The semi-formal origin whereby Smithmas was encouraged to become an annual celebration amongst the Mormon Church was commenced by Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith, on a Sunday -- December 23, 1894. (Joseph F. Smith became a "prophet" of the Mormon Church)
And, given that Mormons don't offer either special Christmas Eve or Christmas Day worship celebrations EXCEPT and UNLESS they fall on the calendar rhythm of a Sunday -- the Sunday closest to Christmas becomes as close to a Christmas service as Mormons get. And when we look at Sunday Dec. 23, 1894, THE main focus by Lds general authority Joseph F. Smith seemed to be Uncle Joseph Smith.
In other words, "Smithmas" wasn't "invented" by either "anti-Mormonism" individuals or groups or even by the Mormon Church's overkill of Joseph Smith's 200-year celebration of his birth (2005).
Details are found in links in the above chart.
Not only has Joseph Smith eclipsed Jesus Christ on many Decembers in various Lds wards -- per the direct testimonies of some Mormons -- but Smithmas itself is still celebrated by some select Mormons. Even well-known Mormon apologist Daniel Peterson wrote a column admitting that he personally celebrated Smith's birthday each year.
As the chart above shows -- see this link: Keyword: smithmas – Free Republic -- an index of Thirty Free Republic articles posted on the subject of Smithmas is included from Dec. 26, 2013, extending back to Dec. 14, 2010. Seven of the first 13 entries indexed there for 2013 have "Colofornian" as the source – IoW – these were "home-baked" "from scratch." EACH of these contains EXTENSIVE charted documentation that
(a) Smithmas DOES HISTORICALLY and SUB-CULTURALLY exist;
(b) Through the years, the Mormon Church has intersected many "over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes" – applying them to Joseph Smith;
(c) As mentioned above, local manifestations of Mormons celebrating "Smithmas" have abounded thru the years;
(d) You can almost cite Mormon leaders and construct your very own Joseph Smith-worship liturgy;
(e) You can even take a 26-question quiz about Smithmas – and though you'd expect the answers to be about a certain Bethlehem-born babe – the answers might surprise you!;
(f) Just look at how Mormons have indeed worshiped Joseph Smith – and not just at Christmas (review anything about "Praise to the Man");
and finally (g) Documentation was provided that Joseph Smith's 'First Vision visitation' of LdsIsm tends to trump Jesus' incarnational visit via Bethlehem.
Multiple Official Lds Church curricula sources trumpet how certain lyrics in the Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel -- written about Jesus Christ based upon Isaiah 11 in the Old Testament -- are re-interpreted by Mormon leaders to be about Joseph Smith!
(Plan to post additional Mormon Church sources highlighting more details next week)
The REAL UNDERLYING problem, however, is that this occurs not just in December, but beyond. And not just amidst a few Smith partiers on December 23; but is a major instigation by Lds church leaders.
Since 2003, Sheri Dew has been recognized as “the most prominent single [unmarried] LDS woman right now” (Sheri L. Dew).
Dew has held prominent positions for Deseret Book Company (Mormon Church owned) and Bonneville International Corporation.
In 2007, Dew -- in her Deseret Book published God Wants a Powerful People -- wrote:
"Church leaders and gospel scholars have written VOLUMES about the life, teachings, and prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, and MANY MORE VOLUMES will no doubt follow." (page 120)
And it's not just church leaders, "scholars," authors, and curricula writers. It's the outright oversaturation of Smith worship! Just look at the hymn writers and hymnbook administrators who contributed Praise to the Man (and other Mormon hymns sung as direct worship of Joseph Smith):
* Praising the Prophet: Joseph Smith and the Restoration in History and Verse
* JOSEPH SMITH: Praise to the Man
* The Work and the Glory: Praise to the Man (book)
* Praise to the Man: David Glen Hatch
* Praise to the Man: Michael Ballam
* Praise to the Man: W. Jeffrey Marsh
* Praise to the Man: Larry Barkdull
No wonder Smith boasted that he topped Jesus...that Jesus' followers fell away from Him...but that Joseph's followers had not:
Really Odd how Mormons don`t know anything about their religion.
Probably the only Mormons who are even vaguely familiar with Smithmas are those who read about it on F.R.
