• About
  • Contents
  • Tag Cloud

Temple Study

Sustaining and Defending the LDS Temple

Month: June 2008

The Egyptian Ankh, “Life! Health! Strength!” – Part 3

June 23, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 1 Comment

(Continued from Part 2)

The ankh symbol appears frequently with several other hieroglyphics in certain formulas and invocations that immediately call our attention.  These are wedja, seneb, djed, & was.

This table summarizes the different possible explanations for these hieroglyphics that I have been able to find:  [Read more…]

Posted in: Artifacts, Scholarship, Texts Tagged: ankh, bible, coronation, egyptian, embrace, endowment, hieroglyph, hugh nibley, initiate, life, priesthood, rituals, rosetta stone, royal, symbols, translation

The Egyptian Ankh, “Life! Health! Strength!” – Part 2

June 22, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 1 Comment

(Continued from Part 1, which has been updated)

As I mentioned in Part 1, the more interesting aspects of the Egyptian ankh are not necessarily what it means standing alone, but how the Egyptians used it in their texts and illustrations.

There are three principal ways that the Egyptians used the ankh symbol, by itself, in their drawings:

  1. Detail from Papyrus of Ani - a god leads the initiate towards the throne (click for larger view)Probably the most common depiction of the ankh is being clutched in the hand by the gods and goddesses on the upper loop portion of the symbol.  Wikipedia notes:

    The ankh appears frequently in Egyptian tomb paintings and other art, often at the fingertips of a god or goddess in images that represent the deities of the afterlife conferring the gift of life on the dead person’s mummy… ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankh))

    In other words, the Egyptians believed that their gods “held” eternal life in their hands, and could bestow it upon certain persons at their pleasing.  Chevalier and Gheerbrant note:  [Read more…]

Posted in: Artifacts, Scholarship Tagged: anointing, baptism, breath of life, chevalier, covenant, egyptian, endowment, gheerbrant, hieroglyph, hugh nibley, immortality, initiate, isis, life, oath, osiris, robe, secret, symbols, veil, washing, water

The Egyptian Ankh, “Life! Health! Strength!” – Part 1

June 20, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 8 Comments

Detail of Hathor shrine at Hatshepsut's temple in Luxor, Egypt

Egypt figures a central role in the religion of the ancient Near East, where much of our canon of scripture owes its narrative and existence to this locale.  Even the Book of Mormon tells us it was written in “reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32).  The most interesting aspect, to me, is the adoption into Egypt of traces of the rites and ordinances of the temple of God, and its priesthood.  Unfortunately, the ordinances were apostate forms, the priesthood invalid, and all was done in imitation of the true order:

Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood. (Abraham 1:26)

But even so, the fragments of the ordinances that are extant in artifacts and texts are very educational.  In Hugh Nibley’s classic work The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment he says:  [Read more…]

Posted in: Artifacts, Texts Tagged: ankh, covenant, critics, egyptian, endowment, garments, hieroglyph, hugh nibley, imitation, immortality, joseph smith, life, near east, priesthood, resurrection, symbols

Regarding the Sacred of Others

June 18, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 24 Comments

In my interactions with the critics of the LDS Church, and in reading their arguments, I’ve taken note of something that I believe to be of immeasurable importance in our dialogue with and about other faiths.  Indeed, I believe it is a key by which the judgment of one’s character can be quickly discerned (D&C 46:23).  It is simply this:

  • How do people treat that which others hold sacred? [Read more…]
Posted in: Tidbits Tagged: anti-mormon, apathy, communication, critics, deride, desecrate, dialogue, disrupt, esteem, exposé, honor, indifference, interfaith, profane, regard, respect, reverence, sacred, talk

John Gee (June 19) and Avraham Gileadi (June 26)

June 17, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 2 Comments

There are a couple good firesides/lectures coming up, for those of you who are in the Salt Lake/Provo area.

Dr. John GeeFirst off, there will be a lecture given by John Gee this Thursday, June 19th, at 7:00pm at the Olivewood Bookstore in Provo (3330 N. University Ave., Suite C).  He will be speaking about the message of the Joseph Smith Papyri.  Dr. Gee received his doctorate degree from Yale University in Egyptology.  He is currently William “Bill” Gay Assistant Research Professor of Egyptology at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, where he is a series editor for Studies in the Book of Abraham and a member of the editorial board of the Eastern Christian Texts series. He is also on the board of directors for the Aziz S. Atiya Fund for Coptic Studies at the University of Utah.  I have read his short book A Guide to the Joseph Smith Papyri, and it was a great learning experience and introduction to the Joseph Smith Papyri.  Anyone who is familiar with Hugh Nibley’s classic Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment knows that this papyri has a lot to do with the temple.  This will certainly be a great lecture.  If permitted, FAIR might videotape it and put it on YouTube.  Seating is based on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure to arrive there early.

