Cracking The Code: Tracing Book of Mormon Origins

[Mormonism Live 225] What if one of the most foundational parts of the Book of Mormon wasn't ancient at all—but lifted from a 19th-century Methodist Bible commentary?

In this episode, Mormonism Live dives into what may be the most significant academic finding in Mormon studies in decades: compelling evidence that Joseph Smith used Adam Clarke’s biblical commentary—a massive, scholarly work from the early 1800s—as a source while "translating" Isaiah into the Book of Mormon.

Based on Colby Townsend’s stunning new paper, we break down direct textual connections, show how Smith edited Isaiah using Clarke’s scholarly notes, and explore what this means for the Church’s truth claims, the notion of “translation,” and the very origin story of the Book of Mormon.

This episode could change the conversation around Joseph Smith’s methods forever.

🔔 Don’t miss this deep dive into what looks like the scholarly smoking gun behind one of Mormonism’s sacred texts.

RESOURCE:

Interview with Haley Lemmon Wilson

Terryl Givens Bricolage theory based on the library Smith owned

[WereWayOutHere]

This is one of the most significant episodes I have heard on any of these podcasts, and the only reason I know how significant it is is the ridiculous level of study I've already done on Mormon history both before and after my resignation. There are connections made here that seem so subtle and would not even be recognizable to an active LDS person or somebody who was early in their study of LDS history. This is huge deal, thank you for your great scholarship!

[ahlplex]

Dartmouth college likely had a copy of the commentary. Where Hyrum went to school

[Moksha-Raver]

As Born in the Covenant Mormons may say, "Fool me once, then fool me over and over."

[TEAM__POSEIDN]

For some reason, as I was clicking on this show to begin watching it, I thought of the expression "summum bonum" which is an expression that has run in a gag-reel in my mind ever since I first saw the expression (meaning "greatest good") in D&C 128. It made me think of how Joseph Smith was constantly grabbing on to all kinds of expressions and going out of his way to sound smart (instead of being the extremely ignorant and illiterate "farm boy" that the apologists usually want him to be). Of course, he could have said "greatest good" or "bestest good", but he went with the fancy Latin expression. Then it occurred me to do a quick search to see if Adam Clarke ever used the expression "summum bonum". It only took a couple of minutes. In his commentary on Psalm 85 : 12 : "The Lord shall give - good - הטוב hattob, The Good thing - what is the supreme good, the SUMMUM BONUM, for which man has searched in vain through all his generations." Maybe just a little piece to add to the pile of circumstantial evidence.

[randyjordan]

This subject is too complicated for my feeble brain to comprehend, but the idea that Joseph Smith plagiarized a Bible commentary in writing his BOM reminded me of Alexander Campbell's 1831 review of the BOM:

"This prophet Smith, through his stone spectacles, wrote on the plates of Nephi, in his book of Mormon, every error and almost every truth discussed in New York for the last ten years. He decides all the great controversies;--infant baptism, ordination, the trinity, regeneration, repentance, justification, the fall of man, the atonement, transubstantiation, fasting, penance, church government, religious experience, the call to the ministry, the general resurrection, eternal punishment, who may baptize, and even the question of free masonry, republican government, and the rights of man. All these topics are repeatedly alluded to. How much more benevolent and intelligent this American Apostle, than were the holy Twelve and Paul to assist them!!! He prophesied of all these topics, and of the apostacy, and infallibly decides by his authority every question. How easy to prophesy of the past or of the present time!! But he is better skilled in the controversies in New York than in the geography or history of Judea."

What an amazing coincidence that the ancient Nephites were debating the same tenets of Christianity 2000 years ago that the sectarians of Joseph's little village of Palmyra were contending over in the 1820s.

[EMC_ADVENTURES]

One of the smoking gun 19th century protestant phrases in the BOM is "Probationary state". This phrase is not found in any of the hebrew or greek texts, but is found in a few 19th century publications such as Hopkinsian magazine. The hopkinsians were followers of the New England theologian Jonathan Edwards who spoke often of this concept in sermons.

[TEAM__POSEIDN]

The "miracle" story of how the Book of Mormon was translated in a short time is an excellent example of the begging-the-question logical fallacy. Because the Book of Mormon is true, we have to trust the story of how it came to be, as told by the people who brought it forth (i.e. JS, the two families who helped him plus Martin Harris, who were all hoping to make some money off of book sales, such sales calculated to be helped with a promotional miracle story). And we know the Book of Mormon is true because of the miraculous circumstances in which it was produced, as told to us by...well...the people who brought it forth. I stand all amazed that Mormons still buy into the "miraculous translation" story.

