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Book of Mormon Central / Archive / KnoWhy #13 - What does the Virgin Mary Have To Do With the Tree of Life? (1 Nephi 11:18)

KnoWhy #13 - What does the Virgin Mary Have To Do With the Tree of Life? (1 Nephi 11:18)

TitleKnoWhy #13 - What does the Virgin Mary Have To Do With the Tree of Life? (1 Nephi 11:18)
Publication TypeKnoWhy
Year of Publication2016
Corporate AuthorsBook of Mormon Central Staff
PublisherBook of Mormon Central
Place PublishedSpringville, UT
KeywordsAsherah; Mary (Mother of Jesus); Nephi (Son of Lehi); Tree of Life; Vision
Abstract

When Nephi asks about the meaning of the tree of life, he is shown the virgin Mary and her divine child, and similar adjectives are used to describe the mother and the tree. While this is often confusing to us today, in both ancient Israel and Egypt mother-goddesses were linked to sacred trees. This background helps us make sense of the imagery in Nephi’s vision and enriches the beauty of the text.
URLhttp://www.knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/what-does-virgin-mary-have-do-tree-life
Citation Key1123

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Scripture Reference

1 Nephi 11:18