BYU Studies

Some have wondered how the papyrus acquired by Joseph Smith could have possibly been written by Abraham's "own hand" when it dates to circa 300 BC, many centuries after Abraham's lifetime. This episode investigates what the phrase "written by his own hand" would connote in an ancient Egyptian context and whether or not we know what Joseph Smith and early Latter-day Saints thought about the papyri's age and origins.

From ⁠BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4⁠.

What does the Book of Abraham's Creation account have in common with creation myths from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia?

From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

Traditional Christianity teaches that God created the universe ex nihilo, or "out of nothing." By contrast, Joseph Smith taught that God created the universe ex materia, or by organizing pre-existing materials, and this teaching is present in the Book of Abraham. The ancient cultures of Egypt, Syria-Canaan, and Mesopotamia also seem to envision creation as bringing order to a preexisting chaos.

From ⁠⁠BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4⁠⁠.

The Bible and ancient extrabiblical texts sometimes make allusions to Lucifer's fall from heaven. Is the mythic archetype of a fallen angel also present in Near Eastern literature from Abraham's day?

From ⁠BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4⁠.

The Book of Abraham's passage about the premortal council identifies Jesus not with his name, but a title: "One answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me" (Abraham 3:27). What is the significance of this title?

From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

The Book of Abraham clearly teaches the idea of a premortal existence and the divine foreordination of rulers. Do these teachings find a plausible context in the ancient Near East?

From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

The Creation account in the Book of Abraham tells of a plurality of Gods who carry out the Creation. Significantly, these Gods are said to have taken "counsel" among themselves. After Joseph Smith's lifetime, archaeologists uncovering texts from Egypt, Syria-Palestine, and Mesopotamia discovered creation myths involving a group of divine beings collaborating as a heavenly council, or battling for power.

One of the more memorable contributions of the Book of Abraham is its depiction of Kolob—which, in recent years, some Latter-­day Saint scholars have sought to situate in the ancient world. This episode describes some of the tantalizing points that favor the authenticity of the name and concept of Kolob.

From BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4.

One of the astronomical terms defined in the Book of Abraham is Shinehah, which is said to be the sun (Abr. 3:13). What is the sun's significance in ancient Egyptian tradition? Is there evidence that Shinehah is an authentic ancient word?

From ⁠⁠BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4⁠⁠.

The Book of Abraham is noteworthy for its description of what is sometimes called “Abrahamic astronomy.” Scholars looking at the astronomical portrait in chapter 3 have described at least three models for its interpretation.

From ⁠BYU Studies Quarterly, volume 61, number 4⁠.