[LibertyforAll-srgu]

You should also examine how Sidney Rigdon had great influence on Mormon doctrine during his association with Joseph Smith. Given his background, he was a preacher with the Baptists and was associated with the Cambelites and the Restoration movement at the time, prior to 1830.

[rebeccabentleysmith]

I also find the “time” obsession in the Book of Mormon atypical to other scriptures. It is now very interesting that Adam Clark used that in his commentary. However with both uses of “time”….both of these European descended men have only ever known the Gregorian calendar. “Lehi” or “Nephi” (had this been a historical journal) would have used the Hebraic calendar of 360 days for a year. Who the hell knows what “Mormon” and “Moroni” would have used 1000 years later for time (again had they been historical and not fictional).
I then posit that of all the horses, chariots, and other anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, the most glaring anachronism to me is Joseph’s, and subsequently, Bruce R. McConkie’s use of Gregorian time, whether in the text or as part of a chapter heading.

[KSASTAMPS]

I have mixed feelings about this show (and topic). On the one hand I appreciate the explanation of Townsend's paper and the tie-ins with Methodism and Joseph Smith. All very interesting. On the other hand, this method by Joseph Smith seems to be very consistent with almost every other phase of Mormonism. Harold Bloom once wrote that Mormonism was the most "jury-rigged" of all the religions. I thought that was a great summary. Almost every aspect of the faith is Joseph Smith taking a scripture, a religious practice of his time as a "seed" idea, and then running it into a whole new system of theology. The obvious example is the temple where what little we know from Solomon's temple is worked into a whole system of temple worship: it's easy to see how Joseph started with initiatory ordinances in Kirtland, and then after brief exposure to Masonry, blew the whole thing up into the Endowment and finally (after plural marriage is introduced) into the idea of Exaltation coming from Eternal Marriage (known at first as Polygamy). But--and this is the genius and creativity of Joseph he doesn't just plagiarize Masonry to get there. He takes the rites in Masonry, knocks that building down to the foundation and main supports, and builds up a unique version of the temple. Is it ancient? No, but is it a copy of Masonry? No, though there's a great deal of overlap.

[No_Mormon_No_Cry]

Thanks for another wonderful lesson. Keep up the great work.

[DamonHowell-op]

About the style similarities, I remember reading about the development of the printing press (a while back now) and learned that mass producing the Bible was the original purpose of the press, and that styles changed and became more concise as they got better at printing. Styles would have been standard according to the time it was published.

[DROCKTHEWORLD]

57:04 Great question bill, this is why I tune in!

[ajadamsv]

In my opinion these are your best type of episodes! Well done!

[janemaas]

WOW!!! This Podcast is fascinating. There is so much information in this PC it is overwhelming. I’ve listened twice and going for third time. I had no idea that in the 1800’s there were so many biblical books interpreting the Bible. Wonderful. Thank you.

[EverydayNormal]

The apologetic reply to this comes built in with the explanation by Jonathan Neville for how Jonathan Edwards is also in the Book of Mormon. A lot of apologists will absolutely hate that Neville has the best angle on this. They can't stand him. Neville's weakness is that he admits that he believes Emma is lying in part of the Q/A session and his view destroys the unlearned farm boy narrative.

[manuelvillalobos]

I think what we today refer to as "The Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary, " in JS times may have been referred to as simply "the Bible", however, one with extensive commentary, but unnecessary to mention the added commentary every time because to them the core content, the main content is the biblical text, not the commentary.

This may have been one of the Bibles used by JS for his personal scripture study. The omission to mention Adam Clarke may be in part inadvertent.

However, the close circle around Joseph, who participated in the "translation" (creation) of the BoM, all of them are certainly lying to a certain extent. Joseph may have explained to them in charismatic language how the creation of the book was happening, and they decided to support him. Just as they did on many other things.

[iamjustsaying]

Excellent episode! Thanks for sharing this research. It's becoming clearer and clearer that the church is built on a house of cards. Oh, how I wish members could hear all of these things and truly comprehend why those of us who have left did so because of legitimate reasons; NOT because we are "lazy learners."

[CarolTurner-si]

We had a Clarke commentary growing up (Christian household). Wish I still had it to pull out with the missionaries

[aredesuyo]

In the Greek Orthodox Church, there is a lectionary of different scriptural readings for each day of the year. As I've been reading the daily selections for Lent (which in 2025 runs from March 3 to April 20), I've been struck by the fact that so many of the Isaiah quotations from the Book of Mormon coincide with the readings from Isaiah that are prescribed for weekdays during Lent. I used to sometimes wonder why Joseph Smith chose the particular Isaiah passages that he chose to include in the BoM, and now I may have the answer. He might have been interested in those same passages for the same reason that Adam Clarke was--because they are on the Orthodox (and maybe Roman Catholic) lectionary.