Wow
An angel from on high The long, long silence broke, Descending from the sky These gracious words he spoke: 'Lo in Cumorah's lonely hill A sacred record likes concealed' The second verse mentions the Mormon ghost-angel, Moroni. ("Ghost"-angel because he was supposedly a deceased man). The third verse highlights "Joseph's seed" (referencing Joseph Smith). It also speaks of a Mormon "fulness of the gospel" ... "gospel" literally meaning good news, or good tidings. (Of course, the second verse of Angels We Have Heard on High" speaks of "glad tidings." Lds "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley loved the Pratt-penned Mormon Hymn so much he cited three of its verses in his 1981 book, Be Thou an Example (p. 97).
Its lyrics triumph Jesus Christ as the “rod of Jesse” who frees us from Satan's tyranny, the depths of hell, and the grave: "Oh come, Thou rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny From depths of hell Thy people save And give them victory o'ver the grave" Yet this Triple Triumph of Christ in 'Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel' is usurped by Joseph Smith and the Lds Church! Who is the "rod of Jesse"? The Messiah, Jesus! Yet who does Brigham Young University teach is "the rod of Jesse as well as "The Root of Jesse"? That's right, Joseph Smith!!! (See 2012 digital flashcards are created for test prep for its Doctrine & Covenants 325 coursework: D&c 325 Test #2 [Merry 'SMITHMAS!' BYU class says Joseph Smith is both 'Rod' and 'Root' of Jesse] Per this 2012 BYU-student generated flashcard Q&A: "According to the student manual, who is the Rod and Root of Jesse?" Indoctrinated Answer? "Joseph Smith" I confirmed this information in numerous official Lds sources, including: * The hard copy version of the Lds Doctrine and Covenants Study Manual published in 2000, pp. 283-284, where the Mormon Church cites one of its BYU past "scholar professors" -- Sidney B. Sperry, who is commenting upon Isaiah, chapter 11: "I suggest that the 'rod' of verse 1 and the 'root of Jesse' of v. 10 refer to the same man, Joseph Smith." (D&C Study Manual, p. 284) The Mormon Church claims on that same page that "The explanation of Isaiah 11:10 given in Doctrine and Covenants 113 strongly implies that while Christ is the root of David, he is not the root of Jesse mentioned by Isaiah." (Ibid) * It was also in its 1981, 1982 Old Testament Student Manual: 1 Kings-Malachi (p. 147). All of this isn't some new 21st century Mormon spin -- a sort of "O Come, O Come EmmanSMITHuel" freshly crafted. No, the Mormon Church has been uttering and sputtering this with renewed emphasis every 22 years (2010, 1988-1989, 1966, 1944) ... even going back to where Joseph Smith engaged in elf-aggrandizement in Doctrine & Covenants 113 (written 1838).
Then a week before Christmas, R. Scott Lloyd of the Lds-Church owned Mormon Times took the week before Christmas to ensure people knew who the ”real” “rod”/“root” of Jesse” was: "Visiting Joseph on Sept. 21, 1823, the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni in angelic form quoted a number of biblical passages, among them this verse from Isaiah: 'And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots' (Isaiah 11:1). Some 15 years later, the Prophet would provide a divinely revealed explanation of this verse in the form of questions and responses recorded today as Doctrine and Covenants 113:1-4: 'Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? "Verily thus saith the Lord: It is the Christ. "What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse? "Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." Alexander W. Baugh, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU commented, "...Doctrine and Covenants 113:6 states that the 'root of Jesse' as spoken of in Isaiah 11:10 is 'a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' Such wording suggests the individual to be none other than Joseph Smith." Source: R. Scott Lloyd, Dec. 18, 2010 Mormon Times (Deseret News)/Lds Church News: Joseph Smith: a witness of Christ [LDS Open - Merry Smithmas!]
