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Fascinating! Another great find for your incredible collection of word plays in the LDS scriptures. By the way, the concept in Moses 1:41 of “esteeming … as naught” the words of Christ employs language not found in the KJV (only two uses of naught, and “esteem” is not terribly common and not used with “naught”) but this language does occur in the Book of Mormon in a similar context (dealing with the word, the Word, or the prophets and their words) in 1 Nephi 19:7, 2 Nephi 33:2, and Ether 13:13 (Mormon’s commentary). This usage would be consistent with Noel Reynolds’ hypothesis that the brass plates used by the Nephites contained something related to our Book of Moses and that existence of such a document on the brass plates is reflected in many examples of Book of Mormon that seem to reflect influence by our Book of Moses, sometimes with indications of a one-way dependency with the Book of Moses (or rather, with the hypothesized similar brass plates text). Reynolds provides many examples to support his thesis, but not this one. I discuss it and Reynolds’ work along with many more related examples in “‘Arise from the Dust’: Insights from Dust-Related Themes in the Book of Mormon (Part 1: Tracks from the Book of Moses)” at The Interpreter.
Thank you, Jeff! Your insights on the concept of “esteeming … as naught” the Lord’s words certainly supports what I am attempting to say here about Moses 1:41 and the Vision of Moses as an ancient text. The content of the brass plates as reflected in the Book of Mormon begs our further consideration and will remain a fruitful area of study for the foreseeable future. I am grateful for Noel Reynolds’ and your work! Your “Arise from the Dust” articles are rife with valuable insights.