Difference between revisions of "Multiple accounts of the First Vision/1832/Only one Personage appears"

Revision as of 13:43, 30 December 2006

This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.

Criticism

In the 1832 account of the First Vision - which is in the handwriting of Joseph Smith himself - it only says that Jesus Christ made an appearance in the wilderness; the Father is missing from the text. Since this is the earliest known written account of the First Vision story, it provides evidence that the Prophet's story became more elaborate and impressive over time.

Source(s) of the criticism

Response

The theophany portion of the 1832 account does seem to indicate that only Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. The relevant text reads as follows:

"the <Lord> opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph <my son> thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy <way> walk in my statutes and keep my commandments behold I am the Lord of glory I was crucifyed for the world." (Dean C. Jessee, ed., Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, rev. ed. [Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 2002], ----).

Even though the Savior is quoted as making a direct reference to the Father later on in this text, there is no indication in the theophany portion of it which would indicate that God Almighty made an appearance on this occasion. However, critics have failed to notice a significant phrase found in the introductory remarks of the Prophet's 1832 historical narrative. There he says that this document is -

"A History of the life of Joseph Smith Jr. an account of his marvilous experience and of all the mighty acts which he doeth in the name of Jesus Ch[r]ist the son of the living God of whom he beareth record and also an account of the rise of the church of Christ in the eve of time according as the Lord brough <it> forth and established by his hand <firstly> he receiving the testamony from on high secondly the ministering of Angels thirdly the reception of the holy Priesthood by the ministring of Aangels to adminster the letter of the Gospel—<—the Law and commandments as they were given unto him—>and the ordinencs, forthly a confirmation and reception of the high Priesthood after the holy order of the son of the living God" (original spelling and puctuation retained).

This paragraph outlines four major events of the Restoration in chronological order.

• FIRST: Reception of "the testimony from on high" - First Vision
• SECOND: The "ministering of angels" - Moroni visitations
• THIRD: Reception of the Holy Priesthood to administer the letter of the gospel - Aaronic
• FOURTH: Reception of the High Priesthood after the order of the Son - Melchizedek

The significant phrase is, naturally, the one associated with the First Vision - "receiving the testimony from on high." When this phrase is compared with the Prophet's 1835 and 1838 accounts of the First Vision experience it becomes apparent that the 1832 phraseology corresponds with the words spoken by God the Father when He introduced His Son in the Sacred Grove.

(1832 ACCOUNT)

“firstly . . . receiving the testimony from on high”

(1835 ACCOUNT)

“He testified unto me that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”

(1838 ACCOUNT)

“This is my beloved Son”

The Father's identification of Jesus Christ as His Son was His "testimony" of Him.

Since it can be concluded from this documentary evidence that Joseph Smith did indeed make an oblique reference to the appearance of the Father in his 1832 history the question becomes - Why did the Prophet construct the 1832 narrative in the manner that he did (so as to exclude explicit mention of the Father's appearance)? A careful analysis of the 1832 First Vision text reveals that it was deliberately constructed on the framework of many scriptural citations. The apostle Stephen's view of both the Father and Son is clearly utilized in one section of Joseph Smith's constructed text but, more importantly, the Prophet told the actual theophany portion of his narrative in language that very closely corresponds to the apostle Paul's vision of Jesus Christ (Acts 26). Paul did not report that he saw the Father also, and so it would seem that this is the reason why Joseph Smith did not explicitly mention the Father's appearance in his text. The Prophet's strong sense of connection with Paul's visionary experience is referred to by him in his 1838 First Vision account. The context of his connection is the persecution experienced by both men for speaking publicly of a heavenly manifestation. Joseph relates that he was informed his vision was "all of the devil." This may explain why he chose to heavily couch his first known written account in biblical language and imagery. He may have hoped that by doing so his story would have a better chance of acceptance among a populace that was steeped in the content of the Bible. (See the 2006 FAIR Conference address entitled "Revised or Unaltered? Joseph Smith's Foundational Stories" and its accompanying slides).

Conclusion

Endnotes

None

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

FAIR web site

• FAIR Topical Guide:

External links

Printed material