Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, was not only a prophet, but also a restorer. Through him God restored truths, priesthood powers, scripture, and a church organization whose membership now numbers thirteen million.
Those are the big things we think of when we discuss Joseph Smith. However, he was also responsible for restoring small things. For example, one of the central things he restored was an emphasis on families. This is a small thing, since it begins with merely two people who have fallen in love. This small process continues as this couple begins to have children, who begin life as the tiniest of creatures.
In saying that he revealed small things is not to say that they are trivial. But sometimes we focus on the externals or “the big things,” such as the number of temples, the size of the church membership, the prominence of Mormons in society, arts, and government, that we can miss these small things that are of equal value. After all, faith does not need to be mammoth. Faith can work perfectly well, even if it is as small as a mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20)
Another one of these small things Joseph Smith revealed was the nature of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Nowadays people have varying opinions of Mary. Some people are miffed because she does not get enough “airtime” in the scriptures as other less worthy males. They see her being trivialized because she is not as emphasized as, say, King Ahab or Goliath. On the other hand some Christian denominations see her as a “co-mediatrix” and “co-redemptrix” with Christ. She is the Queen of Heaven. Some take her up as a feminist icon—after all if Jesus is important, then his mother must be even more important. And there are various other notions.
To understand the Mormon view of Mary, the starting point is the Book of Mormon. Mormons consider this book is scripture on par with the Bible, and appreciate its teachings that reaffirm and expand upon the truths of the Bible.
Nephi, who was an ancient prophet, was given a vision of the life of Jesus Christ. One part of the vision focuses on Mary:
“And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.”
“And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?”
“And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.”
“And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?”
“And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”
“And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.”
“And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!”
“And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.”
“And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!” (1 Nephi 11:13-21)
Mormons accept that the traditional understanding of Mary. Although she was mortal and not divine, she did have a special calling to bear and nurture the Savior.
By way of comparison, King Phillip II of Macedon has his son Alexander the Great tutored by the philosopher Aristotle. We of course assume that God has as much horse sense as Phillip, and would make a similar choice in selecting super-competent people when choosing the parents of the Savior of the world.
However, there is one point that is disputed nowadays: the Virgin Birth. There are two reasons for this. One is the general distaste that some people have for miracles. They see miracles as an intrusion into the natural and scientific order of things. It makes things messy and smacks of mysticism and paganism. It would set science back two millennia. And miracles can be a non-answer. “Why did such-and-such happen? God willed it.” This is sometimes called the God of the Gaps Theory.
The other reason is has to do with translation. In the King James Bible, the official bible of the Mormon Church, there is a prophecy from Isaiah that reads:
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
The disputation is over the word “virgin.” The Hebrew word used in this verse is almah, which refers to a young woman of marriageable age. The people argue that if virgin in the strict sense of the word was intended, Isaiah would have used bethulah which always means virgin. So Mary was just a young girl, noting more. Joseph (or the Roman soldier Panthera) was the real father of Jesus.
The Mormon response to these questions can be resolved by the above passage from the Book of Mormon. As to miracles, the book not only reaffirms the reality of miracles, but the Book of Mormon is itself a miracle. The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. Consequently, Mormons believe that God guided Joseph Smith in word selection for the translation.
(You see how the atheistic scientism of the first objection facilitates the philosophic climate for the second objection.)
The critics assume that Isaiah used the word almah in the original text, and not bethulah. Mormons believe the Bible is the word of God, insofar as it is translated correctly. Joseph Smith taught:
“I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors. … Look at [Hebrews 6:1] for contradictions—‘Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.’ If a man leaves the principles of the doctrine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? This is a contradiction. I don’t believe it. I will render it as it should be—‘Therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.’ ” (“Chapter 17: The Great Plan of Salvation,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 206–16.)
So it is possible that there was textual tampering with this verse.
But back to the issue. Understanding that Christ was virgin born is the key to everything. Bruce R. McConkie, an apostle in the Mormon Church, taught:
“This matter of the divine sonship of the Lord is the heart and core of revealed religion. It is the very center of out system of worship; all things revolve around it; all things center in it. If anyone is going to investigate revealed religion, the focal point of the investigation should be this matter of the divine sonship of Christ.” (Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie, 41)
The reason why is that if Christ was virgin born, then He was the Son of God. If He was the Son of God, then He could both atone and resurrect. On the other hand, if Christ was not virgin born, then He was not the Son of God, did not atone and resurrect, and then we have no religion whatsoever. Everything would collapse like a house of cards.
That is why Joseph Smith restored this truth about Mary. Although she was merely a mortal, she was chosen to be the virgin mother of Jesus Christ. And it is this connection to Christ that makes her noteworthy.
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