I just noticed this for the first time last night.
I don’t think the discoveries of edited hymns bother me nearly as bad as this.
Why is the first stanza missing in Mosiah for our community?
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Jesus in Idaho Falls 
Why does it bother you?
Brian, because the first stanza is crucial to the song in identifying the nature of the Servant from an Isaianic standpoint.
This Servant is on par with Isaiah’s YHWH!
For instance, see how the same two Hebrew words, rum and nasa of Isaiah 52:13 are connected with Isaiah’s God in Isaiah 6:1, 33:10, and 57:15.
The medieval Jews like Rashi would probably welcome the chapter division in their attempts to distinguish a Servant-Messiah of chapter 52 from a Servant-Jewish people in chapter 53. But this is not feasible from an exegetical standpoint. Isaiah 52:13-15 is the panoramic beginning, the magnificent intro to this beautiful song.
Mosiah in the BoM encourages the artificial barrier by following the KJV.
Todd,
Where are you talking about in Mosiah? And what song is it you are mentioning?
I am lost in this but greatly intrested in figuring out what it is you are talking about. It seems to have something to do with the “Mormon” Culture and the Book of Mormon. I just have not figured out where we are jumping into this from, and without that orientation I must say I a lost on this topic.
Good day,
-D
Ditchu, probably many would say the servant songs in Isaiah are oxymorons. For who sings them?
But there are four designated Servant songs (dubbed by an Isaiah scholar and now continually discussed) speaking of the Messiah.
Isaiah 52:13 – Isaiah 53:12 is the fourth Servant song.
Go back and read it. Five stanzas. Three verses each. (If we would utilize the modern concept of the English verse breaks – thanks to the Geneva translators.)
And now after reading the Isaiah passage, notice how it is used in the Book of Mormon.
I did for the first time this week.
Here is an idea that has been rolling around in my head.
I would like to pass around in the Ammon community of S.E. Idaho this fourth Servant Song in the KJV.
And then I would like to follow up on asking people what they thought.
Todd, if that’s what matters to you then you shouldn’t be bothered by it at all. Abinadi introduces the verses from Isaiah by saying:
“33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?
34 Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?
35 Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?” (Mosiah 13:33-35)
By reading the Abinadi’s account, there is no doubt that the servant of chapter 14 (Isaiah 53) is “God himself.” You should be happy that Abinadi stressed this.
Brian, for any LDS to identify Jesus Christ as eternal God – this is a happy thing for me. Thanks for pointing that out.
If I may, let me ask you a second question. Why didn’t Abinadi let YHWH introduce His Servant? YHWH is speaking to us directly at the beginning and the ending of this song – living words from heaven in 2008.
I am convinced from my study this year, that if anyone is to memorize Isaiah 53, they must also memorize the LORD’s words from Isaiah 52.
This is the most quoted passage of all the O.T.
I don’t know why Abinadi set it up that way, but surely he isn’t the only one to ever quote from chapter 53 without including chapter 52. Here’s one possibility:
Abinadi finished reciting the 10 commandments in verse 24, then switches to a discussion of the Law of Moses in verses 27-30. Then comes a key verse, 31:
“But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.”
Ahhh, so all that Law of Moses business was not important in and of itself, but rather because it pointed to…something. And what was that? The answer, which Abinadi spells out (v. 33-35), is that it all points to Jesus Christ.
Having made this introduction of the Lord—and more importantly, of the work the Lord would do—Abinadi is reminded of how another group of wayward sinners responded upon learning about their Savior. That group, of course, is who speaks in Ch 53 (Mosiah 14).
Abinadi recites their words, then closes out the song by quoting the last few lines from the Lord.
And now I’ll point out just one more thing. Abinadi follows up on Isaiah 53 with a summary in Mosiah 15 (and I think you’ll really like this part):
“1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—
3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—
4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.”
Living words indeed!
Jesus is the Eternal Father? Brian, could you unpack that a little bit more for me in how you/LDS understand this?
Todd, I’m not going to get a chance to reply, but this article might address your question. (Keep in mind: I haven’t even had a chance to read it myself to see if I agree with it!)
But here is my short answer: Father, Son, Holy Ghost = one God. “Eternal Father” = “God.”
That is some creative math. Like adding an apple an orange and a kiwi, getting fruit.
I understand that many may see God the Father as Jesus Christ (the Son), But I think God the Father, the holy Ghost, and Jesus christ (the Son) are 3 different beings that make up the Godhead, commonly refered to as “God.”
But that is My personal (mormon) View on the topic of how God the father and Jesus are One (also with the Holy Spirit)… United in cause and “Godhood.”
-D