Mark E. Petersen On Isaiah

I am trying to get some LDS perspective on Isaiah, so I started reading Mark E. Petersen’s book, Isaiah For Today (Deseret Book Company, 1981).

Not too far into the book, Mark tries to pound me on the head with a sledgehammer:

To understand Isaiah, people need to understand the Latter-day Saint point of view.  They cannot and never will understand him otherwise.  Both Jews and Christians alike grope in darkness concerning this matter until they are willing to accept the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 6).

Mark also exhorts,

The passage in Isaiah 2:1-5 we interpret as relating to the coming of the Saints to Salt Lake Valley and the building of their modern Zion there, together with a temple. . . . But the true meaning is entirely lost on both Jews and Christians.  Which of any of the sectarian groups recognizes the facts in the case?

Similarly, the predictions of Isaiah with respect to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (Isaiah 29) have no true meaning at all to either Jew or Gentile.  How could they know?  They do not have the key to prophecy, and they are blinded by the teachings of men.

Only because of the Prophet Joseph Smith do we understand chapter 29 of Isaiah (p. 7).

You would be proud of me, though; I bought my first book on Isaiah from the shelf of our local Walmart—Isaiah For Airheads (Deseret Book, 2006) by John Bytheway.

10 comments

  1. I am not trying to cause problems here, nor discourage you from studying the LDS paradigm, but there are truly far and away finer sources for understanding Isaiah, even from an LDS perspective than Mark E. Peterson………I know he was an Apostle, but the mistake most think is that an apostle automatically has the greatest knowledge and finest insights. This is not necessarily the case.

    Best,
    Kerry

  3. Parry is quite good since he has had the time and training to understanding the nuances. Another fine sort of book for the public is the FARMS volum edited by Parry and Welch, “Isaiah in the Book of Mormon,” (1998). Another nifty little volume put out by the BYU Studies Religious Studies Center, “Isaiah and the Prophets,” (1984). Victor Ludlow’s “Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet,” is limited in value, although its still pretty good.

    Quite frankly, I agree with the very fine LDS scholar, John Tvedtnes that there has not been a solid contribution about Isaiah from an LS view as of yet.

    One problem we LDS seem to have is that we think Isaiah is too hard to understand, and someone everyone has been given this thinking, an so all we get is very watered down and trite treatments on this magnificent writing. It’s too bad really. Isaiah is not so difficult, but we are told it is, so we believe it. Silly really.

  4. O.K., go with the FARMS volume. I know Gileadi is controversial, but his translation of Isaiah is quite doggone good! The FARMS volume is the most in depth analysis and understanding of Isaiah from the Book of Mormon view, and why and what and how and all that sort of thing when asking about Isaiah.

  5. Kerry, this is a help. In days and months ahead, I will try to look at all these guys’ writings, Parry, Welch, Ludlow, Gileadi, and probably do the same scrutiny as I am doing in John.

    I have never done such a study in Isaiah before. This should be one of the greatest adventures of my life! And btw, I can’t wait to see the Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll fragment coming to Idaho Falls. Wow. Terrific. Absolutely incredible! Four weeks till I blast off into sheer joy and delight, oogling over the ancient, biblical texts. This event is greater than the INEEL, Super Walmart, or the new Olive Garden being built in the area! I have heard that people wait two hours to get into Olive Garden. When the manuscripts hit Idaho Falls, the whole city should be camped in front of the museum doors. I feel like a little kid all over again, Kerry.

  6. You and me tuh-gethuh bro! I am so excited I can’t hardly see straight. I have been posting like crazy on my blog. Oh hey, by the way, I did put a post up on creation ex-nihilo for you to look at as sort of a starter for us to discuss.

    Oh and, try to be good. I was going to come over and study with you tonight (Sunday), but the football game distracted me, and my Greek study of John 1:1 sorta stole my night away. Sigh….Imagine that silliness, watching Payton Manning make the greatest comeback in playoff history while learning “En arche en ho logos! lol…………. I got through the first 6 lessons of Dobson’s :Learn New Testament Greek” tonight. That ain’t too bad for a night’s work eh? GRIN! It’s good work though, I don’t quite figure its breakng the sabbath, or not keping it holy. I mean after all, the entire Elder’s quorum this morning went and shoveled the entire parking lot, and walks all the way around the church, and we froze our little butts off man! Wheeeeeeeee!

  7. Oh hey, I think between the Dead Sea Scrolls Isaiah and scholarly assessments, and the materials I have of Parry, we could have a wonderful time discussing good ole Isaiah…………

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