Faith Matters Podcast – "A Deeper Look at the Creation Story"

Sanctuary with Jared Lambert

Release Date: January 11, 2026
Host: Larkin Swain
Guest: Jared Lambert, Historical Linguist
Theme: Re-examining the Genesis Creation Story through Language, Symbolism, and Temple Theology

Episode Overview

This episode delves deeply into the Genesis creation narrative, blending linguistic expertise, temple theology, and interfaith perspectives. Historical linguist Jared Lambert shares how understanding the original languages and evolving symbolism of the biblical creation transforms how we see God, Adam and Eve, and the purpose of mankind. The conversation challenges traditional interpretations, highlights the role of women and the feminine divine, and suggests practical ways to gain richer spiritual experiences through scripture and temple study.

Jared Lambert’s Background & Approach

[01:50–06:34]

• Jared’s Journey: Raised LDS in Salt Lake City; served mission in Cape Verde, where he developed a passion for languages. He stayed, studied linguistics, served as a military linguist, and pursued graduate work focused on temple iconography (has seven degrees, speaks eight languages).
• Church Involvement: Worked briefly as the linguist over the Sacred Materials Department, helping shape linguistic changes in LDS temple content.
• Core Approach:
  • Uses diachronic linguistics (studying words’ meanings through time).
  • Sees scripture interpretation as heavily influenced by political, cultural, and translation factors.
  • Advocates for studying scripture linguistics to gain an alternative, often more profound, understanding.

"If you study the linguistics of the Bible, you get a completely different narrative... it really opens up a whole new world for you." — Jared Lambert [06:33]

Key Insights Into Biblical Language and Interpretation

[07:14–11:28]

• Soft vs. Hard Languages:
  • Ancient “proto-Hebrew” was conceptual and fluid (soft), in contrast to modern, rigid English (hard).
  • Words often carry multiple related meanings that together form a nuanced concept.
  • This fluidity encourages engaging with scripture as an embodied, experiential message rather than simply a rational or rigidly literal text.
• Access for All:
  • Tools like Bible Hub can help anyone begin this process, even without formal linguistic training.

"You have to break out of [rigid language] if you want to understand the language of God." — Jared Lambert [09:40]

The Temple Narrative and Its Evolution

[11:29–16:15]

• Temple Narratives Change:

  • God adapts spiritual messaging to the context and symbolic language of each dispensation.
  • Joseph Smith’s attempts at expressing revelation included the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, shifting from intended multiple buildings to incorporating ritual drama (influenced by Freemasonry).
  • These are vehicles for eternal truths, not the truths themselves.

• Parallels in Ancient Narratives: The Genesis account shares motifs with older stories like the Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh epic—God “hijacks” familiar cultural frameworks to reveal deeper, updated truths about divinity and humans.

Creation: Literal or Symbolic?

[16:15–18:54]

• Polysemy in Scripture:
  • Jared uses "polysemy" (many meanings) to explain that creation and temple narratives are not strictly literal or figurative, but conceptually layered, intended to communicate truths accessible only via ongoing revelation and experience.
  • Each reader’s clarity of understanding will differ across time.

"Your interpretation is going to be different [from mine]. Who’s right? Well, frankly, we’re all wrong until we get that pure revelation." — Jared Lambert [18:37]

Rethinking God, Creation, and the Role of "Elohim"

[18:56–30:00]

• Not Creation “Out of Nothing”:
  • In Genesis 1:1, Hebrew terms like bereshit (“in the beginning”—more accurately, “once upon a time”) and bara (to organize/form, not “create from nothing”) reshape the narrative.
  • Joseph Smith’s translations corroborate this with “matter unorganized.”
• Who Is God in Genesis?:
  • The term Elohim is linguistically plural, signifying "Gods" (male, female, and their children), not a singular Trinitarian concept.
  • Later Jewish scribes suppressed the feminine and plurality, moving towards monotheism.
  • Latter-day Saint theology parallels the older Hebraic concept of divine parentage and relational unity.

“There is no God and there never will be, except they be made of these two component parts, male and female united. This is what Joseph taught.” — Jared Lambert [22:10]

• Concordism: Jared identifies as a "Concordist," believing that scientific and spiritual creation accounts describe the same process in different languages. Genesis, especially as expounded in LDS scripture, aligns surprisingly with naturalistic, evolutionary timelines.

Humanity, Adam, and the “Others”

[30:00–41:13]

• Genesis 1 vs Genesis 2:
  • Genesis 1: Human creation (ha-adama) is collective (“male and female created he them”), not the individual Adam.
  • Genesis 2: The individual Adam is formed—he is “the first enlightened,” not the first biological human; he receives enlightenment (“breath of life” as intelligence/light).
• Evidence for Others:
  • Phrases in the text (Adam guarding the garden from others, Cain marrying elsewhere) point to the presence of other people or groups.
  • Scientific breakthroughs (DNA mutations in Homo erectus to sapiens via a “solar wind”—a literal infusion of light—mirror theological notions of enlightenment).