| DATE | What the Lds Church published | LINK |
| 1838 (March) | Lds "scriptures" Doctrine & Covenants 113:1-6: "1 Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? 2 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ. 3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse? 4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power. 5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter? 6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keysof the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days." | Doctrine & Covenants 113 |
| 1919 | Lds "apostle" Hyrum M. Smith and James Sjodahl co-wrote a church-approved A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, published in Liverpool, England: "Attention is called to the name [Joseph], because the Scriptures predict the coming of a great deliverer in the latter days, so named. Nephi says that Joseph, the patriarch, predicted the coming forth of the House of Israel on the American continents, of a 'righteous branch' and a Seer, whose name, he said, 'shall be called after me' (Joseph)..." | This quote in cited in the Lds Church Doctrines & Covenant Study Manual, 2000 pp. 34-35 |
| 1944 (July) | BYU Professor Sidney B. Sperry: "A supplement to Lesson 29, 3 0, 31 in the Gospel Doctrine Manual J. here are many parts of Isaiah of special interest to Latter-day Saints, because the great prophet foresaw clearly the restoration of the Church in the latter days and the redemption of Zion. In fact, we have the testimony of the resurrected Christ to the Nephites that "he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake." (3 Nephi 23:2, 3) One of the most interesting chapters to us is the eleventh, which was quoted in its entirety to the prophet Joseph Smith by Moroni on the evening of September 21, 1823. Speaking of this event, the prophet said, "He quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:40) What is of such importance in this chapter that Moroni felt constrained to quote it and explain the contents thereof? (It seems to us a reasonable assumption that he did explain it.) ... When Moroni quoted to Joseph Smith the two sections which we have discussed, he doubtless explained in some detail their true significance and importance: that God's people must be gathered and instructed in preparation for the future advent of the Savior and the great millennial era that shall ensue. Section 1 (vss. 1-5) has been, unfortunately, the least understood part of the Chapter. That is especially true of verse 1, which reads as follows: And there shall come forth a rod out of the Stem of Jesse, And a branch shall grow out of His roots. What does this verse mean? What is meant by the rod, the Stem of Jesse, the branch, and the roots? The writer has arranged the verse in poetic form so that its synonymous parallelism can be an aid to interpretation. The "rod" [333] TH6 INSTRUCTOR • JULY, 1944 will then be equivalent to "branch" and the "Stem of Jesse" will correspond to "His roots." According to Doc. & Gov. 113:1-2, the "Stem of Jesse" is the Christ, who is further spoken of in verses 2-5 of the Isaianic text. The "rod" is explained as "a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." (Doc. & Gov. 113:4) This explanation is interesting, but it still is not clear-cut as to who is meant. Verses 5 and 6 of the same section of the Doctrine and Covenants seem to give us an answer. The "root of Jesse" in the eleventh verse of this chapter of Isaiah is explained as "a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days." The wording of verse 6 in the Doctrine & Covenants is strongly reminiscent of verse 4 and the "descendant of Jesse" in both verses must be one and the same individual. Who is the one "unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days"? Who better fits this description than Joseph Smith? (See Doc. & Cov. 110:11, 16; 65:2) He is the one whom Isaiah probably had in mind when he refers in a figurative sense to the "rod" or the "branch" that should grow out of "His roots." Who will deny that the prophet was a real spiritual [334] descendant (branch) of the Christ? The eleventh chapter of Isaiah thus enabled Moroni to point out to Joseph Smith that the ancients foresaw: (1) His mission as the great latter-day seer under the direction of the Christ; (2) the gathering of Israel to build up the Church In preparation for: (3) the coming advent of the Savior prior to the ushering in of the great Millennial peace.May it come speedily! | The Instructor |
