Illuminating the Sermon at the Temple and Sermon on the Mount: An Approach to 3 Nephi 11-18 and Matthew 5-7

This revised edition of Welch's 1990 text is a *must* for any serous student of the Book of Mormon. Welch examines the presence of a sermon similar to the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in 3 Nephi 12-14, focusing on the temple setting of the sermon at the temple in Bountiful (3 Nephi 11-18). One aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most was that Welch dealt with, superbly, in my opinion, with criticisms forwarded against the Book of Mormon's rendition of the Sermon on the Mount, such as the presence of the doxology and certain phrases critics such as Stan Larson have charged to be based on later editions of the New Testament manuscripts and were not original. Welch refutes such criticisms. I welcome sincere feedback at [email protected]

John Welch does an excellent job in this book. His primary emphasis is on the Sermon on the Mount in a ritual/temple context. He explains the temple language used in the Sermon as well as scholarly ideas that the Greek text uses "mystery" or initiatory phrasing in expressing its ideas (using the idea of clothing, knowledge, etc.).This work is most likely the beginning of Mr. Welch's work in this field. Welch gave a talk to the Society of Biblical Literature in 1999, the transcript of which is soon to be released on this same subject. Fascinating in its view of one of the most troublesome texts in the Bible (being as many interpretations as readers), the liturgical view adds further depth to the already incredible "sermon of sermons".