   The Life and
Teachings of Jesus
 and His Apostles
    COURSE MANUAL (Religion 211–212)
             Send comments and corrections, including typographic errors, to
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[Note: This PDF version of the Book of Mormon Student Manual was specially prepared for the
  Internet and the CES Teacher Resource CD. Pagination does not match the printed manual.]



                                 Second Edition, Revised

                        Prepared by the Church Educational System

                                      Published by
                      The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
                                  Salt Lake City, Utah

                         © 1978, 1979 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
                                     All rights reserved
                          Printed in the United States of America
                                                                 Contents
                                  [Note: Page numbers given here are those in the printed manual,
                                                 not this special PDF version.]


INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION 211                                                   14 The Transfiguration of Christ ........................ 101
                                                                               15 “I Am the Light of the World” ...................... 107
Introduction ..............................................................1
                                                                               16 The Two Great Commandments.................... 113
1 “I Am the Way” .................................................5
                                                                               17 Where Much is Given, Much is Required ..... 117
SECTION 1                                                                      18 “Rejoice with Me; for I Have Found
                                                                                  the . . . Lost” .................................................. 123
The Great Jehovah Comes to Earth                                               19 “What Lack I Yet?” ....................................... 129
2    The Promised Messiah .....................................15
3    The Son of the Eternal Father ..........................21                SECTION 5
4    “Behold the Lamb of God” ..............................27                 The Week of the Atoning Sacrifice and the Resur-
                                                                               rection
SECTION 2
                                                                               20 The Triumphal Entry ..................................... 139
The First Year of Jesus’ Public Ministry                                       21 “Woe unto You . . . Hypocrites!” .................. 145
5    “Ye Must Be Born Again” ...............................37                 22 “What Shall Be the Sign of
6    “This Is He of Whom It Is Written”.................43                        Thy Coming?” ............................................... 151
                                                                               23 “As I Have Loved You” ................................ 159
SECTION 3                                                                      24 “My Peace I Give unto You” ......................... 165
                                                                               25 “Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done”.............. 171
The Second Year of Jesus’ Public Ministry
                                                                               26 “I Find No Fault in This Man” ...................... 179
7  The Calling of the Twelve ...............................51
8  “Be Ye Therefore Perfect” ...............................57                 SECTION 6
9  “Whosoever Shall Do the Will of                                             The Glorified Palestinian Ministry
   the Father”........................................................65
10 “He Spake Many Things unto Them                                             27 “He Is Risen!”................................................ 191
   in Parables” ......................................................71       28 “I Know That He Lives” ................................ 199
11 “He That Receiveth Whomsoever I Send
   Receiveth Me” .................................................79           MAP SECTION.......................................... 207–223
                                                                               212 Contents ........................................................ 225
SECTION 4
The Third Year of Jesus’ Public Ministry
12 “I Am the Bread of Life” .................................89
13 That Which Defiles a Man ...............................95
                                    INTRODUCTION
WHAT SHOULD BE THE GOAL OR PURPOSE                              this student manual was organized. It should assist you
IN TAKING THESE COURSES OF STUDY?                               by providing the following:
These courses are designed to give you the                      1. Background material to help you understand the
opportunity to come to know the Savior in an intimate,             Greek, Roman, and Jewish world in which Jesus
personal, and powerful way. Your goal upon                         taught and from which the early church emerged.
completing these two courses should be to be able to
                                                                2. Background information about key New
proclaim, as did Peter, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of
                                                                   Testament personalities as well as contemporary
the living God.” (Matthew 16:16.) Jesus’ disciples
                                                                   Roman and Jewish rulers.
knew the way in which such a fervent testimony could
be attained. It was John the Beloved who testified              3. Background information for each book of the New
from the depth of his soul, “And we know that the Son              Testament.
of God is come, and hath given us an understanding,             4. Interpretive commentary on the more important
that we may know him that is true. . . .” (1 John 5:20.)           passages as well as on some difficult passages.
You too can come to know him that is true.
                                                                5. A map section which helps to identify key places
How May I Most Effectively Accomplish This                         and which charts the journeys of Jesus and the
Goal?                                                              apostle Paul.
It was the Savior who said, “I am the bread of life: he         6. A time line which shows either approximate or
that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that                  specific dates of the events being studied.
believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35.) Each
lesson is designed to bring you closer to the Savior,           How the Manual Is Organized
that you might partake of the bread of life and be filled       The fifty-six lessons in the manual are divided in such
spiritually. Each lesson has a designated reading               a manner as to correlate with the probable
assignment from the New Testament. This will                    chronological order of the New Testament as given in
constitute the core of your study and should be read            the “reading blocks.” Each of the lessons has been
carefully with each lesson. If you do this, you will            grouped into a section. There are twelve sections in
have read the entire New Testament by the time you              this manual, each covering a specific period in the life
finish these courses. (Note: For students in regular            of the Savior and the apostles. The section overview
institute or Church college classes, the New Testament          will provide specific information that will help you in
study is divided into two semester or three quarter             your study of the lessons that follow. Sections 1
classes. But for those students in individual study             through 6 cover the life and teachings of Jesus
areas, the study of the New Testament constitutes one           (Religion 211), and sections 7 through 12 cover the
year’s study.)                                                  ministry of the apostles (Religion 212.)
Combined with sincere prayer, scripture study can               The manual is not designed to be a substitute for your
become the source of personal revelation and an                 reading of the New Testament; rather, it is only a
avenue to increased spiritual power in your daily life.         guide to help you organize and get the most from your
Why a Student Manual?                                           study of the scriptural passages. The following outline
                                                                of the format used in each lesson indicates this
Some portions of the Gospels and the writings and               purpose:
letters of the early apostles are not easily understood
by the student of today. What Peter said of some of             1. A theme, drawn from each particular reading
Paul’s writings—that there are “some things hard to be             block.
understood” (2 Peter 3:16)—may also be applied to               2. A short introductory section which sets the stage
other writings in the New Testament. Corrupted texts,              for the scriptures you will read.
archaic language, and our lack of understanding of the
doctrinal, historical, or geographical setting are a few        3. The reading block assignment, which includes a
reasons for some difficulty in reading and                         map and a time line.
comprehending the New Testament. For these reasons,


                                                            1
4. An interpretive commentary section. This contains            “. . . none of these [other] translations surpasses the
   commentary (primarily from Church leaders) that              King James version of the English Bible in beauty of
   will help you with particularly difficult passages.          language and spiritual connotation, and probably in
                                                                faithful adherence to the text available to translators.
5. A “Points to Ponder” section calls your attention
                                                                It is this version which is used by the Church of Jesus
   to some of the major doctrinal themes of that part
                                                                Christ of Latter-Day Saints in all of its official work
   of the New Testament and gives you the
                                                                both at home and abroad. The literature of the Church
   opportunity to thoughtfully consider how they can
                                                                refers invariably to the King James’ translation. Other
   be applied in your life today.
                                                                translations are used by the Church only to help
Also, you will find items in the map section (found in          explain obscure passages in the authorized
the middle of the manual and also in the appendix               version.” (Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations,
section at the end of the manual) that will aid you in          p. 120.)
your studies.
                                                                “This King James or Authorized Version, ‘as far as it
How to Use Your Student Manual                                  is translated correctly,’ has been the version accepted
                                                                by this Church since it was organized.” (J. Reuben
The basic text for the course is the New Testament.             Clark, Jr., in CR, Apr. 1954, p. 38.)
This student manual is not designed to replace your
reading of the scriptures, nor can it be a substitute for       “The Official Bible of our Church is the King James
the inspired guidance of the Holy Ghost as you seek             version.” (Editorial, Church News, 14 Nov. 1970,
that guidance in humble prayer. Here are some                   p. 16.)
suggestions on how the student manual may be most               This does not mean that the King James Version is a
profitably used:                                                perfect translation. Elder James E. Talmage gave a
1. In each chapter you are given a reading                      reason for this when he wrote the following:
   assignment. The number of chapters you are asked             “There will be, there can be, no absolutely reliable
   to read for each class period may vary according             translation . . . unless it be effected through the gift of
   to your instructor’s wishes and whether you are              translation, as one of the endowments of the Holy
   studying on the semester, quarter, or individual             Ghost. The translator must have the spirit of the
   study systems. Whatever system you are in, you               prophet if he would render in another tongue the
   should be able to complete the reading of the New            prophet’s words; and human wisdom alone leads not
   Testament in the chronological order in which the            to that possession.” (Talmage, The Articles of Faith,
   gospel message and the letters unfold, if you                p. 237.)
   conscientiously fulfill your reading assignments.
                                                                Such an effort—to translate the Bible scriptures by the
2. Study the background information pertaining to               power of the Holy Ghost—was begun by the Prophet
   key personalities and the book being considered              Joseph Smith under the direction of, and at the
   before reading the New Testament text, and you               command of the Lord. (See D&C 45:60, 61; 93:53.)
   will find you can better understand the scriptures           The following is instructive information concerning
   as you read them.                                            the status of the Inspired Version in the Church today:
3. Read the commentary on those passages that are               “The Inspired Version [as it is called by its
   difficult to understand.                                     publishers] does not supplant the King James Version
4. Consult the map section in order to locate various           as the official church version of the Bible, but the
   places mentioned in the Gospel or the epistles               explanations and changes made by the Prophet Joseph
   which follow. Compare these biblical sites with              Smith provide enlightenment and useful commentary
   the present-day locations.                                   on many biblical passages.
                                                                “Part of the explanations and changes made by the
WHICH VERSION OF THE BIBLE SHOULD
                                                                Prophet Joseph Smith were finally approved before
I USE?
                                                                his death; and some of these have been cited in
There are a large number of Bible translations now in           current church instructional materials or may be cited
existence. The translation recommended for Latter-day           in future church instructional materials.
Saints has been clarified many times by the Church
leaders. The following are examples of such counsel:            “Accordingly, these cited portions of the Inspired
                                                                Version may be used by church writers and teachers,



                                                            2
along with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and                                           1 JOHN 2:3–5
Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, in connection              “. . . these passages of scripture, I say, form a key by
with Biblical interpretations, applying always the              which the mysteries of eternal life are unlocked. . . .
divine injunction that ‘whoso is enlightened by the
Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom.’” (D&C 91:5)             “. . . We may all know the truth; we are not helpless.
                                                                The Lord has made it possible for every man to know
“When the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants,               the truth by the observance of these laws, and through
and Pearl of Great Price offer information relative to          the guidance of the Holy Spirit. . . .” (Smith, Doctrines
biblical interpretation, these should be given                  of Salvation, 1:295–96.)
preference in writing and teaching. But when these
sources of latter-day revelation do not provide                                     2 TIMOTHY 2:15
significant information which is available in the               In this passage you will find two reasons for your
Inspired Version, then this version may be                      study: (1) to show yourself approved unto God (not
used.” (Editorial, Church News, 7 Dec. 1974, p. 16.)            merely to fulfill a credit), and (2) to become a student
                                                                of the scriptures who can know and use the word of
References from the Inspired Version are used
                                                                truth.
throughout this manual for clarification of particularly
vague or faulty passages of the King James Version.             With these scriptures in mind, your study can be
                                                                profitable to you.
How May You Most Profitably Study This Course?
                                                                1. Make the scriptures your main study in this
Read these passages of scripture and consider their                course, using the manual as a supplement.
significance to your personal study:
                                                                2. Combine your study with sincere and frequent
                     JOHN 7:16, 17                                 prayer.
This passage “is a key that unlocks the door to
                                                                3. Strive to keep the commandments of God.
knowledge of our eternal existence. If men will follow
that instruction, they will know the truth, and they will       May you enjoy the personal blessings that always
realize that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God and          accompany prayerful study and obedience to the
the Redeemer of the world; that he arose from the               Lord’s commandments.
dead and on the third day after his resurrection
appeared to his disciples.” (Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 1:295.)




                                                            3
4
                                           1
                                    “I AM THE WAY”
THEME                                                            (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) by the time you
                                                                 finish the course. The passages designated are
“‘How can we know the way?’ asked Thomas, as he
                                                                 arranged in chronological order (insofar as it is
sat with his fellow apostles and their Lord at the table
                                                                 known), and they do not always follow the sequence
after the supper on the memorable night of the
                                                                 found in the New Testament. The unfolding drama of
betrayal; and Christ’s divine answer was: ‘I am the
                                                                 the mortal life of the Master will be more readily
way, the truth, and the life. . . .’ (John 14:5–6.) And so
                                                                 apparent to you as you read of it in its chronological
he is! He is the source of our comfort, the inspiration
                                                                 sequence.
of our life, the author of our salvation. If we want to
know our relationship to God, we go to Jesus Christ.             Second, along with reading the scriptures and studying
If we would know the truth of the immortality of the             in the manual, remember the importance of personal
soul, we have it exemplified in the Savior’s                     prayer and of living in such a way as to merit the
resurrection.                                                    inspiration of the Lord as you study.
“If we desire to learn the ideal life to lead among our          Elder Ezra Taft Benson has said:
fellowmen, we can find a perfect example in the life of
                                                                 “To learn of Christ necessitates the study of the
Jesus. Whatsoever our noble desires, our lofty
                                                                 scriptures and the testimonies of those who know him.
aspirations, our ideals in any phase of life, we can
                                                                 We come to know him through prayer and the
look to Christ and find perfection. So, in seeking a
                                                                 inspiration and revelation that God has promised to
standard for moral manhood, we need only to go to
                                                                 those who keep his commandments.” (CR, Oct. 1972,
the Man of Nazareth and in him find embodied all
                                                                 p. 53.)
virtues that go to make the perfect man.” (David O.
McKay in CR, Apr. 1968, pp. 6–7.)                                (1-3) The Four Gospels
(1-1) INTRODUCTION                                               In this course you will be studying the Gospels, or, as
                                                                 they are titled in the Inspired Version (compare D&C
This course will assist you personally to draw closer to
                                                                 88:141), the “Testimonies” of Matthew, Mark, Luke,
the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is
                                                                 and John. Rather than reading each of them through
hoped that you will gain a greater testimony and
                                                                 one at a time, you will find that the reading block
awareness of him as a living, personal Redeemer, and
                                                                 assignments largely blend the four Gospels into a
that you will feel more determined than ever to serve
                                                                 chronological arrangement (this is called a “gospel
him and to partake of his great infinite atonement.
                                                                 harmony”), drawing on all four of the accounts.
Though a lofty goal, it is certainly within your reach.
You can have a rich and spiritual experience if you              Each of these inspired writers bears his own unique
will make this study a spiritual as well as an academic          witness concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ as well
endeavor.                                                        as a testimony of the Master himself, but it is for the
                                                                 same ultimate purpose. For example, note the words of
(1-2) How May This Goal Be Most Effectively                      John: “. . . These are written, that ye might believe that
Attained?                                                        Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing
First, remember that the four Gospels are the basic text         ye might have life through his name.” (John 20:31.
for the course. It will therefore be vital for you to read       Italics added.) While there is much in common in all
the scriptures in connection with the manual. Each               four gospel accounts, each writer includes material not
lesson has a designated “reading block” assignment               found in the others, and each bears his witness of the
taken from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These                  Savior in a slightly different way. Matthew, Mark, and
constitute the core of the course.                               Luke are very similar in their approach, although each
                                                                 seems to have written to a particular group of people,
If you will read the entire reading block assigned for           and thus are called the “Synoptic” gospels. (The word
each lesson, you will have read all of the four Gospels          synoptic comes from the Greek word meaning “from



                                                             5
the same view.”) John’s materials and viewpoint differ          and the Life, and of Jesus as the Resurrection and the
more notably, but nevertheless still contain much of            Life.
the same historical information as the other three.
                                                                (1-8) A Historical Preface to Your Study of the
(1-4) The Gospel of Matthew                                     New Testament
Matthew’s gospel is characterized by a heavy                    For a more extensive study of the historical
emphasis on how the life of Jesus fulfilled Old                 background relating to the Palestine of Jesus’ time,
Testament prophecy and includes many important                  you may find many fine commentaries and histories in
discourses of the Master, such as the Sermon on the             your public and university libraries.
Mount (Matthew 5–7), a discourse on the parables of
                                                                For our purpose, we shall here give a brief overview
the kingdom (Matthew 13), and a long discourse
                                                                of conditions covering about four hundred years
critical of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23).
                                                                between the time of Malachi and the ministry of the
Matthew graphically portrays Jesus as the king and
                                                                Master. The land of Palestine, often called the Holy
judge of Israel and one who teaches with great power
                                                                Land, was anciently given to Abraham by the Lord as
and authority. His gospel would have particular power
                                                                an inheritance for him and his posterity through Isaac
for Jewish readers.
                                                                and Jacob on condition of their faithfully serving the
(1-5) The Gospel of Mark                                        Lord as a peculiar and covenant people.
Mark’s is the shortest gospel and presents a picture of         However, strife and apostasy brought about a
Jesus that is moving, full of action, and stresses the          scattering of the house of Israel, and ten of the
miraculous power of the Master. Because of this                 tribes were carried away captive into the north
dynamic portrait, many scholars have thought Mark               countries (about 722 B.C.). Also, the Jews were
was writing with Roman readers in mind. Mark seems              carried into Babylon in 587 B.C., with some returning
to have been closely associated with Peter after the            about 530 B.C. At the time of Malachi’s writing
death of the Savior, and many see influences of Peter’s         (ca. 400 B.C.), only a remnant of the house of Israel
narratives in Mark’s writing.                                   remained in the land of Canaan—primarily the tribe
                                                                of Judah, surrounded by gentile tribes and a scattering
(1-6) The Gospel of Luke                                        of apostate Hebrews. This point in history finds the
Because of his highly polished Greek, and the                   people of promise living under the quasi-tolerant rule
compassionate picture of the Savior Luke portrays for           of the Medo-Persian empire.
us, many have thought he wrote to the Greeks of the             Some hundred years later, a new power came on the
ancient world. Luke’s gospel is characterized by an             scene: Alexander, son and successor of Philip, king of
emphasis on forgiveness and love, pointing out                  Macedonia, continued his father’s welding of the
through parables unique to his gospel (such as the              Greek city-states and with his armies successfully
Prodigal Son) that the sinner can find rest and peace in        subjected the Persians, Syrians, Egyptians,
Jesus. Luke also gives important insights into the role         Babylonians, and others, creating a new empire in that
women played during the ministry and life of Jesus.             portion of the world where most of the action of the
He alone tells of the visit of the angel to Zacharias and       New Testament took place. The Jews now found
of Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; he alone          themselves under a new master. The more faithful
tells of the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem            Jews were generally indignant at the alteration of their
and of the actual birth of Jesus.                               life-style by an encroaching gentile society.
(1-7) The Gospel of John                                        With the death of Alexander, who left no heir, the
                                                                empire was partitioned among his generals, with
While John’s gospel gives us a more intimate picture            Ptolemy as ruler of Egypt and southern Syria, and
of the Master, emphasizing his relationship to the              Antigonus claiming the greater portion of northern
Father, his associations with the Twelve, and so on,            Syria and west Babylonia. Seleucus I defeated
John’s purpose seems to have been more to bear                  Antigonus, and a struggle began for control of the
witness of Jesus as the Christ rather than to chronicle         strategically situated Palestine, placing the Jews in the
in some detail the places and events of his ministry.           tenuous position of being subject first to one of these
From his writings come a powerful witness of Jesus as           powers and then to the other.
the Son of God, of Jesus as the Messiah, of Jesus as
the Good Shepherd, of Jesus as the Way, the Truth,              Not only did the Jews suffer under this condition of
                                                                political turmoil, but there was considerable disunity


                                                            6
among themselves, some attempting to assuage their            Following the death of Herod the Great, his
uncomfortable position by fully partaking of the very         Palestinian dominion was divided into three parts. At
popular Greek culture, while others sought as                 the time of Jesus’ ministry, these areas were governed
zealously to retain their peculiarity and isolation at        by the following men:
whatever cost. The result was a riven Jewry.
                                                              1. Herod Philip (Ituraea and areas northeast of
A century after the death of Alexander (ca. 200 B.C.),           Galilee). He was a son of Herod the Great and was
Syria was firmly in control of Palestine. Antiochus IV           a rather tolerant ruler.
(Epiphanes), perhaps disgruntled by his inability to
                                                              2. Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator (Judea,
defeat Egypt, returned to Jerusalem with a
                                                                 Samaria, and Idumea). We read of him in
determination to subject the Jews to the religious
                                                                 connection with the trial of Jesus.
practices of his kingdom. Judaism was completely
proscribed. The possession or reading of the Torah            3. Herod Antipas (Galilee and Perea). He was also a
was made punishable by death; observance of the                  son of Herod the Great, and is mentioned in the
Sabbath and circumcision were forbidden; Jerusalem’s             New Testament in connection with the trial of
walls were destroyed and thousands of her inhabitants            Jesus. Prior to that he had been responsible for the
slain, while other thousands were sold as slaves. The            imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist.
temple was plundered and converted into an Olympian           The events of this period do much to explain the need
shrine, with an image of Zeus placed upon the altar           that many of the Jews felt for the appearance of the
and a pig sacrificed in honor of the false god. These         predicted Messiah. They could foresee no hope for
atrocities along with other outrages were calculated to       national dignity other than in a spectacular, political
embarrass the Jews, profane their religion, and               salvation at the hands of a mighty Savior.
discourage their observance of the Jewish law.
                                                              As we shall see in this course, Jesus came to them
Yet the Lord had not forgotten his covenant people. In        offering something much more glorious than a
a miraculous manner the Jews and their religion               national salvation. An unspeakable happiness and
survived. The abhorrent circumstances created by their        peace might have entered the heart of every Jew. Then
oppressors were largely responsible for the rise of the       they might have participated and rejoiced in the
Maccabees, a Jewish family providing a leadership to          establishment of the kingdom of God on earth!
the people which successfully expelled the Syrians.
The Jews then enjoyed a semblance of independence
for about one hundred years (166 B.C.–63 B.C.). The
Hellenizing pressure of the Syrians seems to have
consolidated the Jews into a resistant group capable of
preserving their identity among the nations into which
they were scattered.
As the Maccabeean leadership degenerated into a
corrupt political entity, Palestine, through political
intrigue, was again subjected to a gentile empire—
Rome—whose tyranny soon began to settle upon the
Jewish state through the appointment of ambitious and
ruthless men. Herod the Great, successor to his father,
Antipater, was an Idumean of gentile lineage and
exerted strong leadership. He preserved his leadership
often at the expense of the lives of many, including a
wife and some of his children. It was he who ordered
the massacre of Jewish children in Bethlehem shortly
after the birth of the Savior.




                                                          7
8
             SECTION 1
THE GREAT JEHOVAH CO
                   COMES
                     MES TO EARTH
WHO IS THIS JESUS WHOM WE WORSHIP?                            so the record tells us in Abraham) and taking of the
BY PRESIDENT J. REUBEN CLARK, JR.                             materials which they found in this “space” they made
                                                              this world.
Who is this Savior, this man that we worship? We
rather localize him and think of him as more or less          I want to suggest two or three things to you. I hope I
belonging to us, that he is our Savior and perhaps not        will not confuse you too much. But we in this
known very much.                                              galaxy—and the heavens which we see are the galaxy
                                                              to which we belong—we from this point where we
I want to read you just a few words to begin with. I am
                                                              stand or float, can see one billion light-years* all
going to read from the Book of Moses, from the first
                                                              around us. A light-year is the distance which light,
chapter, and I am going to begin with the 32nd verse.
                                                              traveling at the rate of 186,000 miles a second, will
The speaker declared he was the “Lord God Almighty,
                                                              travel in one year. The astronomers tell us that we now
and Endless is my name . . . And by the word of my
                                                              can peer out into space one billion light-years, we in
power, have I created them. . . .”
                                                              the center.
He was showing Moses, as they stood and conversed
                                                              Where we are moving, how we are moving, how
“face to face,” the creation which the Father had
                                                              rapidly we go, we do not know. As you look into the
made.
                                                              heavens you do not see the heavens as they are today.
“And by the word of my power have I created them,             You see them as they were the number of light-years
which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace         ago when the light therefrom began to come from
and truth.                                                    them to us. If it is a hundred million light-years away,
“And worlds without number have I created; and I              it was a hundred million years ago.
also created them for mine own purpose; and by the            Our Galaxy—Shape and Size
Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. . . .
                                                              It is said that there are one hundred million galaxies*
“. . . For behold, there are many worlds that have            within this radius that are the same as ours. (*Note:
passed away by the word of my power [which is his             Since President Clark wrote this article, astronomy has
Only Begotten Son]. And there are many that now               greatly expanded its knowledge. The radius of the
stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all             known universe is now believed to be sixteen billion
things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I          light years across, and astronomers believe there are at
know them. . . .                                              least ten billion galaxies. See, for example, Herbert
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The               Friedman, The Amazing Universe [Washington, D.C.:
heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered           National Geographic Society, 1975], p. 32.) They say
unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are         that this galaxy in which we live, in which we float
mine.                                                         and have our existence, is one hundred thousand light-
                                                              years in diameter. They say that it is shaped lenticular,
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens            as if two glass watch crystals were put together, ten
thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end       thousand light-years through the thickest part, and I
to my works, neither to my words.” (Moses 1:2–3, 32–          repeat, a hundred thousand light-years through.
33, 35, 37–38.)
                                                              Astronomers now yield what they did not formerly
Not a Novice at Creation                                      yield, that there may have been many, and probably
It was not a novice, not an amateur, not a Being              were, many worlds like ours. Some say there were in
making a first trial, that came down in the beginning,        this galaxy perhaps from its beginning, one million
after the Great Council, with other Gods, and searched        worlds like unto this one.
out and found the place where there was “space” (for




                                                          9
“Worlds without number have I created,” through                 You remember his trip when he was twelve years old,
“mine Only Begotten Son.” I repeat, our Lord is not a           when he apparently first indicated, at least, so far as
novice, he is not an amateur; he has been over this             Mary understood, who he was—where, after three
course time and time and time again.                            days of search, they finally found him talking to the
                                                                learned men of the nation and she reprovingly said to
And if you think of this galaxy of ours having within it
                                                                him: “Thy father and I . . .” (she meaning Joseph,
from the beginning perhaps until now, one million
                                                                which indicates that in the household of Joseph and
worlds, and multiply that by the number of millions of
                                                                Mary, he was true to his relationship, presumed, to
galaxies, one hundred million galaxies, that surround
                                                                Joseph and to Mary)—she said to him, “Thy father
us, you will then get some view of who this Man we
                                                                and I have sought thee sorrowing.” And he replied in
worship is.
                                                                that great disclosure, “Wist ye not that I must be about
Purpose of Our Creation                                         my Father’s business?”
He was a member of the Godhead—the Father, the                  But he went back to Nazareth and dwelt with them, a
Son, and the Holy Ghost. He participated in the Great           carpenter, a carpenter’s son, until he took on his
Council of Heaven which decided that they should                mission. Thereafter, when they found him doing
build a world, a world to which we might come as                wonderful things and displaying wonderful
mortal beings and work out our salvation. I cannot but          information and great knowledge, they said, “Is not
think that the same purpose had been present untold             this the carpenter’s son? . . . Is not this the carpenter?”
numbers of times for our Savior then to work out his            He lived in a lowly home, the only man born to this
world-creative work as he did for us. “Worlds without           earth half-Divine and half-mortal. He dwelt among the
number have I created,” through “mine Only Begotten             most lowly, taught among them, did his works among
Son.”                                                           them.
                                                                He went on through life, I repeat, followed day by day
From Throne to Manger
                                                                by enmity that would have exterminated him, but
There was in Palestine a couple, Joseph and Mary.               escaping all because of the great mission which he had
They lived in Nazareth. They had traveled, evidently,           to perform.
from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to pay a tax that
had been decreed by the Roman Emperor. That was                 Jewish Confusion
the ostensible purpose. She, heavy with child, traveled         I can understand, in a way at least, the difficulty which
all that distance on mule-back, guarded and protected           the Jews had. They recognized in his miracles the
as one about to give birth to a half-Deity. No other            same sort of miracle that had been done by their
man in the history of this world of ours has ever had           prophets all down through their history. He violated
such an ancestry—God the Father on the one hand and             the laws of gravity by walking on the water; Elisha
Mary the Virgin on the other.                                   had caused an iron axe to float on the water. He raised
When they had reached Bethlehem, they could get no              them from the dead; so had Elisha of old. He fed them
place, you remember, in the inn. Everything was                 the loaves and the fishes; and so had the Prophet
taken. So they were forced to go into a stable, and the         Elijah fed a hundred with little and supplied the
new-born infant, fresh from the throne of God, had to           widow with oil. They had seen all of these great
be laid in a manger, “descending below all things that          principles manifested, they knew them, and they had
he might rise above all things.” I have great sympathy          hard work recognizing that there was something way
for poor Joseph. He was the husband of Mary, but not            and beyond that in Jesus.
the father of the Son she was to bear. Years afterwards         I have thought of some of those miracles in the sense
the Jews twitted him on that fact. . . .                        of their being the miracle of a Creator, demonstrating
                                                                his creative power, particularly some that I call
Conditions in Palestine
                                                                creative miracles: the turning of water into wine, how
He came into a chaotic condition. Palestine was not a           simple that must have been to a Deity who made
place of peace and love and brotherhood. It was the             universes; the feeding of the five thousand, how
habitation of some of the most terrible passions that           simple that was.
were loose in the world at that time. They were the
                                                                And I hope none of you will be disturbed by the
constant companions of those who were around the
                                                                pygmy-rationalizing which suggests that the multitude
Savior.



                                                           10
was fed on lunches which they brought with them.               a little fire. A voice came from the shore: “Cast the net
This Creator of the universe, out of five loaves and           on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They
two fishes, made food that fed them all. Perhaps, in           did, and it was filled. John, perhaps recollecting the
order to silence the criticism which might be made, or         earlier experience, said, “It is the Lord.” Peter,
the explanation, that he just hypnotized them and they         wrapping his cloak about him, for he was naked (he
were all just hypnotized, the record says, “and they           did not want to appear before the Lord nude), cast
took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets          himself into the sea and waded to the shore. And there
full.” Of equal importance and stature was the feeding         they ate, apparently the Savior eating with them. It
of the four thousand at a later time.                          was there that Peter got his command, “Feed my
                                                               sheep.”
Other miracles prove he had control of the elements: I
am thinking of the night when he was sleeping in the           The lowly Jesus thus had control of the animal life.
prow of the boat and a great storm arose. The Apostles
were terrified. They awakened him. He calmed the               The Vegetable Kingdom
storm. And after this feeding of the five thousand,            Finally, the vegetable kingdom came under his
when he journeyed across the water, walking upon it, I         dominion, also, for he cursed the barren fig tree as he
recall how frightened were the Apostles in the boat,           went by. Some scholars have a great deal of difficulty
thinking he was a spirit.                                      in understanding that miracle. It looks rather simple to
You can almost hear him call to them: “It is I; be not         me, maybe too simple. But I get from this miracle the
afraid.” Peter asked, “Bid me come unto thee on the            principle that he who does not do the things which his
water.” Jesus answered: “Come.” Peter stepped out              Creator fitted him to do, stands in danger of a
upon the water and started to walk, but his heart and          reprimand. You cannot be barren with the intelligence,
his faith failed him at the sight of the boisterous            the talents, which God has given to you.
waves. He started to sink. Jesus stretched forth his           How great to mortals are these and the other miracles
hand and saved him, reproving him thus: “O thou of             of Jesus, but how incomparably simple to the Maker
little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”                     and Destroyer of universes. Shall we further doubt the
                                                               power of Jesus to do the service he performed on
Control of the Animal Kingdom
                                                               earth?
Jesus had control of the animal kingdom. You
remember the miraculous draft of fishes, when he first         He Indicates Who He Was
called Peter and James and John. They had been out             He began very early in his mission to indicate who he
fishing all night, but had caught nothing. He asked to         was. As he went north after the first Passover, he saw
get into their boat that he might speak to the                 Nicodemus and to Nicodemus he indicated that he was
multitude; he shoved out from the shore, so that the           the Christ. Nicodemus did not understand.
multitude could not press too much around him.
                                                               He journeyed north until he came to Samaria, and
When he finished speaking he said, “Launch out into            there he stopped at Jacob’s Well and saw the woman
the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” They          of Samaria. He told her who he was. The Samaritans
replied they had been fishing all night, and had caught        were hated by the Jews and the Jews were hated by the
nothing. Nevertheless, at his word they cast their net         Samaritans, and this, I think, was the first time he
and it was filled with fish, so much so that the net           indicated in his mission, that he came for all men and
brake and they had to call for James and John to come          not for the chosen tribes alone. Thereafter from time to
out in another boat. Peter, that great Peter, bowed            time he indicated that he was the Messiah.
before the Savior. “Depart from me,” said he, “for I
am a sinful man.”                                              On one occasion when he was attending the Feast of
                                                               the Tabernacles in the temple at Jerusalem, he was
And later, a similar experience, on the shores of the          being twitted regarding his ancestry. They were
same Galilee, after the resurrection, when Peter and           talking about their ancestry; they were the children of
the rest had gone fishing, not understanding there was         Abraham! There came a point in their discussion
work in the Lord’s service for them to do. They had            where they said, he having said he knew Abraham,
fished all night and caught nothing. In the early light        “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou see
of the morning they saw a man on the shore; there was




                                                          11
Abraham?” And his reply to them was: “Before                     Then he was taken out on Calvary, and he, a God, one
Abraham was, I am.” So he declared his Messiahship.              of the Holy Trinity, he was crucified on a false charge
                                                                 of treason, between two common thieves. One of the
And so on down through his long course of life, day
                                                                 Fatherhood, one of those belonging to the Godhead,
after day proclaiming his truths.
                                                                 come to earth, cradled in a manger, fresh from the
His Great Mission                                                throne of God, was crucified like a common criminal
                                                                 between two thieves!
He had a great mission to perform. He had to break
down, to fulfil, as he told us, the Law of Moses. If you         Resurrected on the morning of the third day, seen by
want to know how far he had to go from the laws                  many, touched by many, he lived here for forty days
which had been given to ancient Israel, read the                 as if loath to leave those among whom he had worked
Sermon on the Mount, read the Sermon on the Plain,               so long. Then, and even before then, he went back to
read the sermon at the second Passover, and see how              the Holy Trinity, resumed his seat alongside the
he had to drive and drive and drive for the new law.             Father, sat again a member of the Godhead.
One illustration—he said:                                        The Man We Worship
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,             That is the Man we worship. That is the Man who
Thou shalt not commit adultery:                                  gave us the law that will enable us to fulfill our
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a                 destiny declared from the very beginning. That is the
woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with             Man who sacrificed himself. “Behold the Lamb of
her already in his heart.” (Matt. 5:27–28.)                      God,” it was declared anciently, “slain from the
                                                                 foundation of the world.” He died to atone for the sins
That was the new law.                                            of Adam.
And so with thousands of other things. Those                     None of us has been born more lowly; none of us has
documents to which I have referred, and a few others,            died more ignominiously than he. But this he did for
are the greatest revolutionary documents in the whole            you and for me, that we, when we have finished our
history of the world. They mark the turning away                 careers here, might be able, after going into the tomb
from, the fulfillment of, the Mosaic Law and the                 and paying there whatever penalty there is for us to
introduction and operation of the law of the Gospel he           pay, we, too, may be resurrected and go back into the
restored.                                                        presence of him who sent us, good and bad alike.
From Cross to Throne                                             That is the Man we worship—not a man of high
                                                                 degree, world-wise; not a man of power, and yet he
Finally, at the last trial, having been before Annas, he         said on one occasion: “Thinkest thou that I cannot
was taken to Caiaphas, the [son]-in-law of Annas.                now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me
Caiaphas was the high priest installed by the Roman              more than twelve legions of angels”; never invoking
government. Annas was the man who, under the law                 his divine powers merely for his own selfish good,
of Moses, should have been the chief priest. At the              always for the benefit of others, for all humanity,
trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas                always sacrificing, always trying to obey the will of
said: “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us        the Father, telling us over and over again that he did
whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” And                 nothing that he had not seen his Father do, that he
Mark records that he said unto him, “I am.”                      taught nothing that he had not heard his Father teach.
But they took him the next day and tried him before              The mystery of it all is beyond me. I can only take the
Pilate. Poor Pilate, torn because of his belief in the           record as it stands, and that record tells me that if I
innocence of this Man, sought to release him, but                obey his commandments, if I live as he would have
without avail! They insisted on the death of the Christ.         me live, then I shall fulfil and reach the destiny which
And so he was finally condemned and turned over to               he prescribed for me, a destiny of eternal progression,
them.




                                                            12
a destiny of a life in his presence, so far as my work
there will permit, a destiny that knows no limit to the
power which I may receive if I live for it.
May the Lord grant that to each of and every one of us
may come a determination to serve him and to keep
his commandments. May the Lord give us a little
better view of him, of who he was, of his great
wisdom and experience and knowledge. Said he, “I am
the way, the life, the light, and the truth.” Over and
over and over again he said that. They did not believe
him then, the world at large does not believe him now.
But it is our right, our duty, our prerogative to know
these truths and make them part of our lives. (Behold
the Lamb of God, pp. 15–25.)




                                                          13
14
                               2
                     THE PROMISED MESSIAH
                             Matthew                    Mark                     Luke                     John

Luke’s Preface                                                           1:1–4

John’s Testimony                                                                                 1:1–18
                                                                                                 17:1–5

THEME                                                         INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
Jesus was chosen from before the foundations of the
                                                              (2-1) John 1:1. How Is Jesus the Word of God?
world to be the Christ, the Anointed One, and his
coming was heralded by all the prophets from the              “. . . the Father operated in the work of creation
beginning.                                                    through the Son, who thus became the executive
                                                              through whom the will, commandment, or word of the
INTRODUCTION                                                  Father was put into effect. It is with incisive
                                                              appropriateness therefore, that the Son, Jesus Christ, is
Jesus was the firstborn of the Father from the
                                                              designated by the apostle John as the Word; or as
beginning. In a statement issued in 1916, the First
                                                              declared by the Father ‘the word of my power.’
Presidency and the Council of the Twelve said:
                                                              (Moses 1:32.)” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 33.)
“Among the spirit children of Elohim the firstborn
was and is . . . Jesus Christ to whom all others are          (2-2) John 1:9–11. How Did the World Receive the
juniors.” (Clark, Messages of the First Presidency            Savior?
[Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W.
Penrose], 5:33.) He was the birthright son, and he            “After stating that the mission of the Baptist was to
retained that birthright by his strict obedience.             bear witness of the Light, John continues his
Through the aeons and ages of premortality, he                testimony of Jesus: ‘That was the true Light, which
advanced and progressed until, as Abraham                     lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
described, he stood as one “like unto God.” (Abr.             “‘He was in the world, and the world was made by
3:24.) “Our Savior was a God before he was born               him, and the world knew him not.
into this world,” wrote President Joseph Fielding
Smith, “and he brought with him that same status              “‘He came unto his own, and his own received him
when he came here. He was as much a God when                  not.’ (John 1:9–11.)
he was born into the world as he was before.”                 “Why was it at that time or why is it now that some
(Doctrines of Salvation, 1:32.) In that premortal             will not receive him? No doubt they had expected
estate, Jesus was, under the Father, the Creator and          something entirely different. They were looking for a
Redeemer of the Father’s worlds.                              leader in political and social reform and they had little
This lesson has been prepared to help you gain a              interest in spiritual things. ‘The world was made by
greater vision of the all-inclusive mission of the            him, and the world knew him not.’ There are those
Savior.                                                       today who pass him by without recognizing
                                                              him.” (Howard W. Hunter in CR, Oct. 1968, p. 141.)
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
in the reading block.




                                                         15
POINTS TO PONDER                                                (2-6) We Witnessed and Approved the Selection of
                                                                Christ
WHAT DID JESUS DO IN THE PREMORTAL                              “At the first organization in heaven we were all
WORLD?                                                          present, and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and
                                                                the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned
(2-3) Jesus Was the First Begotten in the Spirit
                                                                it.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 181. Italics added.)
and the Only Begotten in the Flesh
“The Father of Jesus [in the spirit] is our Father also.    I was there! The Prophet Joseph said I was there on
Jesus Himself taught this truth, when He instructed         that glorious day when the Father called all of his
His disciples how to pray: ‘Our Father which art in         children into the great council. What a vast throng
heaven,’ etc. Jesus, however, is the firstborn among        that must have been. The memory of that day is gone,
all the sons of God—the first begotten in the spirit        obscured by the veil. But surely it must have been a
and the only begotten in the flesh. He is our elder         time of great rejoicing, of overwhelming emotion.
brother, and we, like Him, are in the image of God.         How did I feel, I wonder, when I watched Lucifer,
All men and women are in the similitude of the              son of the morning, step forward. “Here am I,” he
universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons     said. “Send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem
and daughters of Deity.” (First Presidency [Joseph F.       all mankind.” Everyone? Could that be possible?
Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund], Messages            “One soul shall not be lost,” he boasted; then he
of the First Presidency, 4:203.)                            added the condition for such a feat. “Surely I will do
                                                            it; wherefore give me thine honor.” (See Moses 4:1.)
(2-4) Jesus: The Creator of This Earth
                                                            What my reaction was to such terrible audacity I
“Under the direction of his Father, Jesus Christ            cannot help but wonder. And what thoughts filled my
created this earth. No doubt others helped him, but it      heart when our Eldest Brother stepped forward with
was Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who, under the              marked contrast in attitude and bearing. “Father, thy
direction of his Father, came down and organized            will be done,” he said. And the condition for this?
matter and made this planet, so that it might be            “The glory be thine forever.” (See Moses 4:2.) I was
inhabited by the children of God.” (Smith, Doctrines        there and saw it all; and, according to the Prophet, I
of Salvation, 1:74.)                                        sanctioned it. I sanctioned the choosing and
                                                            appointing of Jehovah as our Savior. When the
                                                            rebellion erupted under Lucifer’s urging, how valiant
Note the following scriptures and relate them to the        was I in my stand? Did I sanction the Savior with
role of Christ before he came to earth:                     heart as well as voice? The apostle John says the
Moses 1:31–33. How much experience as a creator             battle was won by the blood of the Lamb (i.e., the
has Jesus had?                                              gospel plan which called for the sacrifice of the Son
                                                            of God) and the word of their (the followers of
3 Nephi 15:2–9. Who is it that spoke to the prophets        Christ) testimony. (See Revelation 12:11.) Was my
of old? Who is the God of ancient Israel? (See also         own testimony a weapon of power?
3 Nephi 11:13, 14.)
                                                          Oh, how I long to remember, to pierce the veil and
JESUS WAS CHOSEN TO BE THE SAVIOR                         see myself in those premortal days. But wait. I stand
                                                          now in the present. What of this day? Do I sanction
(2-5) The Savior Was Appointed Before the                 my Savior here? The war is not yet over but merely
Foundation of the Earth Was Laid                          moved to mortal battlegrounds. What of the weapon
                                                          of testimony here? Do I wield it with power in His
“. . . we believe that Jesus Christ is our elder brother— cause? Of what worth is previous valiance if I falter
that he is actually the Son of our Father and that he is  here? He is God, the Son of God. I sanctioned his
the Savior of the world, and was appointed to this        appointment then. What of now?
before the foundations of this earth were
laid.” (Brigham Young in JD, 13:235–36. Italics
added.)




                                                           16
(2-7) The Great Pre-Earth Council                     A presence bright and beautiful,
   In solemn council sat the Gods; . . .                  With eye of flashing fire,
                                                      A lip whose haughty curl bespoke
   Silence self-spelled; the hour was one                 A sense of inward ire.
       When thought doth most avail;
   Of worlds unborn the destiny                       ‘Give me to go!’ thus boldly cried,
       Hung trembling in the scale.                       With scarce concealed disdain;
   Silence o’er all, and there arose,                 ‘And hence shall none, from heaven to earth,
       Those kings and priests among,                     That shall not rise again.
   A Power sublime; than whom appeared                My saving plan exception scorns;
       None nobler ’mid the throng.                       Man’s agency unknown;
                                                      As recompense, I claim the right
   A stature mingling strength with grace,                To sit on yonder throne!’
       Of meek though Godlike mien,
   The love-revealing countenance                     Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hush
       Lustrous as lightning sheen;                       Resumed and denser grew.
   Whiter his hair than ocean spray,                  All eyes were turned; the general gaze
       Or frost of alpine hill.                           One common magnet drew.
   He spake;—attention grew more grave,               A moment there was solemn pause;
       The stillness e’en more still.                     Then, like the thunder-burst,
                                                      Rolled forth from lips omnipotent—
   ‘Father!’—the voice like music fell,                   From Him both last and first:
       Clear as the murmuring flow
   Of mountain streamlet trickling down               ‘Immanuel! thou my Messenger,
       From heights of virgin snow.                      Till time’s probation end.
   ‘Father,’ it said, ‘since one must die,            And one shall go thy face before,
       Thy children to redeem,                           While twelve thy steps attend.
   Whilst earth, as yet unformed and void,            And many more, on that far shore,
       With pulsing life shall teem;                     The pathway shall prepare,
                                                      That I, the First, the last may come,
   ‘And thou, great Michael, foremost fall,              And earth my glory share.’ . . .
       That mortal man may be,
   And chosen Saviour ye must send,                   ’T was done. From congregation vast
       Lo, here am I—send me!                             Tumultuous murmurs rose;
   I ask, I seek no recompense,                       Waves of conflicting sound, as when
       Save that which then were mine;                    Two meeting seas oppose.
   Mine by the willing sacrifice,                     ’T was finished. But the heavens wept;
       The endless glory, Thine!’ . . .                   And still their annals tell
                                                      How one was choice of Elohim,
   Silence once more. Then sudden rose                    O’er one who fighting fell.
       Aloft a towering form,                      (Orson F. Whitney, “Elect of Elohim,” Elias:
   Proudly erect as lowering peak                  An Epic of the Ages, pp. 30–34.)
       ’Lumed by the gathering storm;


                                              17
Study the following scriptures in relationship to the          name which, through an erroneous rendering of an
event just described:                                          earlier scripture, they held was not to be uttered on
                                                               pain of death, that they immediately took up stones
Abraham 3:24, 27. What seems to be the key reason
                                                               with the intent of killing Him.” (Talmage, Jesus the
why Jesus was selected of the Father?
                                                               Christ, p. 37.)
Moses 4:1–4. What caused the war in heaven?
                                                               Who followed ancient Israel in the wilderness?
(2-8) What Is the Meaning of the Titles “Christ,”              (1 Corinthians 10:4.)
“Messiah,” and “Jehovah”?
                                                               What do we learn from D&C 110:1–4?
Jesus was the given name of our Savior. As we spell
it, the name is of Greek derivation. Its Hebrew
equivalent was Yehoshua or Jeshua, or as we render it      (2-9) WHAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE
in English, Joshua. In its original form, the name         MESSIANIC HOPE?
literally meant “Help of Jehovah,” “Savior-Deliverer,”     Jesus is unique on many counts. For example, explicit
or “Jehovah Is Salvation.” The name was made known         details of his life were given to the world in public
to Joseph by the angel who appeared to him. (See           documents centuries before his appearance. One
Matthew 1:21.)                                             would think that anyone familiar with the scriptures
“Christ is a sacred title, and not an ordinary             would have recognized him for what he was: the
appellation or common name; it is of Greek                 promised Messiah.
derivation, and in meaning is identical with its Hebrew    Each of the gospel writers in the New Testament, but
equivalent Messiah or Messias, signifying the              particularly Matthew, loved to point out how literally
Anointed One. Other titles, each possessing a              Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies
definitive meaning, such as Emmanuel, Savior,              concerning himself. The same is true of Book of
Redeemer, Only Begotten Son, Lord, Son of God, Son         Mormon prophets.
of Man, and many more, are of scriptural occurrence;
the fact of main present importance to us is that these    (2-10) All Things Typify Christ
several titles are expressive of our Lord’s divine
origin and Godship. As seen, the essential names or        “And everything that has been given in the gospel and
titles of Jesus the Christ were made known before His      everything that has been in any way connected with it
birth, and were revealed to prophets who preceded          has been designed for the express purpose of bearing
Him in the mortal state.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,      record of Christ and certifying as to his divine
pp. 35–36.)                                                mission. . . .

The name Jehovah means the “Self-Existent One” or          “. . . In fact, as Jacob says:
“The Eternal.” It is written in our Old Testament as       “‘. . . all things which have been given of God from
Lord in capital letters. According to ancient Jewish       the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying
practice, the name Jehovah or I Am (the Self-Existent      of him.’ (II Nephi 11:4.)
One) was not to be spoken for fear of incurring divine
                                                           “Every prophet that there has been in the world has
wrath.
                                                           borne record that he is the Son of God, because in its
“Jesus, when once assailed with question and criticism     very nature that is the chief calling of a prophet. The
from certain Jews who regarded their Abrahamic             testimony of Jesus is synonymous with the spirit of
lineage as an assurance of divine preferment, met their    prophecy.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1948,
abusive words with the declaration: ‘Verily, verily, I     p. 24.)
say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.’ The true
significance of this saying would be more plainly          Below are two columns of scripture. The left-hand
expressed were the sentence punctuated and pointed as      column contains Old Testament prophecies, and the
follows: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before           right-hand column contains the New Testament
Abraham, was I Am’; which means the same as had            fulfillment. In addition are some of the more
He said—Before Abraham, was I, Jehovah. The                prominent Book of Mormon prophecies concerning
captious Jews were so offended at hearing Him use a        the Savior’s life.




                                                          18
Old Testament               New Testament              Read each column and compare the prophecies found
Messianic Prophecy          Fulfillment                there.
1. Zechariah 9:9            1. Matthew 21:1–5          What difference does it make to know that Jehovah,
2. Zechariah 11:12, 13      2. Matthew 26:15; 27:7     God of the Old Testament and Book of Mormon
                                                       peoples, is Jesus, God of the New Testament? Did it
3. Micah 5:1; Isaiah 50:6   3. Matthew 27:30           make any difference in the way he was received
4. Isaiah 53:9, 12          4. Matthew 27:38, 57–60    among the Jews? Although they had a hope in their
5. Isaiah 26:19             5. Matthew 27:52, 53       hearts that he would come as promised, why did they
                                                       err? We, likewise, have a hope in our hearts that he
Book of Mormon                                         will come again. Does it make any difference to see
Prophecies                                             him as more than just our Savior—to see him as our
                                                       Creator and our God? Ponder John 17:3.
1. 1 Nephi 11:31–34
2. 1 Nephi 19:7–10
3. Mosiah 3:5–10
4. Alma 7:9–12




                                                      19
20
                    3
    “THE SON OF THE ETERNAL
                    ETERNAL FATHER”




             BIRTH AND YOUTH OF THE MESSIAH                           Matthew   Mark     Luke     John

Jerusalem, Judea                                                                       1:5–25
  Revelation to Zacharias Regarding the Birth of John
Nazareth, Galilee                                                                      1:26–38
 Gabriel Reveals to Mary That She Is to Be the Mother of the Savior
Hill Country of Judea                                                                  1:39–56
 Mary Visits Elisabeth
 John Is Born                                                                          1:57–80

Nazareth, Galilee                                                     1:18–25
 Revelation of Joseph Regarding the Birth of Jesus
Bethlehem, Judea (Nisan/6 April)                                                       2:1–20
 The Nativity of Jesus
 The Genealogies of Jesus                                             1:1–17           3:23–38

Jerusalem, Judea                                                                       2:21–38
  Jesus Is Blessed and Circumcised
Bethlehem, Judea                                                      2:1–18
 Visit of Wise Men—Flight to Egypt
 Return from Egypt to Nazareth                                        2:19–23          2:39, 40

Jerusalem, Judea (Nisan)                                                               2:41–50
  Young Jesus in the Temple
Nazareth, Galilee                                                                      2:51, 52
 Boyhood and Maturity of the Savior


                                                          21
THEME                                                          secured, upon which as a basis the taxation of the
                                                               different peoples would be determined. This particular
It is important that we know that Jesus Christ is
                                                               census was the second of three such general
literally the Son of the Eternal Father and that he had
                                                               registrations recorded by historians as occurring at
to overcome the trials and vicissitudes of mortal life.
                                                               intervals of about twenty years. Had the census been
                                                               taken by the usual Roman method, each person would
INTRODUCTION                                                   have been enrolled at the town of his residence; but
Jesus is Jehovah. He was the God of the Old                    the Jewish custom, for which the Roman law had
Testament. He was born as a spirit son in                      respect, necessitated registration at the cities or towns
premortality, the first so born. He grew in grace and          claimed by the respective families as their ancestral
power there until he stood as one “like unto                   homes.” (Jesus the Christ, pp. 91–92.)
God.” (Abraham 3:24.) He sustained the Father’s
                                                               (3-2) Matthew 1:17, Luke 3:23–28. Jesus
will and defended the Father’s plan. He was and is
                                                               Descended from Kings
the Word, the Messenger of salvation, who was with
God before the foundations of this world were laid             There are two genealogies in the four Gospels.
(John 1:1, 14; D&C 93:7–9), and who was                        Matthew’s account lists the legal successors to
foreordained there to be the Lamb, the great and last          David’s throne. It is not necessarily a genealogical list
sacrifice, the Redeemer and Savior of men.                     in a strict father-to-son sense, for, as is true in many
                                                               kingly histories, the eldest surviving heir may be a
Jehovah, Jesus, the Lamb appointed to atone before
                                                               grandson, a great-grandson, or even a nephew or other
the foundation of the world (see Smith, Teachings,
                                                               relative of the reigning monarch. Luke’s record,
p. 181), was born into the world. He descended from
                                                               however, is a father-to-son listing linking Joseph to
his “throne divine” to walk among men. And his life
                                                               King David. Of course, Jesus was not Joseph’s son,
among men began in a stable in an obscure
                                                               but Joseph’s genealogy is essentially Mary’s
Palestinian village, about two thousand years ago.
                                                               genealogy, for they were cousins; Jesus inherited from
The story of Christ’s birth and youth includes                 his mother, Mary, the blood of David and therefore the
references to many events. The references in the               right to David’s throne. Jesus was born in the royal
following reading block and the lesson material will           line, and as Elder James E. Talmage has explained,
enable you to inquire deeply into the divine sonship           “Had Judah been a free and independent nation, ruled
of Christ, and his early years.                                by her rightful sovereign, Joseph the carpenter would
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          have been her crowned king; and his lawful successor
in the reading block.                                          to the throne would have been Jesus of Nazareth, the
                                                               King of the Jews.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 87; see also
                                                               pp. 83–86, 89–90; McConkie, DNTC, 1:94–95.)

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        (3-3) Matthew 1:18–25. Mary Was Espoused to
                                                               Joseph
(3-1) Luke 2:1–20. A Decree from Caesar Augustus               Mary was espoused to Joseph. They were not married
Rome ruled much of the Mediterranean world at the              but were promised to each other under the strictest
time of Christ’s birth. Augustus was a capable and             terms. Mary was virtually regarded as the wife of
energetic ruler, and he spent his reign (31 B.C. to            Joseph, and unfaithfulness on her part during the
A.D. 14) establishing a certain tradition of lawfulness
                                                               espousal period was punishable by death
and honesty in the Roman bureaucracy, reorganizing             (Deuteronomy 22:23, 24). During the espousal period,
the provincial governments and working at financial            the bride-elect lived with her family or friends, and all
reform. His reign was marked by a degree of order.             communication between herself and her promised
                                                               husband was carried on through a friend. When Joseph
Augustus ordered a general taxing of the Roman                 learned of Mary’s prospective maternity and knew he
Empire in 1 B.C. This “taxing” was actually a                  was not the father, he had two alternatives: (1) he
registering of persons, as Elder James E. Talmage has          could demand that Mary submit to a public trial and
explained:                                                     judgment, which even at that late point in Jewish
“The taxing herein referred to may properly be                 history may have resulted in Mary’s death; or (2) he
understood as an enrollment, or a registration,                could privately sever the espousal contract before
whereby a census of Roman subjects would be                    witnesses. Joseph obviously chose the most merciful


                                                          22
of the two alternatives. He could have reacted selfishly        The following chart, which is based on our present
and with bitterness when he learned that Mary was               calendar, may be helpful in understanding the birthday
expecting, and it is a profound witness to Joseph’s             of the Lord.
character that he chose to annul the espousal privately.
Of this, Elder James E. Talmage has written:                    (3-5) Matthew 2:13–23. Jesus and John Escape
                                                                Herod’s Wrath
“Joseph was a just man, a strict observer of the law,
                                                                     April 6, 1 B.C.
yet no harsh extremist; moreover he loved Mary and                   Birthday of the Lord
would save her all unnecessary humiliation, whatever
might be his own sorrow and suffering. For Mary’s                J FMAM J J A S O N D J FMAM J J A S O N D
sake he dreaded the thought of publicity; and therefore
                                                                           1 B.C.                      A.D.   1
determined to have the espousal annulled with such
privacy as the law allowed.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 84.)
It may be that the Lord designed such an experience to          The wise men, familiar with the prophecies that
test Joseph, and if that be the case, Joseph proved             foretold the birth of Christ, and recognizing the signs
faithful. After Joseph had made his decision, then the          that had been given, came into Jerusalem saying:
angel visited him and directed that he should proceed           “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we
and take Mary as his wife. Mary’s high station was              have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship
known before she was born (Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10;               him.” (Matthew 2:1, 2.) Herod, thinking that the
1 Nephi 11:15, 18–21; Isaiah 7:14), and Joseph no               promised Messiah would be a threat to his kingdom,
doubt was foreordained to the honored station that he           sent soldiers to destroy every child two years old and
held, for the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “every           under in Bethlehem. But an angel had warned Joseph
man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of         and he had taken Mary and the child Jesus to Egypt.
the world was ordained to that very purpose in the              The wise men arrived in Jerusalem when Jesus was a
Grand Council of heaven before this world was.”                 young child. They were directed by Herod’s court to
(Teachings, p. 365. Italics added.) Surely Joseph was a         Bethlehem. “And when they were come into the house
noble soul in premortality to be blessed with the signal        [Jesus was no longer in a stable], they saw the young
honor of coming to earth and acting as the legal                child [no longer a babe] . . . and fell down, and
guardian of the Son of the Eternal Father in the flesh.         worshipped him.” (Matthew 2:11.) Then the wise men,
                                                                because an angel warned them not to return to Herod,
(3-4) Luke 2:1–2. Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem,
                                                                departed into their own country by another way. When
April 6, 1 B.C.
                                                                Herod saw that the wise men did not return, he sent his
Joseph and Mary did not live in Bethlehem at the time           soldiers to kill every child “two years old and
of Christ’s birth. Rather, they lived in Nazareth (see          under.” (Matthew 2:7, 16.)
map). But obedient to the dictum of prophecy,
                                                                John the Baptist was a small child, just six months
circumstances transpired that brought them to
                                                                older than Jesus, who also lived with his parents in the
Bethlehem for the birth of Christ. (See Micah 5:2.)
                                                                vicinity of Bethlehem when Herod gave out the order
After summarizing the opinions of various scholars in           to murder the babies. John escaped murder by the
the matter of Christ’s birthday, Elder James E.                 selfless courage of his father, Zacharias. The Prophet
Talmage compares their conclusions with modern                  Joseph Smith taught:
revelation and then affirms: “We believe that Jesus
                                                                “When Herod’s edict went forth to destroy the young
Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, April 6,
                                                                children, John was about six months older than Jesus,
B.C. 1.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 104.) Of this President
                                                                and came under this hellish edict, and Zacharias
Harold B. Lee declared:
                                                                caused his mother to take him into the mountains,
“This is the annual conference of the Church. April 6,          where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When
1973, is a particularly significant date because it             his father refused to disclose his hiding place, and
commemorates not only the anniversary of the                    being the officiating high priest at the Temple that
organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-           year, was slain by Herod’s order, between the porch
day Saints in this dispensation, but also the                   and the altar, as Jesus said.” (Teachings, p. 261.
anniversary of the birth of the Savior, our Lord and            Compare Matthew 23:35.)
Master, Jesus Christ. [Quoted D&C 20:1]” (CR, Apr.
                                                                Zacharias died, then, to save his son; he died a noble
1973, p. 4.)
                                                                martyr, perhaps the first of the Christian era.



                                                           23
POINTS TO PONDER                                                 mortal maternity, was of right to be called the ‘Son of
                                                                 the Highest.’ In His nature would be combined the
Now that you have considered the circumstances                   powers of Godhood with the capacity and possibilities
surrounding His birth, take a moment to reflect                  of mortality; and this through the ordinary operation of
deeply on these questions which Jesus asked the                  the fundamental law of heredity declared of God,
Pharisees: “What think ye of Christ? whose son is                demonstrated by science, and admitted by philosophy,
he?” (Matthew 22:42.) And as you reflect on these                that living beings shall propagate—after their kind.
questions, remember Jesus’ own counsel to those                  The Child Jesus was to inherit the physical, mental
who seek an answer: “This is life eternal, that they             and spiritual traits, tendencies, and powers that
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,             characterized His parents—one immortal and
whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3.) And as the                    glorified—God, the other human—woman.” (Jesus
Prophet Joseph Smith stated: “If any man does not                the Christ, p. 81.)
know God, and inquires what kind of being he is,—if
                                                                 Jesus, then, had the powers of life and the ability to
he will search diligently his own heart—if the
                                                                 die. He had greater power than any man. (See Smith,
declaration of Jesus and the apostles be true, he will
                                                                 Teachings, 181.) To further understand the
realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be
                                                                 significance of the divine sonship, complete the
eternal life on no other principle.” (Teachings,
                                                                 following exercise:
p. 344.)
                                                                 Who Was the Father of Jesus?
JESUS IS LITERALLY THE SON OF THE
ETERNAL FATHER                                                   Recount some of the testimonies that demonstrate
(3-6) Because God Was His Father, Jesus Had                      that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God, the
Power Over Life and Death                                        Father, in the flesh. Note these verses: Luke 1:30–
                                                                 35; 1 Nephi 11:18–21; and Mosiah 3:8. Who was the
When Gabriel came to Mary with the announcement                  father of Jesus? What did Jesus inherit from his
that she would be the mother of the Lord, Mary was               Father that he could not have inherited from his
troubled. She had not as yet consummated her                     legal guardian, Joseph?
marriage to Joseph. She was sure of her virgin
condition, and her question to Gabriel was as if she             You may have heard people try to justify their own
had said: “How can I be the mother of a son when I               weaknesses by saying, “Of course Jesus could live a
am yet unmarried?” The angel’s explanation to Mary               perfect life because his Father was God. Look at the
is the clearest explanation of the fatherhood of God             advantages he had that I don’t have.” Those who
and the divine sonship of Christ available in holy writ.         rationalize like this seem to forget that wherever
Gabriel declares: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon                there is a greater blessing there is a greater trial.
thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow              The greatest Spirit in the premortal world could be
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born         tested only by submitting to greater trial.
of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35.)
This statement, clear enough as it stands, does not say          (3-7) Jesus Had to Overcome the Veil
Jesus was the son of the Holy Ghost, but he was the
Son of God the Father. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie                When Jesus was born, “the veil of forgetfulness
has explained, Jesus was the “‘Son of the                        common to all who are born to earth, by which the
Highest’ (Luke 1:32), and ‘the Highest’ is the first             remembrance of primeval existence is shut off” was
member of the godhead, not the third.” (DNTC, 1:83.)             cast over him. (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 111.) In
                                                                 the premortal world, Jesus had stood as “one like unto
Because Christ was the son of an immortal Father and             God” (Abraham 3:24), “more intelligent than they
a mortal mother, he had the capacity to live eternally if        all” (Abraham 3:19), meaning all the other created
he chose, but also the ability to die. Elder James E.            spirits. But although his capacity was greater than that
Talmage has written:                                             of any other, and he was designated to become the
“That Child to be born of Mary was begotten of                   Only Begotten Son, still he was meek and humble;
Elohim, the Eternal Father, not in violation of natural          and he condescended to have a veil cast over him and
law but in accordance with a higher manifestation                to have the knowledge of his glory and power in
thereof; and, the offspring from that association of             premortality blocked from his mind at birth.
supreme sanctity, celestial Sireship, and pure though


                                                            24
President Joseph Fielding Smith further explained:              “And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew
                                                                nigh.” (Matthew 3:24–26, Inspired Version.)
“Without a doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to
the same condition as was required of each of us—he             Although the word father in this passage perhaps
forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to             refers to Joseph, yet the content of the passage
grace. His forgetting, or having his former knowledge           certainly shows that Jesus was taught by his real
taken away, would be requisite just as it is in the case        father, God the Father.
of each of us, to complete the present temporal
                                                                It is, however, possible that Jesus attended the Jewish
existence.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:33. Italics
                                                                synagogues and was taught in the learning of the Jews
added.)
                                                                by the rabbis. If so, much of what Jesus heard would
Can you see that although Jesus was the greatest                have been a perversion of truth, for Judaism was in a
spirit to come to the earth, he also had greater trials         state of apostasy. His most significant education,
than anyone in the earth?                                       therefore, came through the Spirit from his Heavenly
                                                                Father. Jesus testified of himself: “I do nothing of
It is improper to suppose that Jesus was not tested             myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these
and tempted equal to his great capacity. The fact that          things.” (John 8:28.) And again: “The Father which
he was sinless and that he resisted every temptation            sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should
does not make it any less a fact that he was subject to         say, and what I should speak.” (John 12:49.) Who
temptations. He knows how difficult temptations are,            taught Jesus what he knew? His Father, God the
because he experienced bitter temptations; but he               Father, taught him. That he was taught by wiser than
resisted them all. Read what King Benjamin taught in            mortal men is evident, and that he learned his lessons
Mosiah 3:7.                                                     well, for the Prophet Joseph Smith said of him:
Jesus suffered temptations far beyond what men                  “When still a boy, He had all the intelligence
could endure; he confronted the powers of evil and              necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the
won. But because he had to resist temptations, he               kingdom of the Jews, and could reason with the wisest
understands the effort man must make to resist                  and most profound doctors of law and divinity, and
temptation. Again, as Paul said: “For in that he                make their theories and practice to appear like folly
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to              compared with the wisdom He possessed; but He was
succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18;                  a boy only, and lacked physical strength even to
4:15.)                                                          defend His own person; and was subject to cold, to
Jesus was perfectly obedient, and because he was,               hunger, and to death.” (Teachings, p. 392.)
“he received all power, both in heaven and on
earth.” (D&C 93:17. Emphasis added.) But Jesus did          What must you do to acquire power and glory? The
not receive this great power and glory all at once. He      Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “You have got to
received it piecemeal, step by step, degree by degree,      learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and
“line upon line, precept upon precept” (D&C                 priests to God, the same as all Gods have done
128:21) until he received a fulness of the glory of the     before you, namely by going from one small degree
Father (see D&C 93:11–17).                                  to another, and from a small capacity to a great one;
                                                            from grace to grace . . . until you . . . are able to
                                                            dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as
(3-8) As a Child, Jesus Sought to Learn from His
                                                            do those who sit enthroned in everlasting
Father
                                                            power.” (Teachings, pp. 346–47.)
In the Inspired Version, the Prophet added the
                                                            To get a degree or level of glory, or grace, a man
following verses to the recorded account of the
                                                            must obey the laws upon which that particular level
Savior’s youth.
                                                            of glory is predicated, and if he is more diligent and
“And it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his            obedient than another, he will have that much more
brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord        advantage in the world to come. (See D&C 130:18–
for the time of his ministry to come.                       21.) President Harold B. Lee explained:
“And he served under his father, and he spake not as        “The most important of all the commandments of
other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed        God is that one that you’re having the most difficulty
not that any man should teach him.                          keeping today. If it’s one of dishonesty, if it’s one of



                                                           25
unchastity, if it’s one of falsifying, not telling the    Now what difference will it make for you? Could you,
truth, today is the day for you to work on that until     if you were called to stand before him now, testify as
you’ve been able to conquer that weakness. Then you       did Peter of old ? “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
start on the next one that’s most difficult for you to    Living God.” (Matthew 16:16.) You can know that he
keep.” (Church News, 5 May 1973, p. 3.)                   is the Son of God if you do his will. (See John 7:17.)
                                                          As Jesus himself said: “My sheep hear my voice, and
Thus, a man must take his temptations in their turn
                                                          I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto
and conquer them. This is what Jesus did, step by
                                                          them eternal life. . . .” (John 10:27, 28.)
step, degree to greater degree, grace by grace, and
this is what Jesus would have you do.




                                                         26
                            4
                 “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD”




             OPENING EVENTS IN JESUS’ MINISTRY                         Matthew     Mark        Luke       John

Wilderness of Judea                                                   3:1–12     1:1–8      3:1–18
 John the Forerunner
Near Bethabara, Judea                                                 3:13–17    1:9–11     3:21–23
 Baptism of Jesus
Wilderness of Judea                                                   4:1–11     1:12, 13   4:1–13
 Jesus Communes with God; Is Tempted Afterward
Bethabara, Judea                                                                                        1:14–34
 John Testifies That Jesus Is the Christ
Bethabara, Perea and Bethsaida, Tetrarchy of Philip                                                     1:35–51
 Calling of Andrew, Simon, Philip and Nathanael
Cana, Galilee                                                                                           2:1–11
 Miracle of Wine at the Wedding Feast
 Jesus Goes to Capernaum                                                                                2:12

THEME                                                      Who can determine the importance and eternal
John the Baptist held the keys of Elias as the             significance of John’s mission in preparing the way
forerunner of the Lord and was a witness to His            for the Son of God? His task was not easy, for the
faithfulness to the Father in all things.                  covenant people of the Lord were in a state of
                                                           apostasy. Little wonder he was described as a
INTRODUCTION                                               “voice . . . crying in the wilderness.” (Luke 3:4.)
When the time arrived for Jesus to come to earth in        But John fulfilled his mission in a manner that
the flesh, it was also time for the birth of one of the    would cause Jesus to say of him, “Among those
greatest prophets who ever lived—John the Baptist.         that are born of woman there is not a greater


                                                          27
prophet. . . .” (Luke 7:28.) Truly John is an example            should come after him that should baptize with fire
to us of what a witness of Christ should be.                     and the Holy Ghost.
To John, the forerunner, came Jesus, the Son of God,             “If he had been an impostor, he might have gone to
to be baptized. Of this occasion, Jesus said, “For               work beyond his bounds, and undertook to have
thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.”               performed ordinances which did not belong to that
(Matthew 3:15.) This lesson will consider this                   office and calling, under the spirit of Elias.
important event and also the subsequent temptations
                                                                 “The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater
which Satan used in an effort to thwart the mission of
                                                                 revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or
the Savior.
                                                                 the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references            when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a
in the reading block.                                            greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it
                                                                 was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early
                                                                 ages of the world.
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                          “John’s mission was limited to preaching and
                                                                 baptizing; but what he did was legal; and when Jesus
(4-1) Matthew 3:1. How Important Was the                         Christ came to any of John’s disciples, He baptized
Mission of John the Baptist?                                     them with fire and the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings,
                                                                 pp. 335–36.)
“Few prophets rank with John the Baptist. Among
other things, his ministry was foretold by Lehi (1 Ne.           Though John’s mission was short and his message was
10:7–10), Nephi (1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:4–18), and                simple, the unselfish, fearless manner in which he
Isaiah (Isa. 40:3); Gabriel came down from the courts            carried out his work as an “Elias” brought from Jesus
of glory to announce John’s coming birth (Luke 1:5–              the solemn expression that there had not been “a
44); he was the last legal administrator, holding keys           greater prophet than John the Baptist.” (Luke 7:28.
and authority under the Mosaic dispensation (D. & C.             Italics added.)
84:26–28); his mission was to prepare the way before,
                                                                 (4-3) Matthew 3:9. What Did John Mean by Saying
baptize, and acclaim the divine Sonship of Christ
                                                                 That God Was Able to Raise Up Children unto
(John 1); and in modern times, on the 15th of May,
                                                                 Abraham from the Stones?
1829, he returned to earth as a resurrected being to
confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and              “. . . Judaism held that the posterity of Abraham had
Oliver Cowdery. ([Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75];                 an assured place in the kingdom of the expected
D. & C. 13.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 393.)               Messiah, and that no proselyte from among the
                                                                 Gentiles could possibly attain the rank and distinction
(4-2) Matthew 3:1–3. How Was John an Elias?                      of which the ‘children’ were sure. John’s forceful
When the angel came to Zacharias in the temple to                assertion that God could raise up, from the stones on
foretell the birth of John, a promise was given, that he         the river bank, children to Abraham, meant to those
would prepare the way of the Lord “. . . in the spirit           who heard that even the lowest of the human family
and power of Elias. . . .” (Luke 1:17.)                          might be preferred before themselves unless they
                                                                 repented and reformed.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
Though John was not actually named Elias, his                    p. 123.)
mission was accomplished through the “spirit and
power of Elias.” Joseph Smith explained it as follows:           (4-4) Matthew 3:16. What Is the Significance of the
                                                                 Holy Ghost Descending “like a Dove”?
“. . . for the spirit of Elias was a going before to
prepare the way for the greater, which was the case              “All four gospel authors record that the Spirit
with John the Baptist. He came crying through the                descended ‘like a dove’; Luke adds that he also came
wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his            in ‘bodily shape’; and the Book of Mormon accounts
paths straight.’ And they were informed, if they could           say he came ‘in the form of a dove.’ (1 Ne. 11:27;
receive it, it was the spirit of Elias; and John was very        2 Ne. 31:8.) Joseph Smith said that John ‘led the Son
particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but        of God into the waters of baptism, and had the
was sent to bear witness of that Light.                          privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the
                                                                 form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in
“He told the people that his mission was to preach
                                                                 witness of that administration.’
repentance and baptize with water; but it was He that


                                                            28
“Then the Prophet gives this explanation: ‘The sign of            “And again, Jesus was in the Spirit, and it taketh him
the dove was instituted before the creation of the                up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him
world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil                all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.
cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a
                                                                  “And the devil came unto him again, and said, All
personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does
                                                                  these things will I give unto thee, If thou wilt fall
not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of
                                                                  down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:5, 6, 7, 9,
the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into
                                                                  Inspired Version. Italics added.)
a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to
signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem           (4-7) John 1:18. What About John’s Statement “No
or token of truth and innocence.” (Smith, Teachings,              Man Hath Seen God at Any Time”?
pp. 275–76. Italics added.) It thus appears that John
witnessed the sign of the dove, that he saw the Holy              Of course there have been prophets who beheld Deity.
Ghost descend in the ‘bodily shape’ of the personage              Joseph Smith taught, however, that the Father
that he is, and that the descent was ‘like a dove.’”              manifests himself only in order to bear record of
(McConkie, DNTC, 1:123–24.)                                       Jesus:
                                                                  “And no man hath seen God at any time, except he
(4-5) Matthew 4:1. Did Jesus Go into the                          hath borne record of the Son; for except it is through
Wilderness to Be Tempted?                                         him no man can be saved.” (John 1:19, Inspired
Compare the Inspired Version account of these verses              Version.)
with the King James.                                              Notice also how John further clarifies his own
“Then Jesus was led up of the spirit, into the                    statement in John 6:46.
wilderness, to be with God.
                                                                  (4-8) John 1:42. Why Was It Significant That
“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights,              Simon Was Given Another Name?
and had communed with God, he was afterwards an
hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil.”               Christ told Simon he would be called Cephas, or Peter,
(Matthew 4:1, 2, Inspired Version. Italics added.)                meaning a stone.

“Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of            “Destined to stand as President of the Church of Jesus
the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation.              Christ and to exercise the keys of the kingdom in their
He went ‘to be with God.’ Probably he was visited by              fulness, Peter was to be a prophet, seer, and revelator.
the Father; without question he received transcendent             (D&C 81:2.) Foreshadowing this later call, Jesus here
spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he           confers a new name upon his chief disciple, the name
‘had communed with God,’ ‘after forty days.’ The                  Cephas which means a seer or a stone.
same was true in the case of Moses. He communed                   “Added significance will soon be given this
with God, saw the visions of eternity, and was then               designation when, in promising him the keys of the
left unto himself to be tempted of the devil. After               kingdom, our Lord will tell Peter that the gates of
resisting temptation he again communed with Deity,                hell shall never prevail against the rock of revelation,
gaining further light and revelation.” (McConkie,                 or in other words against seership. (Matt. 16:18.)”
DNTC, 1:128; see also Mosiah 3:7.)                                (McConkie, DNTC, 1:132–33.)
(4-6) Matthew 4:5, 8. Did the Devil Really                        (4-9) JOHN 1:47–49. WHAT WAS
Transport Jesus Up to a Pinnacle of the Temple                    NATHANAEL’S EXPERIENCE “UNDER THE
and Later Show Him the Kingdoms of the World?                     FIG TREE”?
The Prophet Joseph Smith adds this insight:                       “Jesus here exercises his powers of seership. From the
“Then Jesus was taken up into the holy city, and the              fragmentary account preserved in the scripture it is
Spirit setteth him on the pinnacle of the temple.                 apparent that Nathanael had undergone some
                                                                  surpassing spiritual experience while praying, or
“Then the devil came unto him and said, If thou be the            meditating, or worshiping under a fig tree. The Lord
Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He              and giver of all things spiritual, though absent in body,
shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in              had been present with Nathanael in spirit; and the
their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time             guileless Israelite, seeing this manifestation of
thou dash thy foot against a stone.                               seership, was led to accept Jesus as the Messiah.”
                                                                  (McConkie, DNTC, 1:134.)


                                                             29
(4-10) John 2:4. Did Jesus Willingly Respond to His THE ADVERSARY TESTED JESUS AND
Mother’s Request for Help at the Wedding Feast?     SOUGHT TO THWART HIS MISSION
“Jesus said unto her, Woman, what wilt thou have me         (4-13) The Three Temptations Jesus Faced Are a
to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet    Pattern for All Temptations
come.” (John 2:4, Inspired Version. Italics added.)
                                                            “Now, nearly every temptation that comes to you and
(4-11) John 2:4. What of Jesus’ Addressing His              me comes in one of those forms. Classify them, and
Mother as “Woman”?                                          you will find that under one of those three nearly
                                                            every given temptation that makes you and me
“. . . The noun of address, ‘Woman,’ as applied by a
                                                            spotted, ever so little maybe, comes to us as (1) a
son to his mother may sound to our ears somewhat
                                                            temptation of the appetite; (2) a yielding to the pride
harsh, if not disrespectful; but its use was really an
                                                            and fashion and vanity of those alienated from the
expression of opposite import. To every son the
                                                            things of God; or (3) a gratifying of the passion, or a
mother ought to be preeminently the woman of
                                                            desire for the riches of the world, or power among
women; she is the one woman in the world to whom
                                                            men.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1911, p. 59.)
the son owes his earthly existence; and though the title
‘Mother’ belongs to every woman who has earned the
honors of maternity, yet to no child is there more than     It was after the Savior had made his special
one woman whom by natural right he can address by           covenants with the Father through baptism that the
that title of respectful acknowledgment. When, in the       tempter confronted him. But why should such strong
last dread scenes of His mortal existence, Christ hung      temptations beset the Lord after his baptism? And if
in dying agony upon the cross, He looked down upon          the Lord received his most severe trials after he was
the weeping Mary, His mother, and commended her to          firmly committed to the kingdom of God, what about
the care of the beloved apostle John, with the words:       other men of greatness? Did their trials also
‘Woman, behold thy son!’ Can it be thought that in          increase? Why would this be allowed to happen?
this supreme moment, our Lord’s concern for the             For an answer, consider what took place as the Lord
mother from whom He was about to be separated by            prepared for his ministry. First, there was a deep
death was associated with any emotion other than that       sense of his sacred responsibility. Secondly, he
of honor, tenderness and love?” (Talmage, Jesus the         received revelation and instruction from his Father.
Christ, pp. 144–45.)                                        Thirdly, he was challenged by trials and temptations
                                                            and through them proved his loyalty. Finally,
(4-12) John 2:6. How Much Constitutes a
                                                            because of them he developed strength to overcome
“Firkin”?
                                                            all obstacles and proceeded in his ministry with
A firkin is about nine gallons. Thus each of the six        increased light and revelation.
water-pots contained around 18 to 27 gallons of water,
                                                            Now consider some of the experiences which befell
with the result that Jesus then created between 100 to
                                                            the Prophet Joseph Smith. As you read keep in mind
150 gallons of wine—a miracle showing that the
                                                            the four points listed above. Read Joseph Smith—
wedding celebration was quite large.
                                                            History 1:8–19. If the Savior and the Prophet went
                                                            through trials and temptations after they were firmly
POINTS TO PONDER                                            committed to the Church, what about you ? Read
                                                            thoughtfully President Lee’s statement in reading
JESUS WAS TOTALLY OBEDIENT TO THE                           4-14.
WILL OF HIS FATHER
                                                            (4-14) All Will Be Tested
Jesus Christ is a perfect example of what your
attitude should be toward the commandments of our           “As I have labored among the brethren here and have
Heavenly Father. Consider for a moment the baptism          studied the history of past dispensations, I have
of Jesus. Why was Jesus baptized when he was                become aware that the Lord has given tests all down
without sin? Read 2 Nephi 31:5–10. What does this           through time as to this matter of loyalty to the
teach you about Jesus? What symbolic significance           leadership of the Church. I go back into the scriptures
do you see in Jesus’ baptism with regard to his burial      and follow along in such stories as David’s loyalty
and resurrection? What significance does this have          when the king was trying to take his life. He wouldn’t
for you?                                                    defile the anointed of the Lord even when he could



                                                           30
have taken his life. I have listened to the classic stories    Did not he recognize the danger when he was on the
in this dispensation about how Brigham Young was               mountain with his fallen brother, Lucifer, being sorely
tested, how Heber C. Kimball was tested, John Taylor           tempted by that master tempter? He could have
and Willard Richards in Carthage Jail, Zion’s Camp             opened the door and flirted with danger by saying,
that received a great test, and from that number were          ‘All right, Satan, I’ll listen to your proposition. I need
chosen the first General Authorities in this                   not succumb, I need not yield, I need not accept—but
dispensation. There were others who didn’t pass the            I’ll listen.’
test of loyalty, and they fell from their places.
                                                               “Christ did not so rationalize. He positively and
“I have been in a position since I came into the               promptly closed the discussion, and commanded: ‘Get
Council of the Twelve to observe some things among             thee hence, Satan,’ meaning, likely, ‘Get out of my
my brethren, and I want to say to you: Every man my            sight—get out of my presence—I will not listen—I
junior in the Council of the Twelve, I have seen               will have nothing to do with you.’ Then, we read, ‘the
submitted as though by Providence, to these same tests         devil leaveth him.’” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness,
of loyalty, and I wondered sometimes whether they              p. 216.)
were going to pass the tests. The reason they are here
                                                               AM I WILLING “TO DO THE WILL OF MY
today is because they did, and our Father has honored
                                                               FATHER”?
them. . . .
“And so God has honored them, and it is my                     There is no way to account for the way Jesus kept his
conviction that every man who will be called to a high         covenants except through that grand purpose which he
place in this Church will have to pass these tests not         expresses in the touching passages below.
devised by human hands, by which our Father
numbers them as a united group of leaders willing to           Read and cross-reference the following scriptures:
follow the prophets of the Living God and be loyal             John 4:33, 34                 Jesus’ greatest
and true as witnesses and exemplars of the truths they                                       satisfaction
teach.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr. 1950, p. 101.
Italics added.)                                                John 6:38                     Jesus’ grand purpose in
                                                                                             coming
Does this mean that there will be tests, trials, and           3 Nephi 11:11 and             What it cost Jesus to do
temptations in your future? Yes! But do not fear.              3 Nephi 27:13, 14             the Father’s will
What was the result of overcoming the trials and
temptations for the Savior and for the Prophet? Can            Luke 22:42–44
you see that not only did they prove loyal to their
stewardship but also they grew in spiritual power,             D&C 19:16–19
light, and closeness to God? Can you see that as you
become committed to the kingdom, you will have the             Jesus loved his Father. His devotion was unlimited. His
opportunity to grow also, into a brilliant, scintillating      poise, majesty, and flawless actions among men arose
child of God? Further, do you understand that                  from his total submissiveness to the will of his Father.
through your covenant you will be supported by the             The mighty Shepherd among men was also the willing
Spirit in your trials? Look at the reassurance Alma            Lamb of God.
gives in Alma 36:3–5, 27.
                                                               Though we can perhaps only begin to fathom the
Do not look for temptation and trials, for they will           feelings that Jesus had for his Father, we should
come on their own, but determine to resist and                 remember that his Father is also our Father in heaven.
overcome them as they do, that you may receive of              We can make the grand purpose of our lives the same
the joy of the Lord.                                           as our Savior’s grand purpose. Each of us can resolve
                                                               “to do the will of my Father.”
                                                               You may want to react to the following questions:
(4-15) We Should Not Even Accommodate
Temptation                                                     What do I see in the way Jesus approached his
                                                               relationship with his Father that can help me? What
“The importance of not accommodating temptation in             specific things could I do to better keep my covenants
the least degree is underlined by the Savior’s example.        and improve my relationship with my Father?



                                                              31
                  SECTION 2
       THE FIRST YEAR OF JESUS’
                         JESUS’ PUBLIC
                  MINISTRY
                                                         THIS SECTION
                                                          TREATS THIS
                                                            PERIOD



               Birth                      1st Passover                2nd Passover                 3rd Passover             Final Passover



                                  30 Years               FIRST YEAR                  SECOND YEAR                  THIRD YEAR




                                                                        18                27                           72
                         The events discussed
                         in this section cover the
                          first year of Jesus’ formal
                         ministry. You will see that this
                         extends from the first to the second Passover.

                         Notice that the Gospel writers have recorded only eighteen
                         events of the Savior in this first year of his public ministry. This
                         becomes significant as you later discover how the number of events of the
                         Savior’s ministry crescendo during the second and third year to the time of his
                         death and resurrection.



LESSONS                                                                      You will read how Jesus more openly revealed his
                                                                             mission to Nicodemus by explaining how one
5. Ye Must Be Born Again
                                                                             becomes qualified for entrance into the kingdom of
6. This Is He of Whom It Is Written                                          heaven. Following this interview with Nicodemus,
Now let’s consider a brief synopsis of this first year.                      Jesus left Jerusalem (in the province of Judea) to go to
                                                                             his hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. You will further
The first year opens in Jerusalem. It is the time of the                     read an interesting conversation he had with a
Passover, which corresponds on our calendar to the                           Samaritan woman as he stopped along the way in
last week of March and the first week of April. Jews                         Sychar (Samaria). The doctrine Jesus taught her is still
from many nations had gathered to the Holy City to                           his counsel to his disciples today.
commemorate this event. The outer court of the
temple had been set up as a place to exchange foreign                        Jesus’ formal ministry really began in Galilee and
money and to sell animals for offerings. With a great                        specifically in Nazareth. What did he do there that
multitude present and the accompanying din and                               would provoke his own townsmen to make an attempt
tumult, the temple place had taken on a carnival                             on his life? His testimony there, which you will read,
atmosphere. You will read how the Savior’s reaction                          is most significant. Because of this rejection of his
to this merchandising in his Father’s house provoked                         townsmen in Nazareth, Jesus went to Capernaum.
the hostility of the Jewish leaders.                                         During the next eighteen to twenty months this city
                                                                             became his home base. In this and surrounding cities,
One Jewish leader, however, who wanted to                                    Jesus manifested many marvelous works. What great
understand further the source of Jesus’ power—for he                         sermon did he give during this time, and why was the
had already wrought many miracles—was Nicodemus.                             healing of a palsied man so significant?


                                                                        32
And what was the importance of Jesus’ answer to                 All that remains today at the traditional site of the
John’s followers who inquired why Jesus’ disciples              ancient city are the ruins of an old synagogue built in
did not fast, as did they and the Pharisees?                    the second century and stones from surrounding
                                                                buildings. Here was once a city of some fifteen
These will be some of the high points of consideration
                                                                thousand inhabitants!
during the first year of our Lord’s ministry. But before
you commence this study, let’s take a look at the                                 The Sea of Galilee
province of Galilee where Jesus spent approximately
two years of his ministry.                                      The region of Galilee appears to have been very fertile
                                                                during the time of Christ, and what was general
A Portrait of Galilee                                           throughout the region was concentrated around the
                                                                Sea of Galilee. Near this inland sea, sometimes called
As you can see, the region called Galilee is in northern
                                                                Lake Kinnereth, Lake Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias,
Palestine. Study the accompanying map to note its
                                                                Jesus spent most of the time of his ministry.
boundaries on the north, east, south, and west.
                                                                Today, as in times past, the lake itself is a fishing
This map has been simplified to show only the key
                                                                haven. It is generally calm, but storms may suddenly
cities during the time of Christ. A map of the region at
                                                                arise, turning the sea into a raging tempest. You will
the time of Jesus would show many more towns and
                                                                read of one of these occasions when Jesus and the
villages. The population of Palestine was numerous
                                                                disciples were crossing the sea and encountered a
and was concentrated in this area. Josephus, a Jewish
                                                                great storm, causing the disciples to despair. After
general and historian who governed this province
                                                                admonishing the disciples for their lack of faith, Jesus
thirty-four years after Christ’s ministry, reported a
                                                                rebuked the wind and the sea, commanding, “Peace,
population of nearly three million.
                                                                be still.” (Mark 4:39.)
Some Notable Places in Galilee                                  Nine cities surrounded the lake in Jesus’ time, each of
Some of the places in Galilee that will become                  which was said to have had a population of not less
familiar to you are Bethsaida, Cana, Capernaum,                 than fifteen thousand people.
Chorazin, Magdala, Nain, Nazareth, Tiberius, and, of            It is interesting to remember that of Jesus’ twelve
course, the Sea of Galilee. Here are some photographs           apostles, eleven came from Galilee. Only Judas, who
of these places:                                                betrayed him, was not a Galilean. He was from Judea.
                        Nazareth                                                  The River Jordan
This was the hometown of the Savior, where he grew
                                                                The Significance of the Galilean Ministry
to manhood. Here he preached one of his earliest
sermons but was rejected. Because of unbelief, only a           If this is your first opportunity to study the life and
few miracles were accomplished in Nazareth. Of his              teachings of the Savior, you will probably experience
own city, Jesus was to say, “A prophet is not with              some difficulty in discovering the pattern in his
honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin,           ministry. This brief overview may help you to
and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4. Italics added.)               discover this pattern.
                     Capernaum                                  What will be apparent to you in your reading is the
                                                                Savior’s ministry among the general populace. “Sheep
After Jesus’ first rejection in Nazareth, he went to            without a shepherd” is the way Jesus labeled them.
Capernaum. This was later to be referred to as “his”            You will see how the masses became increasingly
city. And no wonder. According to the information               attracted to Jesus because of his miracles. Note the
recorded, here he performed more miracles than in any           effect of the miracle of the feeding of the five
other city, and here he gave some of his greatest               thousand upon the people, and then sense the meaning
discourses. Here the Son of God labored for almost              of the drama that followed when Jesus announced that
two years of his formal ministry. Yet despite his               he was their “living bread.” (John 6:51.) You will see
miraculous display of divine powers, Capernaum                  that many of the people then withdrew from him
would not repent. Jesus prophesied concerning the fate          because he told them that they were following him for
of those in this city.                                          the wrong reasons.
See Matthew 11:23, 24.




                                                           33
If the teaching of the masses is all you see in the            Third Phase: The Bestowing upon the Twelve the
ministry of Jesus, you will have missed its greater            Keys of the Kingdom and the Sealing Power
significance. You should also see something that is not
                                                               Toward the end of the Galilean ministry (the third year
so obvious at first glance—the Savior’s quiet training
                                                               of the ministry), Jesus took the Twelve north to the
of his priesthood leadership. This will become
                                                               region of Caesarea Philippi. There he took Peter,
apparent as you perceive the Galilean ministry as
                                                               James, and John to a “high mountain apart” and was
being divided into three phases of leadership training.
                                                               glorified (transfigured) before them. (Mark 9:2.) Thus
First Phase: The Calling of the Twelve Apostles                they became eyewitnesses of his majesty. Peter,
                                                               James, and John received the keys of the priesthood
From among those disciples who followed him, the               there. Later all the Twelve were given the keys of the
Savior chose by revelation twelve men whom he                  kingdom as well as the sealing powers, which gave
designated as apostles. These were to be his special           them the right to legally administer the affairs of the
witnesses.                                                     kingdom of God. With the Twelve thus prepared the
                                                               Savior returned to Jerusalem, where he would fulfill
Second Phase: The Sending Forth of the Twelve
                                                               the greater purpose of his mortal calling, the
After witnessing the power of the priesthood in the            atonement and the resurrection from the grave.
many miracles done by Jesus, the Twelve were sent
forth to teach and do what they had seen their Master          With this perspective in mind, you should now turn
do.                                                            your attention to the specific events of the ministry of
                                                               our Lord.




                                                          34
35
                              5
                   “YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN”
                                    AGAIN”




      EARLY JUDEAN MINISTRY                      Matthew              Mark             Luke             John

Jerusalem, Judea (Nisan)                                                                        2:13–25
  The First Passover of Jesus’ Ministry
 Nicodemus Visits Jesus                                                                         3:1–21

 Jesus Goes into Wilderness of Judea                                                            3:22

Aenon, Samaria                                                                                  3:23–36
 John Teaches Belief in the Son
Machaerus, Perea                          14:3–5               6:17–20          3:19, 20
 John Is Imprisoned
 Jesus Leaves Judea for Galilee           4:12                 1:14             4:14            4:1–3

Sychar, Samaria                                                                                 4:4–42
 Woman of Samaria
 Jesus Goes into Galilee                                                                        4:43, 44

THEME                                                      And his ministry, the greatest “sermon” of word and
Because of his Messiahship, Jesus can provide the          deed, would now begin. He would be despised and
power that leads to spiritual rebirth.                     rejected (Mark 8:31). His course would take him to a
                                                           cross and to burial in an obscure tomb, but it would
INTRODUCTION                                               also take him beyond that to glory at the right hand
                                                           of his Father (Matthew 26:64). His ministry and
The years of preparation for Jesus were now passed.        sacrifice would redeem the repentant (Luke 24:46,
His first public miracle had been performed at Cana.       47), open the hitherto locked doors of the spirit


                                                       36
prison, and bring to pass the resurrection (John               contributions. Seemingly, in their own eyes, they were
10:9; 11:25). With certain knowledge of what lay               justified, but they were doing these things in the
before him (John 12:33; 18:32), Jesus began to                 House of God. We are told that he overturned the
proclaim himself the Messiah.                                  money changer’s tables, and said to the sellers of
                                                               doves, ‘Take these things hence. Make not my
During his interviews with Nicodemus and the
                                                               Father’s house a house of merchandise.’ [John 2:16.]
woman at the well, he testified that men must be born
again, and that he himself was the “Living Water” of           “‘Reverence,’ wrote Ruskin, ‘is the noblest state
which all must partake if they would be born again             in which a man can live in the world. Reverence is
and enter the kingdom of God.                                  one of the signs of strength; irreverence one of the
                                                               surest indications of weakness. No man will rise high
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                               who jeers at sacred things. The fine loyalties of life
in the reading block.
                                                               must be reverenced or they will be foresworn in the
                                                               day of trial.’” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1950,
                                                               pp. 163–64.)
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        (5-3) John 3:5. What Is the “Kingdom of God”
                                                               That Jesus Referred To?
(5-1) John 2:13, 14. What Was the Passover?
                                                               “The kingdom of God mentioned by the Savior in his
“Ancient Israel, in the day of Moses, was freed from
                                                               conversation with Nicodemus points clearly to the fact
temporal bondage in Egypt by the Lord Jehovah. To
                                                               that it is the celestial kingdom that is meant. This is
commemorate this deliverance, they were commanded
                                                               also implied in the instructions given by our Savior to
to keep the Feast of the Passover. This feast was
                                                               his apostles when he left them. They were to go into
designed to bring two things to their remembrance:
                                                               all the world and preach the gospel, all who accepted
(1) That the angel of death passed over the houses and
                                                               and were baptized should enter the celestial kingdom,
flocks of Israel, while slaying the firstborn among the
                                                               but all others would be damned, or be assigned to one
men and beasts of the Egyptians; and (2) That Jehovah
                                                               of the other kingdoms.” (Smith, Answers to Gospel
was their Deliverer, the same holy being who in due
                                                               Questions, 5:147–48.)
course would come into the world as King-Messiah to
work out the infinite and eternal atonement.                   (5-4) John 4:1–3. Jesus Himself Performed Water
“All of the symbolisms of the feast centered around            Baptisms
these two events. The feast (more so in the days of its        “They sought more diligently some means that they
inception than in the time of Jesus) was eaten in haste        might put him to death; for many received John as a
as though preparatory to flight; the sacrificial lamb          prophet, but they believed not on Jesus.
was one without blemish, whose blood was shed, but
whose bones were not broken; blood was sprinkled on            “Now the Lord knew this, though he himself baptized
the houses to be spared—all of which provided types            not so many as his disciples;
and symbols for Messiah’s coming mortal sacrifice.             “For he suffered them for an example, preferring one
(Ex. 12.)                                                      another.” (John 4:2–4, Inspired Version.)
“And now nearly a millennium and a half after                  “Contrary to the false teachings and traditions of
Jehovah gave the Passover to Israel, he himself,               sectarianism, Jesus personally performed water
tabernacled among men, was preparing to celebrate              baptisms so that in all things he might be the great
the feast, to fulfil the law given to Moses. . . .”            Exemplar. Without question he also performed all
(McConkie, DNTC, 1:704.)                                       other ordinances essential to salvation and
                                                               exaltation.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:148.)
(5-2) John 2:13–22. Jesus Defended the Sanctity of
His Father’s House                                             (5-5) John 4:9. Why Did the Jews Feel So Much
“When Jesus cleansed the temple, he was filled with            Antipathy Towards the Samaritans?
reverent indignation because men were desecrating his          “The direct route from Judea to Galilee lay through
Father’s house, selling doves and lambs to be offered          Samaria; but many Jews, particularly Galilaeans,
as sacrifice. Money changers were there for the                chose to follow an indirect though longer way rather
convenience of those who came from other countries,            than traverse the country of a people so despised by
so they could give in local currency their temple


                                                          37
them as were the Samaritans. The ill-feeling between            BEING BORN TO “SEE” THE KINGDOM OF
Jews and Samaritans had been growing for centuries,             GOD IS A STEP IN BEING BORN TO “ENTER”
and at the time of our Lord’s earthly ministry had              THE KINGDOM
developed into most intense hatred. The inhabitants of
Samaria were a mixed people, in whom the blood of           The following hypothetical interview should aid you
Israel was mingled with that of the Assyrians and           in understanding what happened to the Samaritan
other nations; and one cause of the animosity existing      woman and what must happen to you if you would
between them and their neighbors both on the north          enter the celestial kingdom of God.
and the south was the Samaritans’ claim for                 QUESTION
recognition as Israelites; it was their boast that Jacob
                                                            Jesus explained to Nicodemus that a man must be
was their father; but this the Jews denied. The
                                                            “born again.” In this world our first birth is when we
Samaritans had a version of the Pentateuch, which
                                                            enter the world as infants. But the word again in
they revered as the law, but they rejected all the
                                                            Jesus’ phrase implies another, or second birth,
prophetical writings of what is now the Old
                                                            doesn’t it?
Testament, because they considered themselves
treated with insufficient respect therein.                  ANSWER
“To the orthodox Jew of the time a Samaritan was            Yes, there is another, or second birth.
more unclean than a Gentile of any other
                                                            “The first birth takes place when spirits pass from
nationality.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 172.)
                                                            their pre-existent first estate into mortality; the
(5-6) John 4:10. Of What Significance Was the               second birth or birth ‘into the kingdom of heaven’
Term “Living Water”?                                        takes place when mortal men are born again and
                                                            become alive to the things of the Spirit and of
Israel’s prophets had repeatedly declared that the Lord     righteousness. The elements of water, blood, and
was as a fountain of living water that Israel had           Spirit are present in both births. (Moses 6:59–
rejected. (See Jeremiah 2:13; Isaiah 8:6.)                  60.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 101.)
Jesus himself, as Jehovah, had pled with ancient Israel     QUESTION
to repent and return to him so that he could nourish
and sustain them. And in his pleading, Jehovah had          In John 3:3, Jesus said, “Except a man is born again,
used the word water as a figure of speech. (See Isaiah      he cannot see the kingdom of God,” and in John 3:5,
58:11.)                                                     Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of
                                                            the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
                                                            It is one thing to see the kingdom, and it is a different
POINTS TO PONDER                                            thing entirely to enter the kingdom. Does this mean
                                                            that the second birth, or spiritual rebirth, has two
(5-7) Those Who Come unto Christ Need Never
                                                            parts?
Thirst Again
                                                            ANSWER
“His solemn invitation, ‘If any man thirst, let him
come unto me, and drink,’ was a plain and open claim        Yes, this second birth or spiritual rebirth has two
of Messiahship. In making it he identified himself as       general parts. In order to understand what it means
the very Jehovah who had promised drink to the              to see the kingdom of God, it is necessary to perceive
thirsty through an outpouring of the Spirit. After such     what the Holy Ghost will do for a man before that
a pronouncement his hearers were faced with two             man is baptized into the Church, The Prophet Joseph
choices: Either he was a blasphemer worthy of death,        Smith explained:
or he was in fact the God of Israel.” (McConkie,
                                                            “There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and
DNTC, 1:445–46.)
                                                            the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the
How did Jesus’ discussion with the Samaritan woman          Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the
influence her? Perhaps you could trace her                  convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the
conversion through a review of her interview with           Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy
Jesus. In John, chapter 4, we see her addressing Jesus      Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken
using three different titles. What do verses 9, 11, 14,     this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost
15, 19, and 29 indicate has happened to her                 which convinced him of the truth of God, would have
understanding of the man to whom she is speaking?           left him.” (Teachings, p. 199.)


                                                           38
When a nonmember sees the kingdom of God, it                Holy Ghost. Thus does the one baptized receive the
means that the power of the Holy Ghost is poured out        promise or gift of the Holy Ghost or the privilege of
upon him to teach him that the Church is true. He           being brought back into the presence of one of the
then has a testimony. He knows.                             Godhead, by obedience to whom and through his
                                                            faithfulness one so blessed might receive the
“The Lord will reveal the truth once; then when this
                                                            guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost in his daily
testimony has been given, the person should accept
                                                            walks and talks, even as Adam walked and talked in
the truth and receive the gospel by baptism and the
                                                            the Garden of Eden with God, his Heavenly Father.
laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. . . .
                                                            To receive such guidance and such direction from the
Cornelius received a manifestation in strict
                                                            Holy Ghost is to be spiritually reborn.” (Harold B.
conformity to the instruction given by Moroni, and
                                                            Lee in CR, Oct. 1947, p. 64.)
had he turned away there would have been no further
light or direction for him. The Spirit of the Lord will     QUESTION
not argue with men, nor abide in them, except they
                                                            Does a person always receive this spiritual rebirth at
yield obedience to the Lord’s commandments.
                                                            the time of baptism?
(Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:29.)
                                                            ANSWER
At the time a person sees the kingdom, he does not
necessarily receive a remission of his sins. The Holy       “Mere compliance with the formality of the
Ghost has merely taught him what he must do to              ordinance of baptism does not mean that a person
receive a remission of sins. Of this the Prophet            has been born again. No one can be born again
Joseph Smith said:                                          without baptism, but the immersion in water and the
                                                            laying on of hands to confer the Holy Ghost do not of
“It is one thing to see the kingdom of God, and
                                                            themselves guarantee that a person has been or will
another thing to enter into it. We must have a change
                                                            be born again. The new birth takes place only for
of heart to see the kingdom of God, and subscribe the
                                                            those who actually enjoy the gift or companionship of
articles of adoption to enter therein.” (Smith,
                                                            the Holy Ghost, only for those who are fully
Teachings, p. 328.)
                                                            converted, who have given themselves without
QUESTION                                                    restraint to the Lord. Thus Alma addressed himself to
                                                            his ‘brethren of the church,’ and pointedly asked
Does a person always see the kingdom before
                                                            them if they had ‘spiritually been born of God,’
baptism?
                                                            received the Lord’s image in their countenances, and
ANSWER                                                      had the ‘mighty change’ in their hearts which always
No, this experience may occur in the life of a              attends the birth of the Spirit. (Alma 5:14–31.)”
baptized member of the Church as well. Sometimes            (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 101.)
people are members of the Church even for many              QUESTION
years before they “see” or gain a testimony that the
                                                            What blessings are available to someone who is born
Church is true.
                                                            again?
QUESTION
                                                            ANSWER
It seems clear that seeing involves witness and
                                                            “Those members of the Church who have actually
testimony and conviction about the truthfulness of the
                                                            been born again are in a blessed and favored state.
Church. But what has to occur so that a person has
                                                            They have attained their position, not merely by
the true change of heart so that he can enter the
                                                            joining the Church, but through faith (1 John 5:1),
kingdom of God?
                                                            righteousness (1 John 2:29), love (1 John 4:7), and
ANSWER                                                      overcoming the world. (1 John 5:4.) ‘Whosoever is
“Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death and              born of God doth not continue in sin; for the Spirit of
burial of the man of sin; and the coming forth out of       God remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he
the water, the resurrection to a newness of spiritual       is born of God, having received that holy Spirit of
life. After baptism, hands are laid upon the head of        promise.’ (Inspired Version, 1 John 3:9.) (McConkie,
the baptized believer, and he is blessed to receive the     Mormon Doctrine, p. 101.)




                                                           39
BEING BORN AGAIN IS A GRADUAL                              seemed that his dedication and zeal in the cause of
PROCESS THAT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A                           the Master increased every day.
CHANGE OF HEART
                                                           David’s father had been called to serve in the ward
                                                           MIA and later in the stake. Then just two years later
David’s father was president of the stake. David had
                                                           he had been called as a counselor in the stake
never been to the stake president’s office; but last
                                                           presidency. David noticed that his father was gone
evening at dinner he had raised some questions about
                                                           from home a great deal, but the time he did manage
spiritual rebirth, and his father had invited him to
                                                           to spend at home with his wife and four sons was
come to the stake president’s office to discuss the
                                                           quality time. As a contrast to twelve years ago, their
matter. As he settled into a chair, David noticed a
                                                           home was now truly a house of love, prayer, and
picture on his father’s desk. It was a picture of the
                                                           order. David had listened to his father’s testimony in
stake presidency; there was his father, smiling and
                                                           conferences and as he had shared it with his sons and
dignified. David was early for the appointment; and
                                                           with others who had been in their home. During one
as he waited, the thought occurred to him that if ever
                                                           home evening, he had told his sons: “I am not the
anyone knew anything about spiritual rebirth, it must
                                                           father you used to have; I have been changed. And I
be his father.
                                                           want you to know that for whatever else I may say or
David’s father had worked in the mines most of his         do, I know that Jesus lives and is my Redeemer,
adult life. Nothing had ever really mattered to him        because I have tasted of his goodness and I know of
beyond food and sleep. Seldom had he been much of          his love for me.” David knew his father well enough
a father until the day the missionaries knocked at         to know that he testified of the reality of Jesus and of
their door. After weeks of questions, some patience        the truth of the gospel from the depths of his soul.
on the part of the missionaries, and many prayers by       And now his father was president of the stake.
David’s mother (who herself had immediately
                                                           As David sat there waiting, he suddenly realized that
accepted the gospel taught by the missionaries),
                                                           he lived in the very shadow of a man who had been
David’s father had joined the Church. The rest of the
                                                           born again! Hastily he scribbled a note to his father
family joined within weeks after their father led the
                                                           and then left. The note read: “Dad, I won’t need to
way.
                                                           talk to you after all. I have the answers to my
David hadn’t noticed it at first, but gradually his        question. See you at dinner. David.”
father had changed. There had been nothing
                                                           Why do you think David’s father was one who had
spectacular—no visions, no outward
                                                           been born again?
manifestations—but just gradual change. First they
had begun to attend church. Later David’s father had       Was his father’s spiritual rebirth a sudden thing?
announced at the dinner table that they would never        Were sensational manifestations involved?
eat another meal in their home without having a
                                                           Elder Harold B. Lee said, “Knowing how this birth
blessing on the food. That had been twelve years ago.
                                                           takes place is as impossible to explain as to explain
Then they had commenced holding a regular home
                                                           where the wind comes from or where it goes.”
evening. David still remembered the family journey
                                                           (“Born of the Spirit,” Address to Seminary and
to the Los Angeles Temple, where they had been
                                                           Institute Faculty, BYU, 26 June 1962; compare John
sealed together as a family for time and eternity.
                                                           3:7, 8.)
Later, when David and his brothers had spoken
harshly about one of the leaders of their ward, he         Sometimes people get the idea that to be born of the
remembered his father’s justified anger and instant        Spirit, they have to experience something sudden and
rebuke, for although David’s father had controlled         spectacular. From your reading about David’s
his temper, he made it very clear to his sons that they    father, do you think this is always necessary?
must never say such things about any of the Church
                                                           Consider the following statement by the Prophet
officers again. While his father’s change had
                                                           Joseph Smith about the manifestations of the Spirit:
occurred quietly and gradually, it was nevertheless a
powerful change. David had often wondered to               “We believe that the Holy Ghost is imparted by the
himself what possibly could have taken a hard-             laying on of hands of those in authority, and that the
headed man like his father and literally turned him        gift of the tongues, and also the gift of prophecy, are
around. And now that he was on the proper course, it       gifts of the spirit, and are obtained through that




                                                          40
medium; but then to say that men always prophesied        case with us also in our administrations, while more
and spoke in tongues when they had the imposition of      frequently there is no manifestation at all that is
hands, would be to state that which is untrue,            visible to the surrounding multitude.” (Times and
contrary to the practice of the apostles, and at          Seasons 3:823–24 [15 June 1842]. Emphasis added.)
variance with holy writ; for Paul says, ‘to one is
                                                          At this point, review the account of the interview
given the gift of tongues, to another the gift of
                                                          between Nicodemus and the Lord. Especially note
prophecy, and to another the gift of healing’—and
                                                          verse 5 in light of what you have learned about that
again, ‘do all prophecy [sic]? do all speak with
                                                          verse in this lesson.
tongues? do all interpret?’ evidently shewing that all
did not possess these several gifts; but that one                              John 3:1–12
received one gift and another received another gift—      What would spiritual rebirth have made available to
all did not prophecy [sic]; all did not speak in          Nicodemus if he had accepted the Lord’s sayings?
tongues; all did not work miracles; but all did           What about the Samaritan woman? (See John 3:11,
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; sometimes they        12.) What is available to you if you accept the Lord’s
spake in tongues and prophesied in the Apostles’          sayings and constantly strive to obey the Lord’s
days, and sometimes they did not.—The same in the         commandments? (See John 3:13–15.)