| 1966 (October) | BYU professor Sidney B. Sperry, one of the leading "Bible scholars" at the university, reinforces what he began exporting in 1944: "When the Angel Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith on the evening of Sept. 21, 1823, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah and doubtless fully explained its meaning. The Prophet himself said: '...he (Moroni) quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying it was about to be fulfilled." (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 12). It can be presumed that Moroni would not have quoted the chapter from Isaiah unless in some way it directly involved Joseph Smith and the Church he was destined to organize. ...certain expressions in two verses have occasioned some difficulties in interpretation. Indeed, there are differences of opinion on the meaning of these verses. The problems in question are the meaning of 'rod' in verse 1 and the 'root of Jesse' in verse 10. Verse 1 reads: 'And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow up out of his roots." In March 1838 the Prophet gave certain answers to questions on scripture in which he explained the 'rod' and the 'stem of Jesse' of this verse. His explanation is found in Doctrine and Covenants 113:1-4. 'Who is the stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5 verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is Christ. What is the rod spoken of in the 1 verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the stem of Jesse? Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendent of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." The Prophet gives a clear, unequivocal answer when he identifies Christ as as the 'Stem of Jesse,' but he leaves to our discernment our task of determining the identity of the 'rod.' All he says 'it is a servant in the hands of Christ,' and then he adds some interesting genealogical data. The writer has always assumed that the 'rod' was Joseph Smith, believing that the Prophet, out of modesty, hesitated to name himself directly. None of us would question that Joseph was destined to become a 'great servant in the hands of Christ.' Moreover, if we assume he was the 'rod' or 'servant,' observe how very well such an identification fits in with Moroni's mission of explaining to the latter-day Prophet his part in Isaiah's great vision of the (cont'd on Page 914-917)...(Page 915:) I suggest that the 'rod' of verse 1 and the 'root of Jesse' of verse 10 refer to the same man, Joseph Smith. ...Who better fits the description ...[re: D&C 113:4,6] than Joseph Smith? ...In your...Sunday School gospel doctrine manual, 'The Old Testament Prophets,' Page 41... you give your opinion that the rod to come forth from the stem of Jesse, mentioned in Isaiah 11:1, and the root of Jesse, mentioned in Isaiah 11:10, are the same person, whom you believe to be Joseph Smith. You give as evidence that he holds the..(Page 916:) Unfortunately, President Brigham Young did not give an explanation what he meant by a 'pure' Ephraimite; nor is there any Scriptural evidence, ancient or modern, to support the view that Joseph would have descended from blood lines that were strictly of Ephraim. Not only that, but modern genealogical reseach shows the Smith ancestry traced back through English and other European stock...Isn't it more reasonable to believe that when Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he would explain that he (Joseph) was 'the rod' (Isaiah 11:1) whom Isaiah saw 'on whom there is laid much power' (D&C113:4)--indeed that he was the 'root of Jesse' (Isaiah 11:10) unto whom 'rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days'? (D&C 113:6) ... (Page 916:) There is still another problem in connection with the 'root of Jesse' in Isaiah 11:10. In Romans 15:12 the Apostle Paul expressly quotes this passage from Isaiah and seems to imply – as many theologians believe – that Christ is the 'root of Jesse' (See Rev. 5:5; 22:16). If so, it would appear that Paul contradicts the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants that, as we have already seen, explains that the 'root of Jesse' is a 'descendent of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs... (Page 917:) ...the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' ... The Lord, speaking through the Prophet, does not really identify the 'root of Jesse' as Christ; otherwise, he would have said so, as he did regarding the 'stem of Jesse' of Isaiah 11:1. (See D&C 113:3,4) So we are confronted with the dilemma: Does Paul really identify the 'root of Jesse' as Christ, thus contradicting the Doctrine and Covenants, or is there some other explanation?... | Improvement Era: 'The Problem of the 'Rod' and the 'Root of Jesse' in Isaiah 11, pp. 868-869; pp. 914-917 [see also Doctrines & Covenants study manual, re: Stem of Jesse, pp. 283-284] |
| 1981 | Deseret Book Company, owned by the Mormon Church, begins to hype soon-to-be Lds "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley, by publishing his book, Be Thou an Example. Chapter 16 of his book is entitled "An Angel from on High"...and Hinckley begins by citing the lyrics from what he references as a "favorite hymn, the words of which were written well over a century ago by Parley P. Pratt. He wrote: 'An angel from on high, The long, long silence broke, Descending from the sky, These gracious words he spoke: 'Lo in Cumorah's lonely hill, A sacred record lies concealed.' Sealed by Moroni's hand, It has for ages lain...It speaks of Joseph's seed... Hymns, no. 224" (Hinckley, p. 97) | |
