For a person who lived alone, Moroni was remarkably collegial. He spoke directly to us, his future readers, providing testimony, counsel, and encouragement. He even told us that he had seen us: “Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35). He also connected with people in the past. He recorded the history of the Jaredite people, emphasizing a prophet named Ether, who had a lot in common with him. And, as Grant Hardy has pointed out, all three times that Moroni says goodbye, he draws heavily upon language and concepts from prior authors in the Book of Mormon. (See Understanding the Book of Mormon: a Readers Guide, Oxford University Press, 2010, 248-267.)
Consider how much the last verse in the Book of Mormon (Moroni 10:34) references prior passages:
And now I bid unto all, farewell. The first author in the Book of Mormon, Nephi, ends his second book by “[bidding] an everlasting farewell” to those who reject his words. (See 2 Nephi 33:14.) His brother Jacob bids his future readers farewell twice, once after elaborating on the words of Zenos and once after sharing the story of his interaction with Sherem. (See Jacob 6:13, Jacob 7:27.)
I soon go to rest in the paradise of God…. Enos ended his brief book by saying, “I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest” (Enos 1:27). Jacob taught that the spirits of the righteous are in a place called “the paradise of God” (2 Nephi 9:13). Alma later explained to his son Corianton that when good people die, they “are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (Alma 40:12).
…until my spirit and body shall again reunite… Amulek testified, “The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form” (Alma 11:43). Alma added that this reunion takes place after we have spent time in the spirit world. (See Alma 40:19-21.)
…and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah… Alma tells us “the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God … to be judged” (Alma 42:23). Jacob assured us, “I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear” (Jacob 6:13). Apparently, the bar is pleasing only for those who are prepared.
…the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. The final words in the Book of Mormon echo the testimony of Peter to Cornelius that “it is he [Jesus] which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead” (Acts 10:42; see also 2 Timothy 4:1, 1 Peter 4:5-6). Both passages emphasize that Jesus Christ [Jehovah] will be our judge, a principle taught by many prophets in the Book of Mormon. (See 2 Nephi 33:11, Mosiah 3:8-10, Alma 33:22, Mormon 3:20, Mormon 6:21.)
Here’s Grant Hardy’s explanation for all of these allusions:
By employing the words of others, Moroni shifts the notion of authorship and makes himself the self-effacing inheritor, or spokesman, for an entire literary tradition. He is able to appeal to the authority of past prophets and record keepers (while at the same time reinforcing the respect due them), and he can reward close readers who are able to recognize phrases and make connections. His allusions and quotations are a call to remembrance and a recognition of how dependent he is on the faithfulness of those who preceded him. Above all, his particular mode of writing serves to consolidate the text, joining together beginning and end, and unifying the entire book in a theologically and aesthetically pleasing manner.
Understanding the Book of Mormon, 267
Today, I will be grateful for Moroni’s collaboration with prior prophets. As I ponder his words, I will remember that their power is enhanced by the interweaving of his message with numerous strands from his predecessors. I will be grateful for this prophetic tapestry, which enables me to more clearly see “how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until” today.
I attend a local ZOOM class each week, I read your posts each day and share many of them, and with both of them, and some others, I can always return, re-read, and learn things … Thank you very much for giving powerful daily spiritual understanding of the Lord’s prophet’s experiences, teachings and sharing …. I’m not ‘good’ with writing and I count on your gifts daily.
Thank you for your kind words! As Moroni reminds us in this chapter, each of us receives different gifts, and “every good gift cometh of Christ.” I’m grateful to know that my gifts have been helpful to you. Thanks for letting me know!
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your insights. Was Moroni alone? We can infer the likelihood of that, as you allude to, and also surmise that “he was ministered unto, lifted up, or given the notion that all is being done ‘that the words of the prophets might be fulfilled,’ and was also taught by the Comforter.”
“Is it good for man to be alone?” This is an echo we are all too familiar with, particularly in the context of companionship, rather than solely in reference to the Garden of Eden and our First Parents.
To conclude where we began: Was Moroni alone?
Thank you for your discussion.
Best regards,
Robert H
Thanks for the thoughts, Robert. I think your comment is very much in the spirit of this post. Moroni may have been physically alone, but his closeness with God and his sense of camaraderie with his predecessors surely went a long way toward giving him a sense of community and belonging.