Evidence Fifty-Eight:
The Book of Mormon Resolves The Question Whether the Holy Ghost Falls On a Person or Enters Into a Person©
I have repeatedly argued that one of the great blessings arising from the prophetic ministry of Joseph Smith is that he answers, often in great simplicity, a multitude of important theological and doctrinal question. Joseph Smith is a man with the answers. In asserting this, I do not mean to suggest that his answers were whole-cloth creations of his personal creativity. His answers to important religious questions grow out of the inspiration and revelation given to him, and through the 900 pages of scripture he produced under the direction of God. These answers are roughly of two types. Some were revealed to Joseph Smith directly as he encountered a problem or issue and took the matter to the Lord. Awareness of many other answers grows out of study of the scriptures he produced. I suspect we have only begun to plumb the depths of this fruitful avenue of study.
I recently encountered an example of this second type which greatly impressed me, both in its profundity and simplicity. Mark 1:10 says that after Christ was baptized, as he came out of the water, “he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.” Julie M. Smith, commenting about this passage observes that some NT manuscripts read “to/into him” and others say “upon him” in reference to the Spirit’s descent. She believes “to/into him” was the earlier reading and the change to “upon” was occasioned by debates then raging about the identity of Jesus. Then, in a footnote she offers the following helpful insights:
Restoration scripture, when it speaks of Jesus’ baptism, uses “upon” (see 1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:8; D&C 93:15). It may be that scripture translated by or revelation received by Joseph Smith used “upon” because that was the language he was familiar with from the NT, or it may weigh in favor of reading “upon” in Mark. Note that the difference between the two variants implies a choice between the Holy Ghost being “upon” a person or “in” a person, but Restoration scripture suggests that no choice is really necessary; 3 Ne. 19:13 uses both concepts: the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost.” Generally, the Book of Mormon describes people as being “filled” with the Holy Ghost (see Alma 8:30; 36:24; 3 Ne. 26:17; and D&C 84:27; 107:56.)(1)
How simple is that? One Book of Mormon verse resolves the matter. Both ideas are correct. It remains for the dedicated student to follow Smith’s lead and work out the differences between upon and in, and the importance of each.
I hasten to offer another observation here, one perhaps easy to overlook. There is nothing in the 3 Nephi passages that suggests either 1) any explicit awareness of an issue about the difference that arises out of two possible meanings in Mark’s account of the descent of the Spirit following the baptism of Jesus; nor 2) does there appear to be any overt attempt in this and other Book of Mormon passages to intentionally address the matter. The descent of the Spirit upon/into Christ is not the subject of this passage. Rather it is a natural, but unique statement in the 3 Nephi narrative of the baptism and descent of the Spirit at the time the Nephite Twelve were chosen. Joseph Smith is not lurking in the shadows of this episode to resolve yet another theological problem; but the Lord God is. For me this is one more in a growing list of evidences of the inspiration of the Book of Mormon, and therefore, of the divine calling of Joseph Smith; and therefore, one more reason why I believe.
You have to love Joseph Smith, the man who provides a seemingly endless supply of answers to interesting and important religious questions. Thank God for him!
Let’s think together again, soon.
Notes:
1. Julie M. Smith, The Gospel according to Mark, Brigham Young University New Testament Commentary, Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2018, 93, and n. 83.
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