"Adam is not the first human...he is the first to be enlightened or under covenant by God." — Jared Lambert [36:28]

The Role and Redemption of Eve

[41:13–64:34]

• Help Meet = “Savior”:
  • The Hebrew ezer (“help”) always denotes divine saving power (root of Ebenezer, "stone of help"); Eve is explicitly Adam's savior, not subordinate.
  • Kenegdo ("meet") means “face to face”—symbolizing equality and authority (“indicative of priesthood power”).
  • Adam alone is forbidden to partake of the fruit; Eve acts with wisdom.

"Eve is introduced as Adam’s savior first and foremost." — Jared Lambert [44:20]

• Serpent Symbolism:

  • In ancient Hebrew thought, serpent imagery was messianic and humble, not solely evil.
  • The “serpent” (literally nahas) in Genesis symbolically represents the Savior as much as any adversarial force.

• Was Eve Tricked or Wise?

  • The word beguiled in Eve’s admission is not “tricked,” but an accounting term, implying that she “weighed and balanced” her actions after foreseeing the Savior. LDS texts also affirm Eve’s wisdom.
  • Eve receives a new name (Hava, “life") only after fulfilling her role—mirroring biblical patterns where new names follow pivotal transformation.

"The wisdom of Eve ... she weighed, she saw the Savior ... and she knew this is the way—this is how growth works." — Jared Lambert [58:00]

• Equality, Not Subjugation:
  • The “rib” translation is a mistranslation; should be “side,” indicating equality.
  • Joseph Smith’s Book of Abraham clarifies further: Eve was found for Adam, not made from him or for him.

"We should be preaching this... where are our missionaries?... read Abraham 5 instead of the Genesis 2 version." — Jared Lambert [69:02]

Practical Implications for Scriptural and Temple Study

[71:04–77:00]

• Preparation Matters:

  • Going into temple worship or scripture with rigid, literal expectations can be confusing and even discouraging, especially for women.
  • Studying the history, linguistics, and symbolic layers ahead of time can help unlock powerful personal revelation.

• Scripture as Invitation:

  • When parts of the story “don’t taste right,” that can be a prompt from the Spirit to dig deeper for meaning.
  • The Hebrew word shema (usually “call”) in fact means to “hear, understand, and respond”—God calls those who can perceive and act.

"If something feels off, that is not the Shema, that is not the call. ... Figure out what is the call, what is the notion that I need to figure out for this." — Jared Lambert [75:23]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Translation and Religious Narrative:

  “The Bible is this traditional kind of group understanding...influenced for geopolitical reasons. ... I like to show them just how different the linguistics are from that traditional narrative.”
  — Jared Lambert [06:34]

• On the Divine Feminine:

  “There is no God and there never will be, except they be made of these two component parts, male and female united. This is what Joseph taught.”
  — Jared Lambert [22:10]

• On Personal Revelation and Temple Experience:

  "You don’t need to be a linguist... There are so many resources... you can dive into the Hebrew... it makes it accessible to anyone."
  — Jared Lambert [08:00]

• On Eve:

  “Eve is introduced as Adam’s savior first and foremost.”
  — Jared Lambert [44:20]
  “Eve is not punished; she didn’t make a mistake... God only says to Eve, Hava, you are life.”
  — Jared Lambert [63:05]

• On Studying the Temple:

  “Joseph would often start his discourses...with a prayer...‘Oh Lord God, please free us of the prison that is our language, and let the Spirit convey the message that I have prepared for them.’”
  — Jared Lambert [71:20]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jared’s Background & Linguistics – [01:50–06:34]
• Hebraic Language vs. English – [07:14–10:21]
• Temple Narrative Across Dispensations – [11:29–16:15]
• Literal vs. Symbolic Creation – [16:15–18:54]
• God as Elohim & Plurality of Divinity – [18:56–30:00]
• Genesis and Human “Creation” – [30:00–41:13]
• Eve’s Role Re-examined – [41:13–64:34]
• Rib/Side & Equality – [65:41–70:20]
• Preparation for Temple & Scripture Study – [71:04–74:31]
• Finding the Spiritual ‘Call’ (Shema) – [74:57–76:38]

Conclusion

The conversation radically re-envisions the Genesis narrative—illuminating how original language, culture, and temple symbolism combine to tell a story far richer and more egalitarian than many traditional Western interpretations. Rather than seeing Eve as lesser or fallen, we see her as a wise savior, a symbol for all humanity’s growth. The linguistic approach advocated by Jared Lambert pulls scripture out of rigid literalism and into the nuanced, experiential space it was meant to occupy, inviting listeners to a more embodied, joyous engagement with faith and worship.

For further exploration: Sanctuary podcast (Larkin Swain), Faith Matters Foundation, Journal of Hebraic Studies (for Jared’s papers), LDS Pearl of Great Price, and the Book of Abraham.