Tree of life vision
Encyclopedia
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, one of the scriptures
Religious text
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or of central importance to their religious tradition...
of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
denominations published by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. According to the Book of Mormon, the vision was received by a prophet named Lehi
Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet)
According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah . Lehi was an Israelite of the Tribe of Manasseh, and father to Nephi, another prominent prophet in the Book of Mormon...
, and later by his son Nephi
Nephi
According to the Book of Mormon, Nephi was the son of Lehi, a prophet, founder of the Nephite people, and author of the first two books of the Book of Mormon, First and Second Nephi.- Early life :Nephi was the fourth of six sons of Lehi and Sariah...
who wrote about it in the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
. The vision
includes a path leading to a tree symbolizing salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
, with an iron rod along the path whereby followers of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
may hold to the rod and avoid wandering off the path into gulleys or fountains symbolizing the ways of sin. The vision also includes a large building wherein the wicked look down at the righteous and mock them.
The vision is said to symbolize the spiritual plight of mankind, and is a well known and cited story within Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. A Mormon commentator reflected a common Mormon belief that the vision is "one of the richest, most flexible, and far-reaching pieces of symbolic prophecy contained in the standard works
Standard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
[scriptures]."
The vision is similar to the second vision recounted by Joseph Smith's father Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
prior to publication of the Book of Mormon. The vision of Smith, Sr. contained a tree with delicious fruit, a path, and a large building where the wicked looked down in scorn of the righteous; however, the vision of Smith, Sr. contained a rope rather than an iron rod, and there were other minor differences. Because of the similarity, secular Mormon scholars postulate that Smith, Sr.'s dream is the source for the Tree of Life vision. However, Smith, Sr.'s dream was first recorded by his wife Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
after publication of the Book of Mormon, and some Mormon apologetic scholars suggest that the text of the Book of Mormon may have influenced Lucy's account, rather than vice versa. Other apologetic scholars, such as Hugh Nibley
Hugh Nibley
Hugh Winder Nibley was an American author, Mormon apologist, and professor at Brigham Young University...
, postulate that Lehi and Smith, Sr. simply had the same archetypal
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
vision.
Synopsis
According to the Book of MormonBook of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, the prophet Lehi received this vision in a dream during his exile in the wilderness. He awoke and recounted it to his children as described in the 8th chapter of the First Book of Nephi. According to the Book of Mormon chronology, this vision occurred between 600 and 592 B.C. Lehi's son Nephi, recorded the vision on the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, and later had the same vision, albeit a more detailed version, which he records later in the same book. Nephi's vision also included an interpretation of the vision.
In the vision, Lehi related that he saw several objects, including the following:
- A tree with white fruit, symbolizing the Love of God, and by extension, the Atonement of Jesus.
- A strait and narrow path, symbolizing the path to salvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. - A rod of iron, which runs along the path, symbolizing the "word of God". Holding onto the iron rod refers to holding tightly to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which enable a person to avoid the temptations of the world or to stray from the straight and narrow path.
- A mist of darkness, symbolizing the temptations of the DevilDevilThe Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
. - A great and spacious building, symbolizing the pride of the world.
Lehi sees in the vision that his sons Sam
Sam (Book of Mormon)
In the Book of Mormon, Sam was the third son of Lehi, and elder brother to the prophet Nephi. Early in the Book of Mormon narrative, Nephi confided in Sam. Lehi saw Sam in his vision of the tree of life, noting that he ate the precious fruit, symbolizing the righteousness of Sam, and that he...
and Nephi, and his wife Sariah
Sariah
According to the Book of Mormon, Sariah was the wife of Lehi, and the mother of Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph. She traveled with her husband from Jerusalem, into the wilderness, and eventually, across the ocean to the "promised land"...
partake of the white fruit, indicating that they will be saved. He sees that his sons Laman and Lemuel
Laman and Lemuel
In the Book of Mormon, Laman and Lemuel are the two eldest sons of Lehi and the older brothers of Sam, Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph. According to the text, they lived around 600 BC. They were notable for their rebellion against Lehi and Nephi, becoming the primary antagonists of the First and Second...
do not partake of the fruit.
Importance
The story of the vision is well known among Mormons, and is widely cited. The "rod of iron" specifically is mentioned often referring to the scriptures or the words of the Lord, in order to convey the importance of heeding the Lords teachings.Izapa Stela 5
Some Mormon scholars, including Jakeman, believe that Izapa Stela 5Izapa Stela 5
Izapa Stela 5 is one of a number of large, carved stelae found in the ancient Mesoamerican site of Izapa, in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico along the present-day Guatemalan border...
, an ancient stela found in ancient Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...
in the 1930s, is a depiction of this vision. Mainstream Mesoamerican scholars do not support linking Izapa Stela 5 to the Book of Mormon. Julia Guernsey Kappelman, author of a definitive work on Izapan culture, finds that Jakeman's research "belies an obvious religious agenda that ignored Izapa Stela 5's heritage".
See also
- Archaeology and the Book of MormonArchaeology and the Book of MormonSince the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, both Mormon and non-Mormon archaeologists have studied its claims in reference to known archaeological evidence...
- Tree of lifeTree of lifeThe concept of a tree of life, a many-branched tree illustrating the idea that all life on earth is related, has been used in science , religion, philosophy, mythology, and other areas...
- Tree of life (biblical)
- Tree of the knowledge of good and evil