The Scriptures Are Real S5 E4 The Power of the Book of Abraham (Moses 1, Abraham 3)
Jan 4, 2026
Kerry Muhlestein, a BYU professor and Egyptologist with a PhD from UCLA, discusses the deep insights of the Book of Abraham. He addresses common criticisms, debunking misinformation with compelling evidence. Kerry explores the power of Joseph Smith's interpretations of Egyptian facsimiles and connects linguistic parallels like 'sheneha' to ancient texts. He also shares fascinating research on human sacrifice and provides an overview of Abraham's covenant themes, revealing the cosmic relationship between humanity and God throughout the scripture.
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Criticisms Often Rest On Misinformation
- Many common criticisms of the Book of Abraham rely on misinformation and wrong assumptions.
- Kerry Muhlestein argues critics often ignore eyewitness reports and historical complexity when claiming Joseph Smith erred.
Translation Source Matters
- Joseph Smith likely translated from a long scroll eyewitnesses describe, not necessarily the small surviving fragments.
- Critics who compare modern translations of surviving fragments to Joseph's text ignore that provenance difference.
Facsimiles Allow Multiple Valid Readings
- Facsimile images are symbolic and permit multiple valid interpretations beyond standard Egyptological readings.
- Muhlestein finds numerous strong matches between Joseph Smith's symbolic explanations and ancient reinterpretations.
