In previous posts in my blog series on Brethrenism versus Scripture-focused Mormonism, I discussed several times how the Brighamite sect's Brethren/Elders (at Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City), that is Brighamite Church Presidents, Apostles, and Theologians (like James Talmage and Bruce McConkie, etc.) have added to the original LDS Scriptures their own traditions. So when I began reading the 2nd Edition of Dr. Timothy R. Jennings’, The Remedy New Testament Expanded Paraphrase In Everyday English, I was amazed at how clear the English paraphrase made clear that Jesus was opposing the very same kinds of "traditions" I was opposing in my blog series. For example, consider all of the added Brighamite Traditions in the 1900s not contained in the original LDS Scriptures: like banning coffee by constraint by withholding a temple recommend, requiring religious garments be worn a certain way for a certain time period; The First Presidency defining oral sex as an impure and unholy practice and at one time encouraging Bishops to pry into the private lives of marriage partners to determine if they were engaged in oral sex, etc. And the list goes on. Compare those traditions that added to the original commandments and revelations (LDS Scripture) with how Jesus dealt with the Religious Leaders of his religion (who also added burdensome traditions not in the Scriptures of his day).
Here is Mathew 15 from The Remedy (the links are my own for explication of words and concepts):
1 Then some of the lawyers and theologians from church headquarters in Jerusalem came to challenge Jesus. They asked, 2 “Why don’t your disciples follow the rules the elders established and undergo ceremonial cleansing before they eat?”
3 Jesus, not being intimidated, replied: “Why do you break God’s own design and law for the sake of your own man-made traditions? 4 For God designed us to love, and said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’and ‘Anyone who curses their parents must be put to death.’5 Yet you teach people to tell their parents, ‘Whatever resources I have are dedicated to the church, and therefore won’t be available to help you.’6 They are instructed by you not to honor their parents with their resources, thus you nullify God’s word and replace his design of love with your own selfish tradition. [Compare "Tithing" in the Brighamite sect] 7 You are hypocrites! It is you who Isaiah was describing when he said:
Mt 15: 8 “‘These people proclaim their love for me with their mouths, but their hearts are as far away from love for me and my methods as they can get. 9 Their worship is useless, and their teachings are nothing but man-made rules.’”
Mt 15: 10 Jesus turned to the crowd, called them to himself, and said:
“Listen and understand what really matters:
11 What goes in a person’s mouth doesn’t change their character, so it cannot make them ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of their mouth is an expression of their character and is what makes them ‘unclean.’”
Mt 15: 12 His disciples came to him later and said, “Don’t you realize that you are upsetting the church leaders by saying such things?” 13 Jesus replied, “Understand this clearly: Every tree that was not planted by my Father will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Don’t worry about them. They are blind to the reality of my Father’s kingdom, yet they try to guide others to it. But you know that when a blind person leads another blind person, they both fall into the same pit.”
Mt 15: 15 Peter said, “Will you explain this parable to us?” 16 Looking at them, Jesus answered: “Are you really so steeped in tradition that you don’t understand? 17 Don’t you realize that what enters the body through the mouth goes into the stomach, passes through and then leaves the body? 18 But what comes out of the mouth is an expression of what is in the heart—an expression of the character; and what is evil in the character makes a person ‘unclean.’ 19 For evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual perversity, dishonesty, theft, deceit, gossip—they all come out of the heart. 20 It is selfishness in the heart, manifested in words and deeds that makes a person ‘unclean;’ but eating with hands not ceremonially washed doesn’t have any impact on character and thus doesn’t make one ‘unclean.’”
Compare this to the Brighamite sect that determines if a Mormon is deemed worthy/"clean" by the Elders based on what goes into their body like coffee, tea, or wine.
The Remedy, Mathew 23 (words in brackets my own):
1 Then Jesus said to the people and to his disciples:
2 “The theology professors, church lawyers and pastors [comparable to The First Presidency & Brethren at the pulpit] sit in the instructor’s seat, like Moses, and know the history [of the Torah/Jewish Scriptures of Jesus' day], 3 so listen carefully to all they teach [from the Scriptures]. But think for yourselves and don’t follow their example, for they don’t understand the true meaning of what they teach [from the Scriptures], as evidenced by their failure to live in harmony with it. 4 They create man-made rules that discourage, exhaust, and weigh people down with religious rituals, fear, and guilt. They control people this way and refuse to relieve these false burdens.
Mt 23: 5 “All their actions are designed for effect—to be seen—and they yearn to create a sense of admiration and respect for themselves: They make prayer beads and carry them for display, and wear special clothing meant to mark them as distinct; 6 they love to be recognized and honored wherever they go, and especially they seek the highest exaltation in church. 7 They also love any attention they can get when people stop them in the shops or restaurants and call them Professor, Doctor, or Pastor [in the Brighamite sect it would be Bishop, Stake President, Prophet, or Apostle]. 8 “But don’t let people idolize you, for you are all equals—learning the truth from the same Teacher [Christ]. 9 And be sure you don’t surrender your thinking to religious leaders—like young children do to their fathers—for you have one Father in heaven and you must surrender yourselves only to him. 10 Nor are you to claim to be the final authority on truth—determining what is right and wrong—like teachers are to their students, for you have the One true Teacher, the Messiah. 11 So those who are truly the greatest will give the most of themselves in helping others. 12 For whoever promotes self will destroy self, but whoever humbles self will experience healing and exaltation.
23: 13 “Misery is yours, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! Your false teachings obstruct people from being healed and entering God’s kingdom of love. You certainly are not healed and do not enter into salvation, but worse still, you actively work to prevent others, who want to be saved, from being healed. 14 Misery is yours, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You con widows from their homes, yet you make public displays of praying long prayers. Unhealed you choose to remain! Your suffering will be most severe. 15 “Misery is yours, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You go around the world trying to convert one person, and when you do, you indoctrinate them so deeply into your false penal system that they become twice as much the child of lies and selfishness as you are. …
… Mt 23: 23 “Misery is yours, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You keep rules, such as proudly paying a pre-tax tithe and even giving a tenth of the herbs in your garden, but you fail to do what actually matters—to live in harmony with God’s Law which is his design for life. You fail to ‘do what is right because it is right.’ You are not merciful but judgmental and critical, and you cannot be trusted to protect those struggling with sin. You should have lived lives of love for others, without neglecting the simple instructions of God. 24 You are truly irrational and unthinking teachers! You are so focused on keeping the rules—such as dietary laws—that you fail to understand that their purpose is to promote health. You’re so confused that you actually think it would be a virtue to die of starvation rather than eat something not on the ‘approved’ list.
25 “Misery is yours, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You work so hard to make yourselves look good on the outside, but the inside—the heart—is full of selfishness, arrogance, and greed. 26 You truly don’t understand anything about God’s kingdom! The mind, the character, the heart—they all must be cleansed first, and then the outside will also be clean. …
… Mt 23: 33 “You slippery serpents! You brood of venomous vipers! You think you can cure yourselves with your own snake oil? 34 It’s because of your false remedy—your penal legal trickery—that I am sending my spokespersons, instructors and Bible scholars, some of whom you will attack, kill, and crucify; others you will beat—some physically, some verbally—right in church, running them out of town with beatings and the most vicious gossip. … 36 But the sad truth is that this generation will reject all this evidence.
Compare this to the dietary laws and 600+ added Brighamite Traditions that heavily burden LDS members; and how those who vocally question or criticize the Brethren and their Traditions (not found in LDS Scripture) are often treated in the Brighamite sect: with often slanderous gossip, disfellowship, excommunication and/or loss of church employment, etc.
