To cap it all, we can rule out the odd chance that Joseph Smith learned about chiasmus through scrutinously reading the Bible on the simple grounds that the King James translation, which he used, obscures almost every chiastic formation possible. Hugh W. Pinnock reports that after studying chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and then expanding his study to encompass other literary qualities of the Book of Mormon, he introduced several examples of Hebrew writing forms found in that book to a well-educated and … Parts of the book are presented in narrative form (which typically doesn't use parallelisms), but this volume also arranges in their poetic form 325 instances of chiasmus and hundreds of additional parallel structures. How Was Chiasmus Discovered in the Book of Mormon? Photos are what you need to create a stunning website. Part 3. “From the Sea East Even to the Sea West”: Thoughts on a Proposed Book of Mormon Chiasm Describing Geography in Alma 22:27. It now appears certain that the ancient Israelites not only had a unique message to give to the world, but they also had a unique way in which to write this message down. Chiasmus are found in the Bible, and are considered a style element of ancient Hebrew writing. Short chiasms are not uncommon in literature. By far the most subtle use of chiasmus in any work is its role in creating the structural design behind longer passages and entire books. Why Did Nephi Believe the Lord Would Prepare a Way? Mormons: Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon (Open) Reachout Trust ^ | n/a | n/a Posted on 07/06/2009 8:29:55 AM PDT by colorcountry. Welch, John W.. Forty-Five Years of Chiasmus Conversations: Correspondence, Criteria, and Creativity In 2012 FAIR Conference. … but men drink damnation to their own souls except. The phenomenon which makes that possible is the presence of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. Today, articles on the subject are quite common. Welch, John W. "What Does Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon Prove?" Keep the commandments [and] ye shall prosper in the land (1), Support in trials, trouble, and afflictions (3), Seek no more to destroy the church of God (9), The agony of conversion (11–16) destroyed, torment, harrowed up, racked, the pains of hell, inexpressible horror, banished and extinct, the pains of a damned soul, I remember … the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me (17–18), The joy of conversion (19–22) no more pain, what joy, marvelous light, exquisite, nothing as sweet, singing and praising God, longing to be with God, Labored without ceasing to bring souls unto repentance (24), Supported under trials and troubles, yea afflictions (27), Keep the commandments and ye shall prosper in the land (30). Chiasms appear in Greek, Latin, English and other languages, but it was most highly developed in Hebrew. Either in an attempt to avoid redundant repetitions or to prevent awkward word orders, the King James translators did a good job of leveling almost every chiasm in the Bible. But even at that, it was not until the decade of the 1960s, after much more had been learned about the philology of early Semitic languages, that chiasmus was properly understood and unequivocally acknowledged. What Can We Learn from 10 of the Best Chiasms in the Book of Mormon? All rights reserved. After the prayer the strength of the wicked melts away like the slime of a snail, while the requests of the righteous are granted. Serious study of the Book of Mormon by Latter-day Saints is flourishing today as never before. From the Collection: John W. Welch (1946- ) discovered chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and founded the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS). and also, the name by which he shall call you. Images will drive traffic to your website and be seen by a huge audience. Now, 50 years since Welch’s discovery of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, we see that his find is still reverberating in scholarly publications on the Book of Mormon. Chiasmus is one aspect of that way of writing, or, in other words, one of the literary techniques present in the Bible, that has recently attracted the attention of erudite scholars. 1 As John W. Welch noted in 1995, there are “varying degrees of chiasticity,” and while “many proposed chiasms are impressive and interesting; others appear to be contrived or unremarkable.” 2 In other words, not all chiasms are created equal. In Reexploring the Book of Mormon, edited by John W. Welch, 233-235. Porten, Bezalel. Consider briefly the outline of the First Book of Nephi and how the order of Nephi’s narration revolves around his vision of the Spirit of the Lord: Lehi’s dream leads him to prophesy warnings to the Jews (chapter 1), Nephi accomplishes a great feat emphasis>in obtaining the brass plates of 1 Nephi 3:7; the brothers are confounded (3–5), Ishmael joins the group with his daughters (7), Lehi prophesies about the Old World and the coming of the Lamb (10), Nephi prophesies about the New World and the coming of the Lamb (12–14), The sons of Lehi marry the daughters of Ishmael and Ishmael dies (16), Nephi accomplishes a great feat by building a ship of 1 Nephi 17:3; the brothers are confounded (17), Nephi warns the Jews and quotes the prophecies of Isaiah (19–22). Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. It may also be used to give order, emphasis, and completeness to longer passages, such as is the case in the 58th Psalm: Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. What Does Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon Prove? 1:2.) The essays in Chiasmus in Antiquity, first published in Germany in 1981, examine the use and effect of chiasmus in the Old and New Testaments and the Book of Mormon, as well as in Sumero-Akkadian, Ugaritic, Talmudic, Greek, and Latin literatures. 5] and again in chapter 18 [1 Ne. Surely there is a God that judgeth the earth. This writting style was essentially unknown in Joseph Smith's time. In harmony with the nature of that event, he chose to express his story in chiastic form. It also amplifies the significance of central events and enhances interpretation of many scriptures. Reynolds, Noel B. Does this qualify as their first evidentiary proof of historical authenticity? Compared with any chiastic passage in Hebrew literature, Alma chapter 36 equals or betters them all in terms of balance, rhythm, impact, and fluency in this artistic form. Parry, Donald W. Poetic Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon: The Complete Text Reformatted. 2 Of course, scholarship does not replace spiritual witness as a source of testimony. Strong interest in the study of chiasmus, especially in biblical texts and in the Book of Mormon, continues to abound. " Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon." But in the case of the chiasms from the Book of Mormon, these objections can be tossed aside as unconvincing, unsatisfactory, unimaginative, and unintelligent. Another easy-to-find chiasm is at Mosiah 5:10–12. In some cases, the authors undoubtedly intended to use that form for literary effect (that is, by design); in other cases, the … Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon John W. Welch departed for a mission to Germany in 1964. Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon is evidence of an ancient origin, not conclusive proof. Edited by Noel B. Reynolds. Edwards, Boyd F., and Farrell W. Edwards. Criteria for Identifying and Evaluating the Presence of Chiasmus. Some months ago, John announced in an academic journal the remarkable discovery that an ancient and highly specialized Hebrew literary style could be found throughout the Book of Mormon. What is it that has drawn this attention? The Amazing True Story of How Chiasmus was Discovered in The Book of Mormon, Chiasmus, Poetry and Literary Forms - Book of Mormon Evidence, Stephen Ehat - Brief Introduction to Chiasmus in Alma 36. Power Through Repetition: The Dynamics of Book of Mormon Parallelism. Radday, Yehuda T. "Chiasmus in Hebrew Biblical Narrative." One of the main types of evidence to which Mormons appeal in support of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon as ancient Israelite literature is the rhetorical feature called chiasmus. That volume, published by an internationally respected academic press, featured an essay by Welch on chiasmus in the Book of Mormon.16 Eminent Biblical scholar David Noel Freedman praised this book and called special attention to Welch’s “unique treatment of the Book of Mormon,” and considered the work “indispensable.”17 More recently, Welch has been the driving force behind a … Edwards, Boyd F., and Farrell W. Edwards. Clearly, the precise and intricate structure of this great speech adds to it to make it a masterpiece of religious literature. Parallelism and Chiasmus in King Benjamin's Speech. To an ancient Israelite this was beautiful, this was metrical, this was inspirational. A world-famous, non-Mormon scholar called it the “most stunning information I’ve learned concerning the Book of Mormon.” John, presently a doctoral student at England’s Oxford University, is a transplanted Californian via BYU. Secondly, we may find that we want to put this knowledge to work in two ways: either as evidence for the truth of the Book of Mormon or as a key to unlocking its deeper beauties and more profound meanings. ). Fraenkel, Jonah. Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon (adapted from , itself based on John W. Welch’s article: “Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon,” The New Era, February 1972) Chiasms appear in Greek, Latin, English and other languages, but it was most highly developed in Hebrew. It was Alma the Younger whose conversion to the Lord was so powerful and rich that it affected an entire generation at the time it happened and has since become one of the most inspirational stories recorded in the Book of Mormon. Serious study of the Book of Mormon by Latter-day Saints is flourishing today as never before. This is done by placing the central idea at the turning point of the chiasm. The discovery of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon would have a profound impact on academic efforts to study of the Book of Mormon as an authentic ancient Hebrew text. In 1967, while serving in the LDS South German Mission, Welch and his companion attended a lecture in the Catholic Priesterseminar which talked about the use of chiasmus in the Gospel of Matthew. Chiasmus was first noticed by a few nineteenth century pioneer theologians in Germany and England, but the idea had to wait until the 1930s before it found an ardent exponent, Nils Lund, who was able to lay the principle before the eyes of the world in a convincing way. Welch, John W., editor. Quite consistently, therefore, a shift can be seen to occur at the center of a chiasm so that the bigger, more powerful, or more intense ideas will appear in the second half of chiastic passages. 