| 1981, 1982 | Lds Church official curricula: Old Testament: Student Manual 1 Kings-Malachi, p. 147: "Isaiah 11:1. Who Was the 'Stem of Jesse' and the 'Rod Out of the Stem of Jesse'? Doctrine and Covenants provides the interpretation for this verse (113:1-6). The stem of Jesse is stated to be Christ. The rod out of the stem of Jesse was said to be 'a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power" (D&C 113:4). This Scripture seems to be a reference to the Prophet Joseph Smith and to Ephraim's leadership in the restoration in the last days. President Joseph Fielding Smith summarized Ephraim's role when he wrote: 'It is Ephraim, today, who holds the priesthood. It is with Ephraim that the Lord has made covenant and has revealed the fulness of the everlasting gospel. It is Ephraim who is building temples and performing the ordinances in them for both the living and the dead. When the 'lost tribes' comes—and it will be a most wonderful sight and a marvelous thing when they do come to Zion – in fulfilment of the promises made through Isaiah and Jeremiah, they will have to receive the crowning blessings from their brother Ephraim, the 'firstborn' in Israel.' (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:252-53). President Brigham Young affirmed the place of Ephraim and the Prophet Joseph Smith in bringing to pass the purposes of this dispensation: "...The Book of Mormon came to Ephraim, for Joseph Smith was a pure Ephraimite, and the Book of Mormon was revealed to him..." (In Journal of Discourses, 2:268-69) | |
| 1989 (January) | Lds Church publication Ensign: Doctrine and Covenants 113 identifies the “Stem of Jesse” as the Lord Jesus Christ (D&C 113:1–2) and the “rod” as “a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power” (D&C 113:3–4). The “root of Jesse,” verses 5 and 6 tell us, is “a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.” [D&C 113:5–6] ... Identifying Joseph Smith as the great prophet of the Restoration makes other biblical prophecies relating to his divine calling become clearer. One of these is found in Isaiah 40:3–5, where we read of “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” [Isa. 40:3–5] Here, “the voice of him that crieth” does not refer to John the Baptist in the meridian of time; the context of the chapter deals with happenings that will occur just prior to the Second Coming and the Millennium. Therefore, it is likely that Joseph Smith is “the voice of him that crieth.” Once this is recognized, it becomes easier to understand similar biblical passages, such as Jeremiah 30:21: “Their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.” [Jer. 30:21] Who is this “governor” that will “draw near” the Lord and “approach unto” him? Jeremiah 30:17 tells us that he will come as Israel is returning from her long captivity: “I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.” [Jer. 30:17] It is likely that health refers here to spiritual vigor. Healing probably refers to the healing powers of repentance and baptism. The verse also suggests a return to the covenant promises of Abraham. The “outcasts” are the scattered tribes of Israel (see Isa. 11:12), who have languished for centuries in spiritual bondage but who are now beginning to heed the call of Israel’s missionaries to return to the covenant. Like many other biblical prophecies, this could have multiple fulfillments. As “governors,” both Ezra and Joseph Smith initiated that return to the promised covenant of old. (See D&C 84:33–34; D&C 110:12; D&C 132:31–32.) Another biblical prophecy may refer to the Prophet Joseph Smith—John 1:19–25, where we read of the priests’ and Levites’ asking John the Baptist, “Who art thou? “And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. “And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? … What sayest thou of thyself? “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias...“And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?” In the Joseph Smith Translation (John 1:22), John the Baptist’s response is somewhat different: “They asked him, saying; How then art thou Elias? And he said, I am notthat Elias who was to restore all things. And they asked him, saying, Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” (Italics added.) The popular interpretation of this verse among Bible scholars is that the “prophet” referred to is Christ—the same “prophet” Moses prophesied of inDeuteronomy 18:15. (See The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the New Testament, Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers, 1983, p. 502.) However, in his answer, John makes it clear that neither he nor Christ is “that prophet.” We can understand these verses better if we keep in mind that Elias is a title that could refer to any number of “restorers” and that Christ, John the Baptist, and Joseph Smith all qualify. (See the Bible Dictionary, s.v., Elias.) On 12 May 1844, just a few weeks before the death of Joseph Smith, the Prophet taught that he “was chosen [to be] … the last and greatest prophet to lay the foundation of God’s work of the seventh dispensation.” Then he pointed out that the Jews in the meridian of time, apparently aware of prophecies of a forerunner preparing the way of the Lord, “asked John the Baptist if he was Elias or Jesus or that great prophet that was to come.” (The Words of Joseph Smith, comp. and ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Provo: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center, 1980, p. 370.) This statement, taken from the journal of George Laub, implies that Joseph taught that he himself was “that prophet” referred to in John 1:21 and 25. It is reasonable, then, for us to conclude that Joseph Smith is most likely the prophet referred to in these verses. It was he who would “restore all things.” (John 1:22.) | Prophecies in the Bible about Joseph Smith |
