Did Joseph Smith Use 19th-Century Bible Scholarship to produce the Book of Mormon? | Ep. 2002
Mormon Stories Podcast
Dr. John Dehlin
4.6 • 5.2K Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2025
⏱️ 188 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
New research by PhD student Colby Townsend reveals striking connections between The Book of Mormon and Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary, a widely used biblical resource in Joseph Smith’s time. In this episode, we explore how Smith engaged with Clarke’s insights, made textual modifications, and reframed biblical passages to fit his theological vision. Was Smith restoring lost scripture, or was he influenced by contemporary scholarship?
00:11:35 Summary of Joseph Smith using the Adam Clarke Commentary
00:17:06 During this time, this is NOT considered plagiarism
00:19:55 The new article by Colby Townsend
00:23:24 Clip of Hayley talking about Joseph Smith using the Bible Commentary
00:29:45 What were we taught about how the Book of Mormon was produced?
00:30:17 Quote from David Whitmer on the translation through the seer stone
00:35:00 The Expansion Theory
00:40:26 Quote from Emma on the Book of Mormon translation
00:42:33 Quote from Martin Harris on it being a direct translation
00:44:00 There is no account from Oliver Cowdery on the translation process; Oliver was also willing to lie
00:44:51 Clip of Brad Wilcox on how the Book of Mormon was translation
00:48:08 Background of Colby Townsend
00:50:08 Quotes from the article
00:57:55 Joseph used other Bible Commentaries
01:02:00 Conclusion from Colby Townsend’s article
01:07:40 Clip of the the Bible not having plain and precious things being removed
01:09:25 Clip - The Book of Mormon is to bring back the things lost from the Bible
01:11:20 2 Nephi 11:2 Nephi talks about the importance of Isaiah
01:22:43 Quote from the Colby’s article about how Joseph was well versed in the Bible
01:24:55 Dan Vogel’s theory about the presence of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon
01:26:14 Colby Townsend discussing Joseph and Methodism
01:29:25 Adam Clarke’s Biblical Commentary
01:33:35 Joseph’s access to Clarke
01:40:00 Comparing The Book of Mormon to the Adam Clarke Commentary
01:49:35 Joseph copying both the KJV and then Adam Clarke’s commentary
01:58:38 Next example in Isaiah 50:2 “their fish is dried up”
02:12:20 The example of Isaiah 2: 12-16 “cedars and oaks” and “high mountains and lofty hills”
02:18:45 Isaiah 9:3 “thou hast increased their joy”
02:24:20 Gerardo found his own examples
02:32:24 Examples in Isaiah 14:3 “in that day”
02:38:59 Isaiah 49:1 “O ye distant lands”
02:48:10 Example Isaiah 29:11 “read it, for it is sealed up”
02:56:50 If this is the most correct book why was so much of it changed?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Mormon stories podcast. |
| 0:03.6 | I'm your host, John DeLinn. |
| 0:05.2 | It is March 18th, 2025. |
| 0:07.5 | We're doing a live stream today. |
| 0:09.8 | And today, the thumbnail for today's episode is Book of Mormon Secret Source. |
| 0:16.3 | And what we're going to be talking about today is brand new research that has come out in a, |
| 0:23.2 | you know, a peer-reviewed journal, academic journal, that is basically asking the question, |
| 0:30.6 | did Joseph Smith borrow from the Adam Clark Bible commentary when he created or produced the text of the Book of Mormon. |
| 0:42.6 | We're going to be going into this, but a short, a summary of that is, have we discovered a new |
| 0:49.5 | source of possible plagiarism by Joseph Smith in his creation of the Book of Mormon, |
| 0:57.6 | in addition to all the other sources that we've already discovered. |
| 1:02.9 | And joining us today on this panel, this is brand new research. |
| 1:07.9 | As far as I know, no one that I know even knows that this article exists other |
| 1:13.9 | than the author and Herardo and Colby. I'm sure there are a few people, but this is in 2025, |
| 1:19.1 | March of 2025, this is brand new research. And as far as I know, there's been no Mormon |
| 1:25.3 | or ex-Mormon themed podcasters or YouTubers that, uh, know about or have |
| 1:29.8 | covered this topic. So, uh, do not be fooled. This is breaking research and this is a breaking |
| 1:36.6 | podcast. And it's all about, uh, Mormon church truth claims and specifically book of Mormon |
| 1:43.7 | historicity or the lack thereof. |
| 1:45.9 | Joining me on today's historic panel, have I added too much hyperbole, Colby and Herardo. |
| 1:53.0 | Joining me today are my compadre, Herado Sumano. |
| 1:59.1 | Hey, Gerardo. |
... |
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