Pearl of Great Price Commentary - Facsimile 3

When the 're-discovery' of a small part of the papyri of Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Abraham came back to light, it was critisized that what was found, which included various caricature depiction as the three facsimiles, did not in fact relate at all to the Book of Abraham, but rather more appropriatedly to the Egyptian 'Book of the Dead'. However, upon our increased understanding of the ways of the Egyptians, beginning with the very fact that the first Pharaoh did pattern the ways and manners of the Egyptian worship after that of the ways of the true worship of God as had been had by Noah back to Adam, these 'gaps' are quickly closed. In fact, the Egyptian 'caricatures' are often more universally 'applied' to such various circumstances of which they may depict. Many of the Egyptian characters and caricatures are 'standardized' as they are a part of the very Egyptian language. Just as one single 'word' or even 'word phase' in English may be uses and applied variously throughout the English language to any and all such other similiar and applicable situations, so also the 'standardized' Egyptain 'language caricature' may be more universally applied. Thus the scene of 'ordinance' before the priest upon the lion couch, may be applied and taylored to such as the 'ordiance' of resurrection, of sacrifice' and etc. Abraham used that 'standardized' Egyptain caricature and applied it to himself.when he was so offered in such an ordinance. So also, that scene of 'revelation' from God through his digninated 'Orisis', is here used and also applied by Abraham to himself as he so performed in the court of Pharaoh in revealing to man the things of God concerning the nature of the universe. From an Egyptian 'motif', nothing could be more natural than to take such 'standardized' depictions and apply them to one's own events in their life in one's communication using the Egyptian 'standardized' hierglyphic language.

Thus one may well ask, just how did Joseph Smith know and understand that it was a common practice to so apply the standarized depictions to more specific instances? Well, the simple answer is that Joseph Smith did not know nor did he have that extented of understanding of it, just as we did not have an such an understanding of it when first we were comfronted with the problematic circumstances of it. All Joseph knew is that he was doing and giving an inspired translation of the applicable papyri and its caricatures. He had little conception of this common practice among the Egyptians of applying standardized language caricatures to various relivant events. But as it always does, truth wills out and is supported by the eventual known facts of a matter. And this in it self is an added testimony of Joseph Smith's work under God. No one could have just 'guessed' at it and had it turn out to be so. Joseph did what he did. What seemed to be problematic about it is now come to be an added evidence that Joseph Smith was exactly that which he represented himself to be, a prophet of God.

A FACSIMILE FROM THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM No. 3		We read and are thought that angels speak the word of God to men on earth and that angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost. And we also read that men may speak as with the tongue of angels by that same power. The analogy is that man may speak the words of God by the power of God. Here Abraham is applied as the 'God' figure Osiris speaking the words of God by the power of God according to that which God has given to Abraham to speak unto Pharaoh's court.
Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
EXPLANATION	CARICATURE	COMMENTARY
Fig. 1. Abraham sitting upon Pharaoh's throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the Priesthood, as emblematical of the grand Presidency in Heaven; with the scepter of justice and judgment in his hand.		Abraham sits on Pharaoh's throne as Osiris and speaks the word of God. Not that Abraham is Pharaoh or Osiris, but that Abraham by speaking the words of God is placed in that position of honor for the words of God he speaks as in authority from God, Osiris in the Egyptain concept of God. This is completely proper depiction and treatment of a recognized 'Prophet of God' who speaks for and in behalf of God as did Abraham in expounding the things of the universe before the court of Pharaoh.
Fig. 2. King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head.		This depiction, with Pharaoh standing behind in support of the positioned Osiris of honor speaking as it were from the throne of Pharaoh the words and truth of God, shows Pharaoh's authorization of and recognition of Abraham's words as though from the mouth of Pharaoh, as is from the mouth of God.
Fig. 3. Signifies Abraham in Egypt as given also in Figure 10 of Facsimile No. 1.		This symbol is the application symbol placed upon the 'standardized depictions' of Egyptain stylized and symbolic figures which places Abraham as the object of application of the depicted action.
Fig. 4. Prince of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, as written above the hand.
Fig. 5. Shulem, one of the king's principal waiters, as represented by the characters above his hand.
Fig. 6. Olimlah, a slave belonging to the prince.
Abraham is reasoning upon the principles of Astronomy, in the king's court.