The section Understanding the Pattern was written by Jared R. Demke, edited by Scott L. Vanatter.
Most Examples of the Pattern were outlined by Jared Demke, with minimal input from Scott Vanater. Those examples marked with an asterisk (*) were outlined by Scott Vanatter, with minimal input from Jared Demke. Examples marked with a double asterisk (**) were outlined with significant participation by both Jared Demke and Scott Vanatter.
The original website was last updated on 16 August 2001.
Scott ~ I’ve enjoyed your site, especially your tribute to Jared. I was first introduced to the concept of chiasmus while in seminary. In recent years I’ve also become acquainted with the other forms of parallelism and Hebraic poetry out of the necessity of trying to understand Isaiah. I think that I may have possibly “found” a fairly large series of chiastic writing in the Book of Mormon that I cannot find published anywhere online. I am NOT an well-versed in scholarly scripture study and am a bit unsure in how to proceed. I’d welcome your input and direction. Thank you. Kindest Regards ~ Brent N.
Thanks for your comments. I was fortunate to know Jared. I am sorry to be so late in responding. We had a wedding and a mission reunion I hosted. I’ll be in touch soon.
Dear Mr. Vanatter,
I have read this site with great interest.
Back in the early 1980’s, while trying to put the Book of Mormon (BOM) into a more easily read edition, I stumbled on to the work shown in the Holy Bible, The New King James Version, published by Nelson.
When I opened up the Bible, it fell open to Isaiah and saw how the text had been rendered in poetry format. Of course, I had been struggling with 2 Nephi and saw immediately that something very different was going on. I began studying about the Hebraic poetry and finally spent several years putting the BOM into an entirely new “poetic” pattern. That work has been published as The BOM, Restored Covenant Edition.
By the way, it is also a red letter edition showing the words of Christ in 3 Nephi in red.
I was also familiar with the work of a group in Utah called FARMS. I subscribed to their publications and then began putting the Doctrine and Covenants into a poetic format. One of the more interesting sections was the “Word of Wisdom” which I found to be entirely chiastic.
This was amazing to me because it was clear that Joseph Smith would not be writing in a Hebraic poetry style. Then I saw a publication called the “God Inspired Language of the BOM”. Again another person had redrafted the BOM into many different forms of poetic structure.
I then formed the hypothesis that when persons wrote under the power of the Holy Spirit, they wrote the Language of God. While the prophets vocabulary might influence the actual words used, the power of God’s language is so bright that it shines through the prophet’s gloss.
I believe that language was given to Adam and passed down as one of God’s gifts. It was a pattern that shows up again and again. One of those patterns in all things.
Finally, one last thought, there are 5 verses in the BOM and D&C which say that God’s course is “one eternal round.”
If you connect up the first (A) and last (A’) points in a chiasm, with the middle or turning point at 6:00, the chiasm, rather than being half an X, fully fits on a circle – perhaps a more fitting visual because the circle is “one eternal round.” I have only shared this last point with a few people but it has not been published anywhere.
I hope this reaches you and thank you for your obvious devotion to the Word of God.
Edward Faunce
Edward Faunce
Faunce, Singer & Oatman
315 N. Vine St.
Fallbrook, CA 92028
760.451.7377
760.451.7388 – Fax
http://www.public-pensions.com
efaunce@fsolaw.com
Excellent insights, Edward. I sent you an email directly. Thanks!
Thank You Scott for sharing your work and devotion. Recently I discovered that Rev. 1:1 was a parallel verse. I had been working on chapter 1 for 3 months and was repeatedly drawn back to verse 1 until I found the parallelism. Additionally, I was surprised to find that a chiastic structure exists in Rev. 1:4-7.
My greatest find was in chapter 14 of the book of Revelation where the 144,000 live through seven events prior to being with Christ at Zion. Currently I am considering how the chaistic structure works in that chapter. It should flow as follows:
A The 144,000 are at Zion with Christ (14:1-5)
B The 144,000 were taught the everlasting gospel by the angel (14:6-7, 10:11, 10:7, 1:1). We know this is Michael (Dan. 12:1).
C The 144,000 lived through the fall of Babylon the Great (14:8 18:1)
D The 144,000 lived through the mark of the beast period (14:9-11, 13:7-10). The clue that the 144,000 are being addressed in 13:7-10 is verse 13:9 which comes from chapters 2 & 3 where the Savior instructs them to read what he “the Spirit” says to the seven churches. What he says to the seven churches was written in the book of Revelation so this means that the Saviors instructions to the 144,000 was given in this book.
E The gathered saints are at Zion with Christ and his 144,000 (14:12-13). They were gathered at the end of the mark of the beast period.
D The 144,000 lived through the harvest of the Lord (14:14-16, 18:21) which ended the mark of the beast period (19:20).
C The 144,000 lived through the defense of Israel (14:17, 9:14, 7:1-3, 8:7-12, 16:2-9). The first four angels are defensive in posture.
B The 144,000 lived through the release of the devils (14:18, 9:1-4, 16:10-11). This release is done by the fifth angel and this is John.
A The 144,000 lived through the wine press (14:19:20, 6:17, 8:13, 9:1-21, 11:14-19, 16:10-21). Although this event is marked by an angel (v19) the actual work is done by the Savior (v20).
In chapter 14 the first angel Michael is the seventh angel in chapters 10, 11 & 16 and he is the angel who is showing John the vision which makes up the book. This places the others angels off by one so angel number two (14:8) is number one in chapters 8 & 16 and angel number three (14:9) is number two in chapters 8 & 16. And angels four through seven follow in a like manner.
Thanks again
Randy
Hi Randy,
This is embarrasing. I failed to acknowlege or respond to your comment SO LONG AGO. I apologize.
I will look into what you sent and get back with you… Thank you for your interest. Hope this finds you well.
Scott