I'll break down what I'm learning (and how it applies to the Book of Mormon) into several posts, and do my best to keep each post concise.
To summarize, Barker believes that in the period of time during and shortly after Solomon's temple (the first temple period), there were two main competing worldviews -- the High Priestly/Prophetic tradition (also referred to as the "Wisdom" tradition) versus the Deuteronomic tradition. In short, there were two priesthoods, the lesser Aaronic handled daily sacrifice at the temple and the greater Melchizedek handled the annual rites including the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies through the veil once per year on the Day of Atonement. (Sounds familiar, right?)
This is really hard to summarize, but to keep it short, the two competing temple theologies were jostled when the temple was destroyed, and when the second temple period began, the Deuteronomic tradition won out. The High Priestly/Prophetic tradition was largely overwritten and mostly left out of the Old Testament.
To quote Barker:
The assumption that Deuteronomy was the "norm" has led to a number of distortions in our perception and presentation of the Old Testament, which has two distinct "theologies." There is the temple theology concerned with Wisdom, and the structure and harmony of the creation, and the Deuteronomic theology which is focused on the figure of Moses and the history of Israel as the chosen people. It is the Deuteronomic theology which has come to dominate the popular view of Old Testament theology.
In other words, Barker has concluded (completely independent of LDS theology) that a major purpose of the first temple has been largely lost to history. She discusses the major elements of this High Priestly tradition, and even goes so far as to conclude that many Israelites scattered throughout the region never recognized the second temple authority as valid since it was missing the High Priest and the High Priesthood. They kept the law of Moses, but looked forward to the day the great High Priest would return. This gave rise to the Messianic anticipation of Jesus' day.
Interestingly, Barker also believes the rapid acceptance of Christianity after the death of Jesus was helped along by the fact that many Israelites were waiting for the restoration of the High Priest and were therefore quick to recognize Christ as the fulfillment of this missing tradition.
Some of the elements of this High Priestly tradition bear a striking resemblance to elements of our modern temple worship:
- Creation -- More about this in a future post, but Barker believes the layout of the temple mirrors the symbols of creation, and that much was taught about transcending mortal time and space through temple worship.
- An everlasting covenant from before the foundation of the world -- "The Everlasting Covenant" is a phrase used in the Bible a few times (see Genesis 9:16, for example), which is translated from the Hebrew "berit olam." "Berit" is usually translated as "covenant," but "olam" can have several different different translations...typically "everlasting" to connote the transcending of time. This tradition holds that this covenant was established from before the foundation of the material world.
- Hidden from view -- One of the other translations for "olam" is "hidden from view." I learned the meaning of "olam" years ago in a totally different context as "beyond the horizon." Interestingly, this fits both "everlasting" and "hidden from view." This tradition held that sacred things should be safeguarded until a person showed forth faith and repentance to receive the higher things.
- The Great High Priest -- This tradition looks to a "prophet, priest, and king" to save the covenant people from their sins through sacrifice. Melchizedek, the righteous king to whom Abraham paid tithes, is the archetype of this Messiah.
- Angelic/prophetic messengers -- this tradition is filled with examples of prophets being called through a vision, purified for the purpose of preaching to the people.
- The Holy Name -- this tradition holds that great power in mortality comes by possessing a knowledge of the Holy Name.
That is a very brief summary of Margaret Barker's Temple Theology. What does any of this have to do with the Book of Mormon? In short, a lot. I'll post much more about this in the near future, but for now, just consider Alma's words to the Nephites in Ammonihah about the "Holy Order" to which he had been called:
1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.
3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, ...
6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest—
7 This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things—
8 Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—
9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen.
...
11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.
13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.
14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever.
15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.
16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord.
...
22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations; ...
26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, ...
28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, ...
31 And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not written in this book. (Alma 13)
These verses have always seemed out of place to me in some ways. This feeling is getting smaller as I learn more about the Northern Kingdom traditions, Lehi as a prophet of the High Priesthood, and this temple theology of Barker. Much more about this in the near future. I find it very satisfying to see so many temple-related dots connect in the pages of the Book of Mormon, the text of which was finalized in 1829, long before there was any significant talk of establishing a church, much less a temple!
If the "holy order" mentioned in the Book of Mormon is indeed a descendant of the High Priestly tradition rather than the Mosaic/Deuteronomic tradition, this could explain quite a bit about the nature of the Book of Mormon.