                                                         41
42
                    6
   “THIS IS HE OF WHOM IT IS WRITTEN”




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                     Matthew          Mark        Luke          John

Cana, Galilee                            4:17              1:14, 15     4:14–15     4:45
 Jesus Preaches Repentance
 A Capernaum Nobleman Seeks for the                                                 4:46–54
 Healing of His Dying Son
Nazareth, Galilee                        4:13                           4:16–31
 Jesus’ Own Community Rejects Him
Capernaum, Galilee                       4:13–16                        4:31, 32
 Preaching in the Synagogue
Sea of Galilee Near Capernaum            4:18–22           1:16–20      5:1–11
 Calling of Peter, Andrew, James, John
Capernaum, Galilee                       8:14–17           1:21–34      4:31–41
 Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law and
 Others
 Preaching in Galilee                    4:23–25           1:35–39      4:42–44

 Leper Healed                            8:1–4             1:40–45      5:12–16

Capernaum, Galilee                       9:2–8             2:1–12       5:17–26
 Palsied Man Healed
 Matthew’s Feast                         9:9–13            2:13–17      5:27–32

 Discourse on Fasting                    9:14–17           2:18–22      5:33–39


                                                      43
THEME                                                          2. The fact that the disciples believed the
                                                                  announcement of Jesus. Hence the passage reads,
Jesus Christ has the power to heal not only the
                                                                  “And they, believing on his words, left their
physical body but, more importantly, the spirit.
                                                                  net. . . .” (Matthew 4:17, Inspired Version;
                                                                  compare Matthew 4:18, 19, King James Version.
INTRODUCTION                                                      Italics added.)
Returning to Nazareth, the place of his boyhood and
early manhood, Jesus astonished the townsmen with              (6-2) Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17. What Does It
his bold testimony that he was the promised Messiah.           Mean to Become “Fishers of Men”?
Using Isaiah 61:1, 2 as his text, Jesus declared: “The         “The process by which leaders become spiritual as
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord            those disciples were is set forth in a very simple
hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the               admonition of the Master. The Savior called
meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,            fishermen, and he called tax-collectors and others in
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of        various occupations to constitute his chosen twelve.
the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the             He gave to each of them the same simple promise:
acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of
                                                               “‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,’ or
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”
                                                               as another writer puts it, ‘I will make you to become
As Jesus closed the book containing these words, He
                                                               fishers of men.’ (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17.)
said: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your
ears.” (Luke 4:21.)                                            “To ‘come after him’ is but another way of saying,
                                                               ‘Keep my commandments,’ for thus he had explained
Had his own community been spiritually perceptive,
                                                               it when he said to the Nephites: ‘Therefore, what
Jesus would have been accepted for who he was, the
                                                               manner of men ought ye to be?’ And then he answered
Son of the Eternal Father. But, blinded to eternal
                                                               his own question, ‘Verily I say unto you, even as I
realities, they saw him only as “Joseph’s son.” They
                                                               am.’ (3 Nephi 27:27.)
had heard of the miracles he had performed in
Capernaum, and inwardly they thought, “Show us a               “To become ‘fishers of men’ is just another way of
miracle also that we might see that thou art the               saying ‘become leaders of men.’ So in today’s
Christ.” Hadn’t Jesus himself declared that “no                language we would say to those who are so to teach:
prophet is accepted in his own country”? (Luke                 ‘If you will keep my commandments, I will make you
4:24.) Angered by his testimony, they attempted to             leaders among men.’” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct.
take his life.                                                 1960, p. 15.)
Why didn’t Jesus perform a miracle in Nazareth?                (6-3) Mark 1:21–28. Can Evil Spirits Enter into a
Have you ever wondered about the purpose of                    Person’s Body and Take Possession?
miracles? What is the meaning of miracles in your
life?                                                          “Before we can understand the casting out of devils,
                                                               we must have a knowledge of pre-existence and of the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          personal Fatherhood of God. As revealed in the
in the reading block.                                          gospel, God is an exalted and holy Man, a personal
                                                               being in whose image man is created, a being for
                                                               whom the family unit continues in the state of
                                                               immortality. He is the personal Father of the spirits of
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        all men; his spirit children began life as men and
                                                               women whose bodies were composed of spirit rather
(6-1) Luke 5:1–11. Why Did Peter, Andrew, James,               than temporal element.
and John Forsake All to Follow Jesus?
                                                               “These spirit offspring of Deity, endowed with agency
Read Matthew’s account of Jesus’ call to Peter and             and subject to law, had every opportunity to advance,
Andrew (Matthew 4:18–20). The Prophet Joseph                   progress, and gain the privilege of undergoing the
Smith made two important additions to these passages           probationary experiences of mortality. Two-thirds of
in his revision of the Bible:                                  them passed the tests of the pre-existent sphere and are
1. The announcement by Jesus that “I am he of                  now in process of being born into this world as mortal
   whom it is written by the prophets; follow                  beings. The other one-third, failing to keep their first
   me. . . .” (Matthew 4:18, Inspired Version.)                estate, finally came out in open rebellion against God


                                                          44
and his laws. As a result there was war in heaven,         done—he proved his divine power by healing the
and the devil and his followers were cast down to          forgiven man. To his query, ‘Does it require more
earth. Those so rejected are denied, eternally, the        power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up
right to have bodies of their own. In this dejected and    and walk?’ there could be only one answer! They are
damnable state they seek to house themselves               as one; he that can do the one, can do the other.”
unlawfully in the bodies of mortal men.” (McConkie,        (DNTC, 1:177–78.)
DNTC, 1:167–68.)
                                                           Thus within the miracles you may see two kinds of
(6-4) Matthew 4:23–25. Did Jesus Heal All                  healing: (1) the healing of physical maladies and (2)
Afflicted People?                                          the healing of spiritual maladies.
The Prophet Joseph Smith added to Matthew 4:23
this phrase, “which believed on his name.” Thus the
healings performed by Jesus were reserved for those            (6-5) Matthew 4:23–25. Miracles Operate
who had faith in him; they were not given to                   Through Law
everyone, as the King James Version verse implies.             “Miracles cannot be in contravention of natural law,
(See Matthew 4:22, Inspired Version.)                          but are wrought through the operation of laws not
                                                               universally or commonly recognized.
As you focus attention on how the miracles were an
evidence of Jesus’ messiahship, consider these ideas:          “In the contemplation of the miracles wrought by
                                                               Christ, we must of necessity recognize the operation
The miracles were occasioned because of the faith of           of a power transcending our present human
those who believed on him.                                     understanding. In this field, science has not yet
They were performed out of compassion for the                  advanced far enough to analyze and explain. To deny
suffering.                                                     the actuality of miracles on the ground that, because
                                                               we cannot comprehend the means, the reported results
They fulfilled the messianic prophecies.                       are fictitious, is to arrogate to the human mind the
Most significantly, the miracles testified to the              attribute of omniscience, by implying that what man
divinity of the Son of God. The most vivid illustration        cannot comprehend cannot be, and that therefore he is
of this was the healing of the paralytic man (Matthew          able to comprehend all that is.
9:2–8). Elder Bruce McConkie comments on the                   “To comprehend the works of Christ, one must know
significance of this miracle:                                  Him as the Son of God; to the man who has not yet
“Rightly understood, this event in the life of our Lord        learned to know, to the honest soul who would inquire
was visible and irrefutable proof that he was the              after the Lord, the invitation is ready; let him ‘Come
Messiah; and it was so recognized by those among               and see.’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 148–49.)
whom he ministered. He had borne frequent verbal
testimony that God was his Father and had supported            (6-6) Matthew 8:2. What Was Leprosy?
that personal witness with an unparalleled ministry            “. . . Leprosy was nothing short of a living death, a
of preaching and healing. Now it was his purpose to            corrupting of all the humors, a poisoning of the very
announce that he had done what no one but God                  springs, of life; a dissolution, little by little, of the
could do and to prove that he had done it by a further         whole body, so that one limb after another actually
manifestation of his Father’s power.                           decayed and fell away. Aaron exactly describes the
“Both Jesus and the ‘doctors of the law’ who were              appearance which the leper presented to the eyes of
then present knew that none but God can forgive sins.          the beholders, when, pleading for Miriam, he says,
Accordingly, as a pointed and dramatic witness that            ‘Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half
the power of God was resident in him, Jesus took               consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s
(perhaps sought) this appropriate occasion to forgive          womb.’ (Numb. 12:12.) The disease, moreover, was
sins. Being then called in question by the                     incurable by the art and skill of man; not that the leper
scripturalists who know (and that rightly) that the            might not return to health; for, however rare, such
false assumption of the power to forgive sins was              cases are contemplated in the Levitical law. . . .”
blasphemy, Jesus did what no imposter could have               (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 200, quoting Trench,
                                                               Notes on the Miracles, pp. 165–68.)




                                                          45
(6-7) Luke 5:17–24. The Remission of Sins Heals                    Christianity perverted by any such incongruous
the Spirit                                                         association.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 196–97.)
“From what Jesus said at the time he healed the man
‘sick with the palsy,’ it would seem that remittance of            POINTS TO PONDER
sins is the therapy which heals and that the two terms
are synonymous. . . .                                              GREAT MIRACLES ARE STILL BEING
                                                                   PERFORMED TODAY
“In this instance there was a physical healing.
Sometimes there is also a healing of the nervous                   (6-10) Physical Healings Are Performed Today
system or of the mind. But always the remittance of                Among Humble People of Faith
sins which attends divine forgiveness heals the spirit.
                                                                   “May I impose upon you for a moment to express
This accounts for the fact that in the scriptures
                                                                   appreciation for something that happened to me some
conversion and healing are repeatedly associated.”
                                                                   time ago, years ago. I was suffering from an ulcer
(Marion G. Romney in CR, Oct. 1963, pp. 24–25.
                                                                   condition that was becoming worse and worse. We
Italics added.)
                                                                   had been touring a mission; my wife, Joan, and I were
(6-8) Matthew 9:11. What Is a Publican?                            impressed the next morning that we should get home
                                                                   as quickly as possibly, although we had planned to
“Publicans were tax collectors, representatives of an              stay for some other meetings.
alien power which held the Jews in subjection, and as
such they formed a hated, despised, and derided social             “On the way across the country, we were sitting in the
group. No doubt it was particularly offensive to the               forward section of the airplane. Some of our Church
Jews for one of their own race, such as Matthew, to                members were in the next section. As we approached a
accept such employment.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:181.)                  certain point en route, someone laid his hand upon my
                                                                   head. I looked up: I could see no one. That happened
(6-9) Mark 2:18–22. What Did Jesus Mean by the                     again before we arrived home, again with the same
Phrase “New Wine in Old Bottles”?                                  experience. Who it was, by what means or what
“In such wise did our Lord proclaim the newness and                medium, I may never know, except I knew that I was
completeness of His gospel. It was in no sense a                   receiving a blessing that I came a few hours later to
patching up of Judaism. He had not come to mend old                know I needed most desperately.
and torn garments; the cloth He provided was new,                  “As soon as we arrived home, my wife very anxiously
and to sew it on the old would be but to tear afresh the           called the doctor. It was now about 11 o’clock at
threadbare fabric and leave a more unsightly rent than             night. He called me to come to the telephone, and he
at first. Or to change the figure, new wine could not              asked me how I was; and I said, ‘Well, I am very tired.
safely be entrusted to old bottles. The bottles here               I think I will be all right.’ But shortly thereafter, there
referred to were really bags, made of the skins of                 came massive hemorrhages which, had they occurred
animals, and of course they deteriorated with age. Just            while we were in flight, I wouldn’t be here today
as old leather splits or tears under even slight strain, so        talking about it.
the old bottle-skins would burst from the pressure of
                                                                   “I know that there are powers divine that reach out
fermenting juice, and the good wine would be lost.
                                                                   when all other help is not available. We see that
The gospel taught by Christ was a new revelation,
                                                                   manifest down in the countries we speak of as the
superseding the past, and marking the fulfilment of the
                                                                   underprivileged countries where there is little medical
law; it was no mere addendum, nor was it a
                                                                   aid and perhaps no hospitals. If you want to hear of
reenactment of past requirements; it embodied a new
                                                                   great miracles among these humble people with
and an everlasting covenant. Attempts to patch the
                                                                   simple faith, you will see it among them when they are
Judaistic robe of traditionalism with the new fabric of
                                                                   left to themselves. Yes, I know that there are such
the covenant could result in nothing more sightly than
                                                                   powers.” (Harold B. Lee, “Stand Ye in Holy Places,”
a rending of the fabric. The new wine of the gospel
                                                                   Ensign, July 1973, p. 123. Italics added.)
could not be held in the old time-worn containers of
Mosaic libations. Judaism would be belittled and




                                                              46
Sometimes members of the Church are dismayed                    light a fire in another soul unless it is burning in your
because it seems to them there are not many miracles            own soul. You teachers, the testimony that you bear,
such as healings, speaking in tongues, and visions              the spirit with which you teach and with which you
manifest in the Church. While it is true that these             lead, is one of the most important assets that you can
types of manifestations are happening, why do we not            have, as you help to strengthen those who need so
hear more about them? Can you see why, in most                  much, wherein you have so much to give. Who of us,
cases, they are done privately? In spite of this, why           in whatever station we may have been in have not
do you think some of Jesus’ miracles were done                  needed strengthening?” (Lee, “Stand Ye in Holy
openly? Do you think that some were done to bear                Places,” p. 123. Italics added.)
witness of him? What miracles are being performed
today that bear witness of his divinity?                    Is it apparent from this statement by President Lee
                                                            that the greatest miracle being performed today is the
(6-11) The Greatest Miracles Today Are the                  transformation of a “natural” man or woman (see
Healing of Sick Souls                                       Mosiah 3:19) into a son or daughter of God? Is there
                                                            a greater witness of Christ’s divinity than the
“The great call has come now in the sermons of the
                                                            testimonies of people who have given up a worldly
brethren to aid those who are in need of aid, not just
                                                            way of life to follow him?
temporal aid, but spiritual aid. The greatest miracles I
see today are not necessarily the healing of sick           Think about the following:
bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing
                                                            Have you felt the healing power of Christ in your
of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and
                                                            own life?
are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of
nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such,        Have you felt a forgiveness for sins?
because they are precious in the sight of the Lord, and     Are there still sins holding you back from lifting
we want no one to feel that they are forgotten. . . .       others to higher grounds?
“You cannot lift another soul until you are standing    Could you, through study, prayer, and fasting, obtain
on higher ground than he is. You must be sure, if you   added strength from Jesus Christ to receive the
would rescue the man, that you yourself are setting the miracle of forgiveness?
example of what you would have him be. You cannot




                                                           47
               SECTION 3
    THE SECOND YEAR OF JJESUS’
                         ESUS’ PUBLIC
               MINISTRY
                                                                                   THIS SECTION
                                                                                    TREATS THIS
                                                                                      PERIOD



               Birth                    1st Passover                2nd Passover                  3rd Passover             Final Passover



                                30 Years               FIRST YEAR              SECOND YEAR                       THIRD YEAR




                                                                     18                  27                           72
                            The events in this
                            section treat the second
                            year of Jesus’ formal ministry.
                            As you can see, this period extends from
                            the second to the third Passover.

                            You will also notice how the number of recorded
                            events during this period begins to crescendo. Twenty-seven
                            events are treated by the Gospel writers for the second year of the Lord’s
                            formal ministry.




LESSONS                                                                   This was followed by what is usually called his
                                                                          Galilean ministry, which included his visit to
7. The Calling of the Twelve
                                                                          Nazareth, which is in the northern province of Galilee.
8. Be Ye Therefore Perfect                                                Rejected there after the declaration of his messiahship
9. Whomsoever Shall Do the Will of My Father                              to his townsmen, Jesus turned toward the cities that
                                                                          surrounded the Sea of Galilee. Peter, James, John, and
10. He Spake Many Things unto Them in Parables                            Andrew were called to follow him. This period
11. He That Receiveth Whomsoever I Send Receiveth                         marked the beginning of Jesus’ miracles and his
    Me                                                                    preaching to the Jews.

A Brief Summary of the First Year of the Savior’s                         An Overview of the Second Year
Ministry                                                                  The second year opened as Jesus came down from
The first year of the Savior’s public ministry was                        Galilee to attend the feast of the Passover at
opened by the dramatic event of the cleansing of the                      Jerusalem. While there he healed a man on the
temple. Significant interviews with Nicodemus and                         Sabbath day. So reactionary were the Jewish leaders to
the woman of Samaria followed, in which Jesus                             a healing on the Sabbath that they sought to kill Jesus
declared his identity and important doctrines for                         (John 5:16). You will read in this section how Jesus
entrance into his kingdom. This period is referred to                     answered charges concerning the violation of the
by scholars as his early Judean ministry.                                 Sabbath and how he established his credentials before
                                                                          them.



                                                                     48
The plot against Jesus caused him to withdraw again           Some Notable Places and Events During This
to Galilee, where he called and ordained twelve men,          Phase of the Galilean Ministry
whom he designated as apostles. This ended the first
                                                              Some of the places and events mentioned by the
of three phases of his Galilean ministry.
                                                              Gospel writers in this section are these:
Highlights of the Second Phase of the Galilean                Bethsaida, where Jesus retired with his apostles
Ministry                                                      following their return from their missions (Luke
Some of the highlights of the second phase of the             9:10, 11).
Galilean ministry are as follows:                             Capernaum, where, among others, the following
1. Jesus’ instructions to his disciples and to the            miracles occurred: the centurion’s servant healed;
   Twelve (the Sermon on the Mount).                          Jairus’s daughter raised from the dead; a woman with
                                                              an issue of blood healed.
2. Further miracles in which the Twelve learned
   about the power of the priesthood. Among these             Gadara (Gergesa), where Jesus healed a man afflicted
   miracles are two in which the dead were called to          with evil spirits, which then entered into a herd of
   life again.                                                swine (Mark 5:1–21).
3. Mounting opposition against Jesus, causing him to          Nain, where Jesus raised the widow’s son from the
   use another teaching method—parables. These                dead (Luke 7:11–17).
   were sometimes designed to conceal his message             Nazareth, where Jesus was rejected a second time
   from the unbelievers. You will receive some help           (Mark 6:1–6).
   in interpreting these parables and applying them to
   our time and circumstances.                                The introductory map illustrates these cities and their
                                                              relationship to one another.
4. Jesus’ second rejection at his hometown,
   Nazareth!                                                  With this overview, turn now to the events of this
                                                              portion of our Lord’s ministry.
5. The sending forth of the Twelve with a special
   commission, and their return and report.




                                                         49
50
                          7
              THE CALLING OF THE TWELVE
                                 TWELVE




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                    Matthew             Mark              Luke              John

Healing at Pool                                                                                 5:1–16*

Jesus Teaches of Himself                                                                        5:17–47*

Discourse on the Sabbath                  12:1–14*           2:23–28            6:1–5
                                                             3:1–6
Jesus Withdraws to the Sea                12:15–21*          3:7–12*

Twelve Chosen                             10:2–4             3:13–21            6:12–16*

*Indicates emphasis

THEME                                                    the Lord Jesus Christ. Ponder the words of one who
                                                         had just been called to such a position:
Apostles are special witnesses of the Lord Jesus
Christ.                                                  “Since nine o’clock last night I have lived an entire
                                                         lifetime in retrospect and in prospect. I spent a
INTRODUCTION                                             sleepless night. I never closed my eyes one moment,
Even strong men of God are humbled when                  and neither would you if you had been in my place.
summoned to the high and holy office of apostle of       Throughout the night, as I thought of this most



                                                      51
appalling and soul-stirring assignment, there kept             “33 For I am not alone, there is another who beareth
coming to me the words of the Apostle Paul that he             witness of me, and I know that the testimony which he
spoke in explanation of the human qualities that were          giveth of me is true.
to be found in the Lord and Savior:
                                                               “34 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness also unto
“‘For we have not an high priest which cannot be               the truth.
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in
                                                               “35 And he received not his testimony of man, but of
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
                                                               God, and ye yourselves say that he is a prophet,
“‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of              therefore ye ought to receive his testimony. These
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to             things I say that ye might be saved. . . .
help in time of need.’ (Hebrews 4:15, 16.)
                                                               “37 But I have a greater witness than the testimony of
“One could not have listened to the soul-stirring              John; for the works which the Father hath given me to
testimony of President Grant, in bearing testimony as          finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me,
to his feelings when he was called to the apostleship,         that the Father hath sent me.
or his experiences in calling others to similar
                                                               “38 And the Father himself who sent me, hath borne
positions, without realizing that he has been close to
                                                               witness of me. And verily I testify unto you, that ye
his Heavenly Father in this experience. Therefore I
                                                               have never heard his voice at any time, nor seen his
shall take the word of the Apostle Paul. I shall come
                                                               shape;
boldly unto the throne of grace, and ask for mercy
and His grace to help me in my time of need. With              “39 For ye have not his word abiding in you; and him
that help I cannot fail. Without it I cannot succeed.          whom he hath sent, ye believe not.” (John 5:32–35,
                                                               37–39, Inspired Version.)
“Since my childhood I have looked upon these men
as the greatest men on the face of the earth, and now          (7-2) John 5:39. What Does It Mean to “Search the
the contemplation of an ultimate association with              Scriptures”?
them, is overwhelming and beyond my
comprehension.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr. 1941,               “Since we cannot ‘live by [the words which]
pp. 119–20.)                                                   proceedeth forth from the mouth of God’ unless we
                                                               know what they are, it is imperative that we study
In this lesson you will seek to understand the office          them. This the Lord has directed us to do.
and calling of the apostles during the ministry of
Jesus Christ. As you study this section, consider the          “As the Jews disputed with Jesus because he said that
following questions: What makes the calling of an              God was his Father, he pointedly responded: ‘Search
apostle different from that of other followers of              the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
Christ? What should be our attitude today toward               and they are they which testify of me.’ (John 5:39.)
those who are members of the Council of the Twelve             “In the Lord’s preface to his Book of Commandments,
Apostles?                                                      he said: ‘Search these commandments, for they are
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises
in the reading block.                                          which are in them shall all be fulfilled.’ (D&C 1:37.)
                                                               “We are under divine instruction to ‘teach the
                                                               principles of [the] gospel, which are in the Bible and
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        the Book of Mormon.’ (D&C 42:12.) This we cannot
                                                               do unless we know what they are.” (Marion G.
                                                               Romney in CR, Apr. 1973, 117.)
(7-1) John 5:31–34. What Did Jesus Say
Concerning His Mission and the Witness Others                  (7-3) Luke 6:9. “Is It Lawful on the Sabbath Days
Bore of Him?                                                   to Do Good, or to Do Evil?”
Compare the following passages of scripture in the             “Whether at home or in church, your thoughts and
Inspired Version with John 5:31–34, 36–38 of the               your conduct should be always in harmony with the
King James Version:                                            spirit and purpose of the Sabbath. Places of
“32 Therefore if I bear witness of myself, yet my              amusement and recreation, while at proper times may
witness is true.                                               serve a needed end, are not conducive of spiritual
                                                               growth and such places will not keep you ‘unspotted


                                                          52
from the world’ but will rather deny you the ‘fullness           them and baptized.’ (John 3:22) Then He ‘breathed on
of the earth’ promised to those who comply with the              them and said unto them, receive ye the Holy
law of the Sabbath. You who make the violation of the            Ghost,’ (John 20:22) which in all likelihood was the
Sabbath a habit, by your failure to ‘keep it holy,’ are          confirmation and the commission to receive the Holy
losing a soul full of joy in return for a thimble full of        Ghost, or the baptism of the Spirit, by the laying on of
pleasure. You are giving too much attention to your              hands for that was the procedure followed thereafter
physical desires at the expense of your spiritual health.        by His disciples. . . .
The Sabbath breaker shows early the signs of his
                                                                 “The third of the remarkable spiritual experiences to
weakening in the faith by neglecting his daily family
                                                                 which the disciples were privileged is thus described
prayers, by fault-finding, by failing to pay his tithes
                                                                 by the Master, himself: ‘Ye have not chosen me but I
and his offerings, and such a one whose mind begins
                                                                 have chosen you and ordained you,—that whatsoever
to be darkened because of spiritual starvation soon
                                                                 ye should ask the Father in my name He may give it
begins also to have doubts and fears that make him
                                                                 you.’ (John 15:16) Try to imagine if you can, being
unfit for spiritual learning or advancement in
                                                                 ‘called’ by the Master and ‘ordained’ under His hands.
righteousness. These are the signs of spiritual decay
                                                                 That these ordinations resulted in an endowment of
and spiritual sickness that may only be cured by
                                                                 power from on high as well as giving authority to act
proper spiritual feeding.” (Lee, Decisions for
                                                                 officially as the Lord’s representatives, is well attested
Successful Living, pp. 147–48.)
                                                                 by the miraculous events that followed, which made of
(7-4) What Is the Distinction Between a Disciple                 them, ‘men different’ because of that divine
and an Apostle?                                                  commission.
“Discipleship is general; any follower of a man or               “Not alone were these special apostolic witnesses to
devotee to a principle may be called a disciple. The             receive and enjoy these heavenly gifts. They were
Holy Apostleship is an office and calling belonging to           commissioned to transmit them by ordinations to
the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, at once exalted            others who had received the witness of the divine
and specific, comprising as a distinguishing function            mission of the risen Lord.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr.
that of personal and special witness to the divinity of          1955, pp. 18–19.)
Jesus Christ as the one and only Redeemer and Savior
                                                                 (7-6) Luke 6:13. What Is an Apostle?
of mankind. The apostleship is an individual bestowal,
and as such is conferred only through ordination.”               One of the most important things to know about
(Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 227. Italics added.)              apostles is that they are called to be witnesses of the
                                                                 Savior. This witness may come in several ways. (See
(7-5) Matthew 10:1. From Whom Did the Twelve                     item 9-8.) Of this Elder Harold B. Lee has said:
Apostles Receive Their Special Endowment of
Power?                                                           “May I impose to bear my own testimony. I was
                                                                 visiting with one of the missionaries some years ago
“At the commencement of His ministry, the Master                 when two missionaries came to me with what seemed
chose twelve men whom he separated from the rest by              to be a very difficult question, to them. A young
the name, Apostles. These were to be special                     Methodist minister had laughed at them when they had
witnesses of the sanctity of His life, and of His divine         said that apostles were necessary today in order for the
mission, and to be responsible for transmitting to the           true church to be upon the earth. And they said the
latest posterity, a genuine account of His doctrines,            minister said: ‘Do you realize that when they met to
and principles, and ordinances essential to the                  choose one to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
salvation of the human soul. . . .                               Judas, that they said it had to be one who companied
“True servants in the Kingdom of God, when properly              with them and had been a witness of all things
authorized, received an endowment of holy power                  pertaining to the mission and resurrection of the Lord?
except for which their ministry would be as the                  How can you say you have apostles, if that be the
‘tinkling of brass and the sounding of cymbals.’ This            measure of an apostle?’ And so these young men said,
heavenly endowment to His chosen Twelve, came as a               ‘What shall we answer?’ I said to them: ‘Go back and
result of three sacred experiences. First, they were             ask your minister friend two questions. First, how did
baptized of water, maybe by John the Baptist, or                 the Apostle Paul gain what was necessary to be called
possibly as the only ones He did baptize, by the                 an apostle? He didn’t know the Lord; had no personal
Master, himself, for John records that He and His                acquaintance. He hadn’t accompanied the apostles. He
disciples were in Judea ‘and there He tarried with               hadn’t been a witness of the ministry, nor the


                                                            53
resurrection of the Lord. How did he gain his              “They are the Twelve Apostles, who are called to the
testimony sufficient to be an apostle? Now the second      office of the Traveling High Council, who are to
question you ask him: How does he know that all who        preside over the churches of the Saints, among the
are today apostles have not likewise received that         Gentiles, where there is a presidency established;
witness?’ I bear witness to you that those who hold the    and they are to travel and preach among the
apostolic calling may, and do know of the reality of       Gentiles, until the Lord shall command them to go to
the mission of the Lord.” (“Born of the Spirit,”           the Jews. They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to
Address to Seminary and Institute Faculty, 26 June         unlock the door of the Kingdom of heaven unto all
1962.)                                                     nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature.
                                                           This is the power, authority, and virtue of their
(7-7) What Do We Know About the Names of the               apostleship.” (HC, 2:200.)
Original Quorum of the Twelve?
                                                           Now read Elder Boyd K. Packer’s testimony as he
The chart on page 56 summarizes New Testament              responded to his call as a member of the Council of
statements about the names of the original twelve          the Twelve:
apostles. (Except where noted, this information is
taken from Matthew 10:1–4, Mark 3:16–19, Luke              “I have heard one of my brethren declare: ‘I know
6:14–16, Acts 1:13, and John 21:2.)                        from experiences, too sacred to relate, that Jesus is
                                                           the Christ.’
POINTS TO PONDER                                           “I have heard another testify: ‘I know that God lives;
                                                           I know that the Lord lives. And more than that, I
THE SPECIAL CALLING OF MEMBERS OF                          know the Lord.’
THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE
                                                           “It was not their words that held the meaning or the
                                                           power. It was the Spirit. ‘. . . for when a man
What is the special calling of an apostle? Read the        speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of
following scriptures and carefully think about the         the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the
words or phrases that describe the calling of an           children of men.’ (2 Ne. 33:1.)
apostle:
                                                           “I have come to know that the witness does not come
Acts 1:18. What is the significance of the phrases         by seeking after signs. It comes through fasting and
“witnesses unto me,” and “unto the uttermost parts         prayer, through activity and testing and obedience. It
of the earth”?                                             comes through sustaining the servants of the Lord
Matthew 28:18–20. What command is here given to            and following them. . . .
apostles?                                                  “Now, I wonder with you why one such as I should
D&C 112:1–7. To whom are the Twelve to bear                be called to the holy apostleship. There are so many
witness?                                                   qualifications that I lack. There is so much in my
                                                           effort to serve that is wanting. As I have pondered on
D&C 112:16–19. What keys do the Twelve have, and           it, I have come to only one single thing, one
what doors can they unlock?                                qualification in which there may be cause, and that
D&C 107:23, 24, 33–35, 58. What special calling            is, I have that witness.
sets the apostles apart from all other church              “I declare to you that I know that Jesus is the Christ.
callings?                                                  I know that he lives. He was born in the meridian of
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained the important           time. He taught his gospel, was tried, was crucified.
calling of an apostle by asking a question and then        He rose on the third day. He was the first fruits of the
giving the answer:                                         resurrection. He has a body of flesh and bone. Of this
                                                           I bear testimony.” (CR, Apr. 1971, pp. 123–25.)
“. . . What importance is there attached to the calling
of these Twelve Apostles, different from the other
callings or officers of the Church? . . .




                                                          54
APOSTLES ARE CHOSEN BY THE LORD                                 was called by direct revelation of God. I am a witness
                                                                to that fact.’” (Smith and Stewart, The Life of Joseph
Now that you have reviewed briefly the calling of an            Fielding Smith, pp. 174, 177.)
apostle, perhaps you have wondered how a man is
called to such a high and holy calling. Review Luke             THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE COUNCIL OF
6:12, 13. Why did Jesus spend all night in prayer and           THE TWELVE WILL BE BLESSED AND
meditation before calling the Twelve? Is this same              SUSTAINED BY THE LORD
process used in calling an apostle today?
                                                                (7-9) The Lord Guides His Saints Through the
(7-8) Apostles Are Called by Revelation                         First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve

An example which illustrates how apostles are called            “May I now say—very plainly and very
today is taken from the life of President Joseph                emphatically—that we have the holy priesthood and
Fielding Smith:                                                 that the keys of the kingdom of God are here. They are
                                                                found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
“For an hour or more the Church Presidency and                  day Saints. . . .
Council of Twelve Apostles, meeting in the Salt Lake
Temple in April, 1910, had discussed various men as             “Now, brethren, I think there is one thing which we
possibilities to fill the vacancy in the council                should have exceedingly clear in our minds. Neither
occasioned by the death of President John R. Winder             the President of the Church, nor the First Presidency,
on March 27, and the subsequent advancement of                  nor the united voice of the First Presidency and the
Apostle John Henry Smith to the presidency. But to              Twelve will ever lead the Saints astray or send forth
every name suggested there was some exception                   counsel to the world that is contrary to the mind and
taken. It seemed impossible to reach any unanimity of           will of the Lord.” (Joseph Fielding Smith in CR, Apr.
feeling in the matter. Finally President Joseph F.              1972, p. 99.)
Smith retired to a room by himself and knelt in prayer
for guidance. When he returned he somewhat                  Since each of the special witnesses of the Lord is
hesitantly asked the 13 other brethren whether they         chosen for his high post by divine revelation, in much
would be willing to consider his son Joseph Fielding        the same way that Jesus chose those in his day, what
Smith Jr. for the position. He was reluctant to suggest     should be our attitude toward such men? How well
it, he said, because . . . Church members, he feared,       do you personally accept them in their appointed
would be disgruntled to have another of his sons            posts?
appointed as a general authority. Nevertheless he felt      Do you sustain them in word and action, or do you at
inspired to offer Joseph’s name for their consideration.    times criticize and find fault with their counsel?
The other men seemed immediately receptive to the
suggestion and sustained President Smith in it. . . .       Would the Lord approve of the way in which you
                                                            honor them?
Years later Heber J. Grant, who by then was president
of the Church and who was present in the council            Read Acts 2:42. How steadfast are you in the
meeting in the temple the day Joseph was chosen in          apostles’ doctrine?
1910, assured a group of the correctness of the             What blessings come to you because the Lord has set
decision: It was at a Smith family reunion. President       apostles in the Church? (See Ephesians 4:11–14.)
Grant pointed to Joseph Fielding and said, ‘That man




                                                           55
  GIVEN NAME      ALTERNATE NAMES OR SPECIAL                                  FAMILY FACTS
                          MEANINGS
Simon           Given a special name by Jesus: Cephas             He was the son of a man named Jonah and
                (Syriac) or Petros (Greek) which means            brother to Andrew. (Matthew 16:17; John
                “stone or rock.” See John 1:42.                   1:42)
James           James is an English form of the Hebrew            Son of Zebedee and brother of John.
                Jacob. The Hebrew means “supplanter.” He          (Matthew 4:21)
                and his brother John were called Boanerges,
                meaning “sons of thunder.”
John            The name means “Jehovah is gracious,” from Son of Zebedee and brother of James.
                the Hebrew Johanan.                        (Matthew 4:21)
Andrew          The name means “manly.”                           Son of Jonah and brother of Simon Peter.
                                                                  (Matthew 4:18)
Philip          The name comes from the Greek and means           He may have been a Jewish-Greek as he
                “lover of horses.”                                was approached by the Greeks in John
                                                                  12:21.
Nathanael       Nathanael means “gift of God,” and is from        He was likely the son of a man named
(Bartholomew)   the Hebrew.                                       Tholomew.
Thomas          He is also called Didymus, from the Greek,        Didymus may have been his surname.
                meaning “twin.” See John 11:16; 20:24.
Matthew         A Hebrew word meaning “gift of Jehovah”;          He was the son of Alphaeus. (Mark 2:14)
                he was also called “Levi” and “the Publi-         Brother of James the less.
                can.”
James           Called “the less” to distinguish him from         He was the son of Alphaeus and brother of
                James above.                                      Matthew.
Jude            This is the Hebrew form of the Greek Judas.
                He is also called “not Iscariot” to distinguish
                him from the traitor Judas (John 14:22), Leb-
                baeus (Arabic for “root”), and Thaddaeus
                (Hebrew root for “heart”).
Simon           Called “the Canaanite” (Matthew 10:4) and         He probably had been a member of the He-
                “the Zealot” (Luke 6:15). The Hebrew word         brew group which advocated fierce alle-
                for zealots was Kananim. This would explain       giance to Israel and violent overthrow of
                the title “Canaanite.”                            Roman domination.
Judas           Called Iscariot, probably because he was          He was the son of Simon. (John 6:71;
                from the village of Kerioth (Joshua 15:24).       12:4).




                                                  56
                            8
                “BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT”
                                 PERFECT”




          THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                        Matthew   Mark          Luke   John

Place and Audience                                  5:1, 2*             6:17–19

Beatitudes                                          5:3–12*             6:20–26

Obligation of Discipleship                          5:13–16*

Righteousness of Christ’s Disciples to Exceed the   5:17–20*
Righteousness of Pharisees
The Law of Moses Fulfilled by the Law of Christ     5:21–48*            6:27–36

Almsgiving                                          6:1–4*

Prayer                                              6:5–13*

Forgiving Others                                    6:14, 15*

Fasting                                             6:16–18*

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven                          6:19–23*

Ye Cannot Serve Two Masters                         6:24*

Special Instructions to the Twelve                  6:25–34*

Judge Righteous Judgment                            7:1–6               6:37–42

Earnestness of Prayer                               7:7–11*

Golden Rule                                         7:12*               6:31

Two Gates and Two Ways                              7:13, 14*

Final Test of Character                             7:15–27*            6:43–49

Effects of the Sermon                               7:28, 29*

*Indicates emphasis


                                                            57
THEME                                                          (8-2) Clarifications Concerning the Sermon on the
                                                               Mount
Perfection is an ultimate goal that can be achieved as
we draw upon the power of Christ.                              “One of the problems which sectarian gospel
                                                               harmonists cannot resolve with certainty is whether
INTRODUCTION                                                   Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount and
                                                               Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Plain are records
Perfection is a word that causes different reactions           of the same or of different sermons. It is clear that the
from many people. Some people say, “Perfection?                Sermon on the Plain, as given by Luke, was delivered
Why, that is impossible!” Others say, “Perfection? I           immediately following the selection and ordination of
get discouraged just thinking about it!”                       the Twelve. Those who maintain that two different
Yet, would the Lord give us a commandment that was             sermons are involved assert that Matthew is
impossible for us to keep? And when he gives a                 recounting an occurrence prior to the call of the
commandment, doesn’t he, as Nephi said, prepare a              Twelve, and also that he is assembling from many
way for us to accomplish what he commands? The                 different sermons some of Jesus’ greatest ethical
Sermon on the Mount is the Lord’s blueprint for                teachings, so that by presenting them as one
perfection. Of this sermon Elder Harold B. Lee said:           continuous sermon a better concept of our Lord’s
                                                               teachings may be had.
“Christ came not only into the world to make an
atonement for the sins of mankind but to set an                “Actually Matthew does not tell of the call and
example before the world of the standard of                    ordination of the Twelve. He merely names them
perfection of God’s law and of obedience to the                when he records the instructions which Jesus gave at
Father. In his Sermon on the Mount the Master has              the time they were sent forth to preach and heal the
given us somewhat of a revelation of his own                   sick. (Matt. 10.) Further, with some major additions,
character, which was perfect, or what might be said            corrections, and improvements, the Sermon on the
to be ‘an autobiography, every syllable of which he            Mount as preserved by Matthew was given over again
had written down in deeds,’ and in so doing has                by Christ to the Nephites (3 Ne. 12; 13; 14), showing
given us a blueprint for our own lives.” (Decisions            that the material recorded in Matt. 5; 6; 7 is all one
for Successful Living, pp. 55–56.)                             continuous discourse. The Nephite version was given
                                                               after the call of the Nephite Twelve, and portions of
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          the sermon are addressed expressly to those apostolic
in the reading block.                                          ministers rather than to the multitude in general.
                                                               (3 Ne. 13:25.) In Matthew’s account, as found in the
                                                               Inspired Version, the Prophet adds a considerable
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        amount of material that applies to those called to the
                                                               Twelve rather than to people in general. (I.V. Matt.
(8-1) To Whom Was the Sermon Given?                            5:3–4; 6:25–27; 7:6–17.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
                                                               1:213–14.)
It was given to members of Christ’s church. In the
opening verses of a parallel sermon delivered to the           (8-3) Matthew 5:29, 30. “If Thy Right Hand Offend
Nephites in America, the Lord is clearly addressing            Thee, Cut It Off”
this sermon to members of the church. Cross-reference
                                                               “. . . When the Lord spoke of parts of the body, it is
Matthew 5:1 with 3 Nephi 12:1–3.
                                                               evident that he had in mind close friends or relatives
As you study this sermon, you should remember that             who endeavored to lead us from the path of rectitude
“some portions of this comprehensive address were              and humble obedience to the divine commandments
expressly directed to the disciples, who had been or           we receive from the Lord.
would be called to the apostleship and in consequence
                                                               “If any friend or relative endeavors to lead a person
be required to renounce all their worldly interests for
                                                               away from the commandments, it is better to dispense
the labors of the ministry; other parts were and are of
                                                               with his friendship and association rather than to
general application.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
                                                               follow him in evil practices to destruction. This use of
p. 230. Italics added.)




                                                          58
comparison or illustration was as common in ancient             will find these same attributes restored to them again
days as it is in the present age. We should not, in             in immortality. (Alma 41:13–15.) ‘Whatever principle
reading these ancient expressions in the New                    of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise
Testament, take such a statement as this referred to in         with us in the resurrection.’ (D&C 130:18.) The
the words of the Savior recorded by Mark in the literal         greatest treasure it is possible to inherit in heaven
interpretation. When properly understood it becomes a           consists in gaining the continuation of the family unit
very impressive figure of speech.” (Smith, Answers to           in the highest heaven of the celestial world.”
Gospel Questions, 5:79.)                                        (McConkie, DNTC, 1:239–40.)
(8-4) Matthew 6:1–4. How Can One Give Alms in                   (8-7) Matthew 6:24. What Is Mammon?
Righteousness?
                                                                “Mammon is an Aramaic word for riches. Thus Jesus
“Almsgiving is the contribution of free gifts to relieve        is saying, ‘Ye cannot serve God and riches, or
the poor; the spirit that attends such a course is of           worldliness, which always results from the love of
God and finds its highest manifestation in the                  money.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:240.)
organized charitable enterprises of his earthly
kingdom. . . . In modern times the major portion of the         (8-8) Matthew 6:25–34. Should Members of the
almsgiving of the saints is administered through the            Church Really Take No Thought for Temporal
great Church Welfare Plan.” (McConkie, Mormon                   Concerns?
Doctrine, pp. 30–31.)                                           “This portion of the Sermon on the Mount was
                                                                delivered to the apostles and such of the disciples as
(8-5) Matthew 6:5–15. How Does One Pray in
                                                                were called to forsake their temporal pursuits and
Secret?
                                                                carry the message of salvation to the world. There is
“. . . go where you can be alone, go where you can              not now and never has been a call to the saints
think, go where you can kneel, go where you can                 generally to ‘sell that ye have’ (Luke 12:33), give alms
speak out loud to him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or            to the poor, and then to take no thought for the
the closet will do. Now, picture him in your mind’s             temporal needs of the present or future. Rather, as part
eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your               of their mortal probation, the true followers of the
thoughts—don’t let them wander, address him as your             Master are expected by him to provide for themselves
Father and your friend. Now tell him things you really          and their families. (D&C 75.)
feel to tell him—not trite phrases that have little
                                                                “However, a special rule applies to those who are
meaning, but have a sincere, heartfelt conversation
                                                                called to go into the world without purse or scrip and
with him. Confide in him, ask him for forgiveness,
                                                                preach the gospel. For the time and season of their
plead with him, enjoy him, thank him, express your
                                                                missionary service they are to have no concern about
love to him, and then listen for his answers. Listening
                                                                business enterprises or temporal pursuits. They are to
is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord
                                                                be free of the encumbering obligations that always
come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his
                                                                attend those who manage temporal affairs. Their
answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening
                                                                whole attention and all of their strength and talents are
so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most
                                                                to be centered on the work of the ministry, and they
answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm
                                                                have the Father’s promise that he will look after their
comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts
                                                                daily needs.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:243.)
to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and
who are patient.” (H. Burke Peterson, “Adversity and            (8-9) Matthew 7:1. Must True Disciples Follow the
Prayer,” Ensign, Jan. 1974, p. 19.)                             Injunction “Judge Not”?
(8-6) Matthew 6:19–23. What Are Treasures in                    The element of judging and discerning is a necessary
Heaven?                                                         part of life. Joseph Smith’s inspired revision of the
                                                                Bible provides some guidelines in this regard.
“Treasures in heaven are the character, perfections,
and attributes which men acquire by obedience to law.           “Now these are the words which Jesus taught his
Thus, those who gain such attributes of godliness as            disciples that they should say unto the people.
knowledge, faith, justice, judgment, mercy, and truth,




                                                           59
“Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but             POINTS TO PONDER
judge righteous judgment.” (Matthew 7:1, 2, Inspired
Version.)                                                        THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR LATTER-DAY
See also Luke 6:37.                                              SAINTS IS TO BECOME LIKE GOD THE
                                                                 FATHER
Some forms of judgment, however, must be rendered
only by the Lord. President N. Eldon Tanner, using
                                                             Have you given much thought as to what your
the calling of David (1 Samuel 16:7) as an example,
                                                             ultimate goal is? How does it make you feel when you
said:
                                                             read these words of Jesus: “Be ye therefore perfect,
“The reason, therefore, that we cannot judge is              even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”?
obvious. We cannot see what is in the heart. We do           (Matthew 5:48.) Your divine potential is to become
not know motives, although we impute motives to              like your Father in heaven, perfect and without sin.
every action we see. They may be pure while we think
they are improper.
                                                             (8-11) The Doctrine of Becoming like God Has
“It is not possible to judge another fairly unless you       Been Taught by Prophets
know his desires, his faith, and his goals. Because of a
                                                             “We have been promised by the Lord that if we know
different environment, unequal opportunity, and many
                                                             how to worship, and know what we worship, we may
other things, people are not in the same position. One
                                                             come unto the Father in his name, and in due time
may start at the top and the other at the bottom, and
                                                             receive of his fulness. We have the promise that if we
they may meet as they are going in opposite
                                                             keep his commandments, we shall receive of his
directions. Someone has said that it is not where you
                                                             fulness and be glorified in him as he is in the Father.
are but the direction in which you are going that
                                                             [See D&C 93:11–20, 26–28.]
counts; not how close you are to failure or success but
which way you are headed. How can we, with all our           “This is a doctrine which delighted President Snow, as
weaknesses and frailties, dare to arrogate to ourselves      it does all of us. Early in his ministry he received by
the position of a judge? At best, man can judge only         direct, personal revelation the knowledge that (in the
what he sees; he cannot judge the heart or the               Prophet Joseph Smith’s language), ‘God himself was
intention, or begin to judge the potential of his            once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits
neighbor.                                                    enthroned in yonder heavens,’ and that men ‘have got
                                                             to learn how to be Gods . . . the same as all Gods have
“When we try to judge people, which we should not
                                                             done before. . . .’ [Teachings, pp. 345–46.]
do, we have a great tendency to look for and take pride
in finding weaknesses and faults, such as vanity,            “After this doctrine had been taught by the Prophet,
dishonesty, immorality, and intrigue. As a result, we        President Snow felt free to teach it also, and he
see only the worst side of those being judged.”              summarized it in one of the best known couplets in the
(“Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged,” Ensign, July            Church in these words:
1972, p. 35.)
                                                             “‘As man now is, God once was;
(8-10) Matthew 7:13, 14. “Enter Ye in at the Strait          As God now is, man may be.’”
Gate.”                                                       (Address by Joseph Fielding Smith at Snow College,
“The course leading to eternal life is both strait and       14 May 1971, pp. 1–8.)
straight. It is straight because it has an invariable
                                                             WE CAN BEGIN THE CLIMB TO
direction—always it is the same. There are no
                                                             PERFECTION HERE AND NOW, ONE STEP AT
diversions, crooked paths, or tangents leading to the
                                                             A TIME
kingdom of God. It is strait because it is narrow and
restricted, a course where full obedience to the full law    (8-12) Perfection Is Compared to Climbing a
is required. Straightness has reference to direction,        Ladder
straitness to width. The gate is strait; the path is both
strait and straight.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine,            “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the
p. 769.)                                                     bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the
                                                             top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you




                                                            60
must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all      How can the Sermon on the Mount help you to
the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while    become as your Father in heaven? Has it occurred to
after you have passed through the veil before you will        you as you read this sermon, that Jesus is actually
have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in        describing the qualities of an exalted person? With
this world; it will be a great work to learn our              this in mind, the Beatitudes become steps of
salvation and exaltation even beyond the                      perfection that enable us to truly love God and our
grave.” (Smith, HC, 6:306–7.)                                 fellowmen. Study the following commentaries on the
                                                              Beatitudes:
(8-13) Faithfulness to the Commandments Is the
Key to Growth                                                 Turning from the love of the world to the Love of God
“How can the saints receive of his fulness and be             1. Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
equal with the Lord and not be as he is, that is, gods?           “To be poor in spirit is to feel yourselves as the
“The Father has promised through the Son that all that            spiritually needy, ever dependent upon the Lord
he has shall be given to those who are obedient to his            for your clothes, and your food and the air you
commandments. They shall increase in knowledge,                   breathe, your health, your life; realizing that no
wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until               day should pass without fervent prayer of
the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them.             thanksgiving, for guidance and forgiveness and
They shall, through the glory and blessing of the                 strength sufficient for each day’s need.”
Almighty, become creators. All power, and dominion,           2. Blessed Are They That Mourn
and might shall be given to them, and they shall be the
only ones upon whom this great blessing shall be                  “To mourn, as the Master’s lesson here would
bestowed. . . .” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:36.)           teach, one must show that ‘godly sorrow that
                                                                  worketh repentance’ and wins for the penitent a
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT TEACHES US                                forgiveness of sins and forbids a return to the
WHAT WE MUST DO IN ORDER TO DRAW                                  deeds of which he mourns.”
UPON THE POWER OF CHRIST IN OUR
                                                              3. Blessed Are the Meek
QUEST FOR PERFECTION
                                                                  “A meek man is defined as one who is not easily
(8-14) The Sermon on the Mount Is Our                             provoked or irritated and forbearing under injury
Constitution for Perfection                                       or annoyance. Meekness is not synonymous with
“In that matchless Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has                 weakness. The meek man is the strong, the
given us eight distinct ways by which we might                    mighty, the man of complete self-mastery. He is
receive this kind of joy. Each of his declarations is             the one who has the courage of his moral
begun by the word ‘Blessed.’ Blessedness is defined               convictions, despite the pressure of the gang or
as being higher than happiness. ‘Happiness comes                  the club.”
from without and is dependent on circumstances;               4. Blessed Are They That Hunger and Thirst
blessedness is an inward fountain of joy in the soul             After Righteousness
itself, which no outward circumstances can seriously
affect.’ (Dummelow’s Commentary) These                            “Did you ever hunger for food or thirst for water
declarations of the Master are known in the literature            when just a crust of stale bread or a sip of tepid
of the Christian world as the Beatitudes and have been            water to ease the pangs that distressed you seem
referred to by Bible commentators as the preparation              to be the most prized of all possessions? If you
necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.                have so hungered then you may begin to
For the purposes of this discussion may I speak of                understand how the Master meant we should
them as something more than that as they are                      hunger and thirst after righteousness. It’s that
applied to you and me. They embody in fact THE                    hungering and thirsting that leads those away
CONSTITUTION FOR A PERFECT LIFE.” (Lee,                           from home to seek fellowship with saints in
Decisions for Successful Living, p. 56.)                          sacrament services and that induces worship on
                                                                  the Lord’s Day wherever we are. It is that which
                                                                  prompts fervent prayer and leads our feet to holy
                                                                  temples and bids us be reverent therein.”




                                                             61
Learning to love our fellowmen                                 building of a full rich life. ‘Peace and goodwill to
                                                               men on earth’ was the angel song that heralded
5. Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
                                                               the birth of the Prince of Peace.”
   “If you would see God, you must be pure. There
                                                           8. Blessed Are They Which Are Persecuted
   is in Jewish writings the story of a man who saw
   an object in the distance, an object that he                “May youth everywhere remember that warning
   thought was a beast. As it drew nearer he could             when you are hissed and scoffed because you
   perceive it was a man and as it came still closer           refuse to compromise your standards of
   he saw it was his friend. You can see only that             abstinence, honesty and morality in order to win
   which you have eyes to see. Some of the                     the applause of the crowd. If you stand firmly for
   associates of Jesus saw him only as a son of                the right despite the jeers of the crowd or even
   Joseph the carpenter. Others thought him to be a            physical violence, you shall be crowned with the
   wine-bibber or a drunkard because of his words.             blessedness of eternal joy. Who knows but that
   Still others thought he was possessed of devils.            again in our day some of the saints or even
   Only the righteous saw him as the Son of God.               apostles, as in former days, may be required to
   Only if you are the pure in heart will you see              give their lives in defense of the truth? If that
   God, and also in a lesser degree will you be able           time should come, God grant they would not
   to see the ‘God’ or good in man and love him                fail!”
   because of the goodness you see in him. Mark
                                                           9. Continuing Efforts to Acquire the Attributes
   well that person who criticizes and maligns the
                                                              of God
   man of God or the Lord’s anointed leaders in his
   Church. Such a one speaks from an impure                (All the above quotes are taken from Lee, Decisions
   heart.”                                                 for Successful Living, pp. 56–63.)
6. Blessed Are the Merciful                                Can you see from this that the Beatitudes form the
                                                           stairway to Christ by which you can receive power
   “Our salvation rests upon the mercy we show to
                                                           from him to become like him? But remember, it takes
   others. Unkind and cruel words, or wanton acts
                                                           effort to climb this stairway. Some say it is
   of cruelty toward man or beast, even though in
                                                           impossible, but that is a false idea.
   seeming retaliation, disqualify the perpetrator in
   his claims for mercy when he has need of mercy          It was late one night when I was abruptly awakened
   in the day of judgment before earthly or heavenly       out of my sleep by a telephone call. On the other end
   tribunals. Is there one who has never been              of the line was a voice of a distraught ward member.
   wounded by the slander of another whom he               He indicated that there had been some problems in
   thought to be his friend? Do you remember the           the home and wondered if I could come over.
   struggle you had to refrain from retribution?           When I walked into Richard and Jennifer’s home, the
   Blessed are all you who are merciful for you            atmosphere was charged with tension. Richard spoke
   shall obtain mercy!”                                    first. He was nearly in tears. Jennifer wanted to leave
7. Blessed Are the Peacemakers                             him and the children. He spoke vaguely of some
                                                           problems she had had earlier during the day,
   “Peacemakers shall be called the children of God.
                                                           obviously wanting to protect her. Jennifer then
   The troublemaker, the striker against law and
                                                           interrupted, “Why don’t you quit beating around the
   order, the leader of the mob, the law-breaker are
                                                           bush, Richard. Say it. Tell him that I struck one of the
   prompted by motives of evil and unless they
                                                           children. Tell him what I’ve said to you and the
   desist will be known as the children of Satan
                                                           children! Or are you afraid what the bishop might
   rather than God. Withhold yourselves from him
                                                           think of our ‘model’ home!” Richard only looked at
   who would cause disquieting doubts by making
                                                           me.
   light of sacred things for he seeks not for peace
   but to spread confusion. That one who is                “Suppose, Jennifer, you tell me what’s wrong,” I
   quarrelsome or contentious, and whose                   said.
   arguments are for other purposes than to resolve        “I’ve had it—that what’s wrong, Bishop. I’m fed up
   the truth, is violating a fundamental principle laid    with my husband—my kids—and this house. I’m tired
   down by the Master as an essential in the




                                                          62
of the pretense of being an ideal Latter-day Saint          “‘Blessed are the meek.’ To be meek is to humble
family when we’re anything else but. I want out of          ourselves before the Lord and ask and plead for his
this situation, the sooner the better.”                     help to overcome our weakness. The Savior has also
                                                            said, ‘My grace is sufficient for the meek.’ What does
And so I listened—from 1:00 A.M. until 3:00 A.M. in
                                                            that mean? ‘If men come unto me I will show unto
the morning—to a woman who had previously
                                                            them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that
enjoyed the Spirit of the Lord but who was now filled
                                                            they be humble . . . for if they humble themselves
with vindictive, accusing feelings. It is not necessary
                                                            before me, and have faith in me, then will I make
to attempt to recreate the sordid scene, nor the events
                                                            weak things become strong unto them.’ [Ether
of that day or days previous which brought about this
                                                            12:26–27.]
nightmare. It is sufficient to say that the Spirit which
had once attended this sister was now gone. All             “‘Now, Jennifer, you have discovered a weakness in
feelings of refinement, sensitivity, kindness,              your character that is preventing you from having the
congeniality, and charity had disappeared. In their         Spirit of the Lord. Don’t you desire the blessings that
place were accusation, coarseness, abusiveness, and         will enable you to overcome your weaknesses? Don’t
hatred. I prayed inwardly for the wisdom beyond my          you desire that joy and happiness that has been
natural ability to help.                                    absent from your life during these past months?
When she had finished her tirade, she said defiantly:       “‘Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after
“Now I suppose, Bishop, that you’re going to try to         righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy
dissuade me from leaving Richard.”                          Ghost.’ That’s the blessing you need so desperately,
                                                            Jennifer! Now let’s consider the rest of the Savior’s
“No, Jennifer, it appears to me that you have already
                                                            beatitudes.
made up your mind about what you’re going to do.
Neither I nor anyone else could dissuade you. So            “Do you want to be more kind? ‘Blessed are the
perhaps the thing for you to do is to leave.” I paused      merciful.’
and then added, “But, Jennifer, I want you know
                                                            “Do you really desire to overcome hypocrisy?
before I leave here tonight that there is a way out of
                                                            ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’
your misery if you’re willing to try.” Though she
didn’t say anything, her eyes pled for help.                “Do you want peace in your own home? ‘Blessed are
                                                            the peacemakers.’
“Do you remember what the Savior taught those who
sought to be his disciples? You have probably read          “And then there is the teaching about being able to
or heard some of these teachings many times. You            bear persecution. But what about bearing up against
remember as a girl in Sunday School how you were            stress and persecutions of the adversary in your own
asked to memorize the teachings of Jesus called the         home?
Beatitudes. Tonight as you were talking I couldn’t          “The point is, Jennifer, if you really want these
help but think that they must apply here.                   attributes, they are available to you as you ‘hunger
“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit.’ The first step,          and thirst’ after them. This is the righteousness the
Jennifer, is to realize that you have need for the          Savior is referring to—these are the blessings that
Lord’s help. The Book of Mormon states: ‘Blessed            come as one is filled with the Holy Ghost. By
are the poor in spirit who come unto me.’ This is the       recognizing your need to depend daily, even hourly,
way you can solve this problem—by coming to the             upon the Lord, by fasting and prayer you can
Lord for help. But how can you come unto him?               overcome this problem that is now leading you to
                                                            such misery. Here is the Savior’s promise to you:
“‘Blessed are they that mourn.’ We come unto the
Savior by manifesting a broken heart and a contrite         “. . . remember, remember that it is upon the rock of
spirit. In other words, we mourn about the condition        our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye
which prevents us from becoming his friend and              must build your foundation; that when the devil shall
having his Spirit with us always. I’m not talking           send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the
about self-pity, Jennifer. I’m talking about the kind of    whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty
sorrow that purges ugly feelings and desires from the       storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power
heart. The Savior then tells us how we may overcome         over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and
this depression and despair that is such a burden for       endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are
you right now.                                              built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation



                                                           63
whereon if men build they cannot fall.’ [Helaman            has not been easy; in fact, it has been an intense
5:12.]                                                      struggle. Gradually, however, by applying the
                                                            principles of the Savior on a daily basis, she has
I then bore testimony to her of the truthfulness of
                                                            found a strength she did not previously know.
these principles. Her tears, the first indication of the
spirit of repentance, told me she also knew them to be      (Based on a true experience.)
true. There was a way out. There was a hope.
                                                            As with Jennifer, you may find your weaknesses and
Perhaps for the first time in her life, she began to
                                                            problems difficult to overcome. But could you feel
sense how the gospel becomes a power to solve our
                                                            justified before God if you failed to make the effort to
problems, to refine our natures, and to help us
                                                            climb the stairway to perfection? Can you see that it
become more Christlike in our disposition.
                                                            is possible for you to progress a step at a time toward
Before leaving that night we knelt in prayer together.      your ultimate goal of perfection?
As we arose from our knees, I knew that Jennifer
                                                            Now you might wish to review the remainder of the
would not be leaving her husband or her home.
                                                            Sermon on the Mount, asking yourself this question:
It has been seven years since the incident of that          How can I apply the qualities suggested by Jesus that
evening. Jennifer and Richard have added three more         will help me to grow toward perfection?
children to their family. Overcoming her problems




                                                           64
                9
  “WHOSOEVER SHALL DO THE WILL OF
           THE FATHER”




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                 Matthew               Mark             Luke            John

Capernaum, Galilee                      8:5–13                                7:1–10
 Centurion’s Servant Healed
Nain, Galilee                                                                 7:11–17
 Son of Widow Raised
Galilee                                 11:2–24, 28–30                        7:18–35
 John Sends Investigators
 Woman Anoints Jesus in Simon’s House                                         7:36–50

 Another Tour Through Galilee                                                 8:1–3

Capernaum, Galilee                      12:22–37            3:22–30
 Statement on Beelzebub
 Discourse on Signs and Testimony       12:38–45

 His Mother and Brethren Seek Him       12:46–50            3:31–35           8:19–21

THEME                                                    INTRODUCTION
Through obedience to the commandments, we choose         “And he stretched forth his hand toward his
Christ as our Father and become his sons and his         disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my
daughters.                                               brethren!



                                                    65
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which             seems consistent with John’s sure knowledge of the
is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and           Redeemer, his known testimony to his disciples, and
mother.” (Matthew 12:49, 50.)                                   the natural reluctance of his disciples to leave him.
Have you considered the fact that you can become a              “Perhaps a point should be made here that there was
member of Christ’s family and become a joint heir               not an antagonism between Jesus and John. A man did
with him of all that our Heavenly Father has? How               not have to utterly forsake and reject John in order to
can you become his son or daughter?                             accept Jesus. But Jesus was the Son of God, and John
                                                                was his prophet. There is no equal comparison
In this lesson you will walk with Jesus as he heals the
                                                                between the two, and John did not want any mistaken
sick, raises the dead, and discourses on Satan. You
                                                                notions among his own associates about the relative
will also read his teachings on how you can enter
                                                                stations of himself and his Master.” (Matthews, A
into a family relationship with him.
                                                                Burning Light: The Life and Ministry of John the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references           Baptist, p. 92.)
in the reading block.
                                                                (9-2) Matthew 11:11. No Greater Prophet than
                                                                John the Baptist
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                         “How is it that John was considered one of the greatest
                                                                prophets? His miracles could not have constituted his
(9-1) Matthew 11:2, 3. Did John Doubt That Jesus                greatness.
Was the Messiah?                                                “First. He was entrusted with a divine mission of
“The question often arises why John would send his              preparing the way before the face of the Lord.
disciples to ask such a question of Jesus. Many have            Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or
wondered if it was possible that John himself was not           since? No man.
sure of Christ’s identity and divine calling. However,          “Secondly. He was entrusted with the important
we must remember that John’s last recorded testimony            mission, and it was required at his hands, to baptize
was to his disciples when they were concerned about             the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that?
the growing popularity of Jesus. John reminded them             Whoever had so great a privilege and glory?
that he himself was not the Messiah, and that they
should leave him and follow Jesus. That was several             “Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal
months prior to the present event under discussion. It          administrator in the affairs of the kingdom there was
appears that one of the difficulties experienced by             then on the earth, and holding the keys of power. The
John was successfully persuading his disciples to               Jews had to obey his instructions or be damned, by
forsake him and become the disciples of Jesus Christ,           their own law; and Christ Himself fulfilled all
of whom he had borne witness. Now, months after the             righteousness in becoming obedient to the law which
baptism of Jesus and after John’s repeated efforts to           he had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby
persuade them, John found some of his disciples still           magnified it and made it honorable, instead of
reluctant to detach themselves from him and to follow           destroying it. The son of Zacharias wrested the keys,
their true Master. It seems most consistent to identify         the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, by
John’s motive in sending the two disciples to Jesus as          the holy anointing and decree of heaven, and these
one of persuasion for them, rather than of reassurance          three reasons constitute him the greatest prophet born
for himself. The question they were to put to Jesus was         of a woman.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 275–76.)
for their edification, not for his own. John knew, as no
one else knew, who Jesus was, and he had known it               (9-3) Matthew 11:11. Who Was Considered to Be
for a long time. He had had revelation from heaven to           “Least in the Kingdom”?
this effect: he had seen with his eyes, he had heard            “Whom did Jesus have reference to as being the least?
with his ears, and he had the testimony of the Holy             Jesus was looked upon as having the least claim in
Ghost. He even had received the ministry of angels              God’s kingdom, and [seemingly] was least entitled to
while in the prison. The most satisfactory answer               their credulity as a prophet; as though He had said—
seems to be that John sent his disciples to question            ‘He that is considered the least among you is greater
Jesus about his identity so that they themselves would          than John—that is I myself.’” (Smith, Teachings,
at long last realize the truth of what John had been            p. 276.)
testifying for these many months. This approach


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(9-4) Matthew 11:20–24. Is There Such a Place as                 in all things. On the one hand was Jesus preaching the
Hell?                                                            way of life; on the other were the Scribes and the
                                                                 Pharisees who fought him at every step. Then there
“The Church does teach that there is a place called
                                                                 were the indifferent ones. Can we say that they were
hell. Of course we do not believe that all those who do
                                                                 for the Lord or against him, or were they merely, as
not receive the gospel will eventually be cast into hell.
                                                                 we say, indifferent? I call to your mind that the
We do not believe that hell is a place where the
                                                                 indifferent ones did not keep the commandments, and
wicked are being burned forever. The Lord has
                                                                 by their indifference they encouraged others to be
prepared a place, however, for all those who are to be
                                                                 indifferent, and as the others became indifferent, they
eternally punished for the violation of his laws. . . .
                                                                 also refused to obey the commandments of the Lord
“A place where those who cannot be redeemed and                  their God.
who are called sons of Perdition will go into outer
                                                                 “These indifferent ones built up a barrier against the
darkness. This is the real hell where those who once
                                                                 Christ, and as they spread the example of disobedience
knew the truth and had the testimony of it and then
                                                                 they became a hindrance to him in his work, and for
turned away and blasphemed the name of Jesus Christ,
                                                                 that reason the Lord said:
will go. These are they who have sinned against the
Holy Ghost. For them there is no forgiveness, and the            “He that is not with me is against me: and he
Lord said he had prepared a place for them. (D&C                 that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
76:31–37; 88:32–33.)                                             (Matt. 12:30.)” (Mark E. Petersen in CR, Apr. 1945,
                                                                 pp. 41–42.)
“All those who enter the telestial kingdom, which will
be a place, as each of these kingdoms will be, will be           (9-6) Matthew 12:31. What Is the Condition for
punished for their sins. Satan for a time will have              Forgiveness?
dominion over them until they have paid the price of
their sinning, before they can enter into that telestial         “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and
kingdom.                                                         blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men who receive me
                                                                 and repent; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,
“This earth will become a celestial kingdom when it is           it shall not be forgiven unto men.” (Matthew 12:26,
sanctified. Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom              Inspired Version.)
will have to go to some other sphere which will be
prepared for them. Those who enter the telestial                 (9-7) Matthew 12:31. What Is the Sin Against the
kingdom, likewise will have to go to some earth which            Holy Ghost?
is prepared for them, and there will be another place            To sin against the Holy Ghost, a person must reject
which is hell where the devil and those who are                  knowledge that he has received from the Holy Ghost.
punished to go with him will dwell. Of course, those             As the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote: “He has got to say
who enter the telestial kingdom, and those who enter             that the sun does not shine while he sees
the terrestrial kingdom will have the eternal                    it. . . .” (Teachings, p. 358.) Elder Joseph Fielding
punishment which will come to them in knowing that               Smith wrote the following statement about the
they might, if they had kept the commandments of the             certainty of knowledge revealed by the Spirit and the
Lord, have returned to his presence as his sons and his          seriousness of denying it:
daughters. This will be a torment to them, and in that
sense it will be hell.” (Smith, Answers to Gospel                “The testimony of the Spirit is so great, and the
Questions, 2:208–10.)                                            impressions and revelations of divine truth so
                                                                 forcefully revealed that there comes to the recipient a
(9-5) Matthew 12:30. “He That Is Not with Me Is                  conviction of the truth that he cannot forget.
Against Me”                                                      Therefore, when a person once enlightened by the
“As he went about in his ministry, Jesus was met with            Spirit so that he receives knowledge that Jesus Christ
varied reactions. There were some who gladly                     is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh, then
accepted him, followed him wherever he went and                  turns away and fights the Lord and his work, he does
tried to live his teachings. There were some who were            so against the light and testimony he has received by
indifferent, and then there were others who openly               the power of God. Therefore, he has resigned himself
opposed him. So the people of that day had before                to evil knowingly. Therefore Jesus said there is no
them a clear working example of the law of opposition            forgiveness for such a person.




                                                            67
“The testimony of the Holy Ghost is the strongest           Commenting on this, Elder Bruce R. McConkie has
testimony that a man can receive.” (Smith, Answers to       said:
Gospel Questions, 4:92.)
                                                            “Sectarian commentators, almost universally, have
(9-8) Matthew 12:32. What Is the Difference                 assumed that by exorcism, magic, or incantation of
Between Rejecting Jesus and Denying the Holy                some sort the false religionists of Christ’s day were
Ghost?                                                      able to cast out devils. With nothing but the King
                                                            James Version before them it should be evident that
“A man who has not received the gift of the Holy            this conclusion is absurd and illogical, for the whole
Ghost and therefore who has never ‘tasted of the            tenor of this passage is that Satan cannot cast out
heavenly gift,’ may be guilty of blasphemy against          Satan. But from the Inspired Version we learn that
Jesus Christ and be forgiven on his repentance, but so      those others of the Jews who were casting out devils
great is the testimony through the gift of the Holy         were persons who had gained the Spirit of God, that
Ghost, should he turn against the Lord and fight his        is they had been baptized, were members of the
work, there is no forgiveness. The shedding of              Church, held the priesthood, and were walking
innocent blood is not confined to taking lives of the       uprightly and faithfully before the Father. False
innocent, but is also included in seeking to destroy the    ministers have not, do not, will not, and cannot cast
word of God, and putting Christ to open shame. Those        out devils.” (DNTC, 1:269.)
who have known the truth and then fight against the
authorized servants of Jesus Christ also fight against      Third: Review Matthew 12:33–35. What is he asking
him, for they who fight against his servants also do it     of the Pharisees?
unto him, and thus are guilty of his blood.” (Smith,        “‘Be consistent, you Pharisees; make the tree good
Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:63–64.)                      or bad, if it is good to cast out devils, and I cast them
                                                            out, then my work is good, for a tree is known by its
POINTS TO PONDER                                            fruits; but if I am evil, as you say, then it must be a
                                                            wicked thing to heal those possessed of evil spirits,
SATAN BECOMES THE FATHER OF THOSE                           for a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.’”
WHO REJECT JESUS CHRIST                                     (McConkie, DNTC, 1:275.)
                                                            As Jesus instructed the Pharisees as to his divinity,
You have now read the account of the Pharisees’             he was leveling an indictment at them. Later he told
blasphemous charge that Jesus cast out evil spirits by      them that by rejecting him as the true Messiah, they
the power of Satan. (See Matthew 12:24.) Jesus used         had actually accomplished what they had accused
this occasion to bear witness that he was indeed the        him of doing: Choosing the devil as their father. (See
Son of God and to further indicate that the Pharisees       John 8:44.)
were blind to his mission because they chose to serve
Satan. In his denunciation of their blasphemous
charge, Jesus used three arguments to testify of his        “Whosoever Shall Do the Will of My Father”
messiahship.                                                If you had walked from Nazareth
First: Review Matthew 12:25, 26. What is his first              Behind the older son,
argument?                                                   Would you have testified of him,
                                                                The Lord’s anointed one?
Second: Review Matthew 12:27–29. To whom was                Or would you have said to Him,
Jesus referring when he asked, “By whom do your                 “I have no need of thee,
children cast them out”? Compare this with his              “For I can walk through heaven’s gate
answer as given in the Inspired Version. (Note that             Because of family!
verse 27 in the King James Version is verse 23 in the       “Your mother is the same as mine,
Inspired Version.)                                              Our brethren, see them, three!
“But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the    “Now what can be in you divine
kingdom of God is come unto you. For they also cast             That isn’t here in me?”
out devils by the Spirit of God, for unto them is given     Proud head, bow down! For He is Lord,
power over devils, that they may cast them out.”                And perfect; without sin.




                                                           68
The man who bore, by Mary, you,                         All of these father-son relationships are vital, for if
    Was not a sire to Him.                              any one of them were omitted, progress toward
Brothers in flesh can lay no claim                      perfection would be halted.
    To have their faults forgiven,
                                                        Each of these life relationships requires basic
But must obey, as all the same,
                                                        conditions. For example, physical life requires
    To enter into heaven.
                                                        oxygen; and if oxygen is lacking, there will be no
The water, blood, and Holy Ghost
                                                        physical life.
    May purge your heart, and change,
Then you’ll not just a brother be,                      In the same way, becoming a member of the family
    But son to Him who reigns!                          of Christ (which is the ultimate and most glorious of
(Used by permission.)                                   all life relationships) involves certain conditions. And
                                                        if these conditions are not met, then the candidate
THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO THE                                cannot be a member of the family of Jesus.
COMMANDMENTS, WE CHOOSE CHRIST AS
OUR FATHER                                              What did Mary and her other sons have to do, and
                                                        what must you do, to become a member of the family
Read again Matthew 12:49, 50 and then read the          of Jesus? (See Matthew 12:49, 50.)
following, including the scriptures cited:
In the gospel sense, men have many fathers. Some of     (9-9) We Can Become Members of the Family of
these father-son relationships are listed here.         Jesus Christ
The father of the spirit body   Romans 8:16             “This [the idea that we may become members of the
The father of the physical body Hebrews 12:9            family of Christ] is a special family relationship
                                                        reserved for the faithful. It is over, above, and in
Fathers in the priesthood       “Faithful holders of    addition to the fact that all men are the spirit children
                                the Melchizedek         of the Eternal Father. . . . This is a glorious and
                                Priesthood, no          wondrous doctrine. We are the sons and daughters of
                                matter what their       the living God, the children of the great Jehovah, the
                                natural lineage,        adopted offspring of the Lord Jesus Christ. We bear
                                become by adoption      the name of Christ. We are members of his family. He
                                the sons of Moses       is our father.” (McConkie, “The Ten Commandments
                                and Aaron.              of a Peculiar People,” Speeches of the Year, 1975,
                                (D. & C. 84:6, 31–      p. 30.)
                                34.)” (McConkie,
                                Mormon Doctrine,
                                pp. 745–46.)
The Father who saves us         James 1:17, 18;
                                Mosiah 5:7




                                                       69
70
                 10
 “HE SPAKE MANY THINGS
                THINGS UNTO THEM
           IN PARABLES”




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                      Matthew                 Mark       Luke   John
           A.D. 31 to A.D. 32

Sea of Galilee                               8:18–22                            9:57–62
 Speaks of Sacrifice
 Stills Storm, ca. autumn, A.D. 31           8:23–27             4:35–41        8:22–25

Gergesa, Tetrarchy of Philip                 8:28–34; 9:1        5:1–21         8:26–40
 Legion of Devils and Return to Other Side
Capernaum, Galilee                           9:18–26             5:22–43        8:41–48
 Daughter of Jairus and the Woman with
 Issue of Blood
 Healing the Blind and Casting Out Devils    9:27–34

 Parables at the Sea of Galilee              13:1–53             4:1–34         8:4–18

 Second Rejection at Nazareth                13:54–58            6:1–6




                                                            71
THEME                                                         compassion, they were of inestimable benefit and
                                                              blessing to the suffering and diseased of the day; and
The parables of Jesus offer a special message to those
                                                              (4) Their occurrences came in accordance with the
who are spiritually in tune.
                                                              Messianic utterances of inspired men of former ages.
INTRODUCTION                                                  To King Benjamin, for instance, a holy angel in telling
                                                              of Jesus’ mortal ministry had said, he ‘shall go forth
In your reading, you have read Jesus’ description of          amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as
his great opponent, the devil, and you have heard             healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to
him speak out against sensationalist sign seekers.            walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to
You have also read of how Jesus felt about his loyal          hear, and curing all manner of diseases.’ (Mosiah
forerunner, John the Baptist, and you have learned            3:5.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:158–59.)
that all those who do the will of His Father are
members of the “family” of Jesus. Now as you go               (10-3) What Is a Key to Understanding the
through the following reading block you will be able          Parables?
to further develop your knowledge of Jesus.                   “I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I
You may be interested to learn that the three-year            enquire, what was the question which drew out the
ministry of Jesus is now at about its halfway mark.           answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable?” (Smith,
He has spent this time principally in his own                 Teachings, pp. 276–77.)
homeland, Galilee. Though disfavor has mounted
rather slowly, it has finally grown into outright             (10-4) What Single Prophetic Message Is
opposition and rejection—all of this in spite of his          Developed by the Parables in Matthew 13?
mighty works. Even the favored people of Nazareth             “I shall now proceed to make some remarks from the
had rejected, and would do so again, this Messiah             sayings of the Savior, recorded in the 13th chapter of
who had grown up in their midst.                              His Gospel according to St. Matthew, which, in my
With characteristic judgment and poise, Jesus meets           mind, afforded us as clear an understanding upon the
the antagonistic crowds of listeners with a subtle            important subject of the gathering, as anything
teaching method that conceals his message from the            recorded in the Bible.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 94.
unbelieving. He begins to teach in parables.                  Italics added.)

Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references         (Note: The gathering process, whereby the scattered
in the reading block.                                         descendants of Israel are gradually contacted in the
                                                              nations of the earth and permitted to receive all the
                                                              benefits of the gospel, is presently in progress. The
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       keys to pursue and complete this great project were
                                                              restored by Moses when he appeared to Joseph Smith
(10-1) Matthew 8:28–34. Why does the Man Speak                and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple [D&C
with Such Confusion: “My Name Is Legion, for We               110:11]. The gathering will not be complete until all
Are Many”?                                                    the tribes of Israel are finally situated in their own
                                                              lands of inheritance [Jeremiah 16:14, 15]. The
“The fact of the man’s dual consciousness or multi-           parables of Matthew 13 plot out the major steps and
personality is here apparent. So complete was his             elements of this gathering process, starting with the
possession by wicked spirits that he could no longer          planting of the gospel seed in the meridian of time
distinguish between his individual personality and            [parable of the Sower], and culminating in the final
theirs.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 311.)                 severing of the wicked from the righteous [parable of
                                                              the Net].)
(10-2) The Significance of the Healings Performed
by Jesus                                                      (10-5) Matthew 13:3–8. What Was a Major
“As performed by Jesus, healings followed this                Purpose of the Parable of the Sower?
pattern: (1) They came because of the faith of the            “This parable was spoken to demonstrate the effects
people among whom he ministered; (2) To the Jewish            that are produced by the preaching of the word; and
mind they were and should have been convincing                we believe that it has an allusion directly, to the
evidence of the divine mission of the Lord of heaven          commencement, or the setting up of the Kingdom in
who walked among them; (3) As acts of mercy and               that age. . . .” (Smith, Teachings, p. 97. Italics added.)



                                                         72
(10-6) Matthew 13:9–17. Why Do Some Receive the                   (10-8) Matthew 13:30. Which Is Gathered First, the
Words of the Savior and Others Do Not?                            Wheat or the Tares?
“. . . the condemnation which rested upon the                     Matthew 13:30 indicates that tares are collected first,
multitude that received not His saying, was because               but note the Inspired Version:
they were not willing to see with their eyes, and hear
                                                                  “Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the
with their ears; not because they could not, and were
                                                                  time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather ye
not privileged to see and hear, but because their hearts
                                                                  together first the wheat into my barn; and the tares are
were full of iniquity and abominations; ‘as your
                                                                  bound in bundles to be burned.” (Matthew 13:29,
fathers did, so do ye.’ . . .
                                                                  Inspired Version; see also D&C 86:7.)
“We draw the conclusion, then, that the very reason
why the multitude, or the world, as they were                     (10-9) Matthew 13:29, 30, 38. Do the Tares
designated by the Savior, did not receive an                      Represent Wickedness Outside the Church or
explanation upon His parables, was because of                     Among Church Members Themselves?
unbelief. To you, He says (speaking to His disciples) it          “Now we learn by this parable, not only the setting up
is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of                  of the Kingdom in the days of the Savior, which is
God. And why? Because of the faith and confidence                 represented by the good seed, which produced fruit,
they had in Him.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 96–97.                   but also the corruptions of the Church, which are
Italics added.)                                                   represented by the tares, which were sown by the
                                                                  enemy, which His disciples would fain have plucked
(10-7) Matthew 13:25. What are Tares?
                                                                  up, or cleansed the Church of, if their views had been
“The writer of the article ‘Tares’ in Smith’s Dictionary          favored by the Savior. But He, knowing all things,
says: ‘Critics and expositors are agreed that the Greek           says, Not so. As much as to say, your views are not
plural zizania, A. V. “tares,” of the parable (Matt.              correct, the Church is in its infancy, and if you take
13:25) denotes the weed called “bearded                           this rash step, you will destroy the wheat, or the
darnel” (Lolium temulentum), a widely-distributed                 Church, with the tares; therefore it is better to let them
grass, and the only species of the order that has                 grow together until the harvest, or the end of the
deleterious properties. The bearded darnel before it              world, which means the destruction of the
comes into ear is very similar in appearance to wheat,            wicked. . . .” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 97–98. Italics
and the roots of the two are often intertwined; hence             added.)
the command that the “tares” should be left till the
                                                                  You may also want to carefully study D&C 86:1–7,
harvest, lest while men plucked up the tares “they
                                                                  where the Lord makes use of this parable again in our
should root up also the wheat with them.” This darnel
                                                                  day and gives further keys of understanding.
is easily distinguishable from the wheat and barley
when headed out, but when both are less developed,                (10-10) Matthew 13:31. The Mustard Tree
“the closest scrutiny will often fail to detect it. Even
the farmers, who in this country generally weed their             “It should be known that the mustard plant attains in
fields, do not attempt to separate the one from the               Palestine a larger growth than in more northerly
other. . . . The taste is bitter, and, when eaten                 climes. The lesson of the parable is easy to read. The
separately, or even when diffused in ordinary bread, it           seed is a living entity. When rightly planted it absorbs
causes dizziness, and often acts as a violent emetic.”’           and assimilates the nutritive matters of soil and
The secondary quotation is from Thompson’s The                    atmosphere, grows, and in time is capable of affording
Land and the Book, ii. 111, 112. It has been asserted             lodgment and food to the birds. So the seed of truth is
that the darnel is a degenerated kind of wheat; and               vital, living, and capable of such development as to
attempts have been made to give additional                        furnish spiritual food and shelter to all who come
significance to our Lord’s instructive parable by                 seeking. In both conceptions, the plant at maturity
injecting this thought; there is no scientific warrant for        produces seed in abundance, and so from a single
the strained conception, however, and earnest students            grain a whole field may be covered.” (Talmage, Jesus
will not be misled thereby.” (Talmage, Jesus the                  the Christ, 291.)
Christ, p. 301.)




                                                             73
(10-11) Matthew 13:31, 32. To What Stage of the                  (10-14) Matthew 13:52. The Pattern of a
Gathering Does the Parable of the Mustard Seed                   Householder Bringing Forth Things Old and New
Refer?
                                                                 “For the works of this example, see the Book of
“And again, another parable put He forth unto them,              Mormon coming forth out of the treasure of the heart.
having an allusion to the Kingdom that should be set             Also the covenants given to the Latter-day Saints, also
up, just previous to or at the time of the harvest, which        the translation of the Bible—thus bringing forth out of
reads as follows—‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a                the heart things new and old, thus answering to three
grain of mustard seed. . . .’ Now we can discover                measures of meal undergoing the purifying touch by a
plainly that this figure is given to represent the Church        revelation of Jesus Christ, and the ministering of
as it shall come forth in the last days.                         angels, who have already commenced this work in the
                                                                 last days, which will answer to the leaven which
“Let us take the Book of Mormon, which a man took
                                                                 leavened the whole lump.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 102.)
and hid in his field, securing it by his faith, to spring
up in the last days, or in due time; let us behold it            (10-15) Matthew 13:54–58. What Was the
coming forth out of the ground, which is indeed                  Significance of the Second Rejection at Nazareth?
accounted the least of all seeds, but behold it
branching forth, yea, even towering, with lofty                  “These Nazarenes were witnesses against themselves,
branches, and God-like majesty, until it, like the               they had absolute knowledge that their fellow
mustard seed, becomes the greatest of all herbs. And it          townsman excelled in wisdom and performed
is truth, and it has sprouted and come forth out of the          miraculous works beyond man’s power; yet they
earth, and righteousness begins to look down from                rejected him.
heaven, and God is sending down His powers, gifts                “According to the eternal laws which Jesus himself
and angels, to lodge in the branches thereof.” (Smith,           ordained in eternity, miracles are the fruit of faith.
Teachings, p. 98.)                                               Where there is faith, there will be signs, miracles, and
                                                                 gifts of the Spirit. Where there is no faith, these things
(10-12) Matthew 13:31, 32. What Is Represented by
                                                                 cannot occur.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:322.)
the “Birds of the Air” Which Come Down to Lodge
in the Branches of the Mustard Tree?
                                                                 POINTS TO PONDER
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard
seed. The mustard seed is small, but brings forth a              THE PURPOSE OF PARABLES
large tree, and the fowls lodge in the branches. The
fowls are the angels. Thus angels come down,                     (10-16) Those Who Have Ears to Hear Will Hear
combine together to gather their children, and gather
                                                                 “Our Lord used parables on frequent occasions during
them. We cannot be made perfect without them, nor
                                                                 his ministry to teach gospel truths. His purpose,
they without us; when these things are done, the Son
                                                                 however, in telling these short stories was not to
of Man will descend, the Ancient of Days sit; we may
                                                                 present the truths of his gospel in plainness so that all
come to an innumerable company of angels, have
                                                                 his hearers would understand. Rather it was so to
communion with and receive instruction from
                                                                 phrase and hide the doctrine involved that only the
them.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 159.)
                                                                 spiritually literate would understand it, while those
(10-13) Matthew 13:33. The Parable of the Three                  whose understandings were darkened would remain in
Measures of Meal                                                 darkness. . . . The difference in receptiveness to the
                                                                 truth of the Jews, among whom our Lord ministered in
“It may be understood that the Church of the Latter-             mortality, and the Nephites, to whom he went after
day Saints has taken its rise from a little leaven that          his resurrection, is nowhere better shown than in the
was put into three witnesses. Behold, how much this is           fact that he gave at least 40 parables to the Jews,
like the parable! It is fast leavening the lump, and will        but he taught the Nephites, not in parables, but in
soon leaven the whole.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 100.)              plainness.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine,
                                                                 pp. 553–54.)




                                                            74
Now reread Matthew 13:10–13. What did Jesus say               Keeping these things in mind, use the following
was the real intent of the parables?                          activity to study the varying responses to gospel truth
                                                              demonstrated in the parable of the Sower:
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER SYMBOLIZES




                                                                                                AMONG THORNS
THOSE WHO ARE PREPARED FOR THE                                                                                               The columns of boxes to the




                                                                                                               GOOD GROUND
                                                                                 STONY PLACES
                                                                  WAYSIDE SOIL
WORD VERSUS THOSE WHO ARE NOT                                                                                                left refer to the four kinds of
                                                                                                                             soil. Indicate with a check
Let us now examine one parable in order to discover                                                                          mark the condition listed on
the interpretation thereof.                                                                                                  the right that applies to each
Jesus indicated that there are two general results                                                                           soil. (Answers are found at
when the gospel is preached. What are they? Read                                                                             the end of the lesson.)
Matthew 7:24–27. Note how the parable of the Sower
represents these two possibilities:                           ‫ٱ ٱ ٱ ٱ‬                                                        A. The sower is willing to
                                                                                                                                sow seed in this soil.

Disobedience                                                  ‫ٱ ٱ ٱ ٱ‬                                                        B. The soil (heart) is
Those who hear                                                                                                                  sufficiently soft that the
                                   1. Wayside soil                                                                              seed (gospel) is
these sayings of
mine and do them                   2. Stony places                                                                              “received” (belief,
not. (Matthew 7:26)                                                                                                             acceptance) into the soil.
                                   3. Among thorns

                                                              ‫ٱ ٱ ٱ ٱ‬                                                        C. The soil is sufficiently
Obedience                          4a. Good ground                                                                              deep and fertile to allow
Those who hear                         (fruitful, 30-fold)                                                                      the seed to take root
these sayings of                                                                                                                (develop abiding faith),
                                   4b. Good ground
mine and do them.                      (fruitful, 60-fold)
                                                                                                                                whereby it can remain
(Matthew 7:24)                                                                                                                  alive under the heat of the
                                   4c. Good ground                                                                              sun (problems and tests of
                                       (fruitful, 100-                                                                          faith).
                                       fold)

                                                              ‫ٱ ٱ ٱ ٱ‬                                                        D. The soil is sufficiently
To better understand the teachings of this parable,                                                                             deep and free of weeds
review the meanings of some of its major symbols                                                                                (worldly philosophies,
listed below:                                                                                                                   standards, and desires)
THE SEED      =     THE WORD OF GOD        (Luke 8:11.
                                                                                                                                that there is no
                                           See also                                                                             competition with the
                                           Alma 32:28.)                                                                         roots, no choking of
                                                                                                                                strength within, and no
THE           =     ONE WHO                (Mark 4:14                                                                           cutting off of light from
SOWER               PREACHES THE           and Alma
                                                                                                                                above, so that the plant
                    WORD OF GOD            32:27, 28)
                                                                                                                                may grow and bring forth
THE FIELD     =     THE “WORLD”            (Matthew                                                                             increase with regularity
                                           13:38)                                                                               and abundance.
THE SOILS     =     THE VARYING            (Matthew
                    HEARTS OF THE          13:19 and                                                                             The commentary that
                    HEARERS OF THE         Alma 32:28)                                                                           follows should help your
                    WORD                                                                                                         see how this great parable
                                                                                                                                 of Jesus is reflected in the
THE           =     THE RESULTS            (Luke 8:15
FRUITS              (WORKS) WHICH          and Matthew
                                                                                                                                 personal lives of those
                    COME FORTH IN          7:16–19)                                                                              who are “hearers of the
                    THE LIVES OF THE                                                                                             word.”
                    HEARERS OF THE
                    WORD


                                                             75
(10-17) The Wayside Soil (Matthew 13:4, 19; Mark                   (10-19) Among Thorns (Matthew 13:7, 22; Mark
4:4, 25; Luke 8:5, 12)                                             4:7, 18, 19; Luke 8:7, 14)
What is it that hardens the heart? This explanation was            Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said:
given by the Prophet Joseph Smith:
                                                                   “If the seed falls among thorns, it is in good soil, as is
“Men who have no principle of righteousness in                     evidenced by the growth of the undesirable plants. But
themselves, and whose hearts are full of iniquity, and             the good plant is soon choked and dies because it
have no desire for the principles of truth, do not                 cannot overcome the influence of the weeds and
understand the word of truth when they hear it. The                thistles. So it is with the members of the Church who
devil taketh away the word of truth out of their hearts,           know the gospel is true, but who are not valiant in the
because there is no desire for righteousness in                    testimony of Jesus, who are not affirmatively and
them. . . .” (Smith, Teachings, p. 96.)                            courageously striving to further the interests of the
                                                                   Church. So it is of the Saints who think more of the
(10-18) The Stony Places (Matthew 13:5, 6, 20, 21;                 honors of men, the educational standards of the world,
Mark 4:5, 16, 17; Luke 8:6, 13)                                    political preferment, or money and property, than they
(Note: Just as the rootless sprout is unable to remain             do of the gospel. They know the Lord’s work has been
alive under the heat of the noonday sun, so there are              established on earth, but they let the cares of the world
those who, without real testimony and faith, lose                  choke the word. And instead of gaining eternal life,
conviction and even interest under the pressures of                they shall be burned with the tares which overcame
difficulties or ridicule. Though not commenting                    them.” (DNTC, 1:289.)
directly on the Savior’s parable, President Heber C.
                                                                   (10-20) Good Ground (Matthew 13:8, 23; Mark
Kimball prophesied over a century ago of a condition
                                                                   4:8, 20; Luke 8:8, 15)
that illustrates the need for a deeply rooted, living faith
capable of enduring challenges. The prophecy has an                Again from Elder McConkie:
increasingly important message for the Church in our
                                                                   “If the seed falls on productive, fertile soil, and if it is
day as it faces the unfolding future.)
                                                                   thereafter nurtured and cared for, it bringeth forth a
“‘Let me say to you, that many of you will see the                 harvest. But even here crops of equal value are not
time when you will have all the trouble, trial and                 harvested by all the saints. There are many degrees of
persecution that you can stand, and plenty of                      receptive belief; there are many gradations of effective
opportunities to show that you are true to God and his             cultivation. All men, the saints included, shall be
work. This Church has before it many close places                  judged according to their works; those who keep the
through which it will have to pass before the work of              whole gospel law shall bring forth an hundred fold and
God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties              inherit the fulness of the Father’s kingdom. Others
that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a            shall gain lesser rewards in the mansions which are
knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves.                prepared.” (DNTC, 1:289.)
The difficulties will be of such a character that the
man or woman who does not possess this personal                    NOW WHAT OF YOUR OWN HEART?
knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the            It is hoped that as you contemplate these teachings of
testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease             the Master, you will consider your own soil—your
not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.          own heart. Could it use some softening, some
“‘Remember these sayings, for many of you will live                deepening, some cultivation—even, perhaps, some
to see them fulfilled. The time will come when no man              weeding?
nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light.                    When gospel truth is gently sown
Each will have to be guided by the light within                            in my unlearned heart,
himself. If you do not have it, how can you                            I hope it finds no hardened crust
stand?’” (Quoted by Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1965,                        on wayside paths apart.
p. 128; see also Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C.
Kimball, pp. 446, 449–50.)




                                                              76
Nor even drops on softer spot
                                                         ANSWERS
   with hardness just below,
Where faithless, poorly rooted sprouts           √   √     √   √   A
   are doomed to never grow.
                                                     √     √   √   B
I pray it shall not fall in dirt
    where thorns have made their bed.                      √   √   C
Where choking plants, ’mid worldly cares,                      √   D
    grow fruitless, nearly dead.
But let that seed find fertile soil
    in deep and clean abode,
And drawing life, yield true and full
    to Him who gently sowed.
                —Anonymous




                                            77
78
                   11
   “HE THAT RECEIVETH WHOMSOEVER
                      WHOMSOEVER I
          SEND RECEIVETH ME”




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                    Matthew             Mark                Luke            John

Galilee                                   9:35–38            6:6
 Third Tour of Galilee
 The Twelve Sent Forth                    10:1, 5–42; 11:1   6:7–13             9:1–6

Machaerus, Perea                          14:6–12            6:14–29            9:7–9
 Death of John
Near Bethsaida, Tetrarchy of Philip       14:13              6:30–33            9:10
 The Twelve Return and Report

THEME                                                    Jesus leads his church through authorized servants,
                                                         holy men, who dispense his power and his will to the
Those who bear and honor the priesthood are the
                                                         saints and to the world. John was a servant of the
Lord’s representatives and should be received as his
                                                         Lord, but John, as his master was later to be, was
ambassadors.
                                                         rejected by the Jews and slain by Herod’s order.
INTRODUCTION                                             Jesus called others, commissioned them, and sent
Jesus taught profound doctrine and worked mighty         them to labor in the cause of truth with a statement of
miracles according to the faith of the people of         the greatest possible earthly honor and approval:
Galilee. From this spreading of the kingdom, he          “He that receiveth you receiveth me.” (Matthew
turned a second time to the town of his youth,           10:40.) As it was true for his servants then, it is true
offering to Nazareth a second chance to hear his         for his latter-day servants as well—an everlasting
truth and acknowledge his ministry, He testified of      principle.
his divinity by marvelous works; but his compassion      How did Jesus call his servants and commission
for mankind, which had been manifest so often            them? What charge did he give to the Twelve
among the believers of Galilee, found few ready,         Apostles? What did he say to them or what special
receiving hearts in Nazareth. Jesus left Nazareth and    instruction did he give to them before he sent them to
commenced another journey into Galilee.                  labor? What does it mean to receive the servants of


                                                        79
the Lord? The references in this chapter will aid you           ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth:
in understanding these problems and will also lead              Go . . . teach all nations . . . to observe all things
you to a greater appreciation of the distinctive                whatsoever I have commanded you.’ (Ibid.,
position of the servants of God in any age.                     28:18–20.)” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Oct. 1958,
                                                                pp. 53–54.)
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
in the reading block.                                           (11-2) Matthew 10:9, 10. Are Today’s Missionaries
                                                                Supposed to Travel “Without Purse or Scrip”?

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                         “In keeping with the social customs of the day, Jesus
                                                                sent his disciples out without purse or scrip. They
(11-1) Matthew 10:1–5. How Did Jesus Appoint His                were to dress modestly, carry no money, food, or extra
Servants?                                                       clothing, have only one staff, and rely on the
                                                                hospitality of the people for food, clothing, and
“The process follows a rather definite pattern:                 shelter. Shoes (made in that day of soft leather) were
“1st: The need for the new leader;                              forbidden as too luxurious; sandals (of more rugged
                                                                construction) were approved. A purse was a girdle in
“2nd: The leader is chosen through the process of               which money was carried; scrip was a small bag or
elimination by prophecy and revelation;                         wallet used to carry provisions. Later Jesus revoked
“3rd: The newly chosen one is officially called by one          the requirement to rely on the hospitality of the people
with unquestionable authority;                                  and commanded instead, ‘Now he that hath a purse, let
                                                                him take it, and likewise his scrip.’ (Luke 22:35–36.)
“4th: He is presented to a constituent assembly of the
people, and                                                     “Acting through his duly appointed representatives on
                                                                earth, the Lord has now withdrawn this requirement
“5th: He is ordained or set apart by the laying on of           that all modern missionary work should be done by
hands by those who are fully authorized.                        laborers who go forth without purse or scrip. Legal
“And this is in keeping with our fifth Article of Faith:        requirements, and different social, economic, and
                                                                industrial circumstances, have made such a change
“‘We believe that a man must be called of God, by               necessary—a fact which illustrates the need for
prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who           continuous revelation so that the Lord’s affairs on
are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in         earth always may be conducted as befit the existing
the ordinances thereof. . . .’                                  circumstances. Instead of relying for food, clothing,
“It is interesting to note that even in olden times much        and shelter upon those to whom they are sent,
the same procedure was followed. Unfortunately, all             missionaries are now expected to support themselves
the steps are not always recorded but there is                  or be supported by their family or friends. There is, of
considerable evidence that they were taken. The                 course, no paid missionary force in the Lord’s true
‘anointing’ of ancient days seems to have been much             Church.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:325–26.)
the same and closely associated with the setting apart
of today, with the accompanying blessings.                      (11-3) Matthew 10:16. What Does It Mean to Be
                                                                “Wise as Serpents”?
“The first apostles were called by the Lord: ‘Come
                                                                We gain new understanding by reading the Prophet’s
follow me,’ he said, ‘and I will make you fishers of
                                                                revision of this verse:
men.’ This was more than a casual statement. It was a
definite call.                                                  “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of
                                                                wolves; be ye therefore wise servants, and as harmless
“‘And they straightway left their nets, and followed
                                                                as doves.” (Matthew 10:14, Inspired Version.)
him.’ (See Matt. 4:19–20.) ‘For he taught them as one
having authority.’ (Ibid., 7:29.) ‘And when he had              (11-4) Matthew 10:28. Who are Those Who Seek to
called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them              Kill the Soul?
power. . . .’ (Ibid., 10:1.) This included their
commission to preach and perform ordinances. It                 “Apparently there were in the early church those who
included the setting apart, the charge, the blessing.           taught for doctrines the sophistries of men. There are
The promise given these leaders was most spectacular.           those today who seem to take pride in disagreeing
Full authority was given them as the Redeemer said:             with the orthodox teachings of the Church and who
‘He that receiveth you receiveth me.’ (Ibid., 10:40.)           present their own opinions which are at variance with
                                                                the revealed truth. Some may be partially innocent in

                                                           80
the matter; others are feeding their own egotism; and             other interpretations of the doctrine (Matt. 10:37–38)
some seem to be deliberate. Men may think as they                 that the meaning is that anyone who loves his father,
please, but they have no right to impose upon others              mother, wife, and all that is dear to him, even his own
their unorthodox views. Such persons should realize               life, more than he loves Christ, is not worthy of him
that their own souls are in jeopardy. . . .                       and cannot be his disciple. The thought is very clear in
                                                                  this instruction that all who seek eternal life are
“The great objective of all our work is to build
                                                                  required to come to Christ willing to give up all that
character and increase faith in the lives of those whom
                                                                  they possess, if necessary. Should they be unwilling to
we serve. If one cannot accept and teach the program
                                                                  do so, even to the laying down of life in his cause,
of the Church in an orthodox way without
                                                                  then they are not worthy of his kingdom. This is
reservations, he should not teach. It would be the part
                                                                  reasonable; no unjust demand is made by our Savior,
of honor to resign his position. Not only would he be
                                                                  for he came and laid down his life for us that we might
dishonest and deceitful, but he is also actually under
                                                                  have life everlasting. He suffered for us; should we not
condemnation, for the Savior said that it were better
                                                                  love him more than we love our own lives?” (Smith,
that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he be
                                                                  The Way to Perfection, pp. 272–73.)
cast into the sea than that he should lead astray
doctrinally or betray the cause or give offense,                  (11-7) Matthew 14:1, 2. Why Was Herod Afraid of
destroying the faith of one of ‘these little ones’ who            Jesus?
believe in him. And remember that this means not
only the small children, it includes even adults who              “The record states that the king was ‘exceeding sorry’
believe and trust in God.” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR,             to issue an order for the death of John. The sorrow was
Apr. 1948, pp. 109–10.)                                           probably genuine, for he feared that John was a
                                                                  prophet and he knew that John was very popular
(11-5) Matthew 10:28. What Posture Should the                     among the people. That Herod could not forget the
Saints Assume Toward Those Who Seek to Destroy                    deed is reflected in his later mistaking Jesus for John
the Soul?                                                         and thinking that John had risen from the dead. His
                                                                  conscience must have bothered and even haunted him
“There are those, however, who act as though they do
                                                                  to think that John had returned from the dead and that
not believe in eternity or a resurrection. They cower at
                                                                  ‘mighty works’ were now manifest in him. John had
the thought of nuclear war, and to save their own
                                                                  done no miracles in his ministry (John 10:41), but as a
bodies they would have peace at any price. Yet the
                                                                  man raised from the dead (as Herod supposed), he
best assurance of peace and life is to be strong morally
                                                                  would quite possibly have had miraculous powers.
and militarily. But they want life at the sacrifice of
                                                                  This is probably why the emphasis is given to Herod’s
principles. Rather than choose liberty or death, they
                                                                  statement that ‘therefore mighty works do shew forth
prefer life with slavery. But they overlook a crucial
                                                                  themselves in him’ (Matthew 14:2). Herod’s
scripture ‘. . . fear not them which kill the body but are
                                                                  apprehension in this instance is an illustration of the
not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is
                                                                  principle that the ‘wicked flee when no man pursueth:
able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matt.
                                                                  but the righteous are bold as a lion’ (Proverbs 28:1).”
10:28.) The Lord could, I suppose, have avoided the
                                                                  (Matthews, A Burning light: The Life and Ministry of
war in heaven over free agency. All he needed to do
                                                                  John the Baptist, p. 96.)
was to compromise with the devil, but had he done so
he would have ceased to be God.
                                                                  POINTS TO PONDER
“While it is more difficult to live the truth, such as
standing for free agency, some of us may in the not-              WE ARE TO GIVE HEED TO THE LORD’S
too-distant future be required to die for the truth. But          SERVANTS
the best preparation for eternal life is to be prepared at
all times to die—fully prepared by a valiant fight for
right.” (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Apr. 1964, p. 120.      When Jesus told his apostles that they represented
Italics added.)                                          him (Matthew 10:40), he was expressing a principle
                                                         that had been in force and had applied to the
(11-6) Matthew 10:38, 39. How Can You Save Your servants of God in every age. Jesus invoked that
Life by Losing It?                                       principle upon the Twelve in the meridian of time,
                                                         just as he had done upon Moses centuries before and
“To say that his disciples must hate all that is dear to as he would do upon Joseph Smith centuries later.
them is surely a hard saying. But we discover from


                                                             81
As you read the following scriptures, ponder                  (11-9) A Man Who Says He Will Sustain the
carefully the questions asked:                                President of the Church but Not His Bishop Is
                                                              Deceiving Himself
Deuteronomy 18:18, 19. For whom did Moses speak?
                                                              “Some of us suppose that if we were called to a high
John 13:20. How could the people of Jesus’ day
                                                              office in the Church immediately we would be loyal,
receive him?
                                                              and would show the dedication necessary. We would
Matthew 23:34–37. Who sends the prophets to us?               step forward and valiantly commit ourselves to this
Acts 3:22, 23. Who was this prophet?                          service.

Joseph Smith—History 1:40; D&C 1:14. How                      “But, you can put it down in your little black book that
would people be “cut off” if they would not hearken           if you will not be loyal in the small things you will not
to Christ?                                                    be loyal in the large things. If you will not respond to
                                                              the so-called insignificant or menial tasks which need
D&C 1:14, 38. Who represents Christ to us today?              to be performed in the Church and kingdom, there will
D&C 84:35–38 Who also are the Lord’s                          be no opportunity for service in the so-called greater
representatives or servants?                                  challenges.

“This statement is worth emphasizing. ‘He that                “A man who says he will sustain the President of the
receiveth my servants receiveth me.’ Who are his              Church or the General Authorities, but cannot sustain
servants? They are his representatives in the offices         his own bishop is deceiving himself. The man who will
of the Priesthood—the General, Stake, Priesthood              not sustain the bishop of his ward and the president of
Quorum, and Ward officers. It behooves us to keep             his stake will not sustain the President of the Church.
this in mind when we are tempted to disregard our             “I have learned from experience that those people who
presiding authorities, bishops, quorum and stake              come to us for counsel saying that they cannot go to
presidents, etc., when, within the jurisdiction of            their bishops, are unwilling to accept counsel from
their callings, they give us counsel and advice.”             their bishops. They are unwilling or unable to accept
(Marion G. Romney in CR, Oct. 1960, p. 73.                    counsel from the General Authorities. Actually, the
Emphasis added.)                                              inspiration of the Lord will come to their bishop and
The servants of the Lord are ambassadors of the               he can counsel them correctly.” (Boyd K. Packer,
Lord, sent by him to you. The way you treat his               “Follow the Brethren,” Speeches of the Year, 1965,
servants, the way you react to what they say, is the          pp. 4–5. Italics added.)
way you are treating the Lord.
                                                          The following is a true story. As you read it, ask
                   Matthew 10:41                          yourself this question: How do I receive the servants
                    Luke 10:16                            of the Lord?

(11-8) The Lord’s Servants Mark the Path to               It was a grey evening in Hong Kong, and the rain
Eternal Life                                              was heavy. The harbor waters were churning
                                                          because of the storm, and around the crescent of the
“Karl G. Maeser was taking a group of missionaries        waterfront the scattered lights of resettlement blocks
across the Alps. As they reached a summit, he             glowed like dull candles.
stopped. Gesturing back down the trail to some poles
set in the snow to mark the way across the glacier, he    Hundreds of thousands of refugees had fled mainland
said, ‘Brethren, there stands the Priesthood. They are    China since 1949. The British colonial government of
just common sticks like the rest of us . . . but the      Hong Kong had extended itself nobly in a sincere
position they hold makes them what they are to us. If     attempt to relocate the homeless masses in
we step aside from the path they mark, we are             comfortable apartments and steady jobs, but many
lost.’” (Boyd K. Packer in CR, Apr. 1971, p. 124.)        thousands of them still lived in the Spartan quarters
                                                          of the resettlement blocks.
                                                          Some of the resettlement blocks were ten and fifteen
                                                          stories high. Most had no elevators, only stairs. Each
                                                          level of a resettlement block was a long string of one-
                                                          room concrete apartments, frequently with six to ten



                                                         82
people sharing a space equivalent to the average         It was a difficult meal to eat; wanting to accept the
American living room.                                    gift so obviously given from the heart, yet realizing
                                                         that hardship and hungry days—sacrifice—made the
The two missionaries visited quietly as they trudged
                                                         gift possible. Brother and Sister Wong and their sons
up the stairwell of a resettlement building in
                                                         merely sampled the dinner. But when it was
Kwuntong, Hong Kong. They had been invited to
                                                         completed, they expressed their own satisfaction and
dinner at the apartment of Brother and Sister Wong.
                                                         were anxious to know if the elders had had enough.
They found the apartment, and Brother Wong greeted
                                                         As everyone stood to allow Sister Wong to clear
them with a broad grin on his face. As he opened the
                                                         away the dishes, one of the elders took Brother Wong
heavy steel door to admit them, he said he had been
                                                         by the hand and with deep emotion said: “Why have
afraid the heavy rain would prevent them from
                                                         you honored us in this way, at such great expense to
coming. Two metal bunk beds, a wooden chest, a
                                                         yourselves?” With quiet gentleness that could only
small kerosene burner, and little else made up the
                                                         come from leaving his home and country and
regular furniture of the room. But tonight a borrowed
                                                         accepting the truth in a foreign land, Brother Wong
card table was set in the center of the small room.
                                                         said: “We do this for you because you hold the
Four wooden stools were set around the table. They
                                                         priesthood, and God has sent you here to teach
were different from one another—each had been
                                                         us.” (A personal experience.)
borrowed from a different neighbor for the occasion.
The table was set with an assortment of tin bowls and                       Matthew 10:42
plates. There were also platters of shrimp and other                        Matthew 25:40
Oriental delicacies, all far beyond the means of this
                                                         What are you willing to sacrifice to receive the
humble refugee family. Brother Wong pronounced a
                                                         servants of the Lord? Yours may not be a sacrifice of
blessing and the meal commenced; but Brother and
                                                         food, but, rather, one of sacrificing personal desires
Sister Wong held back, taking only token portions for
                                                         to acquire an appropriate attitude. How do you
themselves, but urging the food on the two elders.
                                                         receive God’s servants when they counsel you on
The elders could sense that the gesture was sincere,
                                                         music, grooming, or dating standards? Are you
and while they recognized that they were eating up
                                                         willing to sacrifice some of your personal desires in
finer food than the Wongs could ever afford for
                                                         order that you might receive the Lord into your life
regular meals—food that cost the Wongs probably
                                                         through his chosen servants?
the equivalent of a whole month’s salary—still the
elders didn’t want to offend or hurt or refuse, where
such evident sacrifice was involved.




