LDS Old Testament Slideshow 07: The Book of Abraham

7/27/2019 LDS Old Testament Slideshow 07: The Book of Abraham

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Old Testament

Hurricane Utah

Adult Religion Class

The Book of Abraham:Origins, history, meaning


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Bernardino

Drovetti


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Egyptian pit tomb

4(Image: Wikipedia)


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Kirtland Mormons buyChandlers collection

5(Image: LDS.org)

July 1835


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Kirtland Egyptian Papers (KEP) JulyDecember 1835.

About 16 documents, 120 written pages.

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Book of Abraham manuscripts

7(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)


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Grammar Aphabet of theEgyptian Language



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Contents of the Book of AbrahamText:

1. Abrahams early

life.

2. Flight to Egypt;

covenant.

3. Astronomy;

premortal life.4. = Genesis 1.

5. = Genesis 2.

Facsimiles:

1. Abraham on the

altar.

2. Astronomical

symbols.

3. Abraham on

Pharaohs throne.

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Owners of the Joseph Smith Papyri

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AntonioLebolo

MichaelChandler

JosephSmith, Jr.

Lucy MackSmith

Emma Smith& Lewis

Bidamon

Abel

Combs

St. Louis

Museum

WoodsMuseum(Chicago)

Charlotte E.

Benecke Weaver

Huntsman

Alice Combs

Weaver

Heusser

Edward

Heusser

MetropolitanMuseum of Art(New York City)


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Joseph Smith Papyri (JSP) returned

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Egyptian materialspresented to PresidentN. Eldon Tanner (R),November 1967.


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Book of Breathingsbelonging to Hor

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Joseph Smith Papyrus X JSP XI JSP I

(Scroll fragments reassembled in their original order.)

(Images: JosephSmithPapers.org)


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Book of the Deadbelonging to Tshemmin

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JSP II JSP IV JSP VI JSP V JSP VIIJSP VIII

(Scroll fragments reassembled in their original order.)

(Images: JosephSmithPapers.org)


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Book of the Deadbelonging to Neferirnub

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JSP III

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)


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Reference to a fourth scrollbelonging to Amenhotep

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Transcript fromthe Kirtland

Egyptian Papers(original scrollnot recovered).

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)


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Hypocephalus of Sheshonq

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(Not recovered.)


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18(Image courtesy of John Gee)


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Criticisms of the Book of Abraham1. The Joseph Smith Papyri are Egyptian

funerary documents; they dont contain

the Book of Abraham.

2. Joseph Smiths explanations of the

facsimiles dont match Egyptologists

translations.

3. Written by [Abrahams] own hand,

upon papyrusbut the JSP were written

long after Abraham.

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Criticism 1 The Book of Abraham isnt on the Joseph

Smith Papyri.

1. Egyptologists are wrong.

2. Missing papyrus theory.

Somewhere in the missing 87%?

Biblical stories in Egyptian religious texts.

3. JSP as catalyst for revelation. D&C 7, JST as translations.

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Criticism 2 Scholars translations of the facsimiles

dont match Josephs explanations.

Original context vs. Book of Abraham

context.

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Lion couch scenes

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Canopic jars

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Canopic jars ofNeskhons, wife ofPinedjem II.Made of calcite,with paintedwooden heads.

Circa 990-969B.C.

(Image: Wikipedia)


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Facsimile 1: Resurrection of Hor

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(Image abovereversed for

comparison.)


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JSP I missing portions (l un e)



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Joseph Smith Papyri-I (recovered original) Facsimile 1 woodcut by Reuben Hedlock

Conjectural restoration by Roger Nicholson


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Joseph Smith bullseye

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BofA: the idolatrousgod of Pharaoh.

Egyptian religion:Pharaoh is the livingincarnation of Sobek.


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Leiden Papyrus I 384

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A demotic magicalpapyrus from Thebes,dated to 3rd or2nd centuryB.C.

Abraham


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Facsimile 3: A throne scene

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Isis Osiris Maat Hor Anubis


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Throne scene

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Facsimile 3: A new context

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Pharaoh Abraham The prince Shulem Olimlah


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Facsimile 2:The hypocephalus of Sheshonq

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Why dont Josephsexplanations match? Originally Egyptian funerary documents.

Attached to Book of Abraham, given new

meanings.

By an ancient Jewish-Egyptian scribe?

By Joseph Smith?

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Criticism 3Joseph Smith said the Book of Abraham

was written by his own hand, upon

papyrus.

Joseph believed that; so what?

Its the contentof the book that matters!

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Message of the Book of Abraham Whats in the textof the book?

Ties to ancient texts and stories about

Abraham.

Importance to Latter-day Saints:

Priesthood.

Covenant.

Premortal existence.

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In two weeks:Abraham

Abraham 12

Genesis 1223

LDS Old Testament Slideshow 07: The Book of Abraham

Documents

Transcript of LDS Old Testament Slideshow 07: The Book of Abraham