For the purposes of this thought experiment, we're going to pretend that we Latter-day Saints don't know that the way to obtain the Spirit of God and have it with us always is to keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, which are contained in Luke 6:20-49, Matthew chapters 5 through 7 inclusive, and 3 Nephi chapters 12 through 14 inclusive. We know this is the way to obtain the Spirit of God and have it with us always because we are reminded of it weekly in the sacramental prayer for the bread, but we're going to play dumb for this one.Joseph Smith wrote:Men are in the habit, when the truth is exhibited by the servants of God, of saying, All is mystery; they have spoken in parables, and, therefore, are not to be understood. It is true they have eyes to see, and see not, but none are so blind as those who will not see[.] - Joseph Smith
Let us suppose that, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:11, one requires the Spirit of God to understand the things of God, such as scripture, and that without the Spirit of God, one cannot understand the things of God, such as scripture.
Let us suppose that a man or set of men composes what they call an "official interpretation" of scripture, to help those who do not have the Spirit of God understand scripture.
Here's the unsolvable dilemma:
If the "official interpretation" is scripture, then it cannot be understood by those who do not have the Spirit of God, because scripture requires the Spirit of God to understand.
If the "official interpretation" can be understood by those who do not have the Spirit of God, then it is not scripture.
To put it simply - for those who do not have the Spirit of God, if it is understood, it isn't scripture, and if it is scripture, it isn't understood.
Therefore "official interpretations" do not and cannot solve the problem for which they are supposedly devised - helping those who do not understand scripture because they do not have the Spirit of God to understand scripture.
So what problem do "official interpretations" really solve, since they do not and cannot solve the problem they're supposed to solve?
Again, we're pretending we don't know that those who do not have the Spirit of God and therefore cannot understand scripture are not keeping the commandments of Jesus Christ, and we're also pretending we don't know that if you have the Spirit of God, you don't need any man to tell you what the scriptures mean, as John said in 1 John 2:27.
But wait! There's more.
If this argument is valid, then those who depend upon a man or set of men to understand scripture for them do not understand scripture, and therefore do not have the Spirit of God, and therefore do not keep the commandments of Jesus Christ.
That might be why Jeremiah said this.
And why Nephi said this.Jeremiah 17:5 ¶Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
And this.2 Nephi 4:34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
And this.2 Nephi 28:31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
It sounds like Nephi understood this principle.1 Nephi 15
6 And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts?
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.