                                                        83
84
                  SECTION 4
       THE THIRD YEAR OF JESUS’
                         JESUS’ PUBLIC
                  MINISTRY
LESSONS                                                          teach and warn the inhabitants of Israel concerning the
                                                                 gospel message. This ended the second year.
12. “I Am the Bread of Life”
13. That Which Defiles a Man                                     An Overview of the Third Year
14. The Transfiguration of Christ                                The third year commences with a dramatic miracle—
                                                                 the feeding of five thousand. Because of this miracle,
15. “I Am the Light of the World”                                many of the Jews seek to make Jesus their king, but he
16. The Two Great Commandments                                   refuses. He later tells the people that they have
                                                                 followed him, not because of his miracles, but because
17. Where Much Is Given, Much Is Required                        he has fed them. That is, not because they wished to
18. Rejoice with Me: For I Have Found the Lost                   obey his teachings, but for selfish, physical reasons.
                                                                 Jesus then delivers to them his great discourse on the
19. “What Lack I Yet?”                                           Bread of Life, announcing openly his messiahship.
THE THREE YEARS OF THE SAVIOR’S                                  With the miracle of the feeding of five thousand, it
MORTAL MINISTRY                                                  appears that Jesus reaches the highest point of his
                                                                 popularity with the masses. Following the open
A Brief Summary of the First Two Years of Jesus’                 declaration of his messiahship and his refusal to
Ministry                                                         become a worldly king, his popularity ebbs and many
                                                                 disciples walk no more with him.
You have now reviewed forty-five recorded events,
each of which occurred during the first two years of             The training and preparation of the Twelve reaches its
Jesus’ ministry. In the first year of his public ministry        climax during this period. Jesus tells them of his
you reviewed how he gradually revealed his                       impending death and resurrection; then he takes Peter,
messiahship to the Jews. This was principally done               James, and John to a “high mountain apart,” where he
through the miracles he performed, which attested to             is transfigured before them, and they are given the
his godhood. You have read of the mounting                       keys of the kingdom to administer the affairs of the
opposition by Jewish leaders against Jesus during the            church after Jesus’ departure. Later, all of the Twelve
second year because his teachings challenged the                 receive the keys.
time-honored traditions of rabbinical authority.                 This closes the great Galilean ministry. From Galilee
Because of the opposition encountered in Jerusalem,              Jesus moves down to Judea, where he further testifies
Jesus moved into Galilee and concentrated his efforts            of his messiahship. Later he crosses over the Jordan
there. During this period he chose and ordained twelve           River into Perea, where he spends the last three
men, whom he designated as apostles.                             months of his public ministry. Once again indisputable
As you look back on these two periods, you should see            proof of his godhood is manifest before the Jewish
two simultaneous occurrences in our Lord’s ministry:             nation as he restores Lazarus to life. Because of a fear
first, his ascending popularity among the Jewish                 that “all men will believe on [Jesus]; and the Romans
people primarily because of his miracles, and the                shall come and take away both our place and nation,”
resulting opposition brought against him, principally            the Jewish hierarchy determines that “Jesus should die
by the Pharisees and scribes, which caused Jesus to              for that nation.” (John 11:48, 51.) Jesus then goes into
veil his message with parables; second, his quiet                a brief retirement; and when he has determined that
training of the Twelve as they came to understand the            his time has come, he resumes his journey to
greatness of the authority which he conferred upon               Jerusalem, where he has prophesied that he should
them. They sat at his feet, as it were, and received his         meet his inevitable death but come forth in a glorious
teachings; then by his commission they went forth to             resurrection.



                                                            85
Highlights of the Year of Jesus’ Third Public                             Some highlights of the later Judean ministry are these:
Ministry (Last Phase of the Galilean Ministry, and
                                                                          1. Jesus’ testimony of himself before the Jews: “I am
the Later Judean and Perean Ministry)
                                                                             the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the
Some highlights of the last phase of the Galilean                            Good Shepherd” (John 10:11).
ministry are as follows:
                                                                          2. The parable of the Good Samaritan. Other
1. The miracle of the feeding of five thousand, and                          parables and instructions to the disciples.
   Jesus’ great discourse on the Bread of Life.
                                                                          Some highlights of the Perean ministry are these:
2. Peter’s testimony of Jesus. Jesus’ prophecy of his
                                                                          1. Parables that deal with the way a disciple ought to
   own death and resurrection. The transfiguration of
                                                                             be.
   Jesus before Peter, James, and John. The keys of
   the priesthood given to Peter, James, and John and                     2. The raising of Lazarus from the dead.
   subsequently to all the Twelve.                                        3. Other instructions to his disciples and the
                                                                             resuming of his trek to Jerusalem.




                                                                                                         THIS SECTION
                                                                                                          TREATS THIS
                                                                                                            PERIOD



                Birth                    1st Passover                2nd Passover             3rd Passover             Final Passover



                                  30 Years              FIRST YEAR              SECOND YEAR                  THIRD YEAR




                                                                      18             27                           72




                        This section treats the events
                        of the third year of Jesus’ public
                        ministry. You can see that this period extends
                        from the third to the final Passover.
                        You will now begin to feel the impact of the gospel
                        story by the crescendo of events during the last year of Jesus’
                        ministry. Seventy-two events are treated, signifying the emphasis
                        that the gospel writers placed on this time of our Lord’s ministry.




                                                                     86
              Some Notable Places and Events During the Last Phase of the Galilean Ministry
Capernaum                        The city that Jesus adopted as his own following his rejection at Nazareth. This
                                 is the place where he gave some prominent discourses, among which was one of
                                 his most significant, the Bread of Life discourse.
Decapolis                        This was an association of ten Greek cities which extended from the plains of
                                 Esdraelon and expanded eastward beyond the east side of the Sea of Galilee.
                                 Jesus fed the four thousand in this region and also passed through here on his
                                 way from Tyre and Sidon to the Sea of Galilee. (See Mark 7:31; 8:9.)
Plain of Gennesaret              A fertile plain on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, where many
                                 diseased were healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. (See Matthew
                                 14:34–36.)
Mt. Hermon                       A 9,200-foot mountain in southern Lebanon. This is a possible site for the
                                 transfiguration, because the record says this event took place in a high
                                 mountain. (See Matthew 17:1–9.) Mt. Tabor is another possible site.
Region of Ceasarea Philippi      Located at the base of Mt. Hermon, this was the northern limit of the Lord’s
                                 journeys on his second tour of northern Galilee. Peter’s confession of Jesus’
                                 divinity and Jesus’ prediction of his own death took place here. This is also a
                                 possible site of the transfiguration.
Tyre and Sidon                   These are sister cities of ancient Phoenicia, renowned as maritime centers.
                                 Citizens of both cities heard Jesus preach. (See Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17.) Jesus
                                 healed a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter near here. (See Matt. 15:21–28.)
  Some Notable Places and Events During the Lord’s Perean Ministry and, Later, His Judean Ministry
Perea                            This is the region on the east side of the Jordan River. Jesus spent the last three
                                 months of his public ministry in this region.
Bethany                          About two miles from Jerusalem on the east slope of the Mount of Olives, this
                                 city was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 11:1); Jesus lodged here
                                 when he was in Judea. (See Matthew 21:17.)
The introductory map illustrates these cities and their relationship to one another.




                                                         87
88
                                 12
                      “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE”
                                         LIFE”




THE THIRD YEAR OF JESUS’ PUBLIC                  Matthew              Mark             Luke               John
           MINISTRY
    THE GALILEAN MINISTRY
Near Bethsaida, Tetrarchy of Philip          14:14–21           6:33–44           9:11–17          6:1–14
 Five Thousand Fed
Near Sea of Galilee                          14:22, 23          6:45, 46                           6:15
 Jesus Prevents Their Making Him King
Sea of Galilee                               14:24–33           6:47–52                            6:16–21
 Jesus Walks on Sea
Capernaum, Galilee                                                                                 6:22–71
 Bread of Life Discourse


THEME                                                       and on the prime purpose for his coming into the
                                                            world: to make an atoning sacrifice for the sins of
Jesus is the bread of life to all who will accept him as
                                                            men. One gets an impression of increasing tempo
their personal Savior.
                                                            leading to a climax—a crescendo, as it were—as
                                                            Jesus’ life approaches its most critical moments. As
INTRODUCTION                                                we study the third and final year of our Savior’s
                                                            ministry, we encounter one of Jesus’ most impressive
Jesus, having called and appointed his twelve
                                                            miracles: the feeding of more than five thousand
apostles, charged them to go forth in his name,
                                                            people with the contents of a boy’s lunch. The Jewish
bearing witness to the truth. Attention has also been
                                                            people were eagerly anticipating the appearance of a
focused upon the vital principle of delegated
                                                            great king, one with such wondrous powers that he
authority, the means by which the Savior governs his
                                                            would disperse their political enemies right and left.
church on earth in every age, including our own.
                                                            Any man capable of such a miracle as Jesus had
Finally, we have discussed what it means to receive
                                                            wrought (they appear to have reasoned) must surely
the servants of the Lord.
                                                            be their long-awaited Messiah. So convinced were
The calling of the Twelve concluded the second year         they that they tried to take Jesus by force and make
of our Savior’s formal ministry on earth. From this         him their king. But Jesus refused. He had not come to
point on, Jesus’ eyes are firmly fixed on Jerusalem         feed men’s physical bodies nor to provide for their


                                                           89
temporal needs. His mission was far greater than                 waves of man-made philosophies and sophistries, we
that, a spiritual quest of greatest importance to all            can be drenched, submerged, and even drowned in the
men. This may be said to represent a turning point of            depths of disbelief, and the Spirit of the Lord driven
our Savior’s ministry with the masses, for when these            completely from our lives. These deceived and
thousands discovered that Jesus would not provide                wavering souls cannot, because of their incontinence,
for them in the manner that they anticipated their               expect to receive anything of the Lord.” (Delbert L.
Messiah would, they turned from him in                           Stapley in CR, Apr. 1970, p. 74.)
disappointment.
                                                                 (12-4) John 6:25. What Is a Rabbi?
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
in the reading block.                                            The word rabbi, which literally means “my great one,”
                                                                 was a term of highest respect among the ancient Jews.
                                                                 The local rabbi in any given village was one of the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                          most educated men in the area, generally a graduate of
                                                                 a recognized rabbinical school, and one designated to
                                                                 teach the people. Jesus’ followers appear to have felt
(12-1) Mark 6:37. What Is Meant by the Phrase
                                                                 that he was such a graduate, likely because he showed
“Two Hundred Pennyworth of Bread”?
                                                                 so much learning. A rabbi literally devoted himself to
As used in the New Testament, the words penny and                serving the common people by teaching them in their
pennyworth mean the same thing. The coinage in use               synagogues, by administering to their wants and needs
was that of Rome, and the penny, or denarius, was the            by charitable means, and by continuing study and
chief Roman silver coin. It was worth about fifteen to           application of the law of Moses (Torah) as he
seventeen of our cents. Two hundred pennyworth of                understood it.
bread would have cost approximately thirty-two
dollars. (See Smith, A Dictionary of the Bible, rev. ed.,        (12-5) John 6:31–32. What Is Manna?
s.v. “Penny, Pennyworth.”)                                       During their forty-year sojourn in the wilderness,
                                                                 Moses and the children of Israel were fed with bread
(12-2) Matthew 14:25. What Is Meant by the
                                                                 from heaven. A study of Old Testament passages
“Fourth Watch of the Night”?
                                                                 indicates that manna came in the form of a small
Probably because of the influence of their                       deposit found on the ground daily except on the
Mediterranean neighbors, the Greeks and the Romans,              Sabbath. According to the Lord’s provisions it had to
the Jews in New Testament times divided the night                be gathered early in the day, before the heat of the sun
into military watches instead of hours. Each watch               could melt it, and only enough was to be taken as
represented the length of time a given sentinel                  would prove sufficient for the day. On the day before
remained on duty. The first watch commenced at                   the Sabbath, double quantities were gathered so the
6:00 P.M. and ended at 9:00 P.M.; the second went                people could eat on the Sabbath. Manna had a taste
from 9:00 P.M. to 12:00 midnight; the third from 12:00           like that of fresh oil or like wafers made with honey,
to 3:00 A.M.; and the fourth watch was from 3:00 A.M.            and was used by the Israelites to sustain a population
to 6:00 A.M. (See Smith, Dictionary, s.v. “Watches of            of about two million people for forty years. It was
night.”)                                                         prepared for eating by grinding and baking and was
                                                                 always regarded as a miraculous gift from God rather
(12-3) Matthew 14:30, 31. How Is Peter’s                         than as a product of nature. (See Smith, Dictionary,
Experience of Walking on the Water like Our Own                  s.v. “Manna.”)
When Faith Wavers?
“The comparison the Lord makes between the                       (12-6) John 6:14, 15. Why Did So Many of Jesus’
wavering soul and the wave of the sea driven with the            Followers Seek to Make Him Their King?
winds and tossed has touched the lives of many. Most             Many of the Jews of Jesus’ time were caught up in a
of us have seen the calm seas, and at other times the            feverish expectation for an imminent appearance of
damage caused when the winds become intense and                  their long-awaited Messiah. The oppressive hand of
the waves rise and become powerful, destructive                  Roman domination grew heavier day by day. It was
forces. A parallel can be drawn to the buffetings of             only natural, therefore, that they thought they saw in
Satan. When we are serene and on the Lord’s side,                Jesus the fulfillment of their earthly hopes and dreams.
Satan’s influence is not felt; but when we cross over            Did he not possess miraculous powers? Had he not
and are deceived by the winds of false doctrine, by the          changed ordinary water into wine, raised the dead,


                                                            90
healed the sick, and turned a few loaves of bread and        POINTS TO PONDER
fish into sufficient food to feed more than five
thousand people? Could he not turn those same                JESUS PROCLAIMED HIS MESSIAHSHIP IN
powers against Rome and free the Jews from foreign           THE BREAD OF LIFE SERMON
subjugation?
“The multitude, now fed and filled, gave some             The day following the miracle of the five thousand,
consideration to the miracle. In Jesus, by whom so        the same group of Jews appeared for another
great a work had been wrought, they recognized One        “handout.” They apparently were not concerned with
having superhuman powers. ‘This is of a truth the         Jesus’ message or his mission, except only as it
prophet that should come into the world,’ said they—      satisfied their own physical desires. The sermon on
the Prophet whose coming had been foretold by             the Bread of Life is highly spiritual. To be
Moses and who should be like unto himself. Even as        understood, its message must be carefully studied
Israel had been miraculously fed during the time of       and pondered. Let us break it into segments and
Moses, so now was bread provided in the desert by         consider its deeper implications. In order to do this,
this new Prophet. In their enthusiasm the people          it will be necessary to read again several important
proposed to proclaim Him king, and forcibly compel        passages. As you do so, underline those verses in
Him to become their leader. Such was their gross          which Jesus speaks directly of his messiahship. Read
conception of Messianic supremacy.” (Talmage, Jesus       and underline John 6:26, 27.
the Christ, p. 335.)                                      When the Jews discovered that Jesus was not going
(12-7) John 6:66. Why Did So Many of Jesus’               to provide for their physical needs again, how did
Disciples Turn from Him Following the Sermon on           they react? Why did they demand a sign? How did
the Bread of Life?                                        Jesus respond? (See John 6:32–35.)

Consider these words from President David O. McKay As you consider the words of Jesus and the response
as they apply to all who would be disciples of our         thereto by the Jews, what questions arise in your
Savior:                                                    mind? Did our Savior’s listeners not understand, or
                                                           did they purposely misunderstand? Bread is the very
“[The sermon on the Bread of Life as recorded by           staff of life, to the ancients as well as ourselves.
John] is highly spiritual, and contains references about Moreover, the Jews were skilled in allegory and
Christ as the ‘Bread of Life,’ which His followers         verbal imagery. When Jesus said, “I am the bread of
could not believe. They could not comprehend what          life,” any other interpretation than that which he
He was saying, and many of them walked away. . . .         intended was a mere twisting of his words. It was as
“. . . the twelve . . . slightly glimpsed the spiritual    if the Jews were saying, “Why, we know him. He is
significance of that sermon. . . .                         Jesus, son of Joseph the carpenter. How, then, can he
                                                           say that he came down from heaven and that God is
“. . . Those apostles had that day the power and           his father?”
privilege of making a choice—whether they would
walk with those who were impressed only with the           Jesus was not content to drop the matter there. In
physical favors, advantages, which nature could give, order to seal his testimony in the hearts of his
or whether their gifts heed to the spiritual in man. . . . unbelieving listeners, he repeated it again, this time
                                                           more forcefully. As you read and underline, note the
“. . . Such a decision may determine whether one           strength of the following verses from John, chapter
responds to the call of one’s soul to rise, or yields to   6:47–51.
the tendency to grovel. . . .
                                                           Once again the Jews pretended not to understand.
“. . . the disciples of Jesus glimpsed a light that would “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they
enlighten their souls spiritually as the sun replaces      asked. But Jesus did not mean that men should
darkness with beams of light. But there are few            literally eat his flesh and drink his blood. His
persons who see that Light or even believe in the          language at this point, like that used throughout the
fuller life, and often after glimpsing it, they turn away sermon, was symbolic. Note his explanation of his
to the grosser and more sordid things.” (“Whither          words in John 6:63.
Shall We Go?,” Speeches of the Year, 1961, pp. 2–4.
Italics added.)




                                                        91
(12-8) The Jews, like Many Today, Lacked                  referred to the great mission of our Savior, and spoke
Spiritual Understanding of Christ’s Mission               of the great gift which the Father offered us all in the
                                                          person of the Son and of the offering of the Son in
“This querulous, unbelieving attitude on the part of the
                                                          giving his life for men’s sins. I had heard it all
Jews was, not only wholly unwarranted, but from
                                                          before, and it didn’t stir my soul at all.
Jewish lips it bordered on absurdity. Probably no
people in all history understood better or had made       Finally my teacher asked, “Do you understand the
more extensive use of symbolical and figurative           atonement of Christ?” I replied that I knew he had
language than they had. Further, Jesus had just taught taken upon himself the sins of men and had died for
them the doctrine of the Bread of Life. For them to       us. “Do you know what it cost him to make such an
pretend not to know that eating the flesh of Jesus        atonement?” I replied that I did not. He then began
meant accepting him as the Son of God and obeying         rehearsing for me the terrible suffering of our Savior,
his words could only mean that they were wilfully         the suffering of both body and spirit to the extent that
closing their eyes to the truth.” (McConkie, DNTC,        it caused him, even God, to bleed at every pore—a
1:359.)                                                   suffering which he willingly took upon himself, a
                                                          suffering so intense that it covered the punishment
JESUS BECOMES THE BREAD OF LIFE TO                        due for the sins of all men. And to think that at any
ALL WHO ACCEPT HIM AS THEIR                               time our Savior could have withdrawn—he had the
REDEEMER                                                  power; at any time he could have said, “Be gone,”
                                                          and all of his accusers and tormentors would have
How many times have you heard people ask, “Why            withered as dried reeds. He could have saved himself
do we partake of the sacrament so often? What is the      but he did not.
purpose of the sacrament, anyway?” The answers to
these and related questions are not hard to find. We      I was impressed; who wouldn’t be? But when the
partake of the sacrament in remembrance of Jesus, in teacher said that my own sins and his were among
token of our promise to always remember him, to           those which gave the Savior pain, I looked within and
keep his commandments, and to take upon us his            did not like what I saw. And I began to weep—at my
sacred name. For many the experience is only a            angry thoughts, my unholy thoughts, my backbiting,
perfunctory exercise, a ritual to undergo because one my greed. I wept because of them, not only because I
has membership in the Church. For others, it is an        was sorry—for I had been sorry before—but because
opportunity for communion with Jesus Christ, an           I knew for the first time that I had been partly to
opportunity to partake of his Spirit. The following       blame for the Savior’s terrible suffering. Before this
story, related by a girl who came to sense the            time I had put all the blame upon those wicked Jews.
meaning of how Jesus is the bread of life, will           “How could they have been so blind?” I had
illustrate what is meant:                                 wondered. “Couldn’t they see that this was the Son of
                                                          God?” Now for the first time I saw the suffering of
THE BREAD OF LIFE                                         the Savior in relation to myself. The Jews were not
                                                          alone responsible for the Savior’s suffering. I was
I had never thought much about sacrament meetings
                                                          also to blame. It was I, and all of us, who had been
prior to attending college. To me they were an
                                                          the cause of his death.
opportunity to meet my friends and to discuss our
plans for the week. I felt no particular spiritual uplift My heart was sincerely touched with my new
from them.                                                realization, and I cried. I found myself wishing that
                                                          some great suffering might come upon me so that I
When I came to school, I took a class in New
                                                          could, in some way, rid myself of the torment and
Testament. One day we were discussing the great
                                                          guilt I felt. For I did feel guilty—guilty of the blood of
sermon by Jesus called the Bread of Life, and I found
                                                          him who had died. I had been evil at times—happy to
myself unable to understand what the teacher was
                                                          do wrong; yes, even glorified in my wickedness at
saying. After class I went to his office and asked for
                                                          times. Afterwards I had felt a little twinge of
an interview. I said that I hoped he could enlighten
                                                          conscience and vowed that I would do better; then I
me some. Specifically, I wished to know how Jesus
                                                          pushed the wrong deed into the back of my mind. At
could become the bread of life to me.
                                                          no time did I realize that I was adding to the
My teacher began patiently. He said that there were       incomprehensible suffering of my Savior.
many ways to partake of the bread of life. He



                                                         92
As I thought on these things, however, a flood of                (12-9) We Partake of the Sacrament to Satisfy Our
memories came rushing back to me, and I                          Spiritual Hunger
remembered my many wrongs. Not that I was evil as
                                                                 “I have always looked upon this blessed privilege as
regards our civil or moral laws, for in these I knew
                                                                 the means of spiritual growth, and there is none other
that I had not erred. But in the light of this new thing
                                                                 quite so fruitful in the achievement of that end as the
I was painfully aware of my greatest sins—my
                                                                 partaking, worthily, of the sacrament of the Lord’s
carelessness; yes, even my blasphemy. I now realized
                                                                 supper. We eat food to stimulate our physical bodies.
how irreverent I had been in remembering the
                                                                 Without the partaking of food we would become weak
emblems of his death. I had gone my merry way,
                                                                 and sickly, and fail physically. It is just as necessary,
basking in his love; I had sinned and was flippantly
                                                                 for our spiritual body, that we should partake of this
sorry, and then I sinned again. And at none of these
                                                                 sacrament and by it obtain spiritual food for our souls.
times did I realize that I, even in my slightest evils,
was helping to crucify my Lord. How many times had               “We must come, however, to the sacrament table
I looked at his picture during the administration of             hungry. If we should repair to a banquet where the
the sacrament and said under my breath, “Yes, Lord,              finest of earth’s providing may be had, without
I do love thee.” Then I had taken the sacred emblems             hunger, without appetite, the food would not be
into my mouth and immediately begun wishing for a                tempting, nor do us any good. If we repair to the
new hat like the one I saw in front of me. How many              sacrament table, we must come hungering and
times had I prayed during the sacrament and said,                thirsting for righteousness, for spiritual growth.
“Dear Lord, I thank thee for all that I have, and now            “How can we have spiritual hunger? Who is there
please give me this and give me that.” And never                 among us that does not wound his spirit by word,
once did I truly thank him for his gift to me nor ask            thought, or deed, from Sabbath to Sabbath? We do
his forgiveness for my sins. Or how many times had I             things for which we are sorry and desire to be
come to the sacrament table and asked forgiveness                forgiven, or we have erred against someone and given
for my own transgressions, still holding a grudge                injury. If there is a feeling in our hearts that we are
against those who had transgressed against me.                   sorry for what we have done, if there is a feeling in
All these things and many, many others stood bright              our souls that we would like to be forgiven, then the
and clear before me, and I was weak and sick with                method to obtain forgiveness is not through rebaptism;
shame. How sad he must be for my hypocrisy! But                  it is not to make confession to man; but it is to repent
even in my darkest moment I knew that he still loved             of our sins, to go to those against whom we have
me. Even then—in fact, then more than ever—I could               sinned or transgressed and obtain their forgiveness and
feel the warmth and peace of his love. Then suddenly,            then repair to the sacrament table where, if we have
the light flashed on bright and perfect and clear as             sincerely repented and put ourselves in proper
crystal. “This is it!” I exulted. “This is the love of           condition, we shall be forgiven, and spiritual healing
God—the love of God which sheddeth itself abroad in              will come to our souls. It will really enter into our
the hearts of the children of men. This is that bread of         being. You have felt it.
life, that living water which, if a man will eat or drink        “I am a witness that there is a spirit attending the
of it, he shall never hunger or thirst again.”                   administration of the sacrament that warms the soul
My heart leaped with joy, and I wept again. This time            from head to foot; you feel the wounds of the spirit
it was not with sorrow or shame, but with joy, for I             being healed, and the load being lifted. Comfort and
had tasted of his love and forgiveness, and I knew               happiness come to the soul that is worthy and truly
what it was. It was the same thing I had felt on many            desirous of partaking of this spiritual food.” (Ballard,
occasions before but could not recognize. This time I            Melvin J. Ballard . . . Crusader for Righteousness,
knew that I knew. I had indeed felt of his Spirit and of         pp. 132–33.)
the strength that comes through seeking a personal
relationship with him.




                                                            93
HOW CAN THE SACRAMENT HELP YOU TO                         end. Those who by this course eat his flesh and drink
MORE FULLY ACCEPT THE LORD AS YOUR                        his blood shall have eternal life, meaning exaltation
SAVIOR?                                                   in the highest heaven of the celestial world. Speaking
                                                          of ancient Israel, for instance, Paul says: They “did
What can you personally do to ensure that this action     all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the
is not just surface religion, to see that it literally    same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
becomes, as the blessing thereon states, sanctified to    Rock that followed them: and that Rock was
your soul? How can you make it a true spiritual           Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:3–4.)
experience?                                               In the waters of baptism the saints take upon
Read 3 Nephi 18:28–32 and ask yourself this               themselves the name of Christ (that is, they accept
question: What is happening in my life if I do not        him fully and completely as the Son of God and the
partake of the sacrament with proper reverence and        Savior of men), and they then covenant to keep his
preparation?                                              commandments and obey his laws. (Mosiah 18:7–
                                                          10.) To keep his saints in constant remembrance of
Carefully consider the following words of Elder           their obligation to accept and obey him—or in other
Bruce McConkie as he writes concerning the                words, to eat his flesh and drink his blood—the Lord
meaning of the term “Bread of Life,” and how the          has given them the sacramental ordinance. This
sacrament relates to it.                                  ordinance, performed in remembrance of his broken
To eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God    flesh and spilled blood, is the means provided for
is, first, to accept him in the most literal and full     men, formally and repeatedly, to assert their belief in
sense, with no reservation whatever, as the personal      the divinity of Christ, and to affirm their
offspring in the flesh of the Eternal Father; and,        determination to serve him and keep his
secondly, it is to keep the commandments of the Son       commandments; or, in other words, in this
by accepting his gospel, joining his Church, and          ordinance—in a spiritual, but not a literal sense—
enduring in obedience and righteousness unto the          men eat his flesh and drink his blood. (DNTC, 1:358.)




                                                         94
                           13
                THAT WHICH DEFILES A MAN




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                    Matthew               Mark             Luke               John

Galilee                                    14:34–36          6:53–56
 Healing in Gennesaret
Capernaum, Galilee                         15:1–20           7:1–23
 The Discourses on Cleanliness
 Goes into Northern Galilee                15:21             7:24                                  7:1

Region of Tyre and Sidon, Phoenicia        15:22–28          7:25–30
 Gentile’s Daughter Healed
 He Returns to Sea of Galilee              15:29             7:31

Decapolis                                                    7:32–37
 Deaf Man Healed
 Four Thousand Fed                         15:29–38          8:1–9

 Jesus Goes to Magdala                     15:39             8:10

THEME                                                    Jesus increased. At this point in the life of Jesus, this
                                                         hatred had grown to such a point that the Jews were
The pure in heart have faith to draw on the powers of
                                                         plotting to take his life. Frustrated in an attempt to
heaven.
                                                         get Jesus to Jerusalem so that they might fulfill their
                                                         plans, the Jews sent a delegation from Jerusalem to
INTRODUCTION                                             try to trap the Lord into saying or doing something
As the ministry of Jesus progressed in power and         that would give them license to seek his life. When
testimony, the hatred of scribes and Pharisees for       these Jews saw some of the disciples of Jesus eating


                                                        95
without first washing their hands, they accused Jesus             the Pharisees and scribes with the words, “Ye
of not following the law of Moses. In his reply to their          hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
accusation, Jesus said, “Not that which goeth into                This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,
the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out               and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far
of the mouth, this defileth a man.” (Matthew 15:11.)              from me” (Matthew 15:7, 8), because they abolished
                                                                  and made void the law of Moses by their traditions. In
This was a stinging rebuke which offended and
                                                                  this rebuke, Jesus cut down an entrenched system of
incensed these scribes and Pharisees. Why was this
                                                                  commentary and custom. Into oblivion were
statement such a rebuke to them? The Savior was
                                                                  consigned the many legends and rules, the rabbinic
only speaking a simple and beautiful truth. What is
                                                                  wisdom, legalistic regulations, and what was at best an
there in this teaching which would offend those with
                                                                  external religion. After shattering the basis of their
dishonest and hypocritical hearts? As you study this
                                                                  external religion, he discredited the authority of the
chapter, strive to understand these words of the
                                                                  Pharisees and scribes with the people by calling the
Savior and those of the Psalmist when he said, “Who
                                                                  multitude to him and by speaking these powerful
shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? . . . He that
                                                                  words: “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a
hath clean hands, and a pure heart. . . .” (Psalm
                                                                  man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this
24:3–4.)
                                                                  defileth a man.” (Matthew 15:11.)
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                                  For his denunciation of their tradition, the Pharisees
in the reading block.
                                                                  were offended. Especially were they offended by this
                                                                  one saying, for herein the Lord destroyed the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                           allegiance of the masses for that which is merely
                                                                  ceremonial and without eternal spiritual significance.
(13-1) Matthew 14:34–36. Those Whose Hearts Are                   (See Farrar, The Life of Christ, pp. 337–41.)
Pure Can Draw Down the Powers of Heaven                           (13-3) Mark 7:1. Who Were the Scribes?
The Savior and his disciples came into the land of                A foremost actor in a New Testament list of characters
Gennesaret, where “all that were diseased” were                   is the scribe. He is found in Jerusalem, Judea, and
brought to the Lord “that they might only touch the               Galilee and is not new to Jewish life and culture.
hem of his garment: and as many as touched were                   Present in Babylon and also throughout the dispersion,
made perfectly whole.”                                            he is spokesman of the people; he is the sage; he is the
“Perhaps they had knowledge of the woman who,                     man of wisdom, the rabbi who received his ordination
plagued for twelve years with an issue of blood, had              by the laying on of hands. His ability to cross-examine
been healed by touching the hem of his garment (Mark              and to question is renowned. Dignified and important,
5:25–34); perhaps they considered the garment fringe              he is an aristocrat among the common people who
as holy because of the divine command that garments               have no knowledge of the law. Regarding faith and
be bordered in blue so that all Israel might ‘look upon           religious practice, he is the authority and the last word;
it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord,                and as a teacher of the law, as a judge in ecclesiastical
and do them’ (Num. 15:37–41); or perhaps,                         courts, is the learned one who must be respected,
overpowered in the divine presence, they sought even              whose judgment is infallible. He travels in the
the slightest and least physical contact with him. But            company of the Pharisees, yet he is not necessarily a
in any event, so great was their faith that all partook of        member of this religious party. He holds office and
his infinite goodness and were healed.” (McConkie,                has status. His worth is beyond that of all the common
DNTC, 1:350–51.)                                                  folk and they must honor him, for he is to be praised
                                                                  by God and by angels in heaven. In fact, so revered
(13-2) Matthew 15:1–20. Those Whose Hearts Are                    are his words regarding law and practice that he must
Impure Are Offended by Spiritual Truth                            be believed though his statements contradict all
The scribes and Pharisees, in their attempt to discredit          common sense, or though he pronounce that the sun
the disciples of Jesus, asked him why his disciples               does not shine at noon day when in fact it is visible to
transgressed the “tradition of the elders” by failing to          the naked eye. (See Edersheim, The Life and Times of
wash their hands before they ate. Jesus in turn rebuked           Jesus the Messiah, 1:93–94.)




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(13-4) Matthew 15:2. What Were the Numerous                     the Pharisees and scribes for avoiding legitimate
Washings Required by Jewish Custom?                             obligations in this manner.
“The numerous washings required by Jewish custom                (13-6) Matthew 15:13. Who Are the “Plants” That
in the time of Christ were admittedly incident to               “Shall Be Rooted Up”?
rabbinism and ‘the tradition of the elders’ and not in
compliance with the Mosaic law. Under certain                   False ministers who are offended by the truth “are
conditions, successive washings were prescribed, in             corrupt and apostate, and in due course shall be rooted
connection with which we find mention of ‘first,’               out” by the truths which the Lord and his prophets
‘second’ and ‘other’ waters, the ‘second water’ being           declare. (See McConkie, DNTC, 1:368.)
necessary to wash away the ‘first water,’ which had             (13-7) Matthew 15:22. What Is Meant by “a
become defiled by contact with the ‘common’ hands;              Woman of Canaan”?
and so further with the later waters. Sometimes the
hands had to be dipped or immersed; at other times              Read Mark 7:26.
they were to be cleansed by pouring, it being                   “A woman, hearing of His presence within her own
necessary that the water be allowed to run to the wrist         land, came asking a boon. Mark tells us she was a
or the elbow according to the degree of supposed                Greek, or more literally a Gentile who spoke Greek,
defilement; then again, as the disciples of Rabbi               and by nationality a Syro-Phoenician; Matthew says
Shammai held, only the finger tips, or the fingers up to        she was ‘a woman of Canaan’; these statements are in
the knuckles, needed to be wetted under particular              harmony, since the Phoenicians were of Canaanite
circumstances. Rules for the cleansing of vessels and           descent. The Gospel historians make clear the fact that
furniture were detailed and exacting; distinct methods          this woman was of pagan or heathen birth; and we
applied respectively to vessels of clay, wood, and              know that among the peoples so classed the
metal. Fear of unwittingly defiling the hands led to            Canaanites were held in particular disrepute by the
many extreme precautions. It being known that the               Jews.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 354.)
Roll of the Law, the Roll of the Prophets, and other
scriptures, when laid away were sometimes touched,              (13-8) Matthew 15:24. Who Were the Lost Sheep of
scratched, or even gnawed by mice, there was issued a           the House of Israel?
rabbinical decree, that the Holy Scriptures, or any part
                                                                In this instance, Jesus is referring to the Jews. The
thereof comprising as many as eighty-five letters (the
                                                                gospel “was to be offered to the Jews before it went to
shortest section in the law having just that number),
                                                                the Gentiles. Jesus’ mortal ministry was with Israel,
defiled the hands by mere contact. Thus the hands had
                                                                not with other nations. His healing of this or any
to be ceremonially cleansed after touching a copy of
                                                                Gentile person came by special dispensation because
the scriptures, or even a written passage therefrom.
                                                                of great faith.” (See McConkie, DNTC, 1:371.)
“Emancipation from these and ‘many such like things’
must have been relief indeed.” (Talmage, Jesus the              (13-9) What Are the “Dogs” Spoken of in Matthew
Christ, p. 366; see also Mark 7:1–23.)                          15:26?
                                                                The Greek word which is translated as “dogs” here is
(13-5) Mark 7:11. What Was “Corban”?
                                                                kunariois which is the diminutive of the word and is
The word Corban means a gift, or sacrifice, to God.             better translated as “little dogs.” One commentator
Its use permitted a man to take a vow to avoid or               notes the significance of this.
accept any obligation. Thus, a man would say, “I take
                                                                “The rabbis often spoke of the Gentiles as dogs. . . .
a vow to God, or rather, Corban to me is, to abstain
from wine for a certain length of time.” He might say,          “. . . [Jesus] says not ‘dogs,’ but ‘little dogs,’ i.e.
“Corban to me is this or that man’s hospitality.” He            household, favourite dogs, and the woman
could decline to assist his parents by saying, “Corban          cleverly catches at the expression, arguing that if
to me for a time is to not assist my parents.” (See             the Gentiles are household dogs, then it is only right
Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, p. 678;               that they should be fed with the crumbs that fall from
see also Matthew 15:3–6.) In this way the intent of             their master’s table.” (Dummelow, Commentary,
such laws as “honor thy father and thy mother” was              pp. 678–79.)
frustrated. The Savior recognized this and chastised




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POINTS TO PONDER                                      tongues will utter unclean sayings. If we speak words
                                                      of wickedness, we shall end up doing the works of
THE PURE IN HEART HAVE FAITH TO DRAW wickedness. If our minds are centered on the
ON THE POWERS OF HEAVEN                               carnality and evil of the world, then worldliness and
                                                      unrighteousness will seem to us to be the normal way
                                                      of life. If we ponder things related to sex immorality
Thus far in your study of the life and teachings of   in our minds, we will soon think everybody is
Jesus, you have read a number of incidents where      immoral and unclean and it will break down the
Jesus performed miracles. You have also read of       barrier between us and the world. And so with every
incidents where he refused to perform miracles, such  other unwholesome, unclean, impure, and ungodly
as when he returned to his boyhood town of            course. And so it is that the Lord says he hates and
Nazareth. The Savior willingly, almost anxiously,     esteems as an abomination, ‘an heart that deviseth
blessed those who followed him. Yet there were those  wicked imaginations. . . .’ (Prov. 6:18.)
who never saw a miracle, never felt the Holy Spirit,
and never received a testimony even though Christ     “On the other hand, if we are pondering in our
was in their midst. Upon what principles are the      hearts the things of righteousness, we shall become
powers of heaven manifest in the lives of people?     righteous. If virtue garnishes our thoughts
How can they be manifest in your life?                unceasingly, our confidence shall wax strong in the
                                                      presence of God and he in turn will rain down
Carefully read the following verses from section 21   righteousness upon us. Truly as Jacob said, ‘. . . to be
of the Doctrine and Covenants. Though they            carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-
specifically refer to those who bear the priesthood,  minded is life eternal.’ (2 Ne. 9:39.) And as Paul
they can be applied to all who would receive the      said, ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
blessings and powers of heaven.                       whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Verses 34 and 35. Why are few chosen to receive the   For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
powers of heaven ?                                    corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of
                                                      the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Gal. 6:7–8.)
Verse 36. How are the powers of heaven controlled?
                                                      “And yet again from Paul:
You have previously read about the lady who touched
the hem of Jesus’ robe and was healed and the         “‘. . . whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things
Canaanite woman whose daughter was cleansed of        are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
an evil spirit. How does D&C 121:36 relate to those   things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
people? Do you think that their exceptional faith was whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
because of their own personal righteousness? How      virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
do faith, righteousness, and heavenly powers relate   things.’ (Phil. 4:8.)
to each other?                                        “To enable us to keep our minds centered on
Verse 37. How does this verse describe the root       righteousness, we should consciously elect to ponder
problem of the scribes and Pharisees? When did the    the truths of salvation in our hearts. Brother Packer
Pharisees consider a man defiled? Do you see that     yesterday pleaded with eloquence that we sing the
the Pharisees were concerned with outward             songs of Zion in order to center our thoughts on
cleanliness and Jesus was concerned with inward       wholesome things. I would like to add that we can
purity? “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth also—after we have had the opening song—call on
a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this   ourselves to preach a sermon. I have preached many
defileth a man.” (Matthew 15:11.) Review Matthew      sermons walking along congested city streets, or
15:17–20. To appreciate this saying of Jesus, and to  tramping desert trails, or in lonely places, thus
see how this principle may apply to your life,        centering my mind on the Lord’s affairs and the
consider the following quote by Elder Bruce R.        things of righteousness; and I might say they have
McConkie:                                             been better sermons than I have ever preached to
                                                      congregations.
To Be Clean Physically Is Not Enough
                                                      “If we are going to work out our salvation, we must
“There is an eternal law, ordained by God himself     rejoice in the Lord. We must ponder his truths in our
before the foundations of the world, that every man   hearts. We must rivet our attention and interests
shall reap as he sows. If we think evil thoughts, our



                                                      98
upon him and his goodness to us. We must forsake          5. To do:
the world and use all our strength, energies and
                                                              Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure,
abilities in furthering his work.” (Bruce R.
                                                              lovely, of good report, virtuous, and
McConkie in CR, Oct. 1973, pp. 56–57.)
                                                              praiseworthy.
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” is an
                                                              Result:
eternal truth. Our thoughts mirror our character and
the degree of inward purity we have obtained during           (Read Philippians 4:8, 9.)
our brief stay on earth. Our thoughts constitute an       6. To do:
index of our inward purity. If our thoughts are noble
and rich, if they focus on that which is virtuous,            Consciously elect to ponder the truths of
lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, we may be            salvation in your heart.
assured that our character is built of virtue, beauty,        Result:
love, that which is good, and that which the Lord and
righteous men esteem to be of great worth. If men’s           You will keep your mind centered on
thoughts are ignoble and impoverished, if they focus          righteousness.
on that which is immoral, ugly, worthy of                 7. To do:
condemnation, or not admirable, we may be assured
that their character is likewise affected. What might         Sing the songs of Zion when you are tempted
you do to redirect and improve your thoughts? Will it         with unwholesome thoughts.
make a difference to you to know this great truth and         Result:
begin to apply it in your life?
                                                              You will center your thoughts on wholesome
Listed below are positive admonitions and results             things.
which are extracted from comments of Elder
McConkie:                                                 8. To do:
1. To do:                                                     Call on yourself to preach a sermon when you are
                                                              tempted with unrighteous thoughts.
    Ponder in your heart the things of righteousness.
                                                              Result:
    Result:
                                                              You will center your mind on the Lord’s affairs
    You shall become righteous. (2 Nephi 9:39;                and the things of righteousness.
    Galatians 6:7, 8)
                                                          9. To do:
2. To do:
                                                              Rejoice in the Lord; ponder his truths in your
    Let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly.             heart; rivet your attention and interests on the
    Result:                                                   Lord and his goodness to you; forsake the world
                                                              and use all your strength, energy, and ability to
    Your confidence shall wax strong in the presence          further his work.
    of God and he in turn will rain down
    righteousness upon you (D&C 121:45).                      Result:
3. To do:                                                     You will work out your salvation.
    Be spiritually minded.                                How important is it for you to improve your
                                                          thoughts?
    Result:
                                                                             Mosiah 4:29, 30
    (Read Romans 8:6.)
                                                                             Matthew 12:36
4. To do:
                                                          As you learn to control your thoughts and desires,
    Sow to the Spirit.                                    you will experience an inward purity that will enable
    Result:                                               you to draw upon the powers of heaven. Read the
                                                          following scripture:
    (Read Galatians 6:7, 8.)
                                                                            D&C 121:45–46.



                                                         99
100
                  14
     THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST




      THE GALILEAN MINISTRY                     Matthew            Mark          Luke   John

Capernaum, Galilee                          16:1–12           8:10–21
 He Speaks Regarding Signs
Bethsaida, Tetrarchy of Phillip                               8:22–26

Near Caesarea Philippi                      16:13–20          8:27–30        9:18–22
 Peter’s Testimony
Jesus Foretells Death and Resurrection      16:21–28          8:31–38; 9:1   9:23–27

Mt. Hermon, Syria, or Mt. Tabor, Galilee    17:1–13           9:2–13         9:28–36
 Transfiguration of Christ
 He Heals the Boy Possessed by an Evil      17:14–21          9:14–29        9:37–43
 Spirit
Galilee                                     17:22, 23         9:30–32        9:43–45
 He again Tours Galilee and Foretells Death
 and Resurrection
Capernaum, Galilee                          17:24–27
 Tribute Money
 Discourses on Humility, Forgiveness,        18:1–35          9:33–50        9:46–62
 Sealing Power, Responsibility of Disciples,
 and Sacrifice
 Seventy Sent Forth                                                          10:1–16


                                                        101
THEME                                                        that the name Peter in Greek happens to mean a rock
                                                             or a stone? What difference does it make that Peter
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and
                                                             was promised the gift of seership, or anything else for
John beheld the glory of Jesus Christ and received
                                                             that matter? And what bearing does it have on the
keys of the priesthood through holy visitations. These
                                                             problem to show that all of the Twelve held all of the
keys still reside in the Church.
                                                             keys of the kingdom? None of these things establish
                                                             the divinity of any false church.
INTRODUCTION
As part of his Galilean ministry Jesus fed the five          “But suppose it were true that the wholly untenable
thousand. He delivered the Bread of Life sermon. He          apostate view were correct, and that the Lord had set
declared that he is the true bread of life and that men      up his kingdom with Peter as the rock, still any church
ought to be more concerned for their spiritual rather        claiming to trace its authority back to Peter would be a
than their physical needs. Because of his doctrine,          false church unless it believed in and operated on the
many of his own nation left him and followed him no          principles of modern revelation. Why? Simply
more. Later, in an act of compassion, he provided            because conditions are so different in the world today
bread and fish for four thousand people.                     that a church without daily revelation cannot make the
                                                             change necessary to meet those new conditions. How
Not long thereafter, Jesus traveled into Caesarea            would the modern church know what stand to take
Philippi. To his disciples he asked this question: “But      with reference to the use of tobacco, or coffee, or the
whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:15.) Peter’s             atomic bomb, or motion pictures, or television, or a
answer and the Lord’s subsequent comments to him             thousand things that were not so much as known to
and the other disciples are thoughts with which you          men in Peter’s day?
will be concerned as you complete the readings in
this lesson.                                                 “Clearly it is only by revelation that the Lord
                                                             establishes his work among men. In the final analysis,
Six days later the Lord took Peter, James, and John          no person can have conclusive knowledge as to the
onto a mountain where he was transfigured before             true meaning of this passage without revelation from
them. The events on the Mount of Transfiguration             that God who is no respecter of persons and who
and their significance to you is the major thrust of         giveth wisdom liberally to all who ask of him in faith.
this lesson.                                                 And how can those who deny the very existence of
Of this event Elder Bruce R. McConkie has testified:         revelation for this age, and who deliberately refrain
                                                             from seeking such for themselves, how can they,
“Until men attain a higher status of spiritual               in their uninspired state, ever come to a sure
understanding than they now enjoy, they can learn            knowledge of this or any other eternal, spiritual
only in part what took place upon the Mount of               truth?” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:387.)
Transfiguration.” (DNTC, 1:399.)
                                                             (14-2) Matthew 16:19. What Are the Keys of the
What is the significance of the Transfiguration?             Kingdom of Heaven?
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        “These keys include the sealing power, that is, the
in the reading block.                                        power to bind and seal on earth, in the Lord’s name
                                                             and by his authorization, and to have the act ratified in
                                                             heaven. Thus if Peter performed baptism by the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      authority of the sealing power here promised him,
                                                             that ordinance would be of full force and validity
(14-1) Matthew 16:17, 18. What Is the Solid Rock             when the person for whom it was performed went
upon Which the True Church Stands?                           into the eternal worlds, and it would then admit him
                                                             to the celestial heaven. Again, if Peter used these
“It is fruitless for uninspired scriptural exegesists to     sealing keys to perform a marriage, then those so
argue and debate about this passage in an attempt to         united in eternal marriage would continue as husband
sustain the particular leanings with which they chance       and wife forever. When they attained their future
to have encumbered themselves. What does it matter           heaven, they would find themselves bound together in




                                                           102
the family unit the same as they were on earth.               as we have any knowledge. He conferred upon them
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 615–16.)” (McConkie, DNTC,              all the power and authority of the priesthood. He also
1:389–90.)                                                    appointed three of these Twelve to take the keys of
                                                              presidency. Peter, James, and John, acted as the First
(14-3) Matthew 16:19. Is There a Special                      Presidency of the Church in their day.” (Smith,
Significance to Jesus’ Statement That Peter Would             Doctrines of Salvation, 3:152. See also D&C 7:7;
Receive the Keys of the Kingdom?                              27:12, 13.)
“In other words, Peter, holding the keys of the
                                                              (14-6) Matthew 17:3, 4. What Was Important
kingdom, was as much the president of the High
                                                              About the Appearance of Moses and Elijah?
Priesthood in his day as Joseph Smith and his
successors, to whom also these ‘keys’ were given in           “Moses, the great prophet-statesman whose name
our day, are the presidents of the High Priesthood, and       symbolized the law, and Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet
the earthly heads of the Church and kingdom of God            of so great fame that his name had come to typify and
on the earth.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1953, p. 25.)       symbolize the collective wisdom and insight of all the
                                                              prophets. Moses held the keys of the gathering of
(14-4) Matthew 16:24. “Take Up [Your] Cross and               Israel and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of
Follow Me”                                                    the north; Elijah, the keys of the sealing power. These
The Inspired Version of the Bible says that “for a man        are the keys which they conferred upon Peter, James,
to take up his cross, is to deny himself all ungodliness,     and John upon the mount, and which they also
and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments.”            conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in
(Matthew 16:26, Inspired Version.)                            the Kirtland Temple nearly two thousand years later.
                                                              (D. & C 110:11–16.) Both of them were translated
(14-5) Matthew 17:1–9. Why Were Peter, James,                 beings and had bodies of flesh and bones, a status they
and John Singled Out to Receive Special Privileges,           apparently enjoyed so that they could confer keys
Keys, and Blessings?                                          upon mortal men. We have a detailed scriptural
“They alone witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter         account of Elijah’s translation (2 Kings 2) and a
from the dead. (Mark 5:22–24, 35–43.) They alone              number of scriptural references concerning Moses
beheld the glory and majesty of the transfigured Jesus;       which can only be interpreted to mean that he too was
they alone received from him, and from Moses and              taken to heaven without tasting death. (Alma 45:18–
Elijah the keys of the kingdom, being prohibited from         19; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 726–730; Doctrines of
so much as telling the others of the Twelve of these          Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 107–111.) When these two holy
transcendent events until after our Lord’s resurrection.      men appeared in this dispensation to restore again
They alone were taken to a spot in Gethsemane where           their keys and powers, they came as resurrected
they could behold his agony as he took upon himself           personages. (D. & C. 133:55.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
the sins of the world. (Mark 14:32–42.) They were the         1:402–3.)
ones who came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery              (14-7) Matthew 18:15–17, 21–35. Are There Limits
in this dispensation to confer priesthood and keys.           to Forgiveness? If So, How Is This Principle
(D. & C. 27:12–13; 128:20.)                                   Applied to the Teachings of Jesus?
“Why always these three and not various ones or even          Regarding limitations placed on us to forgive our
all of the Twelve. The plain fact is that Peter, James,       fellowmen, read these scriptures:
and John were the First Presidency of the Church in
their day. . . . by latter-day revelation we know that        Matthew 18:21, 22; D&C 98:23–48; D&C 64:7–11.
they held and restored ‘the keys of the kingdom,
                                                              (14-8) Matthew 18:6. What Is Meant by the
which belong always unto the Presidency of the High
                                                              Statement “Whoso Shall Offend One of These
Priesthood’ (D&C 81:2), or in other words, they were
                                                              Little Ones”?
the First Presidency in their day. (McConkie, DNTC,
1:401–2.)                                                     Little ones are children and those who have become as
                                                              little children by conforming to the principles of the
“In the days of Christ’s ministry he called the first
                                                              gospel. To “offend one of these little ones,” to cause to
apostles who were ever ordained to that office so far




                                                            103
stumble or falter because of false example or doctrine,     prophets. President Wilford Woodruff said that Joseph
is a grievous sin indeed. The Savior taught that in         Smith told the Twelve Apostles that he had sealed
some cases it would have been better for a person           upon them all keys, rights, authorities, and sealing
never to have been born than for him to have blocked        powers. (See Durham, Discourses of Wilford
the eternal progress of another. (See McConkie,             Woodruff, pp. 71–73.)
DNTC, 1:420.)
                                                            At the time of his ordination as a member of the
(14-9) Matthew 18:17. Is It Necessary to Discuss            Quorum of the Twelve, each apostle is blessed with all
One’s Transgression with Church Leaders?                    of the keys of the priesthood which are currently
                                                            available to man on the earth. Although each holds the
“The function of proper Church leaders in the matter        keys, only the presiding officer of the Church can
of forgiveness is twofold: (1) to exact proper              exercise them fully. Upon the dissolution of the First
penalty—for example, to initiate official action in         Presidency, the senior member of the Quorum of the
regard to the sinner in cases which warrant either          Twelve, having been called and sustained prior to all
disfellowshipment or excommunication; (2) to waive          other living members of the Twelve, may then
penalties and extend the hand of fellowship to the one      exercise these keys in their fulness.
in transgression. Whichever of the two steps is taken,
either forgiveness or Church disciplinary action, it        Read and mark D&C 132:7.
must be done in the light of all the facts and the
inspiration which can come to those making the              “. . . we have the holy priesthood and . . . the keys of
decision. Hence the importance of the repentant             the kingdom. . . .” (Joseph Fielding Smith in CR, Apr.
transgressor making full confession to the appropriate      1972, p. 99.)
authority.” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of
                                                            As an example of how one of the apostles received
Forgiveness, pp. 325–26.)
                                                            the keys of the priesthood, consider how the keys
                                                            were given to Spencer W. Kimball, a modern
POINTS TO PONDER                                            prophet.

(14-10) THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIESTHOOD                            (see following pages)
KEYS
Various priesthood keys were held by Adam, Noah,
the heads of gospel dispensations, and other mighty




                                                          104
(Keys of the sealing powers of                                            (Keys of the kingdom: all rights
the priesthood: the power to                                              and powers of presidency)
bind on earth and seal eternally
in the heavens)




                                               The Savior




                        Peter                   James                  John            John the Baptist


(Peter, James, and John were ordained by the
Savior [Mark 3:14; Matthew 16:19].)




                                              Joseph Smith
                       (Ordained under the hands of Peter, James, and John in 1829.)




                                                    105
 Brigham Young
(Ordained an apostle by
the Three Witnesses,
who were acting under
the authority of Joseph
Smith, February 14,
1835.)                       George Q. Cannon
                             (Brigham Young
                             ordained George Q.
                             Cannon an apostle
                             on August 26, 1860.)
                                                                Heber J. Grant
                                                              (George Q. Cannon
                                                              ordained Heber J. Grant
                                                              an apostle on October 16,
                                                              1882.)

                                                                                          Spencer W. Kimball
                                                                                          (Heber J. Grant
                                                                                          ordained Spencer W.
                                                                                          Kimball an apostle on
                                                                                          October 7, 1943.)




Of what value to you is the fact that the keys of the     (14-11) SUMMARY
priesthood are possessed by Church leaders today?
                                                          All things were done in proper order during the
How do these keys relate to such things as your
                                                          Savior’s ministry. The experience on the Mount of
baptism, your family, your marriage or future
                                                          Transfiguration marked, among other things, the
marriage, the priesthood, and so forth? Read D&C
                                                          granting of important revelation and keys to those who
132:13. Keys open doors. What doors are opened for
                                                          would soon preside over Christ’s church of the
you because the keys have been committed to the
                                                          meridian dispensation.
Church?




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                         15
           “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE
                              THE WORLD”




   THE LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY                  Matthew              Mark             Luke               John

Galilee                                                                                         17:2–9
 Jesus Is Urged to Attend the Feast of
 Tabernacles
 Jesus Journeys Toward Jerusalem                                                9:51–56         7:10

Jerusalem, Judea                                                                                7:11–53
  Preaching During the Feast of Tabernacles
 Woman Taken in Adultery                                                                        8:1–11

 Jesus Testifies of Himself                                                                     8:12–30

 Discourse to the Jews                                                                          8:31–59

 A Man Born Blind Is Healed                                                                     9:1–41

 Jesus Is the Good Shepherd                                                                     10:1–21

THEME                                                     INTRODUCTION
The light of Christ enables mankind to clearly choose     It was autumn in Galilee. The annual Feast of the
between the kingdom of God or spiritual darkness.         Tabernacles was near at hand, and Jesus, like many
                                                          of his Jewish countrymen, was planning to attend the


                                                        107
great celebration in Jerusalem. Some of his brethren        The special animal sacrifices of rams, lambs, and
felt that the festival presented an unusual opportunity     bullocks were offered daily. The people also
for Jesus to make a public declaration of his divine        participated in a ceremony in which they waved
mission. They said: “If thou do these things, shew          branches of palm, myrtle, willow, and citron trees up
thyself to the world.” (John 7:4.) Jesus rejected the       and down toward the cardinal points of the compass,
suggestion, and stayed his departure for a few days.        symbolizing the presence of God throughout the
“Go ye up unto this feast,” he told his brethren. “I        universe.
go not up yet . . . for my time is not yet full
                                                            The eighth day, the Feast of Conclusion, was a time of
come.” (John 7:8.) It was not his Father’s plan that
                                                            solemn assembly—a day of prayer for rain, and a day
Christ be present until the festivities were well under
                                                            commemorated in memory of the dead. (See Exodus
way, for Jewish leaders sought his life.
                                                            23:16, 17; Leviticus 23:39–43; Numbers 29:12–38;
At length, however, “when the time was come that he         Deuteronomy 16:13–15; 31:10–13.)
should be received up, [Jesus] stedfastly set his face
to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51.)                           (15-2) John 7:16, 17. What Test Did Jesus
                                                            Prescribe to Know the Truthfulness of His
“Jesus was leaving Galilee forever; his great               Doctrine?
Galilean ministry was ended. In Judea and Perea his
voice would yet be heard, his mighty works seen. But        “In searching the record as it is given to us by men
the course of his life was toward the cross, and he         who associated daily with the Lord, we find that upon
was steadfast and immovable in his determination to         one occasion men who were listening to him cried out
follow this very course, one laid out for him by his        against him. They opposed his works, as men today
Father. He had said of himself through the mouth of         oppose him. And one voice cried out and said in
Isaiah, ‘I set my face like a flint, and I know that I      effect, ‘How do we know that what you tell us is true?
shall not be ashamed.’ (Isa. 50:7.) Clearly, there was      How do we know that your profession of being the
to be no turning back.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:439.)            Son of God is true.’ And Jesus answered him in just a
                                                            simple way (and note the test): ‘If any man will do his
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
in the reading block.                                       God, or whether I speak of myself.’ (John 7:17. Italics
                                                            added.)
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     “That test is most sound. It is most philosophical. It is
                                                            the most simple test to give knowledge to an
(15-1) John 7:2. What Was the Feast of                      individual of which the human mind can conceive.
Tabernacles?                                                Doing a thing, introducing it into your very being, will
                                                            convince you whether it is good or whether it is bad.
“. . . the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be
                                                            You may not be able to convince me of that which you
the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the
                                                            know, but you know it because you have lived it. That
Lord.” (Leviticus 23:34.) The Feast of Tabernacles
                                                            is the test that the Savior gave to those men when they
was a time to rejoice and to express gratitude to the
                                                            asked him how they should know whether the doctrine
Lord for the rich harvest of the fertile lands of
                                                            was of God or whether it was of man.” (David O.
Palestine. Fields and vineyards were often some
                                                            McKay in CR, Oct. 1966, p. 136.)
distance from Israelite villages, so families would
build temporary living quarters for the harvest season      (15-3) John 8:1–11. The Woman Taken in Adultery
and week-long celebration. These dwellings were
decorated with fruits and garlands which represented        “Did the Lord forgive the woman? Could he forgive
the bountiful harvest received from the Lord. They          her? There seems to be no evidence of forgiveness.
also served to remind the occupants of the forty years      His command to her was, ‘Go, and sin no more.’ He
their ancestors spent in the wilderness, encamped in        was directing the sinful woman to go her way,
makeshift tents of whatever materials that could be         abandon her evil life, commit no more sin, transform
found. The Jews were never to forget that God               her life. He was saying, Go, woman, and start your
redeemed their people from captivity and bondage.           repentance; and he was indicating to her the beginning
                                                            step—to abandon her transgressions.” (Kimball, The
                                                            Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 165.)




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(15-4) John 8:31, 32. “The Truth Shall Make You               At night the sheep would be brought into an enclosure
Free”                                                         called a sheep-fold which had high walls to keep
                                                              anything or anyone from getting in. At the top of the
Elder Bruce R. McConkie has interpreted the
                                                              walls were placed thorns which prevented wolves
foregoing expression to mean that we shall be made
                                                              from leaping into the enclosure. Proper entrance was
“free from the damning power of false doctrine; free
                                                              at the door only. (John 10:1.)
from the bondage of appetite and lust; free from the
shackles of sin; from every evil and corrupt influence        “Often several flocks were brought into one fold and
and from every restraining and curtailing power; free         one shepherd, called a porter, would stand guard at the
to go on to the unlimited freedom enjoyed in its              door during the night while the others would go home
fulness only by exalted beings.” (DNTC, 1:456–57.)            to rest. When they would return in the morning, they
                                                              would be recognized by the doorkeeper, allowed to
(15-5) John 8:56–59. What Did Jesus Mean,                     enter, and each call his own flock and lead them forth
“Before Abraham Was, I Am”?                                   to pasture. (John 10:2–3.) The shepherd provided the
“This is as blunt and pointed an affirmation of divinity      food for the sheep.
as any person has or could make. ‘Before Abraham              “The shepherd walked ahead of his sheep and led
was I Jehovah.’ That is, ‘I am God Almighty, the              them. The sheep knew the shepherd and trusted in him
Great I AM. I am the self-existent, Eternal One. I am         and would not follow a stranger. (John 10:4–5.) He
the God of your fathers. My name is: I AM THAT I              generally had a name for each sheep and each knew its
AM.’                                                          own name and would come when called. If a stranger
“To Moses the Lord Jehovah had appeared, identified           called, the sheep became nervous and startled and
himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and          would not obey the voice of the stranger, for they
said: ‘I AM THAT I AM: . . . Thus shalt thou say unto         knew their master’s voice. (John 10:3–4, 27.)
the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. . . .     “The true shepherd, the owner of the sheep, was
This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial             willing to give his life for the sheep if need be.
unto all generations.’ (Ex. 2:1–15.)                          Sometimes a leopard or panther, when driven by
“Of a later manifestation, the King James Version has         hunger, would leap over the walls of the fold and into
Deity say: ‘I am the Lord: And I appeared unto                the midst of the frightened sheep. Then was the time
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of           when the nerve and heart of the shepherd was tried. A
God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not                hireling, one who did not own the sheep, might at such
known to them.’ (Ex. 6:2–3.) From latter-day                  a crisis flee from the danger and shrink from the duties
revelation we know that one of our Lord’s great               of the shepherd. (John 10:11–13.) Unwatched, the
pronouncements to Abraham was: “I am the Lord thy             hireling might not put the welfare of the sheep
God; . . . My name is Jehovah’ (Abra. 2:7–8), and             foremost in his life. Hirelings had been known to sell
accordingly we find the Inspired Version account              sheep and then pocket the money and account for the
reading: ‘I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and            loss by saying that wolves came and destroyed the
unto Jacob. I am the Lord God Almighty; the Lord              sheep. When this is applied to the gospel, it is seen
JEHOVAH. And was not my name known unto                       what a ‘hireling’ might do with the care of human
them?’ (I.V. Ex. 6:3.)                                        souls. But the true shepherd’s chief concern was the
                                                              welfare of the sheep. (John 21:15–17.)
“That the Jews understood Jesus’ plainly stated claim
to Messiahship is evident from their belligerent              “Even the shepherd’s clothing was designed to aid him
attempt to stone him—death by stoning being the               in his care of the sheep. The shepherd’s coat generally
penalty for blasphemy, a crime of which our Lord              had a large pocket inside, suitable for carrying a weak
would have been guilty had not his assertions as to           or wounded lamb to safety. Isaiah made reference to
divinity been true. But Jesus, evidently exercising           this pocket when he ascribed to Christ the role of
divine powers, passed unknown out of their                    shepherd. (Isaiah 40:10–11.)
midst.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:464.)                              “Jesus’ station as the Good Shepherd is complete in
                                                              every detail. He is the door of the fold, by which we
(15-6) John 10:1–15. The Symbolism of the “Good
                                                              must enter. There is none other. (John 10:9.) He is
Shepherd”
                                                              not a hireling but is the true shepherd of human souls,
“The shepherd in Palestine lived a lonely life and was        and ‘we are not our own’ (1 Corinthians 6:19–20),
noted for his faithfulness and protection to his sheep.


                                                            109
but he has purchased us with his precious blood.               that his would be the mission to mark the course and
(1 Corinthians 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18–19; 2 Peter 2:1; Acts        light the way which all men should travel. (3 Ne. 15:9;
20:28.) The shepherd provided the pasture on which             18:16, 24.) Messianic prophecies given to their fathers
the sheep feed. Jesus has given us his word. We are            promised that he would be ‘a light to the Gentiles’
warned against the doctrines of men. Only the                  (Isa. 49:6), a light piercing the darkness of error and
‘pasture’ that the Lord provides is proper food for his        unbelief. (Isa. 60:1–3.) Jesus’ application of these
sheep, and no man can be saved in ignorance of his             prophecies to his own person was a clear proclamation
word or without his revelations. The true sheep know           of his own Messiahship and was so understood by his
his voice. The true Shepherd knows and owns his                hearers.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:452–53.)
sheep and he calls them. We thus take upon us the
name of Christ, for he owns us; we are his sheep; and,              The Woman Taken in Sin (John 8:3–12)
if we have his name, we can enter ‘by the door.’”
(Matthews, The Parables of Jesus, pp. 75–76.)                  According to Mosaic Law, the physical penalty for
                                                               adultery was death. What was (and is) the spiritual
In the light of what you have just learned about the           penalty? By what manner did the Savior save the life
role of a “good shepherd,” what difference does it             of the sinful woman? How did he become a light to
make to you to know that the Savior knows your                 her? to her accusers? How may he become a light to
name, that you are among those recognized as his               others who are guilty of sin?
sheep? On a separate sheet of paper answer this                The Healing of the Man Born Blind (John 9:1–41)
question: What does it mean for me when the Savior
says, “My sheep know my voice”? For special            The real problem bothering the Pharisees was not
insight see Mosiah 6:10–13.                            whether it was proper for Jesus to heal on the
                                                       Sabbath day. Nor did it concern them whether or not
(15-7) John 10:17, 18. [See also John 5:26, 27.] Why Jesus was truly the Messiah. The Pharisees felt that
Is It That No Man Could Take Jesus’ Life from          their very existence as interpreters of the Mosaic Law
Him?                                                   was threatened. They demanded that every Jew
                                                       conform his life to a harsh set of ritual rules and
“Jesus had no father of the flesh, that is who was     laws, the breaking of which would make him unclean
mortal and subject to death. Our Eternal Father to     and, therefore, unacceptable to God.
whom we pray is the Father of the body of Jesus
Christ and from his Father he inherited life and death In contrast, Jesus taught that God’s laws were based
was always subject to him. He had the power to lay     on love; that obedience brought freedom, happiness,
down his life, because he was the Son of Mary who      and fulfillment. The essence of Christ’s teachings
was like us, mortal, and he had the power to take his  shed the light of truth upon those false and
life up again for that power was in him. In his        burdensome philosophies which kept men in the
teachings to the Jews and his disciples he frequently  darkness of disbelief, ignorance, and sin. See John
told them of this power and of his mission.” (Smith,   9:39. Jesus clearly set forth the path by which men
Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:33.)                    could achieve salvation and offered a choice: remain
                                                       as you are, or transform your life and follow me. It
POINTS TO PONDER                                       was as though Jesus had said this:
POINTS TO PONDER
                                                               “‘I am come into the world to sit in judgment upon
(15-8) I Am the Light of the World                             all men, to divide them into two camps by their
                                                               acceptance or rejection of my word. Those who are
The celebration known as the Feast of Tabernacles
                                                               spiritually blind have their eyes opened through
was marked by a brilliant display of light which
                                                               obedience to my gospel and shall see the things of the
emanated from great golden candlesticks set up within
                                                               Spirit. Those who think they can see in the spiritual
the temple complex. Jesus apparently took advantage
                                                               realm, but who do not accept me and my gospel shall
of the situation to declare, “I am the light of the
                                                               remain in darkness and be made blind to the true
world.”
                                                               spiritual realities.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:482.)
“His hearers well knew that their Messiah should
                                                               How is it that a man born blind came to see with an
stand as a light to all men; that is, they knew that he as
                                                               eternal clarity which eclipsed the sight of those who
the very source of light and truth, would stand forth as
                                                               professed the fullest vision of the law? There are
a light, an example, a dispenser of truth; they knew



                                                             110
some powerful and profound insights in this story            ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ—that our very
which can assist you in overcoming spiritual                 beings may radiate and reflect its message of truth,
blindness. Look again at some key verses in John 9           love, and peace. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give
which help explain how an individual can come to             unto you to be the light of the world. . . .” (Matthew
see the things of God. How many times did the man            5:16, Inspired Version.) “Behold I am the light which
have to “bear testimony” of what happened? Note              ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me
verses 11, 15, 17, and 25. Can you see, as he bears          do.” (3 Nephi 18:24.) “Therefore, let your light so
his testimony, the spiritual sight developing? Initially     shine before this world, that they may see your good
he only recounts what happened, but by the time he is        works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
through he is a committed disciple of Christ. Note           (Matthew 5:18, Inspired Version.)
verses 26 and 27. Now consider the power of his final
testimony. Read verses 31–33.
                                                              (15-9) The Light of Truth Is the Light of Christ
What did discipleship cost the young man? Note
verse 34. Was he willing to pay the price? Now                The Prophet Joseph Smith received a profound
consider the result. Study carefully verse 35. Who            revelation in which he was given some of the most
came looking for whom? Why? How would you feel if             powerful truths ever revealed concerning the nature
you knew the Savior was seeking you out; that he,             and mission of Jesus Christ as the light of the world.
because of your faith, even under trial, was feeling                            Read D&C 88:6–13.
for you? He is, you know. Do you have eyes to see?
                                                              One can scarcely begin to comprehend the depth and
        Christ Can Be a Light in Your Life                    breadth of the majestic mission of our Lord and Savior
You have just read of two individuals whose lives             to the earth and its inhabitants. But we can be certain
were transformed by the light of Christ. The Savior           of the following fact:
can strengthen and enlighten your life as well. He            “Christ is the light to humanity. In that light man sees
has explained how that may be accomplished. In the            his way clearly. When it is rejected, the soul of man
Sermon on the Mount, the Lord taught that we may              stumbles in darkness. No person, no group, no nation
enjoy his light if we are single-minded in desiring to        can achieve true success without following Him who
serve him and keep his commandments. (See Matthew             said:
6:22, 23.) Being single-minded means that the
                                                              “‘I am the light of the world; he that followeth me
interests and pleasures of the world do not become as
                                                              shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
attractive and important as our desires to strengthen
                                                              life.’ (John 8:12)” (David O. McKay in CR, Apr.
the Lord’s kingdom. It means that we must be willing
                                                              1940, p. 115.)
to put our own interests aside, when necessary, to
care for the needs of others. It means that we are not




                                                           111
112
                    16
       THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS
                     COMMANDMENTS




   THE LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY                    Matthew             Mark              Luke              John

Judea                                       11:25–27                             10:17–24
  The Seventy Return
 The Two Great Commandments;                                                     10:25–37
 Parable of the Good Samaritan
Bethany, Judea                                                                   10:38–42
 Jesus Visits Mary and Martha
Judea                                                                            11:1–13
  Instructions to Disciples on Prayer
 Accused Again of Casting Out an Evil                                            11:14–36
 Spirit by the Power of Satan
 Another Discourse on Cleanliness                                                11:37–54

THEME                                                      They thirsted, but he was the very source of “living
                                                           water.” His audience was greatly disturbed over the
The Savior taught the singular importance of
                                                           bold testimony.
developing pure love, first for God and then for all
others.                                                    Yet even as the day closed upon the departing
                                                           throngs, the scene itself seemed to illustrate the
                                                           distinction between the Messiah and his troubled
INTRODUCTION                                               listeners, for we read that “every man went into his
At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus had again               own house,” but “Jesus went unto the mount of
declared his divinity, emphasizing the distinct            Olives.” (John 7:53; 8:1.)
difference between himself and the rest of mankind.        Later, having before them the unimpeachable
He knew the Father perfectly; they did not know him        testimony of the former blind man, these Jews denied
at all. He obeyed the Father completely; they did not.     the undeniable. Self-made darkness persisted, and


                                                         113
they remained willfully blind to him who was the             down for the people narrow and uninspired
Light of the world.                                          interpretations of this command, the rabbis wrote:
Jesus told them too of the importance of his voice, for      “We are not to contrive the death of the Gentiles, but
he was that Good Shepherd who had spoken from                if they are in any danger of death we are not bound to
heaven to their wandering fathers. But they made             deliver them, e.g. if any of them fall into the sea you
themselves also deaf and at their hands he would             need not take him out, for such a one is not thy
soon be the sacrificial Lamb of God. “Ye seek to kill        neighbour.” (Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy
me,” he said, “because my word hath no place in              Bible, p. 751.)
you.” (John 8:37.)
                                                             (16-4) Luke 10:38–42. The Devotion of Mary and
From all of this we may see that Jesus was not then,         Martha
nor is he now, accepted or rejected simply on
technicalities. It is, after all, a matter of where your     “There was no reproof of Martha’s desire to provide
heart really is. Now, as you continue with Jesus in his      well; nor any sanction of possible neglect on Mary’s
later Judean ministry, you will read of those two            part. We must suppose that Mary had been a willing
great fundamentals suggested by the title of this            helper before the master’s arrival; but now that He had
lesson. It is hoped that you will obtain a greater           come, she chose to remain with Him. Had she been
understanding of these heartfelt rudiments of gaining        culpably neglectful of her duty, Jesus would not have
eternal life: the two great commandments.                    commended her course. He desired not well-served
                                                             meals and material comforts only, but the company of
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        the sisters, and above all their receptive attention to
in the reading block.                                        what He had to say. He had more to give them than
                                                             they could possibly provide for Him. Jesus loved the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      two sisters and their brother as well. Both these
                                                             women were devoted to Jesus, and each expressed
(16-1) Luke 10:17. The Significance of the Calling           herself in her own way. Martha was of a practical turn,
of the Seventy                                               concerned in material service; she was by nature
                                                             hospitable and self-denying. Mary, contemplative and
“The order of the Seventy is a special calling of Elders     more spiritually inclined, showed her devotion
for the preaching of the Gospel in all the world, under      through the service of companionship and
the direction of the Twelve Apostles. A quorum               appreciation.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 433.)
consists of seventy members, of which seven are
chosen as presidents. The difference between the             (16-5) Luke 11:1–4. “Teach Us to Pray”
Seventies and the Elders is that the former are
                                                             No doubt the apostles, being faithful Jews, were
‘traveling ministers’ and the latter are ‘standing
                                                             themselves men of prayer; yet as they watched Jesus
ministers’ to the Church.” (Widtsoe, comp.,
                                                             in prayer, they were so humbled and impressed as to
Priesthood and Church Government, p. 115; see also
                                                             ask, when he had finished, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
D&C 107:25.)
                                                             Here he gave them a simple pattern, the same as had
(16-2) Luke 10:21. Who Are the “Babes” to Whom               been given in the Sermon on the Mount. It taught them
the Father Gives Revelation?                                 “how Deity might appropriately be addressed in
“Compared with the learned men of the time, such as          prayer, of the praise and adoration that should be
the rabbis and scribes, whose knowledge served but to        extended to him, and of the type and kind of petitions
harden their hearts against the truth, these devoted         men should make to him. As far as it goes it is one of
servants were as babes in humility, trust, and faith.        the most concise, expressive, and beautiful statements
Such children were and are among the nobles of the           found in the scriptures. It does not, however, reach the
kingdom.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 428.)               heights of one of Jesus’ later prayers among the Jews,
                                                             the great Intercessory Prayer (John 17), nor does it
(16-3) Luke 10:27, 29, 36. How Did Many Jewish               compare with some of the prayers he uttered among
Leaders in the Day of Jesus Interpret the Term               the Nephites. (3 Ne. 19.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:235.)
Neighbor?
                                                             Perhaps even more helpful than the short sample itself
Among the sacred laws left on record by Moses was            were the pertinent guidelines and counsel he then gave
the command to “love thy neighbour as                        them. (See Luke 11:5–13.)
thyself.” (Leviticus 19:18.) Centuries later, in laying


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(16-6) Compare Luke 11:4 with Matthew 6:12. A                (16-9) Luke 11:32. The Men of Nineveh Shall Rise
Lost Sentence in Luke                                        Up in Judgment and Condemn This Generation
As you have noticed, the Lord’s prayer as rendered in        “It shall be as though heathen and Gentile nations,
Luke is missing these great sanctifying words: “For          those without the law and the light which Israel had,
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for      shall rise up in judgment against the chosen seed,
ever. Amen.” President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.,                 whose opportunities to do right were far greater. The
explained:                                                   heathens of Nineveh repented when a man preached to
                                                             them, but God’s covenant race, the chosen of the
“The prayer as given in Luke has been considerably
                                                             whole earth, refused to repent when the very Son of
tampered with.
                                                             God came among them.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:278.)
“Scholars affirm the changes . . . stem from the pen of
Marcion, the heretic of almost 1800 years ago. (CR,          (16-10) Luke 11:47–49. Are There Modern-Day
Apr. 1954, p. 42.)                                           Sepulchre Builders?
It is noteworthy that in the Inspired Version, the Luke      “. . . do you also build sepulchres for the dead
account includes the expression of reverence and             prophets and tombs for those who have passed away
humility that is missing in the King James Version.          long ago and disregard the living ones?” (Spencer W.
                                                             Kimball in CR, Oct. 1949, p. 123.)
(16-7) Luke 11:5–13. The Parable of the Friend at
                                                             “Even in the Church many are prone to garnish the
Midnight
                                                             sepulchres of yesterday’s prophets and mentally stone
“The parable is regarded by some as a difficult one to       the living ones.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Instructor,
apply, since it deals with the selfish and comfort-          Aug. 1960, p. 257.)
loving element of human nature, and apparently uses
this to symbolize God’s deliberate delay. The                (16-11) Luke 11:52. Jesus Decries the Loss of the
explanation, however, is clear when the context is duly      Fulness of the Scriptures
considered. The Lord’s lesson was, that if man, with         What did Jesus mean by the “key to knowledge”? The
all his selfishness and disinclination to give, will         Prophet Joseph Smith gives this clarification:
nevertheless grant what his neighbor with proper
purpose asks and continues to ask in spite of objection      ‘‘Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the
and temporary refusal, with assured certainty will God       key of knowledge, the fulness of the scriptures; ye
grant what is persistently asked in faith and with           enter not in yourselves into the kingdom; and those
righteous intent. No parallelism lies between man’s          who were entering in, ye hindered.” (Luke 11:53,
selfish refusal and God’s wise and beneficent waiting.       Inspired Version. Italics added.)
There must be a consciousness of real need for prayer,       “The devil wages war against the scriptures. He hates
and real trust in God, to make prayer effective; and in      them, perverts their plain meanings, and destroys them
mercy the Father sometimes delays the granting that          when he can. He entices those who heed his temptings
the asking may be more fervent. But in the words of          to delete and discard, to change and corrupt, to alter
Jesus: ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good        and amend. . . .
gifts unto your children: how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask        “Accordingly, Jesus is here heaping wo upon those
him?’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 435.)                  who have contaminated and destroyed scriptures
                                                             which would have guided and enlightened the
(16-8) Luke 11:24–26. “The Last State of That Man            Jews.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:624–25.)
Is Worse than the First”
                                                             Do This and Thou Shalt Live
“Does this mean that the man who has quit smoking or
drinking or had sex pollutions finds life empty for a        The mission of our Redeemer enables us to secure the
time? The things which engaged him and caught his            kind of life that he and his Father possess—eternal
fancy and occupied his thoughts are gone, and better         life. Though we have many things to do in order to
substitutions have not yet filled the void. This is          prepare for such life, we have fortunately been given
Satan’s opportunity. The man makes a start but may           the “master formula,” which embodies every law and
find the loss of the yesterday’s habits so great that he     requirement leading to exaltation. Let us now
is enticed to return to his evil ways, and his lot thus      consider some of these points regarding what we
becomes infinitely worsened.” (Kimball, The Miracle          must do to “live.”
of Forgiveness, p. 172.)

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At two different points in the ministry of Jesus we           “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his
read of the two great commandments. It is the first of        Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” (First
these two occasions that you have studied in the              Article of Faith. Italics added.)
reading block for this lesson. (Luke 10:25–28.) Here,
                                                              Blessed are the poor in spirit, who come unto me, for
a lawyer asked what he should do to gain eternal life,
                                                              theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (First of the
and Jesus had the man answer his own question by
                                                              Beatitudes as recorded in the Book of Mormon
reciting from the ancient scriptures. (Compare
                                                              [3 Nephi 12:3]. Italics added.)
Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.) It was on the
second occasion, however, that Jesus himself listed           “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of
these two commands and gave them the place of                 the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
preeminence among all the requirements of the                 [first principle of the gospel]. . . .” (Fourth Article of
gospel. Read Matthew 22:35–39.                                Faith. Italics added.)
Why is love of God the first commandment? (See                With this idea in mind, you will begin to notice, if you
D&C 64:34.) How does the second commandment                   have not already done so, that the primary message of
naturally flow from the first?                                the scriptures is that we should love the Lord with all
                                                              our hearts. Elder Ezra Taft Benson, speaking of this
Now continue and read Matthew 22:40.
                                                              greatest of all blessings and responsibilities, pointed
The Ten Commandments might be used as a simple                out:
illustration of how all the requirements for salvation
                                                              “The world largely ignores the first and great
may be traced to our responsibility to love God and
                                                              commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about
man. Read Deuteronomy 5:6–21, and identify those
                                                              loving their brother. . . .
commandments which pertain primarily to our
responsibilities to God and those relating to our             “. . . But only those who know and love God can best
relationship to our fellowmen. How does the Savior            love and serve his children, for only God fully
summarize the Ten Commandments in the first and               understands his children and knows what is best for
second great commandments?                                    their welfare. Therefore, one needs to be in tune with
                                                              God to best help his children. . . .
(16-12) Putting the First Commandments First                  “Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the
                                                              most, then you must put the first commandment first.
As you have seen, the Ten Commandments place
devotion to the Lord at the top of the list. We find this     “When we fail to put the love of God first, we are
same devotion first on other important lists as well.         easily deceived by crafty men who profess a great love
For example:                                                  of humanity. . . . (CR, Oct. 1967, p. 35.)




                                                            116
                                17
                        WHERE MUCH IS GIVEN,
                         MUCH IS REQUIRED




   THE LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY                  Matthew     Mark       Luke        John

Judea                                                            12:1–12
  The Leaven of the Pharisees—Hypocrisy
  and Courage
 Parable of the Foolish Rich Man                                 12:13–21

 Disciples Seek Kingdom of God Before                            12:22–34
 Earthly Treasures
 Preparation for the Lord’s Second Coming                        12:35–59

 Slaughter of the Galileans; Parable of the                      13:1–9
 Barren Fig Tree
Jerusalem, Judea                                                            10:22–39
  Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah)
  Jesus Proclaims His Messiahship
       THE PEREAN MINISTRY

Perea                                                                       10:39–42
 Jesus Goes Beyond the Jordan
 Woman Healed on the Sabbath                                     13:10–17

 Parable of the Mustard Seed                                     13:18–21

 Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem Begins                              13:22–30

 Warning About Herod Antipas                                     13:31–35


                                                    117
THEME                                                        gifts of the Spirit), and found none. Then said he unto
                                                             the dresser of his vineyard (the son of God), Behold,
True discipleship requires a willingness to sacrifice
                                                             these three years (the period of Jesus’ ministry) I come
one’s personal desires in order to be true to the
                                                             seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it
teachings of the Master.
                                                             down (destroy the Jewish nation as an organized
INTRODUCTION                                                 kingdom); why cumbereth it the ground (why should
                                                             it prevent the conversion of the world by occupying
True Discipleship—a Choice Between                           the ground and preempting the time of my servants)?
the Kingdom of God and the World                             And he (the Son of God) answering said unto him
What does it mean to be a true disciple of Christ?           (God, the husbandman), Lord, let it alone this year
What things must a man avoid and what must he do if          also till I shall dig about it, and dung it (preach the
he would truly follow the Son of God? These and              gospel, raise the warning voice, show forth signs and
related questions will be answered by your study of          wonders, organize the Church, and offer every
this chapter. You will see how Jesus warns his               opportunity for the conversion of the Jewish nation).
disciples to beware of the sin of hypocrisy. You will        And if it bear fruit, the tree is saved (the Jewish nation
also see that he requires us to make a choice between        shall be preserved as such and its members gain
two alternatives: the kingdom of God and the world.          salvation), and if not, after that thou shalt cut it down
Only by heeding the admonitions of our Savior can            (destroy the Jews as a nation, make them a hiss and a
we truly respond to the call he gave: “Come, follow          byword, and scatter them among all
me!” (Luke 18:22.)                                           nations).” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:477.)

As you study the following passages of scripture,            (17-3) John 10:22. What Was the Feast of
notice the many times that Jesus emphasized the              Dedication, and Why Was It Held?
element of personal choice in his conversations with         Nearly two hundred years before the public ministry
his disciples. As you read, you may wish to ask              of Jesus began, Antiochus Epiphanes, a Selucidian
yourself the following question: How could my                king who controlled Palestine, attempted to destroy
choices make me a better disciple?                           Judaism by compelling his subjects to accept the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        Greek culture. In a show of utter contempt for the
in the reading block.                                        Jewish faith, Antiochus sacrificed a pig (the filthiest of
                                                             animals, according to the Jews) upon a small Greek
                                                             altar built for the occasion within the temple confines.
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      Following this, Antiochus prohibited all religious
                                                             ordinances enjoined by the law of Moses and ordered
(17-1) Luke 12:49–53. What Did Jesus Mean When               the burning of all known copies of the Jewish law.
He Said, “I am Come to Send Fire on the Earth”?              Finally, he ordered that heathen altars be constructed
                                                             throughout Palestine and that the Jews worship the
“When honest truth seekers accept the gospel, they
                                                             heathen gods or suffer death. This suppression of the
forsake the world and gain its hatred. The sword of
                                                             Jewish religion precipitated what is known as the
persecution, of domestic dissention, and of family
                                                             Maccabean revolution.
bitterness is often unsheathed by their closest relatives.
Thousands of devout converts, in this dispensation           Judas Maccabaeus, together with his four brothers,
alone, have been driven from their homes and denied          gathered about him a number of devout Jews who
their temporal inheritances, for accepting Joseph            refused to honor the demands of Antiochus. They
Smith and the pure, primitive gospel restored through        formed a guerilla army and waged relentless war
his instrumentality.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:335.)               against the troops employed by Antiochus to enforce
                                                             his religious policies. Eventually, the Maccabees
(17-2) Luke 13:6–9. What Does the Parable of the             seized control of Jerusalem. Judas then proceeded to
Fig Tree Mean?                                               purify the temple (which for three years had been used
“A certain husbandman (God) had a fig tree (the              to make offerings to Zeus) and restore the worship of
Jewish remnant of Israel) planted in his vineyard (the       Jehovah. The Feast of Dedication, sometimes called
world); and he came (in the meridian of time) and            the Feast of Lights, or Hanukkah, was inaugurated to
sought fruit thereon (faith, righteousness, good works,      celebrate the recovery and rededication of the Jewish




                                                          118
temple. The feast takes place in the month of Chislev,        as following the Lord’s departure from Jerusalem after
corresponding to portions of our months of November           the Feast of Tabernacles in the preceding autumn, may
and December, and lasts for eight days. It is marked          chronologically belong to this interval. From this
by elaborate meals, special synagogue services, and           retreat of comparative quiet, Jesus returned to Judea in
extra illumination in all homes. Hence its title,             response to an earnest appeal from some whom He
“Feast of Lights.” (See Harper’s Bible Dictionary,            loved. He left the Bethany of Perea for the Judean
pp. 133, 406–7.)                                              Bethany, where dwelt Martha and Mary.” (Talmage,
                                                              Jesus the Christ, p. 490.)
(17-4) John 10:22–38. What Is the Significance of
Jesus’ Appearance at the Feast of Dedication?
                                                              POINTS TO PONDER
The Feast of Dedication, occurring some two months
following the Feast of Tabernacles, gave Jesus another        CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE DISCIPLES
opportunity to declare his messiahship openly. The
Jews, haughty in their challenges, were anxious to            True disciples of Jesus Christ are committed by
have Jesus declare plainly that he was the Christ. Jesus      covenant to the standards that Jesus has revealed,
replied to their entreaties, “I told you, and ye believed     but they face many obstacles from the temporal
not.” (John 10:25.) He told the Jews that the reason          world. As you consider some of the barriers to the
they did not accept his words was that they were not          spiritual life, you may wish to understand in greater
his sheep. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know                depth Jesus’ feelings in these matters:
them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27.) (Note the
                                                              Avoiding Hypocrisy
similarity of his testimony here to that given earlier at
the Feast of the Tabernacles [John 10:14–16].) Jesus          Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the leaven of
then concluded his declaration of messiahship by              the Pharisees. What did he mean? When Jesus used
referring to his power to give men eternal life and by        these words, his disciples construed then to be a
announcing his relationship with his Father: “I and my        simple reference to bread, a possible rebuke since
Father are one.” (John 10:30.)                                they had neglected to bring any nourishment for
                                                              lunch. According to Luke, what did Jesus have in
As on a similar occasion (John 8:58, 59), Jesus’ plain
                                                              mind? (See Luke 12:1.)
statement of identification with God angered the Jews,
and they took up stones to throw at him. But Jesus            Hypocrisy is defined as pretending to do or believe
simply replied, “Many good works have I shewed you            something while, in fact, practicing something else.
from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone          Compare Paul’s statement concerning leaven in
me?” (John 10:32.) They replied that they were not            1 Corinthians 5:7, 8 with the scriptures cited above.
stoning him for righteous works but because, as they          Why did Paul urge the saints at Corinth to purge
said, “Thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” (John          themselves of the “old leaven”? What did he mean?
10:33.) Plainly the Jews understood whom Jesus
                                                       How can you avoid the “leaven of the Pharisees” in
claimed to be.
                                                       your own day? As you formulate your answer,
(17-5) John 10:39, 40. Where Did Jesus Go              consider the following statement from Elder James E.
Following His Encounter with the Jews at the Feast Talmage:
of Dedication?                                         “These instances [i.e., the scriptures cited above],
Once again the Jews sought to take Jesus by force but . . . are illustrative of the contagion of evil. In the
did not succeed, because the time for his death and    incident of the woman using leaven in the ordinary
atoning sacrifice had not yet arrived. Instead, Jesus  process of bread-making, the spreading, penetrating,
“went away again beyond Jordan into the place where vital effect of truth is symbolized by the leaven. The
John at first baptized; and there he abode.” (John     same thing in different aspects may very properly be
10:40.) This area beyond Jordan was known as Perea, used to represent good in one instance and evil in
a word which literally means “the land beyond.” Elder another.” (Jesus the Christ, pp. 302–3.)
Talmage writes:                                        Faith in God Rather than Man
“The duration of this sojourn in Perea is nowhere      More to be feared than those who have power to
recorded in our scriptures. It could not have lasted   take our lives is he who has power to destroy both
more than a few weeks at most. Possibly some of the    soul and body in hell, meaning the Lord. (See Luke
discourses, instructions, and parables already treated


                                                            119
12:4, 5; see also McConkie, DNTC, 1:334.) Some of            other than a fool he might have realized as Solomon
the Lord’s agents will lose their lives in his service;      had done, the vanity of hoarding wealth for another,
nevertheless, why fear the wicked?                           and he perhaps of uncertain character, to
                                                             possess.” (Jesus the Christ, pp. 439–40.)
Read and underline D&C 99:13, 14.
                                                             Is it possible for a man to become wealthy and still
The true disciple has faith in the Lord and in his
                                                             maintain high standards of spirituality and
watchful providence. He knows that not even a hair
                                                             unselfishness? How?
of our heads falls to the ground without notice. (See
Luke 12:7.)                                                  Preparation for the Lord’s Second Coming
The powers of man are limited and finite; the powers         According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, the parable
of God are infinite and eternal.                             given in Luke 12:36–39 refers to the apostles of
                                                             Jesus, those special sentinels set to watch for the
Laying Up Treasures on Earth
                                                             return of the Savior and to guide the saints.
Among the many who followed Jesus, there was one
                                                             “A little parable peculiar to Luke, warning the
who urged the Savior to serve as mediator between
                                                             apostles to be ready for Christ’s Second Coming,
himself and his brother in matters strictly temporal.
                                                             which will be sudden. The apostles are compared to
This Jesus refused to do. As in the case of the woman
                                                             slaves left to watch the house (the Church) while the
taken in adultery, the Savior refused to intervene in
                                                             master (Christ) goes to a wedding feast (i.e. ascends
matters involving legal administration. Instead he
                                                             into heaven). Their loins are girded because they
warned the disciple, if disciple he was, to “take heed,
                                                             have housework to do (preaching the gospel and
and beware of covetousness.” (Luke 12:15.) He said
                                                             ruling the Church), and they have lighted lamps,
that a man’s life consists of more than the amount of
                                                             because their task is to enlighten a dark and sinful
property he possesses.
                                                             world by their shining example. Christ’s return from
To illustrate his point, Jesus told a story about a          the marriage feast is his Second Advent, or it may
“certain rich man” whose ground produced so                  mean his judgment of each individual soul at death.
plentifully that he ran out of places to store his           The ‘marriage feast’ here is not the final joy of the
goods. The man decided to tear down his old barns            blessed, as in the parable of the Ten Virgins, but
and build bigger ones. His wealth grew until at              Christ’s session at the right hand of God between the
length he thought to himself, “Soul, thou hast much          Ascension and the Second Advent. (Dummelow, The
goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,          One Volume Bible Commentary, pp. 754–55, as
drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:19.) But the man had          quoted in McConkie, DNTC, 1:676.)
forgotten one important thing: the transitory nature
                                                             As a disciple of Christ who is preparing for the
of this life. He died that very night. Then what of his
                                                             second coming, what is your relationship to the
possessions? Elder Talmage comments thus:
                                                             Lord’s appointed servants? How will heeding their
“His plans for the proper care of his fruits and goods       counsel help you to prepare?
were not of themselves evil, though he might have
                                                             Men approach what they think is discipleship in
considered better ways of distributing his surplus, as
                                                             many different ways. Some give up all worldly
for the relief of the needy. His sin was twofold; first,
                                                             possessions and spend their lives living and working
he regarded his great store chiefly as the means of
                                                             among the poor. Others sacrifice marriage, family,
securing personal ease and sensuous indulgence;
                                                             and friends for a life of study, contemplation, and
secondly, in his material prosperity he failed to
                                                             prayer. Still others strive to live “normal” lives
acknowledge God, and even counted the years as his
                                                             while devoting time whenever possible to acts of
own. In the hour of his selfish jubilation he was
                                                             service. Given the teachings of prophets, scriptures,
smitten. Whether the voice of God came to him as a
                                                             and modern revelation, how do you view the
fearsome presentiment of impending death, or by
                                                             responsibilities of discipleship? Is it possible to
angel messenger, or how otherwise, we are not
                                                             remain in the mainstream of life, or should we
informed; but the voice spoke his doom: ‘Thou fool,
                                                             retreat? Can one rightfully seek after wealth and yet
this night thy soul shall be required of thee.’ He had
                                                             be of value to the Lord? Must one be willing to give
used his time and his powers of body and mind to
                                                             all to be counted among the faithful who are
sow, reap and garner—all for himself. And what
                                                             prepared for the Second Coming? Ponder these
came of it all? Whose should be the wealth, to amass
                                                             questions and then continue to the next section.
which he had jeopardized his soul? Had he been


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(17-6) Must a True Disciple Make a Choice                    but insistently—this is the time for us to choose! It is
Between the Kingdom of God and the World?                    not just that God will insist that we choose for our
                                                             own sake, but that those who depend upon us, or use
Running like a thread through our mortal probations is
                                                             us as a reference point, need and deserve to know
the element of personal choice. While none may
                                                             which way we are going. It is no good posing as a
compel us to choose one way in preference to another,
                                                             lifeguard if one is a non-swimmer. It is no good being
we cannot escape decision making. True disciples of
                                                             a guide if one leaves his post and wanders with the
Jesus Christ place the kingdom of God before all else.
                                                             multitude in search of another way, ‘for there is none
As one prominent church leader has expressed it, “The
                                                             other way,’ especially at a time when there is a sharper
kingdom of God or nothing!” (John Taylor in JD,
                                                             and sharper divergence in the way of the world and the
6:19.)
                                                             straight and narrow way. The disciple must not only
There are several reasons why this is so. The first is       stand in ‘holy places’ but on holy issues and ‘not be
suggested by the following scriptural passages: Luke         moved.’
12:48; D&C 82:3.
                                                             “In short, the events of our time and spiritual decay in
When we place other things ahead of the kingdom of           the world have produced for us the equivalent
God, we run the risk of losing that which we have            situation faced by many of the disciples who followed
been given. This, then, becomes the basis for one’s          Jesus. They followed him until he began to preach the
eternal judgment. Here is the principle and how it           ‘hard sayings’—the doctrines that really demand not
works: Matthew 25:29; 2 Nephi 28:30.                         only belief, but performance; doctrines which would
Finally, when we seek first the things of the world, as      distinguish them from their contemporary society. The
the foolish rich man did, we place that which matters        Lord wants us to put some distance—behaviorally—
most at the mercy of that which matters least. We may        between ourselves and the world, not because we love
die possessed of great temporal riches but still be poor     mankind less, but precisely because we do love men.
toward God.                                                  It is for the world’s sake that we must sanctify
                                                             ourselves. When Jesus’ followers faced their moment
Concerning the need to choose, Elder Neal A.                 of truth, John records, ‘From that time many of his
Maxwell of the First Quorum of the Seventy, has              disciples went back, and walked no more with him.’
written the following:                                       Jesus turned to the remainder and queried them, ‘Will
“There is a special sense of urgency infusing itself into    ye also go away?’ (John 6:66–67.)” (A Time to
many Church members everywhere that says, quietly,           Choose, pp. 39–40.)




                                                           121
                     18
   “REJOICE WITH ME; FOFOR
                         R I HAVE FOUND
              THE . . . LOST”




       THE PEREAN MINISTRY           Matthew     Mark       Luke           John

Perea                                                              11:1–16
 The Message That Lazarus Was Sick
 Meal with the Chief Pharisees;                         14:1–24
 Man with Dropsy Healed
 Discourse on Sacrifice                                 14:25–35

 A Series of Parables                                   15:1–32;
                                                        16:1–13
 Discourse on Covetousness                              16:14–18

 Parable of Rich Man and Lazarus                        16:19–31

 Offences, Duty, and Truth                              17:1–10

Bethany, Judea                                                     11:17–46
 Lazarus Raised
Jerusalem, Judea                                                   11:47–53
  The Plot Against Jesus
Retirement to Ephraim                                              11:54


                                           122
THEME                                                        Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                             in the reading block.
Disciples of Jesus Christ should have a constant love
and concern for their fellowman.

INTRODUCTION                                                 INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
As shown by the previous lesson, one must pay a high
price to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Where           (18-1) Luke 14:12–24. What Is the Meaning of the
much is given, much is required, and only those who          Parable of the Great Supper?
are willing to sacrifice their personal desires in order     “Explication of the parable was left to the learned men
to be true to the teachings of the Savior shall merit        to whom the story was addressed. Surely some of
his benediction, “Well done, thou good and faithful          them would fathom its meaning, in part at least. The
servant.”                                                    covenant people, Israel, were the specially invited
We have seen also that true disciples of Christ are          guests. They had been bidden long enough aforetime,
under solemn obligation to make a conscious,                 and by their own profession as the Lord’s own had
deliberate choice in favor of the kingdom of God and         agreed to be partakers of the feast. When all was
against the forbidden enticements of this fallen             ready, on the appointed day, they were severally
world. One cannot enjoy membership in the kingdom            summoned by the Messenger who had been sent by
of God and the kingdom of Satan at the same time. To         the Father; He was even then in their midst. But the
attempt to do so is to partake of that leaven—               cares of riches, the allurement of material things, and
hypocrisy—that Jesus so strongly condemned.                  the pleasures of social and domestic life had engrossed
Ordinarily it is difficult to amass huge treasures both      them and they prayed to be excused or irreverently
on earth and in heaven at the same time because              declared they could not or would not come. Then the
obtaining earthly riches often diverts one from his          gladsome invitation was to be carried to the Gentiles,
spiritual interests. However, some have done it              who were looked upon as spiritually poor, maimed,
successfully because the Lord blessed them for their         halt, and blind. And later, even the pagans beyond the
faithfulness first to his commandments. Abraham              walls, strangers in the gates of the holy city, would be
seems to be an example of this. Unless one learns to         bidden to the supper. These, surprised at the
seek the kingdom that is not of this world, he will fail     unexpected summons, would hesitate, until by gentle
to be prepared against the day when the Lord Jesus           urging and effective assurance that they were really
comes again.                                                 included among the bidden guests, they would feel
                                                             themselves constrained or compelled to come. The
Men may die in two ways: spiritually and physically.         possibility of some of the discourteous ones arriving
When the spirit leaves the physical body, that is            later, after they had attended to their more absorbing
temporal death. When men are separated from God              affairs, is indicated in the Lord’s closing words: ‘For I
through sin or careless neglect, that is spiritual           say unto you, That none of those men which were
death. With reference to spiritual death, Jesus used         bidden shall taste of my supper.’” (Talmage, Jesus the
the figures of a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son     Christ, p. 452. Italics added.)
to illustrate his message. You will see how in each
instance things which were lost were found because           (18-2) Luke 14:28–30. “Which of You, Intending to
someone cared.                                               Build a Tower, Sitteth Not Down First, and
                                                             Counteth the Cost?”
In regard to physical death, John calls our attention
to the death of Lazarus. Why did Jesus allow him to          “. . . converts should count the cost before joining the
die and then to remain four days before restoring him        Church; . . . they should come into the kingdom only
to life? What was the significance of Lazarus’               if they are prepared to make the sacrifices
physical restoration to life? Answers to these and           required; . . . they should go the whole way in the
related questions will be found in the reading               gospel cause, or stay out entirely; . . . they should
assignment which follows. Read the passages                  ‘not . . . follow him, unless’ they are ‘able to continue’
carefully, and as you do so, take time to ponder and         in his word, to ‘do the things’ which he teaches and
mark in your own standard works those principles             commands.
and ideas which have the greatest personal meaning           “Lukewarm saints are damned; unless they repent and
for you.                                                     become zealous the Lord promised to spue them out of



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his mouth. (Rev. 3:14–19.) Only the valiant gain               another choice, which takes him back home where he
celestial salvation; those saints ‘who are not valiant in      meets ‘the ring, and the robe, and the fatted calf.’ His
the testimony of Jesus’ can ascend no higher than the          felicitous father gives him a welcome. But the
terrestrial world. (D&C 76:79.)” (McConkie, DNTC,              consequence of his earlier decision ‘is following him
1:504.)                                                        up, for the farm is gone. The “father” himself cannot
                                                               undo the effect of the foregone choice.’ (Collins, Such
(18-3) Luke 15:11–32. Some Comments on the                     Is Life, pp. 85–88.)” (Marion G. Romney in CR, Oct.
Parable of the Prodigal Son                                    1968, p. 65.)
“I think it is significant that the Lord made it clear in
                                                               (18-5) Luke 16:8. “The Children of This World Are
the parable that the younger son had lost much by his
                                                               in Their Generation Wiser Than the Children of
wayward course, but in a measure, at least, he paid for
                                                               Light”
it, with his suffering and degradation. Justice requires
that. But when the penalty had been exacted, the fond          On first reading, the parable of the Unjust Steward
father’s heart was gladdened by the repentance and the         would seem to be an endorsement for malfeasance in
return of his son. What an encouragement for                   office. Careful study will show, however, that it was
repentance! How good to know of the mercy and                  given to teach the care with which the saints of God
forgiveness of the Father! Better not to have                  should approach the task of preparing for their eternal
transgressed, but wonderful to be taken back!”                 future. Knowing that he had but a short time left in his
(Stephen L Richards in CR, Apr. 1956, p. 93.)                  appointed post, the steward wisely tried to secure his
                                                               future by winning some friends.
(18-4) Luke 15:11–32. What Are Some of the
Consequences of Sin?                                           “It was not the steward’s dishonesty that was extolled;
                                                               his prudence and foresight were commended,
“I have always felt that the Savior intended the father        however; for while he misapplied his master’s
in the parable to typify the Eternal Father of all of us.      substance, he gave relief to the debtors; and in so
He knew the rigidity of the Jewish law. He knew what           doing he did not exceed his legal powers, for he was
a terrible offense it was to renounce one’s                    still steward though he was morally guilty of
patrimony—an unforgivable offense, I assume, in the            malfeasance. The lesson may be summed up in this
Jewish household. So he had this wayward son come              wise: Make such use of your wealth as shall insure
back to his father, not to be rejected, but to be received     you friends hereafter. Be diligent; for the day in which
and loved. He did not have the younger son restored            you can use your earthly riches will soon pass. Take a
to all the privileges he had forfeited. The older, more        lesson from even the dishonest and the evil; if they are
dutiful son, complained of the feast that had been             so prudent as to provide for the only future they think
made on the return of his younger brother, but the             of, how much more should you, who believe in an
father consoled him with the statement: ‘Son, thou art         eternal future, provide therefor!” (Talmage, Jesus the
ever with me, and all that I have is thine.’ And then he       Christ, p. 464.)
repeated to his older boy the words he had said to the
younger: ‘It was meet that we should make merry, and           (18-6) Luke 16:19–31. What Do We Learn About
be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive           the Spirit from the Parable of the Rich Man and
again; and was lost, and is found.’ (Luke 15:31–32.)           Lazarus?
“Every choice one makes either expands or contracts
the area in which he can make and implement future
decisions. When one makes a choice, he irrevocably
binds himself to accept the consequences of that
                                                                                   Abraham’s
choice.                                                                         Bosom (Paradise)
“Jesus, in his Prodigal Son parable, gives a classic
illustration of this truth. You will remember that in it a                              Gulf
young man, exercising his inherent right of choice,
makes a decision to take his portion of his father’s
estate and go and see the world. This he does,                                         Hell
whereupon nature follows its uniform course. When                                 (Spirit Prison)
the prodigal’s substance is squandered, he makes



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In the famous parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus we        opportunity come to them. (Teachings, p. 107.) At this
are exposed to two different conditions in the              time, as Joseph Smith explained it, ‘Hades, sheol,
postmortal world: “Abraham’s bosom” and “hell.”             paradise, spirits in prison, are all one: it is a world of
The former is depicted as a place of rest, the latter a     spirits.’ (Teachings, p. 310.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
place of torment. Between the two “is a great gulf          1:521–22.)
fixed” which prevents social interchange between the
two. Such was the condition prior to Christ’s visit to      (18-7) Luke 16:31. “If They Hear Not Moses and
the spirit world between the time of his death and his      the Prophets, Neither Will They Be Persuaded,
resurrection:                                               Though One Rose from the Dead”
                                                            “Two great and eternal truths are here taught:
What is Abraham’s bosom? Read Alma 40:11, 12.
                                                            “(1) Deity chooses and sends his own agents and
What is hell? Read Alma 40:13, 14 and 2 Nephi 9:12.
                                                            witnesses to mortal men to cry repentance and preach
The Savior’s visit to the spirit world bridged the gulf     the gospel of salvation; unless men heed their message
between paradise (Abraham’s bosom) and hell,                they are damned; and
making it possible for the spirits in prison to receive
                                                            “(2) Those who refuse to hear the living oracles sent to
the message of the gospel by authorized ministers.
                                                            them in their day, and to believe the recorded
“There was no intermingling by the spirits in paradise      teachings of the ancient prophets, would not be
and hell until after Christ bridged the ‘great gulf’        converted by a display of miracles that even included
between these two spirit abodes. (Alma 40:11–14.)           the raising of the dead.
This he did while his body lay in the tomb of Joseph
                                                            “Lazarus rose from the dead at Jesus’ command and
of Arimathaea and his own disembodied spirit
                                                            mingled again among men as a mortal being. Instead
continued to minister to men in their spirit prison.
                                                            of being converted, many of the rebellious Jews
(1 Pet. 3:18–21; 4:6; Joseph F. Smith, Gospel
                                                            sought to put him to death to prevent receptive persons
Doctrine, 5th ed., pp. 472–476.) ‘Until that day’ the
                                                            from believing in Jesus and his divine power. (John
prisoners remained bound and the gospel was not
                                                            11:1–52; 12:10–11.) Our Lord himself rose from the
preached to them. (Moses 7:37–39.) The hope of
                                                            dead in glorious immortality, appeared to many, and
salvation for the dead was yet future.” (McConkie,
                                                            sent witnesses into all the world to testify of his
DNTC, 1:521.)
                                                            resurrection and yet men did not believe.” (McConkie,
                                                            DNTC, 1:522.)

