Comments on: Whose Record is 4th Nephi? http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/ A weekly podcast exploring Mormon culture and current events. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: KellyH http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-39486 KellyH Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:11:01 +0000 http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-39486 Your first interpretation is correct. The only way for Nephi the disciple to have been alive at the time the plates were passed to the first Amos in v. 19 would be if he WERE one of the three (the passing to the first Amos happens over 100 years after the coming of Christ), and if he were one of the three, he could not have died. This does not rule out the possibility that Nephi the disciple was one of the three (and I hold it to be very likely since his death is never mentioned), but it is certainly his son who is the first author of the records from which 4 Nephi is drawn. Even the index to the BoM makes this clear. Yes, the book heading is ambiguous, but the chronology answers the question. The only reason I can think of for Nephi the Disciple's death not to be mentioned is that he was one of the three. It is true that MANY people ignore the chronology and say that the first Amos is the son of Nephi the Disciple. The wikipedia article on the first Amos makes this error as well. Your first interpretation is correct. The only way for Nephi the disciple to have been alive at the time the plates were passed to the first Amos in v. 19 would be if he WERE one of the three (the passing to the first Amos happens over 100 years after the coming of Christ), and if he were one of the three, he could not have died.

This does not rule out the possibility that Nephi the disciple was one of the three (and I hold it to be very likely since his death is never mentioned), but it is certainly his son who is the first author of the records from which 4 Nephi is drawn. Even the index to the BoM makes this clear. Yes, the book heading is ambiguous, but the chronology answers the question. The only reason I can think of for Nephi the Disciple’s death not to be mentioned is that he was one of the three.

It is true that MANY people ignore the chronology and say that the first Amos is the son of Nephi the Disciple. The wikipedia article on the first Amos makes this error as well.

]]> By: KW http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3684 KW Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:26:29 +0000 http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3684 2nd Nephi isn't written by Nephi's son, so I agree with the idea that it could just be more of Nephi the 7th chief judge. 2nd Nephi isn’t written by Nephi’s son, so I agree with the idea that it could just be more of Nephi the 7th chief judge.

]]> By: Bruce Nielson http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3633 Bruce Nielson Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:26:23 +0000 http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3633 I had a professor who shared an opinion that it was the son of the disciple but pointed out that the disciple was still young enough to keep writing and it was a bit odd that he had turned it over to his son so soon compared to everyone else. His speculation was that the disciple has been one of the three and was thus translated now and it was no longer his calling to write any more. I had a professor who shared an opinion that it was the son of the disciple but pointed out that the disciple was still young enough to keep writing and it was a bit odd that he had turned it over to his son so soon compared to everyone else.

His speculation was that the disciple has been one of the three and was thus translated now and it was no longer his calling to write any more.

]]> By: John Hamer http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3620 John Hamer Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:56:34 +0000 http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/30/whos-record-is-4-nephi/#comment-3620 Grant Hardy, in <i>The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition</i> (p. 701), indicates his preference for your first genealogy: Helaman (6th chief judge) has a son Nephi (7th chief judge), who in turn has a son Nephi (one of the Twelve), who then also has a son named Nephi (Book of 4 Nephi). Grant Hardy, in The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition (p. 701), indicates his preference for your first genealogy: Helaman (6th chief judge) has a son Nephi (7th chief judge), who in turn has a son Nephi (one of the Twelve), who then also has a son named Nephi (Book of 4 Nephi).

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