Search the Scriptures

Introduction

The title is simple enough. But the meaning can be profound when we consider what the different methodologies are. First, it is my opinion that everyone should read the Book of Mormon from front to back, a little bit each day. Second, the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would have us study the scriptures by topic. Third, there is great power in the scriptures to get straight to the heart of the matter if we open them randomly and look for the message there. Lastly, the study by topic and at random need to be tempered by study within context. All four approaches are valid, and each has its place. In fact, they must each have a place in our daily living.

The word of God has been likened to a rod of iron which leads to the tree of life.¹ And although it can arrive in our minds in many ways, the one over which we have the greatest control is the study of the scriptures.

The Book of Mormon - Keystone

The Book of Mormon was written by Mormon on plates that he made himself. He took the stories of his predecessors and copied them there. And he retold the stories that inspired him. Although he was guided by God, the foundation of what to put in and what to leave out had to do with what had impressed him over the years of his own study and what things, retold by his parents, made him the man of faith that he became.

The organization of the Book of Mormon is plainly chronological. But it is also leading the reader down the path that the people of Nephi followed as they prepared for the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. In our day, we, too, are preparing ourselves for Christ's return. The parallels must not be ignored. We read about the various cities which chose to move away from the Gospel and those which only sometimes strayed. And we see the power of being left in the dark long enough to treasure light when it is given.² And we are also transformed by the miracles as they come.

The greatest message of the Book of Mormon is that Jesus Christ is the God of Israel and has visited His lost sheep³ to make it possible for there to be one fold and one shepherd in our day. This is why the whole thing deserves to be consumed from front to back. Joseph Smith's definitive remark on its importance to the man or woman of God is the best argument for this method: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”⁴

Topical Study

All of the scriptures are given by the Holy Ghost for the profit of God's children⁵. But the prophets did not write in a vacuum. They were aware of other scriptures that touched on the same topic and leveraged the same language.⁶ There is a coloring of meaning to be had by studying the various passages of scripture which contain similar themes. Looking at scriptures that have similar words or phrases can enhance our understanding. As we study the scriptures topically we gain the benefit of clarifications that have been made when one prophet has spoken about the words of another.

Random, Inspired Searching

Sometimes, when I am troubled by a particular idea, or when the world seems to come down on me especially hard, the most important thing I can do is open the scriptures at random and see what I can glean from them. I have been led to some of the most profound lessons by this method. I have also been led to scriptures that do not in fact exist on paper.

What I mean by this last statement is that I have read a scripture, imagining that it said something only to find when I returned to the place that the scripture was something else. When I was first coming to know of the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I asked for a Bible for my birthday. In it I found a scripture which said, fools fold their hands and pray. I had been taught to fold my hands when I prayed. So I suddenly thought this was wrong. When the Mormon missionaries came to teach me, they asked me to offer a prayer and I refused because I “knew” my way was wrong. When I saw them fold their arms and bow their heads as they had been taught as little children I knew that God had sent them to be my teachers, even though they were only two or three years older than I was. I later returned to the Bible to look at the words of Ecclesiastes again.⁷ It doesn't mention prayer at all in that spot. I was led to see or imagine something that would make me teachable in the presence of the missionaries. Great is the value of scriptures that are meant just for you.

Contextual Clarification

When we look at an isolated scripture, it is important to maintain an understanding of context. When we read a verse of scripture without looking at where it comes from we can sometimes infer a meaning that is not true.

Someone I respect once said in a Gospel Doctrine class that the use of a semicolon was equivalent to the use of the conjunction, “but.” This is wrong. A semicolon is intended to link two related statements to each other. For example, “The gauge read Empty; the gas had been totally consumed.”is a correct usage of the semicolon without the two statements conveying opposite meanings.

This fact becomes important in the case of a misinterpretation of scripture which has been perpetuated into an English translation which is newer than the King James Version. In Hebrews 1:1-2 we find Paul's preamble to his epistle to have been mangled in the name of clarification. The New International Version of the Bible quotes Paul thus:

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.⁸

But the King James Version says:

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;⁹

Notice that the phrase, “in the past”, has been moved to the beginning of the sentence so as to imply that all communication from God through prophets is over. Instead of being an example of how God works among His children, it becomes only a history lesson.

This is not Paul's intent. He is attempting to persuade Jews, not alienate them. He is including the Son in the list of prophets as the greatest of them.

Notice that the word “but” has been introduced at the beginning of the second verse. The first verse has been reworded so that “but” could be insinuated into the text and reinforce a difference between ancient prophets and Christ, Himself.

The conjunction “but” should be used only to join two contradictory phrases of equal weight. .It does not belong in Paul's statement because Christ is the greatest Prophet.

So what gripes me is that someone intending to do the world a favor and to simplify Paul's words has changed the meaning of the phrases and thereby reinforced a heresy.

The heresy is that God sends no more prophets.

Sanity prevails because context is a tool to understanding. Context can come from knowing the author, the overall topic, the audience, and the train of thought which precedes a particular statement.

Getting the Message

The most important lesson to be learned from the scriptures is that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah of the Jews and that he is the son of God and the promised Savior of all mankind.¹⁰ All scripture worthy of the name contains some testimony to that fact. Christ, when speaking to the Jews, used the phrase which is the title of this article, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”¹¹

1 See 1 Nephi 11:25

2 See Alma 23:6

3 See 3 Nephi 15:21

4 See The Book of Mormon, Introduction, sixth paragraph.

5 See 2 Timothy 3:16

6 See Matthew 27:46 notice that Matthew quotes Christ while on the cross, but Christ is quoting Psalm 22:1

7 See Ecclesiastes 4:5

8 See the New International Version (NIV) of Hebrews 1:1-2

9 See King James Version (KJV) of Hebrews 1:1-2

10 See the Book of Mormon title page

11 See John 5:39