                    Paradise                                (18-8) John 11:1–46. What Is the Significance of
               (Abraham’s bosom)                            the Death and Restoration to Life of Lazarus?
                                                            When Jesus received word that Lazarus was ill, he did
                                                            not depart immediately for Bethany as Mary and
             Gulf is              bridged                   Martha had hoped. Instead, “he abode two days still in
                                                            the same place where he was.” (John 11:6.) Jesus had
                         Hell                               a purpose in permitting Lazarus to die. Read John
                       (Spiritual                           11:4, 11, 15. When Jesus and his apostles arrived,
                        torment)                            Lazarus’ body had already lain in the tomb four days.
                                                            The Jews entertained the common belief that the spirit
                                                            of the deceased lingered around the body for three
The Savior’s visit to the spirits in prison was but the     days, hoping to be able to enter it once again. After
fulfillment of his own words. (See Luke 4:18.)              that decay began to set in, and the spirit departed
“But now, since our Lord has proclaimed ‘liberty to         forever. (See McConkie, DNTC, 1:533.) Jesus may
the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that    have had this belief in mind in waiting four days to
are bound’ (Isa. 61:1), the gospel is preached in all       restore Lazarus to life. According to the scriptural
parts of the spirit world, repentance is granted to those   record, Jesus had twice before raised the dead, in both
who seek it, vicarious ordinances are administered in       instances soon after the body and spirit had separated.
earthly temples, and there is a hope of salvation for the   On these occasions Jesus shunned any publicity for
spirits of those men who would have received the            what he had done. (See Luke 7:11–17; 8:41, 42,
gospel with all their hearts in this life had the           49–56.)



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“But with ‘our friend Lazarus’ it was different. Jesus       disobedience or careless neglect; it simply strayed
with full knowledge of Lazarus’ sickness, did nothing        away in search of greener pastures and soon was lost.
to prevent his death; allowed his body to be prepared
                                                             “I ask you tonight, how did that sheep get lost? He
for burial; waited until the funeral was over and the
                                                             was not rebellious. If you follow the comparison, the
entombment accomplished; permitted four days to
                                                             lamb was seeking its livelihood in a perfectly
pass so that the processes of decomposition would be
                                                             legitimate manner, but either stupidly, perhaps
well under way; tested the faith of Mary and Martha to
                                                             unconsciously, it followed the enticement of the field,
the utmost; came to the rock-barred tomb under
                                                             the prospect of better grass until it got out beyond the
circumstances which attracted many skeptics and
                                                             fold and was lost.
unbelievers; conducted himself in every respect as
though he were courting publicity; and then—using            “So we have those in the Church, young men and
the prerogative of Deity to give life or death according     young women, who wander away from the fold in
to his own will—commanded: ‘Lazarus, come forth.’            perfectly legitimate ways. They are seeking success,
                                                             success in business, success in their professions, and
“Why this studied buildup, this centering of attention
                                                             before long they become disinterested in Church and
upon one of the mightiest miracles of his ministry?
                                                             finally disconnected from the fold; they have lost track
Two reasons in particular stand out. (1) As our Lord
                                                             of what true success is, perhaps stupidly, perhaps
neared the climax of his mortal ministry, he was again
                                                             unconsciously, in some cases, perhaps willingly. They
bearing testimony, in a way that could not be refuted,
                                                             are blind to what constitutes true success.” (David O.
of his Messiahship, of his divine Sonship, of the fact
                                                             McKay in CR, Apr. 1945, p. 120.)
that he was in very deed the literal Son of God; and
(2) He was setting the stage, so as to dramatize for all     (18-10) The Lost Coin: It Was Lost Through the
time, one of his greatest teachings: That he was the         Carelessness and Neglect of Another
resurrection and the life, that immortality and eternal
life came by him, and that those who believed and            “In this case the thing lost was not in itself
obeyed his words should never die spiritually.”              responsible. The one who had been trusted with that
(McConkie, DNTC, 1:530–31.)                                  coin had, through carelessness or neglect, mislaid it or
                                                             dropped it. There is a difference, and this is the one-
In this manner our Savior left his Jewish unbelievers        third, which I think applies to us tonight. Our charge is
without excuse for rejecting him as the Son of God.          not only coins, but living souls of children, youth, and
He had clearly and effectively demonstrated his              adults. They are our charges. . . . Someone may be
divinity in a manner which could not be controverted.        wandering because of the careless remark of a girl of
“No question as to the actual death of Lazarus could         her age in Mutual (and I have in mind a case), and the
be raised, for his demise had been witnessed, his body       president of the Mutual lets her go, fails to follow her
had been prepared and buried in the usual way, and he        next Tuesday night and invite her to come. Another
had lain in the grave four days. At the tomb, when he        may be lost because of the inactivity of the Sunday
was called forth, there were many witnesses, some of         School teacher, or the indifference of the Sunday
them prominent Jews, many of whom were unfriendly            School teacher who is satisfied with the fifteen people
to Jesus and who would have readily denied the               there that morning, instead of thinking of the fifteen
miracle had they been able. God was glorified and the        who are wandering because of neglect.” (David O.
divinity of the Son of Man was vindicated in the             McKay in CR, Apr. 1945, pp. 121–22.)
result.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 496.)
                                                             (18-11) The Lost Son: He Was Lost Through His
                                                             Own Willful Disobedience and Self-Concern
POINTS TO PONDER
                                                             “The third parable is the prodigal son, the ‘younger
BY THE USE OF THREE PARABLES, JESUS                          son, we are told, so he was immature in his judgment.
TAUGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS                                 He was irking under the restraint, and he rather
DISCIPLES’ BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE                         resented the father’s careful guiding eye. He evidently
SALVATION OF THEIR FELLOWMEN                                 longed for so-called freedom, wanted, so to speak, to
                                                             try his wings. So he said, ‘Father, give me my portion,
(18-9) The Lost Sheep: It Strayed Without                    and I will go.’ The father gave him his portion, and
Intending To                                                 out the lad went.
Sheep go where grass is. It seems apparent that the          “Here is a case of volition, here is choice, deliberate
sheep in the parable was not lost through willful            choice. Here is, in a way, rebellion against authority.


                                                           126
And what did he do? He spent his means in riotous               (18-12) We Are Commissioned to Remember the
living, he wasted his portion with harlots. That is the         Worth of Souls
way they are lost.
                                                                “Perhaps we don’t all of us understand and apply this
“Youth who start out to indulge their appetites and             principle effectively, but there are those who do.
passions are on the downward road to apostasy as sure
                                                                “Recently a stake president told of his visit, with
as the sun rises in the east. I do not confine it to youth;
                                                                others, to a Junior Sunday School class. When the
any man or woman who starts out on that road of
                                                                visitors entered they were made welcome, and the
intemperance, of dissolute living will separate himself
                                                                teacher, seeking to impress the significance of the
or herself from the fold as inevitably as darkness
                                                                experience for the youngsters, said to a little child on
follows the day.
                                                                the front row, ‘How many important people are here
“‘My spirit shall not always strive with man’ (Gen.             today?’ The child rose and began counting out loud,
6:3), says the Lord. ‘My spirit will not dwell in an            reaching a total of seventeen, including every person
unclean tabernacle.’ He who tries to live a double life,        in the room. There were seventeen very important
who does live a double life in violation of his                 persons there that day, children and visitors!
covenants, to quote one author, ‘is either a knave or a
                                                                “That is how Christ feels, and so should we.”
fool.’ Often he is both, because he himself is using his
                                                                (Marion D. Hanks in CR, Oct. 1972, p. 167.
free agency to gratify his passions, to waste his
substance in riotous living, to violate the covenants
that he has made in the house of God.                            What, then, is your responsibility as a disciple of
                                                                 Christ to help your brothers and sisters? Ponder the
“In such cases there is little we can do but warn and            following questions:
plead until the recreant, as the prodigal son, at last
‘comes to himself.’” (David O. McKay in CR, Apr.                 The Lost Sheep      Do you have friends who are
1945, pp. 122–23.)                                               (those who stray    straying from the Church? What
                                                                 away)               are you doing to see that your
THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS TODAY ARE TO                                                  influence and testimony is felt by
BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR “LOST”                                                      all with whom you associate?
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
                                                                 The Lost Coin       What is your responsibility
Consider now for a moment the following story: “A                (those who are      toward your brothers and sisters
few years ago there appeared in one of our                       neglected)          on earth? Are there some within
magazines, the story of a little lad who wandered                                    the Church who need your
from his mother’s lap in the Badlands of the Dakotas                                 attention? Are there those who
and was lost. As night came on, the mother was                                       could profit from your
distracted and the neighbors alarmed. The next                                       consideration? Do your present
morning, on the public square of the town near there,                                Church assignment and those you
the sheriff met a group of farmers, teachers, office                                 are called upon to lead receive
men, citizens of all ranks. He organized them for a                                  more than casual time and effort?
systematic search. Before they started out he said,                                  Do you make an effort to
‘Little Ronald is somewhere out in those Badlands.                                   friendship people at Church
We must organize and search every bush, every                                        meetings and on other occasions?
crevasse, every water hole. We must not come back
without that little boy. Pray God that we are not too            The Prodigal        How quick are you to search out
late.’ They started out that Wednesday, but it was not           Son (those          and rescue those who have been
until Thursday, and at about three o’clock in the                who willfully       gone for a time into the world of
afternoon that a mighty shout went up. They had                  disobey the         sin or welcome them back when
found the boy.” (McKay, Gospel Ideals, pp. 404–5.)               commandments)       they return? Do you find it easy to
Why is it that people generally will do everything                                   gossip about them, or do you feel
possible to rescue a person who is physically lost, but                              a sincere love for them?
seldom put forth a similar effort to rescue one who is
spiritually lost?




                                                              127
“Joy . . . abounds in heaven over the recovery of a     righteous soul who had resisted sin. . . .
soul once numbered among the lost, whether that         Unqualifiedly offensive as is sin, the sinner is yet
soul be best symbolized by a sheep that had             precious in the Father’s eyes, because of the
wandered afar, a coin that had dropped out of sight     possibility of his repentance and return to
through the custodian’s neglect, or a son who would     righteousness. The loss of a soul is a very real and a
deliberately sever himself from home and heaven.        very great loss to God. He is pained and grieved
There is no justification for the inference that a      thereby, for it is His will that not one should
repentant sinner is to be given precedence over a       perish.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 461.)




                                                      128
                                       19
                                “WHAT LACK I YET?”




       THE PEREAN MINISTRY                   Matthew             Mark       Luke   John

Samaria, Galilee                                                        17:11–19
 Beginning of the Final Journey to
 Jerusalem
 Jesus Heals Ten Lepers
Galilee                                                                 17:20–37
 Discourse on the Kingdom of God
 Two Parables:
 The Widow and the Unjust Judge                                         18:1–14
 The Pharisee and the Publican
Perea                                   19:1, 2           10:1
 Across the Jordan into Perea
 Headed Toward Jerusalem
 Jesus Speaks of Marriage and Divorce   19:3–12           10:2–12

 He Blesses Little Children             19:13–15          10:13–16      18:15–17

 Rich Young Ruler Seeks Eternal Life    19:16–30; 20:1–16 10:17–31      18:18–30
 Parable of Laborers in Vineyard
 Jesus Goes Before the Twelve Toward    20:17–19          10:32–34      18:31–34
 Jerusalem
Near Jericho, Judea                     20:20–28          10:35–45
 James and John Aspire to Greatness
 Bartimaeus Healed of Blindness         20:29–34          10:46–52      18:35–43


                                                   129
       THE PEREAN MINISTRY                       Matthew               Mark               Luke               John

Jericho, Judea                                                                       19:1–10
  Salvation Comes to Zacchaeus the Publican
Jericho, Judea                                                                       19:11–28
  Parable of the Ten Pounds
Jerusalem, Judea                                                                                      11:55–57
  Many Seek Jesus
Bethany, Judea                                26:6–13             14:3–9                              12:1–11
 Jesus Is Anointed by Mary at Simon’s
 Supper

THEME                                                         Jesus also told the lepers to show themselves to the
                                                              priests as a test of their faith. When all ten believed
A willingness to place all on the altar in the service of
                                                              and complied with the terms of the cure, all were
the Master is critical in the process of perfection.
                                                              healed “as they went” to visit the priests. (See
                                                              McConkie, DNTC, 1:536.)
INTRODUCTION
Jesus’ ministry was drawing to a close. One final             (19-2) Luke 17:17, 18. “Were There Not Ten
journey, a few days in Jerusalem, and it would be             Cleansed?”
finished. The Atonement would be complete. Yet this           The one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan,
last journey was to be of great significance. This was        and “perhaps this exhibition of gratitude by a
a time when very important doctrines of the kingdom           Samaritan was another evidence to the apostles that all
were emphasized—the kingdom of God, eternal                   men are acceptable to the Lord and that the Jewish
marriage, the concept of true service. This was a time        claim to exclusive superiority as a chosen race was
when Jesus blessed young children, gave instructions          soon to be replaced with a command to take the gospel
to the Twelve, and taught how one attains eminence            of peace to all races.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:537.)
in the kingdom of God. Then he visited Bethany,
where he was anointed by Mary at Simon’s supper.              (19-3) Luke 17:20. Why Did Jesus Say “The
                                                              Kingdom of God Cometh Not with Observation”?
In our Savior’s life we witness the perfect example of
the totally committed life—a life completely                  “Prophecies foretelling the events incident to the first
disciplined to the will of the Father.                        and second comings of the Messiah were confused in
                                                              the minds of the Jews. They falsely assumed that at his
In this lesson you will read the tragic account of one,       first coming he would come with an outward display
loved of the Savior, who went away sorrowing                  of power which would overthrow and destroy all
because he could not follow his Lord in the way of            earthly kingdoms. Accordingly, basing their inquiry
complete commitment. Surely all must be willing to            on a false premise, and with some apparent sarcasm,
ask of God, as did the young ruler, “What lack I              they demand an answer to this mocking question: ‘If
yet?” But more importantly, we must be prepared to            thou art the promised Messiah, as you have repeatedly
act.                                                          claimed to be, when will thy power be manifest, when
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references         will the Roman yoke be broken, when will the
in the reading block.                                         kingdom of God actually come?’” (McConkie, DNTC,
                                                              1:539.)
                                                              (19-4) Luke 17:21. What Is Meant by “the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       Kingdom of God Is Within You”?
                                                              “One of the heresies which prevails in a large part of
(19-1) Luke 17:14. Why Were the Ten Lepers to                 modern Christendom is the concept that Jesus did not
Show Themselves to the Priests?                               organize a Church or set up a formal kingdom through
For a leper, “in the day of his cleansing,” the               which salvation might be offered to men. This poorly
prescribed means of obtaining permission to reenter           translated verse is one of those used to support the
society required him to show himself to the priests of        erroneous concept that the kingdom of God is wholly
the people. (Read Leviticus 14:2, 3.)                         spiritual; that it is made up of those who confess Jesus
                                                              with their lips, regardless of what church affiliation

                                                            130
they may have; that the kingdom of God is within             (19-6) Luke 18:9–14. Why Did the Lord Give the
every person in the sense that all have the potential of     Parable of the Pharisee and Publican?
attaining the highest spiritual goals; and that baptism,
                                                             “We are expressly told that this parable was given for
the laying on of hands, celestial marriage, and other
                                                             the benefit of certain ones who trusted in their self-
ordinances and laws are not essential to the attainment
                                                             righteousness as an assurance of justification before
of salvation.
                                                             God. It was not addressed to the Pharisees nor to the
“It is true that men have the inherent capacity to gain      publicans specifically. The two characters are types of
salvation in the celestial world; in a sense this power is   widely separated classes. There may have been much
within them; and so it might be said that the kingdom        of the Pharisaic spirit of self-complacency among the
of God is within a person, if it is understood that such     disciples and some of it even among the Twelve. . . .
expression means that a person can gain that eternal         The parable is applicable to all men; its moral was
world by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the         summed up in a repetition of our Lord’s words spoken
gospel. But it is also true that Jesus did organize his      in the house of the chief Pharisee. . . .” (Talmage,
Church and did give the keys of such kingdom to legal        Jesus the Christ, pp. 472–73; read also Luke 18:14.)
administrators on earth. (Matt. 16:13–19.)
                                                             (19-7) Matthew 19:6. “What Therefore God Hath
“Even the marginal reading in the King James Version         Joined Together, Let Not Man Put Asunder”
changes the language here involved to read, ‘The
kingdom of God is in the midst of you,’ meaning ‘The         “As here recorded, our Lord’s teachings about
Church is now organized in the midst of your society.’       marriage and divorce are fragmentary and incomplete.
The Prophet’s rendering of Jesus’ thought, as such is        They can only be understood when considered in
recorded in the Inspired Version, is of course the best      connection with the law of celestial marriage as such
of all. Its essential meaning is: ‘The Church and            has been revealed anew in modern times. These same
kingdom has already been organized; it is here; it has       general principles governing eternal marriage were
come unto you; now enter the kingdom, obey its laws          known to and understood by the disciples in Jesus’
and be saved.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:540.)                     day and also, in part at least, by the Pharisees. But the
                                                             accounts here preserved by both Matthew and Mark of
“Neither shall they say, Lo, here! or Lo, there! For,        the Master’s discussion on marriage and divorce are so
behold, the kingdom of God has already come unto             condensed and abbreviated that they do not give a
you.” (Luke 17:21, Inspired Version.)                        clear picture of the problem. Modern scriptural
                                                             exegetes need the same background and knowledge
(19-5) Luke 18:1–8. Why Did the Lord Give the
                                                             possessed by those who engaged in the original
Parable of the Unjust Judge?
                                                             discussion.
“The judge was of wicked character; he denied justice
                                                             “To have a correct understanding of the part marriage
to the widow, who could obtain redress from none
                                                             and divorce play in the divine scheme of things, at
other. He was moved to action by the desire to escape
                                                             least the following principles must be known:
the woman’s importunity. Let us beware of the error
of comparing his selfish action with the ways of God.        “Marriage and the family unit are the central part of
Jesus did not indicate that as the wicked judge finally      the plan of progression and exaltation. All things
yielded to supplication so would God do; but He              center in and around the family unit in the eternal
pointed out that if even such a being as this judge,         perspective. Exaltation consists in the continuation of
who ‘feared not God, neither regarded man,’ would at         the family unit in eternity. Those for whom the family
last hear and grant the widow’s plea, no one should          unit continues have eternal life; all others have a lesser
doubt that God, the Just and Merciful, will hear and         degree of salvation in the mansions that are
answer. The judge’s obduracy, though wholly wicked           prepared. . . .
on his part, may have been ultimately advantageous to
                                                             “Celestial or eternal marriage is the gate to exaltation.
the widow. Had she easily obtained redress she might
                                                             To fill the full measure of his creation and obtain
have become again unwary, and perchance a worse
                                                             eternal life a man must enter into this order of
adversary than the first might have oppressed her. The
                                                             matrimony and keep all of the covenants and
Lord’s purpose in giving the parable is specifically
                                                             obligations that go with it. If a couple is so sealed, the
stated; it was ‘to this end, that men ought always to
                                                             two persons become husband and wife in this life and
pray, and not to faint.’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
                                                             continue in the same relationship in the world to come.
p. 436; read also D&C 101:81–92.)
                                                             (D&C 131:1–4; 132.) . . .



                                                           131
“Divorce is not part of the gospel plan no matter what             future; but in that day, those of the Lord’s Twelve who
kind of marriage is involved. But because men in                   endured to the end shall be enthroned as judges in
practice do not always live in harmony with gospel                 Israel. The further assurance was given that ‘every one
standards, the Lord permits divorce for one reason or              that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or
another, depending upon the spiritual stability of the             father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my
people involved. In ancient Israel men had power to                name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall
divorce their wives for relatively insignificant reasons.          inherit everlasting life.’ Rewards of such transcendent
(Deut. 24:1–4.) Under the most perfect conditions                  worth could scarcely be reckoned or their meaning
there would be no divorce permitted except where sex               comprehended. Lest those to whom they were
sin was involved. In this day the divorces are                     promised might count too surely upon successful
permitted in accordance with civil statutes, and the               attainment, to the neglect of effort, and become proud
divorced persons are permitted by the Church to                    withal, the Lord added this profound precept of
marry again without the stain of immorality which                  caution: ‘But many that are first shall be last; and
under a higher system would attend such a course.”                 the last shall be first.’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
(McConkie, DNTC, 1:546–47.)                                        p. 478–79.)
(19-8) Matthew 19:27. “Behold, We Have Forsaken                    (19-9) Luke 19:11–28. Why Did Jesus Give the
All, and Followed Thee; What Shall We Have                         Parable of the Pounds?
Therefore?”
                                                                   “Jesus was enroute to Jerusalem for the last time. In
“The sorrowful departure of the rich young ruler,                  about ten days he would die upon the cross, and to the
whose great possessions were so much a part of his                 Jews generally it would appear that he had failed to set
life that he could not give them up at the time, though            up the promised Messianic kingdom. To correct the
we may hope that he afterward did, brought forth from              false concept that ‘the kingdom of God’—meaning the
Peter an abrupt question, which revealed the course of             political kingdom, the kingdom which should rule all
his thoughts and aspirations: ‘Behold, we have                     nations with King Messiah at its head, the millennial
forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have                kingdom—’should immediately appear,’ Jesus gave
therefore?’ Whether he spoke for himself alone, or by              the Parable of the Pounds. Compare: Parable of the
his use of the plural ‘we’ meant to include all the                Talents. (Matt. 25:14–30.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
Twelve, is uncertain and unimportant. He was                       1:571.)
thinking of the home and family he had left, and a
longing for them was pardonable; he was thinking also              (19-10) Matthew 26:6. How Far Was Bethany from
of boats and nets, hooks and lines, and the lucrative              Jerusalem?
business for which such things stood. All these he had             Bethany was 15 furlongs, or about 2 miles, from
forsaken; what was to be his reward? Jesus answered:               Jerusalem, beyond the Mount of Olives. (See John
‘Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed                11:18 and Mark 11:1.)
me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit
in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve          (19-11) Matthew 26:6–13; John 12:2–8. What of
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’ It is               the Anointing of Jesus with Spikenard?
doubtful that Peter or any other of the Twelve had ever            “To anoint the head of a guest with ordinary oil was to
conceived of so great a distinction. The day of                    do him honor; to anoint his feet also was to show
regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the                 unusual and signal regard; but the anointing of head
throne of His glory, as Judge and King, is even yet

                            N                     (Jerusalem
                                                  Golden Gate)
                                                                                  Mount of Olives



                                                                   Bethany was 15 furlongs, or about 2 miles, from
                                                                   Jerusalem, beyond the Mount of Olives. (See John
                                                                   11:18 and Mark 11:1.)




                                                                                                             Bethany




                                                                 132
and feet with spikenard, and in such abundance, was          “Now I think it is perfectly clear that the Lord expects
an act of reverential homage rarely rendered even to         far more of us than we sometimes render in response.
kings. Mary’s act was an expression of adoration; it         We are not as other men. We are the saints of God and
was the fragrant outwelling of a heart overflowing           have the revelations of heaven. Where much is given
with worship and affection.” (Talmage, Jesus the             much is expected. We are to put first in our lives the
Christ, p. 512.)                                             things of his kingdom.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR,
                                                             Apr. 1975, pp. 75–76.)
POINTS TO PONDER
                                                              The following diagram indicates the significance of
TO FOLLOW THE SAVIOR, “WHAT LACK I                            the question “What lack I yet?” as applied in our
YET?”                                                         lives. It points out the steps we must take if we are to
                                                              follow the Master.
(19-12) Matthew 19:16–20. “What Good Thing
Shall I Do, That I May Have Eternal Life?”
“There came to Jesus, on a certain occasion, a rich
young man who asked: ‘What good thing shall I do,
                                                                                         Perfect
that I may have eternal life?’
                                                                                    ability to follow
“Our Lord’s answer was the obvious one, the one
                                                                                     Jesus Christ
given by all the prophets of all the ages. It was: ‘If
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’
“The next question was: ‘Which commandments?’
“Jesus listed them: ‘Thou shalt do no murder, Thou
                                                                                  “What Lack I Yet?”
shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy
mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’
“Then came this response and query—for the young
man was a good man, a faithful man, one who sought
righteousness: ‘All these things have I kept from my                                Improved ability
youth up: what lack I yet?’
“We might well ask, ‘Isn’t it enough to keep the
commandments? What more is expected of us than to
be true and faithful to every trust? Is there more than
the law of obedience?’
                                                                                  “What Lack I Yet?”
“In the case of our rich young friend there was more.
He was expected to live the law of consecration, to
sacrifice his earthly possessions, for the answer of
Jesus was: ‘If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that
thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have                                    Present
treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.                                         ability to follow
“As you know, the young man went away sorrowful,                                      Jesus Christ
‘for he had great possessions.’ (Matt. 19:16–22.) And
we are left to wonder what intimacies he might have
shared with the Son of God, what fellowship he might
have enjoyed with the apostles, what revelations and
visions he might have received, if he had been able to       (19-13) “The Lord Wants You to Give the Balance
live the law of a celestial kingdom. As it is he remains     of Your Life to the Church”
nameless; as it might have been, his name could have         “We were in Canada. I was . . . an attorney for an oil
been had in honorable remembrance among the saints           company and a manager of it. We were drilling wells
forever.                                                     and making money. I was at the moment up in the



                                                           133
Canadian Rockies, way back from the highways. We              no one at the office. And in going into the office, I
were drilling there. Everything looked very                   knelt by a cot and asked God for deliverance from the
prosperous. I woke very early one morning before              darkness that had enveloped me. And coming from
daylight. I was troubled in my mind, and I didn’t             somewhere there was an element of peace, the kind of
know the source or the reason for the trouble. And I          peace that rests on the souls of men when they make
began to pray, but didn’t seem to get an answer. And I        contact with God. And I called her and said,
remembered that the Savior was wont to go into the            ‘Everything is all right, or is going to be!’
mountain tops frequently. You remember, his life was
                                                              “That night at 10:00 o’clock, October 1953—the
punctuated by mountain peaks. There is the mountain
                                                              telephone rang. Sister Brown answered. She called me
peak of the temptation, there is the mountain peak of
                                                              and said, ‘Salt Lake’s calling,’ and I wondered who
the transfiguration, there is the mountain peak of the
                                                              could be calling me from that far away. I took the
Beatitudes, there is the mountain peak from which he
                                                              phone and said, ‘Hello.’ ‘This is David O. McKay
took flight into heaven. So thinking about this, I arose
                                                              calling. The Lord wants you to give the balance of
before daylight and went back up into the hills where I
                                                              your life to Him and His Church. We are in a
knew no one would be near. And when I got up on an
                                                              conference of the Church. The concluding session will
advantageous point, I began to talk out loud. I was
                                                              be tomorrow afternoon. Can you get here?’
talking to God! Now, I do not mean that he was
standing there listening to me or replying to me. But I       “I told him I couldn’t get there because there were no
mean from the center of my heart I was calling to him.        planes flying, but I would get there as soon as
                                                              possible. I knew that a call had come. And the call
“Now my family were all in good health, all quite
                                                              came after this awful conflict with the adversary. And
prosperous, and it looked as for myself that within a
                                                              when he said, ‘The Lord wants you to give the balance
few days I would be a multimillionaire. And yet, I was
                                                              of your life to the Church,’ I knew that it meant giving
depressed. And up there on that mountain peak I said
                                                              up the money; it meant that I’d turn everything over to
to him, ‘O God, if what it seems is about to happen
                                                              someone else and go to Salt Lake without monetary
will happen, and if it is not to be for the best good of
                                                              remuneration.
myself and my family and my friends, don’t let it
happen. Take it from me.’ I said, ‘Don’t let it happen        “Since that time, I’ve been happier than ever before in
unless in your wisdom it is good for me.’ Well, I left        my life. The men with whom I was associated have
the mountains and came down to the camp. I got into           made millions. And yet, when one of them was in my
my car and drove to the city of Edmonton. It was a            office not long ago in Salt Lake, he said, ‘I am worth
Friday, and while I was driving I was thinking of what        at least seven million dollars. I would gladly give
had happened. And I felt that there was something             every dollar of it to you if you could give me what you
impending that I couldn’t understand. When I arrived          have. I can’t buy it with money, but I’d like to have
home, and after a bite to eat, I said to Sister Brown, ‘I     what you have. What you have is peace of soul, and I
think I’ll occupy the back bedroom because I’m afraid         cannot buy that with money.’” (Hugh Brown, “Eternal
I’m not going to sleep.’ Now I went in the bedroom            Progression,” Address to the student body, Church
alone and there, through the night, I had the most            College of Hawaii, 16 Oct. 1964, pp. 8–10.)
terrible battle with the powers of the adversary. I
wanted to destroy myself. Not in the sense of suicide;        (19-14) Going On to Perfection
but something within me was impelling me to wish              The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto
that I could cease to be. . . . It was terrible. The          salvation (Romans 1:16), but that power can be fully
blackness was so thick you could feel it.                     released only for the perfection of the individual as he
“Sister Brown came in later in the night, toward              is willing to sacrifice all earthly things in the service
morning in fact, wanting to know what was the matter.         of the Master. Elder Bruce R. McConkie concludes:
And when she closed the door, she said, ‘What’s in            “It is our privilege to consecrate our time, talents, and
this room?’ And I said, ‘Nothing but the power of the         means to build up his kingdom. We are called upon to
devil is in this room.’ And we knelt together by the          sacrifice, in one degree or another, for the furtherance
bedside and prayed for release. We spent the night            of his work. Obedience is essential to salvation; so,
together, the balance of it. And in the morning I went        also, is service; and so, also, are consecration and
down to my office. It was Saturday now and there was          sacrifice.” (CR, Apr. 1975, p. 76.)




                                                            134
             SECTION 5
 THE WEEK OF THE ATONING
                 ATONING SACRIFICE
       TO THE RESURRECTION
LESSONS                                                      (Luke 13:33.) To go there was to fulfill the mission to
                                                             which he had been sent by his Heavenly Father.
20. The Triumphal Entry
                                                             He planned to arrive in Jerusalem at a special time. It
21. “Woe unto You . . . Hypocrites!”
                                                             was the season of Passover, late March or early April.
22. What Shall Be the Sign of Thy Coming?                    Jewish pilgrims from all over Jewry were present. The
23. “As I Have Loved You”                                    conditions were right. Jesus knew that in Jerusalem
                                                             were “those who [were] the more wicked part of the
24. “My Peace I Give unto You!”                              world; and they [would] crucify him . . . and there
25. “Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done”                        [was] none other nation on earth that would crucify
                                                             their God.” (2 Nephi 10:3.)
26. “I Find No Fault In This Man”
                                                             THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS’ MORTAL
The Three-Year Ministry Was About to End                     MISSION
The public ministry of Jesus was soon to come to an          Let us now preview some of the major events which
end. He had pursued his ministry by two bold thrusts.        led to Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and glorious
His first thrust was the clear, bold pronouncement of        resurrection.
his messiahship. He left no doubt of who he was when
in Bethany he restored the dead Lazarus to mortal life.      First Day
That miracle, more than anything else, had led the           Jesus arrived at Jerusalem. He secured a donkey and a
Jewish rulers to plot that Jesus “should die for that        colt, and rode through the city gates into Jerusalem. A
nation.” (John 11:51.) They could not refute the             “very great multitude” who knew him to be “the
evidence—to stop his mission, they would have to             prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” placed palm branches
destroy Jesus. Second, Jesus had trained leadership in       in his way and greeted him with a hosanna shout:
his apostles, who would carry the torch of his cause         “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that
after his ascension. This leadership surfaced when           cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the
they saw that Jesus was resurrected. Although dormant        highest.” (Matthew 21:9.)
through the trial and crucifixion, later the apostles
were commissioned by Jesus to preach to all nations;         He went directly to the temple, and according to Mark,
and after his ascension, they were endowed with the          took note of what he saw and retired to Bethany for
Holy Spirit. They had the keys; they had been called;        the night (Mark 11:11).
and under the leadership of Peter, James, and John,
                                                             Second Day
they began their great task.
                                                             Early the next morning Jesus went again to the temple
Jesus Goes to Jerusalem                                      and made a decisive thrust calculated to challenge the
And so Jesus turned to Jerusalem and to the people of        Jewish religious leadership. He drove from the outer
that noble city whom he would have gathered “even as         court area of the temple those who were trading and
a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye         making money exchange from foreign currency. The
would not!” (Matthew 23:37.) He well knew that to go         money exchange was apparently sanctioned by the
there was to face an inevitable, cruel death. But he         Jewish leaders; and by preventing the merchandizing,
went to the Holy City, for had he not himself said: ‘‘It     Jesus was in effect challenging their leadership. The
cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.”           issue was clear: Was the temple to be a place of




                                                           135
worship of God or of pursuit of gain? As he cleared          nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew
the temple courts, he said, “It is written, My house         26:39.) The cup did not pass and Jesus suffered “the
shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made        pain of all men” (D&C 18:11), an agony so
it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:13.)                       excruciating that it caused him to bleed at every pore
                                                             (D&C 19:18).
Again that evening Jesus returned to Bethany.
                                                             Some time later he rejoined his apostles and indicated
Third Day                                                    that his betrayer was at hand. While he spoke, an
Jesus’ wrath in the temple raised the issue of authority,    armed band led by Judas approached Jesus to seize
and the priests were not about to let the incident pass.     him. Without resistance Jesus submitted. Jesus was
As Jesus came to the temple the next day, the priests        brought to an illegal trial that night.
challenged him: “By what authority doest thou these
                                                             Sixth Day
things? and who gave thee this authority?” (Matthew
21:23.) Jesus responded by relating a series of              The Jewish leaders now faced another problem. They
parables that offended the religious leaders of the          were not content that Jesus should be put to death;
Jews. The scribes and Pharisees challenged him again;        they also wanted to discredit him before his own
Jesus openly denounced them and condemned them as            people. To do this, the leaders arranged to have Jesus
hypocrites.                                                  charged with two crimes. The first was blasphemy, a
                                                             capital offense under Jewish law. He was unanimously
From this point on, Jesus did not teach the public, but
                                                             convicted of this charge solely on the evidence that he
only the Twelve.
                                                             had said that he was the Son of God. (See Matthew
Perceiving that Jesus had gained the upper hand in           26:57–66.) Such a conviction would discredit Jesus
their confrontations, the Jewish leaders consulted           before the Jews, but the rulers knew well that they
again how they might bring about Jesus’ death. They          could not carry out the death penalty; only the Roman
would have to move quickly before the Passover to            governor could pronounce this. Therefore, they had to
avoid a riot, however, since Jesus had become very           find political indictment against Jesus. The surest
popular with the Jewish people. How to bring about an        means of securing this was the charge of sedition
arrest without provoking crowd reaction was the              against the state, for he had claimed to be a “king of
problem. An unexpected turn of events that took place        the Jews.” Though Pilate’s examination found Jesus
abetted their plot. One of Jesus’ own disciples offered      guiltless of the charge, the Jewish leaders had incited
to betray him.                                               the crowd to “destroy Jesus.” (Matthew 27:20.)
                                                             Fearing a demonstration, Pilate gave in to the clamor
Fourth Day                                                   to crucify Jesus, and the death sentence was
Jesus well knew of the plot. The fourth day was spent        pronounced.
outside the city, perhaps at Bethany. The record of the      And so Jesus was executed by the brutal Roman
gospel writers is silent on the proceedings of this day.     practice of crucifixion. Later that afternoon he
Fifth Day                                                    voluntarily gave up his spirit. The next day, which
                                                             began at sundown, was the Passover, and the Jewish
Jesus had arranged to commemorate the Passover               leaders abhorred the idea that a man should remain on
meal in a home privately reserved for him and the            a cross on the Sabbath, particularly the paschal
Twelve. Following the Passover meal, Jesus                   Sabbath. Before nightfall, Jesus’ body was removed
introduced a new ordinance, the sacrament, which             from the cross and buried in a sealed tomb by two
presaged his atoning sacrifice. He then prophesied of        revering disciples.
his death and indicated who would betray him.
                                                             Seventh Day
After some instructions, Jesus offered his great
intercessory prayer. Then, with the eleven (Judas had        This was the Jewish Sabbath. Jesus’ body remained in
left), Jesus led them outside the walls to a familiar        the tomb, but in spirit he ministered in the realm of
spot—Gethsemane. Then taking Peter, James, and               departed spirits. (See 1 Peter 3:18–20.)
John with him, he went further into the Garden where
he then left those three and went off by himself to          Day of the Resurrection
pray. (See Matthew 26:36–39.) There he pled with his         Had the gospel ended with Jesus’ burial, there would
Heavenly Father to “let this cup pass from me:               be no gospel story, no “good news.” The great



                                                           136
message of these testators is that Jesus was risen and
was seen again by many witnesses. On the first day of
the week, the most memorable Sunday in history,
Jesus Christ emerged alive from the tomb, and
appeared before Mary. The testimony of these
witnesses constitutes the gospel story, the “good
news.”
“These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.” (John 20:31.)




                                                          137
138
                                  20
                         THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY




           THE WEEK OF                          Matthew              Mark       Luke        John
      THE ATONING SACRIFICE
FIRST DAY

Jerusalem and Bethany, Judea Nisan/April    21:1–11          11:1–10        19:29–44   12:12–19
  Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
 Certain Greeks Visit Christ—a Voice from                                              12:20–36
 Heaven
 Return to Bethany                                           11:11

SECOND DAY

 Cursing of the Barren Fig Tree             21:18–19         11:12–14

 Second Cleansing of the Temple             21:12–16         11:15–18       19:45–48

 Return to Bethany                          21:17            11:19          21:37

THIRD DAY

 Discourse on Faith                         21:19–22         11:20–26       21:38

 Question of Authority                      21:23–27         11:27–33       20:1–8


                                                       139
THEME                                                       But Jesus brandished no sword as he approached the
                                                            city. And in his triumphal entry, a door wider than
The triumphal entry of the Son of David into the Holy
                                                            Jerusalem’s gate opened to receive him, for at
City gave added witness of his messiahship and
                                                            Jerusalem he gave his life for all mankind and there
prefigured his future coming in glory.
                                                            took leave of this mortal world to return to an estate
INTRODUCTION                                                of surpassing honor and majesty on the “right hand”
                                                            of that God who gave him life (Hebrews 1:3).
All Jerusalem was in an uproar. It was the season of
the Passover, and everywhere in the city travelers          If you had been in Jerusalem during the last week of
arrived, lambs and pigeons for offerings were sold,         the Savior’s ministry, would you have been among
and sacrificial coins clattered in the coffers of those     the few to welcome him or among the many who
who had perverted the stewardship of caring for             misunderstood? Will the majority understand when
Israel. Above the festive clamor for religious              the Savior makes his great triumphal entry at his
merchandise, Jerusalem reverberated with concern            second coming? Will you? Read D&C 133:46–49.
about the “Prophet of Galilee.” Among the common            Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
people and on the lips of staunch Pharisees was ever        in the reading block.
the same question: “What think ye, that he will not
come to the feast [of the Passover]?” (John 11:56.)
Many in Jerusalem must have been awed by the                INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
majesty of the drama played before them, the full
significance of which they did not perceive. This           (20-1) Luke 19:41. Jesus Wept over Jerusalem
commemoration of God’s blessing to ancient Israel
                                                            According to tradition, when these words were spoken,
would be the last authorized Passover—the killing of
                                                            Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives, opposite a point in
paschal lambs after this year would be apostasy. For
                                                            the walls surrounding Jerusalem a few yards south of
even now, as the bleating of young lambs echoed
                                                            the Gate Beautiful. From this spot one may behold a
amidst the confusion of Jerusalem’s din, another
                                                            beautiful view of that historic city.
great and last sacrifice, “the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), was             “It is wonderfully picturesque, with its quaint, flat-
receiving an anointing under Mary’s hand in the             roofed houses, church towers, and mosque domes
quiet of Simon’s house at Bethany.                          covering the four hills on which Jerusalem is built. The
                                                            view is impressive even now; it must have been
Jerusalem was a natural fortress. It was surrounded
                                                            inspiring when Jesus beheld it in all its Herodian
on three sides by unusually deep ravines and was
                                                            splendor.
reinforced by massive walls and strong defensive
towers. To travelers or armies approaching from the         “But it was the inhabitants of the city, not the beautiful
east or west, Jerusalem must have presented a               buildings or the commanding view that the Savior saw
formidable sight! Here David established the throne         through tear bedimmed eyes when he cried: ‘if thou
of his kingdom; and after David, his son Solomon            hadst known . . . the things which belong unto thy
perpetuated the fame of Jerusalem through what has          peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.’ (Luke
been called Israel’s golden age. But strong walls           19:42.) He saw the people divided into conflicting and
alone do not guarantee security—from Jerusalem              contending sects, each professing more holiness and
also gushed the fountainhead of apostasy and moral          righteousness than the other and all closing their eyes
decay that vitiated the strength of Israel and wasted       to the truth. There were the conservative Hebraic Jews,
her glory until pagan kings with their godless legions      holding rigidly to the Mosaic law; there were the more
tramped almost at will in the very lifeblood of God’s       liberal minded, Hellenistic Jews whose views had been
covenant people.                                            modified by pagan philosophy; there were a few
                                                            Essenes with their asceticism and rejection of the
Jerusalem had bowed in submission to many kings—
                                                            Aaronic Priesthood; there were the Sadducees with
Shalmaneser, Sargon II, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander,
                                                            their lifeless and formal observance of the Sabbath, and
Herod the Great—and even now, as Jesus prepared
                                                            their denial of the resurrection; and, finally, the
to enter Jerusalem, Roman troops occupied the
                                                            Pharisees with their ‘ostentatious almsgiving,’
fortress Antonia that overlooked the oft-contested
                                                            ‘broadened phylacteries,’ ‘greedy avarice,’ ‘haughty
city.
                                                            assertion of preeminence,’ ‘ill-concealed hypocrisy’




                                                          140
                                                                                        The city fell after a six month’s siege before the
                                                                                        Roman arms led by Titus, son of the Emperor
                  Calvary?                                                              Vespasian. Josephus, the famous historian to whom
                                                                                        we owe most of our knowledge as to the details of the
                        A.D
                              .
                                               Roman Fortress
                                               and Court Antonia                        struggle, was himself a resident in Galilee and was
             dW
               all
                   40
                                                                                        carried to Rome among the captives. From his record
          ir
        Th
                                                                           Gethsemane   we learn that more than a million Jews lost their lives
                              Second Wall
                              (Hezekiah’s)                                              through the famine incident to the siege; many more
                                                                                        were sold into slavery, and uncounted numbers were
                                                          Temple                        forced into exile. The city was utterly destroyed, and




                                                                     Road to
                        First Wall
                        (David and Solomon’s)
                                                                                        the site upon which the Temple had stood was plowed
                                                                                        up by the Romans in their search for treasure. Thus




                                                                        Bethan
                   Herod’s Palace
                                                                                        literally were the words of Christ fulfilled: ‘There




                                                                          y
                   Pilate’s Residence
                                                                                        shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall
                                                                                        not be thrown down.’” (Talmage, Articles of Faith,
                                  High Priest’s
                                  Palace—Annas                                          p. 324.)
                                  and Caiaphas

                                                                                        (20-3) Mark 11:11. Jesus Blessed His Disciples
                                  Upper Room                                            Against the Day When Jerusalem Would Be
                                                                                        Destroyed
                                                                                        “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the
                                                                                        temple. And when he had looked round about upon all
                                                             Jerusalem                  things, and blessed the disciples, the eventide was
                                                                                        come; and he went out unto Bethany with the
which was often hidden under a venerable assumption                                     twelve.” (Mark 11:13, Inspired Version.)
of superior holiness.
                                                                                        “Though Jerusalem, as a whole, was to be desolated
“No wonder the Savior, seeing such division among                                       and scourged as few cities have ever been yet the
the people, prayed to the Father so earnestly in behalf                                 faithful within her walls were to be saved, preserved,
of his own little flock to keep them ‘one as we are                                     and blessed.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:579.)
one.’ No wonder the Savior, discerning perfectly the
deceit and hypocrisy underneath the glassed-over                                        (20-4) John 12:15. “Behold, Thy King Cometh”
outside of religion, uttered such scathing denunciation                                 “As was known and understood among the people,
when he said:                                                                           Zechariah had prophesied: ‘Rejoice greatly, O
“‘. . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!                                daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for                                   behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and
ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that                                having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and
are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13.)’                                                upon a colt the foal of an ass.’ (Zech. 9:9.) Now as we
                                                                                        see our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, amid
“Such were the people whom the Son of Man saw                                           waving palm branches, riding over the carefully
when he stood twenty centuries ago on the Mount of                                      placed clothing of the people, and accepting their
Olives and ‘beheld the city and wept over                                               acclamations of praise and divinity, it is as though
it.’” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1944, pp. 77–78.)                                     Zechariah had viewed the scene and written, not
(20-2) Matthew 24:2. “There Shall Not Be Left                                           prophecy, but history.
Here One Stone upon Another”                                                            “Every detail of this unique episode joined in
“Jeremiah’s prophecy still lacked a complete                                            testifying of the identity of the central figure in the
fulfilment, but time proved that not a word was to fail.                                picture. It was as though Jesus had said: ‘Many times I
‘Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it; it shall                               have told you in plain words and by necessary
be wholly carried away captive’; this was the                                           implication that I am the Messiah. My disciples also
prediction. A rebellious disturbance among the Jews                                     bear the same witness. Now I come unto you as the
gave a semblance of excuse for chastisement to be                                       King of Israel in the very way that the prophet of old
visited upon them by their Roman masters, which                                         said I would; and your participation in this event is
culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70.                                    itself a witness that I am he who should come to
                                                                                        redeem my people.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:577–78.)

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(20-5) John 12:20–26. How Did Jesus Teach the                 (20-7) John 12:27–30. Who Heard the Voice of God
Greeks That It Was Necessary for Him to Die?                  Testify of Jesus?
“To them Jesus testified that the hour of His death was       “In the Gospel of John is related a parallel experience
near at hand, the hour in which ‘the Son of man should        in the Master’s ministry showing how, out of a
be glorified.’ They were surprised and pained by the          multitude, only a few—or none—may hear God when
Lord’s words, and possibly they inquired as to the            he speaks.
necessity of such a sacrifice. Jesus explained by citing
                                                              “Only the Master, apparently, knew that God had
a striking illustration drawn from nature: ‘Verily,
                                                              spoken. So often today, men and women are living so
verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into
                                                              far apart from things spiritual that when the Lord is
the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it
                                                              speaking to their physical hearing, to their minds
bringeth forth much fruit.’ The simile is an apt one,
                                                              with no audible sound, or to them through his
and at once impressively simple and beautiful. A
                                                              authorized servants who, when directed by the Spirit,
farmer who neglects or refuses to cast his wheat into
                                                              are as his own voice, they hear only a noise as did
the earth, because he wants to keep it, can have no
                                                              they at Jerusalem. Likewise, they received no inspired
increase; but if he sow the wheat in good rich soil,
                                                              wisdom, nor inward assurance, that the mind of the
each living grain may multiply itself many fold,
                                                              Lord has spoken through his prophet leaders.”
though of necessity the seed must be sacrificed in the
                                                              (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1966, pp. 115–16.)
process. So, said the Lord, ‘He that loveth his life shall
lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall      (20-8) Mark 11:12–14. Why Did Jesus Curse the
keep it unto life eternal.’ The Master’s meaning is           Barren Fig Tree?
clear; he that loves his life so well that he will not
imperil it, or, if need be, give it up, in the service of     Perhaps Jesus sought to teach many lessons when he
God, shall forfeit his opportunity to win the bounteous       cursed the barren fig tree.
increase of eternal life; while he who esteems the call       1. To Demonstrate His Power to Destroy
of God as so greatly superior to life that his love of life
is as hatred in comparison, shall find the life he freely     “Though Jesus had come to bless and save, yet he had
yields or is willing to yield, though for the time being      the power to smite, destroy, and curse. ‘It must needs
it disappear like the grain buried in the soil; and he        be, that there is an opposition in all things’ (2 Ne.
shall rejoice in the bounty of eternal development. If        2:11); if blessings are born of righteousness, their
such be true of every man’s existence, how                    opposite, curses, must come from wickedness. True
transcendently so was it of the life of Him who came          gospel ministers seek always to bless, yet curses
to die that men may live? Therefore was it necessary          attend rejection of their message. “Whomsoever you
that He die, as He had said He was about to do; but           bless I will bless, and whomsoever you curse I will
His death, far from being life lost, was to be life           curse, saith the Lord.’ (D. & C. 132:47.) It is fitting
glorified.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 518–19.)          that Jesus should leave a manifestation of his power to
                                                              curse, and the fact that he chose, not a person, but a
(20-6) John 12:26. What Reward Shall Jesus’                   tree, is an evident act of mercy.” (McConkie, DNTC,
Faithful Servants Receive?                                    1:582.)
“. . . after the testimony of the Scriptures on this point,   2. To Teach Faith to His Disciples
the assurance is given by the Holy Ghost, bearing             “Applying the lesson of the occasion, Jesus said,
witness to those who obey Him, that Christ Himself            ‘Have faith in God’; and then He repeated some of His
has assuredly risen from the dead; and if He has risen        former assurances as to the power of faith, by which
from the dead, He will, by His power, bring all men to        even mountains may be removed, should there be need
stand before Him: for if He has risen from the dead the       of such miraculous accomplishment, and through
bands of the temporal death are broken that the grave         which, indeed, any necessary thing may be done. The
has no victory. If then, the grave has no victory, those      blighting of a tree was shown to be small in
who keep the sayings of Jesus and obey His teachings          comparison with the greater possibilities of
have not only a promise of resurrection from the dead,        achievement through faith and prayer.” (Talmage,
but an assurance of being admitted into His glorious          Jesus the Christ, 525.)
kingdom; for, He Himself says, ‘Where I am there also
shall my servant be’ (see John xii).” (Smith, HC, 2:19.       3. To Bear Witness of His Control over All Things
Italics added.)                                               “To the apostles the act was another and an
                                                              indisputable proof of the Lord’s power over nature,


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His control of natural forces and all material things,      unto him, Hearest thou what these say?” (Matthew
His jurisdiction over life and death. He had healed         21:13, Inspired Version.)
multitudes; the wind and the waves had obeyed His
                                                            “Not children in the sense of infants as the King James
words; on three occasions He had restored the dead to
                                                            Version has it, but disciples, members of the Church,
life; it was fitting that He should demonstrate His
                                                            those who had testimonies of Jesus’ divinity.
power to smite and to destroy. In manifesting His
command over death, He had mercifully raised a              “From these adult ‘children of the kingdom,’ these
maiden from the couch on which she had died, a              members of the Church who through repentance and
young man from the bier on which he was being               baptism had become ‘newborn babes’ in Christ (1 Pet.
carried to the grave, another from the sepulchre in         2:2), came ‘perfected praise.’ How could such come
which he had been laid away a corpse; but in proof of       from any except those who had knowledge and who
His power to destroy by a word He chose a barren and        were subject to the dictates of the Holy Spirit?”
worthless tree for His subject. Could any of the            (McConkie, DNTC, 1:585.)
Twelve doubt, when, a few days later they saw Him in        The chief priests were the guardians of the temple and,
the hands of vindictive priests and heartless pagans,       in fact, guardians (as they supposed) of the whole
that did He so will He could smite His enemies by a         structure of Jewish religion. They glutted themselves
word, even unto death? Yet not until after His glorious     on the profits from temple business, and so the temple
resurrection did even the apostles realize how truly        was not just the source of their favored social position
voluntary His sacrifice had been.” (Talmage, Jesus the      (which they coveted so jealously) but also the source
Christ, p. 526.)                                            of their incomes—more, their fortunes.
4. To Show the Fate of the Nation That Rejected Him         Jesus had come within the confines of their sacred
“The leafy, fruitless tree was a symbol of Judaism,         stewardship before, early in his ministry, and on that
which loudly proclaimed itself as the only true religion    occasion he had called the temple “my Father’s
of the age, and condescendingly invited all the world       house.” (John 2:16.) Though his claim on that
to come and partake of its rich ripe fruit; when in truth   occasion offended the priests (because he claimed to
it was but an unnatural growth of leaves, with no fruit     be the Son of God, whose temple it was), still the
of the season, nor even an edible bulb held over from       claim itself declared that the temple belonged to God,
earlier years, for such as it had of former fruitage was    and with that, at least, the chief priests agreed.
dried to worthlessness and made repulsive in its            But now, near the end of his ministry, he openly
worm-eaten decay. The religion of Israel had                declared his messiahship, and those “children of the
degenerated into an artificial religionism, which in        kingdom” heard him call the temple “my
pretentious show and empty profession outclassed the        house.” (Matthew 21:13.)
abominations of heathendom. As already pointed out
in these pages, the fig tree was a favorite type in         Apparently his followers understood this claim by
rabbinical representation of the Jewish race, and the       Jesus, for they began to sing and praise him as the
Lord had before adopted the symbolism in the Parable        long-awaited Messiah. When the wrath and violence
of the Barren Fig Tree, that worthless growth which         of the temple purging was over, Jesus’ followers
did but cumber the ground.” (Talmage, Jesus the             gathered around him to receive what he might give
Christ, p. 527.)                                            them, for it was his house, and no one had a more
                                                            perfect right to minister there than he. “His wrath of
POINTS TO PONDER                                            indignation was followed by the calmness of gentle
                                                            ministry; there in the cleared courts of His house,
(20-9) Why Were the Jews So Offended by Jesus’              blind and lame folk came limping and groping about
Cleansing of the Temple?                                    Him, and He healed them. The anger of the chief
                                                            priests and scribes was raging against Him; but it was
Before this question may be properly considered, it is      impotent. They had decreed His death, and had made
necessary to understand who the “children” were that        repeated efforts to take him, and there he sat within
praised Jesus in the temple.                                the very area over which they claimed supreme
“And when the chief priests and Scribes saw the             jurisdiction, and they were afraid to touch Him
wonderful things that he did, and the children of the       because of the common people, whom they professed
kingdom crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to        to despise yet heartily feared—‘for all the people were
the Son of David! they were sore displeased, and said       very attentive to hear him.’” (Talmage, Jesus the
                                                            Christ, pp. 528–29.)


                                                          143
Consider the following questions:                        But unlike other apostate and fallen nations, many of
                                                         the people of Palestine by Jesus’ day had lost so much
1. When Jesus drove the merchants from the temple,
                                                         of light and revelation that they could not see spiritual
   why were the Jewish leaders offended?
                                                         truth. They were ruled by Rome, and about the only
2. When Jesus called the temple “my house,” how          sense they could wrest from the promise of an
   did the Jewish leaders react?                         expected deliverer was that he would redeem Israel
3. In your reading, is there any evidence that Jesus     from foreign rule. But many of the people were also
   tried to placate or appease the Jewish                ruled by hypocrisy, dead religious forms, extortion,
   leadership?                                           and pride—many of the leaders who administered the
                                                         religion were guilty of crimes (e.g., John 8:1–11).
4. Is there evidence that the Savior made any            They were enshrouded by such a deplorable condition
   attempt to fit people’s preconceived notions of       of wanton religious blindness that they paid no heed to
   what the Messiah would be or what he would do?        the claims of one who could deliver them (by their
   Read Mark 8:11–13.                                    repentance) from sin.
5. Read John 16:1–3. Is it important to understand       (20-11) SUMMARY
   the truth about the Lord and his servants? Why?
                                                         Only a few faithful disciples comprehended the real
                                                         significance of the Lord’s initial entry into Jerusalem.
(20-10) Why Did Many of the People Who                   When he comes again he will come as King of kings
Welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem as King and Messiah          and Lord of lords, and every knee will bow and every
Later Reject Him?                                        tongue confess. Who, then, will be ready to receive
The people of Israel despised the cruel and oppressive   him? (See D&C 45:56–58.) Do you suppose His
rule of Rome. And their scriptures promised a Messiah    coming in glory will convince all people to serve him
who would deliver them, promises of which the            and worship him? If no, what will? What is it that
apostle Paul would later testify. Read Romans            brings people to Jesus? What has that to do with you?
11:26, 27. (Compare Psalms 14:7; Isaiah 59:20.)




                                                       144
                    21
       “WOE UNTO YOU . . . HYPOCRITES!”




          THE WEEK OF                            Matthew            Mark             Luke              John
     THE ATONING SACRIFICE
THIRD DAY, continued

 Parable of the Two Sons                      21:28–32
 Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen             21:33–46         12:1–12          20:9–18
 Parable of the Royal Marriage Feast          22:1–14
 A Question About Tribute to Caesar           22:15–22         12:13–17         20:19–26
 Marriage After the Resurrection              22:23–33         12:18–27         20:27–40
 The Great Commandment                        22:34–40         12:28–34
 “Who Is Christ’s Father?”                    22:41–46         12:35–37         20:41–44
 Scribes and Pharisees Are Condemned          23:1–36          12:38–40         20:45–47
 Jesus Laments over Jerusalem                 23:37–39
 The Widow’s Mite                                              12:41–44         21:1–4
 Christ Declares the Purpose of His Mission                                                      12:37–50

THEME                                                      INTRODUCTION
Hypocrisy can be overcome through acts of service          In these closing chapters of the public ministry of
rendered quietly and privately.                            our Lord, you will read about Jesus’ last public
                                                           confrontation with the scribes, Pharisees, and
                                                           Herodians; it is the last because the Jewish leaders


                                                         145
at this point were determined that Jesus should die          (21-2) Matthew 21:33–41. When They Answered
for the nation and constantly “they took counsel             the Lord’s Question, How Did the Jewish Leaders
together for to put him to death.” (John 11:53.) In          Pass Judgment upon Themselves?
these chapters you will come to know how they tried
                                                             “Again the Jews were compelled to make answer to
to provoke him into an overt act of speech or action
                                                             the great question with which the parable dealt, and
by which they might charge him with the capital
                                                             again by their answer they pronounced judgment upon
crime of treason against Roman authority.
                                                             themselves. The vineyard, broadly speaking, was the
Following this last confrontation in which Jesus             human family, but more specifically the covenant
condemned the hypocrisy of both scribes and                  people, Israel; the soil was good and capable of
Pharisees with his questions and answers, he turned          yielding in rich abundance; the vines were choice and
to the multitude and to his disciples to give one final      had been set out with care; and the whole vineyard
denunciation of the whole Pharisaic system. As you           was amply protected with a hedge, and suitably
read and ponder the meaning of this condemnation of          furnished with winepress and tower. The husbandmen
the Jewish leaders, you will see how it was possible         could be none other than the priests and teachers of
for them to pay tithing, to pray, to fast, to proselyte,     Israel, including the ecclesiastical leaders who were
yet be inclined to omit “the weightier matters”—             then and there present in an official capacity. The Lord
mercy, judgment, and faith. (See Matthew 23:23.)             of the vineyard had sent among the people prophets
You will see how outward cleanliness of person was           authorized to speak in His name; and these the wicked
observed, yet inward cleanliness was neglected.              tenants had rejected, maltreated, and, in many
                                                             instances, cruelly slain. In the more detailed reports of
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                             the parable we read that when the first servant came,
in the reading block.
                                                             the cruel husbandmen ‘beat him and sent him away
                                                             empty’; the next they wounded ‘in the head, and sent
                                                             him away shamefully handled’; another they murdered
                                                             and all who came later were brutally mistreated, and
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      some of them were killed. Those wicked men had used
                                                             the vineyard of their Lord for personal gain, and had
(21-1) Matthew 21:28–32. What Is the Message of
                                                             rendered no part of the vintage to the lawful Owner.
the Parable of the Two Sons?
                                                             When the Lord sent other messengers, ‘more than the
“The opening sentence, ‘But what think ye?’ was a            first,’ or in other words, greater than the earlier ones,
call to close attention. It implied a question soon to       the most recent example being John the Baptist, the
follow; and that proved to be: Which of the two sons         husbandmen rejected them with evil determination
was the obedient one? There was but one consistent           more pronounced than ever. At last the Son had come
answer, and they had to give it, however loath. The          in person; His authority they feared as that of the
application of the parable followed with convicting          lawful heir, and with malignity almost beyond belief,
promptness. They, the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees      they determined to kill Him that they might perpetuate
and elders of the people, were typified by the second        their unworthy possession of the vineyard and
son, who, when told to labor in the vineyard answered        thenceforward hold it as their own.
so assuringly, but went not, though the vines were
                                                             “Jesus carried the story without break from the
running to wild growth for want of pruning, and such
                                                             criminal past to the yet more tragic and awful future,
poor fruit as might mature would be left to fall and rot
                                                             then but three days distant; and calmly related in
upon the ground. The publicans and sinners upon
                                                             prophetic imagery, as though already fulfilled, how
whom they vented their contempt, whose touch was
                                                             those evil men cast the well beloved Son out of the
defilement, were like unto the first son, who in rude
                                                             vineyard and slew Him. Unable to evade the searching
though frank refusal ignored the father’s call, but
                                                             question as to what the Lord of the vineyard would
afterward relented and set to work, repentantly hoping
                                                             naturally and righteously do to the wicked
to make amends for the time he had lost and for the
                                                             husbandmen, the Jewish rulers gave the only pertinent
unfilial spirit he had shown.” (Talmage, Jesus the
                                                             answer possible—that He would surely destroy those
Christ, p. 532.)
                                                             wretched sinners, and let out His vineyard to tenants




                                                           146
who were more honest and worthy.” (Talmage, Jesus             into some act or utterance on which they could base a
the Christ, p. 534–35.)                                       charge of offense, under either their own or Roman
                                                              law. The Pharisees counseled together as to ‘how they
(21-3) Matthew 21:42–46. What Great Message                   might entangle him in his talk’; and then, laying aside
Does Jesus Teach in the Parable of the Rejected               their partisan prejudices, they conspired to this end
Stone?                                                        with the Herodians, a political faction whose chief
Read Ephesians 2:20 and Acts 4:10–12.                         characteristic was the purpose of maintaining in power
                                                              the family of the Herods, which policy of necessity
(21-4) Matthew 22:2–11. What Is the                           entailed the upholding of the Roman power, upon
Interpretation of the Parable of the Marriage of the          which the Herods depended for their delegated
King’s Son?                                                   authority. The same incongruous association had been
“In this Parable of the Marriage of the King’s Son,           entered into before in an attempt to provoke Jesus to
sometimes called the Parable of the Royal Marriage            overt speech or action in Galilee; and the Lord had
Feast, Jesus teaches these truths: (1) His own divine         coupled the parties together in His warning to the
Sonship; (2) the impending destruction of Jerusalem;          disciples to beware of the leaven of both. So, on the
(3) the rejection of the Jewish remnant of the covenant       last day of our Lord’s teaching in public, Pharisees
race; (4) the gospel call to the Gentiles; and (5) that       and Herodians joined forces against Him; the one
those who answer the gospel call will not be chosen           watchful for the smallest technical infringement of the
for salvation unless they put on the robes of                 Mosaic law, the other alert to seize upon the slightest
righteousness. Compare Luke 14:16–24.                         excuse for charging Him with disloyalty to the secular
                                                              powers. Their plans were conceived in treachery, and
“Deity himself is the king in the parable; Jesus, his         put into operation as the living embodiment of a
offspring and heir, is the king’s son; and those first        lie.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 544.)
invited to ‘the marriage of the Lamb’ (D. & C. 58:11)
are the chosen and favored hosts of Israel to whom the        (21-6) Matthew 22:18. What Are Hypocrites?
gospel had been offered in ages past. ‘The remnant’           “Taking the New Testament alone, you will gain little
who rejected the later invitation with violence and           idea of the kind of life the Romans led in Palestine, the
murder were Jewish descendants of ancient Israel; and         kind of life that the Christ condemned, and yet as I
it was their city, Jerusalem, which was violently             have already said, it has seemed to me that the one sin
destroyed.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:597.)                          that the Savior condemned as much as any other was
“That this son was the Messiah will not be disputed,          the sin of hypocrisy—the living of the double life, the
since it was the kingdom of heaven that was                   life we let our friends and sometimes our wives
represented in the parable; and that the Saints, or those     believe, and the life we actually live. (J. Reuben Clark,
who are found faithful to the Lord, are the individuals       Jr., Church News, 2 Feb. 1963, p. 16.)
who will be found worthy to inherit a seat at the             “The word hypocrite is translated from a Greek word
marriage supper, is evident from the sayings of John          meaning actor. A hypocrite is an actor, a pretender. He
in the Revelation where he represents the sound which         assumes roles which do not reflect his true feeling and
he heard in heaven to be like a great multitude, or like      thinking. He does not present his real self to others.
the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, the Lord God         There is pretense, subterfuge, show, sham, and deceit
Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and          in his behavior. In the make-believe atmosphere of the
give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is            theatre we recognize that actors are pretending to be
come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to            someone else. In everyday life, however, we expect
her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine            people to be themselves, to act without pretense,
linen, clean and white: For the fine linen is the             sincerely and honestly.” (Lowell L. Bennion, “Jesus
righteousness of Saints (Rev. xix).” (Smith,                  the Christ,” Instructor, Apr. 1964, p. 165.)
Teachings, p. 63. Italics added.)
                                                              (21-7) Matthew 22:17–21. How Did Jesus Avoid the
(21-5) Matthew 22:15. What Efforts Were Made to               Dilemma Posed in the Tribute Money Incident?
Tempt Jesus into an Act or Statement Contrary to
Jewish or Roman Law?                                          “His adversaries intended that Jesus would be gored
                                                              on whichever horn of dilemma he might choose. The
“The Jewish authorities continued unceasingly active          interesting thing about his answer is that he did not
in their determined efforts to tempt or beguile Jesus         evade the question, but he answered it clearly and



                                                            147
positively without being caught on either horn. He           of God in heaven.’ The Lord’s meaning was clear, that
said, ‘Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the           in the resurrected state there can be no question among
tribute money. And they brought unto him a                   the seven brothers as to whose wife for eternity the
penny.’ (Matt. 22:18–19.) What is referred to as a           woman shall be, since all except the first had married
penny was no doubt the current Roman denarius with           her for the duration of mortal life only, and primarily
the image of Tiberius or possibly Augustus. He               for the purpose of perpetuating in mortality the name
wanted to point out to them the image of Caesar and          and family of the brother who first died. Luke records
the inscription that gave his name and titles. There         the Lord’s words as follows in part: ‘But they which
was a common maxim that the one who causes his               shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the
image and titles to be stamped on the coin is the owner      resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are
of the coin and acknowledged as the sovereign. ‘And          given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for
he saith unto them, Whose is this image and                  they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of
superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. . . .’          God, being the children of the resurrection.’ In the
(Matt. 22:20–21.) They had acknowledged that the             resurrection there will be no marrying nor giving in
coin belonged to the Roman Emperor, and it being the         marriage; for all questions of marital status must be
current coin for the payment of tax, it showed the           settled before that time, under the authority of the
country to be under the rule of Rome. ‘ . . . Then saith     Holy Priesthood, which holds the power to seal in
he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things        marriage for both time and eternity.” (Talmage, Jesus
which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are         the Christ, p. 548.)
God’s.’ (Matt. 22:21.) In other words, ‘Don’t be
unjust: give to Caesar the things that are his; and at the   (21-9) Matthew 23:5. “They Make Broad Their
same time don’t be impious: give to God the things           Phylacteries, and Enlarge the Borders of Their
that belong to God.’                                         Garments”

“The wisdom of this answer defines the limitations of        “Through a traditional interpretation of Exo. 13:9 and
dual sovereigns and defines the jurisdiction of the two      Deut. 6:8, the Hebrews adopted the custom of wearing
empires of heaven and earth. The image of monarchs           phylacteries, which consisted essentially of strips of
stamped on coins denotes that temporal things belong         parchment on which were inscribed in whole or in part
to the temporal sovereign. The image of God stamped          the following texts: Exo. 13:2–10 and 11–17; Deut.
on the heart and soul of a man denotes that all its          6:4–9, and 11:13–21. Phylacteries were worn on the
facilities and powers belong to God and should be            head and arm. The parchment strips for the head were
employed in his service. . . .                               four, on each of which one of the texts cited above
                                                             was written. These were placed in a cubical box of
“In the present day of unrest, the question might            leather measuring from ½ inch to 1½ inches along the
appropriately be asked, what do we owe to Caesar? To         edge; the box was divided into four compartments and
the country in which we live? We owe allegiance,             one of the little parchment rolls was placed in each.
respect, and honor. Laws enacted to promote the              Thongs held the box in place on the forehead between
welfare of the whole and suppress evil doing are to be       the eyes of the wearer. The arm phylactery comprised
strictly obeyed. We must pay tribute to sustain the          but a single roll of parchment on which the four
government in the necessary expense incurred in the          prescribed texts were written; this was placed in a
protection of life, liberty, property, and in promoting      little box which was bound by thongs to the inside of
the welfare of all persons.” (Howard W. Hunter in CR,        the left arm so as to be brought close to the heart when
Apr. 1968, p. 65.)                                           the hands were placed together in the attitude of
                                                             devotion. The Pharisees wore the arm phylactery
(21-8) Matthew 22:23–33. Is There to Be Marriage
                                                             above the elbow, while their rivals, the Sadducees,
in the Resurrected State?
                                                             fastened it to the palm of the hand (see Exo. 13:9).
“Jesus stopped not, however, to question the elements        The common people wore phylacteries only at prayer
of the problem as presented to Him; whether the case         time; but the Pharisees were said to display them
was assumed or real mattered not, since the question         throughout the day. Our Lord’s reference to the
‘Whose wife shall she be?’ was based on an utterly           Pharisees’ custom of making broad their phylacteries
erroneous conception. ‘Jesus answered and said unto          had reference to the enlarging of the containing box,
them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the         particularly the frontlet. The size of the parchment
power of God. For in the resurrection they neither           strips was fixed by rigid rule.
marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels



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“The Lord had required of Israel through Moses                out according to the arithmetic of heaven, entries are
(Numb. 15:38) that the people attach to the border of         made in terms of quality rather than of quantity, and
their garment a fringe with a ribbon of blue. In              values are determined on the basis of capability and
ostentatious display of assumed piety, the scribes and        intent. The rich gave much yet kept back more; the
Pharisees delighted to wear enlarged borders to attract       widow’s gift was her all. It was not the smallness of
public attention. It was another manifestation of             her offering that made it especially acceptable, but the
hypocritical sanctimoniousness.” (Talmage, Jesus the          spirit of sacrifice and devout intent with which she
Christ, pp. 565–66.)                                          gave. On the books of the heavenly accountants that
                                                              widow’s contribution was entered as a munificent gift,
(21-10) Matthew 23:7. Should Men Use Such Titles              surpassing in worth the largess of kings. ‘For if there
as Rabbi?                                                     be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that
“Such titles of respect as Brother, Elder, Bishop, or         a man hath, and not according to that he hath
Rabbi, are appropriate and proper when used                   not.’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 561–62.)
discreetly and with respect for the office or status
involved. What Jesus here condemns is not the use of          POINTS TO PONDER
titles as such, but the vainglory and presumptuous
self-adulation which called forth their excessive and         THE SAVIOR DENOUNCED HYPOCRISY AS
patronizing use. Indeed, it would appear . . . that these     ONE OF THE WORST SINS
religious leaders were so wrapped up in their own
conceit that they ranked themselves along with Deity          (21-13) Hypocrisy Is One of the Worst Forms of
in importance. ‘The rabbis really did put themselves in       Dishonesty
the place of God, and almost on an equality with him.         “As God condemns immorality, so he denounces
Their traditions were more binding than the Law, and          hypocrisy, which is one of the worst forms of
were regarded as in a sense binding upon                      dishonesty. When he describes the hell of the world to
God.’ (Dummelow, 700.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:617.)              come, he specifies that dishonest persons will go there.
                                                              As no unclean thing can enter the presence of the
(21-11) Matthew 23:37–39. Why Did Jesus Lament
                                                              Lord, so no liar nor cheat nor hypocrite can abide in
over Jerusalem?
                                                              his kingdom.
“Jerusalem—the holy city!
                                                              “Dishonesty is directly related to selfishness, which is
“Jerusalem—the city of depravity, ‘which spiritually          its origin and source. Selfishness is at the root of
is called Sodom and Egypt’! (Rev. 11:8.)                      nearly all the disorders that afflict us, and man’s
“Jerusalem—doomed spiritually and soon to be                  inhumanity to man continues to make countless
desolated temporally. See Luke 19:41–44.                      thousands mourn.” (Mark E. Petersen in CR, Oct.
                                                              1971, pp. 63–64.)
“Jerusalem—site of the temple; home of the prophets;
city of our Lord’s ministry.                                  (21-14) Hypocrisy, like Cancer, Can Grow Until It
                                                              Overcomes Us
“Jerusalem—city where the Son of God was crucified,
crucified by ‘the more wicked part of the world,’ for         “I know a young man who is ruining his own success
‘there is none other nation on earth that would crucify       as well as the lives of others because he greatly
their God.’ (2 Ne. 10:3.)                                     exaggerates his own virtues and self-importance. He
                                                              tolerates a serious selfishness and continually excuses
“Jerusalem—future world capital and center from               his sins and weakness. He takes credit for imagined
which ‘the word of the Lord’ shall go unto all people.        abilities that are based on false assumptions.
(Isa. 2:3.)
                                                              “He always blames others when things go wrong. And
“Truly Jerusalem’s history is like that of no other           for something to seem right to him, it needs only to
place; and truly Jesus with cause, wept because of the        appear to be in his own interest. But his problems of
rebellion of her children.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:626.)          false witness to himself are fast getting out of hand.
(21-12) Mark 12:41–44. What Was the Significance              Reason is becoming more and more difficult for him
of the Widow’s Gift?                                          as he is rapidly losing the power to undeceive
                                                              himself.” (Sterling W. Sill, Church News, 8 Jan. 1966,
“In the accounts kept by the recording angels, figured        p. 9.)



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HYPOCRISY IS AS MUCH A CHALLENGE IN                         HYPOCRISY CAN BE OVERCOME THROUGH
OUR DAY AS IT WAS IN JESUS’ DAY                             ACTS OF SERVICE DONE QUIETLY AND
                                                            PRIVATELY
According to the dictionary, the word woe means a
condition of suffering, affliction, grief, calamity, or     Can you see that one of the main causes of hypocrisy
misfortune. Eight times, as recounted in Matthew 23,        is the desire to be seen of men, or to receive praise,
the Lord pronounces such a “woe,” such a curse, on          approval, or reward? What could help us to avoid
the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees.                     this kind of desire? Read 3 Nephi 13:1–4. Jesus
Could the Lord pronounce this same “woe” on                 taught that we should do acts of service in secret.
people today? What were the scribes and Pharisees           What do you think he meant? Did he mean to do
doing that would cause the Lord to say this? Did you        something without thought of personal gain or
know that the Pharisees paid a full tithing? that they      reward? What should our major motive be? Now
gave alms to the poor? that they regularly attended         read the following comment by President Spencer W.
their worship services at the synagogue, and were           Kimball:
devoutly faithful in going to the temple? What was it,      “I have learned that it is by serving that we learn
then, that made them hypocrites? It was not their           how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of
good acts, for these could all be praised. Still, they      our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but
were hypocrites. Why? Could it be because they were         we put our own problems in a fresher perspective.
seeking their own glory? They paid tithing and              When we concern ourselves more with others, there
prayed to draw followers to them. In this manner they       is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the
were actually drawing people away from God, for             midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise
their hearts and intentions were wrong.                     of Jesus, that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves.
The Lord has said of these kinds of people: “. . . this     (See Matt. 10:39.)
people draw near me with their mouth, . . . but have        “Not only do we ‘find’ ourselves in terms of
removed their heart far from me.” (Isaiah 29:13.)           acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more
A hypocrite is, therefore, among other things, a type       we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the
of person who pretends to be a good member of the           more substance there is to our souls. We become
Church but who, in reality, has no desire to draw           more significant individuals as we serve others. We
closer to Christ nor do his will because of love for        become more substantive as we serve others—indeed,
him.                                                        it is easier to ‘find’ ourselves because there is so
                                                            much more of us to find!” (Ensign, Dec. 1974, p. 2.)
Now consider for a moment your own personal
desires. Do you pay tithing? give fast offerings to the     As you consider the words of President Kimball, how
poor? attend your Church meetings? If you have said         can you apply them to your life here and now?
yes to each of these, you should be commended. But          Without thought of reward, what acts of service could
what is your purpose in doing these things? Is it for       you perform for—
personal glory or because of social pressure, or is         Your parents?
your motive to draw closer to Jesus Christ? What
                                                            Your brothers and sisters?
happens to hypocrisy when you put Christ in the
center of what you do?                                      Your roommates?
                                                            Your home teaching or visiting teaching families?
                                                            The Church in the payment of tithes and offerings?
                                                            As you learn to give without thought of praise or
                                                            reward, you will learn to overcome the problem
                                                            faced by the scribes and Pharisees: hypocrisy.




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                              22
                    “WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN
                                        SIGN
                        OF THY COMING?”




           THE WEEK OF                          Matthew              Mark                 Luke      John
      THE ATONING SACRIFICE
THIRD DAY, continued

 Olivet Discourse                           24:1–51            13:1–37            21:5–36

 Parable of the Ten Virgins                 25:1–13

 Parable of the Entrusted Talents           25:14–30

 The Inevitable and Final Judgment          25:31–46

Also read Joseph Smith—Matthew, which is the Prophet’s inspired revision of Matthew 24.

THEME                                                      INTRODUCTION
Those who are aware of the many signs of the Savior’s After denouncing the scribes and Pharisees for their
second coming will be better prepared for that great  hypocrisy, Jesus left the temple. As he and his
event.                                                disciples viewed the buildings of the temple, he
                                                      confronted the disciples with a prophetic statement
                                                      that must have been startling. Of the temple and its
                                                      buildings, he said: “I say unto you, there shall not be


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left here one stone upon another, that shall not be         INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2.) Not one stone was to
be left upon another: not one stone of the porch, the       (22-1) Matthew 24:2. How Was the Prophecy
sanctuary, and the holy of holies of the holy house;        Regarding the Destruction of the Temple and
not one stone of the court and cloisters of the temple.     Jerusalem Fulfilled?
All was to be thrown down. The temple of Herod was
to be destroyed. (See William Smith, A Dictionary of        “You all know the sequel, how the Jews carried
the Bible, rev. ed., s.v. “Temple.”)                        through their awful plot and crucified the Son of God,
                                                            and how thereafter they continued to fight against his
Later, as Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, his           gospel. You remember, too, the price they paid, how
disciples approached him privately to ask him two           in 70 A.D. the city fell into the hands of the Romans as
significant questions. With the first question, “Tell       the climax of a siege in which the historian Josephus
us, when shall these things be?” the disciples asked        tells us there were a million one hundred thousand
Jesus to tell them when the destruction of the temple       people killed and
of Herod and the slaughter and dispersion of the
Jews was to take place. With the second question,           “‘. . . tens of thousands were taken captive, to be
“And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the       afterwards sold into slavery, or to be slain by wild
end of the world?” they made a request for a                beasts, or in gladiatorial combat for the amusement of
definitive explanation of those significant events          Roman spectators.’
which precede the Lord’s second coming. (See                “All of this destruction and the dispersion of the Jews
Matthew 24:3.)                                              would have been avoided had the people accepted the
As part of this lesson, you will read the Olivet            gospel of Jesus Christ and had their hearts changed by
discourse, which contains Jesus’ reply to the two           it.” (Marion G. Romney in CR, Oct. 1948, pp. 76–77.)
questions. You will also study two parables, both of
                                                            (22-2) Matthew 24:3. What Is the Significance of
which emphasize the need for constant diligence and
                                                            the Mount of Olives?
vigilance if one is to be prepared for the Lord’s
second coming, when he will take vengeance upon             It was on the Mount of Olives, or Olivet, where the
the wicked and will sit as judge at the inevitable and      Lord often held discourse with the apostles and
final judgment.                                             disciples; and here on the slopes of the Mount of
                                                            Olives was Gethsemane. From this Mount the Lord
The coming of the Savior in power and glory to judge
                                                            ascended into heaven. (See Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
the world is near at hand. Prophets, ancient and
                                                            pp. 540, 569, 611, 697.) To this Mount the Lord will
modern, have spoken of this glorious and dreadful
                                                            return and make himself known to the Jews. Read
event, and they have given mankind signs as
                                                            D&C 45:48–53.
evidences that he will come. The occurrence of each
of these signs of the times is an indication that the       (22-3) Matthew 24:3. What Is the End of the World
day is drawing closer. True, no one knows the               Spoken of Here?
precise time when the Savior will return. Yet, he will
come soon; and by learning to recognize the signs of        “Now men cannot have any possible grounds to say
the times men may be ready to meet him. They will be        that this is figurative, or that it does not mean what it
prepared with adequate oil in their lamps. They will        says: for He is now explaining what He had previously
be ready on judgment day.                                   spoken in parables; and according to this language, the
                                                            end of the world is the destruction of the wicked, the
As you study this lesson, especially note the signs of      harvest and the end of the world have an allusion
his coming which have been fulfilled and those signs        directly to the human family in the last days, instead
of the times which are yet to take place before the         of the earth, as many have imagined; and that which
Savior returns to reign as Judge and King. Try to           shall precede the coming of the Son of Man, and the
evaluate your own readiness for his second coming           restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all
and take any necessary steps to be prepared, so that        the holy prophets since the world began; and the
you may always be ready to give an accounting of            angels are to have something to do in this great work,
your life to God.                                           for they are the reapers. As, therefore, the tares are
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the
in the reading block.                                       end of the world; that is, as the servants of God go
                                                            forth warning the nations, both priests and people, and



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as they harden their hearts and reject the light of truth,   1,100,000 Jews, destroyed the temple, and ploughed
these first being delivered over to the buffetings of        the city. In the coming reenactment of this
Satan, and the law and the testimony being closed up,        ‘abomination of desolation,’ the whole world will be
as it was in the case of the Jews, they are left in          at war, Jerusalem will be the center of the conflict,
darkness, and delivered over unto the day of burning;        every modern weapon will be used, and in the midst of
thus being bound up by their creeds, and their bands         the siege the Son of Man shall come, setting his foot
being made strong by their priests, are prepared for the     upon the mount of Olives and fighting the battle of his
fulfillment of the saying of the Savior—‘The Son of          saints. (Zech. 12:1–9.)
Man shall send forth His angels, and gather out of His
                                                             “Speaking of these final battles which shall
Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do
                                                             accompany his return, the Lord says: ‘I will gather all
iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire,
                                                             nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.’ We
                                                             be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women
understand that the work of gathering together of the
                                                             ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into
wheat into barns, or garners, is to take place while the
                                                             captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut
tares are being bound over, and preparing for the day
                                                             off from the city.’ However, the final end of the
of burning; that after the day of burnings, the righteous
                                                             conflict shall be different this time than it was
shall shine forth like the sun, in the Kingdom of their
                                                             anciently. ‘Then shall the Lord go forth,’ the prophetic
Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Smith,
                                                             record says, ‘and fight against those nations, as when
Teachings, pp. 100–101.)
                                                             he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand
(22-4) Matthew 24:15–22, 29, 34, 35. What Is the             in that day upon the mount of Olives, . . . and the
Abomination of Desolation Spoken of by Daniel the            Lord shall be king over all the earth.’ (Zech. 14.)”
Prophet and the Savior?                                      (McConkie, DNTC, 1:659–60.)
There were to be two times when this great tragedy           (22-5) Matthew 24:24. How Might the Very Elect
would occur:                                                 Be Preserved from Deception?
“And now the ax was laid at the root of the rotted tree.     “The Prophet Joseph Smith, in his inspired version of
Jerusalem was to pay the price. Daniel had foretold          that same scripture, added these significant words:
this hour when desolation, born of abomination and           ‘who are the elect, according to the covenant.’ This is
wickedness, would sweep the city. (Dan. 9:27; 11:31;         what has been said, in effect, in this conference:
12:11.) Moses had said the siege would be so severe          Unless every member of this Church gains for himself
women would eat their own children. (Deut. 28.) Jesus        an unshakable testimony of the divinity of this
specified the destruction would come in the days of          Church, he will be among those who will be deceived
the disciples.                                               in this day when the ‘elect according to the covenant’
                                                             are going to be tried and tested. Only those will
“And come it did, in vengeance, without restraint.
                                                             survive who have gained for themselves that
Hunger exceeded human endurance; blood flowed in
                                                             testimony.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1950, p. 129.)
the streets; destruction made desolate the temple;
1,100,000 Jews were slaughtered; Jerusalem was               (22-6) Matthew 24:28. “Wheresoever the Carcass
ploughed as a field; and a remnant of a once mighty          Is, There Will the Eagles Be Gathered Together”
nation was scattered to the ends of the earth. The
Jewish nation died, impaled on Roman spears, at the          “In the parable, as here given, the carcass is the body
hands of Gentile overlords.                                  of the Church to which the eagles, who are Israel, shall
                                                             fly to find nourishment. ‘The gathering of Israel is first
“But what of the saints who dwelt in Jerusalem in            spiritual and second temporal. It is spiritual in that the
that gloomy day? They heeded Jesus’ warning and              lost sheep of Israel are first “restored to the true
fled in haste. Guided by revelation, as true saints          church and fold of God,” meaning that they come to a
always are, they fled to Pella in Perea and were             true knowledge of the God of Israel, accept the gospel
spared.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:644–45.)                         which he has restored in latter-days, and join the
2. At the Time of the Second Coming                          Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is
                                                             temporal in that these converts are then “gathered
“All the desolation and waste which attended the             home to the lands of their inheritance, and . . .
former destruction of Jerusalem is but prelude to the        established in all their lands of promise.” (2 Ne. 9:2;
coming siege. Titus and his legions slaughtered              25:15–18; Jer. 16:14–21), meaning that the house of



                                                           153
Joseph will be established in America, the house of           honest tithing; they that work wickedness; and the
Judah in Palestine, and that the Lost Tribes will come        proud. All these, he says, shall be as stubble when the
to Ephraim in America to receive their blessings in           day comes that shall burn as an oven. (Mal. 3; 4;
due course. (D. & C. 133.)’ (Mormon Doctrine,                 D. & C. 64:23–25.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:669.)
p. 280.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:648–49.)
                                                              (22-9) Matthew 24:45–51. “The Faithful and Wise
(22-7) Matthew 24:29, 30, 36–39. What Did the                 Servant”
Prophet Joseph Tell Us of the Time of the Second
                                                              “Jesus speaks here of his ministers, his servants, the
Coming and of the Sign of the Son of Man?
                                                              holders of his holy priesthood. They are the ones
“The coming of the Son of Man never will be—never             whom he has made rulers in the household of God to
can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are         teach and perfect his saints. Theirs is the responsibility
poured out: which judgments are commenced. Paul               to be so engaged when the Master returns. If they are
says, ‘Ye are the children of the light, and not of the       so serving when the Lord comes, he will give them
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief        exaltation. But if the rulers in the Lord’s house think
in the night.’ It is not the design of the Almighty to        the Second Coming is far distant, if they forget their
come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to              charge, contend with their fellow ministers, and begin
powder, but he will reveal it to His servants the             to live after the manner of the world, then the
prophets.                                                     vengeance of their rejected Lord shall, in justice, fall
                                                              upon them when he comes again.” (McConkie, DNTC,
“Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the
                                                              1:675.)
temple, and water come out from under the temple,
and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take        (22-10) Matthew 25:1–13. What Is the Meaning of
some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the            the Parable of the Ten Virgins?
temple, &c.; and all this must be done before the Son
of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars           “The purpose of this lesson was to impress upon those
and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on         called to the ministry and upon his followers and upon
the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the       the world that there should be an unceasing
moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas         watchfulness and preparation for the day which he had
heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one             predicted when the Lord would come again in
grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will         judgment upon the earth.
the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc.     “The bridegroom of the parable was the Master, the
But the Son of man will come as the sign of the               Savior of mankind. The marriage feast symbolized the
coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light          second coming of the Savior to receive his Church
of the morning cometh out of the east.” (Smith,               unto himself. The virgins were those who were
Teachings, pp. 286–87.)                                       professed believers in Christ, because they were
                                                              expectantly waiting for the coming of the bridegroom
(22-8) Matthew 24:40. Why Is It That One Is
                                                              to the marriage feast, or they were connected with the
Destroyed and the Other Left Alone When the
                                                              Church and the events which were to transpire with
Lord Returns?
                                                              reference to it.
“Thus those who shall abide the day, who shall remain
                                                              “That this parable did refer particularly to the
on the earth when it is transfigured (D. & C. 63:20–
                                                              believers in Christ with a warning to them is further
21), are those who are honest and upright and who are
                                                              indicated by what the Lord has told us in modern
living at least that law which would take them to the
                                                              revelation in which he said:
terrestrial kingdom of glory in the resurrection.
Anyone living by telestial standards can no longer            “‘These are the things that ye must look for; . . . even
remain on earth and so cannot abide the day.                  in the day of the coming of the Son of Man.
“Hence we find Malachi listing among those who shall          “‘And until that hour there will be foolish virgins
not abide the day the following: sorcerers; adulterers;       among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire
false swearers; those who oppress the hireling, the           separation of the righteous and the wicked. (D. & C.
widow, and the fatherless in their wages; those who           63:53–54.)’ [This] undoubtedly mean[s] a separation
lead men away from the truth; those who do not fear           of the wicked from the righteous among the professing
God; members of the true Church who do not pay an             believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.



                                                            154
“The Lord defines the wise virgins of his parable in         his reply to the disciples, however, Jesus made it
still another revelation in which he said,                   abundantly clear that such was not to be the case at
                                                             all.
“‘For they that are wise and have received the truth,
and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and          QUESTION
have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they
                                                             To what did the disciples have reference when they
shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall
                                                             asked Jesus the question, “Tell us, when shall these
abide the day. (Ibid., 45:57.)’
                                                             things be?” (Matthew 24:1–3.)
“Here is clearly indicated a truth we must all
                                                             ANSWER
recognize, that among the people of God, the believers
in the Savior of the world, there are those who are          Their question referred specifically to the destruction
wise and keep the commandments, and yet there are            of the temple of Herod, to the overthrow of
those who are foolish, who are disobedient, and who          Jerusalem, and to the slaughter and dispersion of the
neglect their duties.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1951,      Jews. (See Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:2–4, and the
pp. 26–27.)                                                  interpretive commentary, 22:1.)

(22-11) Matthew 25:14–30. An Explanation for the             QUESTION
Parable of the Entrusted Talents                             How were ancient Christians deceived and also
“You know, brethren, that when the Master in the             persecuted as Jesus prophesied they would be?
Savior’s parable of the stewards called his servants         (Matthew 24:3–5, 9–13.)
before him he gave them several talents to improve on        ANSWER
while he should tarry abroad for a little season, and
when he returned he called for an accounting. So it is       False Christs—Simon Magus, Menander, Dositheus,
now. Our Master is absent only for a little season, and      and others (see McConkie, DNTC, 1:640)—and
at the end of it He will call each to render an account;     false teachers preaching damnable heresies (see
and where the five talents were bestowed, ten will be        Talmage, The Great Apostasy, pp. 40–47) led many
required; and he that has made no improvement will           of the early saints to apostatize from the faith.
be cast out as an unprofitable servant, while the            Persecution was widely manifest in a Judaistic
faithful will enjoy everlasting honors. Therefore we         persecution which derived from the conflict between
earnestly implore the grace of our Father to rest upon       Judaism and Christianity: Apostles were put in
you, through Jesus Christ His Son, that you may not          prison (Acts 5:18); Stephen was stoned (Acts 7:54–
faint in the hour of temptation, nor be overcome in the      60); Herod ordered James, the son of Zebedee, killed
time of persecution.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 68.)             (Acts 12:1, 2). Also, the Jews not only sought to
                                                             persecute those who professed Jesus Christ, but they
                                                             zealously tried to influence the Romans to oppose the
POINTS TO PONDER                                             Christian movement. (See Talmage, The Great
                                                             Apostasy, pp. 57–61.)
“WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY
                                                             QUESTION
COMING?”
                                                             What was the abomination of desolation which was
The Savior Was Speaking of Two Specific Events
                                                             to sweep Jerusalem? (Matthew 24:15–22.)
in Matthew 24
                                                             ANSWER
Jesus’ disciples asked him two questions: (1) “Tell
us, when shall these things be?”; and (2) “What shall        See the interpretive commentary, 22:4.
be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the
                                                             QUESTION
world?” (Matthew 24:3.) The first question pertained
to both the abomination of desolation which should           Was the temple of Herod destroyed, as prophesied?
come upon the Jews, and the destruction of the               (Matthew 24:1–3.)
temple of Herod. The second question had to do with          ANSWER
the Lord’s second coming in glory to judge the world.
Considering the manner in which these two questions          Yes. This occurred on or about Friday, August 9,
were asked, perhaps the disciples thought these two          A .D .
                                                                  70. See the interpretive commentary, 22:4.
events would take place at or near the same time. In



                                                           155
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES                              “And What Shall Be the Sign of Thy Coming, and
WHICH PRECEDE THE LORD’S SECOND                              of the End of the World?” (Matthew 24:3.)
COMING?
                                                                      Questions                Pearl of Great Price and
(22-12) What Is the Key, the Sure Word of                                                     New Testament References
Prophecy, That Will Help Us Understand the Signs            Who will attempt to deceive JS—M 1:22
of the Times?                                               the very elect, and what       Matthew 24:24
“There are among us many loose writings predicting          tactics will be used? (The
the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of      elect are the faithful members
                                                            of the Church.)
these have been publicized as though they were
necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to      What ought to be the reaction JS—M 1:23, 28, 29
overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon            of men when they hear of      Matthew 24:6
which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.                wars and rumors of wars?

“Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we       When claims are made that        JS—M 1:25
                                                            Jesus Christ is in the desert    Matthew 24:26
need no such publications to be forewarned, if we
                                                            or in the secret chambers,
were only conversant with what the scriptures have          what ought to be your
already spoken to us in plainness?                          response?
“Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which         To what extent will the light    JS—M 1:26
you should rely for your guide instead of these strange     of the gospel spread forth in    Matthew 24:27
sources which may have great political implications.        the earth?
“Read the 24th chapter of Matthew—particularly that         What is meant by this            JS—M 1:27
inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great         statement: “For wheresoever      Matthew 24:28
Price. [Joseph Smith—Matthew 1.]                            the carcass is, there will the   (See the interpretive
                                                            eagles be gathered together.”    commentary, 22-6.)
“Then read the 45th section of the Doctrine and
Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented           List the four signs named in     JS—M 1:29
                                                            Matthew 24:7.                    Matthew 24:7
the signs of the times.
                                                            What is meant by this        JS—M 1:30
“Now turn to section 101 and section 133 of the             statement: “The love of many Matthew 24:12
Doctrine and Covenants and hear the step-by-step            shall wax cold”?
recounting of events leading up to the coming of the
Savior.                                                     Who, then, shall be saved?       JS—M 1:30
                                                                                             Matthew 24:12
“Finally, turn to the promises the Lord makes to those
                                                            When shall the end come (the JS—M 1:31
who keep the commandments when these judgments              destruction of the wicked)?  Matthew 24:14
descend upon the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine       And why is the gospel of the
and Covenants, section 38.                                  kingdom to be preached
“Brethren, these are some of the writings with which        first?
you should concern yourselves, rather than                  What is the abomination of       JS—M 1:32
commentaries that may come from those whose                 desolation which shall occur     Matthew 24:15
information may not be the most reliable and whose          a second time?                   (See the interpretive
motives may be subject to question. And may I say,                                           commentary, 22-4.)
parenthetically, most of such writers are not               After the tribulation of the     JS—M 1:33
handicapped by having any authentic information on          days of abomination, what        Matthew 24:29
their writings.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1972,           four signs will be given?
p. 128.)                                                    What is meant in Matthew         JS—M 1:34
                                                            24:34?                           Matthew 24:34
                                                            What is the sign of the Son of JS—M 1:36
                                                            Man which will be shown        Matthew 24:29, 30
                                                            forth in heaven?               (See the interpretive
                                                                                           commentary, 22-7.)




                                                          156
          Questions                Pearl of Great Price and
                                  New Testament References
                                                              The tongue of man falters, and the pen drops from the
                                                              hand of the writer, as the mind is rapt in contemplation
How, then, may men avoid         JS—M 1:37–40                 of the sublime and awful majesty of his coming to take
deception?                       Matthew 24:31–33, 42, 44     vengeance on the ungodly and to reign as King of the
What shall be the attitude of    JS—M 1:41–43                 whole earth.
most men prior to Jesus’         Matthew 24:37–39
coming?
                                                              “He comes! The earth shakes, and the tall mountains
                                                              tremble; the mighty deep rolls back to the north as in
What is meant by this            JS—M 1:44–45                 fear, and the rent skies glow like molten brass. He
statement: “Then shall two       Matthew 24:40–41             comes! The dead Saints burst forth from their tombs,
be in the field; the one shall   (See the interpretive        and ‘those who are alive and remain’ are ‘caught up’
be taken, and the other left”?   commentary 22-8.)
                                                              with them to meet him. The ungodly rush to hide
What is the admonition men       JS—M 1:46–48                 themselves from his presence, and call upon the
must heed?                       Matthew 24:42–43             quivering rocks to cover them. He comes! with all the
What will happen if we fail to JS—M 1:49–55                   hosts of the righteous glorified. The breath of his lips
prepare?                       Matthew 24:45–51               strikes death to the wicked. His glory is a consuming
                                                              fire. The proud and rebellious are as stubble; they are
                                                              burned and ‘left neither root nor branch.’ He sweeps
For additional insight, read the other scriptures that
                                                              the earth ‘as with the besom of destruction.’ He
President Harold B. Lee indicated men ought to
                                                              deluges the earth with the fiery floods of his wrath,
study if they want to understand the signs of the
                                                              and the filthiness and abominations of the world are
times: D&C 45:15–17; D&C 101:11–23; D&C
                                                              consumed. Satan and his dark hosts are taken and
133:1–25, 36–52, 58–64.
                                                              bound—the prince of the power of the air has lost his
                                                              dominion, for He whose right it is to reign has come,
                                                              and ‘the kingdoms of this world have become the
(22-13) How May You Always Be Prepared? (D&C
                                                              kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.’
38:18–22, 39–42)
                                                              “‘The people of the Saints of the Most High’ will
“Brothers and sisters, this is the day the Lord is
                                                              dwell on the earth, which shall bring forth her strength
speaking of. You see the signs are here. Be ye
                                                              as in the days of her youth; they will build cities and
therefore ready. The Brethren have told you in this
                                                              plant gardens; those who have been faithful over a few
conference how to prepare to be ready. We have never
                                                              things will be made rulers over many things; Eden will
had a conference where there has been so much direct
                                                              bloom, and the fruits and flowers of Paradise display
instruction, so much admonition; when the problems
                                                              their loveliness as at the first; Jesus shall reign ‘in
have been defined and also the solution to the problem
                                                              Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients
has been suggested.
                                                              gloriously,’ and all created things shall ‘praise the
“Let us not turn a deaf ear now, but listen to these as       Lord.’” (Charles W. Penrose, “The Second Advent,”
the words that have come from the Lord, inspired of           Millennial Star 21:583 [1859].)
him, and we will be safe on Zion’s hill, until all that
the Lord has for his children shall have been
                                                              AND BLESSED IS HE WHO WATCHETH
accomplished.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1973,
                                                              FOR ME
p. 170. Italics added.)
                                                              Have you ever asked yourself why the Lord has given
(22-14) What Are the Implications of President                us so much information about his second coming? He
Lee’s Comment?                                                indicates one reason in D&C 45:44. According to
Is it not that we are provided with a handbook, the           this scripture, what is your responsibility? How can
conference report, which gives us direction and               you best “watch” for the Savior? If the Lord has
guidance for each six-month period? By obtaining a            revealed the signs which men should look for but they
copy of the discourses which are delivered by the             don’t watch for them, can they blame him if the
living prophets each six months at conference and by          cataclysm of the last days overtake them? Why is it
following the directions given, we may ever be in a           necessary for you to prepare yourself and “watch”
state of readiness for the Second Coming.                     for the Lord?
He Comes!



                                                            157
158
                                      23
                            “AS I HAVE LOVED YOU”
                                             YOU”




          THE WEEK OF                         Matthew                 Mark        Luke           John
     THE ATONING SACRIFICE
THIRD DAY, continued

 Jesus’ Betrayal Foretold                 26:1, 2

 The Plot Against Jesus                   26:3–5              14:1, 2        22:1, 2

 Judas Arranges Betrayal                  26:14–16            14:10, 11      22:3–6

FIFTH DAY

 Arrangements for the Passover Meal       26:17–19            14:12–16       22:7–13

 Strife over Precedence in the Passover   26:20               14:17          22:14; 24:30
 Chamber
 Jesus Washes the Apostles’ Feet                                                            13:1–20
 Passover Meal—Introduction of the        26:26–29            14:22–25       22:15–20
 Sacrament
 Jesus Indicates the Betrayer             26:21–25            14:18–21       22:21–23       13:21–26
 Judas Leaves the Chamber                                                                   13:27–30
 Jesus Foretells His Own Death                                                              13:31–35
 Apostles Express Loyalty                 26:31–35            14:27–31       22:31–38       13:36–38


                                                        159
THEME                                                        (23-2) Luke 22:3 Did Satan Literally Enter into
                                                             Judas’ Body?
Jesus Christ is the ultimate manifestation of the love
of the Father, and we become his true disciples only as      “Perhaps, for Satan is a spirit man, a being who was
we follow in his footsteps in our demonstration of           born the offspring of God in pre-existence, and who
love.                                                        was cast out of heaven for rebellion. He and his spirit
                                                             followers have power in some cases to enter the
INTRODUCTION                                                 bodies of men; they are, also, sometimes cast out of
The last Passover of Jesus’ ministry marks the               these illegally entered habitations by the power of the
beginning of the end of his mortal life. For several         priesthood. See Mark 1:21–28.
hundred years faithful Jews, obedient to the                 “But if the body of Judas was not possessed literally
command of Jehovah, had offered up the paschal               by Satan, still this traitorous member of the Twelve
lamb in remembrance of the Lord’s mercy to them in           was totally submissive to the will of the devil. ‘Before
Egypt. The ritual and the feast connected with it were       Judas sold Christ to the Jews, he had sold himself to
symbolic of an even greater deliverance than that            the devil; he had become Satan’s serf, and did his
which occurred under Moses: the deliverance of men           master’s bidding.’ (Talmage, [Jesus the Christ],
from sin through the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of        p. 592.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:702.)
God. Jesus’ death would be the “great and last
sacrifice,” and would end sacrifice by the shedding          (23-3) Matthew 26:15. What Is the Significance of
of blood as required by Mosaic law. (See Alma                the “Thirty Pieces of Silver”?
34:13.) Jesus had come to earth to fulfill that law!
(See Matthew 5:17, 18.)                                      “They could have said one piece of silver or a
                                                             thousand. Judas had not come to haggle but to betray.
The time was now at hand when he who was the                 What amount, then, should they set? With devilish
Lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the          cunning they chose that sum which in their law was
world would, in the fulfillment of his great                 the fixed price of a slave. ‘Thirty shekels of silver’
Atonement, fully demonstrate his love for his Father         would recompense an owner for the death of ‘a
and for all of us. Surely, “greater love hath no man         manservant or a maidservant.’ (Ex. 21:28–32.)
than this . . .”
                                                             “Thirty pieces of silver! Such would they pay for the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        life of their God—no more and no less. And by so
in the reading block.                                        doing all men ever after would know that they
                                                             esteemed him as the basest of men. And thus, also,
                                                             even their attempts to debase and insult would fulfill,
                                                             in literal detail, the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      which had foretold their evil conspiracy. ‘If ye think
                                                             good, give me my price; and if not, forbear,’ the Lord
(23-1) Matthew 26:5. Why Didn’t the Jewish                   says of the sum for which he will be sold. ‘So they
Leaders Capture Jesus During the Feast of the                weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.’ (Zech.
Passover?                                                    11:12.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:702–3.)
“The rulers feared especially an outbreak by the
Galileans, who had a provincial pride in the                 (23-4) Mark 14:22–25. What Did Jesus Really Say
prominence of Jesus as one of their countrymen, and          at the Institution of the Last Supper?
many of whom were then in Jerusalem. It was further          Compare the King James account with that rendered
concluded and for the same reasons, that the Jewish          by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Inspired Version.
custom of making impressive examples of notable
offenders by executing public punishment upon them           “And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed it,
at times of great general assemblages, be set aside in       and brake, and gave to them, and said, Take it, and eat.
the case of Jesus; therefore the conspirators said: ‘Not     “Behold, this is for you to do in remembrance of my
on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the          body; for as oft as ye do this ye will remember this
people.’” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 591.)               hour that I was with you.