| 2007 (Dec. 21) | Don, BYU business management grad and former Lds missionary to Guatamala: "Regardless, the 'root of Jesse' is almost surely the Prophet Joseph Smith. He holds the keys of this kingdom in both time and eternity and is the president of the last and greatest of all dispensations, the dispensation of the fulness of times. (See D&C 27:12-13; 90:1-3;112:30-32; 128:18-21) He is the living ensign to which the present generation must gather. We cannot, in reality, come to Christ if we do not accept his servant, Joseph Smith. "The Lord's works are first spiritual and then temporal, or physical. (See D&C 29:31-32) All of the spiritual keys, powers, doctrines, and ordinances revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith must be honored and implemented before Zion, the second ensign, can be literally established in fullness and glory. (See D&C 64:41-43; 105:3-5) That day is not far off (Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament, Richard D. Draper. See ch. 14 "The Two Davids"). So any hope I had of finding a definitive answer on who the rod and branch is or are, is lost in a sea of opinions. It could be Christ or Joseph Smith or a powerful Jewish leader named David." | Isaiah 11 & 12: The Rod, Stem of Jesse, the Branch and the Roots |
| 2010 (March 4) | Pam, head moderator: "Who, then, is the 'root of Jesse'? It appears that the Prophet Joseph Smith is both the 'rod' and the 'root' that will come from Jesse…" | 2 Nephi 21 |
| 2010 (Dec. 18) | The article kicks off with the obligatory Mormon Smithmas narrative: "On Dec. 23, 1805, as much of the world was preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, another baby boy was born. Like Jesus, this 19th century baby came forth in humble circumstances and in an obscure village. The article then jumps to what tends of overshadow the focus of Jesus' visitation as a babe in Bethlehem: The alleged visitation of Jesus unto Joseph Smith, preceded by angel visitations: "Visiting Joseph on Sept. 21, 1823, the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni in angelic form quoted a number of biblical passages, among them this verse from Isaiah: "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" (Isaiah 11:1). Some 15 years later, the Prophet would provide a divinely revealed explanation of this verse in the form of questions and responses recorded today as Doctrine and Covenants 113:1-4: ... "What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse? "Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." Commented Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve, "Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith, to whom the priesthood came, who received the keys of the kingdom, and who raised the ensign for the gathering of the Lord's people in our dispensation?" Alexander W. Baugh, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU commented, "On Dec. 9, 1834, Joseph Smith Sr. pronounced a patriarchal blessing on Joseph Smith Jr. wherein he declared that the Prophet was a lineal descendant and birthright heir to the patriarchal fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but more particularly Joseph of Egypt. Furthermore, Brigham Young declared that Joseph Smith was a descendant of Joseph through Ephraim (Journal of Discourses 2:269). "Additionally, Doctrine and Covenants 113:6 states that the 'root of Jesse' as spoken of in Isaiah 11:10 is 'a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' Such wording suggests the individual to be none other than Joseph Smith." Jesse, in biblical history, is the father of David, making him the ancestor of the kings of Judah and of Christ (see Ruth 4:17,22; 1 Chronicles 2:5-12; Matthew 1:5-6; Bible Dictionary, "Jesse" entry). Thus the Prophet Joseph Smith fits the scriptural designation of being descended from Jesse and Joseph, of having been endowed with much power, and of having been given the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom preparatory to the gathering of Israel in the last days preceding the Second Coming of the Savior. | R. Scott Lloyd, LDS CHURCH NEWS: Joseph Smith: a witness of Christ; see also: Joseph Smith: a witness of Christ [LDS Open - Merry Smithmas!] |
| 2012 | Brigham Young University was still teaching this as part of their Doctrine & Covenants 325 class in 2012 | D&c 325 Test #2 [Merry 'SMITHMAS!' BYU class says Joseph Smith is both 'Rod' and 'Root' of Jesse] |
