KnoWhy #537 - Why New Testament Words and Phrases Are in the Book of Mormon Part 7: How Often Did These Commonalities Come through the Hand of Mormon or Moroni? (Words of Mormon 1:1-2)

Part 7 of this series on why New Testament material appears in the Book of Mormon will further explore the possibility that Mormon and Moroni, as they wrote and abridged much of the material that would become the Book of Mormon, added or used New Testament-type language that was available to them.

 

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, it is conceivable that Mormon (who lived in the 4th century after Christ), as he abridged the historical Nephite records, could have inserted into his record words or phrases that Jesus had introduced into Nephite usage during His New World ministry.

 

The father and son pair of Mormon and Moroni is largely responsible for the words written upon the gold plates that were delivered to and translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. If there was “Christian” or New Testament-type language in that Nephite record (as opposed to it only coming in at the level of the English translation), then readers should likely consider Mormon and Moroni, who were both highly familiar with all the teachings and revelations of Jesus available (including many beyond those recorded in 3 Nephi), to be the sources for much of that language.