                                                           160
“And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks,          and meat in a dish in the center of the table. Thin
he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.                pieces of bread, often shaped to make a spoon, are
                                                             used to extract both meat and broth from their
“And he said unto them, This is in remembrance of
                                                             repository. The bread thus dipped becomes a “sop.” It
my blood which is shed for many, and the new
                                                             is a mark of great honor for two friends to dip from the
testament which I give unto you; for of me, ye shall
                                                             same sop-dish and an even greater mark of respect for
bear record unto all the world.
                                                             one to dip for a friend and present the sop to him.
“And as oft as ye do this ordinance, ye will remember        Thus it was that Judas attempted to feign his love and
me in this hour that I was with you, and drank with          loyalty for Jesus at the Passover meal by dipping his
you of this cup, even the last time in my ministry.          hand in the same dish with him. (See Matthew 26:23.)
                                                             John reports that it was Jesus who dipped the sop for
“Verily I say unto you, Of this ye shall bear record; for
                                                             Judas and then handed it to him with the words, “That
I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine with you,
                                                             thou doest, do quickly.” (John 13:27.) (See Harper’s
until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of
                                                             Bible Dictionary, s.v. “sop.”)
God. (Mark 14:20–25, Inspired Version.)
                                                             (23-7) Matthew 26:17. What Was the Feast of
(23-5) John 13:1–20. When Jesus Washed His
                                                             Unleavened Bread?
Disciples’ Feet, It Was a Sign of His Love for
Them.                                                        Closely associated with the Passover was the Feast of
                                                             Unleavened Bread. As the ancient Israelites made their
Washing of feet is a sacred gospel ordinance. It has
                                                             hasty preparations to leave Egypt and its unwelcome
been commanded of the Lord in the present as well as
                                                             hardships, they did not have sufficient time to permit
in previous dispensations.
                                                             their bread to rise as was the custom. Instead they
“. . . our Lord did two things in the performance of         baked in haste and vacated their homes as quickly as
this ordinance: 1. He fulfilled the old law given to         possible. The festival of Unleavened Bread was held
Moses; and 2. He instituted a sacred ordinance which         to commemorate this fact. Where Passover lasted one
should be performed by legal administrators among            day originally, the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted
his true disciples from that day forward.                    seven. In process of time, both festivals were
“As part of the restoration of all things, the ordinance     combined into one, making the entire Passover period
of washing of feet has been restored in the                  eight days in length.
dispensation of the fulness of times. In keeping with        (23-8) What Is the Relationship Between the
the standard pattern of revealing principles and             Sacrament and the Atonement?
practices line upon line and precept upon precept, the
Lord revealed his will concerning the washing of feet        The final Passover was, in reality, two events rather
little by little until the full knowledge of the             than one: a formal celebration of the annual Passover
endowment and all temple ordinances had been                 supper and the first observance of the Lord’s Supper
given.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 829–30.)             in commemoration of the atoning act of Jesus Christ.
                                                             In speaking of the second of the two suppers, Elder
President David O. McKay saw in the ordinance a              Talmage has written:
great example of service. Speaking to the Church in
the April 1951 general conference on the occasion of         “While Jesus with the Twelve still sat at table, He took
his being sustained by the members as president of the       a loaf or cake of bread, and having reverently given
Church, he said:                                             thanks and by blessing sanctified it, He gave a portion
                                                             to each of the apostles, saying: ‘Take, eat; this is my
“What an example of service to those great servants,         body’: or, according to the more extended account,
followers of the Christ! He that is greatest among you,      ‘This is my body which is given for you: this do in
let him be least. So we sense the obligation to be of        remembrance of me.’ Then, taking a cup of wine, He
greater service to the membership of the Church, to          gave thanks and blessed it, and gave it unto them with
devote our lives to the advancement of the kingdom of        the command: ‘Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood
God on earth.” (CR, Apr. 1951, p. 159.)                      of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
(23-6) John 13:26, 27. What Does It Mean to Give a           remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink
Sop?                                                         henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when
                                                             I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ In
In areas of the world where table utensils are not used      this simple but impressive manner was instituted the
at mealtime, it is common practice to place both broth       ordinance, since known as the Sacrament of the Lord’s


                                                           161
Supper. The bread and wine, duly consecrated by                 POINTS TO PONDER
prayer, become emblems of the Lord’s body and
blood, to be eaten and drunk reverently, and in                 JESUS IS OUR GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT
remembrance of Him. (Jesus the Christ, pp. 596–97.)             IT MEANS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
(23-9) Matthew 26:22. “Lord, Is It I”?                         Jesus is the Father’s gift to all men. In offering his
“There is a lesson to be drawn from the twenty-sixth           Son as he did, our Father in heaven has shown us our
chapter of Matthew. The occasion, the Last Supper.             truest example of pure love. Out of his divine love
                                                               came a willingness to endure the sacrifice of his
“‘And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you,         Son—the incomparable suffering in Gethsemane, the
that one of you shall betray me.’                              abuse by Romans and Jews, the mockery of a trial,
“I remind you that these men were apostles. They               the pain and horror of a crucifixion. And why?
were of apostolic stature. It has always been                  Because our Father in heaven loves us and knew that
interesting to me that they did not on that occasion,          we could return to him only through the atonement of
nudge one another and say, ‘I’ll bet that is old Judas.        Jesus Christ.
He has surely been acting queer lately.’ It reflects           Note 1 John 4:7–10. Is God Love? What is John
something of their stature. Rather it is recorded that:        talking about here?
“‘They were exceedingly sorrowful, and began every             But the Savior did not have to die, for he held death
one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?’ (Matthew          in abeyance. His was a willing sacrifice, a supreme
26:22.)                                                        act of love. He lived a life of complete obedience to
“Would you, I plead, overrule the tendency to                  the Father’s will. In giving his life willingly as he did,
disregard counsel and assume for just a moment                 our Savior placed the seal of divine love on his life
something apostolic in attitude at least, and ask              and mission and demonstrated the course which all
yourself these questions: Do I need to improve                 men should emulate.
myself? Should I take this counsel to heart and act            Note John 1:34, 35. What should be the great
upon it? If there is one weak or failing, unwilling to         distinguishing trait of a true disciple of Christ?
follow the brethren, Lord, is it I?” (Boyd K. Packer,
“Follow the Brethren,” Speeches of the Year, 1965,
p. 3.)                                                         (23-11) John 13:31–35. What Did Jesus Teach
                                                               About the Principle of Love?
(23-10) Matthew 26:1, 2. Jesus Prophesies of His
Death and Resurrection                                         It has been aptly observed that while many of the
                                                               world’s great religious leaders taught the principle of
As the time for Jesus’ death drew near, the Savior
                                                               love, Jesus is the only one who could truly say,
spoke of it directly and of the methods that would be
                                                               “Follow me,” for he alone not only taught the
used to bring it about. But this was not the first time
                                                               principle but exemplified it. And we are to love one
Jesus had prophesied concerning his death and the
                                                               another as he has loved us. “By this,” he says, “shall
resurrection to follow.
                                                               all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
The following chart shows some of the occasions                one to another.” (John 13:35.)
when Jesus had taught his apostles and others that he
                                                               Read John 15:8–13.
must die. They did not comprehend the real
significance of his words—not until after the           Perhaps the best way we can comprehend what Jesus
resurrection was an accomplished fact.                  taught about the principle of love is to ponder the love
                                                        that Jesus offers us. Consider the divine station from
   Reference      Period of Time in the Lord’s Ministry which he descended to come to earth to rescue us and
                                                        to provide for us redemption and forgiveness of sins.
John 2:18–22      Beginning of the First Passover       Consider also the agony in Gethsemane and on the
                                                        cross.
Luke 9:21, 22     Two Years Later During the Galilean
                  Ministry                                     “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Mark 9:30–32      Still Later During the Galilean Ministry     Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me;
                                                               I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
Mark 10:32–34     The Following Year, Just Preceding the       That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
                  Last Passover


                                                             162
“I marvel that he would descend from his throne             and later in our city political affairs where they
    divine                                                  opposed each other in very spirited elections.
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine;
                                                            “‘Our immediate families inherited this situation upon
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
                                                            the death of my father, for we boys seemed to take
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
                                                            over where Dad left off. It was quite a strain on the
“I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to               members of his family and ours even to be civil to one
     pay the debt!                                          another, even in our Church callings where he served
Such mercy, such love, and devotion can I forget?           as bishop of one ward and I in another, and later in the
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,          high council where we were both members. When we
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.          came together it seemed that Satan took over, and I am
                                                            sure he did, for haven’t we been told that where
“Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me,
                                                            contention is, the Spirit of the Lord is not?
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful,                                        “‘This situation continued to fester. Suddenly I found
Wonderful to me!”                                           myself with a call to put aside all worldly things and
                                                            go to preside over a mission. This was a thrilling
(“I Stand all Amazed,” Hymns 80.)
                                                            experience to contemplate, and yet I subconsciously
                                                            had a most uneasy feeling about it. I kept asking
Very often students desire to know how they can
                                                            myself: “Are you really worthy to accept such an
really demonstrate love. Have you ever felt this way?
                                                            important call?” I was living the Word of Wisdom, I
If so, the following scriptures will provide valuable
                                                            was a full tithe payer, I was faithful in all my Church
insight and help.
                                                            activities, I was morally clean, and yet this uneasy
Summarize briefly how we may demonstrate our love           feeling persisted.
as described in the following scriptures:
                                                            “‘I set about immediately to get my business and
John 15:9, 10. How do we best show our love for             personal affairs in a condition where others could
God?                                                        handle them while we were gone. While returning
                                                            home from my office one afternoon, it really
1 John 2:15–17. How do many love the world rather
                                                            happened. I didn’t hear a voice, but just as clearly as if
than God?
                                                            a voice spoke to me something said: “You must go to
1 John 3:17, 18. How important is service to the            your father’s cousin and get things straightened out.
demonstration of love?                                      You cannot go on this mission and teach the gospel of
                                                            love when this terrible feeling exists between you.”
(23-12) Love in Deed and Not in Word Only                   “‘I drove to his home, and with great fear and
We love our Father and our Savior because they first        trepidation went up and rang the doorbell. There was
loved us! And we demonstrate our love for them in our       no answer. After waiting a few minutes I went back to
treatment of each other. Most of us may never be put        my car and said silently, “Lord, I made the attempt. I
to the crucial test of laying down our lives for one we     am sure this will be acceptable.” But it wasn’t. This
love. Our tests of love and devotion may come in            uneasy feeling still persisted. I prayed earnestly about
other ways, more quiet perhaps, but nonetheless real.       it.
And as they do, “let us not love in word, neither in        “‘The next day as I sat in a funeral service, my cousin
tongue; but in deed and in truth.”                          came in and sat across the aisle from me. The Spirit
The application of these divine standards might be          moved me to ask him if I could see him at his home
illustrated by the following story:                         after the service. He agreed. This time I went with
                                                            calmness and tranquility in my soul because I had
“Some time ago a friend of mine related an experience
                                                            asked the Lord to prepare the way for me.
that I should like to pass on to you. He said:
                                                            “‘When I rang the doorbell he invited me into the
“‘My father’s cousin and my father lived in the same
                                                            living room and congratulated me on my mission call.
community and were competing in the construction
                                                            We talked a few minutes about things in general, and
business. There grew up over the years a very keen
                                                            then it happened. I looked at him with the feeling of
and bitter rivalry between them. This was triggered in
                                                            love, which replaced all the old bitterness, and said: “I
the beginning in the bidding of construction contracts,
                                                            have come to ask forgiveness for anything I have ever



                                                          163
said or done that has tended to divide us and our            unto you, That ye love one another.”’ (John
families.”                                                   13:34.)” (N. Eldon Tanner in CR, Apr. 1967,
                                                             pp. 105–6.)
“‘At this point tears came into our eyes, and for a few
minutes neither of us could say a word. This was one
                                                             What may I do to demonstrate my love to those close
time when silence was more powerful than words. In a
                                                             to me? Who really are my neighbors? It is significant
few minutes he said: “I wish I had come to you first.”
                                                             that the Lord did not merely command that we must
I replied: “The important thing is that it is done, not
                                                             love one another; he showed us the way. All who
who initiated it.”
                                                             would be godlike must follow him. What does love
“‘At this moment we had a rich spiritual experience,         have to do with the difference between testimony and
which caused us to purge our lives and our souls of          conversion? Can one have a testimony and not love?
those things which had separated us, which has               Can one be truly converted and not demonstrate love
resulted in our having proper family relationships.          for both God and his fellowman? The answer is
                                                             almost certainly not.
“‘Now I could go on my mission and teach the true
meaning of love, because for the first time in my life I     Now take a moment and evaluate your own standing.
had experienced its deepest dimension, and now I             Are you the possessor of a testimony? Has it led you
could honestly say that there wasn’t a person in the         to conversion? If your answer to the last question
world that I didn’t love and appreciate. Since that day      was yes, what evidence from your life could you cite
my live has never been the same, for it was then that I      to support your answer? If your answer was no, what
learned in a most positive way as I had never                things must you do to bring you to the conversion
understood before the injunction of the Master to his        state?
disciples when he said: “A new commandment I give




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                             24
                “MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO
                                 UNTO YOU”




           THE WEEK OF                         Matthew              Mark            Luke             John
      THE ATONING SACRIFICE
FIFTH DAY, continued

Jerusalem, Judea                                                                               14:1–31
  Discourse About the Comforter
 They Sing a Hymn—Proceed to the Mount 26:30                14:26              22:39
 of Olives
 Their Relationship to Christ and the World;                                                   15:1–27; 16:1–33
 His Death Explained

THEME                                                   deliver them from their oppressors. But even now, as
                                                        he sat at supper and instructed those whom he had
The peace of which the Savior spoke, that peace that
                                                        called and chosen out of the world, the Sanhedrin
the world knows not, comes to the true disciple largely
                                                        plotted for his death and tried to undermine his
through the instrumentality of the Comforter—the
                                                        popularity among the masses. And in the end he
Holy Ghost.
                                                        would be alone—multitudes would disclaim him.
                                                        None (even those who loved him most slept!) would
INTRODUCTION
                                                        hail his suffering in Gethsemane, where alone,
In these last hours of his mortal life Jesus spoke to   forsaken, and without the pomp of crowds, he would
his apostles of love and prayed to the Father for       win an infinite victory far greater than any defeat of
them, that they might be one. Throngs had hailed his    Rome.
appearance at Jerusalem as that of a king, and
shouted hosannas in the expectation that Jesus would But for now, he turned his attention to those whom he
                                                        loved. “I go my way to him that sent me,” he said.


                                                      165
“. . . Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be       went to the Father. He says in the 24th verse [of the
turned into joy.” (John 16:5, 20.) But how was               17th chapter of John]: ‘Father, I will that they also,
sorrow to be turned into joy?                                whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;
                                                             that they may behold my glory.’ These sayings, taken
It is significant to remember that Jesus did not leave
                                                             in connection, make it very plain that the greater
his apostles comfortless—he admonished them to
                                                             works which those that believed on his name were to
look forward to the time when they would see him
                                                             do were to be done in eternity, where he was going
again. He taught them about the Father and about
                                                             and where they should behold his glory.” (Lectures on
the Holy Ghost, the great Comforter who would
                                                             Faith, Lecture Seventh, vs. 12.)
testify of him and would lead all who would follow
into a fulness of the truth.                                 (24-4) John 14:18–24. What Are the Two
This comforter would also bring them the great peace         Comforters?
of which he spoke—a peace that would withstand all           “These statements about the two Comforters climax
the tribulation of a lone and dreary world. The gift of      and crown the teachings of the Son of God. We have
the Holy Ghost has always been available to the              no record of anything he ever said which can so
faithful disciple.                                           completely withdraw the curtain of eternity and open
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        to the faithful a vision of the glories of God. Based on
in the reading block.                                        love, born of obedience, Jesus promises the saints that
                                                             they can have, here and now in this life, the following:
                                                             “(1) The gift and constant companionship of the Holy
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      Ghost; the comfort and peace which it is the function
                                                             of that Holy Spirit to bestow; the revelation and the
(24-1) John 14:2. What Are the Many Mansions?                sanctifying power which alone will prepare men for
                                                             the companionship of gods and angels hereafter;
“My text is on the resurrection of the dead, which you
will find in the 14th chapter of John—‘In my Father’s        “(2) Personal visitations from the Second Comforter,
house are many mansions.’ It should be—‘In my                the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the resurrected and
Father’s kingdom are many kingdoms,’ in order that           perfected being who dwells with his Father in the
ye may be heirs of God and joint-heirs with me. . . .        mansions on high; and
“There are mansions for those who obey a celestial           “(3) God the Father—mark it well Philip!—shall visit
law, and there are other mansions for those who come         man in person, take up his abode with him, as it were,
short of the law, every man in his own order.” (Smith,       and reveal to him all the hidden mysteries of his
Teachings, p. 366.)                                          kingdom.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:735.)

(24-2) John 14:7–11. How Is It Possible to                   (24-5) John 14:18–24. “I Will Come to You”
Understand About the Father?                                 “Now what is this other Comforter. It is no more nor
When Jesus ministered in this world, he looked like          less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself; and this is the
the Father would have looked; he said what the Father        sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any
would have said, and he did what the Father would            man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the
have done. As Elder Marion G. Romney has taught:             personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto
                                                             him from time to time, and even he will manifest the
“Jesus in his mortal ministry, being, as Paul said, ‘the     Father unto him, and they will take up their abode
express image of his [Father’s] person’ (Heb. 1:3),          with him, and the visions of the heavens will be
was a true and complete revelation of the person and         opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to
nature of God. This he confirmed to Philip when he           face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the
said: ‘. . . he that hath seen me hath seen the              mysteries of the kingdom of God; and this is the state
Father. . . .’ (John 14:9.)” (CR, Oct. 1967, p. 135.)        and place the ancient saints arrived at when they had
(24-3) John 14:12. How Could His Servants Do                 such glorious visions—Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the
Greater Works Than Jesus Did?                                Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all
                                                             the saints who held communion with the general
“He does not say that they should do these works in          assembly and Church of the First Born.” (Teachings,
time; but they should do greater works, because he           pp. 150–51.)



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(24-6) John 14:26. When Did the Disciples Receive            Such was the course followed by the Nephites when
the Gift of the Holy Ghost?                                  the resurrected and glorified Lord ministered among
                                                             them. They prayed directly to him and not to the
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith stated that “the disciples
                                                             Father.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:758; see also 3 Nephi
of Jesus did not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
                                                             19:17–25.)
while he was with them. The reason for this, in part at
least, was due to the fact that they had with them to
guide and teach them the second member of the                POINTS TO PONDER
Godhead, even Jesus himself. While he was with them
there was no occasion for them to have the                   “MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU”
companionship of the Holy Ghost. Before the Savior           Jesus was obedient to the Father’s will, and at the end
left them, he promised to send them the Comforter, or        of his mortal ministry he taught those principles
Holy Ghost.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:159.)           contained in the chapters you are considering (John
                                                             14–17). In these verses the Lord taught his disciples
(24-7) John 14:30. “The Prince of This World
                                                             the way to ultimate peace in a world that knows it not.
Cometh”
                                                             He expounded to them the mission of the Holy Ghost.
“So powerful was he in the Master’s day that the
Master referred to Satan as ‘the prince of this world,’      (24-9) John 15:1–8. “Without Me Ye Can Do
but he added, ‘the prince of this world cometh, and          Nothing”
hath nothing in me.’ (John 14:30.) We must be able to        Members of the Church are like the branches and
say, though the power is evil on every side, ‘As for me      leaves on a great tree. They are on the tree, but that
and my house, we shall serve the God of this land.’          alone does not save them. If they do not receive the
The prince of this world is coming to tempt every one        nourishment and sustaining power that comes from
of us, and the only ones who will stand through these        Christ, who is the trunk (whose sustaining power is
evil days are those who have founded their houses            carried to them by the Holy Ghost only as they make
upon the rock, as the Master said: when the storms           themselves worthy to receive it), then they wither and
descended and the winds blew and the rains came and          fall away like dry leaves. Of this, President John
beat upon the house, it fell not because it was founded      Taylor said:
upon the rock. That is what the Lord is trying to say to
us today.” (Harold B. Lee in British Area Conference         “As a Saint you say, ‘I think I understand my duty,
Report, Aug. 1971, p. 135.)                                  and I am doing very well.’ That may be so. You see
                                                             the little twig: it is green; it flourishes and is the very
(24-8) John 16:24. Had the Apostles Never Before             picture of life. It bears its part and proportion in the
Prayed?                                                      tree, and is connected with the stem, branches, and
                                                             root. But could the tree live without it? Yes, it could.
In this verse Jesus did not state that his apostles had
                                                             It need not boast itself and get uplifted and say, ‘How
never prayed, or asked anything; rather, he said that
                                                             green I am! and how I flourish! and what a healthy
his apostles had never before prayed in his name, that
                                                             position I am in! How well I am doing! and I am in
is, in the name of Jesus Christ. Without doubt the
                                                             my proper place and am doing right.’ But could you
apostles were men of faith who prayed often, else how
                                                             do without the root? No: you bear your proper part and
could they ever merit the high and holy honor of a call
                                                             position in the tree. Just so with this people. When
to the apostleship?
                                                             they are doing their part—when they are magnifying
“Since the divine law in all ages called for men to pray     their calling, living their religion, and walking in
to the Father in the name of Christ, why had Jesus           obedience to the Spirit of the Lord, they have a portion
awaited this hour to institute the age-old system            of his Spirit given to them to profit withal. And while
among his disciples? Perhaps it is a situation similar       they are humble, faithful, diligent, and observe the
to that which is involved in receiving the gift of the       laws and commandments of God, they stand in their
Holy Ghost; as long as Jesus was with the disciples          proper position on the tree: they are flourishing; the
they did not enjoy the full manifestations of the Holy       buds, blossoms, leaves, and everything about them are
Ghost. (John 16:7.) Perhaps as long as Jesus was             all right, and they form a part and parcel of the
personally with them many of their petitions were            tree. . . .” (John Taylor in JD, 6:108.)
addressed directly to him rather than to the Father.




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Without any written response, contemplate carefully          (24-11) As a Messenger of the Godhead, the Holy
these questions:                                             Ghost Teaches Faithful Members
Who is the source, or “vine,” whose power and                “The Holy Ghost is a Personage of Spirit, in the
influence may sustain and nurture the Saints?                likeness of God the Father, in other words a likeness
                                                             of the Father and the Son. His mission is to instruct
Which member of the Godhead labors with a man,
                                                             and enlighten the minds of those who, through their
and corrects and teaches and refines him, so that he
                                                             faithfulness have obeyed the commandments of the
may be worthy enough to receive the blessings that
                                                             Father and the Son. He bears witness of the truth,
come from Jesus?
                                                             quickens the minds of those who have made covenant
What must a man do so that he will be firmly                 and reveals to them the mysteries of the kingdom of
attached to the tree?                                        God. He is a special messenger from the Father and
What will become of anyone who, through willfulness          the Son and carries out their will. . . .” (Smith,
or disobedience or for whatever reason, separates            Answers to Gospel Questions, 5:134.)
himself from the tree?                                       (24-12) John 16:33. “Be of Good Cheer; I Have
John 14:26        What did Jesus say the Holy Ghost          Overcome the World”
                  would do for those who were                There is a great difference between the kind of peace
                  striving to be worthy?                     that Jesus spoke of and the world around us. We live
John 15:26        Of whom does the Holy Ghost                in a wicked world, a world gone crazy with wanton
                  testify?                                   indulgence and crime. Each day the news bears tragic
                                                             record of wars, natural disasters, terror, and the
John 16:7–11      Jesus said the Holy Ghost would            frustrated efforts of mankind to avert or respond
                  come to reprove the world for three        intelligently to the disasters. In spite of all this, Jesus
                  reasons. What are they?                    has promised his followers that they may have peace
John 16:13–15 In what way does the Holy Ghost                in this world. Read John 16:33. Compare Philippians
              glorify Jesus and the Father?                  4:7.
                                                             And Jesus’ promise is real, for those who obey his
(24-10) The Holy Ghost Brings Man to His Fullest             commandments do feel his influence and comfort in
Potential                                                    their hearts, and they are not afraid. In the face of
“The gift of the Holy Ghost adapts itself to all these       every threatening peril, they can pray to God and he
organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual       will answer them by the “still small voice” of the Holy
faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all     Spirit, and speak peace to their souls. Elder Harold B.
the natural passions and affections; and adapts them,        Lee taught this:
by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires,     “All too often when God speaks in this still, small
develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned          voice, as he did to Elijah in the cave, it may not be
sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and               audible to our physical hearing because, like a faulty
affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness,      radio, we may be out of tune with the infinite.” (CR,
goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It             Oct. 1966, p. 115.)
develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends
to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It           But if you will be obedient (for that is the condition),
invigorates all the faculties of the physical and            the Lord’s promise to you of peace is sure, absolutely
intellectual man. It strengthens, and gives tone to the      certain!
nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone,          The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears,           [He] will not, [he] cannot, desert to his foes.
and life to the whole being.                                      That soul, though all hell shall endeavor to shake,
“In the presence of such persons, one feels to enjoy              [He’ll] never, no never, no never forsake!
the light of their countenances, as the genial rays of a          (“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, 66.)
sunbeam. Their very atmosphere diffuses a thrill, a
warm glow of pure gladness and sympathy, to the              Gordon was struggling. He had listened many times
heart and nerves of others who have kindred feelings,        to his father’s testimony about the sweet and gentle
or sympathy of spirit.” (Pratt, Key to the Science of        influence of the Holy Ghost. But Gordon himself felt
Theology, p. 101.)                                           that he had never even approached having the


                                                           168
companionship of that Spirit. He wondered about            Months passed after Gordon began his search. He
many things, and the wondering depressed him. Was          studied and prayed with all his heart. He read in the
there something wrong, something different about           New Testament (many times far into the night) the
him that meant he could never have the same calm           account of Jesus’ life, and he prayed and sincerely
and assurance, the same peace that his father              tried to live and act as Jesus had done.
possessed? He was trying to live a good life, but was
                                                           And then gradually and very gently, there came into
there something still that he lacked, something he
                                                           his heart the longed-for-peace and quiet assurance of
had overlooked that was keeping him from obtaining
                                                           the reality of Jesus. His father really did know, and
what his father had?
                                                           now Gordon knew as well.
And the most distressing question of all was this:
                                                               It Shall Be Manifest
Was his father misleading him? But this last thought
always melted away, because Gordon knew that his               Beautiful
father knew. It was that simple. He had lived in his              is the operation of
father’s home, had heard him pray, had observed his               the Holy Spirit.
father’s life and example.                                     It unveils and develops that which is
One evening Gordon overheard his father reassure                    noble,
someone over the telephone by saying, “Well, I know                 and eternal,
things will work out, so let’s not worry about it any               and divine in man.
more.” As soon as his father put down the receiver,            The proud are humbled,
Gordon demanded, “Dad, how do you know? This is                The hateful made to love.
a shifting, unstable world! How can you pretend to
know anything for sure?”                                       The supposedly self-sufficient
                                                                   are enlightened
Surprised by Gordon’s outburst, his father hesitated,              as to the identity of
and then replied quietly, “Gordon, I just know.”                   and their dependency upon
Then, as though perceiving Gordon’s inward                     Our Divine Redeemer.
struggle, his father added, “And, Gordon, you can
know just as I know, if you want to.”                          The eyes
                                                                   of those who have been
“But, Dad,” Gordon interrupted, louder than was                    blind to the truth
necessary, “I have lived good, and I pray, and I try,              are opened.
but I haven’t received any answers to prayers, and I
haven’t had visions, or special feelings of comfort. I         The hearts
don’t feel sure of anything! Is there something wrong              of those who have been hardened
with me?”                                                          against the ever-condescending rays
                                                                   of light
“No, Gordon, there’s nothing wrong with you. And I                 and love
repeat, you can have that peace and reassurance that               are softened.
you speak about, but only if you pay the price. You
must be patient, for the companionship and peace of            And if they receive it,
the Spirit does not come easily. You must live the             Each day
commandments and keep the covenants that you have                   is more precious,
made as a holder of the priesthood. Beyond these                    more meaningful for them,
things, you must pray earnestly and study diligently                and
about Jesus and his church, for the Holy Ghost will            They may walk in a newness of life,
not come simply to amuse you or to appease                     If they but ask.
curiosity; but he will help you develop a relationship     (Used by permission.)
with your Redeemer if your efforts are tireless and
your desires are sincere.” Read Matthew 13:45, 46.         Although in our mortal lives it is necessary for us to
                                                           experience tribulation, trial, and struggle, through
“Now, Gordon, don’t be discouraged. Seek, knock,           the Holy Ghost the disciples of Jesus Christ may have
study, pray, be obedient, and you will receive the         a peace not known in the world. Do you have such
peace and calm assurance that you desire.”                 peace?




                                                         169
170
                    25
     “NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE,
                       THINE, BE DONE”




          THE WEEK OF                          Matthew               Mark              Luke               John
     THE ATONING SACRIFICE
FIFTH DAY, continued

 High Priestly Prayer                                                                              17:1–26

 Agony in Gethsemane                       26:36–46             14:32–42          22:40–46         18:1, 2

THEME
                                                            and said to the eleven apostles, “I will drink no more
Through the suffering of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane,        of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it
we can receive forgiveness of sins.                         new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25.) He then
                                                            said that it was necessary for him to leave them, that
INTRODUCTION                                                he might prepare a place for them with his Father,
On the fifth day of the week of the atoning sacrifice,      but that he would send the Comforter to them, and
Jesus had made arrangements to eat the Passover             that he himself would come to them. He then left his
meal with the Twelve. Following this “last supper,”         peace with them, telling them not to be troubled or
Jesus indicated who his betrayer was; Judas then left       afraid. Following this discourse (see John 14), Jesus
to carry out his treachery. After signifying his death,     said, “Arise, let us go hence.” A hymn was then sung
Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper—the sacrament—           (see Mark 14:26), and Jesus led the eleven apostles
                                                            to the Mount of Olives.


                                                          171
The quiet procession passed through the gate west of         who interceded with the Lord in behalf of the people.
the temple, descended into a ravine called Kidron,           His role, of course, was but a type of the great
and then proceeded up the slope of the Mount of              mediating role of the Savior in our behalf. Thus, when
Olives. At this time Jesus explained in another              Jesus pleaded to the Father for all those who believed
discourse to the apostles his relationship to them,          on him, he did so as our Intercessor, or Great High
and he likened this relationship to a vine and its           Priest.
branches. Jesus commanded the disciples to love one
                                                             The prayer he offered on this occasion had three
another; then he gave a further explanation of the
                                                             distinct parts:
role of the Comforter and explained why it was
necessary that he leave. He spoke plainly concerning         In the first part (see John 17:1–3), Jesus offered
his death, which caused the apostles to declare, “Lo,        himself as the great sacrifice. His hour had come.
now speakest thou plainly, and . . . no proverb. . . .       The next part of the prayer (see John 17:4–19) was a
we believe that thou camest forth from God.” (John           reverent report to the Father of his mortal mission.
16:29, 30.) Jesus then offered his great intercessory
prayer to the Father on behalf of his disciples (see         In the last part (see John 17:20–26) of his prayer,
John 17); and, descending the Mount, he took his             Jesus interceded not only for the eleven apostles
apostles into a garden called Gethsemane where he            present, but for all who shall believe on Jesus “through
subsequently began to pray, and being in great agony         their word,” in order that all would come to a perfect
he bled at every pore. Thus did he assume the burden         unity, which unity invested Christ in them as Christ is
of men’s sins. Your reading should bring you to              in the Father. Thus all would be perfect in unity, and
greater love, understanding, and appreciation of             the world would believe that the Father had sent his
Christ’s infinite sacrifice for you.                         Son.
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        (25-2) John 17:3. How Can a Man Know God and
in the reading block.                                        Jesus?
                                                             “To know God in that full sense which will enable us
                                                             to gain eternal salvation means that we must know
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      what he knows, enjoy what he enjoys, experience what
                                                             he experiences. In New Testament language, we must
(25-1) John 17:1. The Significance of the High               ‘be like him.’ (1 John 3:2.)
Priestly Prayer of Jesus
                                                             “But before we can become like him, we must obey
With a perfect understanding of his mission and that         those laws that will enable us to acquire the character,
the time of his atonement was “at hand,” Jesus               perfections, and attributes that he possesses.
concluded the teaching portion of his ministry with a
                                                             “And before we can obey these laws, we must learn
prayer—a prayer which has sometimes been referred
                                                             what they are; we must learn of Christ and his gospel.
to as the high-priestly or great intercessory prayer.
                                                             We must learn ‘that salvation was, and is, and is to
(See John 17.) These designations are not
                                                             come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the
inappropriate, for, as we shall see, Jesus, our Great
                                                             Lord Omnipotent.’ (Mosiah 3:18.) We must learn that
High Priest, first offered himself as an offering; then,
                                                             baptism under the hands of a legal administrator is
as Mediator, he interceded on behalf of worthy
                                                             essential to salvation and that after baptism we must
members of his kingdom. The pattern for this had been
                                                             keep the commandments and ‘press forward with a
established in ancient Israel.
                                                             steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of
Once each year, the presiding high priest in ancient         hope, and a love of God and of all men.’ (2 Ne.
Israel entered into the holy of holies, the most sacred      31:20.)” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Apr. 1966,
place within the tabernacle. There he would perform          p. 79.)
certain rites in connection with the Day of Atonement,
a day set aside for national humiliation and contrition.     (25-3) Matthew 26:36. “Then Cometh Jesus . . .
Having bathed himself and dressed in white linen, he         unto a Place Called Gethsemane”
would present before the Lord a young bullock and            “Gethsemane.—The name means ‘oil-press’ and
two young goats as sin offerings, and a ram as a burnt       probably has reference to a mill maintained at the
offering in behalf of his sins and those of the people.      place for the extraction of oil from the olives there
The high priest’s role was that of a mediator, or one



                                                           172
cultivated. John refers to the spot as a garden, from           below all things as he prepared himself to rise above
which designation we may regard it as an enclosed               them all.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:774–75.)
space of private ownership. That it was a place
frequented by Jesus when He sought retirement for               (25-6) To What Extent Was the Atonement
prayer, or opportunity for confidential converse with           Completed in the Garden of Gethsemane?
the disciples, is indicated by the same writer (John            “It seems, that in addition to the fearful suffering
18:1, 2).” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 620.)                 incident to crucifixion, the agony of Gethsemane had
                                                                recurred, intensified beyond human power to endure.
(25-4) Matthew 26:39. “If It Be Possible, Let This
                                                                In that bitterest hour the dying Christ was alone, alone
Cup Pass from Me”
                                                                in most terrible reality. That the supreme sacrifice of
“God is unchangeable, so are also his laws, in all their        the Son might be consummated in all its fulness, the
forms, and in all their applications, and being Himself         Father seems to have withdrawn the support of His
the essence of Law, the giver of law, the sustainer of          immediate Presence, leaving to the Savior of men the
law, all of those laws are eternal in all their                 glory of complete victory over the forces of sin and
operations. . . .                                               death.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 661.)
“Hence, the law of atonement had to be met as well as           When the Savior exclaimed in triumph, “It is
all other laws, for God could not be God without                finished” (John 19:30), he knew his atoning sacrifice
fulfilling it.                                                  had been accepted by the Father. (See John 19:28.)
“Jesus said, ‘If it be possible, let this cup pass.’ But it     “Sweet and welcome as would have been the relief of
was not possible; for to have done so would have been           death in any of the earlier stages of His suffering from
a violation of the law, and he had to take it. The              Gethsemane to the cross, He lived until all things were
atonement must be made, a God must be sacrificed.               accomplished as had been appointed.” (Talmage,
No power can resist a law of God. It is omnipresent,            Jesus the Christ, p. 662.)
omnipotent, exists everywhere, in all things. . . .”
(Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement, pp. 168–69.)              (25-7) Luke 22:44. “And Being in an Agony, He
                                                                Prayed More Earnestly”
(25-5) What Took Place in Gethsemane?
                                                                “How perfect the example is! Though he were the Son
“Where and under what circumstances was the atoning             of God, yet even he, having been strengthened by an
sacrifice of the Son of God made? Was it on the Cross           angelic ministrant, prays with increased faith; even he
of Calvary or in the Garden of Gethsemane? It is to             grows in grace and ascends to higher heights of
the Cross of Christ that most Christians look when              spiritual unity with the Father. How well Paul wrote of
centering their attention upon the infinite and eternal         this hour: ‘In the days of his flesh, when he had
atonement. And certainly the sacrifice of our Lord was          offered up prayers and supplications with strong
completed when he was lifted up by men; also, that              crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
part of his life and suffering is more dramatic and,            from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though
perhaps, more soul stirring. But in reality the pain and        he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things
suffering, the triumph and grandeur, of the atonement           which he suffered; And being made perfect, he
took place primarily in Gethsemane.                             became the author of eternal salvation unto all them
                                                                that obey him.’ (Heb. 5:7–9.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
“It was there Jesus took upon himself the sins of the
                                                                1:776.)
world on conditions of repentance. It was there he
suffered beyond human power to endure. It was there             But what was it that caused the Savior’s intense
he sweat great drops of blood from every pore. It was           agony?
there his anguish was so great he fain would have let
                                                                “Jesus had to take away sin by the sacrifice of
the bitter cup pass. It was there he made the final
                                                                Himself. . . . And as He in His own person bore the
choice to follow the will of the Father. It was there
                                                                sins of all, and atoned for them by the sacrifice of
that an angel from heaven came to strengthen him in
                                                                Himself, so there came upon Him the weight and
his greatest trial. Many have been crucified and the
                                                                agony of ages and generations, the indescribable
torment and pain is extreme. But only one, and he the
                                                                agony consequent upon this great sacrificial atonement
Man who had God as his Father, has bowed beneath
                                                                wherein He bore the sins of the world, and suffered in
the burden of grief and sorrow that lay upon him in
                                                                His own person the consequences of an eternal law of
that awful night, that night in which he descended
                                                                God broken by men. Hence His profound grief, His


                                                              173
indescribable anguish, His overpowering torture, all       “In some manner, actual and terribly real though to
experienced in the submission to the eternal fiat of       man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself
Jehovah and the requirements of an inexorable law.         the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the
                                                           end of the world.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 613.)
“The suffering of the Son of God was not simply the
suffering of personal death; for in assuming the
position that He did in making an atonement for the        POINTS TO PONDER
                                                                     PONDER
sins of the world He bore the weight, the
responsibility, and the burden of the sins of all men,     THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GETHSEMANE
which, to us, is incomprehensible. . . .
                                                          Descending the eastern slope of Olivet almost to the
“Groaning beneath this concentrated load, this intense, base of the ravine lies a garden, or small olive
incomprehensible pressure, this terrible exaction of      orchard, called Gethsemane. The designation means
Divine Justice, from which feeble humanity shrank,        “oil press,” so called perhaps because the olive
and through the agony thus experienced sweating           grove contained a press to crush the olives from the
great drops of blood, He was led to exclaim, ‘Father, if orchard. It is removed about a half mile from the city
it be possible, let this cup pass from me.’ He had        walls and was a place of frequent seclusion for Jesus
wrestled with the superincumbent load in the              and his disciples.
wilderness, He had struggled against the powers of
                                                          As the procession came to the Garden, Jesus said to
darkness that had been let loose upon him there;
                                                          eight of the eleven, “Sit ye here, while I go and pray
placed below all things, His mind surcharged with
                                                          yonder.” (Matthew 26:36.) Then taking Peter, James,
agony and pain, lonely and apparently helpless and
                                                          and John—those who had been with him on the
forsaken, in his agony the blood oozed from His
                                                          Mount of Transfiguration—he entered into the
pores.” (Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement,
                                                          interior of the Garden. His time had come. His
pp. 149–50.)
                                                          instructions to the three were brief and foreboding:
(25-8) Luke 22:44. “And His Sweat Was As It Were “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death:
Great Drops of Blood Falling Down to the                  tarry ye here, and watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38.)
Ground”                                                   “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” (Luke
                                                          22:40.) Then Jesus proceeded about a “stone’s
“Christ’s agony in the garden is unfathomable by the      throw” farther (about 100 feet), and “fell on his face,
finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The          and prayed.” (Matthew 26:39.) In prostrate
thought that He suffered through fear of death is         supplication our Lord pleaded: “Abba, Father, all
untenable. Death to Him was preliminary to                things are possible unto thee; take away this cup
resurrection and triumphal return to the Father from      from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou
whom He had come, and to a state of glory even            wilt.” (Mark 14:36.)
beyond what He had before possessed; and, moreover,
it is within His power to lay down His life voluntarily. We pause and leave this scene for just a moment. To
He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no        understand the soul-cry of our Lord and God who
other being who has lived on earth might even             pleaded to his Father to take away his “cup” (or lot
conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor       which had befallen him), you need to have in mind
mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such      some idea of the weight that was upon him. The
torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every Redeemer himself has provided a vivid description
pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God      for us in a latter-day revelation to Joseph Smith.
was capable of experiencing. No other man, however        Underline the passage in the manner illustrated and
great his powers of physical or mental endurance,         cross-reference this with your New Testament text.
could have suffered so; for his human organism would           20. Wherefore, I command you again to repent,
have succumbed, and syncope would have produced                lest I humble you with my almighty power; and
unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour             that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these
of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors             punishments of which I have spoken, of which in
that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict. The      the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you
frightful struggle incident to the temptations                 have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.
immediately following the Lord’s baptism was                   (D&C 19:20.)
surpassed and overshadowed by this supreme contest
with the powers of evil.                                  The revelation was given to Martin Harris, who had
                                                          been responsible for the loss of 116 pages of the


                                                         174
manuscript of the translation of the Nephite record. It        “At length he told Martin to go back and search
had been only through sore repentance that he had              again.
become one of the three witnesses. On this occasion,
                                                               “‘No’; said Martin, ‘it is all in vain; for I have ripped
the Lord commanded Martin to repent of subsequent
                                                               open beds and pillows; and I know it is not there.’
transgressions lest he suffer the same punishment as
endured by the Savior in Gethsemane, “which in the             “‘Then must I,’ said Joseph, ‘return with such a tale
smallest, . . . in the least degree you have tasted at the     as this? I dare not do it. And how shall I appear
time I withdrew my Spirit.”                                    before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy
                                                               from the angel of the Most High?’
Joseph Smith’s mother provides an account of the
anguish faced by Martin when the Spirit was                    “I besought him not to mourn so, for perhaps the
withdrawn.                                                     Lord would forgive him, after a short season of
                                                               humiliation and repentance. But what could I do to
“When Joseph had taken a little nourishment, . . . he
                                                               comfort him, when he saw all the family in the same
requested us to send immediately for Mr. Harris. This
                                                               situation of mind as himself; for sobs and groans,
we did without delay. . . . we commenced preparing
                                                               and the most bitter lamentations filled the house.
breakfast for the family; and we supposed that Mr.
                                                               However, Joseph was more distressed than the rest,
Harris would be there, as soon as it was ready, to eat
                                                               as he better understood the consequences of
with us, for he generally came in such haste when he
                                                               disobedience. And he continued pacing back and
was sent for. At eight o’clock we set the victuals on
                                                               forth, meantime weeping and grieving, until about
the table, as we were expecting him every moment.
                                                               sunset, when, by persuasion, he took a little
We waited till nine, and he came not—till ten, and he
                                                               nourishment. . . .
was not there—till eleven, still he did not make his
appearance. But at half past twelve we saw him                 “I well remember that day of darkness, both within
walking with a slow and measured tred towards the              and without. To us, at least, the heavens seemed
house, his eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the ground.            clothed with blackness, and the earth shrouded with
On coming to the gate, he stopped, instead of passing          gloom. I have often said within myself, that if a
through, and got upon the fence, and sat there some            continual punishment, as severe as that which we
time with his hat drawn over his eyes. At length he            experienced on that occasion, were to be inflicted
entered the house. Soon after which we sat down to             upon the most wicked characters who ever stood
the table, Mr. Harris with the rest. He took up his            upon the footstool of the Almighty—if even their
knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but            punishment were no greater than that, I should feel to
immediately dropped them. Hyrum, observing this,               pity their condition.” (Lucy Mack Smith, History of
said ‘Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick?”               Joseph Smith, pp. 127–32. Emphasis added.)
Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his               Such is a picture of a mortal man who had
temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, ‘Oh,         experienced “in the least degree” the withdrawal of
I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul!’                     the Lord’s Spirit. Most, if not all, have suffered this
“Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now,              feeling to some degree. You may identify yourself to
sprang from the table, exclaiming, ‘Martin, have you           one of these situations:
lost that manuscript? Have you broken your oath,               •   A friend gave offense. Words were exchanged.
and brought down condemnation upon my head as                      You were hurt. Bitter feelings and alienation
well as your own?’                                                 resulted. You didn’t sleep, and the incident
“‘Yes; it is gone,’ replied Martin, ‘and I know not                remained on your mind continually.
where.’                                                        •   You had prided yourself on your knowledge of
“‘Oh, my God!’ said Joseph, clinching his hands.                   the gospel. Another took exception to your point
‘All is lost! all is lost! What shall I do? I have                 of view. A heated discussion ensued. You backed
sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God. I                     up your position with authority and bore
should have been satisfied with the first answer                   testimony. The Spirit of the Lord, however, did
which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it             not accompany your words, and you felt alone.
was not safe to let the writing go out of my                   •   You had worked a number of hours on an
possession.’ He wept and groaned, and walked the                   important project. Somehow—you don’t know
floor continually.                                                 how it happened—ink was spilled on it,



                                                             175
    necessitating that the work be done again. You         Jesus, with the three who had gone with him into the
    were angry, flew into a tantrum, and emphasized        Garden, rejoined the other apostles, where they
    your rage with profanity. After the anger had          patiently awaited his betrayer. Our mind now
    subsided, you felt terrible inside. You knew that      attempts to comprehend that which seems
    the Lord had been offended.                            incomprehensible: How can a God suffer such
                                                           unfathomable agony? What caused it? What was its
Have similar experiences caused anguish to your
                                                           significance? As we fit together what the Lord
soul? President Joseph Fielding Smith typified such
                                                           himself has revealed concerning his infinite sacrifice,
suffering in this manner:
                                                           we begin to glimpse its significance to us.
“I have known of men and have had men come to
                                                           We have learned by our experience the personal
me—big, strong, husky fellows—trembling with
                                                           misery caused by the withdrawal of the Spirit. King
mental torment because of their sins, wondering if
                                                           Benjamin spoke of it vividly in these terms:
there was any way possible for them to get relief.
They have come in the anguish of their souls.” (“For       Read Mosiah 2:38 and 3:25–27.
Ye Are Bought with a Price,” Speeches of the Year,
                                                           President Joseph Fielding Smith summarized it in
1957, p. 5.)
                                                           this way:
If you can recall in your own life at least one
                                                           “There isn’t one of us I take it that hasn’t done
occasion where you have acutely felt the withdrawal
                                                           something wrong and then been sorry and wished we
of the Spirit of the Lord from you and the suffering
                                                           hadn’t. Then our consciences strike us and we have
you experienced at that time, you can then begin to
                                                           been very, very miserable.
glimpse the significance of what the Savior
experienced. With reverence, let us now return to the      Have you gone through that experience? I have. . . .
scene in Gethsemane.                                       But here we have the Son of God carrying the burden
                                                           of my transgressions and your transgressions and the
Prostrate on the ground was God’s own Son—no
                                                           transgressions of every soul that receives the gospel
mere mortal. In great agony, he called to his Father.
                                                           of Jesus Christ. . . . he carried the burden—our
His prayer was heard, for “there appeared an angel
                                                           burden. I added something to it; so did you. So did
unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being
                                                           everybody else. He took it upon himself to pay the
in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat
                                                           price that I might escape—that you might escape—
was as it were great drops of blood falling down to
                                                           the punishment on the conditions that we will receive
the ground.” (Luke 22:43, 44. Emphasis added.)
                                                           his gospel and be true and faithful in it.” (“Fall,
The agony persisted into the night. The three apostles     Atonement, Resurrection, Sacrament,” Address
who witnessed his excruciating suffering finally gave      delivered at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion [U. of
way to their fatigue and sorrow. Jesus returned to         U.], 14 Jan. 1961, p. 8.)
them and asked, “What, could ye not watch with me
                                                           To better appreciate the unfathomable agony of our
one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
                                                           Lord, carefully review these passages of scripture.
temptation.” (Matthew 26:40, 41.) The apostles
                                                           The first passage is his own testimony concerning his
answered him and said, “The Spirit truly is ready,
                                                           suffering.
but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:43, Inspired
Version.) Returning again to his lonely agony, he          D&C 19:15–20
pleaded again: “O my Father, if this cup may not           Cross-reference to Luke 22:44 and Mosiah 3:7.
pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be
done.” (Matthew 26:42.) A second time he returned          No mortal could have endured such pain, but Jesus
for respite and, perhaps, solace and found them            was no mere mortal. His capacity to endure consisted
asleep, “for their eyes were heavy”; and they did not      of all the mental, physical, and spiritual endowments
know what answer to give to him. (Mark 14:40.) A           of his parentage: one parent being an infinite and
third time he prayed, “saying the same words.”             eternal being—God the Father; the other being
(Matthew 26:44.) Then returning again to the three,        mortal and subject to infirmity—Mary. His capability
he said: “Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold,        to bear the excruciating pain, “more than man can
the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed        suffer,” was possible because he was the only Being
into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going:          born into the world who was infinite and eternal, but
behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.” (Matthew       who also had the power to lay down his life if he
26:45–46.)                                                 willed to do so.


                                                         176
Read 2 Nephi 9:7; Alma 34:10–14; and John                One last thought. The mortal history of mankind
10:17, 18. This “spiritual agony of soul,” wrote         began with the exile of Adam and Eve from a garden,
Elder James E. Talmage, was such “as only a God          which exile signified man’s separation from God. The
was capable of experiencing. No other man, however       apex of mankind’s mortal history also occurred in a
great his powers of physical or mental endurance,        garden. The happening of that night some two
could have suffered so; for his human organism           thousand years ago provided every descendant of
would have succumbed.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 613.)       Adam with opportunity to come back into the
                                                         presence of his Eternal Father on conditions of
In comforting the Prophet in Liberty Jail, our Lord
                                                         personal repentance. Thus the arm of mercy was
reminded Joseph Smith that “the very jaws of hell
                                                         extended, the wandering exiles bidden home, and the
shall gape open the mouth wide after thee. . . .
                                                         breach of Eden healed. This is the significance of
“[But] The Son of Man hath descended below them          Gethsemane. As you contemplate what Jesus has
all. Art thou greater than he?” (D&C 122:7, 8.)          done, how does it cause you to feel? Do you feel, as
As you ponder what you have had to endure, and           the hymn suggests, “I stand all amazed at the love
contemplate the times when “in the least degree” you     Jesus offers me”? As you think of your sins, do you
suffered the pangs of spiritual loss, remember and       now see that you do have someone to turn to for
reverence Him whom you have covenanted to                forgiveness and peace? Do you think the sacrament
remember always.                                         covenant will now take on greater meaning as you
                                                         promise to “always remember him and keep his
                                                         commandments”?




                                                       177
178
                         26
           “I FIND NO FAULT IN THIS MAN”




          THE WEEK OF                   Matthew               Mark             Luke              John
     THE ATONING SACRIFICE
SIXTH DAY

 The Betrayal by Judas              26:47–50          14:43–45            22:47, 48        18:2–9
 The Arrest                         26:51–56          14:46–52            22:49–53         18:10–12
 Jesus Questioned by Annas                                                22:54, 55,       18:13, 19–24
 Examined Before Caiaphas           26:57–68          14:53–65            63–65            18:14–16, 18
 Peter Denies Knowing Jesus         26:69–75          14:66–72            22:55–62         18:17, 25–27

 Formal Trial and Condemnation      27:1, 2           15:1                22:66–71; 23:1

 Judas Iscariot’s Death             27:3–10
 Before Pilate                      27:11–14          15:2–5              23:2–5           18:28–38
 Before Herod                                                             23:6–12
 Again Before Pilate                27:15–23          15:6–14             23:13–23         18:39, 40
 Barabbas Released                  27:26–30          15:15–19            23:25            19:1–3
 Pilate Sentences Jesus             27:24, 25         15:20–23, 25, 27,   23:24            19:4–16
 The Way to Calvary                 27:31–34, 38      28                  23:26–33         19:16–18
 Superscription on the Cross        27:37             15:26               23:38            19:19–22
 His First Utterance on the Cross                                         23:34
 Soldiers Divide His Clothing       27:35, 36         15:24               23:34            19:23, 24
 Mocking and Scoffing               27:39–44          15:29–32            23:35–37
 Second Utterance from the Cross                                          23:39–43
 Third Utterance by the Savior                                                             19:25–27
 Darkness Covers the Earth          27:45             15:33               23:44, 45
 Fourth Statement                   27:46, 47         15:34, 35
 Fifth Statement                    27:48, 49         15:36                                19:28, 29
 Sixth Utterance                                                                           19:30
 Final Utterance; Jesus Dies        27:50             15:37               23:46            19:30
 Centurion’s Testimony              27:51–56          15:38–41            23:45, 47–49
 His Side Pierced                   27:57–61          15:42–47            23:50–56         19:31–37
 His Burial                                                                                19:38–42

                                                179
THEME                                                        INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
Nothing shows the magnitude of the character of Jesus
Christ more than does the last day of his life, which is     AN APPRECIATION OF THE SORROW OF
an example for all his disciples to follow.                  THE FINAL HOURS
                                                             Provided on the next page is a map depicting the city
INTRODUCTION                                                 of Jerusalem and the possible sites where the last days
As a mortal you are unable to fully understand the           in the mortal life of Jesus Christ were spent. As you
significance of the sufferings, the sorrow, and the          read the following narrative, picture in your mind the
anguish of soul endured by the Savior in the Garden          events that took place on that day of days and feel the
of Gethsemane; for what mortal could comprehend              sorrow of those final hours. Numbers on the map
the intensity of the physical, mental, and spiritual         correspond to the numbers adjacent to the paragraphs.
pain Jesus suffered when he took upon himself the            1 & 2 From the upper room to Gethsemane the
punishment and remorse incident to the sins of all                 disciples and Jesus walked, to an orchard, or
mankind? Yet, you may understand in part; and the                  garden, of olive trees, where in agony the
words of the Savior give you a glimpse of what was                 Lord suffered until he sweat great drops of
experienced in the Garden. To the Prophet Joseph                   blood. Returning to the slumbering Peter,
Smith the Lord said of the suffering of that hour,                 James, and John, Jesus spoke, his words an
“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the                      evidence that he was most aware of what was
greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to                to take place before his mortal ministry was
bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and                   finished. “Sleep on now and take your rest: it
spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter                 is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son
cup, and shrink—                                                   of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
                                                                   Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is
“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook
                                                                   at hand.” Then came Judas, with a great
and finished my preparations unto the children of
                                                                   multitude of men who were armed with
men.” (D&C 19:18, 19.)
                                                                   swords and staves; and Judas did betray Jesus
Only a God could completely comprehend or endure                   with a kiss. “And they laid their hands on him,
the tribulation of that hour in Gethsemane.                        and took him.” (Matthew 26:36–56; Mark
                                                                   14:32–52; Luke 22:40–53; John 18:1–12.)
Now it will be your opportunity to consider the
betrayal of Jesus by Judas, the Savior’s trial before        3       Betrayed, arrested, bound, forsaken, and
Jewish leaders and before Pilate, and the final agony                alone, in the middle of the night Jesus was
of Calvary. As you study, you will come to                           taken over the Kidron and up the steep slope
understand the Jewish feelings about Roman rule.                     to the house of Annas to be questioned first by
You will have an opportunity to identify many of the                 the former high priest and then to receive that
illegalities of the trial of Jesus and to probe the                  first insulting blow upon the face. As with all
question of why the Jewish leaders were able to                      the abuse he experienced, the Lord suffered
prevail upon Pilate to authorize the execution of                    that insult in silence. Then he was sent across
Jesus when the Savior was generally known to be                      the courtyard to the high priest Joseph
innocent of any crime. You will also be able to                      Caiaphas. There false witnesses were sought
identify the seven statements made by Jesus on the                   whose words proved to be so at variance that
cross and explain (1) how they portray the Lord’s                    even the wicked priests, in some show of
magnanimity for his Roman executors; (2) his                         decency, could not accept the testimony. Yet
concern for others, including his concern for his                    through all the illegality and falseness of such
sorrowing mother; and (3) his resignation by his own                 a trial, Jesus innocently and silently stood
will to die a physical death. But most important, you                before them, as it were, to judge them, until,
will have an opportunity to increase your feeling of                 in a paroxysm of anger, if not rage, Caiaphas
love for the Savior and your determination to live                   exclaimed, “Answerest thou nothing? what is
worthy of his sacrifice for you.                                     it which these witness against thee?” But
                                                                     Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                                     to him, “I adjure thee by the living God, that
in the reading block.
                                                                     thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the
                                                                     Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “Thou hast


                                                           180
                                                                         From the palace of Pilate,
                     An Appreciation                                     Jesus was led to the place of
                     of the Sorrow                                       crucifixion. Matthew
                                                                         27:2435.
                     of the Final Hours



                                                                                                         From the house of Caiaphas,
                                                                                                         Jesus was taken before Pilate.
                                                                                                         John 18:2838.




                                                                                    4                             2        Jesus and 11 apostles went to
                                                                                                                           the Garden of Gethsemane.
                                                                                                                           Matthew 26:3656.




                   Pilate sent Jesus to Herod
                   (location not definitely known).
                   Herod returned him to Pilate.
                                                      5
                   Luke 23:711


                        Jesus was taken briefly to the
                        house of Annas and then to
                        Caiaphas, the high priest.
                        John 18:1524.
                                                                 3

                                  Probable location of upper
                                                                     1
                                  room where Jesus and his
                                  apostles partook of the Last
                                  Supper. John 13:17.



       said. . . .” And the high priest exclaimed, “He                                               placate the people, Pilate had the Lord
       hath spoken blasphemy.” The infamous                                                          scourged with a whip made of many thongs
       members of the Sanhedrin who were present                                                     which were impregnated with pieces of metal
       responded, “He is guilty of death!” And from                                                  and jagged bone. Then Pilate delivered the
       that time on they spit upon him, buffeted him,                                                Lord up to be crucified. (Matthew 27:11–25;
       and mocked him. Not long afterwards, the                                                      Mark 15:2–19; Luke 23:2–25; John 18:28–40;
       cock crowed for the third time. “And the Lord                                                 19:1–16.)
       turned, and looked upon Peter. . . . And Peter
                                                                                    6                Forced to carry his own cross until he could
       went out, and wept bitterly.” “When the
                                                                                                     do so no more, to Calvary he was taken,
       morning was come, all the chief priests and
                                                                                                     where the Roman soldiers pierced his hands,
       elders of the people took counsel against Jesus
                                                                                                     wrists, and feet with nails, thus affixing his
       to put him to death: And when they had bound
                                                                                                     body to the cross. There he hung in a constant
       him, they led him away, and delivered him to
                                                                                                     agony, derived from pain, thirst, and derision,
       Pontius Pilate the governor.” (Matthew 26:57–
                                                                                                     with no one to comfort him or relieve his
       75; 27:1–2; Mark 14:53–71; 15:1; Luke
                                                                                                     anguish of body, mind, or spirit. Then after
       22:54–71; John 18:13–27.)
                                                                                                     one last experience with the torment of
4 & 5 Before Pilate, then before Herod, and again                                                    Gethsemane, he cried with a loud voice,
      before Pilate, the Lord suffered the                                                           saying, “It is finished.” “Father, into thy hands
      indescribable abuse and mockery of an illegal                                                  I commend my spirit.” The Lord Jesus Christ
      and false inquisition. Then Pilate answered                                                    had died for all mankind. Then came Joseph
      them, saying, “Will ye that I release unto you                                                 of Arimathea with fine linen, and he took
      the King of the Jews?” For he knew that the                                                    Jesus’ body down, wrapped it in the linen,
      chief priests had delivered him for envy. But                                                  “and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn
      the chief priests moved the people, that he                                                    out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door
      should rather release Barabbas unto them.                                                      of the sepulchre.” The mortal life and the
      And Pilate answered and said again unto                                                        mortal ministry of Jesus Christ were ended.
      them, “What will ye then that I shall do unto                                                  (Matthew 27:31–61; Mark 15:20–47; Luke
      him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And                                                     23:26–56; John 19:16–42.)
      they cried out again, Crucify him.” And so to



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(26-1) John 18:13. Who Were Annas and                         and execute the prisoner, for Roman law forbade them
Caiaphas?                                                     from putting an individual to death without the
                                                              sanction of the Roman procurator. Jurisdiction of the
“Cyrenius . . . deprived Joazar of the high
                                                              Sanhedrin in the time of Jesus extended only
priesthood . . . and he appointed Ananus, the son of
                                                              throughout Judea; and as long as Jesus preached in
Seth, to be high priest, . . . [Valerius Gratus] deprived
                                                              Galilee and Perea, the council was unable to arrest
Ananus of the high priesthood, and appointed Ismael,
                                                              him. When Jesus entered Jerusalem for his last
the son of Phabi, to be high-priest. He also deprived
                                                              Passover, however, he was within the jurisdiction of
him in a little time, and ordained Eleazar, the son of
                                                              the Sanhedrin, where evil and unscrupulous leaders of
Ananus, who had been high-priest before, to be high-
                                                              the council were able to take him, arrange a charge of
priest: which office, when he had held for a year,
                                                              blasphemy against him, and then manipulate Pilate,
Gratus deprived him of it, and gave the high-
                                                              the Roman procurator, to bring about the crucifixion.
priesthood to Simon, the son of Camithus; and, when
he had possessed that dignity no longer than a year,          (26-3) Matthew 26:47–75; John 18:12–14; 19:23.
Joseph Caiaphas was made his successor. When                  Illegalities of the Trial of Jesus and Peter’s Alleged
Gratus had done those things, he went back to Rome,           Denial of Jesus
after he had tarried in Judea eleven years, when
Pontius Pilate came as his successor.” (Josephus,             The arrest, the private examination, the indictment, the
Antiquities of the Jews, 18. 2. 1–2.)                         proceedings of the Sanhedrin, the trial, the
                                                              condemnation proceedings, the sentence, the
Joseph Caiaphas was high priest between the years             qualification of the members of the Great Sanhedrin to
A.D. 18–36, but Annas continued to exercise much              try Jesus—all were illegal.
religious and political control over the Jews as either
substitute for the high priest, president of the              For an evaluation of the trial of Jesus see Jesus the
Sanhedrin, or chief examining judge. Annas’ wealth            Christ, p. 644. For an explanation of Peter’s alleged
was immense; and it derived, in part, at least, from the      denial of Jesus, see appendix D, “Peter, My Brother,”
sale of materials used in the temple sacrifices. (See         by Elder Spencer W. Kimball.
Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. “Annas”; Smith,       (26-4) Matthew 27:2. Pontius Pilate
Dictionary of the Bible, rev. ed., s.v. “Annas.”) Joseph
Caiaphas was the Jewish high priest under Tiberius            Appointed in A.D. 25–26 in the twelfth year of
(see Matthew 26:3, 57; John 11:49; 18:13, 14, 24, 28;         Tiberius, Pontius Pilate was the sixth Roman
and Acts 4:6) and was appointed to the office of high         procurator of Judea and was the Roman ruler during
priest by Valerius Gratus. (See Smith, Dictionary, s.v.       the time of Christ’s ministry. Arbitrary and anxious to
“Caiaphas.”) In John 18:13 we read that Joseph                please Caesar, his political life ended in misfortune.
Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas.                         (See Smith, Dictionary, s.v. “Pilate, Pontius.”)

(26-2) Matthew 26:59; 27:1, 2. Who Were the                   (26-5) Matthew 27:24. Why Did Pilate Give In to
Sanhedrin?                                                    the Demands of the Jews to Execute Jesus?
Comprised of an assembly of seventy-one ordained              “In utter disregard of the Hebrew antipathy against
scholars, including Levites, priests, scribes, Pharisees,     images and heathen insignia [Pilate] had the
Sadducees, and those of other political persuasion, in        legionaries enter Jerusalem at night, carrying their
the time of the Savior the Great Sanhedrin was the            eagles and standards decorated with the effigy of the
highest Jewish court of justice and the supreme               emperor. To the Jews this act was a defilement of the
legislative council at Jerusalem. Its main function was       Holy City. In vast multitudes they gathered at
to serve as a supreme court when Jewish law was               Caesarea, and petitioned the procurator that the
interpreted. The Sanhedrin met in the temple                  standards and other images be removed from
collonade in the impressive chambers of hewn stone,           Jerusalem. For five days the people demanded and
where members of the council sat in a semicircle. An          Pilate refused. He threatened a general slaughter, and
accused prisoner, dressed in garments of mourning,            was amazed to see the people offer themselves as
was arraigned in front of the council; and if evidence        victims of the sword rather than relinquish their
against the prisoner warranted, the Sanhedrin had             demands. Pilate had to yield (Josephus, Ant. xviii,
authority to decree capital punishment for offenses           Chap. 3:1; also Wars, ii, Chap. 9:2, 3). Again he gave
which violated major Jewish laws. However, the                offense in forcibly appropriating the Corban, or sacred
council was not authorized to carry out its sentence          funds of the temple, to the construction of an aqueduct



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for supplying Jerusalem with water from the pools of          Thoroughly piqued, Herod turned from insulting
Solomon. Anticipating the public protest of the               questions to acts of malignant derision. He and his
people, he had caused Roman soldiers to disguise              men-at-arms made sport of the suffering Christ, ‘set
themselves as Jews; and with weapons concealed to             him at nought and mocked him’; then in travesty they
mingle with the crowds. At a given signal these               ‘arrayed him in a gorgeous robe and sent him again to
assassins plied their weapons and great numbers of            Pilate.’ Herod had found nothing in Jesus to warrant
defenseless Jews were killed or wounded (Josephus,            condemnation.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 636.)
Ant. xviii, chap. 3:2; and Wars, ii, chap. 9:3, 4). On
another occasion, Pilate had grossly offended the             (26-7) Matthew 27:24. What Did Pilate Mean
people by setting up in his official residence at             When He Washed His Hands Before the Jews?
Jerusalem, shields that had been dedicated to Tiberius,       “At this point (or perhaps earlier, as the Inspired
and this ‘less for the honor of Tiberius than for             Version account indicates) Pilate, following the
annoyance of the Jewish people.’ A petition signed by         Jewish practice in such cases (Deut. 21:1–9),
the ecclesiastical officials of the nation, and by others     performed the ritualistic ceremony designed to free
of influence, including four Herodian princes, was            him from responsibility for Jesus’ death.” (McConkie,
sent to the emperor, who reprimanded Pilate and               DNTC, 1:810.)
directed that the shields be removed from Jerusalem to
Caesarea. (Philo. De Lagatione ad Caium; sec. 38).            (26-8) John 19:4–12. Pilate Sought to Release Him
“These outrages on national feeling, and many minor           “I find no fault in him] Jesus is innocent. Pilate knew
acts of violence, extortion and cruelty, the Jews held        it; Herod knew it; Caiaphas knew it; the Sanhedrin
against the procurator. He realized that his tenure was       knew it; the mob-multitude knew it—and Satan knew
insecure, and he dreaded exposure. Such wrongs had            it. Yet he is to be pronounced guilty and sentenced to
he wrought that when he would have done good, he              death.
was deterred through cowardly fear of the accusing            “Behold the man!] ‘Pilate seems to have counted on
past.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 648–49.)               the pitiful sight of the scourged and bleeding Christ to
(26-6) Luke 23:6–11. Christ Before Herod                      soften the hearts of the maddened Jews. But the effect
                                                              failed. Think of the awful fact—a heathen, a pagan,
“Whatever fear Herod had once felt regarding Jesus,           who knew not God, pleading with the priests and
whom he had superstitiously thought to be the                 people of Israel for the life of their Lord and King!’
reincarnation of his murdered victim, John the Baptist,       (Talmage, p. 639.)
was replaced by amused interest when he saw the far-
famed Prophet of Galilee in bonds before him,                 “Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in
attended by a Roman guard, and accompanied by                 him] Pilate gave the order; no one else had the power.
ecclesiastical officials. Herod began to question the         Pilate sentenced an innocent Man to be crucified—and
Prisoner; but Jesus remained silent. The chief priests        he knew it! Is there a better example in all history of
and scribes vehemently voiced their accusations; but          judicial murder?
not a word was uttered by the Lord. Herod is the only         “Jesus’ sentence by the Sanhedrin was for blasphemy,
character in history to whom Jesus is known to have           a Jewish crime; Pilate’s sentence was for sedition, a
applied a personal epithet of contempt. ‘Go ye and tell       Roman offense. Now that our Lord’s death had been
that fox’ He once said to certain Pharisees who had           ordered, the Jews seek to make it appear that Pilate
come to Him with the story that Herod intended to kill        had endorsed their Jewish death decree. Their mention
Him. As far as we know, Herod is further                      of ‘the Son of God’ increases Pilate’s fears for having
distinguished as the only being who saw Christ face to        ordered an unjust execution. He asks, ‘Are you a man
face and spoke to Him, yet never heard His voice. For         or a demigod?’ Jesus disdains to answer. Pilate is
penitent sinners, weeping women, prattling children,          piqued and boasts of his power to save or destroy
for the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the            Jesus. Then our Lord becomes the Judge and places
rabbis, for the perjured high priest and his obsequious       Pilate before the judgment bar: ‘Against me you have
and insolent underling, and for Pilate the pagan, Christ      only such power as Divine Providence permits; your
had words—of comfort or instruction, of warning or            sentence is unjust, but Caiaphas who delivered me to
rebuke, of protest or denunciation—yet for Herod the          thee has the greater sin for as a Jew he knows of my
fox He had but disdainful and kingly silence.                 divine origin.’




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“Pilate sought to release him] Sought the consent of        (26-11) Matthew 27:33; Luke 23:33. Golgotha, or
the chief priests and scribes to release him, for the       Calvary
Procurator had the power, if he chose to use it, to
                                                            “‘The Place of a Skull’—The Aramaic Hebrew name
either save or destroy.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:809.)
                                                            ‘Golgotha,’ the Greek ‘Kranion,’ and the Latin
(26-9) Matthew 27:26–30. Derision and Scourging             ‘Calvaria’ or, as Anglicized, ‘Calvary,’ have the same
                                                            meaning, and connote ‘a skull.’ The name may have
“This brutal practice, a preliminary to crucifixion,        been applied with reference to topographical features,
consisted of stripping the victim of clothes, strapping     as we speak of the brow of a hill; or, if the spot was
him to a pillar or frame, and beating him with a            the usual place of execution, it may have been so
scourge made of leather straps weighted with sharp          called as expressive of death, just as we call a skull a
pieces of lead and bone. It left the tortured sufferer      death’s head. It is probable that the bodies of executed
bleeding, weak, and sometimes dead. Pilate tried in         convicts were buried near the place of death; and if
vain to create compassion for Jesus as a result of the      Golgotha or Calvary was the appointed site for
scourging. Teaching the need to bear chastisement,          execution, the exposure of skulls and other human
Paul, looking back on the scene, wrote: ‘Whom the           bones through the ravages of beasts and by other
Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son          means, would not be surprising; though the leaving of
whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:6.)                            bodies or any of their parts unburied was contrary to
“While Pilate watches, his cohort of six hundred            Jewish law and sentiment. The origin of the name is of
soldiers mock and deride the Son of God. The scarlet        as little importance as are the many divergent
robe, the crown of thorns, the reed in our Lord’s hand,     suppositions concerning the exact location of the
the mocking obeisance, the cynical hailing of him as        spot.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 667.)
King—all devil-inspired substitutes of the respect
                                                            (26-12) Matthew 27:35. “And They Crucified Him”
rightfully his—plus the foul spittle and the smiting
blows, all paint a picture of gross human debasement.       “‘[Crucifixion] was unanimously considered the most
The Roman soldiers have partaken of the spirit of the       horrible form of death. Among the Romans also the
Jewish mob.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:807.)                       degradation was a part of the infliction, and the
                                                            punishment if applied to freeman was only used in the
(26-10) Matthew 27:32. The Cross                            case of the vilest criminals. . . . The criminal carried
“‘The cross consisted of two parts, a strong stake or       his own cross, or at any rate a part of it. Hence,
pole 8 or 9 ft. high, which was fixed in the ground,        figuratively to take, to take up or bear one’s cross is
and a movable cross-piece (patibulum), which was            to endure suffering, affliction, or shame, like a
carried by the criminal to the place of execution.          criminal on his way to the place of crucifixion (Matt.
Sometimes the patibulum was a single beam of wood,          10:38; 16:24; Luke 14:27, etc.). The place of
but more often it consisted of two parallel beams           execution was outside the city (Kings 21:13; Acts
fastened together, between which the neck of the            7:58; Heb. 13:12), often in some public road or other
criminal was inserted. Before him went a herald             conspicuous place. Arrived at the place of execution,
bearing a tablet on which the offense was inscribed, or     the sufferer was stripped naked, the dress being the
the criminal himself bore it suspended by a cord round      perquisite of the soldiers (Matt. 27:35). The cross was
his neck. At the place of execution the criminal was        then driven into the ground, so that the feet of the
stripped and laid on his back, and his hands were           condemned were a foot or two above the earth, and he
nailed to the patibulum; The patibulum, with the            was lifted upon it; or else stretched upon it on the
criminal hanging from it, was then hoisted into             ground and then he was lifted up with it.’ It was the
position and fastened by nails or ropes to the upright      custom to station soldiers to watch the cross, so as to
pole. The victim’s body was supported not only by the       prevent the removal of the sufferer while yet alive.
nails through the hands, but by a small piece of wood       ‘This was necessary from the lingering character of
projecting at right angles (sedile), on which he sat as     the death, which sometimes did not supervene even
on a saddle. Sometimes there was also a support for         for three days, and was at last the result of gradual
the feet, to which the feet were nailed. The protracted     benumbing and starvation. But for this guard, the
agony of crucifixion sometimes lasted for days, death       persons might have been taken down and recovered,
being caused by pain, hunger, and thirst.’ (Dummelow,       as was actually done in the case of a friend of
pp. 716–17.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:815.)                      Josephus. . . . In most cases the body was suffered to
                                                            rot on the cross by the action of sun and rain, or to be



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devoured by birds and beasts. Sepulture was generally                    CHAPTER 53
therefore forbidden; but in consequences of Deut.           1 Who hath believed our report? and to
21:22, 23, an express national exception was made in        whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
favor of the Jews (Matt. 27:58). This accursed and          2 For he shall grow up before him as a
awful mode of punishment was happily abolished by           tender plant, and as a root out of a dry
Constantine.’ Smith’s Bible Dict.” (Talmage, Jesus the      ground: he hath no form nor comeliness;
Christ, pp. 667–68.)                                        and when we shall see him, there is no
                                                            beauty that we should desire him.
(26-13) Matthew 27:35; Psalm 22:18. “Upon My                3 He is despised and rejected of men; a
Vesture Did They Cast Lots”                                 man of sorrows, and acquainted with
                                                            grief: and we hid as it were our faces
“The Messianic prophecy—’They part my garments              from him; he was despised, and we
among them, and cast lots upon my vesture’ (Psalm           esteemed him not.
22:18)—contains two parts: (1) His garments are to be       4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and
divided among them; and (2) For his vesture or robe         carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem
they are to cast lots.                                      him stricken, smitten of God, and
                                                            afflicted.
“Jewish men wore five articles of clothing: A
                                                            [5 But he was wounded for our
headdress, shoes, an inner garment, an outer garment,       transgressions, he was bruised for our
and a girdle. These items, according to Roman               iniquities:] the chastisement of our peace
custom, became the property of the soldiers who             was upon him; and with his stripes we are
performed the crucifixion. There were four soldiers         healed.
and each took one article of clothing. In the case of       6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we
Jesus, the robe, woven of a single piece of cloth,          have turned every one to his own way;
apparently was of excellent workmanship, and for this       and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity
                                                            of us all.
the soldiers elected to cast lots.” (McConkie, DNTC,
1:820.)                                                     7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
                                                            yet he opened not his mouth: [he is
                                                            brought as a lamb to the slaughter,] and
POINTS TO PONDER                                            as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so
                                                            he openeth not his mouth.
So important were the events associated with the            8 He was taken from prison and from
Atonement and Crucifixion that many prophets were           judgment: and who shall declare his
given a profound understanding of what would take           generation? for [he was cut off out of the
place during the last twenty-four hours of Christ’s         land of the living:] for the transgression
                                                            of my people was he stricken.
life. One great prophet living about seven hundred
years before Christ prophetically chronicled these          9 And he made his grave with the wicked,
                                                            and with the rich in his death; because he
events with unusual clarity. This prophet was Isaiah,       had done no violence, neither was any
and his prophecy is recorded in the fifty-third chapter     deceit in his mouth.
of his work, which is reproduced hereafter. First,
                                                            10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him;
read it through carefully. Then compare each of the         [he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt
following scriptures with the bracketed and/or              make his soul an offering for sin,] he
underlined verses. Determine which scriptures are           shall see his seed, he shall prolong his
related to the various sections indicated and write the     days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
number of the appropriate scriptural reference on the       prosper in his hand.
line to the side of the Isaiah passage.                     11 He shall see of the travail of his soul,
                                                            and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
1.   Acts 8:32–35                                           shall my righteous servant justify many;
2.   Luke 23:8–11                                           for he shall bear their iniquities.
3.   Daniel 9:26; John 19:18–30                             12 Therefore will I divide him a portion
4.   Matthew 27:57–60                                       with the great, and he shall divide the
5.   John 19:2, 18, 34                                      spoil with the strong; because he hath
6.   John 19:1                                              poured out his soul unto death: and [he
                                                            was numbered with the transgressors; and
7.   1 John 2:1, 2                                          he bare the sin of many, and made
8.   Mark 15:28; Luke 23:34                                 intercession for the transgressors.]
9.   Hebrews 9:28


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(26-14) The Character and the Divine Nature of               them from sin so as to qualify them for church
Jesus Christ As Seen from the Seven Recorded                 membership or celestial inheritance. The law whereby
Statements Made by Jesus on the Cross                        such forgiveness is gained requires repentance and
                                                             baptism. But he says, rather, ‘Father lay not this sin to
It might well be stated as a rule of human nature that
                                                             their charge, for they are acting under orders, and
when a man reaches his greatest extremity, a moment
                                                             those upon whom the full and real guilt rests are their
of extreme danger, pain, emotion, or critical need, a
                                                             rulers and the Jewish conspirators who caused me to
point in life which is marked by imminent destruction
                                                             be condemned. It is Caiaphas and Pilate who know I
or death, the true nature of his soul becomes evident
                                                             am innocent; these soldiers are just carrying out their
from statements he makes at that crucial time.
                                                             orders.’
Why? Because a man’s words mirror his innermost
                                                             “Jesus did not, it should be noted, pray for Judas who
soul. His speech betrays what his character is really
                                                             betrayed him; for Caiaphas and the chief priests who
like—the quality of his concerns, his compassion, his
                                                             conspired against him; for the false witnesses who
love—the whole focus or thrust of his life, whether
                                                             perjured their souls before the Sanhedrin and in the
noble or mean, depraved or exalted. At his greatest
                                                             judgment halls of Rome; for Pilate and Herod, either
extremity the very depths of his soul are bared for all
                                                             of whom could have freed him; nor for Lucifer whose
to view; the intensity of the moment calls forth
                                                             power and persuasive ability underlay the whole
comments that mirror his inner self. A glorious
                                                             wicked procedure. All these are left in the hands of
example of this rule is the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
                                                             Eternal Justice to be dealt with according to their
His last seven recorded utterances permit all the world
                                                             works. Mercy cannot rob justice; the guilty do not go
to see and know the true quality of his character and
                                                             free simply because the righteous bring no railing
the divine nature of his soul.
                                                             accusation against them.
That you might feel for yourself the true quality of his     “Here on the cross Jesus is simply complying with his
character, read and consider carefully the following         own command to forgive your enemies and to bless
scriptures which contain the last recorded statements        those who curse you.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:818–19.)
of Christ:
                                                             (26-16) His Concern for Others
Luke 23:34
John 19:28                                                   To the thief on the cross who asked to be remembered
Luke 23:43                                                   after death, the Savior responded to give him what
John 19:30                                                   hope he could:
John 19:26, 27                                               “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” That is to
Luke 23:46                                                   say, today you shall be with me in the world of spirits,
Matthew 27:46                                                where you will be taught the gospel and your inquiries
As you have perhaps observed, these seven                    will be answered. (See Smith, Teachings, p. 309.)
statements focus on three great aspects of the Lord’s        Jesus did not lend any credence to a death-bed
character and divinity. These are expanded in the            repentance or the malefactor. What Jesus did do was
next three readings. Ponder their meaning to you as          give recognition to the seeds of faith and repentance
a contemporary disciple of Christ who is committed           which were evidenced by a penitent man. As always,
to follow his way.                                           the Lord’s efforts were directed toward offering as
                                                             much hope as possible to one who would turn from
(26-15) His Forgiving Nature                                 darkness unto the everlasting light. (See McConkie,
“. . . it [the first word from the cross] is a petition      DNTC, 1:823–24.)
asking for forgiveness in a particular and limited sense     His concern and love for his mother, Mary, is revealed
of the word. Jesus was the Son of God; as such he had        by the circumstances which surround the third
power to forgive sins, a power which he had freely           recorded utterance.
exercised in proper cases. See Matt. 9:2–8.
                                                             “There remained yet a few faithful followers. From his
“But no such power is exercised here. He does not say,       tortured position on the cruel cross, he sees his mother
‘Thy sins be forgiven thee,’ as had been his wont on         and the disciple whom he loved standing by. He
other occasion. Nor does he ask the Father to forgive        speaks: ‘. . . woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to
the sins of those involved, in the sense of cleansing        the disciple, Behold thy mother! . . .’ (John 19:26–27.)



                                                           186
“From that awful night when time stood still, when the       save him.’ John affirms that Christ uttered the
earth did quake and great mountains were brought             exclamation, ‘I thirst,’ only when He knew ‘that all
down—yes, through the annals of history, over the            things were now accomplished’; and the apostle saw
centuries of years and beyond the span of time, there        in the incident a fulfillment of prophecy. (Jesus the
echoes his simple yet divine words, ‘Behold thy              Christ, p. 661.)
mother!’” (Thomas S. Monson in CR, Oct. 1973,
                                                             He realized that “it [was] finished” (John 19:30). He
p. 30.)
                                                             had endured to the end the suffering of Gethsemane,
(26-17) His Resignation by His Own Will to Die a             the mockery of the trial, the pain of the actual
Physical Death                                               crucifixion. He had trodden the winepress alone, and
                                                             this because of his undeviating devotion to the will of
“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken                      the Father, because he was sustained by a complete
me?” (Matthew 27:46.) His was to be the choice. His          and eternal love for you and for all mankind, “who,
was to be the opportunity. His was to be the challenge       without his mediation would have remained in the
to give his life voluntarily. With all of the Father’s       total gloom of desiring without hope throughout
support withdrawn, with the pains of Gethsemane              eternity.” (Hugh B. Brown in CR, Apr. 1962, p. 108.)
recurring, our Savior was left unto himself in order
that he alone might complete the atoning sacrifice and       When he realized that his work as a mortal was
have “the glory of complete victory over the forces of       finished, only then did he say, in humility, in
sin and death.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 661.)         reverence, with relief, and with a resignation born of
His was to be the resignation by his own will to give        his own will, “Father, into thy hands I commend my
up his own life, a ransom for many, that we, through         spirit.” (Luke 23:46.) Jesus Christ bowed his head and
his blood, might be purified and sanctified until we         voluntarily passed from this life into the next.
reach a state where we again might enjoy the presence        “Jesus the Christ was dead. His life had not been taken
of our Father in heaven.                                     from Him except as He had willed to permit. Sweet
Yet at no time, in spite of his great suffering, did he      and welcome as would have been the relief of death in
complain. Resigned as he was to complete his great           any of the earlier stages of His suffering from
mission, throughout this great ordeal there is but one       Gethsemane to the cross, He lived until all things were
recorded instance which even begins to be expressive         accomplished as had been appointed. In the latter days
of his physical suffering. Of this statement, Elder          the voice of the Lord Jesus has been heard affirming
James E. Talmage said:                                       the actuality of His suffering and death, and the eternal
                                                             purpose thereby accomplished. Hear and heed His
“The period of faintness, the conception of utter            words: ‘For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered
forsakenness soon passed, and the natural cravings of        death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all
the body reasserted themselves. The maddening thirst,        men, that all men might repent and come unto
which constituted one of the worst of the crucifixion        him.’ (D&C 18:11.)” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
agonies, wrung from the Savior’s lips His one                p. 662.)
recorded utterance expressive of physical suffering. ‘I
thirst’ He said. One of those who stood by, whether          Now that you have completed your study of the last
Roman or Jew, disciple or skeptic, we are not told,          recorded day of the life of the Savior, perhaps this
hastily saturated a sponge with vinegar, a vessel of         thought has entered your mind: Why was he willing
which was at hand, and having fastened the sponge to         to go through all of that for me? To partially answer
the end of a reed, or stalk of hyssop, pressed it to the     the question, read 1 Nephi 19:9. What does it really
Lord’s fevered lips. Some others would have                  mean to know that Christ underwent all that he did
prevented this one act of human response, for they           because of his love for you? How can you, in turn,
said: ‘Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to         show your love for him?




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             SECTION 6
THE GLORIFIED PALEST
              PALESTINIAN
                     INIAN MINISTRY
LESSONS                                                      mountain where Jesus had appointed them.” (Matthew
                                                             28:16.) This prearranged meeting (according to both
27. “He Is Risen!”
                                                             Elders Talmage and McConkie) was probably a
28. “I Know That He Lives”                                   meeting where a great multitude of disciples were
                                                             invited, and may have been the occasion of which Paul
HE IS RISEN!                                                 wrote later, “he was seen of above five hundred
That was the most memorable day in history. On that          brethren at once.” (1 Corinthians 15:6.) Such a
glorious day the sepulchre was opened, and Jesus rose        conference would have included the apostles,
from the dead. The “good news,” was first proclaimed         seventies, other leading brethren, and faithful women.
by angelic proclamation, “He is risen; he is not here:       (See McConkie, DNTC, 1:886.)
behold the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6.)
                                                             The Significance of the Forty-Day Ministry
The event, of course, was unprecedented. Others,
                                                             Though the records of it are fragmentary, the forty-day
such as Lazarus, had been brought back to life; but
                                                             ministry that you will study in this last lesson was
that was a restoration to mortality, not a resurrection
                                                             important for at least these reasons:
to everlasting life. To Jesus was accorded the honor
of becoming “the firstfruits of them that slept.”            1. It was the period during which the chief apostle,
(1 Corinthians 15:20.) The fact that the event had not            Peter, had impressed on him that his ministerial
occurred before accounted for the incredulity among               calling superseded all temporal pursuits, and that
his own apostles that such a literal resurrection could           to “feed the sheep” of Christ was far more
be. But before the day of the resurrection was spent,             important than his intent to go fishing.
Jesus had left infallible proof that he had indeed risen
                                                             2. It was the period during which Jesus gave his
from the dead. Skepticism vanished as his disciples
                                                                  apostles their final commission to teach the gospel
saw and felt the wounds in his hands, feet, and side.
                                                                  to all nations, and further instructed them in their
As noted by the chart below, at least five appearances
                                                                  duties.
took place on that day. These included visitations to
Mary Magdalene; to the other women; to Cleopas and           3. It was during this period that Jesus appeared in
his companion on the road to Emmaus, to Peter alone;              resurrected form to many others besides the
then to the ten apostles in the upper room, Thomas                eleven, thus qualifying them as sure witnesses to
being absent. One week later Jesus made another                   his literal resurrection.
appearance in that same room, with Thomas present.
                                                             4. Finally, at the end of this period, Jesus made a
Jesus said to Thomas: “Reach hither thy finger, and
                                                                 literal, bodily ascension into heaven as his
behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust
                                                                 disciples watched and two angels stood by and
it into my side.” (John 20:27.) And Thomas no longer
                                                                 promised that Jesus would return again “in like
doubted. Jesus ministered on the earth as a resurrected
                                                                 manner as ye have seen him go into
being for forty days—from resurrection day until the
                                                                 heaven.” (Acts 1:11.)
ascension. This was the period, according to Luke,
when Jesus appeared to many of his disciples and             All doubt was removed from the apostles’ minds.
spoke to them “of the things pertaining to the kingdom       They now had an absolute witness of the Savior’s
of God.” (Acts 1:3.)                                         literal resurrection. They were qualified to declare
                                                             with certainty that Jesus lives! President David O.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, he had told his
                                                             McKay has indicated that a transformation occurred in
apostles that “after I am risen again, I will go before
                                                             the lives of those eleven men during this forty-day
you into Galilee.” (Matthew 26:32.) The angel at the
                                                             period and that this transformation constitutes one of
tomb had told the women to tell the disciples that
                                                             the significant evidences of the reality of the
Jesus “goeth before you into Galilee; there ye shall see
                                                             resurrection of our Lord.
him.” (Matthew 28:7.) Thus we read in Matthew that
“the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a


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What Changed the Apostles?                                   “The world would never have been stirred by men
                                                             with such wavering, doubting, despairing minds as the
“That the literal resurrection from the grave was a
                                                             apostles possessed on the day of the crucifixion.
reality to the disciples who knew Christ intimately is a
certainty. In their minds there was absolutely no            “What was it that suddenly changed these disciples to
doubt. They were witnesses of the fact. They knew,           confident, fearless, heroic preachers of the gospel of
because their eyes beheld, their ears heard, their hands     Jesus Christ? It was the revelation that Christ had risen
felt the corporeal presence of the Risen Redeemer.           from the grave. His promises had been kept, his
                                                             Messianic mission fulfilled. In the words of an
“At Jesus’ death, the apostles were stricken with
                                                             eminent writer, ‘The final and absolute seal of
gloom. When he lay dead their hopes all but died.
                                                             genuineness has been put on all his claims, and the
Their intense grief, the story of Thomas, the moral
                                                             indelible stamp of a divine authority upon all his
perplexity of Peter, the evident preparation for a
                                                             teachings. The gloom of death had been banished by
permanent burial, combine to illustrate the prevalence
                                                             the glorious light of the presence of their Risen,
of a fear that the redemption of Israel had failed.
                                                             Glorified Lord and Savior.’
“Notwithstanding the often-repeated assurances of
                                                             “On the evidence of these unprejudiced, unexpectant,
Christ that he would return to them after death, the
                                                             incredulous witnesses, faith in the resurrection has its
apostles did not seem fully to comprehend it. At the
                                                             impregnable foundation.” (McKay, Treasures of Life,
crucifixion, they were frightened and discouraged. For
                                                             pp. 15–16.)
two and a half years they had been upheld and inspired
by Christ’s presence. But now he was gone. They              As you read chapter 28, you will consider the
were left alone, and they seemed confused, fearful,          testimonies of the witnesses of the former days as well
helpless; only John stood by the cross.                      as those in our modern times.




                                                           189
190
                                               27
                                         “HE IS RISEN!”




          THE WEEK OF                          Matthew            Mark       Luke          John
     THE ATONING SACRIFICE
SEVENTH DAY

 Guards Are Placed at the Tomb             27:62–66

THE RESURRECTED CHRIST APPEARS
TO MEN
THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK

 The Tomb Is Opened                        28:2–4
 Mary Magdalene and Other Women Visit      28:1, 5–7         16:1–8      24:1–8     20:1
 the Tomb
 Mary Tells Peter and John                                               24:9–11    20:2

 Peter, Mary, and John Visit the Tomb                                    24:12      20:3–10
 The Savior Appears to Mary                                  16:9                   20:11–17
 Mary Tells the Apostles                                     16:10, 11              20:18
 Christ Appears to the Other Women         28:9, 10

 Chief Priests Told of Resurrection by     28:11–15
 Guards
 Two Disciples See the Savior While En                       16:12, 13   24:13–32
 Route to Emmaus


                                                       191
THEME                                                        and Mary Magdalene, the Savior’s appearance to the
                                                             disciples on the road to Emmaus. As you read about
No event in all history compares in importance to the
                                                             and ponder these events, as with Mary Magdalene
resurrection of Christ, for because of it all will come
                                                             and the disciples at Emmaus, you should come to
forth, each in his own order.
                                                             know and feel that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen from
INTRODUCTION                                                 the dead. He lives who once was dead, and he is alive
                                                             forever more.
In Handel’s Messiah are found a tenor recitative and
a chorus (no. 27, no. 28), both of which use one of          Before proceeding, read the following:
the Psalms as a text: “All they that see Him, laugh
Him to scorn; they shoot out their lips, and shake
their heads, saying: He trusted in God that he would         INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
deliver him; let him deliver him, if he delight in
him.” (See Psalm 22:7, 8.) Directly following these          (27-1) Matthew 28:2–4, 11–15. What Was the
two oratorio numbers, in another recitative for tenor        Soldiers’ Reaction to the Events of the Day of
(no. 29), Handel uses as his text words of the sixty-        Resurrection?
ninth Psalm, pathos-filled words: “Thy rebuke hath           “Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, had passed, and the
broken His heart; He is full of heaviness, Thy rebuke        night preceding the dawn of the most memorable
hath broken His heart; He looked for some to have            Sunday in history was well nigh spent, while the
pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He          Roman guard kept watch over the sealed sepulchre
any to comfort Him.” (See Psalm 69:20.)                      wherein lay the body of the Lord Jesus. While it was
After experiencing ridicule, an illegal hearing, and         yet dark, the earth began to quake; an angel of the
abuse at the hands of Herod and Pilate, Jesus was            Lord descended in glory, rolled back the massive
led away to be crucified at a place called Calvary,          stone from the portal of the tomb, and sat upon it.
where those who passed by him reviled him by                 His countenance was brilliant as the lightning, and his
saying, “If thou be the Son of God, come down from           raiment was as the driven snow for whiteness. The
the cross.” The chief priests mocked him, as did the         soldiers, paralyzed with fear, fell to the earth as dead
scribes and the elders, by saying: “He trusted in            men. When they had partially recovered from their
God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for       fright, they fled from the place in terror. Even the rigor
he said, I am the Son of God.” Even one of the               of Roman discipline, which decreed summary death to
thieves that was crucified with him “cast the same in        every soldier who deserted his post, could not deter
his teeth.” Several hours later, in agony, he cried          them. Moreover, there was nothing left for them to
with a loud voice, asking why he had been forsaken           guard; the seal of authority had been broken, the
by his Father; and not long thereafter, in relief, Jesus     sepulchre was open, and empty.” (Talmage, Jesus the
cried again with a loud voice, and he “yielded up the        Christ, p. 678.)
ghost.” It was finished. (See Matthew 27:35–50.) The
prophecies of the psalmist were fulfilled. Many that         (27-2) Matthew 28:1–4. What Was the Time of the
saw him had laughed him to scorn, and few had                Resurrection? When Did the Savior Emerge from
demonstrated pity in his behalf. “Reproach [had]             the Tomb?
broken [his] heart; and [he was] full of heaviness:          “Our Lord definitely predicted His resurrection from
and [he] looked for some to take pity, but there was         the dead on the third day, (Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19;
none; and for comforters, but [he] found                     Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33), and the
none.” (Psalm 69:20. See also Talmage, Jesus the             angels at the tomb (Luke 24:7), and the risen Lord in
Christ, pp. 668–69.) The mortal body of the Savior           Person (Luke 24:46) verified the fulfillment of the
was then laid in a garden tomb, which was then               prophecies; and apostles so testified in later years
sealed shut.                                                 (Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4). This specification of the
Your reading now permits you to contemplate the              third day must not be understood as meaning after
good news, the glorious message—the supreme fact             three full days. The Jews began their counting of the
that He is risen! You now have an opportunity to             daily hours with sunset; therefore the hour before
read about the events which took place on the day of         sunset and the hour following belonged to different
the resurrection: the Lord’s triumph over death, the         days. Jesus died and was interred during Friday
dramatic interview between the resurrected Jesus             afternoon. His body lay in the tomb, dead, during part



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of Friday (first day), throughout Saturday, or as we          as He sat at the Pharisee’s table were one and the
divide the days, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday,       same, the question would stand affirmatively
(second day), and part of Sunday (third day). We              answered, for that woman who had been a sinner was
know not at what hour between Saturday sunset and             forgiven. We are dealing with the scriptural record as
Sunday dawn He rose.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,             a history, and nothing said therein warrants the really
p. 697.)                                                      repellent though common imputation of unchastity to
                                                              the devoted soul of Mary Magdalene.” (Talmage,
(27-3) John 20:1. What Is the Significance of “The            Jesus the Christ, pp. 264–65.)
First Day of the Week”?
                                                              (27-5) Mark 16:9–11; John 20:11–18. Jesus
“Because Jesus came forth from the grave on the first
                                                              Appears to Mary Magdalene
day of the week, to commemorate that day and to keep
in remembrance the glorious reality of the                    “How much there is incident to the death, burial, and
resurrection, the ancient apostles, as guided by the          resurrection of our Lord which ennobles and exalts
Spirit, changed the Sabbath to Sunday. That this              faithful women. They wept at the cross, sought to care
change had divine approval we know from latter-day            for his wounded and lifeless body, and came to his
revelation, in which Deity speaks of ‘the Lord’s day’         tomb to weep and worship for their friend and Master.
as such and sets forth what should and should not be          And so it is not strange that we find a woman, Mary of
done on that day. (D. & C. 59:9–17.)” (McConkie,              Magdala, chosen and singled out from all the
DNTC, 1:841.)                                                 disciples, even including the apostles, to be the first
                                                              mortal to see and bow in the presence of a resurrected
(27-4) Matthew 26:6–13. Was Mary Magdalene the                being. Mary, who had been healed of much and who
Same Who Anointed Jesus at Simon the Pharisee’s               loved much, saw the risen Christ!”(McConkie, DNTC,
House (Luke 7:36–50), or the Same Woman                       1:843.)
Referred to as Mary of Bethany?
                                                              (27-6) John 20:17. Why Did the Lord Forbid Mary
“Mary Magdalene became one of the closest friends
                                                              to Touch Him?
Christ had among women; her devotion to Him as her
Healer and as the One whom she adored as the Christ           “One may wonder why Jesus had forbidden Mary
was unswerving; she stood close by the cross while            Magdalene to touch Him, and then, so soon after, had
other women tarried afar off in the time of His mortal        permitted other women to hold Him by the feet as they
agony; she was among the first at the sepulchre on the        bowed in reverence. We may assume that Mary’s
resurrection morning, and was the first mortal to look        emotional approach had been prompted more by a
upon and recognize a resurrected Being—the Lord               feeling of personal yet holy affection than by an
whom she had loved with all the fervor of spiritual           impulse of devotional worship such as the other
adoration. To say that this woman, chosen from                women evinced. Though the resurrected Christ
among women as deserving of such distinctive honors,          manifested the same friendly and intimate regard as
was once a fallen creature, her soul seared by the heat       He had shown in the mortal state toward those with
of unhallowed lust, is to contribute to the perpetuating      whom He had been closely associated, He was no
of an error for which there is no excuse. Nevertheless        longer one of them in the literal sense. There was
the false tradition, arising from early and unjustifiable     about Him a divine dignity that forbade close personal
assumption, that this noble woman, distinctively a            familiarity. To Mary Magdalene Christ had said:
friend of the Lord, is the same who, admittedly a             ‘Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my
sinner, washed and anointed the Savior’s feet in the          Father.’ If the second clause was spoken in
house of Simon the Pharisee and gained the boon of            explanation of the first, we have to infer that no
forgiveness through contrition, has so tenaciously held       human hand was to be permitted to touch the Lord’s
its place in the popular mind through the centuries,          resurrected and immortalized body until after He had
that the name, Magdalene, has come to be a generic            presented Himself to the Father. It appears reasonable
designation for women who fall from virtue and                and probable that between Mary’s impulsive attempt
afterward repent. We are not considering whether the          to touch the Lord, and the action of the other women
mercy of Christ could have been extended to such a            who held Him by the feet as they bowed in worshipful
sinner as Mary of Magdala is wrongly reputed to have          reverence, Christ did ascend to the Father, and that
been; man cannot measure the bounds nor fathom the            later He returned to earth to continue His ministry in
depths of divine forgiveness; and if it were so that this     the resurrected state.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
Mary and the repentant sinner who ministered to Jesus         p. 682.)


                                                            193
(27-7) John 20:17. What Is the Significance of                to believe that Christ had actually risen, the women,
Jesus’ Words “I Ascend unto My Father, and Your               less skeptical, more trustful, knew, for they had both
Father; and to My God, and Your God”?                         seen Him and heard His voice, and some of them had
                                                              touched His feet.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
“Such careful choice of words was in keeping with his
                                                              pp. 682–83.)
unvarying custom of maintaining a distinction
between himself and other men. He was the Son of              (27-10) Matthew 27:62–69; 28:1–4, 11–15. What
God, literally; other men had mortal fathers. Thus, for       Attempts Were Made to Discredit the
instance, he was careful to say. ‘I ascend unto my            Resurrection?
Father, and your Father; and to my God and your
God’ (John 20:17), not unto our Father and our                “The inconsistent assertion that Christ had not risen
God.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:413.)                                but that His body had been stolen from the tomb by
                                                              the disciples, has been sufficiently treated in the text.
(27-8) Matthew 28:1, 5–7; Mark 15:47; 16:1. Why               The falsehood is its own refutation. Unbelievers of
Did Mary Magdalene and Other Faithful Women                   later date, recognizing the palpable absurdity of this
Set Out to Visit the Tomb?                                    gross attempt at misrepresentation, have not hesitated
                                                              to suggest other hypotheses, each of which is
“At the earliest indication of dawn, the devoted Mary
                                                              conclusively untenable. Thus, the theory based upon
Magdalene and other faithful women set out for the
                                                              the impossible assumption that Christ was not dead
tomb, bearing spices and ointments which they had
                                                              when taken from the cross, but was in a state of coma
prepared for the further anointing of the body of Jesus.
                                                              or swoon, and that He was afterward resuscitated,
Some of them had been witnesses of the burial, and
                                                              disproves itself when considered in connection with
were conscious of the necessary haste with which the
                                                              recorded facts. The spear-thrust of the Roman soldier
corpse had been wrapped with spicery and laid away
                                                              would have been fatal, even if death had not already
by Joseph and Nicodemus, just before the beginning
                                                              occurred. The body was taken down, handled,
of the Sabbath; and now these adoring women came
                                                              wrapped and buried by members of the Jewish
early to render loving service in a more thorough
                                                              council, who cannot be thought of as actors in the
anointing and external embalmment of the
                                                              burial of a living man; and so far as subsequent
body.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 678.)
                                                              resuscitation is concerned, Edersheim (vol. 2, p. 626)
(27-9) Mark 16:11, 13; Luke 24:10, 11. Why Didn’t             trenchantly remarks: ‘Not to speak of the many
the Apostles Believe the Account of Mary                      absurdities which this theory involves, it really
Magdalene and the Other Women?                                shifts—if we acquit the disciples of complicity—the
                                                              fraud upon Christ Himself.’ A crucified person,
“Mary Magdalene and the other women told the                  removed from the cross before death and subsequently
wonderful story of their several experiences to the           revived, could not have walked with pierced and
disciples, but the brethren could not credit their words,     mangled feet on the very day of his resuscitation, as
which ‘seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed        Jesus did on the road to Emmaus. Another theory that
them not.’ After all that Christ had taught concerning        has had its day is that of unconscious deception on the
His rising from the dead on that third day, the apostles      part of those who claimed to have seen the resurrected
were unable to accept the actuality of the occurrence;        Christ, such persons having been victims of subjective
to their minds the resurrection was some mysterious           but unreal visions conjured up by their own excited
and remote event, not a present possibility. There was        and imaginative condition. The independence and
neither precedent nor analogy for the stories these           marked individuality of the several recorded
women told—of a dead person returning to life, with a         appearings of the Lord disprove the vision theory.
body of flesh and bones, such as could be seen and            Such subjective visual illusions as are predicated by
felt—except the instances of the young man of Nain,           this hypothesis, presuppose a state of expectancy on
the daughter of Jairus, and the beloved Lazarus of            the part of those who think they see; but all the
Bethany, between whose cases of restoration to a              incidents connected with the manifestations of Jesus
renewal of mortal life and the reported resurrection of       after His resurrection were directly opposed to the
Jesus they recognized essential differences. The grief        expectations of those who were made witnesses of His
and the sense of irreparable loss which had                   resurrected state.
characterized the yesterday Sabbath, were replaced by
profound perplexity and contending doubts on this             “The foregoing instances of false and untenable
first day of the week. But while the apostles hesitated       theories regarding the resurrection of our Lord are



                                                            194
cited as examples of the numerous abortive attempts to       (27-12) Luke 24:13. How Far Was Emmaus from
explain away the greatest miracle and the most               Jerusalem, and Where Was the Village Located?
glorious fact of history. The resurrection of Jesus
                                                             Emmaus was threescore furlongs—about 7½ miles
Christ is attested by evidence more conclusive than
                                                             from Jerusalem. The site of the village of Emmaus has
that upon which rests our acceptance of historical
                                                             not yet been located. (See Smith, A Dictionary of the
events in general. Yet the testimony of our Lord’s
                                                             Bible, rev. ed., s.v. “Emmaus.”)
rising from the dead is not founded on written pages.
To him who seeks in faith and sincerity shall be given       HE IS RISEN!
an individual conviction which shall enable him to
reverently confess as exclaimed the enlightened              (27-13) Though the Sepulchre Was Made Sure,
apostle of old: ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the         Nothing Could Keep the Savior from Coming
living God.’ Jesus, who is God the Son, is not dead.         Forth
‘I know that my Redeemer liveth.’ (Job 19:25.)”              After the chief priests and the Pharisees obtained
(Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 698–99.)                     guards from Pilate, they went and “made the sepulchre
(27-11) Mark 16:12. Why Did the Lord Withhold                sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch” (Matthew
His Identity When He Appeared to Cleopas and                 27:66), with the intent that the disciples might not
His Companion on the Road to Emmaus?                         come during the night, steal away the body of Jesus,
                                                             and then say to the people that the Savior was risen
“Why did the risen Lord take this means of appearing         from the dead. The Jewish leaders realized that such a
to Cleopas and his companion (perhaps Luke, since it         witness of the resurrection would be more powerful
is he who records the account)? Was it to quote and          than testimonies that were given while Jesus walked in
interpret the Messianic prophecies ‘beginning at             mortality. They knew that if the disciples told the
Moses and all the prophets’; Such could have been            people that Jesus was risen from the dead, this would
done under more effective circumstances, and for that        be a capstone to the Savior’s ministry and would
matter, Luke does not even record the explanations           draw men to him and to his gospel. To forestall just
given. Why did Jesus keep his identity hidden? Why           such a result, Roman guards were obtained from
walk and talk, perhaps for hours, along the dusty lanes      Pilate, and the sepulchre was made sure. (See Matthew
of Palestine?                                                27:62–66.)
“Obviously it was to show what a resurrected being is        But the plans of God were not to be frustrated, for in
like. He was teaching the gospel as only he could,           the early hours of the morning, before it was light, two
teaching a living sermon, a sermon that was to be            angels of the Lord descended from the heavens to roll
climaxed shortly in an upper room in the presence of         away the stone from before the door of the sepulchre.
his apostles. See Luke 24:36–44.                             (Matthew 28:2, 4, Inspired Version.) “And for fear of
“Jesus walked down a Judean lane, walked for hours           him [them] the keepers did shake, and became as dead
and taught the truths of the gospel, exactly as he had       men.” (Matthew 28:3, 4.)
during three and a half years of his mortal ministry. So     (27-14) What Acts Incident to the Resurrection of
much did he seem like any other wayfaring teacher, in        Our Lord Tend to Ennoble and Exalt Mary
demeanor, in dress, in speech, in physical appearance,       Magdalene and the Other Faithful Women?
in conversation, that they did not recognize him as the
Jesus whom they assumed was dead. ‘Abide with us,’           “How much there is incident to the death, burial, and
they said, as they would have done to Peter or John.         resurrection of our Lord which ennobles and exalts
‘Come in and eat and sleep; you must be tired and            faithful women. They wept at the cross, sought to care
hungry.’ They thought he was a mortal man. Could             for his wounded and lifeless body, and came to his
anyone devise a more perfect way to teach what a             tomb to weep and worship for their friend and Master.
resurrected being is like when his glory is retained         And so it is not strange that we find a woman, Mary of
within him? Men are men whether mortal or immortal,          Magdala, chosen and singled out from all the
and there need be no spiritualizing away of the reality      disciples, even including the apostles, to be the first
of the resurrection, not after this Emmaus road              mortal to see and bow in the presence of a resurrected
episode. See Mark 16:9–11.” (McConkie, DNTC,                 being. Mary, who had been healed of much and who
1:850.)                                                      loved much, saw the risen Christ! . . .




                                                           195
“Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene and then to           “Depression days prompted a proud answer: ‘Four
other women. To Mary the mother of Joses, to Joanna,          dollars and seventy-five cents.’
to Salome the mother of James and John, and to other
                                                              “Then ever so gently she suggested: “Billy’s family is
unnamed women, the two angels announced the
                                                              hard-pressed and grief-stricken. What would you think
resurrection, and sent them to tell Peter and the other
                                                              of the possibility of visiting the family members this
disciples. As they went, Jesus appeared and greeted
                                                              morning and giving to them your fund?’
them with the familiar ‘All hail.’ And so again it was
women who were honored with a visitation from their           “Ever shall I remember the tiny band walking those
friend the resurrected Lord.” (McConkie, DNTC,                three city blocks, entering Billy’s home, greeting him,
1:843, 846.)                                                  his brother, sisters, and father. Noticeably absent was
                                                              his mother. Always I shall treasure the tears which
POINTS TO PONDER                                              glistened in the eyes of all as the white envelope
                                                              containing our precious party fund passed from the
AS DID THE TWO DISCIPLES WHO WALKED                           delicate hand of our teacher to the needy hand of a
ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, HAVE YOU                               heartbroken father. We fairly skipped our way back to
EXPERIENCED A BURNING WITHIN?                                 the chapel. Our hearts were lighter than they had ever
                                                              been: our joy more full; our understanding more
(27-15) . . . As You Listened to Inspirational                profound. A God-inspired teacher had taught her boys
Singing and Sublime Testimonies?                              and girls an eternal lesson of divine truth. ‘It is more
                                                              blessed to give than to receive.’
“One day, two men were walking near Emmaus, a
town not far from Jerusalem, and a man suddenly               “Well could we have echoed the words of the disciples
appeared by their side. They did not recognize him.           on the way to Emaeus [sic]: ‘Did not our hearts burn
After he left them, they said, ‘Did not our heart burn        within us . . . while [she] opened to us the
within us . . . ?’ (Luke 24:32.) Luke tells us about that     scriptures?’ (Luke 24:32.)” (Thomas S. Monson in
incident, after he had inquired of many people who            CR, Apr. 1970, p. 99. Italics added.)
had had some intimacy with Jesus.
                                                              (27-17) . . . As You Received the Light, and Walked
“I think that there are many in this congregation, and        in the Light?
I hope many who have been listening over radio and
television who have had their hearts ‘burn within             “I say, our mission is not only to proclaim, but to live
them’ as they have listened not only to the                   as witnesses who have received the truth, and who
inspirational singing, but to the sublime testimonies,        love the truth. And if we live the truth, my brethren
and I hope as their hearts have burned within them,           and sisters, no man can come within the circle of our
that they realized the message that went into their           influence without being impressed with the fact—
hearts. I hope they have an inkling, at least, of the         somewhat after the same spirit as the disciples, when
divine truth that they are sons of God, and that that         the Master met them on the way to Emmaus, and
burning within them was just a touch of harmony               when they walked with him. The Scripture says,
between them and the infinite, the Spirit of God which        ‘Their eyes were holden,’ and when he came in and
will enlighten our minds, quicken our understandings,         broke bread with them, then they beheld, and it was
and bring all things to our remembrance.” (David O.           revealed unto them positively who it was. Then, in
McKay in CR, Apr. 1960, pp. 121–22. Italics added.)           counseling with them, they said, ‘Did not our hearts
                                                              burn within us while he talked with us?’ So it will be
(27-16) . . . Has a Teacher of the Gospel Opened to           with you, so it will be with me, so it will be with every
You the Scriptures?                                           man who, having received the light, walks in the
                                                              light.” (Alonzo A. Hinckley in CR, Apr. 1917,
“Never was her teaching so dynamic nor its impact
                                                              pp. 93–94. Italics added.)
more everlasting as one Sunday morning when she
sadly announced to us the passing of a classmate’s            (27-18) . . . As You Contemplated His Life and
mother. We had missed Billy that morning, but knew            Mission, as You Received the Humble and Solemn
not the reason for his absence. The lesson featured the       Witness That He Lives?
theme, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Midway through the lesson, our teacher closed the             “In our hearts we feel much the same as the two who
manual and opened our eyes and our ears and our               walked unbeknown to them with the resurrected
hearts to the glory of God. She asked, ‘How much              Christ, Cleopas and another, who, while walking to
money do we have in our class party fund?’                    Emmaus at the time of the resurrection, were


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discussing Jesus as they journeyed. The Master joined      “He asked forgiveness for his tormentors and then
them and opened the scriptures to their eyes.              willingly gave up his life.
Impressed, they asked him to tarry with them as they
                                                           “His body was laid in a borrowed tomb.
stopped to be refreshed. . . .
                                                           “An immense stone was placed over the opening.
“Later their eyes were open and they knew him, but he
had vanished. Said they: ‘Did not our heart burn           “In the minds of his stunned followers over and over
within us, while he talked with us by the                  echoed some of his last words, ‘. . . be of good cheer; I
way. . . . ?’ (Luke 24:25, 32.)                            have overcome the world.’ (Ibid., 16:33.)
“As we contemplate his life and mission, our hearts        “On the third day there was a great earthquake. The
burn within us, for we know that he lives.” (Alvin R.      stone was rolled back from the door of the tomb.
Dyer in CR, Apr. 1966, p. 125. Italics added.)             Some of the women, among the most devoted of his
                                                           followers, came to the place with spices ‘and found
(27-19) Jesus the Christ, Our Savior and                   not the body of the Lord Jesus.’ (Luke 24:3.)
Redeemer, Is Risen!
                                                           “Angels appeared and said simply, ‘Why seek ye the
“I bear witness to you that Jesus is the Christ, the       living among the dead?
Savior and Redeemer of the world—the very Son of
God.                                                       “‘He is not here, but is risen.’ (Ibid., 24:5–6.)

“He was born the babe of Bethlehem.                        ‘There is nothing in history to equal that dramatic
                                                           announcement: ‘He is not here, but is risen.’” (Ezra
“He lived and ministered among men.                        Taft Benson in CR, Apr. 1964, p. 119.)
“He was crucified on Calvary.
                                                          The resurrection of Jesus has been proclaimed as one
“His friends deserted him.
                                                          of the best attested of all events in history.
“His closest associates did not fully understand his
                                                          From what you have presently learned, identify five
mission, and they doubted. One of the most trusted
                                                          reasons why this is so. In what ultimate way is its
denied knowing him.
                                                          attestation greater than any secular event?
“A pagan governor, struggling with his conscience
                                                          The empty tomb of our Savior is the most significant
after consenting to Jesus’ death, caused a sign to be
                                                          of all time, for it was death that died, not Jesus. The
erected over the cross proclaiming him ‘JESUS OF
                                                          Prince of Peace, having fulfilled all things, is the
NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.’
                                                          Prince of life for all mankind and of eternal life to
(John 19:19.)
                                                          those who will follow him.




