Mormons and Midrash: On the Composition of Expansive Interpretation in Genesis Rabbah and the Book of Moses

Authors

Avram R. Shannon

Keywords

Mormon studies, Book of Moses, Bible, Joseph Smith's New Translation

Abstract

One of the intriguing things about religious texts is how long of a life and how long of an afterlife they have. Once a text becomes a part of a “canon,” once it becomes in a way fixed, it becomes open to further discussion and elaboration. Different groups and religious traditions create different genres of interpretation to work with and understand their scriptures according to the needs of their traditions. One form of interpretation involves reopening the Bible and expanding on the narrative of the already canonized text, such as is found in the rabbinic genre of midrash and in Joseph Smith’s New Translation (JST) of the Bible.

Recommended Citation

Shannon, Avram R. (2015) "Mormons and Midrash: On the Composition of Expansive Interpretation in Genesis Rabbah and the Book of Moses," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 54: Iss. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol54/iss2/3