Zenos
{{Short description|Old Testament Prophet Mentioned in the Book of Mormon}}
{{about|a prophet mentioned in The Book of Mormon (Jacob Chapter 5)|the exam preparation business|Zenos Academy|the automobile manufacturer|Zenos Cars}}
{{distinguish|Enos (Book of Mormon)|Zenock}}
{{Notability|date=January 2024}}
{{Figures in the Book of Mormon}}According to the Book of Mormon, Zenos ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|iː|n|ə|s}})[http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/scriptures/bofm/pronunciation?lang=eng churchofjesuschrist.org: "Book of Mormon Pronunciation Guide"] (retrieved 2012-02-25), IPA-ified from «zē´nus» was an old world prophet whose pre-Christian era writings were recorded upon the plates of brass. Zenos is quoted or paraphrased a number of times by writers in the Book of Mormon, including Nephi,[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/1_ne/19/10,12,16#10 1 Nephi 19:10, 12, 16]. Jacob,[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/jacob/5/ Jacob 5]; [http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/jacob/6/1#1 Jacob 6:1]. Alma, son of Alma,[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/alma/33/3,13,15#3 Alma 33:3, 13, 15]. Nephi, son of Helaman,[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/hel/8/19#19 Helaman 8:19]. Samuel the Lamanite,[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/hel/15/11#11 Helaman 15:11] and Mormon.[http://scriptures.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/3_ne/10/16#16 3 Nephi 10:6].
The book of Mormon says that Zenos wrote on a variety of topics, including the signs to accompany the death of the Messiah, the Atonement of Christ, and the scattering and gathering of Israel. According to one Book of Mormon writer, Zenos was killed as a result of his preaching.
Dead Sea Scrolls connection
Outside of the Book of Mormon, there is no direct evidence that Zenos existed. However, some LDS apologists argue that Zenos' Book of Mormon hymn of thanksgiving and praise, which elaborates upon prayer, worship, and mercy, compares favorably in style and content with Hymn H (or 8) and Hymn J (or 10) of the Thanksgiving Hymns of the Dead Sea Scrolls.{{cite web |title=Zenos - Encyclopedia of Mormonism |url=https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Zenos |website=eom.byu.edu |publisher=Encyclopedia of Mormonism |access-date=2 April 2024}}
The scrolls state that the Teacher of Righteousness was descended from Zadok, which some LDS scholars have argued might have been a transcribed or altered version of the name Zenock, another prophet referenced only in the Book of Mormon.{{cite book |chapter-url= http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1101&index=13 |chapter= Chapter 10: The Dead Sea Scrolls: Some Questions and Answers |first= Hugh |last= Nibley |authorlink= Hugh Nibley |year= 1986 |editor1-first= John W. |editor1-last= Welch |editor1-link= John W. Welch |editor2-first= Gary P. |editor2-last= Gillum |editor2-link= Gary P. Gillum |editor3-first= Don E. |editor3-last= Norton |title= Old Testament and Related Studies |url= http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/book/old-testament-and-related-studies/ |series= Collected Works of Hugh Nibley |place= Salt Lake City, Utah |publisher= Deseret Book; Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies |isbn= 0875790321 |lccn= 85027544 |oclc= 12908841}} Non-LDS scholars identify this Zadok as the priest who anointed Solomon (1 Kings 1:39, 2:35) and whose dynasty officiated in the office of High Priest around 1,000-700 BC.See generally: {{cite book |first= Alice |last= Hunt |title= Missing Priests: the Zadokites in Tradition and History |place= New York |publisher= T & T Clark International |year= 2006 |isbn= 0567594548 |lccn= 2006022070 |oclc= 741691025 }} Thus, being descended from Zadok more likely meant that the Teacher was a member of, loyal to, or teacher of doctrines espoused by this Zadok.
See also
Citations
{{reflist|40em}}
References
- {{Cite journal |last=Adamson |first=Grant |date=Winter 2021 |title=Joseph Smith, Thomas Paine, and Matthew 27:51b–53 |journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought |volume=54 |issue=4 |pages=1–33 |doi=10.5406/15549399.54.4.001}}
- {{Cite book |last=Givens |first=Terryl |title=Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought: Cosmos, God, Humanity |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2015 |isbn=9780199794928 |language=en}}
- {{Cite journal |last=Gore |first=David Charles |date=2021 |title='All the Precious Trees of the Earth': Trees in Restoration Scripture |journal=Religions |volume=12 |issue= 12 |doi=10.3390/rel12121035|doi-access=free }}
- {{Cite journal |last=Hardy |first=Heather |date=Fall 2011 |title=Alma's Experiment in Faith: A Broader Context |journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=67–94 |doi=10.5406/dialjmormthou.44.3.0067}}
- {{Cite journal |last=Hardy |first=Heather |date=2014 |title='Saving Christianity': The Nephite Fulfillment of Jesus's Eschatological Prophecies |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/jbms/article-abstract/doi/10.5406/jbookmormstud2.23.2014.0022/275432/Saving-Christianity-The-Nephite-Fulfillment-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal=Journal of Book of Mormon Studies |volume=23 |pages=22–55 |doi=10.5406/jbookmormstud2.23.2014.0022|s2cid=171901639 |url-access=subscription }}
- {{Cite book |last=Jackson |first=Kent P. |title=Encyclopedia of Mormonism |publisher=Macmillan |year=1992 |editor-last=Ludlow |editor-first=Daniel H. |pages=1623–1624 |language=en |chapter=Zenos}}
- {{Cite book |last=Lambert |first=L. Gary |title=Encyclopedia of Mormonism |publisher=Macmillan |year=1992 |editor-last=Ludlow |editor-first=Daniel H. |pages=31–32 |chapter=Allegory of Zenos}}
- {{Cite book |last=Skousen |first=Royal |title=Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part One: Title Page, Witness Statements, 1 Nephi 1–2 Nephi 10 |publisher=FARMS |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-934893-07-7 |language=en |lccn=2004010131 |url=https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/atv/p1/}}
- {{Cite journal |last=van Dyk |first=Gerrit |date=2023 |title=Poetry in and about the Book of Mormon: A Review of Literature |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/jbms/article-abstract/doi/10.5406/23744774.32.09/381248/Poetry-in-and-about-the-Book-of-Mormon-A-Review-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal=Journal of Book of Mormon Studies |volume=32 |pages=138–165 |doi=10.5406/23744774.32.09|s2cid=260644323 |url-access=subscription }}