some parts are the law from different times and different places—hundreds of different manuscripts”
Nibley’s Commentary On The Book of Mormon Volume 1, Hugh Nibley
We can learn a few things from this short paragraph that Hugh Nibley wrote, which includes:
- Bible was written and rewritten through the centuries.
- There are different types and parts of the Bible.
- The writings of the Bible all trickled down in different times and places. Manuscripts were lost or not translated correctly.
The reason why the Book of Mormon is not like the Bible is that the Book Of Mormon did not go through the changes as the Bible did over the centuries.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in the Bible. We know the Bible is the word of God “as far as it is translated correctly.”
As High Nibley pointed out, the Bible had been passed down and underwent many changes.
The changes do not make the Bible a bad book; it is excellent. But the Book of Mormon is different from the Bible, which is good; it did not need to go through all those changes and adjustments as the Bible did.
The Book Of Mormon Is The Word Of God
Many skeptics look at the Book of Mormon and assume because of how the Book of Mormon came to pass (through Joseph Smith and revelation), the Book of Mormon can not be accurate. They feel that God does not speak to man today.
But they are wrong, as God does speak to men and women today. And the only way to explain the Book of Mormon and the writing, history, and truths in the Book of Mormon is through the revelation and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
Hugh Nibley said this about the doubter and the unbelievers and the world we live in:
“ So it is in an unbelieving world, you see. How do you account for the Book of Mormon in a world that can’t believe in another world, or other possibilities? If you don’t believe in it, what’s your alternative? There are no alternatives, absolutely none. Joseph couldn’t have got it anywhere is the point. That’s why no one will take it up. They ask some very searching questions and they should, but they never wait for the answers, you notice. They always leave the room as soon as you start showing that it is possible that this happened.”
Nibley’s Commentary On The Book of Mormon Volume 1, Hugh Nibley
The problem is not the Book of Mormon – the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The problem is us – the unbelieving world.
We doubt that God could speak to men today and bring us the scripture of the Book Of Mormon.
Think for a moment of how during the time of Joseph Smith, there was:
- No internet,
- No Wifi
- No Television
- No Telephone
- Mail took a very long time.
- All dirt roads
- Railroads were barely starting.
- Not many colleges (Joseph Smith himself had little education)
- Joseph had not traveled outside the United States and had no idea of civilizations in South and Central America. He would have had a higher chance to meet an American Indian than anyone from South and Central America.
It would have been impossible for Joseph Smith to “make up” or “write” the Book of Mormon. He did not have the education, knowledge, or experience. The only explanation is that the gift and power of God translated the Book of Mormon.
As Hugh Nibley said, “What is the alternative?”
There is no other alternative to help define how the Book of Mormon came to pass. The only conclusion is that the gift and power of God translated the Book of Mormon.
The Nibleys Commentary website is dedicated to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the scriptures, including The Bible, The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine of Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. To review these gospel teachings and scriptures, we will use many of the teachings of Hugh Nibley and refer to the book Nibley’s Commentary Volume 1 and 2 that Sharman B Hummel edited.
If you have any questions I would love to hear from you. You can contact me Anita by clicking here.
This website is not an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you want to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we recommend you go directly to their website by clicking here.
Related Content
The Impact Of The Book Of Mormon On Our Life – By Hugh Nibley
In a lecture to his students at Brigham Young Unversity, Hugh Nibley asked, ”Is it possible that nobody is doing what he should be doing?” In other words, are we all doing things that are just wasting our time, or do we have good intentions but are they still the wrong things we should be doing in life?
Read more by reading The Impact Of The Book Of Mormon On Our Life – By Hugh Nibley by clicking here.
“The Greatness Of God And Your Own Nothingness” Explored
Hugh Nibley said that the slogan for his class was from the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 4:11-12. In these verses, the Lord talks about the greatness of God and our own nothingness. I have read the Book Of Mormon many times but admit that is a scripture I had glossed over and did not read carefully.
Learn more by reading “The Greatness Of God And Your Own Nothingness” Explored. by clicking here.