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198
                               28
                     “I KNOW THAT HE LIVES”
                                     LIVES”




     THE RESURRECTED CHRIST                 Matthew               Mark        Luke                 John
         APPEARS TO MEN
THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK

 Appears unto Peter                                                      24:34
 Appears to all Apostles Except Thomas                    16:14          24:33–49           20:19–23
APPEARANCES SUBSEQUENT TO
THOSE OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE
WEEK
Jerusalem                                                                                   20:24–29
  Appears to the Eleven Apostles
Sea of Galilee                                                                              21:1–14
 An Appearance to the Disciples
 “Feed My Sheep”                                                                            21:15–19
 John Is to Be Translated                                                                   21:20–23
Jerusalem
  Appearance to a Great Multitude               (1 Corinthians 15:6)
  Appears to James                              (1 Corinthians 15:7)
Galilee                                  28:16–20         16:15–18                   (See Acts 1:1–8)
 Appearance to the Disciples
Bethany, Judea                                            16:19          24:50, 51
 The Ascension
Disciples Return to Jerusalem                             16:20          24:52, 53

John’s Concluding Words                                                                     20:30, 31
                                                                                            21:24, 25


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THEME                                                         logic and experience, yet they did not allow those
                                                              seeds of faith and hope to die. And thus, after their
The testimony of all the prophets of all the ages is that
                                                              faith had been sorely tried, they received the glorious
Jesus is our living Savior; all the Saints share that
                                                              witness they desired. (See Ether 12:6.) Jesus, their
witness.
                                                              risen Lord and Master, appeared to the disciples!
INTRODUCTION                                                  Before proceeding, read all of the scriptural
Oh, haughty Rome! and faithless Sanhedrin—you                 references in the reading block.
thought a mortared stone could seal the borrowed
tomb and stay the power of God! A thousand stones,             INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
ten thousand guards, could not have secured that
door. As well you might have piled dry leaves to stop          (28-1) Luke 24:34. Why Did Jesus Appear to Peter
Euroclydon!*                                                   Apart from the Others?

On the first day of the week, at the rising of the             “This is the sole mention made by the Gospel-writers
sun, those devout, faithful women came to the                  of Christ’s personal appearance to Simon Peter on that
sepulchre. As they approached that sacred, holy                day. The interview between the Lord and His once
place, they wondered among themselves: “Who                    recreant but now repentant apostle must have been
shall roll us away the stone from the door of the              affecting in the extreme. Peter’s remorseful penitence
sepulchre?” (Mark 16:3.) But there was a great                 over his denial of Christ in the palace of the high
earthquake, and angels whose countenances shone                priest was deep and pitiful; he may have doubted that
like lightning came down and rolled away the stone             ever again would the Master call him His servant; but
and announced the sacred, solemn truth that Christ             hope must have been engendered through the message
had risen. (See Matthew 28:1–8; Mark 16:1–8;                   from the tomb brought by the women, in which the
Luke 24:1–9.)                                                  Lord sent greetings to the apostles, whom for the first
                                                               time He designated as His brethren, and from this
    No mortal man was pure enough                              honorable and affectionate characterization Peter had
        To first bear that great word,                         not been excluded; moreover, the angel’s commission
    But witness true, from angels came,                        to the women had given prominence to Peter by
        Of Christ, the risen Lord!                             particular mention. To the repentant Peter came the
    “He is not here, the tomb is bare.                         Lord, doubtless with forgiveness and loving
        Come hither now and see.                               assurance. The apostle himself maintains a reverent
    The Lord of life o’er death has won                        silence respecting the visitation, but the fact thereof is
        Triumphant victory!”                                   attested by Paul as one of the definite proofs of the
                 (Anonymous)                                   Lord’s resurrection.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ,
                                                               p. 687.)
*Euroclydon was the Bible name for a tempestuous
wind or hurricane on the Mediterranean, now called             But Jesus’ appearance to Peter perhaps had additional
a levanter. (See Acts 27:14.)                                  significance. Earlier, during his mortal ministry, Jesus
                                                               had announced that he would confer the “keys of the
Those women, apparently the first to hear the glad             kingdom” upon Peter (Matthew 16:19). Peter, in
and glorious news, were instructed by the angels to            conjunction with James and John, who would preside
inform Peter and the other apostles. Thus by Jesus’            with him, received those keys on the Mount of
design was launched a series of tests for his disciples.       Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1–8; Luke 9:28–36),
Then as now, the truth was established first by                and thereafter “acted as the First Presidency of the
testimony, then by confirmation. (See Mark 16:14.)             Church in their day.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
And, oh, how that testing must have taxed their faith:         3:152.) Those keys “belong always unto the
they were invited to accept the concept of                     Presidency of the High Priesthood” (D&C 81:2), and
resurrection, when for them resurrection had no                can be exercised in their fulness on the earth by only
historical precedent! Little wonder that when first his        one man at a time; and that man in the period just after
disciples heard the gladsome news, they struggled to           Jesus ascended into heaven was Peter. It may have
believe. But the seeds of hope and faith were planted          been, then, that Jesus’ special appearance to Peter was
in their hearts by the testimonies of the women and            associated in some way with the principle of keys.
others. Difficult as it was, and although to them the          (See also McConkie, DNTC, 1:851.)
concept of an actual resurrection defied all their


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(28-2) John 20:19–29. Did Thomas Doubt the                  and thus they ‘shall never taste of death.’ (3 Ne. 28:1–
Resurrection?                                               10, 36–40.) They will be like a person who lives
                                                            during the millennium.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:865.)
“The case of Thomas shows why the Lord went to
such great lengths on the Emmaus road and in the            (28-5) Matthew 28:16–20. Jesus Appears in Galilee
upper room to show beyond peradventure of doubt
exactly what his body was like. And so rather than          “Of all the recorded appearances of the risen Christ to
point the finger of scorn at Thomas we might do well        his disciples in Palestine, this one is paramount; and
to look carefully at the modern disbelief in that holy      yet of it the present Bible preserves only a most
being who with his Father reigns as a Holy Man in the       fragmentary account. This was an appearance by
heavens above.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:860.)                    appointment, by prearrangement, to which probably a
                                                            great multitude of disciples was invited. It is likely the
(28-3) John 21:1–17. “Simon, . . . Lovest Thou Me           occasion of which, as Paul wrote later, ‘he was seen of
More than These?”                                           above five hundred brethren at once.’ (1 Cor. 15:6.) If
                                                            so, the seventies and leading brethren of the Church
“This is a very important question for each one of us.
                                                            would have been present, as also perhaps the faithful
May I ask each of you, ‘Do you love the Lord?’ The
                                                            women who are inheritors of like rewards with
answer almost without exception would be, ‘Yes.’ Let
                                                            obedient priesthood holders.
us place ourselves in the position of Peter. . . .
                                                            “We do not know when Jesus specified the location of
“Can you picture this great scene of that powerful
                                                            the meeting, but on the night of his betrayal and arrest,
Peter being asked these simple questions? And the
                                                            he gave this promise: ‘After I am risen again, I will go
Lord had a way of knowing how deep the love was
                                                            before you into Galilee.’ (Matt. 26:32.) Then the
within Peter and how to teach him the way to show his
                                                            angels at the tomb, as part of their announcement to
love for Jesus Christ.
                                                            the women that ‘he is risen,’ commanded them to tell
“We show and prove our love by feeding the lambs            his disciples: ‘He goeth before you into Galilee; there
and the sheep. There are over three billion people on       shall ye see him.’ (Matt. 28:7; Mark 16:7.) And then
the earth today, and at the present rate of teaching,       to confirm again their previously made appointment,
over two and a half billion of God’s children will          and in so doing to reemphasize its importance, the
never be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. What if you     risen Jesus himself said to the women, as they held
were to live on this earth and never had a chance to        him by the feet, and worshipped him: ‘Go tell my
hear and be taught the true way of life?                    brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they
                                                            see me.’ (Matt. 28:9–10.)
“Our task is great. Teachers are needed. Every
member of this Church that has a testimony and is           “We may suppose that great preparation preceded
converted is urgently needed. The lambs and the sheep       this meeting; that it dealt with many things, perhaps
are hungry for the bread of life, for the gospel of Jesus   being similar to his resurrected ministry to multitudes
Christ. We can show our love by following the               of Nephites; and that from it, by the mouths of
prophet of God, ‘by every member being a                    many witnesses, the sure testimony of his divine
missionary’ to bring one or more souls into the Church      Sonship went forth to the world.” (McConkie, DNTC,
each year.” (Bernard P. Brockbank in CR, Oct. 1963,         1:866–67.)
p. 66.)
(28-4) John 21:21–24; D&C 7:1–8. Would John
                                                            POINTS TO PONDER
Never Die?
                                                            (28-6) “I Know That He Lives”
“It is interesting to note that in the gospel account
John specifies that he was promised that he should          Jesus rose from the dead. As a glorified, resurrected
tarry until the Second Coming and not that he should        being, he appeared before his disciples. They saw him—
escape death. From the account of the translation of        saw the wounds which marked his crucifixion. They
the Three Nephite disciples we learn that this is           saw him eat and speak and move before them. He was
exactly what takes place. A change is wrought in their      alive! They saw that he lived, and they declared that
bodies so they cannot die at this time, but when the        witness before kings and nations and defended it by
Lord comes again they ‘shall be changed in the              faithful testimony to the end of their lives. Others,
twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality,’         apostles and prophets in this modern day, bear the
                                                            same witness: that Jesus lives and is the Redeemer!



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Centuries before his ministry, death, and resurrection,      (28-8) Heed the Testimonies of the Prophets
Jesus had commanded Moses that truth could be
                                                             “There are those who hear testimonies borne in the
verified by the testimony of two or more witnesses.
                                                             Church, by those in high station and by members in
(See Deuteronomy 17:6; compare D&C 6:28.)
                                                             the wards and branches, all using the same words—‘I
Consistent with that requirement, between his
                                                             know that God lives; I know that Jesus is the Christ,’
resurrection and ascension disciples by the score
                                                             and come to question, ‘Why cannot it be said in
became witnesses of the living Redeemer.
                                                             plainer words? Why aren’t they more explicit and
At a general conference, President Harold B. Lee             more descriptive? Cannot the apostles say more?’
prefaced his witness by these words: “I know, with a
                                                             “How like the sacred experience in the temple
testimony more powerful than sight. . . .” (CR, Oct.
                                                             becomes our personal testimony. It is sacred, and
1972, p. 20.) No doubt many hundreds saw Jesus
                                                             when we are wont to put it into words, we say it in the
during his lifetime—even Pilate and the members of
                                                             same way—all using the same words. The apostles
the Sanhedrin saw him. But they did not have the
                                                             declare it in the same phrases with the little Primary or
witness that Jesus was their Redeemer. Read these
                                                             Sunday School youngster. ‘I know that God lives and
four passages carefully to see how this ‘‘second
                                                             I know that Jesus is the Christ.’
witness,” “more powerful than sight,” was a principle
established by Jesus and well understood by his              “We would do well not to disregard the testimonies of
disciples.                                                   the prophets or of the children, for ‘he imparteth his
                                                             words by angels unto men, yea, not only men but
Read the following: Matthew 16:15–17; John 15:26;            women also. Now this is not all; little children do have
1 Corinthians 12:3; Acts 2:32. How did these early           words given unto them many times which confound
disciples become witnesses of Christ? Is this avenue         the wise and the learned.’ (Al. 32:23.)
open to you?                                                 “Some seek for a witness to be given in some new and
                                                             dramatic and different way.
(28-7) Understand the Significance of These Simple           “The bearing of a testimony is akin to a declaration of
Words? “I Know That He Lives!”                               love. The romantics and poets and couples in love,
You have read the four Gospels, and you have had an          from the beginning of time, have sought more
opportunity to consider carefully the life and ministry      impressive ways of saying it, or singing it, or writing
of that being who is your Redeemer. Presumably you           it. They have used all of the adjectives, all of the
have been a good student. Hopefully you will pray            superlatives, all manner of poetic expression. And
often and earnestly for the Holy Spirit to enlighten and     when all is said and done, the declaration which is
guide your study.                                            most powerful is the simple, three-word variety.
                                                             “To one who is honestly seeking, the testimony borne
When John wrote the final verses of his Gospel,              in these simple phrases is enough, for it is the spirit
which appropriately concludes the four, he bore              that beareth record, not the words.” (Boyd K. Packer
testimony that the things he had written about Jesus         in CR, Apr. 1971, pp. 123–24.)
were true. (See John 21:24, 25.) Do you know that
they are true? Have you wanted to know? Read                 Now, keeping that in mind, read these testimonies of
Matthew 13:44–46; 7:7, 8. Have you paid the price            the prophets. Read them carefully and slowly: ponder
to know?                                                     them, and remember that “it is the spirit that beareth
                                                             record, and not the words.” (Compare D&C 1:39.)
TESTIMONIES OF THE PROPHETS                                  (28-9) Joseph Smith
In this last dispensation twelve prophets have stood at      “And now, after the many testimonies which have
the fore of those whom God has called to bear special        been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all,
witness of Jesus. Each of these men has served as the        which we give of him: That he lives!
president of the Church. They have borne a faithful
testimony of Jesus to the Church and to the world.           “For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and
                                                             we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only
Before you read their testimonies, however, there is         Begotten of the Father!
something you should consider. These are special
men—they bear special witness, but the words they            “That by him, and through him, and of him, the
use are nevertheless common words.                           worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants


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thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.”            (28-12) Wilford Woodruff
(D&C 76:22–24.)
                                                              “When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, stepped forth
(28-10) Brigham Young                                         into the world to occupy the position to which He had
                                                              been ordained of God, there were but few individuals
“My testimony is positive. I know that there are such         who had faith in Him, or who were looking for the
cities as London, Paris, and New York—from my own             coming of the Son of Man in fulfillment of prophecy.
experience or from that of others; I know that the sun        Jesus, all His life, it may be said, from the manger to
shines, I know that I exist and have a being, and I           the cross, was very unpopular with the mass of the
testify that there is a God, and that Jesus Christ lives,     human family, more particularly the inhabitants of
and that he is the Savior of the world. Have you been         Jerusalem. His history is before the world. He died an
to heaven and learned to the contrary? I know that            ignominious death upon the cross, and those of His
Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he had            own Father’s house, the High Priests, and the leading
many revelations. Who can disprove this testimony?            men of Jerusalem, were all in favor of His death. Yet
Any one may dispute it, but there is no one in the            the Savior possessed truth. He offered truth to the
world who can disprove it. I have had many                    world; He offered life and salvation to the world. But
revelations; I have seen and heard for myself, and            the principles He taught were unpopular in His day.
know these things are true, and nobody on earth can           He gathered around Him a few followers; but the
disprove them. The eye, the ear, the hand, all the            acceptance of His principles cost them their lives, as it
senses may be deceived, but the Spirit of God cannot          did the life of the Savior Himself. I do not know of a
be deceived; and when inspired with that Spirit, the          man—except it was John the Revelator—who
whole man is filled with knowledge, he can see with a         escaped. They all died violent deaths. They had to seal
spiritual eye, and he knows that which is beyond the          their testimony with their blood. Some were crucified;
power of man to controvert. What I know concerning            others were sawn asunder, beheaded, or in some way
God, concerning the earth, concerning government, I           put to death for the word of God, and the testimony of
have received from the heavens, not alone through my          Jesus Christ. They were put to death for their religion.
natural ability, and I give God the glory and the             How is it to-day? What name has been more honored,
praise.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, 1951 ed.,              or more held up as an ensample to the world than the
p. 433.)                                                      name of Jesus Christ?” (JD, 25:5.)
(28-11) John Taylor                                           (28-13) Lorenzo Snow
“As a God, He descended below all things, and made            “There is no man that knows the truth of this work
Himself subject to man in man’s fallen condition; as a        more than I do. I know it fully; I know it distinctly. I
man, He grappled with all the circumstances incident          know there is a God just as well as any man knows it,
to His sufferings in the world. Anointed, indeed, with        because God has revealed himself to me. I know it
the oil of gladness above His fellows, He struggled           positively. I shall never forget the manifestations of
with and overcame the powers of men and devils, of            the Lord; I never will forget them as long as memory
earth and hell combined; and aided by this superior           endures. It is in me. There is something to labor for,
power of the Godhead, He vanquished death, hell and           there is something to sacrifice for. When the Elders go
the grave, and arose triumphant as the Son of God, the        forth among the nations, they dare to say this; they
very eternal Father, the Messiah, the Prince of peace,        dare to say that God has revealed himself. They dare
the Redeemer, the Savior of the world; having finished        to say that God has spoken to His sons and daughters
and completed the work pertaining to the atonement,           as He did in former days, and they dare to say that He
which His Father had given Him to do as the Son of            has heard the prayers of the house of Israel, He has
God and the Son of man. As the Son of Man, He                 heard the prayers of the honest in heart, and He has
endured all that it was possible for flesh and blood to       come down as He did in the days of Israel when they
endure; as the Son of God He triumphed over all, and          were in Egyptian bondage to deliver them; He has
forever ascended to the right hand of God, to further         come down to relieve the distressed, and to confer
carry out the designs of Jehovah pertaining to the            upon them knowledge, intellectually, spiritually, and
world and to the human family.” (The Mediation and            to place them in a country where they can be blessed
Atonement, pp. 147–48.)                                       and saved from that half-starvation in which many
                                                              have been found where the Gospel reached
                                                              them.” (CR, Oct. 1880, p. 32.)



                                                            203
(28-14) Joseph F. Smith                                         want to leave my testimony with you and say to you: I
                                                                know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I
“I bear my testimony, and surely it is of as much force
                                                                know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the Living
and effect, if it be true, as the testimony of Job, the
                                                                God, and had restored to him the true gospel of Jesus
testimonies of the disciples of Jerusalem, the disciples
                                                                Christ in these latter days. . . .
on this continent, of Joseph Smith, or any other man
who told the truth. All are of equal force and binding          “So, realizing the seriousness of a testimony like that,
on the world. If no man had ever testified to these             realizing what it means, and with love unfeigned and a
things upon the face of the globe, I want to say as a           desire to be a blessing to all our Father’s children, I
servant of God, independent of the testimonies of all           leave this witness with you that this is the gospel of
men and of every book that has been written, that I             Jesus Christ, the only power of God unto salvation in
have received the witness of the Spirit in my own               preparation for the celestial kingdom, into which
heart, and I testify before God, angels and men,                kingdom we may all go if we will, but it will be on his
without fear of the consequences, that I know that my           terms, and I bear you that witness this day, in the
Redeemer lives, and I shall see him face to face, and           name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.” (CR, Oct.
stand with him in my resurrected body upon this                 1946, p. 153.)
earth, if I am faithful; for God has revealed this unto
me. I have received the witness, and I bear my                  (28-17) David O. McKay
testimony, and my testimony is true.” (Gospel                   “Brethren and sisters, I have cherished from childhood
Doctrine, pp. 446–47.)                                          the truth that God is a personal being and is, indeed,
                                                                our Father whom we can approach in prayer and
(28-15) Heber J. Grant
                                                                receive answers thereto. My testimony of the risen
“I thank God for the knowledge I possess by the                 Lord is just as real as Thomas’, who said to the
inspiration of his Spirit that God lives, that Jesus is the     resurrected Christ when he appeared to his disciples:
Christ, the Son of the living God, the Redeemer of the          ‘My Lord and my God.’ (John 20:28.) I know that he
world, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.            lives. He is God made manifest in the flesh; and I
And I thank him that I do know that Joseph Smith was            know that ‘there is none other name under heaven
a prophet of the true and the living God. . . . May God         given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts
help me and every Latter-day Saint who has a                    4:12.)
testimony of the divinity of the work in which we are
                                                                “I know that he will confer with his servants who seek
engaged to so live that our lives may proclaim the
                                                                him in humility and in righteousness. I know because I
truth of this Gospel, is my humble prayer, and I ask it
                                                                have heard his voice, and I have received his guidance
in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.
                                                                in matters pertaining to his kingdom here on earth.
Amen.” (CR, Apr. 1930, p. 192.)
                                                                “I know that his Father, our Creator, lives. I know that
(28-16) George Albert Smith                                     they appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and
“In conclusion let me say: We are not out of the                revealed to him the revelations which we now have
woods. This world is in for a housecleaning unless the          recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants and in other
sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father repent of             Church works. This knowledge is as real to me as that
their sins and turn to him. And that means the Latter-          which occurs in our daily lives. When we lay our
day Saints, or the members of the Church of Jesus               bodies down at night, we know—we have an
Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with all the rest, but       assurance—that the sun will rise in the morning and
we, first of all, ought to be setting the example. We           shed its glory over all the earth. So near to me is the
have sent over seventy thousand of our sons and                 knowledge of Christ’s existence and divinity of this
daughters into the world, paying their own expenses,            restored Church.” (CR, Apr. 1968, pp. 9–10.)
to divide the gospel of Jesus Christ with his other
                                                                (28-18) Joseph Fielding Smith
children. Why? Because we know it is the only plan
God has given to the children of men to earn a place in         “The Savior never committed any sin nor carried any
the celestial kingdom. That is why it is so important.          troubled conscience. He hadn’t been under the
In this great building that has been so sacred to all,          necessity of repenting as you and I have; but in some
after listening to the splendid choir and the organ,            way that I can not understand, he carried the weight of
listening to the prayers that have been offered here,           my transgressions and yours and the transgressions of
listening to the testimonies that have been borne, I            every soul who comes into this Church from the days



                                                              204
of Adam to our present time. He came and offered             feet? Hundreds of his intimate believing friends bore
himself as a sacrifice to pay the debt for the things I      witness.
have done that are wrong and that each of you
                                                             “This was Jesus of Nazareth, born in a manger, reared
individually have done that are wrong, and each other
                                                             in a small village, baptized in the Jordan River,
person who has been willing to repent of his sins and
                                                             crucified on Golgotha, buried in a stone-cold roomlet
return to Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. He
                                                             in the cliff, and his resurrection attested to in a small,
paid the price. Think of it if you can. Think of what
                                                             pleasant garden near the tomb.
one man can suffer for his wrongdoing. The Savior
carried that burden in some way beyond our                   “His suffering before and on the cross and his great
comprehension. But he carried it. I know that because        sacrifice can mean little or nothing to us unless we live
I accept his word. And the great weight of the torment       his commandments. For he says:
he went through to save us from the torment was so           “‘. . . why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
great that he plead with his Father that if it were          things which I say?’ (Luke 6:46.)
possible he may not drink the bitter cup and shrink—
‘but nevertheless thy will be done.’ The answer he got       “‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ (John
from his Father was, ‘You have to drink it.’                 14:15.)
“Can I help loving him? No, I can’t. Do you love him?        “Certainly if we fail to live his teachings, we
Then keep his commandments. If you don’t, you will           lose communication with him. (CR, Apr. 1972,
have to answer for them yourselves. ‘If ye love me,          pp. 25–26.) . . .
keep my commandments.’” (Take Heed to Yourselves,            “And eternal life again was made available to men in
pp. 281–82.)                                                 the earth, for does not the scripture say: ‘And this is
(28-19) Harold B. Lee                                        life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
                                                             God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’ (John
“As one of the humblest among you, and occupying             17:3.) And so we return to the promise made on the
the station I do, I want to bear you my humble               hill in Palestine. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for
testimony that I have received by the voice and the          they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8.)
power of revelation, the knowledge and an
understanding that God is. It was a week following the       “Men who know God and love him and live his
conference, when I was preparing myself for a radio          commandments and obey his true ordinances may yet
talk on the life of the Savior when I read again the         in this life, or the life to come, see his face and know
story of the life, the crucifixion and, the resurrection     that he lives and will commune with them.
of the Master—there came to me as I read that, a             “Our friends, I invite further inquiry. I testify to these
reality of that story, more than just what was on the        truths, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” (CR, Apr.
written page. For in truth, I found myself viewing the       1964, pp. 98–99.)
scenes with a certainty as though I had been there in
person. I know that these things come by the                 These are the testimonies of the prophets—twelve
revelations of the living God.” (“Divine Revelation,”        men who, among many others, know the Lord and
Speeches of the Year, 1952, p. 12. Italics added.)           know that he is a living Redeemer. How strong is
                                                             your testimony? Has your study of the Gospels
(28-20) Spencer W. Kimball                                   strengthened it? How? Have you raised your voice as
“This is Easter week—a time when we solemnly                 a witness, as have the prophets?
remind each other of the unprecedented occurrence
which took place in a small inner garden, in a rough-        (28-21) Will It Make a Difference?
hewn tomb, in a caliche hill, outside the walls of
Jerusalem. It happened there in an early morning and         You are at the end of this lesson and at the end of your
startled every soul who heard of it.                         study of the Gospels. But the account about you is just
                                                             beginning. You will write it—all the rest of it—
“Since it had never happened before on this earth, it        throughout your life. Will you live and act and serve as
must have been difficult for the people to believe, but      one who loves the Lord?
how could they any longer doubt, when the
resurrected Lord himself came to them and showed             Come back to the Gospels often—never get too far
himself, and they felt the wounds in his hands and           away from the sweet, quiet testimony that they contain:
                                                             that Jesus lives and is your Redeemer.


                                                           205
“Members of the Church . . . are under obligation to         Our Savior
make the sinless Son of Man their ideal—the one              The immaculate Son of our Eternal Father
perfect being who ever walked the earth.                     The Light, the Life, the Way
    Sublimest Example of Nobility                        “I know he lives. . . .” (David O. McKay, “The
    God-like in nature                                   Transforming Power of Faith in Jesus Christ,”
    Perfect in his love                                  Improvement Era, June 1951, p. 478.)
    Our Redeemer




                                                       206
                                     MAP SECTION
Note: The following items are not available in the Internet and PDF versions of this manual:
•   Appendix E: The Land of Palestine
•   Jerusalem During the Time of Christ
•   The Holy Land at the Time of the Early Apostles
•   New Testament Chronological History
•   The Mediterranean World at the Time of the Early Apostles
•   The Mediterranean World Today
•   Paul’s 1st Journey
•   Paul’s 2nd Journey
•   Paul’s 3rd Journey
•   The Voyage to Rome
•   The Seven Churches of Asia




                                                      207
         CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY
                       HISTORY OF THE LIFE
           AND MINISTRY OF JESUS
                           JESUS CHRIST
    (Many New Testament dates are only approximate within one to seven years. A few highlights of the Savior’s
    ministry have been selected as representative of his activities.)
                                   4 B.C.                 A.D. 1                       3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27             A.D. 30                                                                                                                                                                                                A.D. 31




                                                                                                                           John the Forerunner

                                                                                                                                                 THE FIRST YEAR OF JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
                                                                                              “And he came and dwelt
                                                                                              in a city called Nazareth,
                                                               Testimonies of Simeon, Anna
                                                               Jesus Circumcised in Temple




                                                                                              that it might be fulfilled
                                                               Angels, Shepherds Rejoice
                                    John ben Zacharias b. ca. Oct.; Jesus Christ b. 6 April




                                                                                                                                                                                            Calling of Andrew, Simon, Philip, Nathanael
                                                                                              which was spoken by the




                                                                                                                                                                                            Marriage at Cana—1st Recorded Miracle
                                                                                              prophets, He shall be
                                                               Return to Nazareth
                                                               Visit of Wise Men




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Calling of Peter, Andrew, James, John
                                                                                              called a Nazarene.




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  John Imprisoned at Machaerus, Perea
                                                               Flight to Egypt




                                                                                              “And it came to pass that                                                                     First Cleansing of the Temple
                                                                                              Jesus grew up with his




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          FIRST JUDEAN MINISTRY
                                                                                                                                                                                            First Passover in Jerusalem
                                                                                              brethren, and waxed




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Galilean Ministry Begins
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The Woman of Samaria
                                                                                              strong, and waited upon
                                                                                                                                                                                            Visit from Nicodemus




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Rejection at Nazareth
                                                                                              the Lord for the time of
                                                                                              his ministry to come.”
                                                                                                                                                                                            Baptism of Jesus
                                    (called John the Baptist)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Many Healings
                                                                                              (Matthew 3:23, 24,
                                                                                                                                                                                            Temptations




                                                                                              Inspired Version. Italics
                                                                                              added.)




                                                  Augustus

                                                  27 B.C. to A.D. 14 Tiberius, A.D. 14–37

                                                                            Judea, Samaria, and Idumea Formed into a
                                                                            Roman Province under a Procurator, A.D. 6–70
Herod the Great, 37 B.C.–4 B.C.*




                                                                             A.D. 12–15 (est)
                                                                             A.D. 9–12 (est)
                                                                             Annius Rufus
                                                                             A.D. 6–9 (est)


                                                                             Ambivius
                                                                             Copohius

                                                                             Marcus




                                                                                                          Valerius
                                                                                                          Gratus     Pontius Pilate, A.D. 26–36
                                                                                                          A.D. 15–26


                                                                                 Archelaus, Ethnarch of Judea, 4 B.C.–A.D. 6


                                                                              Herod Philip, Tetrarch of Iturea, 4 B.C.–A.D. 34


                                                                          Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee, 4 B.C.–A.D. 39



                                                                                                                                                                                               208
                                                                                                                                  THE SECOND YEAR OF JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
                                                                                                                                   Second Passover at Jerusalem
                                                                                                                                   The Twelve Chosen
                                                                                                                                   Sermon on the Mount
                                                                                                                                   Miracles and Healings
                                                                                                                                   Storm Stilled on Sea of Galilee
                                                                                                                                   Healings, Casting Out of Devils
                                                                                                                                   Parables at the Sea of Galilee
                                                                                                                                   Second Rejection at Nazareth
                                                                                                                                                                                                               A.D. 32
                                                                                                                                   The Twelve Sent Forth
                                                                                                                                   Death of John at Machaerus, Perea
                                                                                                                                   Return of the Twelve


                                                                                                                                  THE THIRD YEAR OF JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
                                                                                                                                   Feeding of the Five Thousand
                                                                                                                                   Jesus Walks on the Sea
                                                                                                                                   Third Passover
                                                                                                                                   Transfiguration




                                    been made to reconcile this
                                                                                                                                   Seventy Sent Forth
                                                                                                                                   Jerusalem—Feast of Tabernacles




                                    four years have been lost from our
                                    believe that Christ was born at least
                                                                                                                                   Seventy Return




                                    of many scholars and historians who
                                    * It will be noted that no attempt has




                                    probability, it will be discovered that

                                    present calendar, and that the problem
                                    will one day be satisfactorily resolved.
                                    (See Jesus the Christ, pp. 104, 109.) In
                                                                                                                                   Later Judean and Perean Ministry Commences




                                    4 B.C. Elder James E. Talmage believes
                                    that the Savior was born on 6 Apr. 1 B.C.
                                    chronological study with the conclusions
                                                                                                                                   Jerusalem—Feast of Dedication




209
                                                                                                                                   Raising of Lazarus at Bethany
                                                                                                                                                                                                               A.D. 33




                                                                                                                                  THE WEEK OF THE ATONING SACRIFICE
                                                                                                                                   First day: Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
                                                                                                                                   Second day: Cleansing of the Temple
                                                                                                                                   Third day: The Teaching of Parables
                                                                                                                                   Fourth day: Rest at Bethany
                                                                                                                                   Fifth day: Fourth Passover / Sacrament
                                                                                                                                     Mount of Olives—Gethsemane




                                                                                                                 ROMAN EMPERORS
                                                                                                                                   Sixth day: Betrayal, Arrest, Trial, Condemnation, Crucifixion, and Entombment
                                                                                                                                   Seventh day: Guard Established at Tomb
                                                                                                                                   First day: Christ Appears as a Resurrected Being




      KING’S SUBSIDIARIES TO ROME
                                                                                ROMAN PROCURATORS OF PALESTINE
                                                                                                                                  THE FORTY-DAY MINISTRY
                                                                                                                                   Appearances of Christ to Disciples in Jerusalem, Galilee
                                                                                                                                   Special Instruction, Blessings to the Twelve
                                                                                                                                   Ascension from the Mount of Olives
                                                                                                                                                                                                               A.D. 34




                                                                                                                                  APPEARANCE TO THE NEPHITES
                                                                            THE BOOK OF REVELATION
                                                                                        REVELATION
                                    The Seven Seals (The Seven 1,000 Year Days of the Earth’s Temporal Existence*)
                                                                    1                                   2                                 3                             4                       5
                  PREMORTAL EXISTENCE




                                                                 Adam’s                       Enoch’s Ministry                    Abraham’s Ministry               Israel Divided            John the
ETERNITIES PAST




                                                              Ministry Begins                                                                                   into Two Kingdoms        Baptist’s Ministry
                                        FALL OF ADAM




                                                                                           City of Enoch Translated                Isaac, Jacob and
                                                               Wickedness                                                        Twelve Tribes of Israel         Isaiah’s Ministry        Christ’s Ministry
                                                                                                  Noah’s Ministry
                       CREATION




                                                             Begins to Spread
                                                                                                                                  Joseph, and Israel’s         Ten Tribes Conquered      Church Established
                                                                                             The Great Flood—
                                                            Repentance Taught                                                      Bondage in Egypt                  and Lost
                                                                                            Mankind Begins Again                                                                       Atoning Sacrifice Made
                                                               by Prophets
                                                                                                                                    Moses’ Ministry              Prophets Rejected
                                                                                                  Tower of Babel                                                                            Gospel Taken
                                                             Adam Gathers and
                                                                                                                                   Conquest of Land             Judah Taken Captive        to the Gentiles
                                                            Blesses His Children              Jaredites Come to
                                                                                                                                      of Canaan
                                                                                               Promised Land                                                    Period of Apostasy        Great Apostasy
                                                                Adam Dies
                                                                                                                                   Israelites Begin to                                   and the Dark Ages
                                                                                                                                      Have Kings




                                                       John Summarizes the Highlights of the First Five Seals
                                                       Joseph Smith said: “The things which John saw had no allusion to the scenes of the days of Adam, Enoch, Abraham
                                                       or Jesus, only so far as is plainly represented by John. . . . John saw that only which was lying in futurity and which
                                                       was shortly to come to pass.” (Teachings, p. 289.) That such is the case is evident when we see that the first five seals
                                                       are dealt with in 11 verses (only 3% of the total verses) while 281 verses (70%) deal with the events of the sixth and
                                                       seventh seals and the final glory of the earth.


                                              Great Calamities to           Destruction Is Held             Fire, Destruction,             Two Witnesses in   7th Trumpet             Vials of Judgment
                                              Be Shown During               Back While                      and War                        Jerusalem During   Sounds—Voices           Poured out on the
                                              the 6th Seal                  Righteous Are                   Unleashed During               Great War There    in Heaven               World; Wicked
                                                                            Sealed—Gospel’s                 7th Seal                                          Announce                Still Do Not
                                              (6:12–17)                                                                                    (11:1–13)
                                                                            Restoration                                                                       Triumph of              Repent
                                                                                                            (8:1–13; 9:1–21)
                                                                                                                                                              Kingdom
                                                                            (7:1–8)                                                                                                   (15:5–8; 16:1–21)
                                                                                                                                                              (11:13–19)




         JOHN SEES THOSE SAVED IN GOD’S KINGDOM                                                                                          JOHN SEES THOSE SAVED IN GOD’S KINGDOM
      Just prior to the sounding of the seven trumpets of judgment,                                                                      Just prior to the pouring out of the vials of judgment, John is
      John is shown the multitude of those who have achieved salvation                                                                   shown the multitude of those who overcame the beast praising
      praising God and the Lamb in the celestial kingdom.                                                                                God and the Lamb in the celestial kingdom.
      (7:9–17)                                                                                                                           (15:1–4)


                                                       THE “LITTLE BOOK” INTERLUDE                                                            THE DESTRUCTION OF SATAN’S KINGDOM

     Between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and the vision of the                                                                     After the seven vials of judgment have been poured out, an angel
     two witnesses in Jerusalem, an angel delivers a book to John and                                                                    explains the symbolism of the great whore and the beast. He is
     commands him to eat it. We know from latter-day revelation that                                                                     then shown the great overthrow of the whore (the symbolic
     this symbolized a special mission given to John to participate in                                                                   representation of Satan’s kingdom and the counterpart to the true
     the gathering of Israel (D&C 77:14). Thus John is shown his part                                                                    church—the bride of Christ). The world laments in great sorrow
     in the great events of the future which he sees in vision.                                                                          the fall of Satan’s empire.
     (10:1–11)                                                                                                                           (17:1–18; 18:1–24)


      * These “days” should not in any way be confused with the major gospel dispensations. Such dispensations have not been initiated at regular
      intervals but have been subject to the wisdom of God and willingness of man to believe the prophets. (See D&C 77:7, 12.)




                                                                                                                                    210
      Our Day:                                     The
    “The Saturday                                Earth’s
   Evening” of Time                              Sabbath




              6                                       7




                                                                                                               ETERNITIES FUTURE
                                                                                            ASSIGNED ETERNAL
         Renaissance                           Final Destruction




                                                                           FINAL JUDGMENT
                                                                                              PROBATIONARY
       and Reformation                          of the Wicked




                                                                                              PERIOD ENDED
                                                                                               ALL MEN NOW
     Industrial Revolution                Christ Comes to Reign




                                                                                                 REWARD
                                            as King of Kings
    Joseph Smith’s Ministry
                                               Earth Receives
       Church Becomes
                                              Paradisiacal Glory
        World Church
                                                 Satan Bound
    Saints Prepare for Christ
                                               Millennial Era of
       Great Calamities
                                               Peace and Love
         Worldwide
                                             Earth Celestialized at
          Zion Fully
                                             Close of Millennium
          Established



The Kingdom of God—Its Triumphant Destiny
While the events of the future ages were revealed around the basic chronological farmework of the seven seals, it does not seem
to have been the Lord’s purpose to arrange every aspect of the revelation in a strict order of the occurrence of these events. Like
a master teacher who digresses from his presentation to further clarify or expand what he teaches, even so the Lord interrupts
the order of the presentation to give greater insight, further truths, deeper knowledge of the marvelous future destiny of his
kingdom. These “teaching interludes” are shown on the chart below.


   Voice Announces              Christ Comes as           Satan Is Bound               The Righteous Are                           Satan Loosed at      The Great and       A New Heaven
   in Heaven the Final          King of Kings—                                         Redeemed; the                               End of               Last Judgment       and New Earth—
                                                          (20:1, 2)
   Triumph of Christ’s          Final Destruction                                      Millennium                                  Millennium, His                          the Word Is
                                                                                                                                                        (20:11–15)
   Kingdom                      of the Wicked                                          Begins                                      Final Conquest and                       Celestialized
                                                                                                                                   Banishment
   (19:1–10)                    (19:11–21)                                             (20:3–6)                                                                             (21:1–27; 22:1–5)
                                                                                                                                   (20:7–10)




AN EXPLANATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ITS OPPOSITION FROM SATAN’S KINGDOM
The voices in heaven announced the coming triumph of the Kingdom of God. This kingdom and its great satanic
counterpart are now discussed in some detail.
I. The Church and Kingdom of God                                      II. The Church and Kingdom of Satan                                                 III. The Final Outcome
  A. The church (the ecclesiastical aspect                              A. John sees the beast from the sea                                                 A. John sees the Lamb on Mount
     of the kingdom) brings forth the                                      and is shown that Satan has power                                                   Zion with those who have been
     kingdom where Christ reigns as                                        over earthly kingdoms (the                                                          sealed in their foreheads by
     king (the political aspect of the                                     political aspects of his kingdom).                                                  God. (The 144,000)
     kingdom).
                                                                        B. John sees the beast from the earth                                               B. John sees the angelic
  B. The church and kingdom of God are                                     exercising great evil through                                                       restoration of the gospel, which
     opposed by the great dragon (Satan).                                  religious power (the ecclesiastical                                                 signals the fall of Satan’s
                                                                           aspects of his kingdom).                                                            dominions.
  C. This opposition actually began in the
     premortal existence and caused war in                              C. The followers of the beast are                                                   C. The Son of Man is seen in
     heaven.                                                               sealed in their foreheads to mark                                                   heaven with the sickle and
                                                                           their allegiance.                                                                   winepress. The great harvest
  D. The church of John’s time would not                                                                                                                       (judgment) of the wicked is to
     bring forth the kingdom but would be                                  (13:1–18)                                                                           begin.
     driven into the wilderness (apostasy)
     by the dragon.                                                                                                                                             (14:1–20)
      (12:1–17)




                                                                                              211
212
                                                             Contents
                                 [Note: Page numbers given here are those in the printed manual,
                                                not this special PDF version.]


INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION 212                                                 SECTION 10
Introduction                                                                 Paul’s Witness To Priesthood Leaders

SECTION 7                                                                    45 “I Have Fought a Good Fight, I Have
                                                                                Finished My Course, I Have Kept
The Church Grows As The Witnesses Go Forth                                      the Faith” ....................................................... 373
29   “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith the Lord” ........241                       46 “Let Us Go On unto Perfection”.................... 381
30   “God Is No Respecter of Persons” .................251                   47 “By the Blood Ye Are Sanctified”................. 389
31   “A Chosen Vessel unto Me” ..........................257                 48 Faith: Evidence of Things Not Seen .............. 395
32   “I Have Set Thee to Be a Light of
                                                                             SECTION 11
     the Gentiles” ..................................................263
                                                                             The Early Apostles Send Their
SECTION 8                                                                       Witness To The World
Paul’s Witness As A Missionary                                               49 “Pure Religion and Undefiled” ...................... 407
33 The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ ............273                       50 “For This Cause Was the Gospel
34 “That Your Faith Should Not Stand in                                         Preached Also to Them That Are Dead” ....... 415
   the Wisdom of Men”......................................281               51 “Partakers of the Divine Nature” ................... 421
35 “This Do in Remembrance of Me” ................287                        52 “Walk in the Light As He Is in the Light” ..... 429
36 “Covet Earnestly the Best Gifts” ...................295                   53 “For There Are Certain Men Crept
37 “Affliction Worketh in Us a More                                             in Unawares” ................................................. 435
   Exceeding Weight of Glory” .........................301
                                                                             SECTION 12
38 “Whatsoever a Man Soweth, That Shall
   He Also Reap” ...............................................307          John’s Witness Of The Church Triumphant
39 “Man Is Justified by Faith” ............................315
                                                                             54 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ . . . unto
40 Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs with Christ .....323
                                                                                His Servant John” .......................................... 449
41 Elected Before the Foundations of
                                                                             55 “The Kingdoms of This World Are
   the World .......................................................331
                                                                                Become the Kingdoms of Our Lord”............. 457
SECTION 9                                                                    56 “Behold, I Come Quickly; and My Reward
                                                                                Is with Me” .................................................... 467
Paul’s Witness From Prison
                                                                             APPENDIX SECTION ...................................... 475
42 “As Thou Hast Testified of Me in
   Jerusalem, so Must Thou Bear Witness                                      Bibliography......................................................... 495
   Also at Rome” ................................................341         Author Index ........................................................ 499
43 “Ye Are . . . Fellow Citizens with                                        Scripture Index ..................................................... 521
   the Saints” ......................................................349     Subject Index........................................................ 535
44 “Be Thou an Example of the Believers” ........359




                                                                           225
     INTRODUCTION TO RELI
                     RELIGION
                          GION 212
   “YE SHALL BE WITNESS
                WITNESSES
                       ES UNTO ME”
THEME                                                       but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly and
                                                            independent, till it has penetrated every continent;
“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is
                                                            visited every clime, swept every country and sounded
come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me
                                                            in every ear; till the purposes of God shall be
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
                                                            accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8.)
                                                            work is done.’” [History of the Church of Jesus Christ
INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION 212                                of Latter-day Saints, 4:540.] (Spencer W. Kimball,
                                                            “When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct.
“I ask you, what did he mean when the Lord took his         1974, pp. 4–13.)
Twelve Apostles to the top of the Mount of Olives and
said:                                                       The early apostles and saints labored diligently and
                                                            faithfully to fulfill the divine charge to take their
“‘. . . And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in           witness to all the world. The purpose of this course
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto       manual is to help you realize how deeply these men
the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8.)               took the Savior’s charge to heart and carried out their
“These were his last words on earth before he went to       part of the great commission. In the words of President
his heavenly home.                                          Harold B. Lee:
“What is the significance of the phrase ‘uttermost part     “As we review again the matchless and unselfish
of the earth’? He had already covered the area known        devotion of these early prophets and martyrs to the
to the apostles. Was it the people in Judea? Or those in    gospel of Christ, may we bow in reverence and repeat
Samaria? Or the few millions in the Near East? Where        with a greater appreciation and comprehension as with
were the ‘uttermost parts of the earth’? Did he mean        the multitude in Jerusalem on the occasion of the
the millions in what is now America? Did he include         triumphal entry the words: ‘How blessed is he [the
the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, in             Apostles of the past and present] that cometh in the
Greece, Italy, around the Mediterranean, the                name of the Lord.’” (CR, Apr. 1955, p. 19.)
inhabitants of central Europe? What did he mean? Or
did he mean all the living people of all the world and      What Should I Seek to Accomplish As I Take This
those spirits assigned to this world to come in             Course of Study?
centuries ahead? Have we underestimated his                 Two major objectives lie at the heart of a study of the
language or its meaning? How can we be satisfied            latter half of the New Testament. First, to draw closer
with 100,000 converts out of nearly four billion people     to Christ and feel increased spiritual power. Secondly,
in the world who need the gospel? . . .                     a study of Acts to Revelation is especially valuable for
                                                            Latter-day Saints because we face many of the same
“You are acquainted with the statement of the Prophet
                                                            problems that faced those early saints. In our
Joseph Smith in the Wentworth Letters written
                                                            dispensation, the church of Jesus Christ has once again
March 1, 1842. (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 536.)
                                                            been organized, and our commission is the same as
I am sure the Prophet Joseph looked ahead and saw
                                                            was theirs: to take the blessings of the Church and the
many problems with national animosities and fears
                                                            witness of the resurrected Christ to all the world
with war and commotions and jealousies, and I am
                                                            (D&C 1:17–23).
sure that he saw all these things would happen and yet
in spite of everything he said with great boldness and      This Course of Study Chronicles the Testimony of
assurance:                                                  Eyewitnesses
“‘No unhallowed hand can stop the work from                 At the death of Jesus, his apostles and disciples were
progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may                filled with despair. They had been sustained and
combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame,           upheld by him for almost three years, and now he was




                                                          226
gone. Alone, discouraged, wavering in faith, and             How does one account for their boldness, their change,
perhaps frightened, they thought at first all was lost.      their assuredness? The real answer is found in the
As you ponder the fact that these were ordinary men          explanation as declared by David O. McKay:
and that their despondency was quite a natural and
                                                             “That the literal resurrection from the grave was a
human reaction under the circumstances, you also
                                                             reality to the disciples, who knew Christ intimately, is
must be struck by another more compelling fact—that
                                                             a certainty. In their minds there was absolutely no
fifty days later these same men were bearing a fervent
                                                             doubt. They were witnesses of the fact. They knew
testimony that Jesus was alive, that he had been seen
                                                             because their eyes beheld, their ears heard, their
of them, and that he was, in fact, risen from the dead
                                                             hands felt the corporeal presence of the risen
as he said he would be. Further, you must be
                                                             Redeemer.” (CR, Apr. 1939, p. 112. Italics added.)
impressed that for the sake of bearing this witness,
they endured slander, physical abuse, and extreme            The implication of their witness to you should be
adversity; they compassed land and sea; and finally,         clear. As Elder McKay further declared:
most of them died a martyr’s death. Why? How do              1. “If Christ lived after death, so shall men, each one
you account for such a transformation in their lives?           taking the place in the next world for which he is
Why is Paul one day a zealous persecutor of the                 best fitted.” (CR, Apr. 1939, p. 115.)
Christians and then abruptly a bold witness for Christ?
Theirs is no testimony of despair or doubt. Ponder           2. “To him who accepts Jesus of Nazareth as the
their witness carefully.                                        very Son of God, to him who believes with all his
                                                                soul that Jesus lives today, that he can . . . and that
Peter                                                           he does influence the world, to him, I say, . . .
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of                   Christ’s teachings as well as his personality,
Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by                    become a reality. You cannot profess to be truly a
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by                Christian and refuse to live up to the principles
him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:            that Christ taught and obeyed.” (CR, Apr. 1918,
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and             pp. 78–79.)
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked           This course of study chronicles the lives, discourses,
hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised         and written testimony of men who, as eyewitnesses,
up, having loosed the pains of death: . . . This Jesus       saw the risen Lord and were transformed by his power
hath God raised up, WHEREOF WE ALL ARE                       and influence. It is hoped that as you consider their
WITNESSES.” (Acts 2:22–24, 32. Emphasis added.)              witness, coupled with the testimonies of the Lord’s
Paul                                                         special witnesses in this dispensation, you will receive
                                                             their testimony as a witness, more powerful than sight,
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
                                                             of our Lord’s resurrection and redemptive mission.
received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he       Mars’ Hill and the Apostle Paul
rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:          The Athens that Paul knew was nearly two thousand
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren       years younger than the Athens of today. Even the little
at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this           in the city that has survived the ravages of two
present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was      millennia bears eloquent witness to the glorious
seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all     heights achieved by the ancient Greeks. But no one
he was seen of me. . . .” (1 Corinthians 15:3–8.)            should be fooled into thinking that marble columns
                                                             and graceful architecture are the only legacies
John                                                         bequeathed to future generations by the noble Greeks.
“That which . . . we have heard, which we have seen          Democracy, the political ideal of much of the world,
with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our            had its birth in Athens; students in virtually every
hands have handled . . . the Word of life.” (1 John          major university in the world still explore the
1:1.)                                                        philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; the




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dramas of Sophocles and Euripides, written hundreds           Though Paul stood before the council of the
of years before the birth of Christ, are performed all        Areopagus for only a few short minutes and left the
over the globe; mathematics students memorize the             city of Athens after a very limited stay, his presence in
theorems and formulas of Pythagoras and Euclid; and           the city symbolizes the clash between the gospel and
every four years, millions watch via satellite as             the world of Paul’s time. Standing in sight of the
athletes from many nations compete in the Olympic             awesome Parthenon, this converted Jew of Tarsus, a
games, an event started by the Greeks in 776 B.C.             man who pretended to no great worldly learning and
                                                              who preached a simple gospel, told the learned men of
To Athens, long a center for Greek culture, came Paul,
                                                              Athens of their ignorance, of their status as children of
a humble servant of Jesus Christ. Recently beaten and
                                                              God, and of their eventual resurrection after death.
jailed in Philippi and fresh from expulsion from
                                                              They did not believe him then; much of the world still
Thessalonica and Berea by angry Jews, Paul hoped
                                                              does not believe. Is it not a strange irony that the city
that Athens might accept God’s word. But Athens was
                                                              of Athens, renowned as a center of knowledge and
a city alien to the spirit of true Christianity.
                                                              known through the ages for its wisdom, should reject
Those temples and buildings that have survived the            those truths which are, above all others, most
claws of time give us some hint of the glory that must        precious? It was not simply the idolatry of Athens that
have greeted Paul’s eyes as he entered the city. The          lay at the heart of this rejection, for many other cities
Parthenon, even then nearly five hundred years old,           equally idolatrous provided the apostles of Jesus
dominated Athens from its majestic spot atop the              Christ with rich and fruitful fields of labor. Athens’
acropolis. Like other buildings near it, the Parthenon        malady was the worship of the wisdom of men. It was
beckoned to worshipers of Athena, the goddess of              this problem, more than any other, which proved the
wisdom. Numerous magnificent shrines and temples              undoing of the early church of Jesus Christ. Again and
lined the city’s streets, for Athens was a city saturated     again, as the gospel spread throughout the world, its
with idolatry. The cautious Greeks had even erected           profound and simple truths were blended with the
an altar dedicated to the Unknown God, lest they              philosophies of men. The wisdom of God was rejected
should offend some god that had been inadvertently            as foolishness. The miracles of the Atonement, the
overlooked.                                                   Resurrection, and the ordinances were diluted and
                                                              deleted. Men, blinded to the wisdom of God by their
Thoughts of the beauty and glory of Athens must have
                                                              own intellectual conceit, added and subtracted at will
been overshadowed in the mind of the apostle by the
                                                              from the truths revealed by God. Gradually and
other things which he saw, for Luke records that while
                                                              inevitably, these precious truths were changed,
Paul awaited the arrival of his companions, “his spirit
                                                              perverted, and lost. The simple was embellished, the
was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given
                                                              holy corrupted, the truth falsified. The tragedy of
to idolatry.” (Acts 17:16.) Moved by that spirit, Paul
                                                              Athens became the tragedy of the great apostasy. Men
attempted to teach the Athenians the truths of the
                                                              stood in the shadow of the Parthenon and could not
gospel both in the Jewish synagogue and in the
                                                              see the Light of the world; they basked in the radiance
marketplace. Later he was taken before the famed
                                                              of their own understanding and were blinded to the
council of the Areopagus, on Mars’ hill, where he
                                                              glory of God; they walked in the paths of their own
delivered a powerful sermon on the subject of the
                                                              making and tripped over the stumbling block of Christ
Unknown God. But though the Athenians were willing
                                                              and his crucifixion; they called themselves
to listen to this new philosophy, as indeed they were to
                                                              philosophers—lovers of wisdom—but were so
anything novel or extraordinary, when Paul spoke of
                                                              enamored of their own learning that they were
the resurrection, they mocked him (Acts 17:32). The
                                                              incapable of loving the greatest wisdom of all.
Greeks believed in the immortality of the soul but
found the idea of literal resurrection simply absurd.         After his experience at Athens, Paul journeyed to
Soon thereafter, Paul left the city and journeyed on to       Corinth. Later he wrote to the Corinthians:
Corinth. There is no further record of missionary work
being performed in Athens.




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“Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the       “But unto them which are called, both Jews and
disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the       Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of
wisdom of this world?                                       God.
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after     “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men;
wisdom:                                                     and the weakness of God is stronger than
                                                            men.” (1 Corinthians 1:20, 22–25.)
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;




                                                          229
230
                     SECTION 7
              THE CHURCH GROWS AS THE
                WITNESSES GO FORTH
LESSONS                                                    In addition, the Jews had a king who, although he was
                                                           partly of Jewish descent, also ruled at the discretion of
29. “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith the Lord”
                                                           the Roman rulers. Herod the Great, ruling monarch in
    (Acts 1–8)
                                                           Palestine at the birth of Jesus, held the titles of
30. “God Is No Respecter of Persons” (Acts 10–12)          procurator, tetrarch, and king. Following Herod’s
31. “A Chosen Vessel unto Me” (Acts 9)                     death the kingdom of the Jews passed to these three
                                                           sons: Archelaeus, Antipas, and Philip.
32. “I Have Set Thee to Be a Light of the
    Gentiles” (Acts 13–18)                                 Herod’s sons were followed in power by Agrippa I.
                                                           He was succeeded by his son, Agrippa II, who ruled
THE SETTING                                                for more than fifty years. During the latter’s reign, one
                                                           of the Roman governors was Felix, before whom Paul
The Political Picture                                      was tried (Acts 23; 24). Felix was followed by Festus
Christianity made its appearance in the days of the        through whom Paul, when he discovered that he could
apostles at a time when Rome ruled most of the             not secure justice in Palestine, appealed to the Caesar
known world. Founded in 753 B.C., the city of Rome         himself (Acts 25:8–13). During Paul’s incarceration at
was the center of an empire that stretched in all          Caesarea, Festus invited King Agrippa II to hear
directions.                                                Paul’s case. Although Agrippa had an adequate
                                                           understanding of Jewish law, he was not deeply
Unlike modern republics in which the federal               committed to its religious doctrines. He gave only
government presides over a group of states or              token observance to its ceremonial requirements, more
counties, the Roman empire was composed of                 to placate his subjects than out of any sincere
independent cities, states, and territories, each of       conviction of its religious truth. It was his conclusion
which was subject to the overall authority of the          upon hearing Paul that “this man might have been set
emperor and the senate. In the days of the apostles,       at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.” (Acts
larger parts of the imperial system were known as          26:32.)
provinces. Examples of such, as found in the book of
Acts, are Macedonia (Acts 16:9), Asia (Acts 20:4),         Among the several emperors who reigned during the
Bithynia (Acts 16:7), and Cilicia (Acts 6:9). (See the     period of the New Testament was the hated Caesar
map section, p. 216.)                                      (Nero) (A.D. 54 to 68), before whom Paul appeared for
                                                           trial (Acts 27:24). In A.D. 64, a great fire broke out in
Government was primarily of two kinds. Those               Rome. Nero, suspected of having set the fire himself,
provinces regarded as peaceful were ruled by               openly accused the Christians of this incendiary act.
proconsuls, special appointees of Rome who had the         Many believed the charge. Thus broke out the first,
power of independent decision making but were              albeit limited, Roman persecution of the Christians.
accountable to powerful members of the Roman               Tradition has it that during this period both Peter and
Senate. These proconsuls were sometimes called             Paul met their deaths in Rome. (For a view of the
deputies. (See Acts 18:7–12.) Provinces generally felt     relationships between the political leaders of Rome
to be more turbulent were directly responsible to the      and the early Christians, see the New Testament
emperor himself and were kept in check by constant         Chronology Chart in the center section of this
military guard. Palestine, one of the more volatile        manual.)
provinces in the days of Jesus and the apostles, was
under the immediate supervision of the emperor             The Religious Picture
through a governor or procurator. (See Matthew 27:2        Many are familiar with the fact that the Jewish leaders
and Acts 24:1.)                                            openly opposed the message of Jesus in the Savior’s



                                                         231
day. Believing that the death of Jesus would crush the         when they saw and heard him addressed as “God,”
movement which prospered under his leadership,                 “the Son of God,” “the Holy One,” “Lord,” and
Jewish rulers conspired to do away with the Son of             “Savior.” Their refusal to bow and worship this
God. Later, when the movement continued to grow,               substitute deity was one of the central causes of the
persecution increased also. Why? What were the                 terrible persecutions which brought so many of the
forces that made it possible for Christianity to survive       early saints to martyrdom.
during its early years?
                                                               The Greek Influence on the Early Church
Foremost among the factors deserving mention was
the zeal of the Christian converts. Their faith was not        Although openly opposed by Jewish elements, early
based on a dead Savior but on a living one, one that           Christian missionaries generally found the empire a
had risen from the dead, to which fact many were               congenial place in which to travel and preach. This
eyewitnesses (Acts 2:23, 24, 32; 5:30–32;                      was due in large measure to the Greek influence, or
1 Corinthians 15:4–8). In addition, although the Jews          Hellenism, as it was called. The Greeks were anything
openly opposed the new faith, their counteractions             but idle witnesses to Roman domination. Where the
were largely held in check by Roman law. The                   Romans built the roads, established the postal systems,
political state recognized many gods, and it was the           and sought for law and order, the Greeks were a
practice not to interfere with any man’s faith so long         thinking, planning, and philosophizing society. If the
as his worship did not prove subversive to the state.          Romans were the doers, the builders, the politicians,
Judaism was among the tolerated religions, and the             the Greeks were the thinkers, the planners, the
leaders in Rome did not see Christianity as a new              philosophers; if Rome conquered Greece with its
movement but rather as just another division within            armies, Greece conquered Rome with its ideas. Greek
the Jewish order. Rome’s attitude of tolerance has             slaves were often better educated than the Roman
been expressed in these words:                                 masters whom they served.

“The religious philosophy of the Roman state did not           Greeks equated religion with man’s efforts to
deny the existence of any religion’s gods, nor did it          understand all aspects of human existence. Religion
purport to declare that there was but one true religion,       was not a definition of the gods nor yet an act of
nor did it take the position that there was one religion       patriotic sentiment; it was a creation of men’s minds.
that was better for the Roman Empire than another. In          According to the Greeks, man had the power of
one sense there was religious toleration that bordered         independent thought, the ability to examine the
on almost pure religious liberty. . . .                        mysteries of the universe firsthand, and understanding
                                                               sufficient to formulate satisfactory explanations. Thus,
‘It was into such a religious world that Christianity          as an interest in the Greek and Roman gods declined,
ventured, struggling to gain converts and save all             philosophical and scientific inquiry took its place.
mankind.” (Lyon, Apostasy to Restoration, p. 21.)              Religion became an attempt to correlate all existing
As time passed, however, and the new church                    human knowledge into one vast system of logic
expanded and grew, the attitude of tolerance began to          verified by man’s experience, by his careful
change. Though the worship of other gods was still             observation, and by his patient thought. Thus, when
tolerated, more and more the personage of the emperor          Paul came to Athens, “the Athenians and strangers
was seen as divine, and Roman subjects were expected           which were there spent their time in nothing else, but
to give their allegiance to him as god, as well as their       either to tell, or to hear some new thing.” (Acts 17:21.)
own deities.                                                   They were stirred by Paul’s presence, not because they
                                                               wished to know and obey the truth, but because they
By the time of Nero, it was customary for the emperor          were curious. Their curiosity led them to take Paul to
to be called by such titles as theos (god) and soter           Areopagus, the highest court in Athens, where they
(savior). By the time of Domitian (A.D. 81–96) the title       said to him: “May we know what this new doctrine,
Dominus et Deus (Lord and God) was also added. The             whereof thou speakest is? For thou bringest certain
Greek word for the Latin dominus was kurios, or Lord,          strange things to our ears: we would know therefore
the exact same word that is the most common title              what these things mean.” (Acts 17:19, 20.) Taking
applied to Jesus. (It is used almost seven hundred             advantage of the circumstances, Paul preached to them
times in the New Testament.)                                   a sermon about the “unknown god” that they
There is little doubt that the early Christians saw in the     worshipped.
emperor a direct challenge to the divinity of Christ



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The Greek influence had two immediate effects on            “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
Christianity, one beneficial and the other detrimental.     perverse things, to draw away disciples after
It was beneficial in that it provided a medium through      them.” (Acts 20:29, 30.)
which the teachings of Jesus and his apostles could be
spread rapidly: the Greek language. In addition,            Summary: A Restored Gospel at Odds with Its
Christianity, as we have seen, was new, and the Greek       Contemporary Society
attitude to see and to hear new things had influenced       Early Christianity, which was a restored gospel in the
many. It was detrimental because men could not resist       meridian dispensation, made its appearance at a most
the temptation to embellish the Christian revelation        propitious time in history. Roman roads literally
with their own interpretations. The result was a new        opened avenues for Christian missionary work in
Christianity altogether. Let us examine each of these       every part of the empire. Roman toleration also made
influences in turn.                                         possible the practice and spread of Christianity among
Many throughout the ancient Roman world were                peoples otherwise largely opposed to it. The spirit of
bilingual. One language would be their native tongue;       Greek rationalism as well as the widespread use of the
the other was most often Koine Greek, the common,           Greek language provided Christianity with
and almost universal, language of the time. The             opportunities to be heard and understood wherever
existence of a common language made possible the            men might gather. The Jewish dispersion made it
rapid spread of the Christian message. Prior to the         possible for Jewish-Christians to enter synagogues
birth of Christ, the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament)      everywhere and preach the “good news” of Jesus
had been translated from Hebrew into Greek. This            Christ to all who would open their hearts and listen.
rendition, known as the “septuagint,” was most likely       In time, however, Christianity began to experience
the Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews in the time of         negative attitudes within this world of government-
Jesus and his apostles. All Paul had to do in order to      sponsored religions. The new faith was not in total
obtain a point of contact in any new city was to go to      harmony with the spirit of its time. The Greeks
the local Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath day. Here         considered the doctrines of atonement and resurrection
he would find any number of eager listeners, and he         “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23) and mocked Paul’s
could speak to them either in Greek (the common             earnest attempts to win their hearts to Christ (Acts
tongue) or in Aramaic, a dialect of Hebrew, the             17:32). The Jews held it to be an open threat to their
language of the Jews. Paul spoke both (Acts                 Mosaic institutions (John 11:48) and persecuted “unto
21:37–40).                                                  the death” many who followed the way of Christ (Acts
The major problem presented to Christianity was how         22:4). In time, even the Romans came to regard
to keep the gospel message pure and free from the           Christianity as an illicit cult, deserving neither
false philosophies so prevalent in the empire. In time,     sanction nor favor from the state.
the Christian resistance to Greek philosophy broke          In contrast to the secular and religious philosophies of
down. Christianity became wedded to Greek thought,          the time, Christianity was nonspeculative. It did not
and the marriage proved to be disastrous for the once       indulge in theory or endless dispute but in eyewitness
pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Christian converts             testimony. Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose from the
educated in the philosophies of Socrates, Plato,            dead and was seen by many following his resurrection
Aristotle, and other current schools of thought found       (1 Corinthians 15:3–8). The nonspeculative nature of
the temptation to mix their newfound faith with Greek       the Christian faith made it unpalatable to many whose
learning too great to resist. Temples dedicated to          lives were thoroughly grounded in philosophical
Athena, Zeus, and Diana became, in time, centers of         conjecture.
Christian worship; the rituals practiced, however, were
not purely Christian but a blend of the true with the       THE JEWISH CULTURAL HERITAGE
false. This strange admixture of Christian truth with
pagan philosophy and practice constituted what is           Why the Jewish Claim to Genealogical Inheritance
known as the Great Apostasy. As Paul prophesied to          Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness
the Ephesian elders, so it came to pass:                    The Jews in the days of the early apostles traced their
“For I know this, that after my departing shall             genealogical descent from Abraham, a great prophet
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the         who lived in Canaan about two thousand years before
flock.                                                      Christ. God established with him His special covenant,
                                                            which, among other things, was to bless all nations of



                                                          233
the earth (Abraham 2:8–11). It was Abraham who                captors or would they remain faithful to Jehovah? A
founded the Hebrew nation. Through him and his                many-faceted Judaism was the result.
posterity the sacred covenant which made of Israel “a
                                                              That the Jews viewed themselves as a people set apart
peculiar treasure, . . . a kingdom of priests, and an holy
                                                              is evident in all phases of their cultural life. To them,
nation” (Exodus 19:5, 6) unto the Lord was
                                                              contact with those not of their faith was
transmitted from generation to generation.
                                                              contaminating. They assumed that they alone
In addition to Abraham, the Jews looked to their great        possessed God’s law by direct revelation. Moses
Hebrew statesman and lawgiver, Moses, for proof of            forbade the people to make marriages with those of
their chosen condition. He was God’s mouthpiece on            other nations (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4). Moreover, they
earth, the one through whom God spoke to all Israel           alone held the sacred texts in which that revelation
(Numbers 12:5–8). Thus was established the                    was housed. They were exclusively the “people of the
preeminence of Moses among the prophets of Israel.            book.”
Jehovah was God and Moses was his prophet!
                                                              Into their Babylonian captivity the Jews took their
That their descent from Abraham and their spiritual           sacred writings. Having no temple in which to
legacy from Moses bred in the Jewish nation a false           worship, they began a vigorous study of the sacred
sense of their own superiority is evident from a              texts. Scribes or special interpreters of the law arose,
reading of the New Testament. When Jesus, who was             each with his own view of God’s word. By the time of
Jehovah in the premortal world, made his appearance           Jesus and the apostles, much of Judaism was
among them, the contentious Jews lost no time in              hopelessly entangled in a morass of legalism which
reminding the Savior of their personal exclusiveness:         militated against, if it did not crowd out altogether,
“Abraham is our father” they boasted (John 8:39), and         the true spirit of religion. For many Jews worship was
“we are Moses’ disciples” (John 9:28). They were              no longer a matter of the heart. The so-called
proud of their religious background. It remained for          traditions of the elders prevented it from being so
John the Baptist to remind them that true spirituality is     (Matthew 15:2–6).
based on deeds, not genealogical inheritance. “Think
                                                              Jewish scholars often looked upon themselves as
not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our
                                                              better than the common mass of their Jewish brothers
father:” John warned, “for I say unto you, that God is
                                                              and sisters. Jews in general manifested an intense
able of these stones [gentiles] to raise up children unto
                                                              disdain for the Samaritans, who could claim only a
Abraham.” (Matthew 3:7–9.)
                                                              partial Jewish heritage. Jesus represented one Pharisee
Why the Jewish Interpretation of the Law of Moses             as standing in prayer before the Lord and saying:
Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness            “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are,
                                                              extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
From God, by revelation to Moses, came the great              publican. I fact twice in the week, I give tithes of all
Law which bears Moses’ name. Contained within the             that I possess.” (Luke 18:11, 12.) Such men were
Pentateuch, or first five books of the Old Testament,         rebuked as hypocrites. They did all their works, Jesus
the law of Moses provided regulations for situations          said, “to be seen of men.” To pay tithing is, of course,
arising between God and man, man and other men,               a good thing, but they had “omitted the weightier
and man and God’s other creatures. Faithful Israelites        matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.”
recognized it as the revealed will of God for his             (Matthew 23:13, 14, 23.)
covenant people, and its violation brought with it
severe penalties. Prior to their captivity by the             Another example is the occasion when the Pharisees
Babylonians (about 600 B.C.), members of the tribe of         asked Jesus why his disciples ate without washing
Judah had probably not observed the law of Moses as           their hands. This act of defilement, though not part of
rigidly as they later came to do. The writings of             the Mosaic law, was forbidden by the tradition of the
Israel’s prophets indicate that the worship of foreign        elders (Mark 7:3–8).
deities by the Israelites was more the rule than the          Thus, Jewish religion in the days of the apostles was
exception, although it was always vigorously                  largely a system of rules and safeguards, “hedges
denounced by the nation’s prophets. In their captive          about the law” as the Jews called them, brought about
condition, however, forced to live as exiles from their       by the elders in their efforts to preserve the sanctity of
homeland, the Jews were compelled to make an                  the law and its observance. All of this tended to make
important decision: would they permit themselves to           religious observance more a matter of outward
become totally absorbed in the cultural ways of their


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response to a code of laws than an inner attitude of         sacred writings if they wished to hold the interest and
heart and mind. Salvation began to be measured by            attention of their Jewish listeners (Acts 2:16–21, 25,
outward performances and “works of the law”                  26; 3:22–26; 13:16–22, 35). Likewise, Israel’s history
(Galatians 2:16), a condition which Paul referred to as      as cited by Stephen prior to his martyrdom was
the “yoke of bondage” (Galatians 4:3, 9; 5:1). A man         something with which any twelve-year-old Jewish boy
who rigidly observed the traditions of the elders was        would be familiar (Acts 7).
always in a state of apprehension lest he violate one of
                                                             All of this did not depreciate the sacred temple. On the
the numerous rules of his religion. A man who
                                                             contrary, a visit to the temple in Jerusalem was always
scrupulously kept these laws had a tendency to view
                                                             an event of greatest significance. The temple standing
himself as superior to other men.
                                                             in the days of the apostles possessed both an inner and
Why the Jewish Places of Worship Probably                    an outer court, and only Jews were permitted to enter
Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness                    the inner precincts. Even there, specific divisions
                                                             confined men, women, and priests to certain quarters.
Prior to the time of Solomon, the Jews had their             In the temple proper, the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy
special places of worship. One such, constructed in          Place, was reserved only for the high priest, and that
Moses’ day, was a portable tabernacle which could be         on the Day of Atonement. Gentiles might enter the
moved from place to place wherever the people                outermost court known as the Court of the Gentiles,
wandered. In Solomon’s time, however, a temple was           but they could not proceed further on penalty of death.
built. This became the center of worship.                    In order to prevent such acts of desecration, a large
After the destruction of Solomon’s temple by                 sign was placed between the inner and outer courts for
Nebuchadnezzar, the synagogue became the primary             all to see. It carried a specific warning against any
place of Jewish worship. Even when the Jews returned         gentile intrusion. Such an understanding is essential in
to their Holy Land from Babylonian exile and rebuilt         order to appreciate why the Jews could pretend to find
their temple, worship continued to center in the local       fault with Paul for an alleged act of desecration (Acts
synagogue, a special edifice serving a purpose similar       21:27–29). The sacred courts were reserved
to a present-day meetinghouse or chapel. Later, when         exclusively for things Jewish, and their use was
the Jews were scattered throughout the Greek and             decided by the Sanhedrin and its officers.
Roman empires, the synagogue continued to be the
                                                             Why the Jewish Dispersion Probably Contributed
focal point for religious interests. A pilgrimage to the
                                                             to a Feeling of Exclusiveness
temple in Jerusalem might be a wonderful, once-in-a-
lifetime experience, but worship in the synagogue was        Strangely enough, most of the Jews in the days of the
a weekly factor of life. It was only natural, therefore,     apostles did not reside either in Jerusalem or in its
that Paul, a Jewish Christian, should visit the              immediate vicinity. They lived in scattered
synagogues first in each city into which he took the         communities throughout the Roman empire and were
Christian message. (See, for example, Acts 13:5,             part of what was known as the Diaspora, or the
14; 14–1.)                                                   “people of the dispersion.” Nearly every large city
                                                             possessed sufficient numbers of these people to form a
The synagogue served a dual purpose for the Jews.
                                                             local synagogue; the same was true of many of the
Not only was it reserved for religious affairs, it was
                                                             smaller cities.
also the educational center in which Jewish children
were daily instructed in the law. Each synagogue had         The work of scattering began in 721 B.C. under
its head, or chief ruler (Luke 8:41, 46), whose main         Sargon II of Assyria, who led away into captivity the
responsibility seems to have been to decide upon the         inhabitants of Israel, the ten tribes of the northern
order of the public service each week and to maintain        kingdom in Palestine. Later, Nebuchadnezzar
a strict decorum within the sacred confines.                 conquered Judah, the southern kingdom, and about
                                                             589 B.C. destroyed Jerusalem and carried his captives
Each synagogue contained copies of the Holy Books,
                                                             into Babylon. Some seventy years or so later, Cyrus, a
particularly the first five books (the Torah). As
                                                             benevolent king of Persia, permitted those exiled Jews
formerly shown, by the time of Peter and Paul the law
                                                             to return to their native land and rebuild their sacred
had come to be held in greatest respect, and its
                                                             temple. All, however, did not return. Later, when
precepts were regarded as inviolable by any and all
                                                             Alexander the Great conquered the known world,
who considered themselves faithful Jews. It was only
                                                             further Jewish migrations from the Holy Land
natural for Peter and Paul to quote at length from the
                                                             occurred. Many of those who took up residency in


                                                           235
other lands later applied for and were granted the          bring them bound unto Jerusalem,” presumably for
rights of Roman citizenship. Paul and the family from       examination (Acts 9:1, 2). (See also the implications
which he came appear to have been one of these,             in Acts 22:4, 30 and 26:12.)
for Paul was a free-born Roman citizen and was
always intensely proud of this fact. (See Acts 21:39;       Why the Jewish Education System Probably
22:25–29.)                                                  Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

Unquestionably these scattered Jews, like some of           Part of the Jewish exclusiveness was undoubtedly due
their compatriots in Palestine, were influenced by the      to the fact that the Jews found themselves in very
world around them. Many tended in process of time to        close proximity to other nations, generally more
lose their Jewish exclusiveness and to be assimilated       powerful than themselves. There was always a great
into their environment. These are sometimes referred        temptation to imbibe the evil influences of foreigners
to as Hellenistic Jews, or Grecians (Acts 6:1; 9:29;        and thus incur Jehovah’s wrath. Particularly was this
11:20), because they adopted the Greek culture and          true of those Jews who did not live in Palestine.
language as their own. Only in matters of religious         Uprooted from their homeland, possessing no system
faith did they remain Jewish, and even this was not the     of military defense, the preservation of their national
strict variety. Others resisted amalgamation of any         identity depended on how skillfully they perpetuated
sort. While they maintained friendly relations with         their Jewish heritage, hence their heavy emphasis on
their non-Israelite neighbors, they refused to adopt        Torah instruction. Every phase of Jewish life merged
Greek or Roman ways. Paul was of such a family.             with theology. Education was no exception. Jewish
According to his own testimony, he was “circumcised         children, wherever they lived, were taught that they
the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of     were a people set apart, that they were called of God
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the         and were to keep themselves unspotted from the
Law, a Pharisee.” (Philippians 3:5.) Such Jews are          heathens with whom they were surrounded. To fail to
sometimes called Hebraists because of their tendency        do this was to sacrifice one’s chosen status. If by his
to cling to their Jewish exclusiveness in the midst of      conduct or words a Jew displeased his elders, he could
an alien environment.                                       literally be “put from the synagogue,” that is, expelled
                                                            or excommunicated. (See, for example, John 9:13–34.)
A good example of Jews of the dispersion would be           Small wonder, then, that Peter and Paul generally
those spoken of in Acts 2:5. They are described as          encountered the problems that they did (Acts 4:16–18;
“dwelling at” Jerusalem at the time of the Passover,        5:17–32; 13:44–50). Gentiles might consider
“devout men out of every nation under heaven,” and          Christianity merely another sect of Judaism such as
were said to be “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites,        Pharisees and Sadducees, but the Jews—never!
and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and
Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and               The word gentile comes to us from the Latin gentilis,
Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about        which is derived from gens, the Latin word for
Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,         “nations.” In Jewish thought, it included all non-
Cretes and Arabians. . . .” (Acts 2:9–11.)                  Hebrew peoples. Sometimes the term was applied in a
                                                            reproachful way; sometimes it was not. Often it was
Even in their scattered condition, however, the Jews,       used merely to identify those peoples or nations whose
particularly the Hebraists, continued to look upon          God was not Jehovah, whose worship, ritual, and
Jerusalem as their spiritual home on earth. As              religious practices were foreign to those of Israel.
formerly noted, pilgrimages to the sacred temple,           Whereas the Roman world was largely pagan in its
while not a yearly occurrence for those scattered in the    orientation and accepted and even embraced the gods
furthest regions, were great events and eagerly             of various nations, the Jews believed in and
anticipated. All faithful Jews continued to pay the         worshipped one God alone: Jehovah. He only, of all
half-shekel tax for maintenance of temple worship.          the gods of men, had a true existence in fact. Gentiles
Moreover, it would appear that the famed Sanhedrin          could become Jews providing they were willing to
of Jerusalem exercised at least token influence over        subscribe to all requirements of the law of Moses,
the scattered Jewish communities throughout the             including circumcision. Those who would not so
empire. A good example would be Paul’s request of           subscribe were generally looked upon as inferior to
the high priest in Jerusalem for “letters to Damascus to    God’s “chosen people.”
the synagogues, that if he found any of this [Christian]
way, whether they were men or women, he might               (See Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; and Isaiah 41:8,
                                                            all of which speak of God’s chosen people. The thing



                                                          236
the Jews forgot was that they were chosen from             than as a restored gospel that did away with the lesser
among the peoples of the earth for a special mission:      law of Moses. As such they continued to press for
to bless all others with the truths of God. They were      rigid and inflexible observance of the law for all
not chosen so that they could reserve these blessings      members of the church. Such insistence created all
exclusively for themselves. Neither did the possession     kinds of special problems. Paul and the gentile saints
of these truths make them better than other people.        viewed their church membership as a formal
“For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be         deliverance from all the religious ceremonialism of
much required.” [Luke 12:48; cf. D&C 82:3.] Even           their former faiths. Why should they place themselves
the apostles had to learn this important truth.)           now beneath the yoke of Jewish ritualism?
A Special Problem: The Jewish Convert to the               If we ask the question, Why were there Judaizers in
Church                                                     the church of Jesus Christ in these early days? let us
                                                           also consider the fact that Judaic influence was a
We have already mentioned how the law of Moses             paramount feature of life for every faithful Jew. It was
was generally viewed by the Jews of apostolic times.       only with some difficulties that these traditions and
Among those who laid the most rigid interpretation         dogma were set aside at all. The difficulty of shedding
upon its strict observance was a Jewish sect known as      old habits and replacing them with new ones is
Pharisees, the group Jesus denounced for their             obvious to anyone who has ever sought true
hypocritical ways (see Matthew 23), and a group that       repentance. The law of circumcision was
Paul referred to as the “strictest sect of our             commonplace to Peter, Paul, and other Jews. Even
religion.” (Acts 26:5.) Although a Jew of the              gentile converts to Judaism were required to observe
dispersion, Paul was raised “a Pharisee, the son of a      it if they would claim a true home among their
Pharisee” (Acts 23:6) and referred to himself as a         new-found friends (Genesis 34:14–17; Exodus 12:48).
“Hebrew of the Hebrews,” one who was “blameless”
as far as the rigid observance of the Law was              That the Jews felt themselves to be exclusive among
concerned (Philippians 3:5, 6).                            all of our Father’s children, the factors that contributed
                                                           to this exclusive feeling, the effects of the Jewish
Following his vision and conversion at Damascus,           dispersion among the gentile nations, and the effect of
however, Paul changed his attitude toward the Law.         the gospel upon Jewish converts—all of these are
The law of Moses was fulfilled and done away with in       essential to your understanding of the historical setting
Christ’s atoning act. Even as early as Stephen’s           of the New Testament and particularly to the written
martyrdom the Jews were charging the saints with           correspondence of church leaders to church members
desires to “change the customs which Moses delivered       spread throughout the Roman world.
unto us.” (Acts 6:14.) How rapidly or in what manner
this change occurred we cannot say. What can be said       BIOGRAPHIES
is that questions regarding the binding nature of the
law on new converts, Jew or gentile, became the            LUKE
burden of many of Paul’s letters directed to the           Physician (Colossians 4:14) and missionary
various Christian churches. The books of Galatians         companion of Paul, Luke made a significant
and Romans in particular were dedicated to                 contribution to saints of all ages by writing two of the
persuading his readers that the law of Moses was dead,     New Testament books—the Gospel that bears his
so far as Christians were concerned.                       name and Acts. (Actually, they are two volumes of the
Not all Jewish converts to the church of Jesus Christ      same work, as can be seen from his introduction to
agreed with Paul. As a matter of fact, at least one body   both books.) He was of gentile origin and joined Paul
disagreed strongly. Probably Pharisaical in                on the second missionary journey, probably at Troas.
background, they insisted that the law was given of        (See Acts 16:10 where the so-called “we” sections
God to be observed for all time. Those who held such       begin.) Modern Bible research and archeology have
views have come to be known as Judaizers, although         shown him to be a historian of accuracy and
the term as such is not found in scripture. Let it be      sensitivity.
clearly understood that these Judaizers were converts      PETER
to the church, men who thought they espoused the
Christian cause and accepted Christ as their Redeemer.     Peter, son of Jonah, lived with his wife and other
Generally they were faithful Jews who saw                  family members in Bethsaida, a village on the Sea of
Christianity as a mere outgrowth of Judaism rather         Galilee near Capernaum. His trade was that of a



                                                         237
fisherman. He, with his brother Andrew and the two            PAUL
sons of Zebedee, James and John, were partners in a
                                                              It is difficult to date the birth of Paul with accuracy,
fishing business. It was Andrew who introduced Peter
                                                              although some time between A.D. 1 and 6 is probable.
to Jesus of Nazareth at a time when Peter, Andrew,
                                                              As for Paul’s place of birth, he was born in Tarsus,
James, and John were disciples of John the Baptist. At
                                                              capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, to Jewish
his first meeting with Jesus, Peter was given another
                                                              parents who were of the tribe of Benjamin.
name by the Savior—Cephas, an Aramaic word
meaning “rock or stone.”                                      From Acts 22:28, we learn of Paul’s free-born status
                                                              as a Roman citizen, though how his forebears acquired
With James, John, and Andrew, Peter was challenged
                                                              this station is not known. Throughout his life, Paul’s
to abandon worldly pursuits and follow in the
                                                              Roman citizenship was both a means of physical
footsteps of the Savior. When the first Quorum of
                                                              protection for himself and a source of much influence
Twelve Apostles was formed, Jesus called Peter to the
                                                              among the gentiles.
apostleship, and ordained him, and sent him forth with
Andrew to preach the gospel. It was Peter who                 If he followed the Jewish custom of the times, Paul
declared Jesus’ messiahship after most of Jesus’              received the education of every Jewish boy. At age
hearers rejected the Bread of Life sermon. It was Peter       five, his parents would have begun his instruction in
who testified that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the      the Old Testament. He would have committed to
living God.” (Matthew 16:16.)                                 memory all or part of Psalms 63 to 68 (the Shema and
                                                              the Hallel). When he was six, he would have attended
Not long after the Bread of Life sermon, Jesus took
                                                              a rabbinical school; at age ten he would have studied
Peter, James, and John onto the Mount of
                                                              the oral law; at thirteen he would have been confirmed
Transfiguration. From lay disciple, Peter had ascended
                                                              as a ‘‘son of the commandment” (the bar mitzvah),
the ladder of faith, rung by rung, until he was
                                                              and he would have left the “House of the Book,”
privileged to stand on that mountain and receive
                                                              where he had labored to learn the scriptures, in order
revelation from heavenly beings who included Jesus,
                                                              to take his place among the Jewish men.
Elohim, Moses, and Elijah.
                                                              It is thought that Paul most likely remained in Tarsus
Of all the apostles, Peter seems to have been the most
                                                              until he was thirteen. At that age a Jewish boy had to
impetuous. He appears to have often acted from
                                                              begin his studies at the feet of a great Jewish teacher if
impulse. In the upper room, Peter protested vigorously
                                                              he were to become a rabbi. We know that Paul was a
when the ordinance of the washing of feet was
                                                              student in Jerusalem under the famous rabbi-teacher
introduced to him by Jesus. In Gethsemane, Peter slept
                                                              Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Paul’s own testimony leads us
while the Savior experienced his agony. At the time of
                                                              to conclude that he spent a major portion of his youth
Jesus’ arrest, it was Peter who drew his sword and cut
                                                              in Jerusalem (Acts 26:4).
off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest.
Not long thereafter, Peter three times denied knowing         “The phrase ‘to sit at the feet of Gamaliel’ gives a true
the Savior.                                                   description of the method of [Paul’s] study. The great
                                                              master [Gamaliel] would sit on a raised stand, and
Always, however, Peter’s repentance was sincere and
                                                              about him, sitting on the floor at his feet, would be his
complete. He had always the strength and
                                                              eager disciples.” (Sperry, Paul’s Life and Letters,
determination not to repeat the same mistake. That
                                                              p. 7.) Paul’s studies would include a thorough
Peter enjoyed the Savior’s forgiveness and approval is
                                                              examination of all facets of the law of Moses. As Paul
evident from the fact that Jesus appeared to the chief
                                                              himself informs us, he was, “taught according to the
apostle on the day of the resurrection and commanded
                                                              perfect manner of the law of the fathers.” (Acts 22:3.)
Peter to “feed my sheep.” (John 21:16.)
                                                              He was, as he said, a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.”
Through all of his experiences with Jesus, Peter was          (Philippians 3:5.)
carefully tutored to assume his foreordained
                                                              It was a religious duty for a Jewish young man to
responsibility to serve as president of the church of
                                                              marry when he was between sixteen and eighteen
Jesus Christ after the Lord’s ascension. The first
                                                              years of age. Since Paul was a devout Pharisee, there
twelve chapters of the book of Acts contain an account
                                                              is good reason to suppose that Paul was married. If
of Peter’s steadfastness in the face of great opposition.
                                                              Paul became a member of the Sanhedrin, to qualify for
Peter was indeed a true prophet of the Lord Jesus
                                                              such membership he had to be married and he had to
Christ. (For an excellent treatment of Peter’s life, see
                                                              be a father.
Appendix D at the end of the manual.)


                                                            238
Paul may have been present to hear the mighty              vision from the heavens. “Paul’s life had been bisected
discourse wherein Stephen defended the faith. Paul         by Damascus Road. Before, he was an aggressive
was present at Stephen’s execution (Acts 7:58). It is      persecutor of Christianity, but after Damascus Road he
thought that perhaps Paul attended the stoning in an       was one of its most fervent propagators.” (Howard W.
official capacity. Possibly he was present at the          Hunter in CR, Oct. 1964, p. 109.)
command of the Sanhedrin to insure adherence to the
                                                           The Prophet Joseph Smith gave a description of Paul
biblical injunction regarding witnesses in a capital
                                                           on January 5, 1841, at the organization of a school of
case (Deuteronomy 17:6, 7). That Paul consented to
                                                           instruction: “He is about five feet high; very dark hair;
Stephen’s death is a fact (Acts 8:1; 22:20). After the
                                                           dark complexion; dark skin; large Roman nose; sharp
death of Stephen, Paul “made havock of the church,
                                                           face; small black eyes, penetrating as eternity; round
entering into every house, and haling men and women
                                                           shoulders; a whining voice, except when elevated, and
committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3.) To avoid the
                                                           then it almost resembled the roaring of a lion. He was
heavy hand of persecution, the saints scattered
                                                           a good orator, active and diligent, always employing
throughout the country.
                                                           himself in doing good to his fellow man.” (Teachings,
Having obtained letters from the Sanhedrin which           p. 180.)
authorized him to capture members of the church in
                                                           (Note: Additional biographical material on Paul is
Damascus, Paul set out to accomplish his task. His
                                                           included in other sections.)
efforts proved fruitless, for on the road to Damascus
the course of his life was completely altered by a




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240
                                 29
                      “YE ARE MY WITNESSES,
                                  WITNESSES,
                          SAITH THE LORD”




     The Acts of the Apostles, Written by Luke to            Fate of Deceivers                         5:1–11
              Theophilus, ca. A.D. 61–63
        Events Occurred ca. A.D. 33–36 (1–8)                 Apostles Continue Miracles of Jesus       5:12–16
                                                Acts         Angels Deliver Apostles from Prison       5:17–26
 Kingdom to Be Restored to Israel          1:1–8             Apostles Testify of Christ                5:27–32
Mount of Olives:                           1:9–14            Persecution Is Not of God                 5:33–42
 Christ Ascends to Heaven
                                                             Seven Chosen to Assist Apostles           6:1–6
Jerusalem:                                 1:15–26
  Apostles Choose Successor to Judas                         Stephen Transfigured Before the           6:7–15
 The Holy Ghost and the Day of Pentecost 2:1–21              Sanhedrin
                                                             Stephen Preaches about Israel             7:1–36
 Peter Testifies of Jesus’ Resurrection    2:22–36
                                                             Moses—A Prototype of Christ               7:37–40
 How to Gain Salvation                     2:37–40
                                                             Stephen Testifies of Apostasy in Israel   7:41–53
 All Things in Common                      2:41–47
                                                             Stephen Sees the Father and the Son       7:54–60; 8:1
 Peter Heals Man Lame from Birth           3:1–16
                                                             Saul Persecutes the Church                8:1–4
 Age of Restoration Is Prior to Christ’s   3:17–24
 Second Coming                                           Samaria:                                      8:5–13
 The Children of the Covenant              3:25, 26       Philip Works Miracles, Converts Simon
                                                             Apostles Confer Gift of the Holy Ghost    8:14–17
 Salvation Comes Only Through Christ       4:1–12
                                                             Simon Seeks to Buy Gift of the Holy       8:18–25
 Sadducees Seek to Silence Apostles        4:13–22           Ghost
 Saints Glory in Testimony of Jesus        4:23–31       Toward Gaza:                                  8:26–40
                                                          Philip Preaches Christ, Baptizes Eunuch
 Saints Practice United Order              4:32–37

                                                       241
                                                          are billions of souls yet to hear and choose. Surely
THEME
                                                          the Master is not satisfied. Surely his charge to us is
Every member of the Church has made covenants to be not revoked.
a modern-day witness for Christ.
                                                          As a young, committed Latter-day Saint living in the
                                                          last years of the twentieth century, you are
INTRODUCTION
                                                          challenged to see your own role in the fulfillment of
For a period of forty days, the resurrected, glorified    the Savior’s charge. There is great need for your
Christ visited with his disciples and spoke to them       personal efforts in sharing the witness of the living
“of the things pertaining to the kingdom of               Christ. There is yet much to do.
God.” (Acts 1:3.) Though little detail of those days is
                                                          This study of the saints of the dispensation of the
recorded, we can be certain that during that time the
                                                          meridian of time and the witness they bore should be
church and its leaders received much of the power
                                                          much more than a mere intellectual plowing of
that fired them with the will to accomplish what they
                                                          scriptural passages and ancient writings. Probe
did. Christ’s similar mission among the Nephites in
                                                          deeply into the lives and hearts of these early saints,
the New World so completely affected their society
                                                          for they bore powerful, demanding witness, and laid
that war, poverty, injustice, and contention—evils
                                                          the foundation stones for the kingdom of God in their
that have plagued mankind from the dawning of
                                                          dispensation. Learn from them the skills and seek
history—were banished for nearly two hundred
                                                          from them the inspiration that can help you add
years. (See 4 Nephi 2–6.)
                                                          significantly to the growth of that kingdom today.
The effects of the ministry of the Savior after his       Never lose sight of the fact that when Jesus said, “Be
resurrection were not limited to those privileged to      witnesses unto me,” he spoke to you as well as to
see and meet with him. Those fortunate enough to          them.
have that special opportunity were told specifically
                                                          The first chapters of Acts contain great and
that it was their duty to share their witness of the
                                                          motivating insights into what gave the church of
Savior and the blessings of the kingdom with others.
                                                          Jesus Christ its unique and powerful impact. Read
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,” Christ
                                                          them now with the idea of learning from the early
commanded (Matthew 28:19) “and be witnesses unto
                                                          saints, for there is much that our generation can
me both in Jerusalem, and . . . unto the uttermost part
                                                          learn from their faithfulness.
of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The lives of the former-day
saints were transformed by that witness, and in turn      Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
they transformed the lives of thousands of others. The in the reading block.
New Testament from Acts to Revelation contains the        It would also be profitable for you to study the map
record of their efforts, the effect of those efforts upon opposite the introductory page of this chapter to get a
the lives of those who were touched, and the              clear concept of where these events took place.
adversary’s attempts to smother and impede the
Lord’s work. Those who were faithful to that divine
commission to bear witness to the world are honored        INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
and revered even today. Peter, John, Paul, James,
Stephen, Philip, Mark, and hundreds of others,             (29-1) What Is the Theme of the Acts of the
named and unnamed, sought with valiance to obey            Apostles?
the Master’s command.
                                                           The principal theme of the book of Acts is that of
That commission given two thousand years ago has           growth—growth in men through adherence to the
been renewed in our own time, and new names have           gospel of Jesus Christ and growth of the church
been added: Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Parley P.         through the preaching of God’s word. As Jesus told
Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W.         his apostles shortly before his ascension to heaven,
Kimball, and many others. And while the former-day         “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and
saints and those who came early in our own                 in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost
dispensation have met their obligations to bear            part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8.) Note the ever-widening
witness of Christ to the world, the Savior’s               circle of apostolic influence: first “in Jerusalem,” then
commission has not yet been fulfilled. The gospel has      “in all Judea,” then “in Samaria,” and finally “unto the
not yet gone to the uttermost parts of the earth. There    uttermost part of the earth.” The manner in which the



                                                        242
apostles and others fulfilled this divine commission         According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Acts also
becomes one of the major messages of the book of             ranks first among biblical books “in telling how the
Acts.                                                        Church and kingdom of God on earth operates when
                                                             Jesus the King is not personally resident on planet
(29-2) Who Wrote the Book of Acts of the                     earth.” (DNTC, 2:19.) Elder McConkie further states:
Apostles?                                                    “Acts tells how the spiritual gifts multiplied until they
It is generally agreed that the book of Acts was written     were enjoyed by the apostles and by whole
by the same person who wrote the third Gospel,               congregations of the faithful. Peter and Paul raise the
namely, Luke. Careful students of Luke’s gospel will         dead. Angels minister to Jew and Gentile alike.
recall that its first four verses are addressed to one       Miracles of healing multiply. Thousands receive the
described as the “most excellent Theophilus.” We do          gift of tongues. Revelation and prophecy is
not know who Theophilus was or what position of              everywhere. . . .
excellence or honor he held. That he was a person of         “Amid the spiritual display, Acts recounts the facts
considerable prominence, likely a Greek, seems               relative to church organization, missionary journeys,
probable, since Luke addresses him in both of his            and the general spread of truth in a pagan world. It
written works. Prefacing the book of Acts, Luke              tells of the persecutions, stonings, trials, and
writes:                                                      impositions heaped upon those who center their hearts
“The former treatise [i.e., the Gospel of Luke] have I       on Christ and strive to overcome the world.
made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do       “And the doctrines of salvation—how many of these
and teach.” (Acts 1:1.) The book of Acts begins where        are spoken of in plainness and perfection: the Second
the Gospel of Luke leaves off: with an account of the        Coming, the plan of salvation, the atonement of
events surrounding the ascension of Jesus into heaven.       Christ, the restoration of the gospel in latter-days,
That the author of Acts was an active participant in         revelation, prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, miracles,
many of the events described in its pages is evident         healings, the latter-day gathering of Israel, the
from the so-called “we” passages. These commence in          resurrection, apostasy from the truth, and so
Acts 16:10, presumably following the conversion of           forth.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:19–20.)
Luke to the gospel by Paul’s preaching, and continue         Thus we are indebted to Acts for our clearest view of
for a time without interruption, indicating the active       life in the early church. Nowhere do we get a better
presence of the writer in the events described. These        view of Paul’s travels in behalf of the kingdom of
so-called “we” sections then disappear for a while,          Christ. Further, the epistles written by Paul and others
only to reoccur in Acts 20:6 and in some later               take on their greatest significance only when viewed
chapters.                                                    against the backdrop of the narrative provided by
                                                             Luke. We see the infant church and its leaders
(29-3) Date and Place of Writing
                                                             struggling with the problems encountered when the
While the place of writing cannot be determined with         new revelation in Christ is thrust against the time-
any degree of certainty, the time of writing can be          honored traditions of the Jews. Are gentiles who enter
narrowed with some assurance. The book itself                the church bound by the Mosaic restrictions? Do Jews
records Paul’s journey to Rome and his imprisonment          who become Christians continue to be subject to the
there for two years, probably about A.D. 61–63 (Acts         law of Moses? What is the status of the law of Moses
28:30). Yet no mention is made by Luke of the trial          now that Christ has atoned for men’s sins? These and
itself or of its outcome, a fact he would hardly have        other problems are wrestled with and solved by divine
failed to mention if it had already taken place. The         revelation.
date of writing is very probable within that two-year
                                                             The book of Acts comes to us in two principal
period.
                                                             divisions: In the first part, Acts 1–12, activities of the
(29-4) The Significance of the Acts of the Apostles          church center in and near Jerusalem; and Peter, the
                                                             president of the church, is the principal figure. In the
The book of Acts provides us with our principal view         second part, Acts 13–28, Antioch in Syria is the
of the church of Jesus Christ during its formative           primary center from which activity emerges, and the
years. It forms a unique bridge between the life and         main focus is on Paul, missionary to the gentiles.
teachings of Jesus on the one hand and the writings
and labors of the Savior’s apostles on the other.



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(29-5) Acts 1:1. Who Was Theophilus?                        matters. He was privileged to be the first Gentile who
                                                            had not previously become a proselyte to Judaism, to
The name itself means “beloved” or “friend of God.”
                                                            join the church of Jesus Christ (Acts 10). To Peter,
The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts were
                                                            president of the church of Jesus Christ, was given the
addressed to this man (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Because
                                                            revelation that “God is no respecter of persons: But in
he is referred to in Luke as “most excellent
                                                            every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
Theophilus,” it has been inferred that he was of high
                                                            righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34, 35.)
rank. The title “most excellent” is thought to be
                                                            The gospel had moved from Jerusalem to Samaria, to
equivalent to “right honorable” in English. All that can
                                                            the whole world, to the gentiles. Although Paul’s
be safely assumed is that he was a gentile, possibly a
                                                            pattern was to preach the gospel first in the Jewish
Greek and an official.
                                                            synagogues in every town into which he might
(29-6) Acts 1:8. Was There a Particular Pattern to          journey, he turned his attention increasingly to the
the Manner in Which the Gospel Message Was                  gentiles also (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 28:28). It is safe to
Spread?                                                     assume that the other apostles, though we have no
                                                            precise record of their labors, also helped to fulfill the
Just prior to his ascension to heaven, Jesus informed       Lord’s prediction that they would be his
his apostles that they would be “witnesses” to his          “witnesses . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
name “both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” It is   (29-7) Acts 2:1. What Was the Day of Pentecost?
interesting to notice how the book of Acts reflects the
                                                            Fifty days or seven weeks following the Passover
fulfillment of our Savior’s words. Chapters one
                                                            feast, faithful Jews observed a celebration known as
through seven deal with events in the city of Jerusalem
                                                            Pentecost. The word comes to us from the Greek
only. Following the stoning of Stephen, however, the
                                                            pentekoste and literally means “fiftieth.” It was
disciples “were all scattered abroad throughout the
                                                            variously known as the day of the first fruits (Numbers
regions of Judaea and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1.) Luke
                                                            28:26) or feast of harvest (Exodus 23:16). Coming as
informs us that those thus scattered “went every where
                                                            it did following the seven weeks of Passover, it was
preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4.) Later he tells us just
                                                            also known as the feast of weeks (Exodus 34:22;
how far from Jerusalem the word had spread: “Now
                                                            Deuteronomy 16:10). How significant that God should
they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution
                                                            literally pour out his Spirit upon the people at a time
that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice,
                                                            when they were pouring out their gratitude to him.
and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none
                                                            Peter saw it as a partial fulfillment of the ancient
but unto the Jews only.” (Acts 11:19. Italics added.)
                                                            prophecy of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28–32).
(See map inset.)
At this point, the word of God was taken into Samaria       (29-8) Acts 2:2–4. Has the Ancient Pentecostal
by Philip (Acts 8:5). The Samaritans, while not totally     Experience Ever Been Repeated?
gentiles, were considered half-caste Jews by the            The great pentecostal experience of the outpouring of
residents of Judea. They were a people to be avoided        the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, has a parallel in history. At
if at all possible. When the apostles at Jerusalem          the time of the dedicatory services for the Kirtland
learned that Samaria had received the word of the           Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith prayed for a special
Lord, Peter and John went to bestow the gift of the         anointing of the Spirit from on high. “Let it be
Holy Ghost (Acts 18:14, 15). Clearly, the gospel            fulfilled upon them as in the days of Pentecost,” he
message had moved out of Jerusalem. By the time of          pleaded in behalf of the Saints. “Let the gift of tongues
Paul’s conversion, as recorded in Acts, chapter 9, the      be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues as
word of the Lord had spread as far as Damascus, a city      of fire, and the interpretation thereof. And let thy
of Syria, some 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem.            house be filled, as with a rushing mighty wind, with
Meanwhile, Philip was preaching in the cities west of       thy glory.” (D&C 109:35–37.) This plea was literally
Judea along the Mediterranean seacoast. (See the map        fulfilled, not once, but for several days following the
on page 230.)                                               initial dedicatory services. On one occasion, “a noise
Living in Caesarea was a certain man named                  was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind,
Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a gentile. He was a        which filled the Temple, and all the congregation
worshiper of God, and he thought much on spiritual          simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an




                                                          244
invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and           (29-12) Acts 3:21. What Is Meant by the “Times of
prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld           Restitution”?
the Temple was filled with angels, which fact I
                                                              “These words mean age of restoration, an age in
declared to the congregation.” (Smith, HC, 2:428; cf.
                                                              which God has promised to restore all things that he
432.)
                                                              spoke by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the
(29-9) Acts 2:29–31, 34. What Do We Know                      world began.
Concerning the Spiritual Fate of David, King of               “Thus, Christ came once and ministered among men,
Israel?                                                       climaxing his ministry with his atoning sacrifice and
“A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent            ascension to his Father. He is to come again, a second
blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought                  time, in a day of refreshing and renewal, to reign
repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for       personally upon the earth. But he cannot come this
the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through         second time until an age in the earth’s history
hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left       commences which has the name the times of
in hell.”                                                     restitution, or in other words he cannot come until the
                                                              age or period of restoration; and in that age or period
“Although David was a king, he never did obtain the           all essential things that God ever gave in any age of
spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the            the earth for salvation, betterment, blessing, and
Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and          edification of his children will be restored
throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him           again.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 43.)
and given to another by the name of David in the last
days, raised up out of his lineage. (Smith, Teachings,        (29-13) Acts 4:6. Who Were Annas, Caiaphas,
p. 339.)                                                      John, and Alexander?
(29-10) Acts 2:40. What Is an “Untoward                       Annas was a Jewish high priest in the days of Jesus.
Generation”?                                                  He was the son of Seth, was appointed to the priestly
                                                              office at age thirty-seven, and held the office when
In the Old English used when the King James Version           John the Baptist commenced his call for repentance
was written, toward meant obedient, teachable,                (Luke 3:2). He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, high
amenable. Untoward, therefore, meant rebellious,              priest during the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and Peter
intractable, perverse.                                        and John’s difficulties with the Sanhedrin (John
                                                              18:18, 24; Acts 4:6). He was a man of powerful
(29-11) Acts 3:19. What Is Meant by the “Times of
                                                              influence among the Jews, and five of his sons served
Refreshing”?
                                                              as high priests.
“If we are to catch the vision of Peter’s prophecy, we
                                                              The full name of Caiaphas was Joseph Caiaphas. He
must know pointedly and specifically what is meant
                                                              was high priest of the Jews during the reign of the
by the times of refreshing. It is elsewhere spoken of by
                                                              emperor Tiberius (Matthew 26:3, 57; John 11:49;
Jesus as ‘the regeneration when the Son of man shall
                                                              18:13, 14, 24, 28; Acts 4:6). Before him appeared both
sit in the throne of his glory.’ (Matt. 19:28.) It is the
                                                              Jesus and the apostles Peter and John. He was the son-
day ‘when the earth shall be transfigured, even
                                                              in-law of Ann as, high priest before him, and he
according to the pattern which was shown unto mine
                                                              served some eighteen years in this important post.
apostles upon the mount. . . .’ the Lord says. (D&C
63:21.) It is the day when ‘the earth will be renewed         Nothing more is known of John and Alexander
and receive its paradisiacal glory.’ (Tenth Article of        beyond this one reference.
Faith.) It is the day of the ‘new earth’ that Isaiah saw
(Isa. 65:17), the earth which will prevail when               (29-14) Acts 5:1–11. What Lesson Can Be Learned
wickedness ceases, when the millennial era is ushered         from the Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira?
in. . . . It is the day when men ‘shall beat their swords     “In effect the lesson to learn from Ananias is that
into plowshares, and hooks’ (Isa. 2:4), a day of              unrepentant liars will be damned. What, then, of the
universal peace and justice, a millennial era when            part tithepayer who tells his bishop the sum given the
Christ shall reign personally upon the earth.”                Church is a full tithing? Or of the immoral couple
(Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 43.)                  who, conspiring together, assert their purity in order to




                                                            245
get a temple recommend? Or of church members who                Gamaliel was correct. But from that brief insurrection
deny sins of any sort which would keep them from                was born the movement known as the Zealots which,
receiving temple blessings, priesthood ordinations, or          in A.D. 66, led another revolt against Rome. It was this
positions of leadership?” (McConkie, DNTC,                      Zealot-inspired revolt which led to the destruction of
2:58–59.)                                                       the temple and the scattering of the Jews from
                                                                Palestine in A.D. 70–72.
(29-15) Acts 5:34–40. Who Was Gamaliel?
                                                                (29-17) Acts 6:5–7:59. Who Was Stephen?
The grandson of the famous rabbi Hillel and famous in
his own right, Gamaliel was a member of the                     Seven men, among whom was Stephen, were selected
Sanhedrin and a distinguished scholar of the Jewish             by the apostles to perform duties pertaining to
law during the time when the early church was first             whatever system of welfare was in use at the time.
getting underway. Paul states that he was “brought up           Stephen was especially valiant in his ministry. The
at the feet” of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), an idiomatic              scriptures attest that he was a man “full of faith and
expression meaning that he was tutored by the famous            power” who “did great wonders and miracles among
master of the law. Gamaliel had a reputation for being          the people.” Because he spoke and acted with such
tolerant and kindhearted, emphasizing the humanistic            authority and might, certain men of the Jews had him
considerations of the law, relaxing the demands of              arrested on false charges. False witnesses testified
Sabbath observance so they were not so rigorous, and            before the Sanhedrin that Stephen had spoken
encouraging more humane treatment of the woman in               blasphemy against the temple and the law of Moses.
divorce laws. The advice which he gives to the chief            During the proceedings, all who looked on him “saw
priests regarding the apostles and the infant church            his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts
(Acts 5:34–40) supports this reputation for tolerance           6:15); yet they refused to heed this visible witness
and wisdom. It is likely that his wise advice saved the         which was manifest in Stephen’s transfiguration. His
lives of the apostles, even though the council beat             defense was a recitation of the history of God’s
them before sending them away (Acts 5:40).                      dealings with his children. Stephen argued that Israel
                                                                did not understand their own law. They had persecuted
(29-16) Acts 5:36. Who Were Theudas and Judas of                and killed the prophets as they had persecuted and
Galilee?                                                        killed Jesus. Stephen gazed into the heavens and saw
Gamaliel attempted to persuade the Jewish leaders               the resurrected Christ with his Father. His
from their intent to persecute and kill Peter and the           incriminating testimony they could not bear. Crying
apostles. In a speech before the Sanhedrin he referred          “blasphemy,” Stephen was cast out of Jerusalem’s
to a man called Theudas who had gained four hundred             walls and stoned. Stephen died, one of the first
followers, only to fail in his attempts to acquire              martyrs of the faith.
additional adherents. In fact, Theudas was killed and
                                                                (29-18) Acts 7:58. Who Was Saul?
his followers were scattered. In effect, Gamaliel’s
approach was, “Let nature take its course. If the work          Saul was the Hebrew name of Paul the apostle. Born
be of men, it will fail as did Theudas. If it is of God, it     of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians
will triumph to your injury.” (See Acts 5:35–39.)               3:5), Paul was a Jew of the Diaspora. At an
                                                                appropriate time he changed his Hebrew name to its
In giving a reason why the Sanhedrin should let the
                                                                Roman counterpart, Paul, thus enabling him to move
apostles go, Gamaliel cited the case of Judas of
                                                                more easily in gentile circles. (For further biographical
Galilee as an example of how a movement would
                                                                detail, see page 270.)
come to naught if the Lord was not with it. Though
Gamaliel’s advice carried with the council, his                 (29-19) Acts 7:60. “Lord, Lay Not This Sin to Their
evaluation of Judas and his followers proved to be              Charge”
quite inadequate. In about A.D. 6 or 7, Quirinius, the
Roman governor of Syria, undertook a census of                  “When the Lord, in his dying moments, turned to the
Palestine. Judas, a fanatically loyal Galilean, said that       Father and requested, ‘Father, forgive them; for they
the Jews should be free of any foreign domination and           know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34), he was referring
therefore opposed the census. He gathered a band of             to the soldiers who crucified him. They acted under
followers who resisted the order with open violence.            the mandate of a sovereign nation. It was the Jews
They were, for the most part, captured, tortured, and           who were guilty of the Lord’s death. Again how could
killed, including Judas, so in that sense, at least,            he forgive them, or how could his Father forgive them,



                                                              246
when they were not repentant. These vicious people           POINTS TO PONDER
who cried, ‘ . . . His blood be on us, and on our
children’ (Matt. 27:25) had not repented. Those who          THE COMMISSION TO BE WITNESSES OF
‘reviled him’ on Calvary (Matt. 27:39) had not               CHRIST CONTINUES FOR SAINTS OF
repented. The Jewish leaders who tried Jesus illegally,      MODERN TIMES
demanded his crucifixion from Pilate, and incited the
mob to their vilest actions had not repented. Nor had        (29-22) All the World Is to Be Converted
the Roman soldiers who, though no doubt obligated
                                                             When Christ said that the witness of him should go
under their military law to crucify Jesus as instructed,
                                                             “unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8), some
were under no compulsion to add the insults and
                                                             people assumed he was speaking only to the saints of
cruelties to which they subjected the Savior prior to
                                                             that time. But that was not true. Christ was speaking
his crucifixion.
                                                             especially to us as members of the restored church.
“Could the Lord forgive Pilate? Certainly he could not       President Spencer W. Kimball said this:
without Pilate’s repentance. Did Pilate repent? We do
                                                             “If there were no converts, the Church would shrivel
not know what Pilate did after the scripture drops him.
                                                             and die on the vine. But perhaps the greatest reason
He had a desire to favor the Savior. He did not display
                                                             for missionary work is to give the world its chance to
full courage in resisting the pressures of the people.
                                                             hear and accept the gospel. The scriptures are replete
Could he have saved the life of the Lord? Again, we
                                                             with commands and promises and calls and rewards
do not know. We leave Pilate to the Lord as we do all
                                                             for teaching the gospel. I use the word command
other sinners, but remember that ‘to know and not to
                                                             deliberately for it seems to be an insistent directive
do’ is sin.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 167.)
                                                             from which we, singly and collectively, cannot escape.
(29-20) Acts 8:5. Who Was Philip?                            “. . . It seems to me that the Lord chose his words
Philip was one of seven men chosen to assist the             when he said ‘every nation,’ ‘every land,’ ‘uttermost
apostles in caring for the needy (Acts 6:1–6). He            bounds of the earth,’ ‘every tongue,’ ‘every people,’
preached at Samaria, where Simon the sorcerer                ‘every soul,’ ‘all the world,’ ‘many lands.’
believed the gospel message (Acts 8:5–13). When              “Surely there is significance in these words!
commanded by an angel, Philip went from Jerusalem
to Gaza, where he expounded the words of Isaiah and          “Certainly his sheep were not limited to the thousands
the gospel to a eunuch of great importance who               about him and with whom he rubbed shoulders each
received the word with gladness and was baptized             day. A universal family! A universal command!”
(Acts 8:26–39). Then he preached in different places         (“When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct.
until he took up residence at Caesarea (Acts 8:40).          1974, pp. 4–5.)
Paul stayed with Philip at Caesarea on his third
                                                             (29-23) “For Verily the Voice of the Lord Is unto
missionary journey (Acts 21:8–15). Philip had four
                                                             All Men”
unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy
(Acts 21:9).
                                                             It is clearly a monumental task that the Lord has
(29-21) Acts 8:5–8. Can a Member of the Aaronic              given his church. Even considering the fact that the
Priesthood Perform Great Works of                            charge does not necessarily imply that every person
Righteousness?                                               must be converted but rather that every soul must
                                                             have the privilege of hearing the gospel and choosing
“I desire to impress upon you the fact that it does not      for himself, it is still a challenge of staggering
make any difference whether a man is a Priest or an          proportions. But, obviously, President Kimball is not
Apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A Priest holds the     discouraged by the challenge. Before reading of the
key of the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as       great perspective he has about how this divine
an Apostle, as a Seventy, or as an Elder, have I ever        commission can literally be fulfilled, consider some
had more of the protection of the Lord than while            other statistics which show that, while the task is of
holding the office of a Priest. The Lord revealed to me      huge proportions, the Church is making amazing
by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy Spirit,          headway in its accomplishment.
many things that lay before me.” (Wilford Woodruff,
Millennial Star, 53:629.)




