The Gold Plates as a Type for Christ

By Rick Brunson

A Type is a similitude.  It is simply a model that represents something else, something bigger. Perhaps the most common example of a type, is found in the story of Abraham and Isaac. In this story, Abraham represented our Heavenly Father, who willingly offered his Son as sacrifice, and Isaac represented our Savior, who willingly gave his life on our behalf.[1] This article will briefly discuss how the Golden Plates are also a type of Christ.[2] Consider the following:


Moroni burrying the gold plates


  • The Golden Plates were laid in a stone receptacle.[3]  So was Christ when he died.[4]  


    Christ's Resurrection LDS
  • Both the Golden Plates and our Savior came forth out of this stone receptacle, after a stone was rolled away from it.[5]  


      Garden Tomb LDS
    • The first one to see the Golden Plates was Joseph Smith, who was at first forbidden to touch the Gold Plates.[6]  Similarly, the first one to see Jesus after his resurrection was Mary, who was also forbidden to touch the Savior.[7]

       
        12 Apostles LDS
      • Both the Golden Plates and our Savior had twelve witnesses.   Joseph Smith, the three witnesses, and the eight witnesses make twelve who testified that they saw the plates,[8]  and our Savior choose twelve apostles to testify of him.[9] 



          Angel Moroni
        • The coming forth of each were proclaimed by an angel.[10]









        • Both the Gold Plates and the Savior teach the fullness of the gospel. 

         
        • Each ushered in a new dispensation, and restored in a time of apostasy. 


        • Finally, the color Gold is also a symbol for Christ, as gold often represents Kings.[11]


         
        Read about the many types of Christ in the Old Testament here.


        Notes:

        [1] For more on this and other types of Christ in the scriptures, see, Brunson, Types of Christ in the Old Testament.
        [2] The following information was originally posted on Robert Norman's Blog located at: http://rjnorman.blogspot.com/2010/01/gold-plates-as-type-of-christ.html
        [3] Joseph Smith-History 1:51
        [4] Matt. 27:56
        [5] Joseph Smith-History 1:52; Matt:28:2
        [6] Joseph Smith-History 1:53
        [7] John 20:17
        [8] See the Testimony of the Three Witnesses, and the Testimony of the Eight Witnesses as found in the introduction to the Book of Mormon.
        [9] Luke 6:13
        [10] Luke 1:26-35; Joseph Smith-History 1:30-34
        [11] Matt. 2:11