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“Scripture
study is an exciting and interesting thing. It is personal because of its
message to you and me. It is real,” Joseph Fielding McConkie told students in his devotional address
Tuesday at Brigham Young University-Idaho.
A
professor of ancient scriptures at Brigham Young
University, McConkie used the scriptures to help students
understand the calling of Joseph Smith as a prophet.
He
began with the teachings of Isaiah concerning Jesus Christ.
“As
many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men”
(Isaiah 52:14).
“This
scripture means that for which Jesus stood would be more misinterpreted and
more misused than any other man in earth’s history,” he said.
“It means he was the most often misquoted, and still is the most
often misquoted man in earth’s history. What he said has been
misused.”
He
compared this chapter of Isaiah to 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.Christ quotes Isaiah while instructing the Nephites.
“As
many were astonished at thee – his visage was so marred, more than
any man, and his form more than the sons of men,” (3 Nephi 20:44).
“This
is the resurrected Christ speaking,” McConkie
said. “His mortal ministry is complete. The prophecies relative to
his mortal ministry are also complete. Now he is taking this prophecy of
Isaiah, picking it up and placing it on a great servant that is to come
forth in the last days.”
He
pointed out verse 10 of the next chapter. “But behold, the life of my
servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he
shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto
them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil,” (3
Nephi 21:10).
“What
you see in this text is called ‘dual fulfillment,’” he
said. “We looked at Isaiah 52:14 and saw that it was fulfilled in the
life of Christ. Then we see Christ take the same prophecy and place it upon
Joseph Smith and say it will find its fulfillment all over again.”
McConkie stressed the importance of names in the Bible
and the message they generally carried with them. According to scholars,
the Hebrew name Joseph means “he who gathers for God.”
“So
what is the first word that God uttered in this, the dispensation of the
fullness of times, when he parted the heavens in the sacred grove? Joseph.
What a marvelous way to begin a gospel dispensation,” he said
He
challenged students to always use the scriptures when they teach.
“What we’ve been doing here today is what Christ did with the
scriptures,” he said. “We’ve taken the Old Testament, the
Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and woven them together. You can
see that they are all baring witness to the same truths. They are all telling
the same story.”
Next
week’s devotional speaker will be Bishop H. David Burton, a member of
the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Devotionals are broadcast live on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and again at 9 p.m. on KBYI, FM 100.
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