top of page

 

Chapter 21: "All in the Family"

 

Chapter Summary:

The stem of Jesse (Christ) will judge in righteousness--The knowledge of God will cover the earth in the Millennium--The Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel--Compare Isaiah 11. About 559–545 B.C.

 

 

 

 

 

Those of you who have been reading the summaries of the last few chapters may have noticed that several summaries spell out that these "prophecies" are about Jesus, the Second Coming, the millennium, etc. I haven't addressed this much, since I have been focusing on the text itself, rather than biased interpretations of those with vested interests. But this chapter makes a very interesting claim when you consider it under the Mormon microscope:

 

"1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots."

 

According to the chapter summary, Mormons equate this "stem of Jesse" with Jesus. The idea that a "branch shall grow out of his roots" suggests that Jesus will have his own successive lineage (i.e. children). Some postulate, in fact, that Mary Magdalene may have been married to Jesus. Few mainstream Christians entertain this thought (aside from fans of Dan Brown novels).

 

Mormons will sometimes support this by noting that Mormon doctrine teaches that in order to attain the highest degree of glory in heaven, one must be married (early Mormons actually believed the same principle of polygamy, and supported it with Mormon scripture: D&C 132). Therefore, it is reasonable for Mormons to assume that Jesus also would be married. Well, as reasonable as speculation based on faith--rather than evidence--can be.

 

Of course, this all assumes that Isaiah is speaking about Jesus, which is not apparent based on the text. Isaiah doesn't even appear to be speaking about the same person as the child born of a virgin he has been describing. Shifting gears to talk about some one born from Jesse's line and describing him as a mediator for the poor, meek and oppressed sounds like a separate person from the political messianic figure born of miraculous circumstances. Isaiah makes no indication that the two descriptions are of the same person.

 

It seems that in order for Christians to make the unfounded leap that Isaiah is talking about Jesus in both scenarios they must assume that because Isaiah speaks favorably about both figures, they must both be Jesus. See how this works? Any mysterious, unnamed figure in the bible with positive traits must be Jesus!

 

Based on the Christian perspective of what Jesus said and did, only the second figure (an advocate for the poor, meek, etc.) seems to have any similarities with Jesus. But, this assumes that the gospel writers were unbiased, truthful and accurate, rather than devotees with vested interests writing contradicting non-verifiable folk-legends decades after Jesus' death.

 

There is one tinsy-winsy problem with Jesus being the "stem of Jesse". In two verses Isaiah describes this stem as having a fear of The Lord. If this stem is Jesus, why would he fear The Lord? According to Mormons, the god of the Old Testament is Jesus, so this is even more confusing from the Mormon perspective. Jesus fears himself?

 

And another thing, if Jesus had kids, where are they? Wouldn't early Christians have followed around the children of the son of god? Wouldn't they have made them some kind of royalty? Apparently not. And because of this omission, catholic priests and nuns can't have families. Because Jesus.

 

These contradictions and inconsistencies are exactly what one would expect if the gospel writers and early Christians tried to squeeze Old Testament "prophecies" in to their cult. 

 

[next] [previous] [top]

bottom of page