                                                           247
Population experts estimate that in 1850 the world’s        know how difficult it is because we have made some
population reached one billion people.                      efforts. Surely the Lord knew what he was doing when
                                                            he commanded. . . .
In 1850 the total membership of the church of Jesus
Christ was an estimated 60,000.                             “‘For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and
                                                            there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall
By 1976, the world’s population had increased to
                                                            not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart
about four billion people.
                                                            that shall not be penetrated.
By 1976, the membership of the Church had
                                                            “‘And the voice of warning shall be unto all people,
increased to nearly 3,650,000.
                                                            by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in
Thus, in the last 126 years the world’s population          these last days.’ (D&C 1:2, 4.)
increased fourfold, but Church membership had
                                                            “Somehow, brethren, I feel that when we have done
increased over fifty-six fold. In other words, Church
                                                            all in our power that the Lord will find a way to open
growth was fourteen times faster than that of the
                                                            doors. That is my faith.
population.
                                                            “‘Is any thing too hard for the Lord?’ he asked, when
Or to put it another way, in 1850 Church
                                                            Sarah laughed when she was told that she would have
membership amounted to only six thousandths of one
                                                            a son. When she heard this in the tent door, she knew
percent of the world’s total people. But by 1976 that
                                                            that both Abraham at 100 years and she at 90 years
ratio had increased fourteen times, to just less than
                                                            were past the age of reproduction. She could not bear
one-tenth of one percent.
                                                            children. She knew that, as well as it has been known
                                                            that we could not open doors to many nations.
(29-24) When the World Will Be Converted                    “‘And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did
When President Kimball gave this address, he was            Sarah laugh. . . .
speaking to Regional Representatives of the Twelve.         “‘Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time
But you ask yourself the same questions he asked            appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time
them, for when it comes right down to it, the               of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen. 18:13–14.)
responsibility must rest upon the shoulders of
individual members of the Church.                           “Brethren, Sarah did have a son, from Abraham, the
                                                            father of nations.
“My brethren, I wonder if we are doing all we can.
Are we complacent in our approach to teaching all the       “‘Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good
world? We have been proselyting now 144 years. Are          as dead [and that was Abraham, 100 years old], so
we prepared to lengthen our stride? To enlarge our          many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the
vision?                                                     sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.’ (Heb.
                                                            11:12.)
“Remember, our ally is our God. He is our
commander. He made the plans. He gave the                   “Is anything too hard for the Lord?
commandment. Remember what we have quoted                   “Also to Jeremiah he had said:
thousands of times as told by Nephi:
                                                            “‘Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there
“‘And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my           any thing too hard for me?’ (Jer. 32:27.)
father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath
commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no               “If he commands, certainly he can fulfill.
commandments unto the children of men, save he              “We remember the exodus of the children of Israel
shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish       crossing the uncrossable Red Sea.
the thing which he commandeth them.’ (1 Ne. 3:7.)
                                                            “We remember Cyrus diverting a river and taking the
“And as I read the scripture I think of the numerous        impregnable city of Babylon.
nations that are still untouched. I know they have
curtains, like iron curtains and bamboo curtains. I         “We remember the Lehites getting to the promised
                                                            land.




                                                          248
“We remember the Revolutionary War and the power            •   And what about your own family? Are there
of God that gave us triumph.                                    opportunities there to influence a younger
                                                                brother? Have you lent your faithful prayers to
“I believe the Lord can do anything he sets his mind to
                                                                an older brother struggling to decide whether or
do.
                                                                not he should go?
“But I can see no good reason why the Lord would
                                                            •   Have you determined irrevocably in your own
open doors that we are not prepared to enter. Why
                                                                heart to raise sons that will be the kind of
should he break down the Iron Curtain or the Bamboo
                                                                missionaries demanded by our challenge? Have
Curtain or any other curtain if we are still unprepared
                                                                you broken out of the limited vision of now and
to enter?
                                                                thought of your possible contributions in ten or
“I believe we have men who could help the apostles to           twenty years from now? Such determination
open these doors—statesmen, able and trustworthy—               would mean wise selection of a mate, temple
but, when we are ready for them.                                marriage, church activity.
“Today we have 18,600 missionaries. We can send             •   Do you capitalize on your opportunities to
more. Many more! Eight thousand, nine hundred went              influence nonmembers to seek for the knowledge
through the mission home in 1973.                               and blessings you have? You can prepare
“I believe it was John Taylor who said, ‘God will hold          effective contacts for the missionaries. Are you
us responsible to the people we might have saved, had           remembering that potential also?
we done our duty.’” (Kimball, “When the World Will          •   At baptism, you made a solemn covenant with the
Be Converted,” pp. 5, 7.)                                       Lord. Part of the covenant included the promise
                                                                to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in
As you read what President Kimball said, were you               all things, and in all places that ye may be in,
thinking only in terms of the full-time missionary and          even until death.” (Mosiah 18:9.) What would
the contribution he can make? If you are a young                the faithful completion of that covenant mean for
man who has not yet fulfilled a mission, then you can           you?
take President Kimball’s challenge directly into your       •   Every Sunday when you partake of the
life and apply it. But consider also some other ways            sacrament, you again solemnly affirm that you
you can do your part in increasing the missionary               are bearing witness of something. (See D&C
effort.                                                         20:77, 79.) To what are you bearing witness and
•   Are you dating a boy who is approaching mission             what does that mean in terms of missionary
    age? Have you let him know that you want him to             work?
    go, that anything less on his part would be a           Christ issued the commission to go to all the world,
    severe disappointment to you? Or have you               and President Kimball has challenged us to accept
    thought only in terms of your own temporary loss        that commission literally and fulfill it. Your place in
    and thus added to the difficulty of his leaving?        its fulfillment can be of eternal and profound
•   If you are a returned missionary, do you share          significance if you willingly commit yourself to the
    your testimony often with young men around you          task.
    about the importance of missionary work and the         “I ask you, what did he mean when the Lord took his
    great value of fulfilling a mission? Do you share       Twelve Apostles to the top of the Mount of Olives and
    the experiences you had which will motivate             said:
    others to say, “That’s the kind of experience I
    want in my life”?                                       “‘. . . And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in
                                                            Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and
•   Do you teach a class of Primary or Sunday               unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8.)
    School children? Have you remembered that
    attitudes set early in life influence patterns for      “These were his last words on earth before he went
    years thereafter? Are you doing all you can as a        to his heavenly home.
    teacher to develop the eager, spiritually prepared      “What is the significance of the phrase ‘uttermost
    missionary President Kimball is calling for?            part of the earth’? He had already covered the area




                                                          249
known to the apostles. Was it the people in Judea?        world and those spirits assigned to this world to
Or those in Samaria? Or the few millions in the Near      come in centuries ahead? Have we underestimated
East? Where were the ‘uttermost parts of the earth’?      his language or its meaning? How can we be
Did he mean the millions in what is now America?          satisfied with 100,000 converts out of nearly four
Did he include the hundreds of thousands, or even         billion people in the world who need the
millions, in Greece, Italy, around the Mediterranean,     gospel?” (“When the World Will Be Converted,”
the inhabitants of central Europe? What did he            Ensign, Oct. 1974, p. 4.)
mean? Or did he mean all the living people of all the




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                   30
   “GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS”




      The Acts of the Apostles—Events Occurred           THEME
              ca. A.D. 40–44 (10–13:1–5)
                                                         Membership in God’s kingdom is offered to all men
                                               Acts      everywhere, for the Lord is no respecter of persons.
Caesarea, Judea                           10:1–8
 The Vision of Cornelius                                 INTRODUCTION
 Peter: A Vision of the Unclean           10:9–20        It is unfortunate that the long and dimly lit corridor
                                                         of time obscures so much of the vision of the past. As
 The Gospel Is Sent to the Gentiles       10:21–35       the centuries mount one upon the other, the pressures
                                                         of change transform the face of the past, and what
 Teachings of Witnesses                   10:36–43
                                                         was once vividly real is blurred and faded. The new
 The Holy Ghost Poured Out on the         10:44–48       becomes the commonplace; the innovative becomes
 Gentiles                                                the traditional; the revolutionary becomes the
                                                         practiced; that which startled is soon expected; that
Jerusalem, Judea                          11:1–18
  Peter’s Report                                         which angered, accepted; that which shocked,
                                                         embraced. And so it is with the concept of God’s
Antioch, Syria                            11:19–26       impartiality. Today it is accepted as doctrinal, and
 Disciples are Called Christians                         any other concept would seem absurd. But it was not
 Agabus Prophecies of Famine              11:27–30       always so.
Jerusalem, Judea                          12:1–19        An angel came to an officer of the imperial Roman
  Peter is Freed from Prison                             legions. Messengers were sent to a humble
                                                         fisherman-apostle in Joppa, who himself was just
Caesarea:                                 12:20–23
 Herod Dies of Disease
                                                         recovering from a daylight vision. The apostle
                                                         journeyed northward. A sermon was preached. The
Antioch, Syria                            12:24, 25;     Holy Ghost descended. Baptisms were performed.
 Saul and Barnabas Called to the Ministry 13:1–5


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The account is disarmingly simple, and the nineteen         alway.” (Acts 10:1, 2.) He must have also been a
intervening centuries cloak the profound impact of          seeking, praying man, for he was given a vision in
that watershed moment of history so that it falls on        answer to prayer and was instructed to seek out Peter,
our minds ever so softly. “God is no respecter of           who would tell Cornelius what he ought to do to
persons,” Peter exclaimed in awestruck wonder.              perfect his life before God (Acts 10:3–6). He is the
“But of course,” replies the mind conditioned by a          first gentile known to have received the gospel in the
thousand days of Christian truth and enlightenment.         meridian of time without first fully converting to
                                                            Judaism. (Acts 10:47, 48).
But Luke knew. He was close enough to that
tradition-shattering event to see its tremendous            Where Was Caesarea in Relation to Joppa?
significance. Since the time of Moses the covenant
had been jealously guarded by the protective hands
of Israel. The sacred laws of God were given for all,
the rabbis declared, but only on condition of
accepting and embracing its demands. If a gentile
wished to shoulder the burdens of the Mosaic law—
which by Christ’s time had come to strongly
emphasize circumcision, the rigid rules of Sabbath
observance, dietary restrictions, and an infinitely
complex and precise set of commands and
prohibitions—he was welcomed and brought into
Judaism. But on any other condition, no! Israel was         (30-2) Acts 10:1–6. Why Did Cornelius Seek Out
the covenant people. The Jews were the chosen of            Peter After Having Seen an Angel?
God. All others were unacceptable in the sight of the
                                                            Seeing an angel or receiving a visitation from heaven
one true God.
                                                            does not bring salvation; keeping the commandments
And then Peter went northward from Joppa to the             does. Cornelius wished for salvation, and in order to
city whose very name was derived from the Roman             obtain it he had to obey its precepts. The angel who
emperors, symbol of all that was antithetical to the        appeared and gave Cornelius initial instructions could
laws of the sacred Torah. In the house of a Roman           have told him what to do, but he sent him to Peter,
Centurion in Caesarea, two thousand years of deeply         who held the earthly authority. This is the pattern in
entrenched traditions were swept aside.                     the kingdom of God. It is, then, as Joseph Smith
                                                            observed: “No wonder the angel told good old
Gentiles had been welcomed into Christ’s church, but
                                                            Cornelius that he must send for Peter to learn how to
all, without exception, had first been “proselytes,” or
                                                            be saved: Peter could baptize and angels could not, so
converts, to Judaism.
                                                            long as there were legal officers in the flesh holding
Remember the significance of that day when the              the keys of the kingdom, or the authority of the
president of the church of Jesus Christ as a result of      priesthood.” (Teachings, p. 265. Italics added.)
revelation was to change its destiny forever.
                                                            (30-3) Acts 10:9–33. Why Was Peter Chosen to
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       Introduce the Gospel to the Gentiles?
in the reading block.
                                                            “It [was] Peter’s duty and privilege to preach the
                                                            gospel first to the Gentiles. Please note that when the
                                                            Lord desired the Gentiles to hear His word, He
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     instructed the chief of the Twelve to turn the key that
                                                            opened the gospel door to them. This is one of the
(30-1) Acts 10:1. Who Was Cornelius?                        special duties of the apostleship.” (McKay, Ancient
                                                            Apostles, p. 87.)
A Roman centurion, or leader of one hundred men,
Cornelius is described by Luke as “a devout man, and        “In other words, Peter, holding the keys of the
one that feared God with all his house which gave           kingdom, was as much the president of the High
much alms to the people, and prayed to God                  Priesthood in his day as Joseph Smith and his
                                                            successors, to whom also these ‘keys’ were given in




                                                          252
our day, are the presidents of the High Priesthood and      (Alma 46:14, 15). In fact, the name of Jesus Christ had
the earthly heads of the Church and kingdom of God          been revealed to Jacob and Nephi some five hundred
on earth.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1953, 25.)            years before his birth, thus leaving the Nephites, at
                                                            least, in little doubt as to the identity of the Messiah
(30-4) Acts 10:10. What Is the Meaning of the               who should save them from their sins. (See 2 Nephi
Phrase “Fell into a Trance”?                                10:3 and 25:19.)
“Sometimes prophets go into trances in connection
                                                            (30-7) Acts 11:28. Who Was Agabus?
with the receipt of visions. That is, they are so
completely overshadowed by the Spirit that to all           Little is known of Agabus other than that he possessed
outward appearances normal bodily functions are             the gift of prophecy and was a noble Christian. By
suspended.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 802.)            means of divine inspiration, he foretold a famine
                                                            during the reign of the emperor Claudius, a fact which
(30-5) Acts 10:44–48. What Is the Difference                both the New Testament and Josephus confirm (Acts
Between the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy             11:28; Josephus, The Life and Works of Flavius
Ghost?                                                      Joseph, Antiquities of the Jews 20. 2. 5). Following
“There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the       Paul’s return from his third mission, Agabus also
gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy         predicted Paul’s future imprisonment and bonds (Acts
Ghost before he was baptized, which was the                 21:10, 11).
convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the
                                                            (30-8) Acts 12:1. Who Was the James Whom
Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy
                                                            Herod Killed?
Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken
this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost             At least three men are mentioned in the New
which convinced him of the truth of God, would have         Testament as bearing the name of James: (1) James,
left him. Until he obeyed these ordinances and              the son of Zebedee and brother of John the beloved
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of    apostle, was a member of the original Quorum of the
hands, according to the order of God, he could not          Twelve Apostles. He suffered martyrdom at the hands
have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to         of Herod in the early days of the apostolic ministry.
come out of a man and it obey him. . . .” (Smith,           With Peter and John, James served in the First
Teachings, p. 199. Italics added.)                          Presidency until his death about A.D. 44. (2) James,
                                                            the son of Alphaeus and Mary (Acts 1:13; Mark 16:1),
(30-6) Acts 11:26. When Were the Early Saints               sometimes known as James the less, was also a
Called Christians, and Why?                                 member of the original Quorum of the Twelve. Where
“Christians is an obvious name for the followers of         he ministered following the resurrection of Jesus is not
Christ, for those who believe he is the Son of God and      known. (3) James, the half-brother of Jesus, like his
that salvation of all degrees comes because of him and      other brothers, did not accept the calling of Jesus
his atoning sacrifice. Since there have been followers      while the Savior lived (John 7:1–7). Afterwards he
of Christ in successive gospel dispensations from           became an apostle. (See Acts 15:13–34; Galatians
Adam to the present, these all would have been known        1:18, 19; 2:9; and further biographical information on
as Christians or some equivalent, synonymous term.          page 404.)
By saying the saints were called Christians first in
                                                            (30-9) Acts 12:1. Who Were Herod and Bernice?
Antioch means that for the first time in the meridian
dispensation there was a sufficient church membership       Two of the Herods, father and son, were called Herod
so that nonmembers recognized the saints as a separate      Agrippa. They ruled the Jews during the time of Jesus
and distinct organization, one severed and apart from       and the apostles. Herod Agrippa I was a grandson of
the Jewish synagogue and community.” (McConkie,             Herod the Great and, unlike those who reigned before
DNTC, 2:112.)                                               him, was a great observer of the law of Moses. In
                                                            order to keep the favor of the Jews, he put to death
It is interesting to note that as early as 73 B.C., all
                                                            James, who was the son of Zebedee, brother of John
Nephites who belonged to the church of Jesus Christ
                                                            the Beloved, and an apostle of Jesus Christ (Acts 12).
in the land of Zarahemla were known as Christians
                                                            Following his father’s death, Herod Agrippa II was




                                                          253
given the tetrarchies formerly held by Philip his          POINTS TO PONDER
brother, and Lysonias, a Roman appointee, and
received the title of king (Acts 25:13). Our best picture GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS
of him is that provided in the New Testament during
his encounter with Paul in the court of Festus (Acts      While Jesus had taught that his disciples were to love
25:13 through 26:32). His incestuous marriage with        their enemies, a deep distrust of all who were not
his sister Bernice rendered him detestable to the Jews. Jewish must have remained in the hearts of many
                                                          disciples. The allegiance to the requirements of the
Bernice was the oldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I.
                                                          Mosaic law burned fiercely on even after conversion.
Her first marriage at a very young age was to her
                                                          Even Peter was appalled when he was commanded in
uncle, Herod, king of Chalsis. Following his death
                                                          the vision to eat of animals declared unclean by the
about A.D. 48, she married her own brother, Herod
                                                          Torah. And his tone was one of amazement as he
Agrippa II. She was present on the occasion when her
                                                          realized the implications of the revelation for the
husband-brother and Festus listened to Paul’s case
                                                          gentiles.
prior to the latter’s departure for Rome (Acts 25:13,
23; 26:30).                                               But while the events of those four days in Joppa and
                                                          Caesarea drastically altered the direction of the
(30-10) Acts 12:4. The Use of the Word Easter             missionary effort of the church, it did not
The term Easter as used here by King James                automatically remove the problems of Jewish
translators is an anachronism, for there was no Easter    exclusiveness. Nor does this imply that the saints of
celebration as such for many, many years following        those early days were lacking in devotion to the
the Savior’s death and resurrection. The Greek word       Master. Attitudes and prejudices that are cemented
pascha, equivalent to the Hebrew payach, translates       through generations of indoctrination are not
itself as Passover. Early Christians changed the          removed in a day’s time. When Peter returned to
Hebrew custom of celebrating Passover into their own Jerusalem, some members of the church were waiting
commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus, whom          for him, critical and challenging of his association
they regarded as the true Paschal Lamb of God and the with the unclean heathen. His rehearsal of the events
first fruits of the resurrection.                         that had led him to Caesarea and those that had
                                                          occurred once he reached there silenced his critics.
(30-11) Acts 12:12. Who Was John Mark?                    They had to admit that the evidence was irrefutable;
                                                          the gentiles were to be granted repentance unto life.
John Mark, commonly known as Mark, is the author
                                                          (See Acts 11:18.)
of the Gospel of that name. He was the son of one of
the leading women in the early church in Jerusalem.       But even in the face of such direct revelation, the
Believers assembled at her home, and Peter returned       problem was not completely eliminated. The Jewish
there after being freed from prison (Acts 12:12–17).      members of the church overcame the first hurdle—
John Mark was chosen as a companion of Paul and           the gentiles were to be granted the new covenant of
Barnabas as they left on the first missionary journey     the gospel; it was no longer reserved just for the
(Acts 12:25, 13:5) but for an unnamed reason he left      children of Abraham. But this did not imply, in many
the two brethren about half way into the journey (Acts of their minds, that the law of Moses had been
13:13). This later became a point of contention           fulfilled. It was not long before members were
between Paul and Barnabas when departing on the           demanding that the gentile converts be circumcised,
second journey. Barnabas wanted to take Mark again, and the Jerusalem council was held to deal with that
but Paul refused; so they split company and went their problem (Acts 15). And for the next several decades
separate ways (Acts 15:37–41). Evidently Paul was         the church would be plagued with the attacks of
later reconciled to Mark, for he speaks of him with       Judaizers (the name given to Jewish Christians who
commendation in his epistles. (See, for example,          demanded that all members of the Christian church
Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24.) Peter speaks of Mark       keep the Mosaic ordinances as well).
as his son and as being with him in Babylon—
                                                          The feelings of Jewish exclusiveness in the church
probably Rome. An ancient tradition states that Mark
                                                          and their tenacious loyalty to codes of the past were
wrote his gospel in Rome, taking his material directly
                                                          not automatically solved by the events of Caesarea.
from Peter.
                                                          The conversions and adjustments would reverberate




                                                       254
for years to come. But that was the turning point. The        ANSWER
coming of the angel to a Roman soldier in central
                                                              Suppose God said, “Well, you’ve been obedient but
Palestine would profoundly alter Christianity forever
                                                              you are a slave; so I can’t give you the blessings.”
afterward.
                                                              That was one mistake of the Jews in the time of
QUESTION                                                      Christ. They felt that ancestry gave them some
                                                              inherent advantage with God. John the Baptist spoke
Why does Peter say that God is no respecter of
                                                              against that notion when he suggested that God could
persons? Isn’t respect for a person a positive trait?
                                                              raise up children of Abraham from the stones
ANSWER                                                        (Matthew 3:9). Joseph Smith said this was a
Yes, respect is a positive trait. The problem is that the     figurative expression meaning the gentiles. (See
language has changed in meaning since the days of             Teachings, p. 319.)
the King James Version. The word person was                   QUESTION
derived from the Latin persona, which meant
                                                              But don’t some people have an inherent advantage by
“mask,” and referred to the masks worn by the
                                                              virtue of their birth, their wealth, or their talents? It
actors in a drama. Thus, the original connotation of
                                                              seems that a person born today in a land of freedom
person was the outward appearance or
                                                              and in a family active in the Church has a
circumstances of the individual, including such
                                                              tremendous advantage over someone born in less
things as status, wealth, position, dress, or physical
                                                              favorable circumstances. Doesn’t that affect one’s
appearance. The Greek phrase Luke used means
                                                              ability to be obedient to God?
literally “accepter of the face.”
                                                              ANSWER
QUESTION
                                                              The time, place, and circumstances in which a person
So it really means that God is impartial?
                                                              is born certainly influence his behavior in profound
ANSWER                                                        ways. If that placement at birth was simply a factor
Right. God is not like most men. He does not favor            of chance, then it could be said that God is partial.
one man or group of men over another on the basis             But we know that placement in mortality is based on
of social rank, ancestry, or other such surface               more than chance.
qualities.                                                    QUESTION
QUESTION                                                      Then what determines where and when you are born?
But is God really totally impartial? Doesn’t he bless         ANSWER
some of his children more than others?
                                                              We don’t know in detail all the factors that influence
ANSWER                                                        the circumstances into which we are born, but the
God’s impartiality refers to his basic treatment of his       prophets have clearly taught that the basic rule of
children. Whenever someone is obedient to his laws,           obedience to law as the prerequisite for blessings
he is blessed. Nephi taught that the land of Palestine        holds true in this matter as well.
was taken from its possessors by the Israelites               QUESTION
because of this principle. He explained: Read
                                                              Meaning that the kind of life we lived in the
1 Nephi 17:32–38.
                                                              premortal existence influenced where we are now?
Some men receive more blessings from God because
                                                              ANSWER
they are more obedient to him. The impartiality exists
because the laws form the basis for blessings and not         Yes. In this connection, President Lee made the
some outward, meaningless criteria.                           following statement:
QUESTION                                                      “You are all the sons and daughters of God. Your
                                                              spirits were created and lived as organized
That doesn’t seem very clear. What would be
                                                              intelligences before the world was. You have been
meaningless criteria?
                                                              blessed to have a physical body because of your




                                                            255
obedience to certain commandments in that                  ANSWER
premortal state. You are now born into a family to
                                                           It has to do with our own attitudes about ourselves.
which you have come, into the nations through which
                                                           A girl who was quite unattractive by the standards of
you have come, as a reward for the kind of lives you
                                                           the culture in which she lived once asked, “Why did
lived before you came here.” (CR, Oct. 1973, p. 7.)
                                                           God do this to me? Why couldn’t my spirit have been
QUESTION                                                   sent to a more attractive body?” If she understood
                                                           God’s love and his impartiality, she would know that
But it seems as if some who are born into very
                                                           outward appearance is irrelevant to him.
favorable circumstances are not very obedient.
                                                           Furthermore, she would see that if her eternal
ANSWER                                                     progression were really prevented by the physical
True, but each person has his agency. If he does not       appearances she was given, a loving Father would
continue to be faithful and obedient, he will lose the     never have allowed that to happen. If she keeps his
Lord’s favor and blessings. Again note what                laws, she will receive every blessing the Lord has to
President Lee said about this:                             give.

“. . . there are many who were foreordained before         QUESTION
the world was, to a greater state than they have           So really, our position or specific situation in life is
prepared themselves for here. Even though they             not as critical as what we do with it?
might have been among the noble and great, from
                                                           ANSWER
among whom the Father declared he would make his
chosen leaders, they may fail of that calling here in      Exactly right. The leper who believed in Christ was
mortality.” (CR, Oct. 1973, p. 7.)                         better off than the Pharisee who rejected him; the
                                                           repentant harlot who followed him was more favored
So the law is still the same. God blesses the faithful
                                                           than the apostle who betrayed him. Men may be
regardless of their status, race, ancestry, or any
                                                           tested by status or lack of it, by wealth or by poverty.
other outward qualities. He is no respecter of
                                                           In some ways beauty may be a greater challenge than
persons.
                                                           ugliness. Life is sufficiently complex to test and try
QUESTION                                                   every man. It matters little whether the test is met in
What are the implications of this for my own               the gilded halls of the palace or the sweltering mud
behavior?                                                  hut in the desert. God is no respecter of persons.
                                                           What a person is rather than who he is will be the
ANSWER                                                     determining factor in the judgment. President Lee
There are two important lessons to be learned. First,      explains further: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ was
if we wish to be godlike in our lives, we cannot base      not intended just for a continent or a segment of the
our acceptance of a person on invalid criteria.            earth. The gospel is intended for every soul that
                                                           walks the earth, they are all the children of God. . . .
QUESTION
                                                           “Our responsibility is to bring to the world the
Give me an example of invalid criteria.                    message of truth to show the world that within the
ANSWER                                                     teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ are to be
                                                           found the solutions to every problem that afflicts
It would mean not choosing friends on the basis of         mankind. . . .
worldly affluence. It would mean that all men would
be judged on the same basis, that girls would not          “No matter where they live, whether they are rich or
date on the basis of the boy’s car, that dress and         poor, no matter what their station in life, their color
fashions would never be the only basis for rejection.      or their background, they are loved by us and we
If we really wished to emulate this quality of             desire to help them to achieve their highest
godliness, it would revolutionize our interactions         expectations. . . .” (Church News, 15 July 1972, p. 4.)
with our fellowmen.
QUESTION
I can see that. What is the second implication?




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                          31
              “A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO
                               UNTO ME”




      The Acts of the Apostles—Events Occurred             INTRODUCTION
                     ca. A.D. 34–39
                                                           The gospel of Jesus Christ furnishes you with the first
                                               Acts        principles of self-respect: you are a child of your
Near Damascus, Syria                       9:1–9
                                                           Eternal Father, and it is his work and glory not only
 The Savior Appears to Saul                                to give you life, but to give you abundant, even
                                                           eternal, life. (See John 10:10; Moses 1:39.) Indeed,
Damascus, Syria                            9:10–19a        each of you is a chosen vessel unto the Lord.
 Saul Receives His Sight and Is Baptized
                                                           In your reading for this lesson you will learn, among
Damascus, Syria; and Jerusalem, Judea      9:19b–31
                                                           other things, of the man Saul and of his call to labor
 Saul Begins His Ministry
                                                           by the Lord. Saul’s experience, however, is not
Lydda and Joppa, Judea                     9:32–43         totally unique. Each one of you who has made
 Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Tabitha                     covenants with the Lord is called by him. Of course,
 from the Dead                                             like Saul, you may not now know that which the Lord
                                                           would have you do. You could be in outright
THEME                                                      opposition to that which the Lord intends; or you
Paul’s call to service on the road to Damascus and his     may be unaware of his plans or, worse, uncaring.
later faithfulness demonstrate how he and all mankind      It is significant that the book of Acts is full of great
may become chosen vessels unto the Lord.                   acts of dedicated men. Saul, for example, “acts” in
                                                           this chapter and begins to become the great servant
                                                           of God we all now revere. Ananias acts in his


                                                         257
priesthood and performs gospel ordinances, and              the well-known products once produced by the city’s
Peter literally follows the magnificent acts of his         residents were Damascus cloth (damask) and
Master and raises Tabitha to life.                          Damascus steel, both treasures to be cherished.
It is vital to remember that each of you must write his     (31-2) Acts 9:4–6. What Are Two Important
own book of “Acts.” If, like Saul, you are going the        Lessons We Can Learn from the Accounts of
wrong way, you must repent; if, as Ananias, you hold        Paul’s Conversion?
the priesthood, you must minister; and if; like Peter,
you are a leader, you must fully follow the Lord.           “There is a lesson for us all in this Church. Let us, too,
Though foreordained to greatness, you become                recognize the local authority. The bishop may be a
chosen vessels only by doing the will of the Lord as        humble man. Some of you may think you are superior
you walk here on earth.                                     to him, but he is given authority direct from our Father
                                                            in heaven. Recognize it. Seek his advice, the advice of
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       your stake presidents. If they cannot answer your
in the reading block.                                       difficulties or your problems, they will write to others,
                                                            the General Authorities, and get the advice needed.
                                                            Recognition of authority is an important principle.
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     “The other element in that incident to Paul near
                                                            Damascus is the great fact that Jesus, our Lord, is
(31-1) Acts 9:2, 3, 8. What Was the Importance of           interested in his Church, and in the members. As he
Damascus?                                                   was interested then, so he is interested today.
Claiming to be the world’s oldest city having               “I like to feel that he is watching over us, that he is
continuous habitation, Damascus, present-day capital        grieved when we do not comply with the ideals and
of Syria, was also in the Roman province of Syria in        the standards he has given us in the gospel. He was
the days of the apostles. Situated some 130 miles           grieved with Saul, a chosen servant, who was going
northeast of Jerusalem and approximately 65 miles           about blindly to destroy the Church. He is delighted
from the Mediterranean Sea, Damascus lies in the            when he finds the brethren whom he has appointed
heart of a fertile plain.                                   doing their duty and trying to live clean, upright lives,
                                                            living in accordance with the standards of the
The supremacy of Damascus among ancient cities is           gospel.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1951,
clearly found in the fact of its location. It was the       pp. 159–60.)
terminus point for three principal trade routes of the
ancient Near East.                                          (31-3) Acts 9:5. “It Is Hard for Thee to Kick
Its close proximity to Jerusalem made Damascus a city       Against the Pricks”
of great importance to ancient Israel and Judah. (See       The reference is to a goad, a sharp spear or stick used
the map at the beginning of chapter 29.) It was from        to prick the hides of animals to make them move
here that Ahaz, king of Judah, took his pattern for the     ahead. The tendency when pricked is to kick back, to
great altar which he set up in the Jerusalem temple,        retaliate, literally “to kick against the pricks.” Such a
ostensibly to pacify the victorious king of Assyria,        reaction merely brings added distress and drives the
Tiglath-pileser III (2 Kings 16:10–16). In time, the        wound deeper while having almost no effect upon the
city was destroyed just as God’s prophets had               goad itself. Elder David O. McKay, in speaking of
prophesied (Isaiah 17:1; Amos 1:4; Jeremiah 49:23–          Paul’s inner feelings, once wrote:
27). Later is was rebuilt on the same site.
                                                            “Damascus is about one hundred and fifty miles north
In the present-day Christian quarter of the city is         of Jerusalem, so it would take Saul and his attendants
located what is thought to have been the famed street       about a week to travel the distance. Perhaps during
called Straight on which was found the house of one         those few days of comparative leisure, he began to
Judas, with whom Paul lived for a time following his        wonder whether what he was doing was right or not.
conversion. The wall from which Paul was let down in        Perhaps the shining face of the dying Stephen and the
a basket by friends at night so as to escape the            martyr’s last prayer began to sink more deeply into his
infuriated Jews of the city (Acts 9:23–25) is, in all       soul than it had done before. Little children’s cries for
likelihood, that which still surrounds the city. As in      their parents whom Saul had bound began to pierce his
the days of Paul, so in our present time; the wares of      soul more keenly, and make him feel miserably
Damascus are sold openly at the street bazaar. Among        unhappy as he looked forward to more experiences of


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that kind in Damascus. Perhaps he wondered whether             But what of those who knew Paul formerly as their
the work of the Lord, if he were really engaged in it,         persecutor? How did they receive his testimony of
would make him feel so restless and bitter. He was             Jesus? Their reaction must have been similar to that of
soon to learn that only the work of the evil one               Ananias who, following his call from Christ to
produces these feelings, and that true service for the         minister to Paul’s needs, said: “Lord, I have heard by
Lord always brings peace and contentment.” (Ancient            many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy
Apostles, p. 120.)                                             saints at Jerusalem: And here [i.e., in Damascus] he
                                                               hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that
(31-4) Acts 9:8. What Blinded Saul on the Road to              call on thy name.” (Acts 9:13, 14.) Was his conversion
Damascus?                                                      a mere ruse intended to trap those who truly professed
“But Saul of Tarsus saw Jehovah, the glorified Christ,         the Christian cause? (See Acts 9:20–22.) Time alone
and heard his voice and conversed with him. Even               could answer this question and show the actuality of
partially protected as he was, the brilliance of the light     Paul’s conversion.
from heaven in which he centered—greater than the
                                                               (31-7) Acts 9:27. Who Was Barnabas?
noonday sun—Paul collapsed to the earth, trembling,
shocked. The voice said: ‘I am Jesus whom thou                 Barnabas was Paul’s missionary companion during his
persecutest. . . .’ (Acts 9:5.)                                first mission (Acts 9:27). His first recorded service to
                                                               the church was the selling of his property in
“So intense and brilliant was the light that even with
                                                               accordance with the agreement among early Christians
such protection, he was blinded. He said: ‘And when I
                                                               to have all things in common (Acts 4:36). He was a
could not see for the glory of that light, being led by
                                                               Jew (a Levite, actually) from the island of Cyprus; his
the hand of them that were with me, I came into
                                                               surname was Joses or Joseph. At the time that he and
Damascus.’ (Acts 22:11.)
                                                               Paul encountered the Lycaonians, Barnabas was given
“A priesthood miracle restored sight to Paul after three       the name of Jupiter, most powerful of the Roman gods
days of total darkness. The glory of the Lord! How             (Acts 14:12), evidently in token of his commanding
great and magnificent!” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR,             manner, his dignified appearance, and his physical
Apr. 1964, p. 96.)                                             prowess. He was called “a good man, and full of the
                                                               Holy Ghost and of faith” (Acts 11:24), was chosen
(31-5) Acts 9:18. Why Was It Necessary for Paul,               with Paul to take the relief funds to the poor of Judea
Who Saw a Vision, to Submit to Baptism?                        (Acts 11:29, 30), and was a hard worker who
“Saul [saw] the resurrected Son of God, received               supported himself rather than throw himself upon the
visions, [was] the recipient of miracles wrought on his        church for support (1 Corinthians 9:6). Although he
behalf, and yet none of these sufficed to prepare him          had sharp contention with Paul over the issue of taking
for church membership or ministerial service. Baptism          John Mark, Barnabas’ nephew, with them on the
is the gate for all—Christ, Paul, every accountable            second journey (Acts 15:36–39), he and Paul were
person.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:91.)                               later reconciled. He it was who first sought Paul out
                                                               after the latter’s conversion by going to Tarsus to
(31-6) Acts 9:20–22. What New Problems Did Paul                induce Paul to join him in the ministry (Acts 11:25,
Face Following His Conversion?                                 26). He seems to have been an apostle (Acts 14:4, 14).
As soon as he was a member of the church of Jesus
Christ, Paul faced two new problems: one stemming              POINTS TO PONDER
from his former relationship with the Jews, the second
from his new situation as a follower of Jesus. Prior to        LIKE SAUL ALL MUST CONFRONT THE
his conversion, his work of persecuting the Christians         LORD
found full acceptance among the Jewish leaders.
Following his conversion, he had to face his former            (31-8) Every Knee Will Bow
friends and associates and declare he had been wrong.          Sooner or later each of us must face God. Even those
“And straightway he preached Christ in the                     who live out their lives without God must one day
synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20.)           acknowledge that he is, for “every knee shall bow . . .
Note the forward nature of his testimony. So incensed          and every tongue shall confess.” (Romans 14:11.) Of
were the Jews that they “took counsel to kill                  course, for all of us, now is the best time to serve the
him.” (Acts 9:23.)                                             Lord.



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“And, if you sense that one day every knee shall bow          far with the Lord. You have already rejected Satan
and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the       once. You have been added upon with glory. (See
Lord, why not do so now? For in the coming of that            Abraham 3:26.)
collective confession, it will mean much less to kneel
down when it is no longer possible to stand                   (31-10) We Determine the Course We Pursue
up!” (Neal A. Maxwell in CR, Oct. 1974, p. 16.)               You have the responsibility of determining your
                                                              course and then pursuing it steadily to the end. To aid
(31-9) We Have Made Covenants with the Lord
                                                              you, the Lord has given some special helps—
As Latter-day Saints, you have a special relationship         significant ways you can discover him in mortality, as
with the Lord. Even before the foundations of the             did Saul.
world were laid you made commitments to and
                                                              For one thing, all are born with the light of Christ,
covenants with the Lord. Of course, these have
                                                              which is “the true light that lighteth every man that
profound effects on that which you are called to do on
                                                              cometh into the world.” (D&C 93:2; see also John
earth. Certain it is that Paul didn’t receive the great
                                                              1:9.) It is this that gives you an intense sense of right
blessing of seeing the Lord on the merits of that which
                                                              and wrong. Also, if followed, the light of Christ will
he had accomplished in mortality alone.
                                                              lead you to the gospel. This Spirit strove with Amulek
“But why Saul, why this man who hated the Lord and            and called many times, but “I would not hear . . . I
sought to slay his saints? There can be only one              knew . . . yet I would not know.” (Alma 10:6.) It is
answer—pre-existence; Saul had gained the talents             probable that on the road to Damascus Saul was
and risen to the spiritual stature in the pre-mortal life     struggling in the spirit. Elder Howard W. Hunter,
which qualified him to stand as an apostolic minister         speaking of Saul’s state of mind as he journeyed,
of Him who now chastened him on the Damascus                  indicates that Saul’s earlier persecution of the Saints
road.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:89.)                                “weighed heavily upon his conscience.” (CR, Oct.
                                                              1964, p. 109.) You too have probably felt the Spirit of
And so it is with us. Not that all of us have as far to
                                                              the Lord striving with you; and if you have heeded,
come as did Saul, who was in rebellion, but all of us
                                                              your life, like Saul’s, has been drastically altered.
are influenced by our pre-earth life. President Kimball
indicates that we made covenants before we were               Parents too have a vital stewardship. Goodly parents
born. Note his words:                                         often act as angels for us. They help us in the way we
                                                              should go. Nephi, for example, was led to his
“We made vows, solemn vows, in the heavens before
                                                              testimony because of the vision of his father (1 Nephi
we came to this mortal life. . . .
                                                              11:1). Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy and led
“We have made covenants. We made them before we               that youth in the way he should go. All of us would be
accepted our position here on the earth.                      wise to honor our parents by listening to their
                                                              righteous counsel. Their stewardship over us is
“Now we made this commitment, ‘. . . all things
                                                              recognized by the Lord and his Church; and even if
whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us.’ We
                                                              they are not all faithful members of the Church, by
committed ourselves to our Heavenly Father, that if
                                                              divine decree they deserve honor.
He would send us to the earth and give us bodies and
give to us the priceless opportunities that earth life        The great gift of the Holy Ghost, if you truly receive
afforded, we would keep our lives clean and would             it, will lighten your way.
marry in the holy temple and would rear a family and
                                                              Certainly the influence of this “first comforter” is vital
teach them righteousness. This was a solemn oath, a
                                                              to our own personal relationship with God.
solemn promise. He promised us an eventful mortal
life with untold privileges and providing we qualified        Saul illustrates another essential way one confronts the
in the way of righteousness, we would receive eternal         Lord. He was administered to by Ananias, one of the
life and happiness and progress. There is no other way        Lord’s servants. As a matter of fact, most blessings
to receive these rewards.” (“Be Ye Therefore Perfect,”        come through the administration of others. That is the
Address given at the University of Utah Institute             established pattern in the kingdom of God—blessings,
Devotional, 10 Jan. 1975, p. 2.)                              ordinances, ordinations, administrations, and
                                                              endowments come through others.
Thus much of what you receive in the pathway of life
has been determined by that which went on before. It          As you grow in the gifts of the Spirit, you may
ought to give you great hope that you have come so            discover the Lord more fully. Finally, when you are



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endowed and married in the temple, the door will have      5. Understanding that the Lord has repeatedly
been opened to eventual access to all the mysteries of        admonished his Saints to be in the world but not
God if you keep your covenants. All of us will have           of it, my lifestyle is consistent with Church
the privilege of confronting the Lord, each in his own        standards in the following areas:
way, each in his own time.
                                                               a.   Manner of dress
THERE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS THE LORD                             b.   Language
WOULD HAVE US DO                                               c.   Music
                                                               d.   Entertainment
(31-11) “If Ye Love Me, Keep My                                e.   Eating habits
Commandments”                                                  f.   Dancing
That Saul was willing to ask the Lord what to do and
then to do it tells us much of Saul’s character. As has    6. I have felt and can distinguish the power of the
been noted elsewhere, others—Laman, Lemuel—have               Holy Ghost in my life (Smith, Teachings, p. 151.)
seen glorious things, even angels (1 Nephi 3:29–31);       7. Although my testimony has passed through a
but their lives were not changed, because, unlike Saul,       number of stages, I can honestly say I now know
they would not respond. The Lord deals with specifics,        for myself. I have felt the promptings of the Holy
and once we know his will, we should be willing to            Spirit (Matthew 16:17).
obey. To do otherwise is to bring upon ourselves
condemnation. Alma the Younger had an experience           8. I would say that I’m a spiritual person. My
similar to Saul’s when he saw an angel. The record is         spirituality is not a theory to me; it is a present
clear that he would have been “cast off” (Mosiah              consciousness. (David O. McKay has described
27:16) if he had not repented. Once you confront the          spirituality as “consciousness of victory over
Lord in such a manner, it would be better not to have         self, and of communion with the Infinite.” [CR,
known him if your life is not changed (2 Nephi 31:14).        Apr. 1949, p. 17.])
Of course, like Saul, you need a specific course to
follow; or as the rich young man responded when the        BEING BORN AGAIN TO A NEWNESS OF LIFE
Savior told him to keep the commandments, you may
ask, “Which?” (Matthew 19:18.)                             (31-12) Saul “Arose from the Earth,” and So May
                                                           All of Us
In order to do what the Lord intends, we must be
aware of the specific commandments he has given.           It is written that whatever the Lord does it is for the
Faithful Saints need constantly to examine themselves      benefit of man (2 Nephi 26:24). It was so with Saul.
(1 Corinthians 11:28).                                     After his experience with the Lord, Saul “arose from
                                                           the earth.” (Acts 9:8.) As a matter of fact, the rest of
Examine your own life, using the following scriptural      his life became a testimony to his foreordination to
criteria:                                                  greatness. He later wrote that he could “do all things
                                                           through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians
1. I’m aware of the significance of the covenant of
                                                           4:13.) His life is the eloquent testimony of his words.
   baptism, and I’m keeping the covenant (Mosiah
                                                           He chronicles some of the happenings of his life—the
   18:8–10; D&C 20:77–79).
                                                           trials, the blessings, and the glories—in 2 Corinthians,
2. I’m morally clean—specifically so. I refrain from       chapters 11 and 12.
   worshiping the God of lust by bridling all my
                                                           Finally, his testimony to Timothy bespeaks his
   passions (Alma 38:12).
                                                           journey to perfection (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). Paul truly
3. I keep the Sabbath. I consider it my most               had crucified the old man of sin. He was a born-again
   important day. I do enter into the Lord’s               saint. Saul the persecutor had become Paul the apostle,
   presence on his day (D&C 84:24). I refrain from         the saint, the man of God.
   doing my own pleasure on this day (Isaiah
   58:14).
                                                           Witness Paul’s testimony and ask yourself if you have
4. I pray with desire. I could say that my heart is        arisen “from the earth.”
   often drawn to the Lord in prayer (Alma 34:27).
                                                           Are you filled with love through the Holy Ghost?
   My prayers are more of communication and less
                                                           Read Romans 5:5.
   of habit.


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On what foundation is your testimony built? Read          (31-13) Will It Make a Difference?
1 Corinthians 2:5.
                                                          And so in the life of Saul—later, Paul the apostle—we
How hard have you been striving against sin? Read         see a prime example of one who was called from
Hebrews 12:4.                                             before the foundations of the world and, because of his
                                                          acts in his mortal life, was ultimately chosen and who
Do you pray with the Spirit? Read Romans 8:26.
                                                          even attained a relative degree of perfection through
Are you making your weak things strong? Read              Christ. (See Galatians 4:12, Inspired Version.) So may
2 Corinthians 12:7–10. See also Ether 12:27.              it be with you. You have been called. You will
Have you crucified the flesh in the sense of bridling     sometime be confronted by the Lord on your own road
your passions and appetites? Read Galatians 5:24.         of life. To progress, you must do as the Lord directs. If
                                                          you fully arise from the earth, you will come to the
Are you founded upon the rock of revelation? Read         measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ
Galatians 1:11, 12.                                       (Ephesians 4:13) and be, indeed, “a chosen vessel unto
                                                          the Lord.”




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                     32
      “I HAVE SET THEE TO BE A LI
                               LIGHT
                                  GHT OF
                THE GENTILES”




      The Acts of the Apostles—Events Occurred          Thessalonica, Macedonia                  17:1–14
              ca. A.D. 45–51 (13:6–18:23)                Paul and Silas Flee Persecution
     Paul’s First and Second Missionary Journeys
                                                        Athens, Greece                           17:15–34
                                              Acts       Paul Preaches the Unknown God

Paphos, Cyprus                            13:6–12       Corinth, Greece                          18:1–11
 Paul Curses a False Prophet                             Jew and Greek Hear the Gospel

Anitoch, Pisidia                          13:13–25          The Jews Take Paul to Court          18:12–23
 The Savior Was of the Lineage of David
                                                        THEME
 The Gospel Is Offered to Israel          13:26–41
                                                        Through his servants the Lord extends an invitation to
 Paul and Barnabas Teach the Gentiles     13:42–49      all men to become his chosen people.
Iconium, Galatia                          13:50–52;
  Jews Persecute Paul and Barnabas        14:1–7
                                                        INTRODUCTION

Lystra, Galatia                           14:8–18       When the Lord told Ananias to go and restore the
 Paul and Barnabas Hailed as Gods                       sight of the stricken Saul, Ananias was dismayed, for
                                                        Saul had troubled the saints much. But the Lord said,
 Paul Stoned, Revived, Preaches           14:19–28      “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name
Jerusalem, Judea                          15:1–35       before the Gentiles. . . . I will shew him how great
  The Question of Circumcision                          things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts
                                                        9:15, 16.)
 Paul and Silas Become Companions         15:36–41
                                                        As you see the ministry of Paul unfold, it will become
 The Holy Ghost Directs Paul’s Labors     16:1–15       clear indeed that Paul was a chosen vessel, that he
Thyatira, Asia                            16:16–18
                                                        would have a mighty mission to the gentiles, and that
 An Evil Spirit Cast Out                                he would suffer immensely in order to fulfill his
                                                        mission.
 Philip, a Jailor, Receives Christ        16:19–40


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To say that Paul went among the gentiles of his day           (32-2) Acts 13:6. “They Found a Certain Sorcerer,
to offer them the gospel is perhaps not enough, for           a False Prophet”
they were not the only gentile peoples he influenced.
                                                              “My enemies say that I have been a true prophet.
To sense Paul’s impact, we must also remember that
                                                              Why, I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false
his writings continued to “preach Christ and him
                                                              prophet. When a man goes about prophesying, and
crucified” to the spreading gentile nations of the
                                                              commands men to obey his teachings, he must either
earth long after Paul’s death. As awful as the long
                                                              be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise
period of apostasy was, Paul’s illustrious career and
                                                              to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so
zealous testimony contributed immeasurably to the
                                                              very near the truth that they will deceive almost the
survival of Jesus Christ in the minds and hearts of
                                                              very chosen ones.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 365.)
millions of people through the dark ages, and even in
our own day.                                                  (32-3) Acts 13:7. Who Was Sergius Paulus?
You will also read of Paul’s urgency to plant in the          He was the Roman proconsul for Cyprus when Paul
hearts of his fellow Israelites the message of the            and Barnabas traveled to the island on the first
gospel and a zeal for service. As Jews they                   missionary journey. He is described as a prudent man
understood that they (like Paul) were chosen vessels.         who requested that Paul and Barnabas preach to him.
Paul taught that as a covenant people, they (like him)        When he saw the miracle performed by Paul in
were obliged to share their heritage with the gentiles,       causing blindness to come upon Elymas, the sorcerer,
and that they (like him) might expect to suffer               he “believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the
difficulties in order to carry out their divinely-given       Lord.” (Acts 13:12.)
mission.
                                                              (32-4) Acts 15:1. “Certain Men Which Came Down
And so it is today. We too are a chosen people; and
                                                              from Judea”
we, like the Israelites, need to be constantly reminded
of our obligation to our fellowmen.                           “They came from the headquarters of the Church, . . .
                                                              and were good and acceptable brethren; but on the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references         issue of circumcision they erred, teaching false
in the reading block.                                         doctrine and not being led by the Spirit. Since the
                                                              Lord often leaves his servants to struggle with and
                                                              work out solutions for difficult problems, before they
                                                              finally receive his mind and voice by revelation,
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       similar situations arise in the Church today. For
                                                              instance, brethren who go forth today to preach and to
(32-1) Acts 13:1–14, 26. What Is the Primary                  confirm the churches sometimes take it upon
Significance of Paul’s First Missionary Journey?              themselves to advocate political, educational, and
                                                              social philosophies which seem right to them—on
The real significance of Paul’s first missionary              occasions even claiming such are essential to
journey lies in the fact that it led to the establishment     salvation—which in fact are not the voice of God to
of branches of the church in areas far removed from           his people.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:139.)
Jerusalem. Many heard and received the gospel
message who could otherwise not have done so. In              (32-5) Acts 15:1. “Except Ye Be Circumcised After
addition, we have an opportunity to see Paul in his           the Manner of Moses, Ye Cannot Be Saved”
new capacity as a leader and an organizer. He enters a        The ordinance of circumcision was instituted by
town where there are no members, where most have              Jehovah himself. It was first given to Abraham and his
not so much as heard of Jesus Christ. When he leaves,         descendants as a token of the covenant which assured
there is a small but thriving branch of the church            sacred and eternal blessings to all who served the Lord
commissioned to carry on in his absence. We note also         in righteousness (Abraham 2:8–11; Genesis 17).
Paul’s eagerness to preach the gospel to all men,             According to the law of Moses, every male child was
regardless of their station or background. When the           to be circumcised when he was eight days old
Jews reject the word of God, Paul turns to the gentiles.      (Leviticus 12:3). The prime purpose for the token was
(Where did the first missionary journey take Paul? See        to serve as a reminder of God’s covenant with
map section.)                                                 Abraham (Genesis 17:9–14).




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Following the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the         Jerusalem. In his own right he was a prophet who
need for the special token was removed. No longer            preached the gospel (Acts 15:32). With Paul, he
was the gospel and its blessings exclusively reserved        delivered to Antioch the decision of the Jerusalem
for the Jews; the gospel was for all. In a revelation        Council concerning the requirements for church
given to Mormon and recorded in the Book of                  membership (Acts 15:1–35). When Paul disagreed
Mormon, Jesus said: “Little children are whole, for          with Barnabas, Silas was chosen as Paul’s companion
they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the        to accompany him on the second missionary journey.
curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath         His missionary experiences and travels include
no power over them; and the law of circumcision is           imprisonment at Philippi, where the jailor and his
done away in me.” (Moroni 8:8. Italics added.) In the        family were converted (Acts 16:16–40); travels to
days of Jesus and the apostles it was popular to refer       Thessalonica and then Berea, with a short stay at
to people as those of the circumcision and those of the      Berea while Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:1–15); and
uncircumcision, the former as a synonym for the Jews         labors with Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5; 2 Corinthians
and the latter for the gentiles. (See Galatians 2:7).        1:19). If, in fact, Silas was the same person as
Although the special Council of Jerusalem settled the        Silvanus, he was the scribe for the book of 1 Peter,
question by revelation, Paul still found it necessary to     and he carried that same letter of Peter’s to Asia Minor
combat the problem wherever he went. Many of his             (1 Peter 5:12). He may have been a Roman citizen
converts were Jewish and insisted that all gentile           (Acts 16:37).
Christians must also obey the Mosaic rite. Paul made
it clear that circumcision for either Jew or gentile was     (32-9) Acts 15:40; 18:18. What Are the Significant
done away in Christ. (See Romans 2, 3, 4;                    Elements of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey?
1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; 6:15; Colossians          The church appears to have grown as rapidly in the
2:11; 3:11.)                                                 other portions of the empire as it did in and around
                                                             Jerusalem. The second missionary journey gave Paul
(32-6) Acts 15:7. Why Did the Lord Speak by
                                                             an opportunity not only to revisit the churches
Peter’s Mouth?
                                                             founded on his first journey but also to establish others
“Peter [was] the president of the Church; he receive[d]      in areas hitherto untouched. Thus was established a
and announce[d] the mind and will of Deity on all            practice which was to continue throughout Paul’s
matters.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:143.)                           work as an apostle: to “visit our brethren in every city
                                                             where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see
(32-7) Acts 15:28. “For It Seemed Good to the Holy           how they do.” (Acts 15:36.) But Paul did not always
Ghost, and to Us”                                            go in person to these places; sometimes he sent
“In this instance the decision apparently was both           Timothy or Titus or Silas. Thus we get a clearer
reached and ratified by following the revealed               perception not only of his ability as an organizer but of
procedure used by the Prophet in translating the Book        his capabilities as an administrator. It became his
of Mormon. That is, the Lord’s agent struggled and           practice to follow up visits with letters of
labored with the problem, searched the scriptures,           commendation or admonition, a method Paul was to
sought for possible conclusions, and did the best they       use throughout the rest of his life in the service of
could to solve the problem on the basis of the sound         Christ. Finally, there is much to indicate that Paul
principles which they knew. Having arrived at what           enjoyed in great measure the blessings of the Holy
they considered to be an appropriate solution—that is,       Ghost in his ministry, for he received visions and
adopting James’ statements which were based on               instructions constantly concerning the work and
Peter’s announcement of principle—they asked the             demonstrated the power of God on numerous
Lord if their conclusions were true and in accord with       occasions (Acts 16:7–9, 26; 18:9). See the map section
his mind. (D. & C. 8 and 9.)” (McConkie, DNTC,               for the travels of Paul on his second journey.
2:144–45.)
                                                             (32-10) Acts 16:16. What Is the Spirit of
(32-8) Acts 15:40. Who Was Silas?                            Divination?
The Silas spoken of in Acts is thought to be the same        Divination is defined as the act of determining the
person as Silvanus of the Pauline letters (2 Corinthians     future by such means as cards, horoscopes, dreams,
1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). He          charms, Ouija boards, seances, crystal balls, and so
was prominent among the leaders of the church at             forth. Soothsaying, or the practice of divination, is an



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ancient art among the ancients (Isaiah 2:6; Daniel              with nature. The body is not a vessel to be punished or
2:27; 5:11); it was and is forbidden to the Lord’s              catered to; it is to be ignored. In his famous address on
people (Deuteronomy 18:9–14; Joshua 13:22).                     Mars Hill, Paul quoted from the “Phaenomena,” a
                                                                work by Aratus, a Cilician poet: “As certain also
(32-11) Acts 16:30–34. Is Belief on the Lord Jesus              of your own poets have said, For we are also his
Christ All That Is Necessary for Salvation?                     [i.e., God’s] offspring.” (Acts 17:28.) Almost these
“. . . belief alone is scarcely the beginning of that           identical words occur in the “Hymn to Zeus” written
course leading to a celestial inheritance if it is isolated     by Cleanthes. Both men were Stoics. In citing such
as a thing apart, if it is supposed that it does not            poets, Paul was probably not attempting to impress his
embrace within its folds both baptism and a                     audience with his intellect and training; no doubt he
subsequent course of enduring to the end. (2 Ne.                was trying to place himself on a common footing with
31:15–21.) And in the very case at hand, Paul and               his listeners in order to gain their confidence and thus
Silas teach the gospel to the whole group, baptize              win a listening ear for his message.
them, and without question give them the gift of the
                                                                (32-14) Acts 17:15–34. What Was the Significance
Holy Ghost, thus starting them out in the direction of
                                                                of Paul’s Visit to Athens?
salvation.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:152.)
                                                                The city of Athens, capital of Greece, was one of the
(32-12) Acts 17:3. What Is Meant by the Statement               wonders of the ancient world. Although in a state of
That Paul Was “Opening and Alleging” with the                   general decline by the time of Paul’s visit, Athens had
Jews?                                                           formerly been the proud possessor of more intellectual
The word allege as we use it today has a somewhat               genius, more philosophical inquiry, and more
different meaning from that in use in the days of the           architectural splendor than any other city of ancient
King James translators. To us, allege means to assert,          times. Its inhabitants, even during the period of
to state, to set forth a proposition or thesis, all without     decline, prided themselves on their brilliant heritage.
proof. But to those of the early seventeenth century, it        Vigorous attempts were made to preserve and restore
meant to bring forth proof, to present evidence, to             Athens to its former grandeur.
back assertions with facts. Surely Paul would not               By the time of the first century A.D., Athens was
spend three Sabbaths of precious time merely stating            literally a free city-state, privileged to enjoy the
his case for Christ without presenting much supporting          protection of Rome. Many of its most noted buildings
evidence.                                                       were still standing. Famed among them was the
                                                                Agora, or Marketplace. The chief men of the city
(32-13) Acts 17:18. What Are Epicureans and
                                                                gathered there each day to hear debates, to conduct the
Stoics?
                                                                city’s business, to learn, if possible, something new
Epicureanism was named for Epicurus, who lived just             (Acts 17:21). Since Paul’s message was new, he was
before and after 300 B.C. According to his philosophy,          assured of a crowd from the very first. At length, Paul
the world came into existence by chance and was                 was conducted to the famed Areopagus [i.e., Mars
without either purpose or design. The highest good to           Hill], with his escorts saying, “May we know what
which man could attain was that which brought him               this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?” (Acts
the greatest pleasure or the greatest absence of sorrow         17:19.) Although Paul’s message was largely rejected,
and pain. Contrary to popular notions then and now,             at least one member of the High Court, Dionysius the
Epicureanism did not advocate wholesale                         Areopagite, and Damaris, a local woman, with others
licentiousness as an objective in life, but rather those        unidentified, believed (Acts 17:34).
enjoyments which gave to man the longest and fullest
personal satisfactions.                                         (32-15) Acts 17:22. “I Perceive That in All Things
                                                                Ye Are Too Superstitious”
Stoicism, on the other hand, recognized a supreme
governing power in the universe. According to this              In describing Paul’s speech on Mars Hill to the
philosophy, all things have been ordered and set in             Athenians, our King James translation uses two words
motion by a Divine Mind, and the wise man, the true             which might confuse Luke’s intended meanings:
Stoic, is he who accepts conditions as he finds them            superstitious and devotions. Paul is not insulting his
rather than changes them to be as he wishes them to             Greek audience by accusing them of being too
be. Such acceptance requires great courage and self-            superstitious; rather, he is praising them for being very
control, for man is locked into a never-ending battle           religious. The reference to their devotions seems to



                                                              266
imply that Paul had seen a group of men in Athens in       In the previous lesson, this matter of Paul’s
the act of worship. But what he really saw was the         foreordination was considered. Paul had been
objects or the gods that they worshiped. Far from          “chosen” long since; he had been selected in
insulting his listeners, the prudent apostle was           premortality.
preparing his audience for a message concerning a
                                                           As it is with a chosen person—a “chosen vessel”—so
God that they knew nothing about.
                                                           it is with a group of chosen persons—a “chosen
(32-16) Acts 17:26. Was Paul Teaching About the            people.” A people chosen by the Lord to fulfill a
Premortal Existence When He Spoke of the “Times            mission upon the earth have not been chosen to relax
Before Appointed”?                                         or to boast, but to perform a special service which
                                                           requires that they be designated and made separate.
Here is an important doctrinal point that squares          Of course, a chosen people would be no less
precisely with that taught by Moses, who speaks of         foreordained and carefully prepared for their
how God divided “to the nations their inheritance,         cumulative mission than a chosen person would be
when he separated the sons of Adam,” and “set the          for his individual mission.
bounds of the people according to the number of the
children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:8.) The doctrinal     However, with reference to the opportunity to
implication of these scriptures is plain: “If the Lord     ultimately have every gospel blessing, there is no
appointed unto the nations the bounds of their             “chosen” people, for that opportunity comes to all.
habitation, then there must have been a selection of       When Adam was promised that all his posterity—all
spirits to form these nations.” (Smith, The Way to         mankind—would have access to the gospel’s
Perfection, p. 47.) President Harold B. Lee explained      blessings, he greatly rejoiced (Moses 5:9–12). This
further:                                                   same promise was, in effect, repeated when the Lord
                                                           promised that the descendants of Noah (all mankind
“. . . may I ask each of you again the question, ‘Who      after the flood) would eventually be called upon by
are you?’ You are all the sons and daughters of God.       the Lord and his servants (Moses 7:51, 52).
Your spirits were created and lived as organized
intelligences before the world was. You have been          But there is a sequence, an order, a divine calendar,
blessed to have a physical body because of your            as it were, which prevails in the work of the Lord.
obedience to certain commandments in that premortal        Every one of our Father’s children is on his calendar
state. You are now born into a family to which you         somewhere, but he times the opportunity for each
have come, into the nations through which you have         generation, each nation, and each individual
come, as a reward for the kind of lives you lived          according to his unbounded wisdom and kindness.
before you came here and at a time in the world’s          Notice how Paul expresses this great encompassing
history, as the Apostle Paul taught the men of Athens      truth.
and as the Lord revealed to Moses, determined by the       Read Acts 17:26, 27.
faithfulness of each of those who lived before this
world was created.” (CR, Oct. 1973, p. 7.)                 Abraham was promised that all those of any nation
                                                           or lineage who would obey the gospel would be
                                                           adopted into his literal family and become the
POINTS TO PONDER                                           children of Abraham (having the right to the blessing
                                                           of salvation). (See Abraham 2:9–11.)
THE LORD HAS GIVEN US THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP ALL MANKIND                         Paul was an Israelite and served with other Israelites
BECOME A “CHOSEN PEOPLE”                                   in the church. Through their instrumentality,
                                                           gentiles—non-Israelites—heard the gospel and were
“Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work                brought by adoption into the family of Abraham to
whereunto I have called them.” (Acts 13:2.)                enjoy the promised blessings. But for the most part,
                                                           the Israelites of Paul’s time had altogether
The Lord’s direction, “separate me . . . Saul for the
                                                           overlooked their mission. They neither embraced the
work,” gives a clear impression of the distinctness,
                                                           gospel themselves nor brought it to others. So what
the chosen status of Paul by virtue of his divine
                                                           Isaiah had proclaimed to their forefathers, Paul
appointment. This is reminiscent of the Lord’s
                                                           reproclaimed to them in almost the same words.
statement to Ananias, which was referred to in the
introduction to this lesson, “He is a chosen vessel
unto me.”


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Read Acts 13:47; see also Isaiah 49:6.                      There is a tremendous need for persons willing to do
                                                            whatever is necessary to share these truths and
Theirs was not simply a birthright but a birthright of
                                                            blessings with our Father’s children, member and
work and service.
                                                            nonmember alike.
Now, in our day, by the visit of Moses to the Kirtland
                                                            We need not wait for the Church to extend a formal
temple on April 3, 1836, the keys are here to conduct
                                                            mission call for us to begin. As we have seen, the call
the gathering of Israel. (See D&C 110:11.) The Lord
                                                            to share our light with others has already been
has declared to us, “Ye are the children of Israel,
                                                            extended, and the assurance that we shall succeed in
and of the seed of Abraham.” (D&C 103:17.) And
                                                            this most important of labors has been given:
once again, He has identified himself as “the God of
your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of        1. We have the fulness of the gospel—knowledge of
Jacob.” (D&C 136:21.)                                          all the truths, doctrines, and principles needed to
                                                               teach and prepare a person for salvation and
The Latter-day Saints, like their Israelite forefathers
                                                               exaltation.
of old, are chosen people. But chosen for what?
                                                            2. If we feel inadequate in our abilities to teach, we
Read D&C 29:4.
                                                               should bear in mind that when we are rightfully
After all, we surely are not “chosen” to rest and              motivated, we may properly call upon the Holy
think well of ourselves, for anyone can do that!               Ghost to manifest the truthfulness of our
You have read how Paul’s “spirit was stirred in                testimonies upon the souls of those whom we
him” in looking upon those who languished in                   teach.
darkness for want of the truth. (Acts 17:16.) You have      3. We labor under the direction of the priesthood,
seen his cheerful willingness to submit to any                 which means that those acts which we perform in
difficulty, to pay any price, in order to exercise his         righteousness will be accepted and acknowledged
privilege of bringing salvation to other men (e.g.,            by our Father in heaven.
Acts 16:24–33).
                                                            Much like the reassurance given to Paul (Acts 18:10),
                                                            we are promised that our work and sacrifice will not
                                                            be in vain, for there are many who await only our
(32-17) To Be “Chosen” Is to Be “Called”                    testimony to embrace the truth and join in fellowship
We as Latter-day Saints are “chosen vessels”—a              with the Saints. We should note the call issued to
people entrusted with truths and privileges which are       Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer and liken it unto
sorely needed in the life of each of our fellow beings.     ourselves: Read D&C 18:9–16.




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               SECTION 8
    PAUL’S WITNESS AS A MISSIONARY


LESSONS                                                     Doctrines of Salvation, 3:152.) The work of spreading
                                                            the gospel had already progressed under the direction
33. The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
                                                            of the First Presidency before Paul’s work had
34. “That Your Faith Should Not Stand in the                commenced. It was by their direction that Paul was
    Wisdom of Men”                                          sent to the gentiles (Galatians 2:9). And it may well be
35. “This Do in Remembrance of Me”                          found, when God reveals “many great and important
                                                            things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (ninth
36. “Covet Earnestly the Best Gifts”                        Article of Faith), that Peter and others of the early
37. Affliction Worketh for Us a More Exceeding              brethren traveled as widely and wrote as much as did
    Weight of Glory                                         Paul.

38. “Whatsoever a Man Soweth, That Shall He Also            Before reading the letters of these early witnesses, it
    Reap”                                                   will be helpful to review what is known of their
                                                            biographies. These are summarized at appropriate
39. “Man Is Justified by Faith”                             places throughout the course manual and should
40. “Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs with Christ”             provide you with some helpful insights as to why the
                                                            early apostles expressed themselves as they did.
41. Elected Before the Foundations of the World
                                                            Why the Early Apostles Communicated to the
“HOLY MEN OF GOD” WROTE                                     Church by Letter
“. . . no prophecy of the scripture is of any private       At the time of Paul’s conversion to the gospel, about
interpretation.                                             A.D. 36, the church of Jesus Christ was a small body of
“For the prophecy came not . . . by the will of man:        believers scarcely known beyond the borders of Judea.
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the         Some fifteen or sixteen years later, at the time Paul
Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20, 21.)                            wrote his first two letters, First and Second
                                                            Thessalonians, the gospel message had spread to
The First Presidency of the Church of Christ                various parts of the Roman Empire. The church then
Directed All Missionary Work in This Meridian               was widely scattered, and modern methods of rapid
Dispensation                                                transportation and communication were unknown.
                                                            Also, converts to the early church came out of a world
Of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament,
                                                            of competing and soul-degrading philosophies. The
fourteen were written by the apostle Paul. This has led
                                                            major problem of the authorities of the church in that
some commentators to unjustifiably conclude that the
                                                            time, therefore, was keeping the church pure and
work of this one outstanding apostle, together with the
                                                            uncontaminated from the false philosophies and
letters he wrote, overshadowed the work of the other
                                                            immoral practices of the day, and communicating this
apostles. But in your study you must remember that
                                                            direction in the most rapid manner. Communication
“Peter, James, and John, acted as the First Presidency
                                                            by courier through direct word, or by letter to local
of the Church in their day.” (Joseph Fielding Smith,
                                                            priesthood authorities, was the fastest way that church




                                                          269
authorities could respond to local needs and problems        and because his training in the Old Testament had
(2 Thessalonians 2:2). It is against this backdrop that      been so thorough, in a very short time Paul was able to
Paul, no doubt under the direction of the presidency of      confound the Jewish leaders in Damascus by proving
the church, was empowered to set in order many of the        Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah. About this time,
branches of the church which he had founded. For the         Paul went into Arabia to prepare himself spiritually
most part, this was done by letters, fourteen of which       (Galatians 1:17). There, in desert seclusion, it is
we have in our New Testament. Likewise, in the New           possible that his prayers and meditations were of such
Testament canon are found letters of other priesthood        power that he was taught the gospel by direct
officers: Peter, the president of the church; James, an      revelation from the Savior (Galatians 1:11, 12).
apostle; John, an apostle and, some think, the
                                                             We do not know the exact place or length of Paul’s
successor to the president following Peter’s
                                                             stay in Arabia; we do know that at the end of this time,
martyrdom; and Jude, an apostle. Each of their letters
                                                             he was prepared to begin his missionary labors. He
was written to provide encouragement and instruction
                                                             returned to Damascus and again taught in the Jewish
to the saints scattered abroad or to combat heresy
                                                             synagogues. This time his preaching so incensed the
which had crept into the church.
                                                             Jews that they sought to kill him. Members of the
In What Historical Sequence Were the Letters                 church helped Paul by lowering him down the outside
Written?                                                     of the city wall in a basket, and the beleaguered man
                                                             was able to escape to Jerusalem.
Because of Luke’s detailed historical account in the
book of Acts, and other internal allusions within the        Perhaps during his stay in Jerusalem Paul learned
letters themselves, we have a general notion when            much from Peter concerning the mortal life and
most of the letters in the New Testament canon were          ministry of the Savior. Paul used the occasion to
written. In no case, of course, can we assign an exact       preach the gospel in the Jerusalem synagogues.
date for the letters. Some letters appear to have been       Because he reasoned with such vigor and
written during Paul’s second and third missionary            effectiveness, he alienated the Jewish leaders and they
journeys, between A.D. 50 and 60; others were penned         determined to kill him. Their plots, however, were
during the first and second imprisonments in Rome,           ineffective, for the Savior intervened to save Paul’s
from about A.D. 61 to 68; still others appear to have        life. The Lord appeared to Paul in a vision while he
been written toward the end of the first century. One,       was praying in the temple and warned him to leave the
the book of Hebrews, bears no dating marks at all,           city. Obedient to this command, Paul fled from
making it difficult to suggest any accurate time period      Jerusalem, and with the help of the church brethren
when the letter was written. The chronology of Paul’s        escaped to Caesarea and then back to Tarsus, his
letters in this course manual is essentially that which is   hometown and capital of the province of Cilicia.
used by Dr. Sidney Sperry in The Life and Letters of         While Paul was in Cilicia and the neighboring
Paul. For the chronology of the New Testament                province of Syria, he preached with great power; so
writings, see the Chart of New Testament History in          many people were converted that the news of his
the center section.                                          success was carried to the brethren in Jerusalem
                                                             (Galatians 1:21–24). Later, when Barnabas needed an
BIOGRAPHY
                                                             assistant in the ministry, no doubt he was influenced
Paul the Missionary                                          by his knowledge of Paul’s effectiveness as a
                                                             missionary. Barnabas sought out Paul in Tarsus and
Following his conversion, Paul was taken into                persuaded him to help in the missionary labors in
Damascus where Ananias, who was probably the                 Antioch (Acts 11:25, 26). Relief funds were also
presiding officer of the local church, helped to heal        gathered for the impoverished members of the church
him of his blindness. Then Paul was baptized, and he         in Jerusalem. Then the two men traveled to Jerusalem
received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because he              to take the much-needed assistance to the saints (Acts
progressed so rapidly in understanding his new faith,        11:29–31).




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In Acts we read of Paul’s three known missionary
journeys and of his five visits to Jerusalem. Paul’s
letters, many of which were written during his travels,                                         Antioch
add much to help us understand the details of Paul’s
life and apostolic ministry. At the end of his third
missionary journey, Paul returned to Jerusalem. There
Roman soldiers rescued him from certain death at the
hands of an angry mob of Jews. When the Roman                    CYPRUS

chief captain learned of Paul’s Roman citizenship and
of a Jewish conspiracy to kill Paul, he detailed several
hundred soldiers to take Paul to Caesarea where he                        Antioch was
                                                                          about 300 miles
could be protected and judged by Felix, the Roman                         north of Jerusalem.
governor.
                                                                                                Damascus
Where was Antioch in Relationship to Jerusalem?




                                                                                    Jerusalem




                                                           271
272
                                       33
                               THE COMING OF THE
                               LORD JESUS CHRIST




  The First and Second Letters of Paul to the Saints at                                          2 Thessalonians
   Thessalonica, ca. A.D. 52–53 Written from Corinth
      During Paul’s Second Missionary Journey               Ungodly Damned at Second Coming      1:1–12
                (1 and 2 Thessalonians)
                                                            Apostasy to Precede Second Coming    2:1–12
                                        1 Thessalonians
                                                            Persevere for Eternal Glory          2:13–17
Gospel Comes in Word and Power         1:1–10
                                                            Pray for Triumph of the Gospel       3:1–5
Paul’s Example in Thessalonica         2:1–12
                                                            Withdraw from Apostates              3:6
Faith and Patience of the Converts     2:13–20
                                                            Stand Against Idleness               3:7–18
Timothy’s Mission to Thessalonica      3:1–13

Live in Holiness and Charity           4:1–12
                                                            THEME
The Saints Saved at Second Coming      4:13–18              Those who follow the living prophets are prepared for
Saints Know Season of Second Coming 5:1–11                  Christ’s second coming.

Be Considerate Saints                  5:12–28



                                                          273
INTRODUCTION                                                spirit of Christ, that we may wait patiently the time of
                                                            the Lord, and prepare ourselves for the times that are
Early in his second missionary journey, Paul came to
                                                            coming. This is our duty.” (Deseret News [Salt Lake
Thessalonica. What richness of experience and
                                                            City], 1 May 1861.)
feeling must be hidden in Luke’s simple lines about
that visit. “And Paul, as his manner was, went in           Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
unto them [the Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica],           in the reading block.
and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the
scriptures.” (Acts 17:2.)
This was the Paul whose itinerary and route had
                                                             INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
twice been changed by the influence of the Holy
Spirit to bring him directly to Macedonia. This was          FIRST THESSALONIANS
the Paul who had been grieved by the tauntings of a          (33-1) 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Why Did Paul Write to
young Philippian girl possessed of an evil spirit, and       the Thessalonians, and When Were the Letters
had turned and cast the evil spirit from her. This was       Written?
the Paul who, though it was midnight and his feet
were clamped in prison stocks and his back was torn          The missionaries were driven from Thessalonica by
and bloody from the repeated blows of the lash, sang         angry Jews (Acts 17:5, 10). Paul went from there to
hymns of praise to God. The apostle who bore                 Berea, then to Athens, and on to Corinth where Silas
witness to the Thessalonians of Christ’s power to            and Timothy joined him. Paul then sent Timothy back
deliver from sin was the apostle who had, in Philippi,       to Thessalonica to check on conditions in the branch.
witnessed doors fly open and chains break free with          While Timothy was with the Thessalonian saints,
the quaking of the earth. The missionary who came to         observing conditions of the novice branch, he
Thessalonica to baptize was the missionary who               probably counseled and comforted the members and
ignored the miraculous chance for freedom provided           reminded them of their gospel duties and
by the earthquake and instead stayed to baptize the          commitments. Thereafter, he returned to Corinth and
terrified jailer.                                            reported to Paul. From Timothy’s report, and because
These were the experiences fresh upon the mind of            of Paul’s prior experience in Thessalonica, the apostle
the apostle as he came to the Thessalonians with the         was able to write to the saints and praise them for their
message of Christ. How precious it would be if a             Christian examples.
record of Paul’s sermons on those three successive           He wrote them a message of consolation and
Sabbaths had been preserved. We know that he spoke           encouragement, that they might be able to continue to
to his listeners of Christ (see Acts 17:3), but one          endure persecution and trials and to remain steadfast
cannot help but wonder what questions he asked,              in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Written to
what stories he related, what scriptures he quoted.          members, most of whom prior to their baptism appear
Certainly he discussed the future return of the Savior,      to have been gentiles and not Jews, the book calls
for when he was driven from the city by angry Jews           attention to problems which probably were peculiar to
and wrote letters back to his converts, this theme ran       gentile converts. Questions of social solidarity, sexual
heavily through them. As you read these two letters,         purity, and honest labor were three problems faced by
remember the words of President Brigham Young                the converts in Thessalonica. Had most of the
when he asked this question:                                 Thessalonian saints been Jewish converts, it would
“Are you prepared for the day of vengeance to come,          seem that they would not have had the same problems
when the Lord will consume the wicked by the                 to such a degree. Why? Because the Jews had enjoyed
brightness of his coming? No. Then do not be too             a background in the law of Moses which encouraged
anxious for the Lord to hasten his work. Let our             social and especially family ties, discouraged sexual
anxiety be centered upon this one thing, the                 sin, and emphasized the virtue of six days of labor.
sanctification of our own hearts, the purifying of our       The letters to the Thessalonians were, as nearly as can
own affections, the preparing of ourselves for the           be determined, written from Corinth several months
approach of the events that are hastening upon us.           after Paul had left Macedonia, probably near the close
This should be our concern, this should be our study,        of A.D. 52.
this should be our daily prayer. . . . Seek to have the




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(33-2) 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Who Were Silvanus and             to treat them with honor. They are not to use them as
Timotheus?                                                    instruments for lustful self-gratification.
Silvanus is another form of the name Silas; this man is       “To be sanctified is to become clean, pure, and
thought to be the same who accompanied Paul in the            spotless; to be freed from the blood and sins of the
second missionary journey. (See the commentary on             world; to become a new creature of the Holy Ghost,
Acts 15:40.)                                                  one whose body has been renewed by the rebirth of
                                                              the Spirit. Sanctification is a state of saintliness, a state
Timotheus is Timothy. (See biographical sketch in the
                                                              attained only by conformity to the laws and ordinances
introduction to section 11.)
                                                              of the gospel. The plan of salvation is the system and
(33-3) 1 Thessalonians 1:10. How May the Saints               means provided whereby men may sanctify their souls
Escape the Wrath to Come?                                     and thereby become worthy of a celestial
                                                              inheritance.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 675.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith said:
“It seems to be deeply impressed upon our minds that          (33-6) 1 Thessalonians 5:2. “For Yourselves Know
the Saints ought to lay hold of every door that shall         Perfectly That the Day of the Lord So Cometh As a
seem to be opened unto them, to obtain foothold on            Thief in the Night”
the earth, and be making all the preparation that is          “I do not know when he is going to come. No man
within their power for the terrible storms that are now       knows. Even the angels of heaven are in the dark in
gathering in the heavens, ‘a day of clouds, with              regard to that great truth. [See Matthew 24:36, 37.]
darkness and gloominess, and of thick darkness,’ as           But this I know, that the signs that have been pointed
spoken of by the Prophets which cannot be now of a            out are here. The earth is full of calamity, of trouble.
long time lingering. . . .” (Teachings, p. 141.)              The hearts of men are failing them. We see the signs
                                                              as we see the fig tree putting forth her leaves; and
The “wrath to come” is “the desolation of abomination
                                                              knowing this time is near, it behooves you, and all
which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the
                                                              men upon the face of the earth, to pay heed to the
world to come.” (D&C 88:85.)
                                                              words of Christ, to his apostles and watch, for we
(33-4) 1 Thessalonians 2:2. What Is Meant by                  know not the day nor the hour. But I tell you this, it
Speaking the Gospel “with Much Contention”?                   shall come as a thief in the night, when many of us will
                                                              not be ready for it.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
It has been suggested that the word contention in             3:52–53.)
verse 2 ought to translate from the Greek as
“conflict”—referring to any struggle, outward or
                                                             Paul compares the coming of the Lord to the coming
inward. Sometimes the word opposition is used in
                                                             of a thief in the night. In other words, it will come—
place of contention. Whichever interpretation is used,
what seems to be clear is the fact that Paul was able to     1. Unexpectedly.
preach the gospel only by enduring much conflict with
                                                             2. Without warning. See also D&C 106:4, 5.
antagonistic Jews and gentiles, by struggling mightily
with mental trials, and by experiencing great                But the effect it will have on people will vary because
hardships. Like Paul, missionaries today must endure         there are two basically different classes of people.
much hardship and opposition—antagonistic                    Continuing the analogy of night and day, Paul titles
nonmembers, self- and devil-imposed doubt and                these two classes as follows:
temptation, and even physical and financial hardships.       The Children of the Night
And like Paul, missionaries today overcome and
endure in the same way: by perseverance born of faith        These are the people of the world who dwell in
in the Lord Jesus Christ.                                    darkness. Therefore they will not “see” the signs
                                                             which herald the approach of this great event. The
(33-5) 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5. What Does It Mean              “day of the Lord” shall be a dreadful day for them.
to Possess One’s Vessel in Sanctification and
Honour?                                                      The Children of the Day

The word vessel in this passage has been interpreted to These are those who dwell in light and truth. They
mean “body.” Men and women are to control their         “see” the warning signs and therefore are spiritually
bodies, to respect their bodies as temples of God, and  prepared for the coming of Jesus. For them, the “day
                                                        of the Lord” shall be a great day.



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Paul does not further describe or discuss the children       Church.” (Joseph F. Smith, as quoted in F. W.
of the night, for it takes no special preparation or         Otterstrom, “A Journey to the South,” Improvement
qualification to be classed as one of these. But he          Era, Dec. 1917, p. 106.)
defines clearly how a person may become a child of
the day: Those who are the children of the day will          (33-8) 1 Thessalonians 5:14. “Comfort the
be sober; that is, they will recognize the deeply            Feebleminded”
serious nature of life and the need for spiritual            The word feebleminded is perhaps better written as
preparation. They will let “the solemnities of               “fainthearted.” The admonition is to comfort those
eternity” rest upon their minds. (See D&C 43:34.)            who lack courage or resolution to live the gospel. (See
Children of the day will also clothe themselves in           McConkie, DNTC, 3:58.)
three great attributes, namely, faith, love, and the
hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8). In addition         (33-9) 1 Thessalonians 5:19. “Quench Not the
they will strive to improve their relationships with         Spirit”
both God and man. Paul lists seven specific ways to          “In the true Church there will always be powerful
do both.                                                     manifestations of the Spirit of God. Inclinations
Review 1 Thessalonians 5:11–15 and list the steps a          to bridle and submerge these is of the world.”
Saint should take to improve his relationship with his       (McConkie, DNTC, 3:58.)
fellowmen.
                                                             (33-10) 1 Thessalonians 5:26. What Does Paul
Review 1 Thessalonians 5:16–22 and list the steps a          Mean by the Expression “Greet All the Brethren
Saint should take to improve his relationship with his       with an Holy Kiss”?
God.
                                                             This verse in the Inspired Version reads: “Greet all the
Paul’s promise is that if we do this, then God will          brethren with a holy salutation.”
sanctify us. Such sanctification, or cleansing, then
makes it possible for our “whole spirit and soul and         SECOND THESSALONIANS
body [to] be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23.)              (33-11) 2 Thessalonians 1:9. What Is “Everlasting
                                                             Destruction”?
                                                             To experience everlasting destruction is to partake of
(33-7) 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13. “Know Them
                                                             spiritual death, “which is to be cast out of the presence
Which Labour Among You, and Are over You in
                                                             of God and to die as pertaining to the things of
the Lord”
                                                             righteousness.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:61.)
Members of the Church are to highly esteem the
ecclesiastical leaders who preside over them.                (33-12) 2 Thessalonians 2:2. What Is the Meaning
Criticism, faultfinding, backbiting, and gossip should       of “Nor by Letter As from Us”?
be done away with; and an attitude of helpfulness,           The Inspired Version reads: “That ye be not soon
honest praise, kindness, and forbearance should              shaken in mind, or be troubled by letter, except ye
prevail. This same respect and honor is to be given to       receive it from us; neither by spirit, nor by word, as
all who labor to build up the kingdom. How is such           that the day of Christ is at hand.” (Emphasis added.)
honor for those who bear the priesthood to be
obtained? For the men in the Church the following            (33-13) 2 Thessalonians 2:3. What Is the “Falling
advice is of great value: “If you will honor the Holy        Away” Which Must First Take Place Before the
Priesthood in yourself first, you will honor it in those     Second Coming?
who preside over you and in those who administer in          The Greek word Paul uses is apostasia, the word from
the various callings throughout the Church.”                 which we derive the words apostasy, apostatize, and
For the women of the Church, a corollary is equally          apostate. The literal meaning of the word is to revolt;
true, according to President Smith: “If you will honor       but in secular Greek usage it meant political revolt or
the Holy Priesthood in [your husbands and fathers and        the changing of governmental forms. The passage in
sons], you will honor [that priesthood and its callings]     Thessalonians is a reference to the apostasy that was
in those who preside over you and in those who               to occur before the Lord returns to the earth to rule
administer in the various callings throughout the            and reign in majesty and power.




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(33-14) 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Who Is “the Son of                According to the Inspired Version, the statement “until
Perdition”?                                                    he be taken out of the way” refers to Satan, who was
                                                               and still is causing misery, unhappiness, and sin
Satan and those with him who rebelled against God in
                                                               throughout the world. He will continue to do so until
heaven and were cast out are known as sons of
                                                               he is bound by the Lord at the beginning of the
perdition. These rebellious spirits “chose evil by
                                                               Millennium. (See McConkie, DNTC, 3:63.) The
choice after having had the light. While dwelling in
                                                               Inspired Version reads: “For the mystery of iniquity
the presence of God they knowingly entered into their
                                                               doth already work, and he it is who now worketh, and
rebellion. Their mission on earth is to attempt to
                                                               Christ suffereth him to work, until the time is fulfilled
destroy the souls of men and make them miserable as
                                                               that he shall be taken out of the way.”
they themselves are miserable.” (Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 2:219.) The word perdition is derived from          (33-16) 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Does Satan Have
the Latin perditus, meaning “to destroy,” and was a            Power to Work Signs and Wonders?
title given to Satan (D&C 76:26). Therefore, in this
passage Paul refers to Satan.                                  Satan has great power to produce false signs and
                                                               wonders. He has the ability to imitate the miracles of
(33-15) 2 Thessalonians 2:7. What Is the Mystery of            God—witness the efforts of the magicians in
Iniquity?                                                      Pharaoh’s court when they imitated the miracles of
                                                               Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7, 8). Satan has power over
“The seemingly obscure expression, ‘he who now
                                                               the elements. He is a master of deceit. He can appear
letteth will let,’ may be more readily understood by
                                                               as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He is an
remembering that in the older style of English ‘let’
                                                               orator. He has the gift of tongues. Many are the
had the meaning of ‘restrain’ or ‘hinder.’ The passage
                                                               powers of Satan which he uses to lead men astray.
therefore may be understood as a declaration that the
                                                               Those spirits who followed Satan have these same
spirit of iniquity was already active though restrained
                                                               capacities in lesser degrees (Revelation 16:14). In all
or hindered for a time; and that later even this restraint
                                                               this, “the power of the devil is limited; [and] the
would be removed and the evil one would be in
                                                               power of God is unlimited.” (Young, Discourses of
power. In the Revised Version of the New Testament
                                                               Brigham Young, p. 68.)
this passage is rendered thus: ‘—lawlessness doth
already work: only there is one that restraineth now,          (33-17) 2 Thessalonians 2:11. Does God Seek to
until he be taken out of the way.’                             Delude Men?
“Just who or what is referred to as exercising a               God does not attempt to delude men, for he is a God
restraint on the powers of iniquity at that time has           of truth and he cannot deceive (D&C 62:6;
given rise to discussion. Some writers hold that the           Deuteronomy 32:4). He does allow men to believe as
presence of the apostles operated in this way, while           they please. If they choose to accept untruth, he does
others believe that the restraining power of the Roman         not force them to think or do otherwise.
government is referred to. It is known that the Roman
policy was to discountenance religious contention, and         “. . . If man is to be rewarded for righteousness and
to allow a large measure of liberty in forms of worship        punished for evil, then common justice demands that
as long as the gods of Rome were not maligned nor              he be given the power of independent action. A
their shrines dishonored. As Roman supremacy                   knowledge of good and evil is essential to man’s
declined ‘the mystery of iniquity’ embodied in the             progress on earth. If he were coerced to do right at all
apostate church operated practically without restraint.        times, or were helplessly enticed to commit sin, he
                                                               would merit neither a blessing for the first nor
“The expression ‘mystery of iniquity’ as used by Paul          punishment for the second. . . .
is significant. Prominent among the early perverters of
the Christian faith were those who assailed its                “God is standing in the shadow of eternity, it seems to
simplicity and lack of exclusiveness. This simplicity          me, deploring the inevitable results of the follies, the
was so different from the mysteries of Judaism and the         transgressions and the sins of His wayward children,
mysterious rites of heathen idolatry as to be                  but we cannot blame Him for these any more than we
disappointing to many; and the earliest changes in the         can blame a father who might say to his son, ‘There
Christian form of worship were marked by the                   are two roads, my son, one leading to the right, one
introduction of mystic ceremonies.” (Talmage, The              leading to the left. If you take the one to the right it
Great Apostasy, pp. 41–42.)                                    will lead you to success and to happiness. If you take
                                                               the one to the left it will bring upon you misery and


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unhappiness and perhaps death, but you choose which            POINTS TO PONDER
you will. You must choose; I will not force either
upon you.’ . . .” (McKay, Pathways to Happiness,               IF YOU ARE PREPARED, YOU NEED NOT
pp. 90–91, 93.)                                                FEAR
So Paul is suggesting that God allows men to be
                                                              Sometimes there are people who have great fears
deluded because they “received not the love of the
                                                              about the second coming of the Lord. They are heard
truth, that they might be saved.” (vs. 10.)
                                                              to say, “There are so many terrible events
(33-18) 2 Thessalonians 3:6. Are We Really                    prophesied, I hope I die before the Lord comes
Supposed to Withdraw Our Fellowship “from                     again!” Are such feelings justified? Is there any hope
Every Brother That Walketh Disorderly”?                       for the righteous who may live to see the Second
                                                              Coming?
“Enemies from within, traitors to the Cause, cultists
who pervert the doctrines and practices which lead to
salvation, often draw others away with them, and              (33-21) Those Who Follow the Prophets Need Not
added souls lose their anticipated inheritance in the         Fear
heavenly kingdom. When cultists and enemies become            “My text today is from a revelation of the Lord to
fixed in their opposition to the Church, and when they        Joseph Smith, the Prophet, at a conference of the Church
seek to convert others to their diverse positions, the        January 2, 1831, as follows: ‘. . . if ye are prepared ye
course of wisdom is to avoid them, as Paul here               shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.)
directs, and to leave them in the Lord’s
                                                              “In section 1 of the great Doctrine and Covenants, a
hands.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:66.)
                                                              volume of modern scripture, we read these words:
(33-19) 2 Thessalonians 3:8. What Is Meant by                 ‘Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come. . . .’
“Neither Did We Eat Any Man’s Bread for                       (D&C 1:12.) Further in this same revelation are these
Nought”?                                                      warning words: ‘. . . I the Lord, knowing the calamity
                                                              which should come upon the inhabitants of the
“Even Paul and his ministerial associates, who were in        earth . . .’ (D&C 1:17.)
fact entitled to temporal help from the saints, chose to
set an example of self-support. There are perils in a         “What are some of the calamities for which we are to
paid ministry.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:67.)                       prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of ‘a great
                                                              hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the
(33-20) 2 Thessalonians 3:16. How May the Lord                earth.’ (D&C 29:16.) In section 45 we read of ‘an
“Give You Peace Always”?                                      overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall
“The peace of Christ does not come by seeking the             cover the land.’ (D&C 45:31.) In section 63 the Lord
superficial things of life, neither does it come except       declares he has ‘decreed wars upon the face of the
as it springs from the individual’s heart. Jesus said to      earth. . . .’ (D&C 63:33.)
his disciples: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give       “In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of ‘famines, and
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto                pestilences, and earthquakes. . . .’ (Matt. 24:7.) The Lord
you. . . .’ (John 14:27.) Thus the Son of Man, the            declared that these and other calamities shall occur.
executor of his own will and testament, gave to his           These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional.
disciples and to mankind the ‘first of all human              The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will
blessings.’ It was a bequest conditioned upon                 happen. Some will come about through man’s
obedience to the principles of the gospel of Jesus            manipulations; others through the forces of nature and
Christ. It is thus bequeathed to each individual. No          nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain.
man is at peace with himself, who transgresses the law        Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure
of right either in dealing with himself by indulging in       of future events.
passion, in appetite, yielding to temptations against his
                                                              “Yet, through all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ has said:
accusing conscience, or in dealing with his fellow
                                                              ‘. . . if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.)
men, being untrue to their trust. Peace does not come
to the transgressor of law; peace comes by obedience          “What, then, is the Lord’s way to help us prepare for
to law; and it is that message which Jesus would have         these calamities? The answer is also found in section 1
us proclaim among men.” (David O. McKay in CR,                of the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein he says:
Oct. 1938, p. 133.)



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“‘Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which           What does giving heed to the living prophets mean?
should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called         Does it simply mean doing what they say when
upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto            calamities strike?
him from heaven, and gave him commandments:
                                                              Only the spiritually prepared shall endure without
“‘And also gave commandments to others. . . .’ (D&C           fear in the days ahead. The General Authorities of
1:17–18.) He has also said: ‘Search these                     the Church give much counsel that, while not directly
commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the         related to preparing for calamities, is directly related
prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be        to spirituality. Evaluate honestly in your own heart
fulfilled.’ (D&C 1:37.)                                       the following questions:
“Here then is the key—look to the prophets for the     •          Do you accept and follow the counsel of living
words of God, that will show us how to prepare for the            prophets?
calamities which are to come. For the Lord, in that
                                                       •          Does this acceptance apply to such things as the
same section, states: ‘What I the Lord have spoken, I
                                                                  dating, dress, and moral codes as well as to
have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the
                                                                  doctrinal teachings?
heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not
pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine •          Though such decisions may yet be future, have
own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the               you already firmly determined that you will heed
same.’ (D&C 1:38.)                                                the counsel of the prophets about working
                                                                  mothers? the limiting of the family size for
“Again, the Lord warned those who will reject the
                                                                  reasons of convenience, education, or increased
inspired words of his representatives, in these words:
                                                                  income? or other counsel that at times causes
‘. . . and the day cometh that they who will not hear
                                                                  some of the young members of the Church to
the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants,
                                                                  murmur?
neither give heed to the words of the prophets and
apostles, shall be cut off from among the
people.’ (D&C 1:14.)” (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Oct.           (33-23) The Present-Day Welfare Program Is One
1973, p. 89.)                                                 Way to Be Prepared
                                                              “For the righteous the gospel provides a warning before
(33-22) Our Only Safety Is Obedience                          a calamity, a program for the crises, a refuge for each
“Now the only safety we have as members of this               disaster.
church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the             “The Lord has said that ‘the day cometh, that shall burn
Church in that day when the Church was organized.             as an oven . . .’ (Mal. 4:1), but he assures us that ‘he
We must learn to give heed to the words and                   that is tithed shall not be burned. . . .’ (D&C 64:23.)
commandments that the Lord shall give through his
prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness       “The Lord has warned us of famines, but the righteous
before me; . . . as if from mine own mouth, in all            will have listened to prophets and stored at least a
patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4–5.) There will be some         year’s supply of survival food.
things that take patience and faith. You may not like         “The Lord has set loose the angels to reap down the
what comes from the authority of the Church. It may           earth (see Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 251), but
contradict your political views. It may contradict your       those who obey the Word of Wisdom along with the
social views. It may interfere with some of your social       other commandments are assured ‘that the destroying
life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the       angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and
mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the       not slay them. . . .’ (D&C 89:21.)
promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail
against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the          “The Lord desires his Saints to be free and independent
powers of darkness from before you, and cause the             in the critical days ahead. But no man is truly free who
heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s                is in financial bondage. ‘Think what you do when you
glory.’ (D&C 21:6.)” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct.               run in debt,’ said Benjamin Franklin, ‘you give to
1970, p. 152.)                                                another power over your liberty.’ ‘. . . pay thy debt and
                                                              live . . .’ said Elisha. (2 Kings 4:7.) And in the Doctrine




                                                            279
and Covenants the Lord says, ‘. . . it is my will that           present situation? Have you encouraged your
you shall pay all your debts.’ (D&C 104:78.) . . .               family to prepare themselves and helped them to
                                                                 do so? What place on the priority list will food
“From the standpoint of food production, storage,
                                                                 storage take for you in the near future?
handling, and the Lord’s counsel, wheat should have
high priority. Water, of course, is essential. Other         •   Is there any plot of land, however small,
basics could include honey or sugar, legumes, milk               available to you for the planting of vegetables or
products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent. The         fruit?
revelation to store food may be as essential to our
                                                             •   Debt and living within one’s income are things
temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to
                                                                 that you can directly control. Are you free from
the people in the days of Noah.
                                                                 debt? If not, is becoming so one of the important
“President Harold B. Lee has wisely counseled that               goals of your life? Do you rationalize your
‘Perhaps if we think not in terms of a year’s supply of          indebtedness by insisting that you must have a
what we ordinarily would use, and think more in terms            nicer mode of transportation, a more luxurious
of what it would take to keep us alive in case we                place to live, or various recreational equipment?
didn’t have anything else to eat, that last would be             Have you determined that when you are married
very easy to put in storage for a year . . . just enough         debt shall be incurred only for necessities that
to keep us alive if we didn’t have anything else to eat.         cannot be obtained otherwise? Are you
We wouldn’t get fat on it, but we would live: and if             committed to the idea that unresolved debts are
you think in terms of that kind of annual storage rather         just another form of theft? Even though these
than a whole year’s supply of everything that you are            concerns may be somewhat removed from you at
accustomed to eat which, in most cases, is utterly               this stage in your life, there are other steps of
impossible for the average family, I think we will               temporal preparation that you can take.
come nearer to what President Clark advised us way
                                                         •       It is said that today’s generation lives in the
back in 1937.’ (Welfare conference address, October
                                                                 knowledge explosion. There is hardly any basic
1, 1966.)
                                                                 skill that cannot be studied in readily available
“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in              books, or learned in classes held around us.
raising your own food, even if it is only a garden in            Sewing skills, cooking and dietary knowledge,
your yard and/or a fruit tree or two. Man’s material             basic mechanical abilities, farming know how—
wealth basically springs from the land and other                 all of these can be learned and will be invaluable
natural resources. Combined with his human energy                to you and those around you in times of crisis or
and multiplied by his tools, this wealth is assured and          shortage. You need not wait for marriage or
expanded through freedom and righteousness. Those                economic independence to gain these priceless
families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have           assets. And imagine the self-satisfaction that you
an adequate supply of each of these particulars.” (Ezra          would feel if you could say in time of crisis,
Taft Benson in CR, Oct. 1973, pp 90–91.)                         “Even though I was not able to collect a
                                                                 complete food supply, I have the knowledge to
Some young adult members of the Church may not be                produce food. Even though I have little in terms
in a position as yet to implement fully Elder Benson’s           of temporal goods, I have skills and abilities to
suggestions. Even so, consider the following in                  contribute to the common cause.”
determining what can be done to prepare yourself:
                                                             What will your decision be? Will you follow the
•   If you are single, or even newly married, it is          counsel of God’s prophets and thus become a child of
    unlikely that you have the means for purchasing          light?
    and storing a year’s supply of food. But are you
    doing all that is possible for you to do in your




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                       34
          “THAT YOUR FAITH SHOULD
                           SHOULD NOT
          STAND IN THE WISDOM OF MEN”




        The Acts of the Apostles, ca. A.D. 54–58                First Letter of Paul to the Saints at Corinth—
        Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts)                   Written from Ephesus, c.a. Spring, A.D. 57
                                                                                (1 Corinthians)
                                               Acts
                                                                                                     1 Corinthians
Ephesus                                   18:24–28;
 Apollos and the Disciples of John        19:1–7            Dissensions Among the Saints             1:1–16
 All Asia Heard the Gospel                19:8–10           True and False Wisdom                    1:17–31
 Miracles of Healing                      19:11, 12         Christ is Known by the Spirit            2:1–16
 Exorcists Cannot Cast Out Devils         19:13–20          Milk Comes Before Meat                   3:1–7
Ephesus                                   19:21–41          Fire Shall Test All Work                 3:8–15
 The Silversmiths’ Riot—Priestcraft
 Fights True Religion                                       “Ye Are the Temple of God”               3:16, 17
Troas                                     20:1–12           Saints Shall Inherit All Things          3:18–23
 Paul Raises Eutychus from Death
Miletus                                   20:13–38
 Farewell, Testimony, Counsel                           THEME
Toward Jerusalem                          21:1–17       Latter-day Saints should put their trust in God rather
 Agabus’ Prophetic Warnings                             than rely totally on the wisdom of men.

