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Church History Matters

028 Q&R! Tough JST Questions with Kent Jackson

Sep 12, 2023
In this insightful discussion, Kent Jackson, a Professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University and expert on Joseph Smith's Bible translation, tackles tough questions about the Joseph Smith Translation (JST). He explores whether Smith believed his work was ever complete and why subsequent prophets haven't engaged in similar efforts. Jackson also clarifies the complexities of biblical warnings against modifications and discusses potential reasons behind the tapering of revelations. Get ready for a deep dive into the intertwining of scripture and prophetic authority!
50:00

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Joseph Smith considered his Bible translation work complete in 1833, signified by the 'done' noted in the manuscript.
  • Scholars argue that Joseph Smith's revisions in the JST represent divinely authorized clarifications rather than mere alterations of scripture.

Deep dives

Joseph Smith's Translation Timeline

Joseph Smith's Bible translation, known as the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), was considered complete by July 1833. The process concluded when Joseph and his scribes wrote 'done' and 'finished' in the manuscript. For years, there has been debate about whether Smith continued to work on it or intended to revise it further; however, it is clear from historical records that he viewed the project as complete. This understanding has led scholars to conclude that the JST was finalized before the introduction of controversial elements in Smith's life, such as plural marriage.

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