Why bother sealing 2/3 of the gold plates?

[_Wisdom Seeker]

The presumption is that the sealed plates are in Reformed Egyptian or other unknown language. That may not be the case.

Nephi has been told that the inspired writings from North, South, etc., and islands will come together. The spirit of prophecy is involved. Since prophecy and revelation are involved, I suspect that the sealed portion were written, by the power of God, in a language which had not yet come into being. I think the language was English. If Joseph had seen those plates, he would have known more than God wanted him to know. Also, the Lord knew that Joseph's life would be taken before he could get to the sealed portion. If there is not a Translator, then the Lord needed to make sure the plates could be read by anyone, or any prophet who, like our modern prophets, know only English and can translate nothing. Why else end the Reformed Egyptian part of the book with an appeal to future generations, unless the next set of plates were in that generation's own language? I'm sure the scholars at Maxwell Institute or FAIR can explain this better than me.

Exactly what I was thinking. Isn't it obvious? The sealed portion was in English!

[_canpakes]

2 Nephi:

10 But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof.

Sealed by the power of God, and when the Lord decides its time the sealed portion will reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end.

So there you have it, how it was sealed and what it contains.

What sort of information, once freely available to folks in a time past at that time written, would need to have been sealed for the present day?

I did not realize that the phrase, 'line upon line..." was really referring to things being redacted over time.

[_moksha]

If the plates don't even need to be in the room to be translated, what is the point of sealing 2/3 of them?

Whats the harm??? You do the math:

.666

'nuff said.

[_Melchett]

Look at it from a critics perspective.

What better way to manufacture a small # of fake plates that could be inspected, yet still allow for it to look authentic?

If there was ever a case for some plates to be in existence, this is it.

[_Drifting]

Well I don't see how faith could be destroyed by asking a question we don't know the answer to, but it happens, I'm sure.

Can you think of a plausible reason why the plates would need to be sealed? Or why the plates would need to even exist? Joseph Smith didn't even use them.

Yes.
It prevented Joseph Smith from having to invent more stories.
He was tired of the whole project, as can be seen from the way the Book of Mormon content, if read in the order it was produced, can be seen to be 'speeding up' with less time taken over detail.

In fact he was so bored of the project and disalousioned that after it was done he never ever referred to its contents in any teaching, preaching or sermon that he gave. Never.

[_sock puppet]

Well I don't see how faith could be destroyed by asking a question we don't know the answer to, but it happens, I'm sure.

Can you think of a plausible reason why the plates would need to be sealed? Or why the plates would need to even exist? Joseph Smith didn't even use them.

Yes.
It prevented Joseph Smith from having to invent more stories.
He was tired of the whole project, as can be seen from the way the Book of Mormon content, if read in the order it was produced, can be seen to be 'speeding up' with less time taken over detail.

In fact he was so bored of the project and disalousioned that after it was done he never ever referred to its contents in any teaching, preaching or sermon that he gave. Never.

Maybe like Mark Twain, JSJr found the Book of Mormon to be chloroform in print.

[_Fence Sitter]

Sealed portion contents that Joseph Smith revealed later.

1. Clearly defined Godhood as three distinct persons.
2. Priesthood authority.
3. Temple endowments and narrative.
4. Celestial marriage.
5. Word Of Wisdom.
6. Proxy work for the dead.
7. Nature of Intelligence and matter.
8. Man's potential to become God.
9. Where God lives.

Additionally there is evidence that had he lived the following material would have come to light.

10. Book of Jacob.
11. A complete history of Zelph.

So we can see that the Book of Mormon does contain the fullness of the gospel if we include the sealed portions. Maybe the reason it was sealed was to give Joseph Smith something to do after he finished translating the Book of Mormon.