2 (2004): 103-130. John W. Welch discovered the presence of chiasmus on August 16, 1967 while on his mission in Germany, a steady stream of publications since that time has thrown much light on this matter. and believe that salvation … is … in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. Book of Mormon Evidences, Part 2: Chiasmus, Mesoamerican evidences, cement, olives, ancient names like Alma, and other evidences for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon--a divine ancient record from the New World that testifies of Jesus Christ. New Era (1972). Thus, chiasmus could easily have appeared in the Doctrine and Covenants by chance, whereas it's highly unlikely that chiasmus could have appeared in the Book of Mormon by chance. Or how are we to explain the fact that Nephi wrote two books (1 Nephi and 2 Nephi) instead of just running it all together into one, except by reference to the individual structure of each book? BYU Studies Quarterly 49, no. Stated another way, the statistical evidence indicates with 99.98% certainty that chiasmus appears in the Book of Mormon … In 1969, John W. Welch discovered a variety of instances of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and along with his discovery came attention to the phenomenon. Why Is the Presence of Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon Significant? 2 Of course, scholarship does not replace spiritual witness as a source of testimony. Indeed, the presence of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon may be evidence of Joseph Smith's own literary style and genius. He achieves this expression via chiasmus. Chiasmus is a type of parallelism in which the second half of the text parallels in reverse order the first half. Chiasmus is a sophisticated literary device that ranges from the most simple, as illustrated above, to complex examples. Should we consider it contrived that Ishmael is mentioned only twice in the entire Book of Mormon and that these two occurrences just happen to fall symmetrically around 1 Nephi 11 [ 1 Ne. Edited by John W. Welch. It is also important for us to notice that chiasmus is not just a simple repetition; it also involves an intensification or an aspect of completion in the second half. Students of biblical literature and of the Book of Mormon can now access an important new volume on chiasmus, Chiasmus: The State of the Art, just published as a special supplement to the journal BYU Studies Quarterly.For subscribers (or everyone? Edited by John W. Welch. This particular discovery is not an archeological one nor, strictly speaking, an historical one, but rather a unique type of literary discovery that helps modern minds to understand the literature of the ancient Near East. Just look at how it turned out! Skip to comments. 3:7 and 17:3 [1 Ne. One would expect the interpretation to follow immediately after the dream, as most interpretative passages in the Book of Mormon do, and not several chapters later. The discovery of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon is one of the most significant scholarly contributions to understanding and appreciating the Nephite record. Significantly enough, the central idea of the majority of chiastic passages in the Book of Mormon deals with the divinity of Jesus Christ and man’s direct relationship to him. Book of Mormon/Evidence/Hebraisms/Chiasmus. that ye are not found on the left hand of God. Are we to believe that the unruly brothers of Nephi really waited nine chapters to marry the daughters of Ishmael? The teeth of the wicked thou has broken; to Jehovah, the salvation. This claim, as well as all claims to historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon, are rejected by non-Latter Day Saint historians and scientists. For example, in his famous inaugural speech, John F. Kennedy told Americans to, “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” This is the prim… The most commonly referenced pattern is a type of parallelism, called a chiasm. John W. Welch was born in 1946. Derived from the Greek letter chi, which looks like the letter X, a chiasmusallows ideas to crisscross in their delivery. Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon Summary : A literary structure known as "chiasmus" exists in the Book of Mormon. Chiasmus was first recognized by a handful of scholars in 1820, but not well-known until 1942. In Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins. See if you can identify its six repeating elements! John W. Welch discovered the presence of chiasmus on August 16, 1967 while on his mission in Germany, and since that time, chiasmus has served as a profound witness for the beauty and complexity of the Book of Mormon. Skip to comments. Description. Book of Mormon Evidences, Part 2: Chiasmus, Mesoamerican evidences, cement, olives, ancient names like Alma, and other evidences for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon--a divine ancient record from the New World that testifies of Jesus Christ. Let us turn now to the Book of Mormon. Practically since the day the Book of Mormon rolled off the press in 1830, those who believed in the book asserted that it obviously read like a Hebrew text. Save me, O my God, for thou has smitten all my enemies on the cheek-bone; 8. I've heard all the time about how Alma 36 is an incredible example of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and how this is strong evidence for the BOM's authenticity. While the Book of Mormon is richly chiastic, extensive structural chiasmus has yet to be found in any other literature in the world other than the Hebrew. Stated another way, the statistical evidence indicates with 99.98% certainty that chiasmus appears in the Book of Mormon … Poetic Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon: The Complete Text Reformatted gives us the entire Book of Mormon in a new format. Does Chiasmus Prove Anything about the Book of Mormon? After all, if Lehi were the one who was telling the story, he would have told it much differently. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1998. This is truly an amazing passage of scripture, both in its rich content and in its complex structure. And furthermore, with a little luck, the presence of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon just might help to explain its repetitious, roundabout way of saying things, which has made it hard for many people from Mark Twain on down to read and enjoy the Book of Mormon. Edited by John W. Welch. It is used here by King Benjamin to describe the turning around that occurs when one’s life is converted to God, when one puts off the natural man and grows from belief in Christ to sanctification through Christ. And yet it flows freely and naturally from one point to the next and back again. No end is left untied. Thus, chiasmus could easily have appeared in the Doctrine and Covenants by chance, whereas it's highly unlikely that chiasmus could have appeared in the Book of Mormon by chance. By it many passages that were previously obscure have now become clear. We have no choice but to treat the Book of Mormon, especially its earliest sections, as chiastic literature that is cognate and congruent in its form with early Hebraic poesy. The professor discussed the work of Father Paul Gaechter, a Catholic priest who had written a book titled, The Literary Art in the Gospel of Matthew. I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name. …. I Nephi - Moroni. Why Did Jesus Mix Together Micah and Isaiah? Their “good style” was anathema to “good Hebrew.”. It is an ordered reversal of the original sequence of the psalmist’s thoughts. How Much Could Joseph Smith Have Known about Chiasmus in 1829? In a sense, we might even say that it ought to appear in the Book of Mormon, it being of Hebraic origins. Chiasms appear in Greek, Latin, English and other languages, but it was most highly developed in Hebrew. unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit. "Book of Mormon/Evidence/Hebraisms/Chiasmus" FAIR Entry. Alma has skillfully framed the story of his conversion with chiastic panels for the sole purpose of drawing our attention to the centrality of Jesus Christ in that conversion. In Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins. Also consider that there are several examples in the Book of Mormon, including Alma 36, which is one of the best chiasmus anywhere. High quality photos will ensure your website is always updated. Time now for a few final evaluations of what we have learned about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. Part 2, What Can We Learn from 10 of the Best Chiasms in the Book of Mormon? Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2007. Welch, John W. "Chiasm in Ugaritic," In Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structures, Analyses, Exegesis. but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called. An instance of this form, called a “chiasm,” presents two or more literary elements, and then restates them in reverse order. 3 (1969): 69-83. In all seriousness and in all respects, this is a great play on words. Why Did King Benjamin Use Poetic Parallels So Extensively? Indeed, so much is being regularly published on this subject that it takes a very watchful eye and lots of effort just to keep tabs on all that is coming out. Copyright 2021 Book of Mormon Central: A Non-Profit Organization. Chiasmus can be defined most simply as an inverted type of parallelism. Q: How significant is the Mormon claim that chiasmus is in the Book of Mormon? Photos are what you need to create a stunning website. Chiasmus is "a figure of speech by which the order of the words in the first of two parallel clauses is reversed in the second" (Oxford Companion to English Literature, 1985 ed.