Kings And Prophets In The Book Of Mormon

[asbestosman]

In the Book of Mormon, we read about several sets of plates, but some of the most significant are the large plates of Nephi and the small plates. The large plates followed the reign of kings and judges and was initially focused on more of the history and wars. The smaller plates was for more of the spiritual matters. Both have elements of the other which redundancy allowed for Martin Harris to lose the 116 pages. My understanding is that the large plates stayed with the kings while the small plates stayed with the prophets. However, I'm not sure how correct I am here.

There also seems to have been some overlap in the political rulers and spiritual rulers among the Nephites. King Mosiah (the first) translated a large stone telling about the Jaredites. King Mosiah (the second, grandson of the first) translated the 24 plates that the people of Limhi found from the Jaredites and which Moroni later added as the Book of Ether. This indicates to me that both Mosiahs were seers and hence prophets (Mosiah 8:16). However, if that is the case, then why didn't the small plates go to Mosiah the first? Also, who were the prophets during the time of King Benjamin (Words of Mormon v 16 towards the end)--does that indicate that King Benjamin wasn't the prophet? Yet King Benjamin had a very important vision and message from an angel which he delivered to his people. Furthermore he led the people to feel remorse for their sins and to covenant with God to be obedient and be called the children of Christ.

In Mosiah 25 we see Mosiah II give Alma the elder permission to establish churches--a possible separation between political and spiritual roles. Furthermore in chapter 26 Alma I receives revelation pertaining to the church (instead of Mosiah receiving it). But we see in verse 8 that Mosiah had given Alma that authority. We also see in chapter 28 that translates the 24 plates.

In Mosiah 29 we explicitly see Alma the younger is called as chief judge and high priest together. In Alma 4 we see Alma the younger making a more explicit separation between political and spiritual matters so that he could devote himself to the spiritual. My understanding is that at this time Alma is the prophet while Nephihah is the political leader.

I'm really curious about the interplay between the spiritual and political leadership roles among the Book of Mormon peoples. Does anyone have any more information or ideas about that? One thing I find particularly interesting is that if there was a separation between church and state among the Nephites, it is a very different thing than what we tend to think of today.

[Brant Gardner]

It is a misconception to separate the plate traditions between kings and prophets. It was a separation between lineages, which the large plates following Nephi's direct line (and therefore kings) and the small plates following Jacob's line. The small plates end when Amaleki gives them to Benjamin. From then on, there is only one plate tradition (until Mormon creates his abridgment).

The plates move in and out of the king line, depending upon who had them and kept them. Alma2 keeps them when he gives up the justice seat, but they return to the king line when his grandson, Helaman, returns to the judgment seat. I explain some of this in the section dealing with the reason that book names change. You can read it http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2008-fair-conference/2008-mormons-editorial-method-and-meta-message at this link.

[asbestosman]

Thanks! That's just the sort of thing I'm looking for. It will probably take me a little while to ponder it.