Anachronisms (something taken out of its proper time-frame in history)
One of the most irrefutable proofs that the Book of Mormon is not authentic scripture is the abundance of anachronisms—things occurring at other than their proper time in history.
Numerous New Testament teachings are found in the Old Testament time period of the Book of Mormon. The Bible refers to these New Testament teachings as “mysteries” meaning they had never before been made known to any people until Christ came.
“Before Christ came, no one knew God’s great purpose. It was a secret [mystery] hidden from everyone…. God has revealed His purposes through Jesus, who was crucified and raised by God…. The Spirit takes the message of Christ and makes it come alive for the church, revealing the hidden purpose of God.” (Disciples Study Bible, New International Version, Annotation on 1 Cor. 2:9-14, p. 1449)
Examples of Book of Mormon anachronisms are found below.
Gentiles Heirs with the Jews
The Book of Mormon records this New Testament teaching hundreds of years too soon.
Book of Mormon (Approx. 592 B.C.): “And it shall come to pass that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word and also in power, in very deed…. They shall be numbered among the seed of thy father: Yea they shall be numbered among the House of Israel.” (1 Nephi 3:201-202) (LDS 1 Nephi 14:1-2)
Bible: The Apostle Paul states, “In reading this then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s Holy Apostles and Prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph 3:4-6, cf. Rom 16:25).
Paul further states, “And you [Gentiles], also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Eph 1:11-13). This verse shows plainly that the disciples were living in a “unique day,” the day of the Messiah, which Old Testament prophets and kings longed to see but were not permitted to do so.
Paul continues, “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known.” (Eph 3:8-10)
Baptism of the Holy Ghost
Book of Mormon (Approx. 550 B.C.): Nephi said, “… by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water…yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.” (2 Nephi 13:16-17) (LDS 2 Nephi 31:13)
Bible: “John answered, saying unto them all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I…. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire’” (Luke 3:16). “Jesus said, ‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (Jn 7:38-39). In John 16:7, Jesus said, “But I tell you the truth…unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
Acts 2:1-4 clearly teaches that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was not given until Pentecost, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come…they were all filled [baptized] with the Holy Ghost.”
Mixing Law with Grace
Book of Mormon (Approx. 559 B.C.): Nephi wrote: “For we labor diligently…to persuade our children and also our brethren to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do and notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses.” (2 Nephi 11:43-45) (LDS 2 Nephi 25: 23-25)
Bible: Jesus said, “‘…Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first [law of Moses] that he may establish the second [Grace]” (Heb 10:9 NKJ). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8, 9 NIV)
Why would the Nephites keep the Law of Moses and practice Christianity when the two belief systems are mutually exclusive? And how could they practice Christianity 559 years before He was born?
Christian Baptism Practiced Before Christ was Born
Book of Mormon (559 B.C.): Nephi said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son with full purpose of heart…repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism: yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word.…” (2 Nephi 13:16) (LDS 2 Nephi 31:13)
In 147 B.C., Alma said, “Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead…. And may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ” (Mosiah 9:44) (LDS Mosiah 18:13).
Bible: Christian baptism was not practiced before Christ began his ministry. John the Baptist told the people, “to believe in the one coming after him. On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:4-5).
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, is strictly a New Testament teaching, yet in the Book of Mormon this rite was being practiced hundreds of years before Christ was born.
Premature Churches
Book of Mormon (122 B.C.): “And it came to pass that King Mosiah granted unto Alma, that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.” (Mosiah 11:97) (LDS Mosiah 25:19)
Bible: (Mt 16:18): “Jesus said…I will build my Church.” The Christian Church had its birth on the day of Pentecost in the New Testament era.
Christians Before Christ
Book of Mormon (73 B.C.): “Yea, all those who were true believers in Christ, took upon them gladly the name of Christ, or Christians, as they were called, because of their belief in Christ” (Alma 21:45) (LDS Alma 46:17).
Bible: “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26) Christ did not have followers before he was born.
Quoting People Before They Were Born
- Book of Mormon (Approximately 559 B.C.): Nephi quoted Old Testament prophet Malachi, yet Malachi did not begin prophesying until 150 years later.
- Book of Mormon (559 B.C.): In 2 Nephi 14:4 (LDS 2 Nephi 32:3), Nephi declared, “Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” It would be impossible to “feast” upon the words of Christ over 500 years before he was born.
- Book of Mormon (6 B.C.): Helaman is quoted as saying, “we read” and then cites John 5:29 from the King James Version of the Bible (Helaman 4: 72-73) (LDS Helaman 13:25-26). The King James Bible was published in 1611 A.D., over 1000 years later.
Use of Greek
“Christ” is a Greek word that is not found in the Old Testament of the Bible and yet it is recorded in the Book of Mormon more than 500 years before Christ was born (2 Nephi 7:5) (LDS 2 Nephi 10:3). Also, Joseph Smith stated emphatically that, “There was no Greek or Latin upon the plates from which I translated the Book of Mormon.” (Times and Seasons, Vol. 4, p. 194.)
Use of French
The Book of Mormon uses the French word “adieu” (Jacob 5:48) (LDS Jacob 7:27). However, the French language wasn’t developed from Latin until approximately 700 A.D., 300 years after the Book of Mormon records were supposedly completed and buried in the earth.
Conclusion
Wesley Walters, noted scholar and researcher on the subject of Mormonism, calls anachronisms the “final blow” against the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. In his tract entitled, “Whatever Happened to the Book of Mormon?” he observes,