Dr. Avraham GileadiSecondly, the Isaiah Institute (which I haven’t heard of before) is presenting a fireside with Avraham Gileadi on Thursday, June 26th, at 7:00pm at the ScenicView Academy in Provo (Room 245, 5455 North River Run Drive).  He will be speaking on “The Learning of the Jews: Isaiah’s Impact on the Book of Mormon.”  Dr. Gileadi obtained a Ph.D. in ancient Near Eastern studies and Hebrew Bible from BYU under the tutelage of professor R.K. Harrison of Wycliffe College, Toronto, Canada, with Hugh Nibley as chairman. He has translated and published the book of Isaiah into modern English and published it with analyses of many literary patterns in Isaiah’s prophecy discovered during many years of postdoctoral research.  This fireside has been described thus:Map to Scenic View Academy

Book of Mormon prophets don’t just quote Isaiah. Isaiah shapes their entire world view, their concept of God’s covenant people, and their understanding of the latter days. The learning of the Jews is key to interpreting the words of Isaiah and the Book of Mormon. Come and learn the learning of the Jews!

You are asked to RSVP to orders@isaiahinstitute.com to make sure there are enough refreshments.

Posted in: Scholarship, Tidbits Tagged: abraham, avraham gileadi, bible, book of mormon, BYU, egyptian, jews, john gee, lecture, neal a. maxwell, near east, olivewood, scholar
« Previous 1 2 3 … 5 Next »

About TempleStudy.com

This blog is dedicated to the exemplary LDS (Mormon) scholar Dr. Hugh Nibley, whose landmark temple studies have strengthened the faith of many. Read more on About page. Email me. Click on the widget in the lower-right corner of the window to chat with me.

Support TempleStudy.com

Recent Comments

  • Miguel David Gedo on The Black Robes of a False Priesthood
  • ellen north on Pondering the Temple Experience Through Scripture
  • Corey on Who were the Shepherds in the Christmas Story?
  • Lori allred on Creed Haymond Story of the Word of Wisdom, in His Own Words
  • Aleta G on Homeward Bound: Interpretations of Marta Keen Thompson’s Music

Recent Posts

  • ThyMindOMan.com – Exploring the Mind’s Relationship to God
  • Videos of 2014 Temple on Mount Zion Conference Now Available for Free Viewing
  • Gratitude Precedes Zion
  • Official Church Video on Temple Garments and Robes
  • The Temple on Mount Zion 2014 Conference

Categories

  • Announcements
  • Artifacts
  • Church History
  • Favorites
  • General Authorities
  • Practices
  • Scholarship
  • Temples Today
  • Texts
  • Tidbits
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • April 2017
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • February 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • December 2011
  • October 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008

Blogroll

  • Adventures in Mormonism
  • Believe All Things
  • Free Temple Photos Blog
  • Heavenly Ascents
  • Latter-Day Commentary
  • LDS Temples Photo Blog
  • Leen Ritmeyer – Archeological Design
  • Lehi’s Library
  • Millennial Star
  • Mormanity
  • Mormon Insights
  • Mormon Mysticism
  • Pronaos
  • Sacred Symbolic
  • Strong Reasons
  • Temple Photos Blog
  • The Seer Stone
  • Things Unutterable
  • Visions of the Kingdom

Links

  • Barry Bickmore: Temple in Early Christianity
  • Bruce Porter’s Temple Articles
  • BYU Students of the Ancient Near East (SANE)
  • FAIR Wiki
  • FAIRLDS: Mormon Research
  • FARMS: Mormon Scholarship
  • Jeff Lindsay: Temples and Masonry
  • Jesus Christ
  • LDS Church News
  • LDS Church Temples
  • LDS Temple Fine Art – Robert Boyd
  • LDS Temple Photography – Aaron Barker
  • LDS Toolbar.com
  • LDS Toolbar.net
  • LDS.org
  • LDS.org Temples
  • Mormon Church Temples
  • Mormon Conferences
  • Mormon Monastery
  • Mormon Temple Ceremony
  • Mormon Temple Ceremony
  • Mormon.org
  • Temple Prints Fine Art Photography
  • Temple Studies Group
  • The Temple Institute

Copyright © 2025 Temple Study.

Omega WordPress Theme by ThemeHall