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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Moses 1 Chiasma

This is an old post from an older blog I used to keep that is no longer public.  I had a friend asking if I would share it - so I am moving it here:

As I was reading Moses 1 it appeared to me that it was a Chiasma.  It isn't exactly parallel in structure but if you look at the first 21 verses, you will find many elements that appear in the second 21 verses.

So I looked into Chiasma via google/wikpedia and found some things I found interesting.

1.  It comes from a Greek word meaning to shape like a letter X.  It is not too hard to picture the stucture at least somewhat like a V when reading - we start high on mountain top (verse 1) the Glory of God and his creations - then down to earth - then to the depths of hell (vs 21 - in the middle) the story then goes back up from earth to God and his creations and makes a final reference to the mount.
2.  On the wikipedia page for Chiasma it talks about how Chi or X of Chiasmus relates to Christ and the cross.
3.  Chiasma is often used to compare and contrast.  Moses 1 has the full gambit.  From the heights of the heavens and the glories and works of God to the Satan and the depths of hell.
4.  In human biology, Chiasma may refer to the optic chiasm.  It is the point where information from the left eye and information from the right eye are combined together.  I love the symbolism here.  In chiasmatic writin style, the two sides parallel each other in form and content.  The two eyes also are looking at the same thing in form and content.  It is the combination of this information that makes a 2d image become a 3d image in the mind.  I think in some ways, chiasmatic writing style helps us take what appears to be a simple narrative on the surface and add layers of depth to it.  That was my experience with Moses 1.  After noticing the chiasmatic structure of the writing, I started to see what appeared to be other layers of symbolism and meaning.

Here are some of the other layers that appear to be also present in Moses 1:

1.  The journey of the plan of salvation:  We start in God's presence.  We leave his presence and fall to earth.  We experience the temptation to worship Satan by yielding to his temptations.  We call on God for deliverance.  It is only finally through calling on God through the only begotten that one can cause Satan to depart.  We look up to heaven, are santified by the Holy Ghost, fulfill our mission's here on earth and return to God's presence.  All of these elements are in Moses 1.  We are told to apply the scriptures to ourselves.  Moses 1 is the story of our journey in the plan of salvation.
2.  The spiritual and natural man.  Look at how the words spiritual and natural are used throughout the chapter.  In the preexistence we are spirits.  Moses beholds God with his spiritual eyes, is transfigured.  After Moses falls to earth he receives his natural strength - this strength is not enough to overcome Satan.  He can behold Satan with his natural eyes.  Calling on God he receives strength.  The Holy Spirit changes him.  He is born again of the spirit.
3.  Prophets as symbols of Christ:  God tells Moses that he is in similitude of His Only Begotten.  The life of Moses has many parallels with the life of Christ.  In Moses 1, Moses is told his mission will be to free Israel from bondage.  Reference is also made to Joseph Smith being in similitude of Moses towards the end of the chapter.  The chapter tells how later, Joseph would restore these very writings of Moses which would be lost through the wickedness of the world.  The role of Moses was to free ancient Israel from bondage.  The role of Joseph is to free modern Israel from bondage.  Joseph restores like Christ restores us to our Father in Heaven.
4.  The Mission of Christ:  Moses 1 also tells us Christ's mission with Moses being in similitude.  Christ leaves God's presence.  He comes and faces Satan.  Overcomes and lives a perfect life.  Becomes the deliverer of Israel from spiritual bondage and paves the way for our return.
5.  The world timeline as a chiasma.  Moses 1 references Moses, Joseph Smith, and the Savior the parallel characteristics of their missions.  On the time line of earths history Moses seems to be on the left side of the earth time Chiasma,  Christ is in the Center in the meridian of time, and Joseph Smith is on the right side.
6.  X marks the spot.  Item 5 is useful in terms of thinking about chiasma because of some other interestings things about Chiasma.  In the optic Chiasm, the two images come together and are made one in the middle.  In genetics, the Chiasma is the point where two Chromatids are intertwined together in a cell.  It is the point where genetic material crosses over and is exchanged from two parallel Chromatids prior to the birth of daughter cells.  Chiasmatic writing is meant to focus the reader on the cross point, the middle of the narrative.  It is the middle that is the key point of reflection in the whole structure and message.  Christ came in the middle of time.  In the middle of Moses 1, it is the story of overcoming Satan through the Only Begotten.  The middle of this Chiasma seems to point to the atonement.  It is the center of the cross.  It is where the two parallel sides come together and become one.  It is the point of crossover in the journey.  Christ is the way that our crossover becomes possible and our rebirth through the Spirit becomes possible.

So Moses 1 is the story of the plan and salvation.  It seems to be full of many symbolic layers and right in the center of it all (via Chiasma) is the symbolism of Christ and the atonement - the key of the plan of salvation.

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