Joseph Smith Biography

Seventeen (1822)

The above mandate that was given to Isaiah supports what was given in the Book of
Mormon about how true messengers teach the people according to the people’s free will and
desire to learn.^10 The following Book of Mormon verse became the blueprint for Joseph’s
training and the plan he would follow throughout his life:

But behold, the Jews [LDS] were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the

words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they

could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which

blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God

hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many

things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because

they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.^11

Following Protocol in Not Disclosing the Truth

Joseph needed to learn how to follow this pedagogy blueprint (system of teaching). He
needed to learn how “God hath done it”—how to put up a stumbling block “that they may
stumble”^12 without violating any of the eternal laws pertaining to their free agency. This same
design was used by Jesus when he taught the Jews. Jesus used parables to hide the real truth
from the people, causing his own disciples to wonder why they (the disciples) were taught
“the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” in private, while the people in public were not:

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the

mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For

whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance:

but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and

hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.^13

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, reiterated this type of pedagogy (method of teaching):

And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is

given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid

under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the

portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men,

according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. And

therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser

portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given

the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the

mysteries of God until he know them in full. And they that will harden

their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they

know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive

by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is

meant by the chains of hell.^14

Looking Beyond “The Mark”—Rejecting the Simplicity of the Everlasting Gospel