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INTRODUCTION                                                 (34-3) Acts 21:10–14. Should Paul Have Come to
                                                             Jerusalem When Warned Against It?
President Joseph F. Smith indicated in 1914 that
there were three threatening dangers facing the              “Should Paul have gone to Jerusalem? Did the journey
membership of the Church. He said:                           accord with the will and purposes of the Lord?
“There are at least three dangers that threaten the          “Whatever the answers to these questions may be, it is
Church within, and the authorities need to awaken to         clear that Paul was forewarned of the persecutions and
the fact that the people should be warned unceasingly        trials that would attend such a journey. He had
against them. As I see these, they are flattery of           received whisperings from the Spirit saying that bonds
prominent men in the world, false educational ideas,         and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22–
and sexual impurity.” (Gospel Doctrine, pp. 312–13.)         24). Now . . . Agabus, apparently learning of Paul’s
                                                             determination to face persecution and even death in
Are we still confronting these dangers today?
                                                             Jerusalem, comes and tells him in the Lord’s name
Were these same problems faced by the Corinthian
                                                             that in Jerusalem he will be bound by the Jews and
saints in Paul’s day? Your assignment in this lesson
                                                             delivered to the Gentiles.
is to examine carefully Paul’s teachings to the
Corinthians that you might be able to overcome               “However, out of his journey to Jerusalem came the
some of the tests of the Adversary.                          arrest which enabled him, while in Roman custody, to
                                                             testify before the Jews of Jerusalem, before Festus and
Before proceeding, read all of the scriptural
                                                             then Agrippa, on the island of Melita, and in Rome
references in the reading block.
                                                             itself. To take the witness of Christ to kings and rulers,
                                                             it oftentimes seems to require the arrest and trial of the
                                                             Lord’s servants. Surely Paul’s trip to Jerusalem tested
                                                             his metal and ennobled his soul, and because of it, he
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      gained opportunities to stand in defense of truth and
                                                             righteousness, which otherwise would have been
(34-1) Acts 18:23; 20:38. Background to Paul’s
                                                             denied him.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:181.)
Third Missionary Journey
Paul’s third missionary journey is the longest of the        FIRST CORINTHIANS
three, both in terms of time spent (four years) and
                                                             (34-4) Why Did Paul Write to the Corinthians, and
distance covered. Although much of Paul’s time was
                                                             What Was the Approximate Date of Writing?
occupied with visits to places covered in the first two
journeys, Ephesus became his headquarters for three          “One of the fascinating subjects in the life of the
years. It was during this period that we get our finest      apostle is the exchange of communications and news
picture of Paul, for we see him as a theologian,             between him and his converts in Corinth. The
preacher, writer, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ,      communications revealed that there were factions
not only by means of Luke’s brilliant account but also       forming in the branch with different views regarding
through Paul’s four letters: two to the Corinthians, one     moral conduct and doctrine. Some of the converts
to the Romans, and the one to the Galatians. One of          were assuming a libertine or freethinking attitude with
Paul’s prime concerns on the third journey was to            respect to the doctrines which had been taught to them
collect funds for the poor in Jerusalem. (See center         by Paul and the missionaries who worked with him.
map section for an outline of the third missionary           Some were defending loose sexual standards that were
journey.)                                                    rampant in the notorious city. These problems came
                                                             into being because of the background of the new
(34-2) Acts 21:9. Can Women Prophesy?                        converts and the conditions of the time and place in
“Though men are appointed to hold rule in the home           which they were living. They were reactions to the
and in the Church, women are not one whit behind             new faith which had been taught to them against the
them in spiritual endowments. They prophesy, receive         old background which had been part of their former
visions, entertain angels (Alma 32:23), enjoy the gifts      conduct and thinking.
of the Spirit, and qualify with their husbands for full      “It was his concern over these disappointing
exaltation in the highest heaven.” (McConkie, DNTC,          happenings and also the questions that had been asked
2:181.)                                                      of him in the communications that caused Paul to




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write a letter to the saints at Corinth at Easter time, the     context in which Paul’s statement appears is that of
anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus.” (Howard W.           chastising the Corinthian saints for their tendency to
Hunter in CR, Apr. 1969, p. 136.)                               stir up division and strife, even on the smallest of
                                                                issues. He begs them to cease such practices and to be
In addition to rebuking the Corinthians for their loose
                                                                “joined together in the same mind and in the same
manner of living, Paul wrote for at least two other
                                                                judgment.” (1 Corinthians 1:10.) The Greek word for
reasons: (1) to correct certain misapprehensions which
                                                                divisions, schismata, is very expressive of Paul’s true
had arisen from a former letter, now lost, and (2) to
                                                                feelings. It was as if the great apostle was so
answer certain questions posed by the Corinthians in
                                                                thoroughly ashamed of such factionalism that he
their return letter, also lost. Unfortunately we can only
                                                                refused to be identified with it. The test of one’s
surmise from Paul’s comments in First Corinthians as
                                                                effectiveness as a representative of Jesus Christ is not
to the contents of his first letter or the reply thereto
                                                                how many he baptizes but how well he spreads the
(1 Corinthians 7:1). We are thus in much the same
                                                                word of God so that all who will hear and obey may
position as one who has found an old letter: we are
                                                                do so.
privileged to read only one side of the correspondence
and must guess what the questions and issues were               (34-7) 1 Corinthians 1:23. Why Was the
that prompted the reply given.                                  Crucifixion of Jesus a Stumblingblock to the Jews?
As with Paul’s other epistles, so with First                    In setting forth the idea that the crucifixion was a
Corinthians: no precise date can be placed upon it.             “stumblingblock” to the Jews, Paul used a metaphor
However, Paul’s reference to tarrying at Ephesus                common to both Greeks and Hebrews. The word in the
“until Pentecost” (i.e., April–May) and his expressed           original Greek is skandalon, the same from which we
expectation to “winter” with the saints in Corinth              derive our word scandal. The skandalon was the
(1 Corinthians 16:6–8) seems to indicate that the               movable triggerstick of a trap or snare which, when
epistle was written some time in the early spring.              struck by the foot, caused the striker to be caught by
Putting these statements together with what else is             the trap. It is often used in the New Testament as a
known concerning Paul’s life, we may tentatively                symbol of Christ because his appearance and brief
assign a date of sometime during March or April of              sojourn among men was so different from that which
the year A.D. 57.                                               the Jews anticipated. They expected a mighty king of
                                                                glory who would throw off the hated yoke of Rome in
(34-5) 1 Corinthians 1:14. Who Was Crispus?
                                                                one miraculous stroke and establish a messianic
Where the size of a congregation permitted, the Jewish          kingdom in which faithful Jews would reign supreme.
synagogue was presided over by a college of elders              As far as many of the Jews were concerned, Jesus was
(Luke 7:3), who in turn were under control of one who           nailed to a cross just as hundreds of others had been.
was “the chief of the synagogue” (Luke 8:41; 13:14).            This was indeed the triggerstick that caused them to
Crispus was one of these. He was in charge of the               stumble and fall into the trap. The prophet Jacob in the
synagogue in Corinth at the time that Paul ministered           Book of Mormon also spoke of this stumbling (Jacob
the gospel in that city. He was converted by Paul’s             4:14, 15).
words and shortly thereafter baptized, with his
household, by the great apostle to the gentiles. Paul           (34-8) 1 Corinthians 1:26–31. “God Hath Chosen
mentions him specifically as being one of the few he            the Weak Things of the World to Confound the
baptized in Corinth.                                            Things Which Are Mighty”
                                                                “Question: Who is better qualified to preach the
(34-6) 1 Corinthians 1:17. Why Does Paul Say That
                                                                gospel, a fifty-year-old college president of world
the Lord Sent Him Not to Baptize?
                                                                renown who has many scholastic degrees, or a
Some have used this scripture passage to support the            nineteen-year-old high school graduate who has no
notion that Paul saw no real significance to the act of         scholastic stature whatever?
baptism and did not consider it to be essential in
                                                                “Answer: The one who has a testimony of the gospel
God’s sight. To argue thus is to ignore the many other
                                                                and who is so living as to have the companionship and
passages in which Paul speaks of the ordinance not
                                                                guidance of the Holy Spirit.
only in an approving way but in a manner to suggest
its absolute necessity for all who would enjoy a valid          “Question: How is it that the weak things of the earth
relationship with Christ. (See Romans 6:3, 4;                   confound the mighty and strong?
Ephesians 4, 5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12.) The


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“Answer: True religion is not a matter of                      that therefore only those who are spiritually minded
intellectuality or of worldly prominence or renown,            can understand and receive true wisdom. Notice the
but of spirituality; and they are not weak but strong in       phrases Paul uses in contrasting the two kinds of
the realm of spiritual things.                                 wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:6, 7. The core of Paul’s
                                                               whole line of reasoning is summed up in
“Question: How is it that weak and untried persons
                                                               1 Corinthians 2:14. The unspiritual (or natural) man
have spiritual powers and understanding which is
                                                               misperceives truth because it is perceived only by the
often denied the learned and worldly wise?
                                                               Spirit. He has already shown that the Corinthian
“Answer: It is in large measure a matter of pre-               saints had serious misconceptions. Therefore, what is
existent preparation. Some people developed in the             the obvious conclusion about the saints there?
pre-mortal life the talents to recognize truth, to
comprehend spiritual things, to receive revelation             POINTS TO PONDER
from the Spirit; others did not. Those so endowed
spiritually were foreordained and sent to earth to serve       ONLY AS WE PUT OUR FULL TRUST IN GOD
at God’s command as his ministers.” (McConkie,                 WILL WE FIND ULTIMATE HAPPINESS
DNTC, 2:316–17.)
(34-9) 1 Corinthians 1:28. Why Would God Choose                The scriptures indicate that in the latter days, Satan
the “Base Things of the World” to Do His Work?                 will make war with the Saints of God and
                                                               “encompasseth them round about.” (D&C 76:29.)
Here is an example of how words can change through             Because you desire to serve the Lord, the adversary
the centuries by acquiring a meaning almost opposite           will strive to cause you to fall. His methods, as
to that which they originally conveyed. In the English         President Spencer W. Kimball has indicated, are very
of the 1600s, base meant “lowly” or “humble,”                  subtle:
whereas today it carries with it the idea of “lewd and
evil.”                                                         “He will use his logic to confuse and his
                                                               rationalizations to destroy. He will shade meanings,
(34-10) 1 Corinthians 2:1–8. “My Speech and My                 open doors an inch at a time, and lead from purest
Preaching Was Not with Enticing Words of Man’s                 white through all the shades of gray to the darkest
Wisdom”                                                        black.” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 152.)
“There was of old, there is now, and to all eternity           As you have learned, the Corinthian saints faced a
there shall be only one approved and proper way to             similar problem to the one Nephi saw you would be
preach the gospel—Preach by the power of the Spirit.           faced with today. Read carefully 2 Nephi 28:9–16.
Anything short of this is not of God and has neither           What are some of the precepts of men that could
converting nor saving power. All the religious                 cause even the “humble followers of Christ” to go
learning, of all the professors of religion, of all the        astray? Consider the following statements by Elder
ages is as nothing compared to the Spirit-born                 Ezra Taft Benson:
testimony of one legal administrator. . . .
                                                               “The world teaches birth control. Tragically, many
“If there is any truth of salvation that Deity has made        of our sisters subscribe to its pills and practices when
imperishably clear, it is the first and last, in all ages,     they could easily provide earthly tabernacles for
now and forever, among the learned and the ignorant            more of our Father’s children. We know that every
for all races and peoples, and for that matter on all the      spirit assigned to this earth will come, whether
endless worlds of the great Creator, there is one              through us or someone else. There are couples in the
formula and one formula only for conveying saving              Church who think they are getting along just fine
truth to men—Preach by the power of the                        with their limited families but who will someday
Spirit.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:318.)                              suffer the pains of remorse when they meet the spirits
                                                               that might have been part of their posterity. The first
For centuries the Greeks had glorified wisdom and              commandment given to man was to multiply and
man’s ability to achieve. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle—          replenish the earth with children. That commandment
these were the men of reverence. Even the very word            has never been altered, modified, or cancelled. The
philosopher means “lover of wisdom.” But Paul’s                Lord did not say to multiply and replenish the earth if
point is that true wisdom comes only from God, and             it is convenient, or if you are wealthy, or after you




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have gotten your schooling, or when there is peace           “Have you been listening to the music that many
on earth, or until you have four children. The Bible         young folks are hearing today? Some of it is nerve-
says, ‘Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: . . .       jamming in nature and much of it has been
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of                deliberately designed to promote revolution, dope,
them. . . .’ (Ps. 127:3, 5.) We believe God is glorified     immorality, and a gap between parent and child. And
by having numerous children and a program of                 some of this music has invaded our church cultural
perfection for them. So also will God glorify that           halls.
husband and wife who have a large posterity and
                                                             “Have you noticed some of our Church dances
who have tried to raise them up in righteousness.
                                                             lately? Have they been praiseworthy, lovely, and of
“The precepts of men would have you believe that by          good report? ‘I doubt,’ said President McKay,
limiting the population of the world, we can have            ‘whether it is possible to dance most of the prevalent
peace and plenty. That is the doctrine of the devil.         fad dances in a manner to meet LDS standards.’ And
Small numbers do not insure peace; only                      what about modesty in dress? . . .
righteousness does, After all, there were only a
                                                             “Now what kind of magazines come into your home?
handful of men on the earth when Cain interrupted
                                                             With perhaps one or two exceptions, I would not have
the peace of Adam’s household by slaying Abel. On
                                                             any of the major national slick magazines in my
the other hand, the whole city of Enoch was peaceful;
                                                             home. As President Clark so well put it, ‘. . . take up
and it was taken into heaven because it was made up
                                                             any national magazine, look at the ads and, if you
of righteous people.
                                                             can stand the filth, read some of the stories—they
And so far as limiting the population in order to            are, in their expressed and suggestive standards of
provide plenty is concerned, the Lord answered that          life, destructive of the very foundations of our
falsehood in the Doctrine and Covenants when he              society.’ (Conference Report, Apr. 1951, p. 79.)
said:
                                                             “Now hear this test proposed by President George Q.
“‘For the earth is full, and there is enough and to          Cannon: ‘If the breach is daily widening between
spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto       ourselves and the world . . . we may be assured that
the children of men to be agents unto                        our progress is certain, however slow. On the
themselves.’ (D&C 104:17.) . . .                             opposite hand, if our feelings and affections, our
                                                             appetites and desires, are in unison with the world
“. . . Let us listen and learn from the following wise
                                                             around us and freely fraternize with them . . . we
words of this seer, President Clark:
                                                             should do well to examine ourselves. Individuals in
“‘. . . Many influences (more than ever before in my         such a condition might possess a nominal position in
lifetime) are seeking to break down chastity with its        the Church but would be lacking the life of the work,
divinely declared sanctity. . . .                            and, like the foolish virgins who slumbered while the
“‘In schoolrooms the children are taught what is             bridegroom tarried, they would be unprepared for his
popularly called “the facts of life.” Instead of             coming. . . .’ (Millennial Star, Oct. 5, 1861 [Vol. 23],
bringing about the alleged purpose of the teaching,          pp. 645–46.)” (CR, Apr. 1969, pp. 12–15.)
that is, strengthening of the morals of youth, this          Now read carefully the following statement by Nephi:
teaching seems to have had directly the opposite             2 Nephi 28:31.
effect. The teaching seems merely to have whetted
                                                             Are there decisions in your life right now that need
curiosity and augmented appetite. . . .’ (Relief Society
                                                             the guidance of the Lord? Have you put your trust in
Magazine, December 1952, p. 793.) . . .
                                                             him? Have you asked for his help and then sought for
“And so the precepts of men are at work on our               strength to do his will?
youth in so many ways. Said President Clark, ‘. . . a
                                                             Read Proverbs 3:5, 6.
tremendous amount of the modern art, of the modern
literature and music, and the drama that we have
today is utterly demoralizing—utterly.’ (Relief
Society Magazine, December 1952, p. 792.)




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286
                      35
       “THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE
                   REMEMBRANCE OF ME”




     First Letter of Paul to the Corinthian Saints            The Sacrament vs. Idolatry              10:16–33
Written During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from
  Ephesus, ca. Spring, A.D. 57 (1 Corinthians 4–11)           The Status of Man and Woman             11:1–16
                                            1 Corinthians     Why We Partake of the Sacrament         11:17–34
Apostles Suffer, Minister, Keep the Faith   4:1–21
                                                              THEME
Why the Church Cannot Fellowship            5:1–13
Sinners                                                       To worthily partake of the sacrament, we must strive
Take Civil Cases to Church Courts           6:1–11            to forsake all wickedness and live a Christlike life.

The Body is Not for Immorality              6:12–20           INTRODUCTION
Marriage Is Ordained of God                 7:1–24            Paul was a mighty apostle, a special witness of the
                                                              Master in sermon and by works. Under the direction
Missionaries—Married or Single?             7:25–40
                                                              of Peter, James, and John, who were the First
Gods Many and Lords Many                    8:1–13            Presidency in his day, Paul trod over “all the
                                                              country” in his assigned stewardship, being led by
Paul Rejoices in Christian Freedom          9:1–12            the Spirit, “strengthening all the disciples.” (Acts
                                                              18:23.) This third journey to set in order the
Gospel Preached Without Cost                9:13–18
                                                              branches of the church under his care had
Paul: All Things to All Men                 9:19–27           commenced at Antioch. Three arduous years took
                                                              him through the Taurus Mountains, past the lakes of
Christ Is the God of Israel                 10:1–4            Pisidia to Ephesus on the Aegean coast, by ship to
                                                              Troas and Philippi, on to Thessalonica, and down the
Ancient Israel Rebelled Against Christ      10:5–15

                                                            287
Macedonian Peninsula to Corinth. This loyal man                 worldwide reputation in the ancient world for its
could not rest; visited by the martyred Abel, taught            immorality. It was located very close to two major
by the translated Enoch, custodian of truths he was             ports and therefore subject to many of the vices and
forbidden to teach, whose preaching almost                      evils which accompany centers of commerce and
resembled the roaring of a lion, he was a man with a            trade. In addition, Corinth was the site of the famous
witness and with a call. Like a faithful soldier, his           temple of Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love,
labors were unceasing. (See Smith, Teachings,                   where there were a thousand “priestesses.” They were
pp. 63, 169–70, 180, 304–5.) “For how knoweth a                 actually nothing more than prostitutes glorified by the
man the master,” King Benjamin had asked, “whom                 cloak of religious worship. Anciently, Corinth’s
he has not served and . . . is far from the thoughts            reputation was such that to “Corinthianize” meant to
and intents of his heart?” (Mosiah 5:13.) Certain it is         engage in reckless debauchery, and Corinthians were
that Paul knew his Master, his Redeemer—ever close              usually portrayed on the stage as drunkards. Even in
to the thoughts and intents of his heart.                       modern English a person is sometimes called a
                                                                Corinthian, meaning that he is given totally over to
By the spring of A.D. 57, Paul was back in Ephesus.
                                                                licentious desires. It is not surprising, then, that in this
And from there he wrote to the Corinthians—sound
                                                                and the following chapter, Paul sharply condemns
counsel: to be united, and to accept truth by the
                                                                immorality and the lusts of the flesh.
witness of the Spirit and by power.
                                                                “Apparently a member of the Church in Corinth had
Now you will consider chapters in which Paul
                                                                married his stepmother, either because she was a
charged the saints to come out of and be separate
                                                                widow or had been separated from her prior husband.
from the wickedness of the world, chapters where he
                                                                Such marriages were forbidden by the Mosaic code
taught of covenants, of the sacrament, and of
                                                                under penalty of excommunication. (Lev. 18:6–8, 29.)
promises to remember Christ and do his will.
                                                                Paul endorses the Mosaic prohibition, describes the
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references           intimacies resulting from such unions as fornication,
in the reading block.                                           condemns his Corinthian brethren for winking at the
                                                                offense, and directs the excommunication of the
                                                                offender. If the sinner were left in the Church, Paul
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                         reasons, his influence, as leaven, would spread
                                                                throughout the whole Church. The Church must,
(35-1) 1 Corinthians 4:16. “Be Ye Followers of Me”              therefore, purge out this old leaven of wickedness and
To some, Paul’s counsel may seem prideful and                   replace it with a new influence or leaven of
arrogant, but it is not. In at least eleven cases, the King     righteousness.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:335.)
James translation uses the word follow or followers as
equivalent to the Greek words for “imitate” or                  (35-3) 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3. “Know Ye Not That We
“imitators.” With the New Testament as yet unwritten            Shall Judge Angels?”
and the Christlike ideal as yet imperfectly understood,         “The man who passes through this probation, and is
the Corinthians needed a living pattern. Paul wanted            faithful, being redeemed from sin by the blood of
no disciples of his own for his personal sake and               Christ, through the ordinances of the gospel, and
glory. His urging was simply, “Follow me, for I                 attains to exaltation in the kingdom of God, is not less
follow Christ.”                                                 but greater than the angels, and if you doubt it, read
                                                                your Bible, for there it is written that the Saints shall
(35-2) 1 Corinthians 5:1, 11. Did Paul Use the                  ‘judge angels,’ and also they shall ‘judge the world.’
Word Fornication As We Use It Today?                            And why? Because the resurrected, righteous man has
In today’s modern world, and in the Church as well,             progressed beyond the pre-existent or disembodied
fornication has taken on a more technical meaning               spirits, and has risen above them, having both spirit
than it had during the time of the King James                   and body as Christ has, having gained the victory over
translation. Today it is defined as sexual intercourse          death and the grave, and having power over sin and
between unmarried people. But the word which Paul               Satan; in fact, having passed from the condition of the
used is porneia (the root word for our pornography)             angels to that of a God. He possesses keys of power,
and meant any extramarital intercourse. Perhaps it              dominion and glory that the angel does not possess—
might be well to point out here that Corinth had a              and cannot possess without gaining them in the same




                                                              288
way that he gained them, which will be by passing           his case was entirely exceptional.” (Farrar, The Life
through the same ordeals and proving equally                and Work of St. Paul, p. 46.)
faithful.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 18–19.)
                                                            Most scholars acknowledge that Paul was either a
(35-5) 1 Corinthians 7:7. Was the Apostle Paul a            member of the Jewish ruling body, the Sanhedrin, or a
Married Man?                                                close associate thereof (Acts 8:3; 9:1, 2; 22:5; 26:10).
                                                            If he were indeed a member of the Sanhedrin, Paul
It is possible that Paul, who had once been married,        would have been expected to be in compliance with
was a widower at the time of his writing of First           the special requirements for membership in the body,
Corinthians. His heart was thoroughly set on                one of which was marriage. If he were not a member,
missionary work, and thus he might have chosen not          Paul would still, as an official representative of the
to remarry. Hence his counsel to those in similar           ruling group, be expected to be in harmony with all
circumstances was “I would that all men were even as        accepted Jewish customs. Only such a condition
I myself.”                                                  would prevent his being charged with advocating
Aside from the fact that marriage is an eternal             obedience to laws with which he himself was not in
command of God, which Paul, an apostle of Jesus             strict compliance.
Christ, would know as well as anyone, there are some        What, then, of those who contend that Paul was
other compelling reasons why the answer to the              unmarried and taught others to be likewise? The
question Was Paul married? should be yes.                   passage cited as evidence is 1 Corinthians 7:7, 8
In the first place, Paul’s writings indicate a positive     wherein Paul says: “For I would that all men were
attitude toward marriage. Some of the finest counsel        even as I myself. . . . I say therefore to the unmarried
given in scripture on the subject comes to us from          and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as
Paul (Ephesians 5:21–6:4; Colossians 3:8–21). It            I.” Elder Spencer W. Kimball has commented on this
would be presumptive indeed for Paul to give such           passage as follows: “Taking such statements in
counsel if he had not obeyed the law of God himself.        conjunction with others [Paul] made it is clear that he
                                                            is not talking about celibacy, but is urging the normal
In 1 Corinthians 9:5 Paul argues that apostles have as      and controlled sex living in marriage and total
much right to marry as anyone else, “Have we not            continence outside marriage. (There is no real
power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other      evidence that Paul was never married, as some
apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and              students claim, and there are in fact indications to the
Cephas?” But marriage is more than a right; it is a         contrary.)” (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 64.)
solemn duty. Hence Paul writes in 1 Corinthians
11:11: “Nevertheless neither is the man without the         (35-6) 1 Corinthians 7:9. What Did Paul Mean by
woman, neither the woman without the man, in the            “It Is Better to Marry Than to Burn”?
Lord.” The need for all to marry if they would find
                                                            The meaning of Paul’s counsel is not entirely clear.
approval “in the Lord” is thus undisputed.
                                                            The Greek word which the King James translators
Faithful Jews regarded marriage as a religious              have rendered burn is a passive infinitive used to
obligation and a condition of extraordinary                 convey the idea of being inflamed with passion, lust,
importance. It was the custom for Jewish men and            or anger. The Prophet Joseph Smith’s inspired account
women to marry at an early age, generally between           is even more explicit than the King James: “But if they
sixteen and eighteen but sometimes as early as              cannot abide, let them marry; for it is better to marry
fourteen. Paul, a strict Pharisee (Acts 26:5) was           than that any should commit sin.”
“taught according to the perfect manner of the law of
the fathers, and was zealous toward God” (Acts 22:3),       (35-7) 1 Corinthians 7:14. What Is the
as faithful Jews were enjoined to be. Thus “there           Interpretation of This Verse As Given in Latter-
would seem to be no good reason . . . why Paul, a           day Revelation?
trained and ardent Pharisee, should fail to honor an        Read D&C 74:2–7.
obligation esteemed so sacred in the eyes of his
people.” (Sperry, Paul’s Life and Letters, p. 9.) When      Paul is referring here to marriages where the husband
a list of 613 precepts contained in the law of Moses        or wife has converted to Christianity but the other
was first drawn up, marriage was listed as number           partner has not. Though in this context “unbelieving”
one. If Paul “lived unmarried as a Jerusalem Pharisee,      refers to Jewish parents who wanted to continue




                                                          289
circumcising their children, the principle of spiritual      she pass the flower of age, and need so require, let him
damage to children from such marriages holds true in         do what he hath promised, he sinneth not; let them
all generations. When a man or woman who are                 marry.
faithful members of the church marry those without a
                                                             38 So then he that giveth himself in marriage doeth
strong testimony of the gospel, not only is the
                                                             well; but he that giveth himself not in marriage doeth
marriage itself endangered but the spiritual training of
                                                             better.
the children will be severely limited. A child needs the
spiritual testimony and training of both parents             ‘It is clear from the Inspired Version corrections and
without conflict or schism.                                  additions that ministerial service of a missionary
                                                             nature was involved, and the main questions seemed
(35-8) 1 Corinthians 7:25–40. Paul’s Views on                to be: Should engaged persons who are called on
Marriage in Light of the Inspired Version                    missions marry first, or go out on the Lord’s errand
Clearly Paul is here wrestling with difficult problems       while single? And if they should serve while single,
presented to him by the Corinthian saints. On some           should certain ones who were already married, receive
things he can reply authoritatively; on others he            divorces prior to such service?
renders a personal judgment. Verses 25–40 deal with          “In our day when an elder who is engaged to be
special questions to those involved in missionary or         married is called on a mission, more often than not he
other priesthood service requiring absence from home         fulfills his mission prior to his marriage; occasionally
for prolonged periods. Carefully compare the                 he marries first and leaves his wife for the assigned
following changes as found in Joseph Smith’s Inspired        period of ministerial service. In the earlier days of this
Version with your King James translation.                    dispensation recently married brethren were frequently
26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present     called to leave their wives and perform missionary
distress, for a man so to remain that he may do greater      service. Obviously the same rule need not and should
good.                                                        not apply in every case. A host of personal
                                                             circumstances and situations are always involved.
28 But if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a         Ordinarily, and Paul specified this as his opinion,
virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such        marriage should be deferred.” (McConkie, DNTC,
shall have trouble in the flesh. For I spare you not.        2:346–47.)
29 But I speak unto you who are called unto the
                                                             (35-9) 1 Corinthians 7:32. What Does Paul Mean
ministry. For this I say, brethren, the time that
                                                             by “I Would Have You Without Carefulness”?
remaineth is but short, that ye shall be sent forth unto
the ministry. Even they who have wives, shall be as          A similar expression is found in Philippians 4:6 in
though they had none; for ye are called and chosen to        which Paul is represented as saying, “Be careful for
do the Lord’s work.                                          nothing.” It means “Have no anxiety about anything.”
                                                             Paul was in fact counseling his readers to refrain from
30 And it shall not be with them who weep, as though
                                                             anxieties and tensions rather than from carefulness as
they wept not; and them who rejoice, as though they
                                                             we know it today.
rejoiced not, and them who buy, as though they
possessed not;                                               (35-10) 1 Corinthians 8:5. Does the Phrase “Gods
31 And them who use this world, as not using it; for         Many and Lords Many” Have Reference to
the fashion of this world passeth away.                      Heathen Gods?
32 But I would, brethren, that ye magnify your calling.      “Paul says there are Gods many and Lords many. I
I would have you without carefulness. For he who is          want to set it forth in a plain and simple manner; but
unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the          to us there is but one God—that is pertaining to us;
Lord, how he may please the Lord; therefore he               and he is in all and through all. . . .
prevaileth.                                                  “. . . You know and I testify that Paul had no allusion
33 But he who is married, careth for the things that are     to the heathen gods. I have it from God, and get over it
of the world, how he may please his wife; therefore          if you can. I have a witness of the Holy Ghost, and a
there is a difference, for he is hindered.                   testimony that Paul had no allusion to the heathen
                                                             gods in the text.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 370–71.)
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself
uncomely toward his virgin whom he hath espoused, if



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(35-11) 1 Corinthians 9:1. Was Paul an Ordained               converts were anxious about keeping the letter of the
Apostle, and If So, by Whom?                                  law and refused to buy anything from the local
                                                              markets. Paul indicates that such scrupulousness is
“We are extremely lacking in information in relation
                                                              uncalled for. One can keep the letter of the law and
to many important details that failed to seep through
                                                              still violate its spirit if he provides, by his example, an
the ages to our day, and we are left in darkness to
                                                              excuse for a weaker brother to sin (1 Corinthians 8).
know when and where Paul was ordained. . . .
                                                              On the other hand, one can keep the law so precisely
“. . . The fact may be correctly surmised that Paul did       as to the written letter that he moves to a Pharisaical
find time to mingle with his brethren [of the Twelve]         extreme and forgets the very purpose for which the
and that through the divine inspiration the apostleship       law was given in the first place.
was conferred on him by their action. . . . We have no
reason to believe that Paul received his ordination           (35-15) 1 Corinthians 11:11. “Neither Is the Man
independent of the action of the other apostles.”             Without the Woman, Neither the Woman Without
(Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:99–100.)               the Man, in the Lord”
                                                              “The house of the Lord is a house of order and not a
(35-12) 1 Corinthians 9:22. “I Am Made All Things
                                                              house of confusion; and that means that the man is not
to All Men”
                                                              without the woman in the Lord, neither is the woman
“Paul here says he made himself all things to all men         without the man in the Lord; and that no man can be
in an effort to get them to accept the gospel message;        saved and exalted in the kingdom of God without the
that is, he adapted himself to the conditions and             woman, and no woman can reach the perfection and
circumstances of all classes of people, as a means of         exaltation in the kingdom of God alone. That is what it
getting them to pay attention to his teachings and            means. God instituted marriage in the beginning. He
testimony. And then, lest any suppose this included           made man in his own image and likeness, male and
the acceptance of their false doctrines or practices, or      female, and in their creation it was designed that they
that it in any way involved a compromise between the          should be united together in sacred bonds of marriage,
gospel and false systems of worship, he hastened to           and one is not perfect without the other. Furthermore,
add that he and all men must obey the gospel law to be        it means that there is no union for time and eternity
saved.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:353.)                              that can be perfected outside of the law of God, and
                                                              the order of his house. Men may desire it, they may go
(35-13) 1 Corinthians 10:24. “Let No Man Seek His             through the form of it, in this life, but it will be of no
Own, but Every Man Another’s Wealth”                          effect except it be done and sanctioned by divine
The word wealth as used in the days of the King               authority, in the name of the Father and of the Son and
James translators conveyed not only the idea of riches        of the Holy Ghost.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 272.)
but of well-being and welfare. Unless we understand
this, the statement quoted above seems to be an open          POINTS TO PONDER
invitation to robbery and theft. Far from that, Paul was
really inviting his readers to acts of true Christian         THE BLESSINGS OF THE SACRAMENT COME
charity. The Inspired Version renders it thus: “Let not       TO THOSE WHO ARE PREPARED
man therefore seek his own, but every man another’s
good.”
                                                             Janice is a member of the Church. She is active. She
(35-14) 1 Corinthians 10:25. What Did Paul Mean              attends her meetings and is an officer in the Young
When He Said the Saints Could Eat That Which Is              Adult Relief Society. But she is frustrated. She
Sold in the Shambles?                                        doesn’t feel that she is getting as much out of her
                                                             membership in the Church as she would like to get.
Paul’s meaning becomes clear when it is understood
that the word shambles meant “meat market” in Paul’s         Every so often Janice has a chance to talk heart to
day. Very often when sacrificing animals to pagan            heart with her dad, who is also the bishop of the
gods, only a portion of the carcass was required; the        ward. Let’s look in on them for just a moment, to
rest could be, and often was, sold to the local butcher      follow their conversation:
for resale to the poorer class. There would be, of
                                                             Janice
course, no way for a Christian to know whether the
meat offered for sale came from animals slaughtered          That, basically, sums it up, Dad. I go to church. I
for food or for temple sacrifices. Some of Paul’s            attend all my meetings. I pay tithing and fast


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offerings on the money I make. I try to study the             words are used to describe the glory of Jesus? Why do
gospel as best I can. But sometimes I just don’t feel         you think that Jesus was able to have that glory in and
that I am getting the spiritual experiences or                around him?
blessings that I ought to get. I have sometimes
                                                              2 Corinthians 7:1
wondered if there is something the matter with me. I
know it isn’t right, Dad, but sometimes I really get          Paul says we must rid ourselves of all filthiness. What
discouraged.                                                  does the word all mean? How strict is the standard of
                                                              holiness in the presence of God? Compare 3 Nephi
Her Father
                                                              27:19. How many sins must a man repent of before he
I have an idea of what those feelings are like. But,          may be permitted to enter into the presence of God?
Janice, we must never forget that every blessing we
                                                              Helaman 13:38
seek is in the hands of the Lord. Even if our own lives
are completely in order, he still blesses us “in his          The first part of this verse does not apply to you, of
own time, and in his own way, and according to his            course. But how total and complete is the
own will.” (D&C 88:68.) But there is another thing,           righteousness of God? What will lead to real
Janice, that we must always remember. The Lord is             happiness? Compare Romans 12:1, 2. How soon
pure. He is holy—absolutely so. When we are the               should people try to repent of all in their lives that
best we know how to be, we are still far below his            may offend God?
level of purity and holiness. We are taught in the            Alma 11:37
Church that we are God’s children and that we can
become like him. Sometimes I think we talk too                Can a person be saved if he has not repented of all his
loosely about that. It is true that we can become like        sins? Again, what does the word all mean? What must
him, but it is also true that he is perfectly pure. If we     a man do to get into the kingdom of heaven?
become like him, we must strive with all our hearts to        The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “If a man gets a
become pure like he is.                                       fullness [of the blessings] of the priesthood of God he
Janice                                                        has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained
                                                              it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and
I need some help with that, Dad. How is it possible           obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.”
for me to strive to become that pure? I’m trying now          (Teachings, p. 308. Italics added.) Can you get that
to do the best I can. I wouldn’t even know where to           fulness in any other way? Is it a commandment of God
start to try and do better.                                   that you become pure just as he is pure, and that you
Have you had some of the feelings that Janice has?            be separate from the wickedness of the world? Do you
Can you understand why the blessings Janice seeks             think God would make it possible for you to do that?
can be given only in the Lord’s own time and way?             Read Philippians 4:13. Compare 1 Nephi 3:7. Then
Can you see why, even though people like Janice may           read D&C 93:11–20.
be doing a lot of good, they still may not be pure            Christ, of course, was always pure. But even then, did
enough to receive the understanding and spiritual             Jesus receive a fulness of the Father’s glory and power
blessings they would like to receive? Do you know             all at once? Why do you think the Lord wants you to
how pure the Lord really is? Do you understand                understand the process by which he overcame the
Paul’s counsel? “Ye cannot drink the cup of the               world and received a fulness of the glory and power of
Lord, and the cup of devils: Ye cannot be partakers           the Father? What does the word fulness mean? Would
of the Lord’s table, and of the table of                      the Lord give that glory and power to you if you were
devils.” (1 Corinthians 10:21.)                               not fully prepared and worthy to receive it?
                                                              The Prophet Joseph Smith taught this: “When you
(35-16) How Pure Must We Be to Be Like the                    climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and
Lord?                                                         ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so
Read these passages and consider the questions.               it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin
                                                              at the first, and go on until you learn all the principles
Matthew 17:2                                                  of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you
Compare 3 Nephi 19:25. What radiated from Jesus to            have passed through the veil before you will have
the Nephite disciples who were praying to him? What           learned them [all].” (Teachings, p. 348.) In this



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statement the Prophet is not talking about repentance.       as a sacrifice for the sins of those who repent. Those
He is saying that our obligation is to strive to live by     who offered sacrifice before the birth of Christ looked
and obey all the truth we receive in this world, but         forward. We must look backward. That is the only real
that we will not receive all truth in this world.            difference. It is inconceivable that God would ever
                                                             accept ancient sacrifices if those who offered them
Do you think the Lord will excuse you if you do not
                                                             were not sincere and truly repentant. It would be as
try to be as perfect in this world as it is possible to
                                                             though they offered up their sacrifices in vain.
be? Elder Joseph Fielding Smith has said this: “Here
we lay the foundation. . . . It is our duty to be better     The ordinance of the sacrament has many elements
today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow            and conditions of sacrifice.
than we are today. Why? Because we are on that
                                                             Read these scriptures about the sacrament and answer
road . . . to perfection, and that can only come
                                                             the questions that follow:
through obedience and the desire in our hearts to
overcome the world.” (Doctrines of Salvation,                1 Corinthians 11:23–30
2:18–19.)                                                    D&C 46:4
As you determine in your life to overcome the world          3 Nephi 18:28–32
and be separate from its wickedness, consider these
                                                             How serious a matter is it for someone to presume to
questions: Will you be able to do it all at once? Is it
                                                             enjoy the benefits of the sacrament when he does not
something you can achieve without prayer? Will it
                                                             offer up a broken heart, a contrite spirit, and genuine
take hard work to conquer your weaknesses? Do you
                                                             sorrow for the sins and weaknesses he should be
think the ordinance of the sacrament is involved in
                                                             struggling to overcome?
any way?
Let’s listen in on Janice and her dad again.                 (35-18) How Can You Prepare?
Janice                                                       There is a way that you can prepare during the week to
                                                             partake of the sacrament, for God would never issue
I know that Jesus died for us, Dad, and when I take          such strict commands about the sacrament without
the sacrament, I try to think about him and what he          providing a way for the commands to be obeyed. (See
did for me.                                                  1 Nephi 3:7.)
Her Father                                                   The process is outlined here:
But what you do during the week, Janice, is also             •   2 Corinthians 13:5. Make a list of your most
important. You can be humble and pay attention in                serious sins and temptations. This should not be
the sacrament service, and even shed tears. But if you           done in a class or in public. It is a private matter
haven’t done anything about your weaknesses during               between you and the Lord.
the week, then renewing your covenants can’t make
you any better.                                              •   Next, classify the things you have written on your
                                                                 list. Rank them in order of seriousness or
Janice                                                           difficulty. You can enjoy the blessings of the
What do you mean, Dad? What can I do during the                  Spirit of God only according to the level of your
week?                                                            most serious unrepented personal sin. So if you
                                                                 start working on less serious matters first, you still
(35-17) What Is Involved in the Sacrament?                       will not receive the blessings you desire.
Before you can meaningfully participate in the                   Sometimes men will repent of less serious matters,
sacrament, you need to know something of what is                 outward things, and then complain that they do not
involved and how you can prepare during the week.                feel any more spiritual, when, in reality, they
Consider each of these points in turn.                           should start with the most serious sin or
                                                                 temptation in their life. Can you see why it is
For four thousand years, from Adam to Christ, God                necessary that you work on the most serious or
commanded his people to offer sacrifice. Those who               difficult first?
were obedient offered the firstlings of the flock,
animals without spot or blemish as a figure of the           •   3 Nephi 12:23, 24. If there are some things on
innocence and purity of Christ, who himself would die            your list that need to be discussed with your




                                                           293
    bishop, or if there are those whom you may have              SINCERE EFFORT IS REWARDED WITH
    offended, what must you do? And after you have               HEAVENLY POWERS
    done that, what promise does the Lord make to
    you, in verse 24? (Compare Matthew 5:23, 24.)            Now that you have learned some ways to help you
                                                             overcome the sins and weaknesses in your life, do
•   Treat each day as a stewardship. In your morning         you think the Lord would be pleased with you if you
    prayers, plead with the Lord to help you overcome        went to sacrament meeting not having sincerely tried
    that most serious problem. Report to him each            to be a stronger, more worthy member than you were
    night. And as you strive to overcome it, continue        the week before?
    to pray for forgiveness for past mistakes.
                                                             Consider this promise to those who work honestly in
•   D&C 59:9, 11, 12. How would this process                 the process that has been outlined.
    prepare you to participate in the sacrament on
    Sunday? Would renewing your covenants be more            •     The Prophet Joseph Smith said that “the nearer
    meaningful if you prepared in this way?                        man approaches perfection, the clearer are his
                                                                   views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has
•   Ether 12:27. There is a great power that comes                 overcome the evils of his life and lost every
    from Christ to a man who is trying to overcome                 desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at
    sin and weaknesses. Without that power man                     that point of faith where he is wrapped in the
    could never overcome the world; but with it,                   power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to
    weaknesses can be overcome and replaced by                     dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a
    strengths. Why does the Lord give you an                       station to which no man ever arrived in a
    understanding of your weaknesses? When you feel                moment.” (Teachings, p. 51.)
    that you have conquered your most serious
    problem, seek the Lord’s witness. He has ways to         Now what of you? Like Janice, no one else can do it
    let you know if you have really mastered your            for you or make you what you should become. You
    most serious sin. President Harold B. Lee taught         must first reach out and partake of those heavenly
    this:                                                    powers for yourself; then the Lord can enter into
                                                             your life and perfect you through his grace.
“The most important of all the commandments of God
is that one that you’re having the most difficulty           “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
keeping today. If it’s one of dishonesty, if it’s one of     meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto
unchastity, if it’s one of falsifying, not telling the       your souls.
truth, today is the day for you to work on that until        “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
you’ve been able to conquer that weakness. Then you          light.” (Matthew 11:29, 30.)
start on the next one that’s most difficult for you to
keep.” (Church News, 5 May 1973, p. 3.)                      “For if you keep my commandments you shall receive
                                                             of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the
The biggest problem that you will have as you try to         Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive
overcome your weaknesses is that Satan will try to           grace for grace.” (D&C 93:20. Emphasis added.)
discourage you. But if you make up your mind to do
it, if you “search diligently, pray always, and be           “These are they who are just men made perfect
believing, [then] all things shall work together for         through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who
your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the             wrought out this perfect atonement through the
covenant.” (D&C 90:24.)                                      shedding of his own blood.” (D&C 76:69.)




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                 36
   “COVET EARNESTLY THE BEST GIFTS”




     First Letter of Paul to the Corinthian Saints         THEME
  Written During His Third Missionary Journey from
  Ephesus, ca. Spring, A.D. 57 (1 Corinthians 12–16)       The Lord gives us gifts of the Spirit so we may bless,
                                                           encourage, and strengthen one another in love.
                                         1 Corinthians
                                                           INTRODUCTION
The Holy Ghost Bears Witness of Christ   12:1–3
                                                           Do you remember those times in past years when an
Spiritual Gifts of the Church            12:4–11           anniversary, birthday, Christmas celebration or
The Importance of Each Member            12:12–31          other special occasion gave you the opportunity to
                                                           give of yourself to someone you loved? Remember the
Charity: The Pure Love of Christ         13:1–13           questions that tumbled over and over through your
                                                           mind? What shall I do for her? How can I please
Tongues and Prophecy Compared            14:1–28           him? What does she need? And the long hours of
Prophecy—the Greatest Gift               14:29–40          secretive labor, all the while motivated by that inner
                                                           anticipation of pleasing? Can you think back to those
The Reality of the Resurrection          15:1–22           deeper pleasures that came as you labored with your
                                                           hands and heart to shape, polish, perfect? And then
The Order of Resurrection                15:23–28          at last the moment came. Hands plucked at the
Baptism in Behalf of the Dead            15:29             wrappings as you watched in joyful anxiety,
                                                           wondering if, now that it was too late to do
A Better Resurrection                    15:30–34          otherwise, you had chosen wisely after all. And then
                                                           you knew. Deep within the eyes shone that
Resurrection into Kingdoms of Glory      15:35–53          verification which made it all exquisitely worth it.
Christ Triumphed over Death              15:54–58          The hours and days of effort were fully repaid in that
                                                           instant and you felt the deep and honest joy of the
“Stand Fast in the Faith”                16:1–24           giver.


                                                         295
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good                The Prophet Joseph Smith said that 1 Corinthians 12:3
gifts . . . how much more shall your Father which is          should be translated “no man can know that Jesus is
in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”             the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings, p. 223.
(Matthew 7:11.) If we, in our weaknesses and                  Italics added.)
imperfections, can feel the pure joy of giving without
selfish motive, how much more perfect must be the             (36-2) 1 Corinthians 13:1–13. Paul’s Teachings on
giving of the Lord? Can you contemplate the                   Charity—Some Further Insights
implications of the phrase “the gifts of the Spirit?” If      Charity, of course, is here being used in the sense of
our gifts bring joy to those we love, how great must          the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:47) and not in the
be the joy that accompanies the gifts bestowed by the         sense of the giving of money or services to those in
Holy Ghost.                                                   need. Some of the Old English words obscure the
It is of these gifts that Paul speaks to the Corinthians.     vividness of Paul’s beautiful language here. The
As we saw in Chapter 34, the Corinthians were                 following are some helps in that regard:
plagued with problems that sprang from their lack of          Vs. 4: The word translated vaunt comes from the
spiritual power. There were schisms in the church,                   Greek word for “braggart.”
immorality, doctrinal questions, lack of unity. Even
the spiritual gifts were being misunderstood.                 Vs. 5: Easily provoked comes from the word
Evidently, to the saints in Corinth, speaking in                     meaning “irritable” or “exasperated.”
tongues had become proof positive of spiritual                Vs. 5: The word thinketh is better translated as
power. Rather than seeking the companionship of the                  “reckons” or “takes account of.”
Holy Ghost, from whence flow these perfect gifts,
they were seeking only the gift itself.                       Vs. 7: Beareth comes from the word meaning “to
                                                                     cover” and is used of roofs and the hull of
In a way, we can be grateful that such was the case                  ships. “It keeps out resentment as the ship
in Corinth, for from their problem we received Paul’s                keeps out water, or the roof the rain.”
teachings on the gifts of the Spirit. In a powerful                  (Vincent, Word Studies, 2:795.)
analogy of the physical body, the apostle showed the
foolishness of exalting one spiritual gift above              Vs. 8: The word translated faileth really means “to
another and then seeking to prove its presence by                    fall off” and was used of leaves or flowers. In
outward show. There are a diversity of spiritual gifts,              other words, love is not removed from its
he says, and all function together to create unity in                place.
the body of Christ—the church. And in one of the              Vs. 12: The word translated glass is actually mirror.
most sublime and beautiful passages in all literature,                To those of us accustomed to the high quality
Paul shows us the more excellent way, the gift that                   mirrors of today, Paul’s imagery is not clear.
validates and activates all others. This is the gift                  “The thought of imperfect seeing is
which brings the highest of all joys.                                 emphasized by the character of the ancient
Turn now and read these chapters in 1 Corinthians.                    mirror, which was of polished metal, and
Measure your own spiritual power. Assess the gifts                    required constant polishing, so that a sponge
you have been and can be given and the joy that can                   with pounded pumice-stone was generally
result in your life because of them.                                  attached to it.” (Vincent, Word Studies,
                                                                      2:795–96.)
Before proceeding, read all of the scriptural
references in the reading block.                              (36-3) 1 Corinthians 14:1–22. Are All the Gifts of
                                                              the Spirit Observable like the Gift of Tongues?
                                                              “There are several gifts mentioned here, yet which of
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       them all could be known by an observer at the
                                                              imposition of hands?
(36-1) 1 Corinthians 12:3. “No Man Can Say That               “The word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge, are
Jesus Is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”                     as much gifts as any other, yet if a person possessed
Men may say things without the aid of the Holy                both of these gifts, or received them by the imposition
Ghost, but they may not be assured of eternal truths          of hands, who would know it? Another might receive
without the influence of that member of the Godhead.          the gift of faith, and they would be as ignorant of it. Or
                                                              suppose a man had the gift of healing or power to


                                                            296
work miracles, that would not then be known; it would                  There Are Definite Cautions About
require time and circumstances to call these gifts into                       the Gift of Tongues
operation. Suppose a man had the discerning of spirits,
                                                             “Be not so curious about tongues, do not speak in
who would be the wiser of it? Or if he had the
                                                             tongues except there be an interpreter present; the
interpretation of tongues, unless someone spoke in an
                                                             ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners,
unknown tongue, he of course would have to be silent;
                                                             and if persons are very anxious to display their
there are only two gifts that could be made visible—
                                                             intelligence, let them speak to such in their own
the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. . . .
                                                             tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their place,
“The greatest, the best, and the most useful gifts           but when they are applied to that which God does not
would be known nothing about by an observer. It is           intend, they prove an injury, a snare and a curse
true that a man might prophesy, which is a great gift,       instead of a blessing.” (Teachings, pp. 247–48.)
and one that Paul told the people—the Church—to
                                                             “If you have a matter to reveal, let it be in your own
seek after and to covet, rather than to speak in
                                                             tongue; do not indulge too much in the exercise of the
tongues; but what does the world know about
                                                             gift of tongues, or the devil will take advantage of the
prophesying? Paul says that it ‘serveth only to those
                                                             innocent and unwary. You may speak in tongues for
that believe.’ But does not the Scriptures say that they
                                                             your own comfort, but I lay this down for a rule, that if
spake in tongues and prophesied? Yes; but who is it
                                                             anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be
that writes these Scriptures? Not the men of the world
                                                             received for doctrine.” (Teachings, p. 229.)
or mere casual observers, but the Apostles—men who
knew one gift from another, and of course were               (36-5) 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35. Should Women
capable of writing about it. . . .” (Smith, Teachings,       Keep Silent in Church?
p. 246.)
                                                             In both of these verses, Joseph Smith changed the
(36-4) 1 Corinthians 14:26–40. What Are Some                 word speak to rule in the Inspired Version. Elder
Things We Should Know in Relation to Speaking                Bruce R. McConkie wrote:
in Tongues?                                                  “May women speak in Church? Yes, in the sense of
The Prophet Joseph Smith had a great deal to say on          teaching, counseling, testifying, exhorting, and the
the subject of tongues. The following excerpts help to       like; no, in the sense of assuming rule over the Church
summarize his counsel in relation to this subject:           as such, and in attempting to give direction as to how
                                                             God’s affairs on earth shall be regulated: ‘A woman
          The Devil Also Speaks in Tongues
                                                             has no right to found or organize a church—God never
“Speak not in the gift of tongues without                    sent them to do it.’ (Teachings, p. 212.) Paul is here
understanding it, or without interpretation. The devil       telling the sisters they are subject to the priesthood,
can speak in tongues; the adversary will come with his       that it is not their province to rule and reign, that the
work; he can tempt all classes; can speak in English or      bishop’s wife is not the bishop.” (DNTC, 2:387–88.)
Dutch. Let no one speak in tongues unless he interpret,
except by the consent of the one who is placed to            (36-6) 1 Corinthians 15:29. “Else What Shall They
preside; then he may discern or interpret, or another        Do Which Are Baptized for the Dead?”
may.” (Teachings, p. 162.)                                   “Every man that has been baptized and belongs to the
  There Is a Specific Purpose for the Gift of Tongues        kingdom has a right to be baptized for those who have
                                                             gone before; and as soon as the law of the Gospel is
“. . . the gift of tongues by the power of the Holy          obeyed here by their friends who act as proxy for
Ghost in the Church, is for the benefit of the servants      them, the Lord has administrators there to set them
of God to preach to unbelievers, as on the day of            free. A man may act as proxy for his own relatives; the
Pentecost. When devout men from every nation shall           ordinances of the Gospel which were laid out before
assemble to hear the things of God, let the Elders           the foundations of the world have thus been fulfilled
preach to them in their own mother tongue, whether it        by them, and we may be baptized for those whom we
is German, French, Spanish or Irish, or any other, and       have much friendship for; but it must first be revealed
let those interpret who understand the language              to the man of God, lest we should run too far.”
spoken, in their own mother tongue, and this is what         (Teachings, p. 367.)
the Apostle meant in First Corinthians 14:27.”
(Teachings, p. 195.)



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(36-7) 1 Corinthians 15:33. “Evil Communications             2. “Flesh and blood cannot go there [i.e., into God’s
Corrupt Good Manners”                                           presence]; but flesh and bones, quickened by the
                                                                Spirit of God, can.” (Teachings, p. 326.)
The word communications as used here does not mean
corrupt, degrading language or talk; it means                3. “As concerning the resurrection, . . . all will be
companionships or associations. The Greek word, here            raised by the power of God, having spirit in their
translated communications, refers to the length and             bodies, and not blood.” (Teachings, p. 199–200.)
breadth of social interaction, of which clean speech
and uplifting language are but a small part. Far more        (36-11) 1 Corinthians 16:22. What Is the Meaning
than good manners are at stake; one’s basic character        of the Words Anathema and Maranatha?
patterns or ethical choices are also involved. Paul was       This strange inclusion of two Aramaic words together
simply saying that one’s standards are often                  in Paul’s closing words of the epistle has raised many
determined by the company he keeps.                           questions. The meaning of both words is known, but
                                                              the strange combination is what puzzles most scholars.
(36-8) 1 Corinthians 15:44–49. “It Is Raised a
                                                              Anathema means literally “something set apart or
Spiritual Body”
                                                              consecrated,” and came to carry the meaning of
“‘And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.            “cursed” or “accursed.” This is the word Paul uses in
                                                              Galatians 1:8 when he says that anyone preaching
“‘And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption
                                                              another gospel than the true one should be accursed.
of the soul.’ (D&C 88:15–16.)
                                                              Maranatha has been variously translated as “the Lord
“There is a separation of the spirit and the body at the      comes,” “the Lord will come,” “the Lord is at hand,”
time of death. The resurrection will again unite the          and so on. It seems to have been a common Christian
spirit with the body, and the body becomes a spiritual        greeting or watchword. As far as the combination of
body, one of flesh and bones but quickened by the             the two are concerned, two basic interpretations are
spirit instead of blood. Thus, our bodies after the           made. Some versions assume that there should be a
resurrection, quickened by the spirit, shall become           period between the two. Thus it reads: “If anyone has
immortal and never die. This is the meaning of the            no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord,
statements of Paul that ‘there is a natural body, and         come!” Most scholars seem to prefer this separation.
there is a spiritual body’ and ‘that flesh and blood          But one has suggested that Paul combines them
cannot inherit the kingdom of God.’ The natural body          deliberately, using an old Syriac exclamation, “Let
is flesh and blood, but quickened by the spirit instead       him be accursed, the Lord is at hand,” suggesting that
of blood, it can and will enter the kingdom.”                 at the Lord’s coming, punishment will be meted out.
(Howard W. Hunter in CR, Apr. 1969, p. 138.)                  (See Fallows, The Popular and Critical Bible
                                                              Encyclopedia and Scriptural Dictionary, 1:104.)
(36-9) 1 Corinthians 15:45. “The Last Adam Was
Made a Quickening Spirit”
                                                             POINTS TO PONDER
“An immortal soul or person, consisting of a
resurrected body housing an eternal spirit                   A DIVERSITY OF GIFTS IS MADE
everlastingly. It is Christ, as a quickening spirit, who     AVAILABLE TO EVERY SAINT WHO
‘quickeneth all things,’ thus bringing to pass ‘the          DESIRES THEM IN HUMILITY AND
redemption of the soul.’ (D. & C. 88:17.)”                   RIGHTEOUSNESS
(McConkie, DNTC, 2:402.)
                                                             You have previously read Paul’s sermon on the
(36-10) 1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and Blood                spiritual gifts. In all probability you have asked
Cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God”                           yourself this question: “How may I identify and
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the following                develop my own gifts?” It would be helpful for you to
concerning resurrected bodies:                               prepare a compilation of the various gifts of the
                                                             Spirit so you may appreciate their diversity and
1. “God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire;             perhaps recognize some of your own.
   flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption
   is devoured by the fire. . . . When our flesh is          It is suggested that you obtain a piece of paper, a
   quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood in        pencil, and a ruler. Next, prepare a chart with three
   this tabernacle.” (Teachings, p. 367.)                    columns. In the first column, list the ten gifts Paul
                                                             speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11. Next, read


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Moroni’s account in Moroni 10:8–18 and place his               Then Paul defines this love of which he speaks. He
list of nine gifts in the second column. Finally, turn to      does not define it philosophically; he defines it
a modern revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1831              behaviorally. In other words, he does not tell us what
(D&C 46:8–33) for fourteen gifts.                              love is or is not; he tells us what love does or does
                                                               not do. Note the simple but profound measuring rod
Having pondered and prayerfully considered these
                                                               it provides.
gifts, perhaps you should now ask, “Why are these
gifts made available to me?” Paul explained that                                  1 Corinthians 13
spiritual gifts are “given to every man to profit
                                                                          The pure love of Christ does—
withal.” (1 Corinthians 12:7. Emphasis added.) To
profit is to reap an advantage. There are many types           1. Have patience (is long-suffering). (vs. 4)
of profit men seek after in life that would grant them         2. Rejoice in the truth. (vs. 6)
advantages. Unfortunately, selfishness is often the
motivation for seeking them; their associated                  3. Bear all things. (vs. 7)
pleasures are of short duration and are of little              4. Believe in all things. (vs. 7)
eternal value.
                                                               5. Hope for all things. (vs. 7)
By way of contrast, we may learn a valuable lesson
from a visionary experience of the prophet Lehi. He            6. Endure all things. (vs. 7)
was asked by a heavenly being to undertake a long              7. Persist without failing. (vs. 8)
and arduous journey through a dark and dreary
wilderness. Seeking relief of the Lord through faith           8. Have preeminence among the spiritual
and prayer, Lehi discovered a fruit tree of                       qualities. (vs. 13)
transcendent beauty and value. After he partook of its                  The pure love of Christ does not—
fruit, he found that it represented the love which
Christ extends to all who seek him. Lehi immediately           1. Envy. (vs. 4)
sought to share the fruit with his family, hoping to           2. Vaunt (or exalt) itself. (vs. 4)
strengthen and edify them. (See 1 Nephi 8, 11.)
                                                               3. Have puffed up or inflated ideas of its own
After having wandered through a spiritual wasteland               worth. (vs. 4)
of his own making, Paul too partook of the fruit, and
then, motivated by the love of Christ, he began his            4. Behave itself unseemly. (vs. 5)
labors in behalf of mankind. Paul, like Lehi, learned          5. Seek its own ends. (vs. 5)
that his God-given gifts were made profitable only
when shared with others in the context of Christlike           6. Provoke easily. (vs. 5)
love. Thus it was that Paul gave some important                7. Think evil. (vs. 5)
counsel to the Corinthians saints about spiritual gifts
made active by charity.                                        8. Rejoice in iniquity. (vs. 6)

After teaching the saints in Corinth about the
diversity of spiritual gifts and how they are to            (36-12) All Spiritual Powers Are Activated by the
function in unity, Paul tells them about “a more            Pure Love of Christ
excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31.) That way is
the way of charity, or the pure love of Christ. (See        Under the overarching power of Christ’s pure love all
Moroni 7:47.)                                               spiritual powers are activated. Without it religious
                                                            behavior becomes sterile and fruitless. The point does
When we do not have the love that Christ had, i.e., a       not need to be belabored. Surely you have seen the
pure and perfect love, then, Paul says, the spiritual       application of Paul’s yardstick to your own life. Does
gifts are meaningless. Of what use is prophecy or           it infuse your spiritual life? Do you exercise the
healing or tongues or even the sacrifice of one’s life      spiritual gifts you have been given under its influence?
without the pure motives of Christlike love? Of what        Or, like the Corinthian saints, do you sometimes find
benefit is mountain-moving faith, the speech of             yourself seeking spiritual power without seeking the
angels, or even total knowledge when love is not?           love that makes those powers operate?




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(36-13) Motivated by the Pure Love of Christ, We          needed in building the kingdom of God as is every
Are Prepared to Receive and Exercise Our                  other member? The Lord has need of you! Not only
Spiritual Gifts                                           are you blessed with certain gifts of the Spirit, but
                                                          you can channel their powers through your unique
Many persons will bear witness that as they have
                                                          personality, experience, influence, and preparation to
received calls to serve within the Church, their
                                                          aid you in performing important acts of service to
accompanying blessings have included the endowment
                                                          mankind. No one else will ever see with your eyes,
of spiritual gifts to enable them to more effectively
                                                          hear with your ears, discern with your
accomplish their labors. Missionaries rapidly learn
                                                          understanding. No one else will ever be able to
difficult languages and are blessed with words with
                                                          minister with your particular ability and sensitivity. If
which to defend the truth; fathers give inspired
                                                          you are willing to develop these spiritual gifts and
blessings to their children; through faith mothers assist
                                                          abilities and exercise humility and faith, the Lord and
their husbands in healing ill family members; teachers
                                                          his angels stand ready to assist you in any way they
are granted special thoughts while preparing and
                                                          can. Always remember the assurance given the Saints
delivering lessons so that the students are edified.
                                                          by President Heber J. Grant:
Testimonies grow, people are healed, directions are
given, knowledge and wisdom come to the thirsting         “I rejoice . . . that every Latter-day Saint, every
unenlightened—all based on the love which                 humble son and daughter of God that has embraced
transforms the giver into a Christlike servant who        the Gospel and become a member of the Church of
blesses, encourages, and strengthens others in love.      Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received the
                                                          witness of the Holy Spirit, that the gift of tongues, the
THE CHURCH HATH NEED OF EVERY                             gift of prophecy, of healing, and other gifts and
MEMBER                                                    blessings, are found in the Church, and are not
                                                          confined to men that hold responsible positions in the
Read D&C 84:109–10. (See also 1 Corinthians               Church.” (Heber J. Grant in CR, Apr. 1901, p. 64.)
12:12–27.) Do you now understand that you are as




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                 37
  “AFFLICTION WORKETH IN US A MORE
     EXCEEDING WEIGHT OF GLORY”




Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthian Saints Written     The Blessings of True Charity            9:1–15
During His Third Missionary Journey from Macedonia,
          ca. Winter, A.D. 57 (2 Corinthians)              Paul Glories in the Lord                 10:1–18;
                                                                                                    11:1–11
                                         2 Corinthians
                                                           Satan’s False Apostles                   11:12–15
God Cares for the Saints                 1:1–24
                                                           Paul’s Sufferings for Christ             11:16–33
Saints Love and Forgive One Another      2:1–17
                                                           The Third Heaven                         12:1–6
The Gospel Is Greater Than the Law of    3:1–18
Moses                                                      Strength in Weakness                     12:7–10
The Gospel Light Shines Through the      4:1–6             Signs of an Apostle                      12:11–21;
Darkness                                                                                            13:1–4
Mortal Trials and Eternal Hopes          4:7–18            Saints Should Prove Themselves           13:5–14
Saints Seek Tabernacles of Immortal Glory 5:1–11            THEME
The Gospel Reconciles Man to God         5:12–21            The Lord may call upon us to bear afflictions and
                                                            tribulations so that we may become as he desires us to
How God’s Ministers Gain His Approval    6:1–10             be.
Avoid Union with Nonbelievers            6:11–18
                                                           INTRODUCTION
Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance         7:1–16            Paul, who was ever tireless in his persuasions for the
Saints Impart Substance to Poor          8:1–24            cause, left Ephesus in company with others and
                                                           sailed north to Troas. There he hoped to meet Titus,


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who would be returning from Corinth and from                INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
whom Paul desired to learn how the saints there had
received Paul’s first epistle. But Titus was not at         PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE
Troas; and Paul, increasingly anxious for news of the       CORINTHIANS
welfare of the Corinthian church, hastened by ship
west across the Aegean Sea into Macedonia, where            (37-1) 2 Corinthians. Paul Defends the Conduct of
he worked among the branches of the church and              His Ministry
waited for Titus.
                                                            Of all of Paul’s known writings, Philippians and
Paul was an example of a true believer. He had an           Philemon are generally acknowledged to be the most
opportunity at Troas to preach the gospel, and his          personal. From 2 Corinthians we get a deep insight
devotion to the cause of preaching to the gentiles is       into Paul’s sensitive nature—how it hurt him to be
of record; but Paul had a flock at Corinth, already in      falsely accused by fair-weather saints who had not
the fold, whom he had just recently corrected. And          borne the heat and the burden of the ministry as he
now, with all the feeling of a tender shepherd, his         had. We learn much concerning the church of Jesus
soul yearned to take them into his arms and assure          Christ in the apostolic age and how members
them of his love. Before he could go to Corinth, Paul       struggled with rivalry, jealousy, and fear, but we find
wanted to meet Titus and receive his report.                little of a deep doctrinal nature. We get occasional out-
                                                            bursts of human feeling that help to illuminate the
Finally, in the fall of A.D. 57, at Philippi, Titus
                                                            character of the man we know as Paul the apostle.
arrived. Paul was able to hear his report with
                                                            Openly accused by some in Corinth who wished to see
gladness, for those who were errant among the saints
                                                            his influence reduced, Paul vigorously defends his
at Corinth had repented and were anxious to see
                                                            personal character as well as his conduct as an apostle
Paul again.
                                                            of Jesus Christ.
Titus’ report and Paul’s anxiety for the Corinthian
church prompted Paul to write a second letter—              (37-2) Background Information
tender and kindly in many respects—of how God               Paul wrote at least three letters to the Corinthian
shall comfort the saints in tribulation and bear them       saints. The first apparently has been lost to us; we
up against all the purposes that combine in mortality       have copies of the second and third letters. These last
to make earth life a probation and a test. He wrote of      two are known as First Corinthians and Second
other themes as well in this epistle, some of them          Corinthians, respectively. Second Corinthians is a
personal. Study carefully all the themes, but take          follow-up letter to First Corinthians.
particular note in these passages of his counsel to the
downtrodden, of his encouragement to the oppressed,         It was from Macedonia, as evidence within the epistle
and of his comfort to those whose hearts waver in the       itself suggests, that Paul wrote 2 Corinthians
quest of wresting victory from the burdens of a fallen      (2 Corinthians 2:13; 7:5–7; 9:2–4). Since Luke places
world.                                                      Paul’s visit to Macedonia near the end of Paul’s third
                                                            missionary journey, the letter was likely written in
The prophets have offered similar encouragement             A.D. 57.
and counsel to the Saints of every age. Joseph Smith
is quoted as saying this:                                   The letter reveals that Paul wrote for at least five
                                                            reasons: (1) to defend his work in the ministry; (2) to
“You will have all kinds of trials to pass through.         commend the Corinthian saints for their improvements
And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it      since he last wrote; (3) to defend his personal
was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said             character and conduct; (4) to encourage a generous
he) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of       financial gift for the impoverished saints of Jerusalem;
you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you          and (5) to speak of an impending third visit to Corinth.
cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance
in the Celestial Kingdom of God.” (Joseph Smith, as         When the letter was completed, and there is good
reported by John Taylor in JD, 24:197.)                     evidence to suggest that it was written in haste, Paul
                                                            sent it with Titus on a return journey to Corinth. Titus
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       was accompanied by two companions (2 Corinthians
in the reading block.                                       8:18, 22), one of whom may have been Luke. Paul
                                                            commends Titus and his party strongly to the




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Corinthians and urges them to make “proof” of their          holding public office. False teachers in the church
love and of Paul’s boasting in their behalf by making a      were of the same mentality, watering down or
generous contribution for the poor and sending it back       changing the word of God at will so they could further
with Titus (2 Corinthians 8:24; 9:5).                        their own selfish ends. Thus we get a picture of Paul,
                                                             who is not only capable of slowing great love but is
(37-3) 2 Corinthians 1:22. “Who Hath . . . Given             also able to demonstrate great sharpness in
the Earnest of the Spirit in Our Hearts”                     condemning those who would bring havoc upon the
Earnest is a technical term which came from the              church.
ancient world of finance and means “a guarantee” or
                                                             (37-6) 2 Corinthians 3:6, 14. Is Paul Talking About
“caution money.” It is used in exactly the same sense
                                                             the Bible When He Refers to the Old and New
we use it today in the phrase “earnest money.” It was
                                                             Testament?
an initial sum of money given as a guarantee that the
remainder owing would later be paid. What Paul               The word testament is a translation of the Latin
suggests is that we have been given the Holy Ghost,          testamentum, which was the translation of the Greek
an initial payment of blessedness which serves as a          word for “covenant.” A person’s last will and
guarantee of a much fuller payment in the future if we       testament (or death covenant) is an example of the true
continue faithful.                                           meaning of the word. However, when new testament
                                                             and old testament are used, most of us immediately
(37-4) 2 Corinthians 2:5. What Does Paul Mean                think of the two divisions of the Bible. We should
When He Says “That I May Not Overcharge                      remember that those two divisions were so called
You”?                                                        because the first continued the writings and records of
This verse and those that follow it provide an               the people of God under the old covenant (the Mosaic
interesting insight into the love and compassion of          law) and the second, his dealings under the new
Paul. We do not know whether the transgressor Paul           covenant (the law of Christ). The New Testament, as
refers to here is the fornicator mentioned in his first      we know it in the Bible, was not even compiled until
letter (1 Corinthians 5:1) or one of the false teachers in   long after Paul’s death. So in verse 6, Paul states that
the church who had led a revolt against Paul and his         they are ministers of the new covenant of Christ,
teachings. But it is evident that the church has taken       which does away with the old. Even in verse 14,
action against the men, and now Paul cautions them           though it is obvious that Paul refers to the scriptural
against withholding their love from him. In verse 5 he       records when he talks of the reading of the old
hastens to point out that he was upset with the news of      testament, he is not using it in the same sense we think
this brother, not because his own feelings were hurt         of the Old Testament, but rather in the sense of the
but because the man was doing damage to the entire           Mosaic law, or the old covenant.
church in Corinth. Now Paul encourages them to
                                                             (37-7) 2 Corinthians 5:19. The Use of the Word Wit
forgive and comfort this man so that he will not be lost
from fellowship. (vss. 6–12). This attitude of firmness      The word wit is an old English verb which literally
on adherence to church rules and procedure, but              means “to know” or “to find out.” When combined
loving forgiveness when the transgressor shows true          with the word to, the expression “to wit” usually
repentance and corrects the errant behavior, is a mark       means “that is” or “namely.” This is the use made of it
of the church of Jesus Christ today as well as in            here. However, the expression in 2 Corinthians 8:1,
former times.                                                “we do you to wit of the grace of God,” means “we
                                                             want you to know of the grace of God.”
(37-5) 2 Corinthians 2:17. The Vivid Imagery of
Paul Talking About Those Who Corrupt                         (37-8) 2 Corinthians 6:2. “Now Is the Day of
                                                             Salvation”
Corrupt here is taken from the Greek word for a
peddler. “The term included dealers in victuals and all      Read Alma 34:31–33.
sorts of wares, but was especially applied to retailers
of wine, with whom adulterations and short measures          (37-9) 2 Corinthians 6:12. “Ye Are Not Straitened
were a matter of course.” (Vincent, Word Studies,            in Us, but Ye Are Straitened in Your Own Bowels”
2:813.) This class of merchants had such an unsavory         As used in scripture, the word bowels very often refers
reputation for unscrupulousness and dishonesty in            to the center of pity or kindness. When we feel love or
their trading that in some cases they were barred from       compassion for someone or something, we usually



                                                          303
experience pain within. “Let thy bowels be full of            Jewish rabbis had reduced that to thirty-nine, lest there
charity towards all men” (D&C 121:45) means,                  should be a miscount and he be whipped more than
“Demonstrate a Christlike love for others.” As used           forty times. (Moses warned against exceeding that
here the word bowels is part of a larger expression,          number, and so the extra caution.) By Paul’s time this
“ye are straitened in your own bowels.” It is simply          had developed into a brutally painful punishment
Paul’s way of telling the Corinthians that they had not       meted out with great precision. To anyone familiar
been restricted by any lack of affection on his part but      with the Jewish scourging, Paul’s claim that he
rather by their own failure to show a proper love and         endured such punishment five times is an impressive
compassion. Similar uses of the word in the New               claim indeed, for often the victim died under the
Testament are found in Philippians 1:8; 2:1;                  lashing. Farrar has given us a detailed description of
Colossians 3:12; and 1 John 3:17.                             the practice.
(37-10) 2 Corinthians 6:14. “Be Ye Not Unequally              “Both of [the victim’s] hands were tied to . . . a stake a
Yoked Together with Unbelievers”                              cubit and a half high. The public officer then tore
                                                              down his robe until his breast was laid bare. The
“What are we to do then; Shall we bring upon                  executioner stood on a stone behind the criminal. The
ourselves the unhappiness of a divided household?             scourge consisted of two thongs, one of which was
Shall we profit by the voice of experience and marry          composed of four strands of calf-skin, and one of two
within our own faith?                                         strands of ass’s-skin, which passed through a hole in a
“. . . The obvious answer to everyone is, marry within        handle. . . . The prisoner bent to receive the blows,
your own faith. If you are a Presbyterian, marry a            which were inflicted with one hand, but with all the
Presbyterian. If you are a Catholic, marry a Catholic.        force of the striker, thirteen on the breast, thirteen on
If you are of the house of Judah, marry within your           the right, and thirteen on the left shoulder. While the
own faith. If you are a Mormon, marry a Mormon.”              punishment was going on, the chief judge read aloud
(Mark E. Petersen in CR, Apr. 1958, p. 106.)                  [Deuteronomy 28:58, 59; 24:9; and Psalms 78:38, 39
                                                              which dealt with God’s commandments, the
(37-11) 2 Corinthians 7:8–10. “For Godly Sorrow               punishment for their nonobservance, and the Lord’s
Worketh Repentance to Salvation Not to Be                     compassion on the sinner] . . . If the punishment was
Repented Of”                                                  not over by the time that these three passages were
“Often people indicate that they have repented when           read, they were again repeated, and so timed as to end
all they have done is to express regret for a wrong act.      exactly with the punishment itself. Meanwhile a
But true repentance is marked by that godly sorrow            second judge numbered the blows, and a third before
that changes, transforms, and saves. To be sorry is not       each blow exclaimed ‘Hakkehu’ (strike him).” (Farrar,
enough. Perhaps the felon in the penitentiary, coming         The Life and Works of St. Paul, pp. 715–16.)
to realize the high price he must pay for his folly, may      One cannot help but wonder why Paul would submit
wish he had not committed the crime. That is not              to these at the hands of the Jews when he claimed
repentance. The vicious man who is serving a stiff            Roman citizenship on other occasions and escaped this
sentence for rape may be very sorry he did the deed,          dreadful punishment (Acts 22:24–29). Again we turn
but he is not repentant if his heavy sentence is the only     to Farrar for a possible answer. He says that once a
reason for his sorrow. That is the sorrow of the world.       person was so lashed, he was viewed as being fully
“The truly repentant man is sorry before he is                restored, having paid completely any debt incurred by
apprehended. He is sorry even if his secret is never          his wrongdoing.
known. . . . Repentance of the godly type means that          Then Farrar adds: “To have refused to undergo it by
one comes to recognize the sin and voluntarily and            sheltering himself under the privilege of his Roman
without pressure from outside sources begins his              citizenship would have been to incur
transformation.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness,            excommunication, and finally to have cut himself off
p. 153.)                                                      from admission into the synagogue.” (Farrar, St. Paul,
                                                              p. 717).
(37-12) 2 Corinthians 11:24. What Was It Like to
Be Scourged by the Jews?                                      As we saw from Acts, Paul’s typical missionary
                                                              approach was to enter the synagogue and begin
In Deuteronomy 25:1–3, Moses set down the principle           preaching. To be cut off from such access would have
that a guilty man could be lashed forty times. The            been a serious curtailment of his efforts. When one



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contemplates the determination it would take to            POINTS TO PONDER
undergo such a flogging a second time, after suffering
it once, one gets some idea of the extent of Paul’s        GOD HAS PURPOSE AND DESIGN IN THE
commitment to Christ. Little wonder that he is peeved      TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT COME
by the empty boasting and petty criticism of the false     UPON HIS PEOPLE
teachers at Corinth!
                                                           (37-15) We Bear Some Afflictions as Punishment
(37-13) 2 Corinthians 12:2–4. “I Knew a Man in             for Disobedience
Christ . . . Caught Up to the Third Heaven”
                                                           God has purposes in sometimes allowing suffering and
The man whom Paul knew was Paul himself. Joseph            affliction to come upon his children. If his children
Smith reports: “Paul ascended into the third heavens,      break his laws and go contrary to what they know is
and he could understand the three principal rounds of      right, God may provide punishments, burdens, and
Jacob’s ladder—the telestial, the terrestrial, and the     trials to teach them that it is not wise to do what they
celestial glories or kingdoms, where Paul saw and          know is wrong.
heard things which were not lawful for him to
utter.” (Teachings, pp. 304–5.)                            If men were perfectly obedient to every requirement
                                                           then it would be possible for them to be sanctified
(37-14) 2 Corinthians 12:7–9. “There Was Given to          without affliction (compare Discourses of Brigham
Me a Thorn in the Flesh”                                   Young, p. 350). But since “none were ever perfect but
The word Paul uses here literally means “a Pale” (as in    Jesus” (Teachings, p. 187), then all must endure
impaled) or “a stake.” It was used to refer to             affliction of some degree or another.
sharpened stakes, to surgical instruments, or to           Read 1 Peter 2:20.
fishhooks. The very term suggests something that was
extremely painful and troublesome to Paul. There have      “Peter didn’t want us to take any credit upon
been endless debates on what such an infirmity might       ourselves for the suffering we endure because of our
be, and the suggestions have included a bitter and         own mistakes. He was willing to see us take credit for
shrewish wife who turned against Paul at his               the suffering we endure because of discipleship, but
conversion, epilepsy, a serious eye affliction, malaria,   not because of our own stupidity or our own
and some spiritual weakness with which he was              sin.” (Neal A. Maxwell, “For a Small Moment,”
constantly troubled. There is no way of knowing from       Speeches of the Year, 1974, p. 447.)
the present records what Paul meant. What we can be        Read Revelation 3:19–21.
sure of is that each of us has weaknesses, spiritual as
well as physical, which Satan will use to challenge us.    Did John say that the saints should repent when they
Elder Harold B. Lee said: “The Lord has told us in the     are called to suffer? Can you see why this is one of
scriptures that Satan is an enemy of all righteousness;    the great purposes of suffering—to cause God’s
because of that fact, those who are standing in high       children to correct their ways, and return and be
places in our Father’s kingdom will become the             obedient?
objects of his attacks. You may well expect, as the        Disobedience is not the only reason for trial and
Apostle Paul understood, that you who preside in the       affliction. There is another purpose as well.
various places in our Father’s kingdom will be subject
to the devil’s onslaughts.                                 Read Malachi 3:2–4.
“. . . Sometimes there is given infirmity, difficulty,     David watched as the gold ore was unloaded into the
hardship upon you to try your souls; and the powers of     crushers—rocks, great hunks of stone—ill shapen,
Satan seem to be enrolled against you, watching and        rough—none of it looked a bit like gold. He knew
trying to break down your powers of resistance: but        these rocks would be ground and processed and end
your weakness, through those infirmities, will give        up in a furnace which blazed with intense heat,
you the power of God that shall rest upon you even as      breaking down, searching, melting—fire is an agent
the Apostle Paul was reconciled and comforted by the       that cannot be deceived. Impurities and dross in the
thought that through his trials the power of God might     gold ore would be literally burned away. And when
rest upon him.” (CR, Oct. 1949, 57.)                       the furnace had been endured, all that would remain




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of the ore would be the gold itself, pure and beautiful.     Job 1:12; 2:4–6
David could see how very hot and terrible the heat of
                                                             Are there limits placed upon the difficulties and
the furnace must be; and yet it did not harm the gold
                                                             burdens that God allows to come to his children?
in any way, but, rather, purified it and made it better.
                                                             (Compare D&C 122:9; Alma 13:28.)
“. . . God hath said that He would have a tried
                                                             2 Corinthians 11:24–33
people, that He would purge them as gold. . . .”
(Smith, Teachings, p. 135.) What does Malachi say            Did Paul know about suffering? Do you think there is
the Lord is like? What are some of the fires that the        any relationship between the affliction that was
Lord may allow to come to his people in order to             heaped upon him, and the power of his ministry and
purify and purge them?                                       the great wisdom that flowed from the pen of his
                                                             experience? (Compare 1 Nephi 20:10.)
It is for God to declare the furnace, and the day and
the time; and it is for man to submit and endure, for        2 Corinthians 12:7–10
gold becomes gold by passing through fire and men            Does it appear from these passages that there was a
may become what God has designed they become                 connection between the intensity of Paul’s afflictions
only by passing through trial.                               and the degree to which the power of Christ could
Now what is trial? You know of Abraham’s trial, and          rest upon him?
of the suffering strewn in the path of Joseph Smith, of      Now what of you? For surely you have trials. Surely
which President Brigham Young recalled:                      you are no stranger to affliction. Do you bring them
Joseph could not have been perfected, though he had          upon yourself by disobedience or lack of wisdom?
lived a thousand years, if he had received no                Read D&C 98:3.
persecution. If he had lived a thousand years, and led
this people, and preached the Gospel without                 May it be that some trials come to you because God
persecution, he would not have been perfected as             has in his design to refine you and make you pure?
well as he was at the age of thirty-nine years. You          Do you pray that God will take from you the very
may calculate, when this people are called to go             experiences and trials which he has designed to
through scenes of affliction and suffering, are driven       improve you? Do you submit to them (Mosiah 3:19)
from their homes, and cast down, and scattered, and          and learn from them, and trust them as having come
smitten, and peeled, the Almighty is rolling on his          from an all wise and loving Father?
work with greater rapidity.” (Discourses of Brigham          Read D&C 58:2–4.
Young, p. 351.)
                                                             Do you allow trials to work in you a more exceeding
But what is trial and affliction? It is as Paul said:        weight of glory, as Paul said (2 Corinthians 4:17)?
stripes, shipwreck, perils, physical wants, and on           Will you bear well your trials, and learn to examine
through the entire tapestry of life and experiences.         them? For there will come a day when you will
Read the following scriptures relating to the                understand.
experiences of Job and Paul and carefully consider
the questions which follow:
                                                              (37-16) SUMMARY
Job 2:3
                                                              President John Taylor, who bore in his body bullet
Was there a fault for which Job was being afflicted?          wounds from the martyrdom at Carthage, and during
Had he done something wrong? (Compare Job 9:17;               whose administration the wrath of a belligerent nation
16:17.)                                                       rained down upon the Church with near devastating
Job 23:6, 10–14                                               effect, taught:

What were the purposes of God in allowing Job to              “It is necessary that we pass through certain ordeals in
suffer as he did? Did Job understand what God was             order that we may be purified. People sometimes do
doing with him? Did Job immediately jump down on              not comprehend these things. . . .
his knees and beg the Lord to remove the difficulty?          “We have learned many things through suffering, we
Or did he determine that he would get from the                call it suffering; I call it a school of experience. . . .
burdens all that God wanted him to obtain?                    What are these things for? Why is it that good men
                                                              should be tried? . . . that we may learn to place our



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dependence upon God, and trust in Him, and to                Prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith, we have
observe his laws and keep his commandments. . . . I          ample inspiration for comfort and for hope.
have never looked at these things in any other light
                                                             “If we can bear our afflictions with the understanding,
than trials for the purpose of purifying the Saints of
                                                             faith, and courage, and in the spirit in which they bore
God, that they may be, as the Scriptures say, as gold
                                                             theirs, we shall be strengthened and comforted in
that has been seven times purified by the fire. [See
                                                             many ways. We shall be spared the torment which
Psalms 12:6.]” (JD, 23:334–36.)
                                                             accompanies the mistaken idea that all suffering
To the Saints of our generation who are burdened with        comes as chastisement for transgression. We shall be
trials, President Marion G. Romney offers this               comforted by the knowledge that we are not enduring,
counsel:                                                     nor will we be required to endure, the suffering of the
                                                             wicked who are to ‘be cast out into outer darkness
“I say to you and all the rest of us who are being tried
                                                             [where] there shall be weeping, and wailing, and
in the crucible of adversity and affliction: Take
                                                             gnashing of teeth.’ (Al. 40:13.)” (Marion G. Romney
courage; revive your spirits and strengthen your faith.
                                                             in CR, Oct. 1969, p. 59.)
In these lessons so impressively taught in precept and
example by our great exemplar, Jesus Christ, and his




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                38
  “WHATSOEVER A MAN SO
                    SOWETH,
                       WETH, THAT
        SHALL HE ALSO REAP”




A Letter of Paul to the Saints in the Province of Galatia     Walk in the Spirit                      5:16–26
Written from Corinth During Paul’s Third Missionary
            Journey, ca. A.D. 57 (Galatians)                  Bear One Another’s Burdens              6:1–6
                                             Galatians        “As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap”           6:7–18
A Warning Against False Preachers          1:1–10

Paul’s Call to the Ministry                1:11–24             THEME
                                                               Only those who endure in righteousness unto the end
The Meeting at Jerusalem                   2:1–10
                                                               will receive eternal life.
Peter and Paul of Antioch                  2:11–14
                                                              INTRODUCTION
Salvation Comes Through Christ             2:15–21                In morning’s dawn so fresh and fair
The Spirit Comes by Faith                  3:1–5                      Two lads began to climb.
                                                                  Mid scenes removed from strife and care
How the Mission of Abraham Is Extended     3:6–18                     They played away their time.
to the Gentiles                                               They came from the same rural neighborhood, the
The Purpose of the Law                     3:19–22            same country lane. Inseparable as youngsters, they
                                                              dug in sandpiles, climbed trees, swung on old tires
Saints Are God’s Children by Faith         3:23–29            that dangled on long ropes, wore straw hats and
How Saints Become Sons of God              4:1–8              overalls, and went without shoes through long
                                                              summer months. They fished with makeshift poles,
Galatians Called Back to Assist            4:9–20             hunted pheasant nests, and talked—oh how they
                                                              talked and dreamed and wondered what grown-up
The Two Covenants: Hagar and Sarah         4:21–31            years would bring.
Christian Liberty                          5:1–12                 But broader years would try their souls,
                                                                      And sterner times, their hearts,
Liberty and Charity                        5:13–15


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    To batter down their quest for goals                    observance of the Mosaic law) would limit or even
        And drive them far apart.                           destroy the new freedom the saints had found in
                                                            Christ. Paul demonstrates that although the Mosaic
The Great Depression came, and with it, the years of
                                                            law was of value for the children of Israel prior to
school and seeking jobs and struggling to make their
                                                            Christ’s mortal ministry, its need is now superseded
way in the world. They were separated, careers and
                                                            by the higher law.
families came, the war intervened, and then more of
work and families and challenge. One sought to be           (38-2) Place and Date of Writing
honest, moral, and upright, always and in every way.
Any advantage had at the expense of character was           Though neither the place nor date of writing of the
not for him. The other sought his ends by any means         letter to the Galatian saints can be established with any
and by any sacrifice. Virtue, family, integrity—all         positive certainty, the evidence favors the conclusion
gave way before his grasping for success.                   that it was written from Corinth during the third
                                                            missionary journey in approximately A.D. 57.
    Then in the twilight years they came,
        Each to his former place,                           (38-3) Special Problems
    To spend their final years in peace,                    The most significant debate about the letter itself
        Familiar scenes embrace.                            concerns the identity of the Galatian saints. The term
Both had accumulated considerable means. They               Galatia could refer to two different areas, depending
patched up their old family homes, made                     on whether its user was speaking ethnically or
improvements, and prepared to live out the quiet            politically. The ethnographic usage of the term
years in homes along a lane that was still rural,           referred to that area just below the Black Sea in Asia
remote and apart from the pace of the world. The            Minor where the area was inhabited by Gauls.
good man, as he settled in his chair through those          When the Roman legions brought these Gaulic tribes
years and watched the seasons pass, had distill upon        under subjection, the territory was made a Roman
him a gentle peace and quiet contentment, almost as         province called Galatia. This included a much broader
if nature itself approved of his course; and all his        territory, since it encompassed more southerly sections
days were marked by quiet happiness. The other man          of Asia Minor. This provincial title was the political
could not rest. Peace did not come. Anxiety, fear,          use of the term Galatia.
distrust, discontent—all these began to weigh down
upon his aging shoulders with a grinding, crushing          Which sense did Paul have in mind when he used the
force. His final years were years of hell, until his        term? That is the point of debate. Two basic theories
senses forsook him, his tormented heart gave way,           have resulted. The first is called the North Galatian
and he died a frightened death in the home in which         Theory. Those who hold this view assume that Paul is
he was reared.                                              using the term ethnically and therefore Galatia is
                                                            limited to the northern parts of the province. The
    The bar of nature’s God is fair,                        greatest problem with this theory is that there is no
        His judgment always right.                          record of any preaching activity there, nor does Paul
    Those lives full sown with good and love                or Luke ever make any reference to the major cities of
        Shall yield up peace and light.                     northern Galatia.
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       Those who accept the South Galatian Theory hold that
in the reading block.                                       Paul always uses provincial titles when he refers to
                                                            established churches. (He refers to Achaia, Arabia,
                                                            Asia, Cilicia, Dalmatia, and so on.) If this is so, then
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     Galatia, as Paul uses it, would include the southern
                                                            regions of Asia Minor, including such towns as
(38-1) The Book of Galatians—Freedom and the                Antioch, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium—towns he visited on
Gospel                                                      the first missionary journey (Acts 13:13–14:23 and
The theme of this letter is that true freedom can be        Acts 16:1–9). This theory, then, is supported by what
found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul shows        we know from both the record of Acts and Paul’s
clearly and powerfully that adoption of the teachings       other incidental references.
of the Judaizers (Jewish Christians who insisted on the




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While the interpretation and value of the book is not        (38-5) Galatians 2:2–4, 9. Does Paul’s “Running in
affected by the correctness of either theory, we shall       Vain” Imply Doubts About His Mission?
assume that the South Galatian Theory is correct and
                                                             The implication that is sometimes derived from the
that Paul is writing to those churches established on
                                                             English rendering of verse 2 is that Paul had inner
his first missionary journey.
                                                             doubts about his commission to the gentiles and went
(38-4) Galatians 1:8, 9. Those Who Would                     to the apostles to see if he was “running in vain.” But
Introduce False Teachings into the Church                    that implication is not found in the original language.
                                                             The feeling conveyed there is that Paul sought official
Elder Howard W. Hunter spoke of this problem in a            sanction for the work he was engaged in (probably in
general conference:                                          answer to the criticisms that were already being started
“From the earliest days of the Christian church,             by the Judaizers). Verse 4 shows that he received that
spurious gospels have been taught—not really gospels,        official approval without reserve, for Titus was not
as Paul pointed out, for there is only one gospel of         required to be circumcised, as demanded by those who
Christ. Today is not different. We are surrounded by         were opposed to Paul. This full and unqualified
frustrations and advances in thought and learning            support of the brethren is further shown in verse 9,
which raise questions and doubts. These seem to drag         where Paul says he and Barnabas were offered the
men down and destroy faith and morality. Where,              right hand of fellowship—a Greek and Hebrew idiom
then, is hope in this world of frustration and moral         showing full partnership, alliance, or unity.
decay? It lies in the knowledge and understanding of
                                                             (38-6) Galatians 2:11–21. How Could Paul, an
the truths taught by the Master, which must be taught
                                                             Apostle, Correct Peter, the President of the
by the Church of Christ without deviation and
                                                             Church?
believed in and lived by its membership. These are
eternal truths and will be so in perpetuity regardless of    “Peter and Paul—both of whom were apostles, both of
changing circumstances in society, development of            whom received revelations, saw angels, and were
new scientific achievements, or increase of man’s            approved of the Lord, and both of whom shall inherit
knowledge.” (CR, Oct. 1973, p. 66.)                          the fulness of the Father’s kingdom—these same
                                                             righteous and mighty preachers disagreed on a basic
President Harold B. Lee warned about false teachings
                                                             matter of church policy. Peter was the President of the
arising from within the Church itself.
                                                             Church; Paul, an apostle and Peter’s junior in the
“There are some as wolves among us. By that, I mean          church hierarchy, was subject to the direction of the
some who profess membership in this church who are           chief apostle. But Paul was right and Peter was wrong.
not sparing the flock. And among our own                     Paul stood firm, determined that they should walk
membership, men are arising speaking perverse things.        ‘uprightly according to the truth of the gospel’; Peter
Now perverse means diverting from the right or               temporized for fear of offending Jewish semi-converts
correct, and being obstinate in the wrong, willfully, in     who still kept the law of Moses.
order to draw the weak and unwary members of the
                                                             “The issue was not whether the Gentiles should
Church away after them.
                                                             receive the gospel. Peter himself had received the
“And as the apostle Paul said, it is likewise a marvel       revelation that God was no respecter of persons, and
to us today, as it was in that day, that some members        that those of all lineages were now to be heirs of
are so soon removed from those who taught them the           salvation along with the Jews. (Acts 10:21–35.)
gospel and are removed from the true teachings of the        Further, the heads of the Church, in council
gospel of Christ to be led astray into something that        assembled, with the Holy Ghost guiding their minds
corrupts the true doctrines of the gospel of Christ into     and directing their decisions, had determined that the
vicious and wicked practices and performances.               Gentiles who received the gospel should not be subject
                                                             to the law of Moses. (Acts 15:1–35.) The Jewish
“These, as have been evidenced by shocking events
                                                             members of the Church, however, had not been able to
among some of these splinter groups, have been
                                                             accept this decision without reservation. They
accursed, as the prophets warned; and they are
                                                             themselves continued to conform to Mosaic
obviously in the power of that evil one who feeds the
                                                             performances, and they expected Gentile converts to
gullible with all the sophistries which Satan has
                                                             do likewise. Peter sided with them; Paul publicly
employed since the beginning of time.” (CR, Oct.
                                                             withstood the chief apostle and won the debate, as
1972, p. 125.)
                                                             could not otherwise have been the case. Without



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question, if we had the full account, we would find         (38-9) Galatians 3:8. Did Saints Before Christ Have
Peter reversing himself and doing all in his power to       the Gospel Preached to Them?
get the Jewish saints to believe that the law of Moses
                                                            “It will be noticed that, according to Paul, (see Gal.
was fulfilled in Christ and no longer applied to anyone
                                                            3:8) the Gospel was preached to Abraham. We would
either Jew or Gentile.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:463–64.)
                                                            like to be informed in what name the Gospel was then
(38-7) Galatians 2:13. What Is the Meaning of the           preached, whether it was in the name of Christ or
Word Dissimulation?                                         some other name. If in any other name, was it the
                                                            Gospel? And if it was the Gospel, and that preached in
Paul used a very strong word, of which the English          the name of Christ, had it any ordinances? If not, was
dissimulation is an excellent translation. The English      it the Gospel? And if it had ordinances what were
is based on the word simulate, which means “to make         they? Our friends may say, perhaps, that there were
similar.” Dissimulate therefore means “to hide under        never any ordinances except those of offering
false appearance. The Greek word hypokrisei is a            sacrifices before the coming of Christ, and that it
derivative of the same root as our word hypocrite.          could not be possible before the Gospel to have been
These Judaizers were hypocrites because they                administered while the law of sacrifices of blood was
pretended to be extremely faithful in their obedience       in force. But we will recollect that Abraham offered
to gospel principles even while they were working in a      sacrifice, and notwithstanding this, had the Gospel
manner contrary to true gospel standards.                   preached to him.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 60. See also
                                                            Jacob 4:5.)
(38-8) Galatians 2:16. What Did Paul Mean by “the
Law,” “the Works of the Law,” and “Justification            (38-10) Galatians 3:19. To What Was the Law of
by Faith”?                                                  Moses Added Because of Transgression?
As we have already seen, the major thrust of this           “It is said again, in Gal. [3:19], that the law (of Moses,
particular letter was an attempt to show the Galatian       or the Levitical law) was ‘added’ because of
saints that obedience to the Mosaic law was not only        transgression. What, we ask, was this law added to, if
unnecessary but actually contrary to the gospel.            it was not added to the Gospel? It must be plain that it
Technically, “the law” referred to the first five books     was added to the Gospel, since we learn that they had
of the Old Testament. In Hebrew those were called the       the Gospel preached to them. From these few facts, we
Torah. Paul used the word in that sense in 4:21, 22         conclude that whenever the Lord revealed Himself to
when he called attention to the example of Sarah and        men in ancient days, and commanded them to offer
Hagar. But by the time of Jesus, the phrase “the law”       sacrifice to Him, that it was done that they might look
had also come to mean the whole set of rules, rituals,      forward in faith to the time of His coming, and rely
and practices of the Mosaic code, both those included       upon the power of that atonement for a remission of
specifically in the writings of Moses, and the mass of      their sins. And this they have done, thousands who
oral traditions that had been formulated throughout the     have gone before us, whose garments are spotless, and
following centuries. It is in this sense that Paul most     who are, like Job, waiting with an assurance like his,
typically uses law in Galatians.                            that they will see Him in the latter day upon the earth,
Very briefly, justification means “to be declared           even in their flesh.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 60–61.)
righteous,” and also “to be put back into the right
                                                            (38-11) Galatians 3:24. How Was the Law a
relationship with a person.” Therefore, what Paul was
                                                            Schoolmaster to the Children of Israel?
saying is that no man can be made righteous and
reestablish the proper relationship with God                The translators of the King James Version used the
exclusively by the words of the Mosaic law or, for that     word schoolmaster to translate the Greek word Paul
matter, by any law of works alone. This can come only       used here because it had come directly into English
through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior and through     and by then had come to mean “a teacher.” The Greek
the obedience to the principles and ordinances of the       word is paidagogus, from which comes our
gospel. (Paul outlined this doctrine much more              pedagogue, or teacher. But it had a special usage in
completely and systematically in the first few chapters     Paul’s time which lends even more power to the image
of his letter to the Romans. Therefore, a detailed and      he was creating. A paidagogos was a special tutor
complete treatment of these important doctrines will        hired by the more wealthy families; he was not only
be reserved for that section.)                              responsible for the child’s education, but he was also
                                                            expected to prepare and train the child in all ways so



                                                          311
that he was brought to maturity. The closest equivalent    (38-13) Galatians 4:6. What Is the Significance of
we have in modern times would be the English nanny         the Title “Abba, Father”?
or governess, who lived right in the house and had
                                                           Paul suggested that through the atonement of Christ
direct responsibility for the children’s upbringing.
                                                           we can be adopted as sons of God, and then the Spirit
Paul’s usage of the word here would immediately            shall help us cry “Abba, Father.” Abba is Aramaic (a
convey the true purpose of the Mosaic law—to               cognate of Hebrew) and carries more than just the
prepare the children of Israel (who were literally         connotation of father. It is the intimate and personal
children in the spiritual sense) for maturity and the      diminutive of the word father used by children in the
“adult” laws and ordinances of the gospel. The             family circle. The closest equivalent we have is papa
prophet Abinadi had this very thing in mind when he        or daddy, although neither can really convey fully the
explained the reasons why the Israelites were given        impact of the word. The point is that God is not only
the law of Moses. (See Mosiah 13:29–31.)                   Father (the formal title and name), but he is also Abba,
                                                           the parent of love and guidance that knows us
Abinadi’s statement that all these things were “types”
                                                           intimately and whom we can approach without fear.
of things to come is an important one. Type is a
common scriptural synonym for symbol. So not only          (38-14) Galatians 4:21–31. The Allegory of Sarah
was the law of Moses a set of strict laws designed to      and Hagar
tutor the children of Israel in the ways of obedience
and bring them to spiritual maturity, but also it          “Paul here uses the life of Abraham as an allegory to
contained deeply spiritual symbolism pointing the          dramatize the superiority of the gospel over the law of
mind to Jesus as the Redeemer and Messiah. Clearly,        Moses—a mode of teaching designed to drive his
the law of Moses was designed to prepare God’s             doctrine home anew each time his hearers think of
people for the gospel which was to come.                   Abraham and his life.
                                                           “Hagar, the bondwoman, bore Ishmael; and Sarah, the
(38-12) Galatians 3:27. Can a Wicked Person
                                                           free-woman, brought forth Isaac. Ishmael was born
Really Put On Christ Through Repentance and
                                                           after the flesh, while Isaac, as a child of promise, came
Baptism?
                                                           forth after the Spirit. Hagar is thus made to represent
“When a physical body is filthy, the process of            the old covenant, the law of Moses, the covenant
cleansing is a thorough bath, the brushing of teeth, the   under which men were subject to the bondage of sin;
shampooing of hair, the cleaning of fingernails, and       while Sarah symbolizes the new covenant, the gospel,
the donning of fresh, clean clothing. When a home is       the covenant under which men are made free, free
renovated, roofs are mended or replaced, walls washed      from bondage and sin through Christ.
or painted, floors swept and scrubbed, furniture
                                                           “Mt. Sinai, from whence the law came, and Jerusalem,
repaired and dusted, curtains laundered and metals
                                                           from whence it is now administered, symbolize the
polished. When a defiled man is born again, his habits
                                                           law, and their children are in bondage. But the
are changed, his thoughts cleansed, his attitudes
                                                           spiritual Jerusalem, the heavenly city of which the
regenerated and elevated, his activities put in total
                                                           saints shall be citizens, is symbolized by Sarah, and
order, and everything about him that was dirty,
                                                           she is the mother of freemen. Sarah, who was so long
degenerate or reprobate is washed and made clean. . . .
                                                           barren, as our spiritual mother, has now made us all,
“. . . When one is washed and purged and cleansed, he      like Isaac, heirs of promise.
is no longer an adulterer. The washing, purging,
                                                           “But it is now, as it was then, those born after the flesh
cleansing process is mentioned many times, many
                                                           war against those born of the Spirit. And as God
places, by many prophets.
                                                           rejected Ishmael and accepted Isaac, so does he now
“The effect of the cleansing is beautiful. These           reject those who cleave to the law of Moses and accept
troubled souls have found peace. These soiled robes        those who turn to Christ.” (McConkie, DNTC,
have been cleansed to spotlessness. These people           2:477–78.)
formerly defiled, having been cleansed through their
repentance—their washing, their purging, their             (38-15) Galatians 5:2. Why Would Circumcision in
whitening—are made worthy for constant temple              Paul’s Day Have Negated the Power of Christ?
service and to be found before the throne of God           “Circumcision, as a religious ordinance, is the token
associating with divine royalty.” (Kimball, Miracle of     and sign certifying belief in, acceptance of, and
Forgiveness, pp. 352–53.)                                  conformity to the whole Mosaic system, and therefore


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for the Christians of that day it constituted a rejection     after a season and a time began to miss their former
of Christ and his gospel which replaced the law. See          associations and the yoke of the law of Moses to
Acts 15:1–35.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:479.)                       which they had been subjected. They did not want to
                                                              forsake the truth directly, but they wanted to bring
(38-16) Galatians 5:16–26. The Natural and the                into the truth all of their former practices and
Spiritual                                                     pollutions.
“. . . man is a dual being, and his life a plan of God.  John
That is the first fundamental fact to keep in mind. Man
has a natural body and a spiritual body. . . .           But why would someone want to return to and bring
                                                         into their life the errors which they formerly had
“Man’s body, therefore, is but the tabernacle in which forsaken?
his spirit dwells. Too many, far too many, are prone to
regard the body as the man, and consequently to direct David
their efforts to the gratifying of the body’s pleasures, Not everyone who makes a mistake is willfully and
its appetites, its desires, its passions.” (David O.     deliberately wicked. Some may be well-intentioned,
McKay, “The Abundant Life in a Selfish World,”           although wrong. These converts wanted to stay in the
Improvement Era, Sept. 1949, p. 558.)                    church; but because of pride or maybe other reasons,
                                                         they felt that if they could introduce their former sins
(38-17) Galatians 6:17. I Bear in My Body the
                                                         into the church, they could appear to justify their
Marks of the Lord Jesus
                                                         former participation in them.
Our English word stigma is drawn from the Greek
                                                         John
word which was used here, stigmata. It meant a
wound or scar and came originally from the brands        I’m not sure I understand. How could bringing my
with which slaves were marked. Since generally that      former sins into the church justify what I may have
was a mark one was not proud of, such marks were         done before baptism?
generally looked upon with some negative
                                                         David
connotations—thus our use of the word stigma. But
here Paul seems to refer to them not as a mark of        Let’s suppose that before you joined the Church, you
shame, but of faithfulness in the face of persecution.   belonged to a Protestant congregation that did not
Perhaps the stigmata that he bore were partially         forbid the drinking of tea. Then you hear the
received in Galatia itself. It should be remembered      missionaries; and among other new concepts, they
that on the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas teach that you should not drink tea You now have two
were expelled forcibly from Antioch in Pisidia (Acts     alternatives: (1) you can be humble and repent and
13:50). Then they were forced to flee from Iconium to never drink tea again, or (2) you can justify yourself
avoid stoning (Acts 14:5), only to have the angry Jews and try to force your peculiar views upon the Church.
follow them to Lystra and carry through with their       John
intent, stoning Paul and leaving him for dead outside
the city (Acts 14:19).                                   How could I try to do that?
                                                              David
POINTS TO PONDER
                                                              You might join the Church and then find a weak
Paul’s concern was that the Galatian saints had               member who likes to drink tea. So you invite him to
turned from their evil ways, had repented and                 drink tea with you, and you try to get other members
received baptism, and had been wrought upon by the            and even leaders in the ward or stake to drink tea
power of God and given a new birth, but were now              with you, because the larger your group, the more
returning to their former practices (Galatians 4:9).          you may think to have justified your former behavior.
They did the thing that wasted the effort of their ever       Perhaps you may agitate to have the standards
having repented in the first place: they returned to          changed and the ideals reduced, not because you
seek God by outward and fleshy things, to seek                necessarily are convinced it is right to drink tea, but
happiness by means that cannot touch the inward               because it is hard for you to forsake things that have
man. Consider Ezekiel 18:21–24.                               been so familiar to you and perhaps because it would
                                                              be easier to justify continuing your former behavior
Many who were converted to the truth in Paul’s day            than to repent.
and who had turned away from their former lives,


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(38-18) You Shall Always and Forever Reap Just                Emma Jane did not feel peace! “Oh I wish he would
As You Sow                                                    quit,” she thought. Her mind was tormented now as it
                                                              had been many times before by the suggestion that she
Emma Jane struggled with the handrail as she edged
                                                              should see her bishop about that trouble so many years
her way up the steps of the church and into the foyer.
                                                              ago. Throughout the rest of the meeting she could
She had been brought up in the faith, had married and
                                                              hardly refrain from crying out. “Oh, why can’t I
reared a family, her husband had passed away
                                                              forget? Why must I always feel like this?”
recently, her children lived far away, and she felt just a
little lonely as she made her way on through the foyer        The people were leaving now, and she among them.
and into the aisle that led to her usual seat near the        She silently hoped that her profound anxiety inside did
front of the chapel. She was bent with age, and it was        not show on her face. Then all of a sudden there he
only with great effort that she could prepare to attend       was, her new bishop, smiling, with his hand stretched
her Church meetings. But she enjoyed the meetings,            through the crowd.
and today was a special day, for the young, new
                                                              “Good afternoon, Sister Emma, how good to see you
bishop was going to address the ward members. She
                                                              here.” She stared up at him; she could not bring
liked him and marveled that he could be prepared at
                                                              herself to speak; the tears welled up in her eyes and
such a young age to preside over a ward. She hoped he
                                                              she felt as if she could not move.
would say something pleasant for a change, for the
previous bishops seemed to speak only about sin and           “Are you feeling well?” the bishop asked, still
worthiness and repentance. The sacrament was                  clasping her hand. Still she could not speak; but the
administered, and soon the bishop was speaking.               tears continued to flow, and she became unaware of
                                                              the other members of the congregation. Gently, the
“Oh no!” thought Emma Jane. “He’s going to speak
                                                              bishop led her by the arm into his office, where she
about repentance and sin, too. I’m old. I’m entitled to
                                                              collapsed into a chair. Then, almost before she could
hear about sweeter things now. “Why all this talk
                                                              think about it, the story came gushing out—her grave
about morality? When will we ever hear the end of
                                                              mistake of fifty years ago and all the aching,
that . . .”
                                                              tormented years since. Within minutes it was done,
Her silent questions trailed off as her mind flashed          and then her sobbing stopped. After some words and
back to that one time now almost fifty years ago. She         reassurance, her young bishop sat back in his chair and
had been pretty and young, and a little too careless,         was quiet for a long time. At last he said: “Oh, I wish
and had slipped just once. In her subsequent courtship        that you had cleared this up before now. The
and marriage in the temple to another man, she had            years . . .”
rationalized that since it had just been one mistake, she
                                                              Her mind trailed off. “Yes,” she thought, “the long
needn’t tell anyone, especially the bishop who had
                                                              years, all of them, but always I knew—deep inside I
interviewed her. Certainly, she had convinced herself
                                                              knew that I would one day have to come back to the
she must have been strong and good or she would
                                                              bar of nature’s God and pay, pay in deep pain and
have made many more mistakes than one in those
                                                              tears.”
carefree years.
                                                                  E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
The bishop was saying that repentance must be
                                                                  My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
complete, and that included confession of major sins.
                                                                  And then, when gray hair shall their temples
“But mine was not a major sin because I was so young
                                                                      adorn,
and I never did it again. Oh, why must we hear of sin
                                                                  Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.
when our services should be filled with peace?” Her
                                                                  (“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, 66.)
mind recalled the graveside service of her late
husband. She had been pleased that he had never
known, and yet as she had stood there by his grave on        Before considering the following questions, read
that lonely day, she couldn’t help but feel that she had     again Galatians 6:7–9.
been a deceiver and that where he was now he                 Is the way in which Emma Jane reaped as she had
probably knew. The bishop was speaking of how our            sown the only way in which that law may apply?
former sins will remain with us always unless and
until we resolve them. How could you know if your            Is that law of return operating in your own life even
sins were resolved? the bishop was asking. If you            now? When the seeds that you are sowing now in
could hear a sermon on the subject of your former sins       terms of honesty, virtue, and obedience have grown
and still feel at peace.                                     and bloomed and become fully ripe, what kind of


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person will you be? What thoughts will consume your          Galatians 6:9
time, what great desires surge within your breast?
                                                             Does Paul indicate that we shall necessarily receive
Galatians 6:7                                                our rewards immediately? Anyone can live
                                                             righteously for one day. It is no measure of a man’s
Can a man fool God and succeed in a false effort to
                                                             character if he sows generously and bestows service
reap joy by sowing wickedness? (Compare Helaman
                                                             graciously for one day or one week. It is dedicated,
13:38.) Why does Paul say, “Be not deceived”? Are
                                                             calculated obedience, given over time, over years
there those who would try to deceive you to think that
                                                             and years and years, throughout a life, that shows the
wickedness might really bring happiness?
                                                             true measure of the man.
Galatians 6:8
                                                             Do you understand now why the prophet Nephi
If a man seeks to gratify the flesh, and lives just to       stresses that we must endure in good works to the end
satisfy base allurements that have their origin in a         of our lives in order to obtain exaltation? (See
fallen world—pride, appetites, passions, inordinate          2 Nephi 31:20.) The law of return is always at work.
honors and plaudits—what must he eventually                  Are you prepared to make the commitment to sow the
receive? What shall be his returns if he strives to live     seeds of holiness and purity and service from now on
his life in an upright and wholesome way? Now, are           so that they may bring back to you a bumper harvest
you thinking of yourself in this analysis?                   of glory, exaltation, and eternal lives?




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                             39
                 “MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH”




 A Letter of Paul to the Church at Rome Written from     INTRODUCTION
 Corinth (?) During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey,
         ca. Winter, A.D. 57–58 (Romans 1–5)             It had been more than twenty years since Paul had
                                                         started on the road to what he thought would lead
                                             Romans      him only to Damascus but which, instead, began a
The Power of God unto Salvation            1:1–17        far longer and more glorious journey. He had left
                                                         Jerusalem that day seeing but blind; he had come to
God’s Anger Against the Unrepentant        1:18–32       Damascus blind but seeing. When he had set out, he
Depraved                                                 had in his hand the edict of the high priest: bind the
All Men Are Judged by Gospel Standards     2:1–11        followers of the way and bring them to the prisons of
                                                         Jerusalem. When he had arrived, he had in his heart
Man Is Not Justified by the Law of Moses   2:12–29;      the edict of Christ: unbind the gentiles and bring
                                           3:1–20        them to the mansions of the heavenly Jerusalem. For
Man Is Justified by Faith                  3:21–31       more than seven thousand days now, the man from
                                                         Tarsus had labored to fulfill that edict. He had
Abraham Was Justified by Faith, Works,     4:1–25        crossed and recrossed eight or more provinces of the
and Grace                                                Roman empire. He had personally established a
Man Is Justified Through the Blood of      5:1–11        number of branches of the church. His converts must
Christ                                                   have numbered well into the thousands. He had been
                                                         beaten, stoned, scourged, jailed, and shipwrecked
Adam Fell, Christ Atoned, Man Saved        5:12–21
                                                         and had endured hunger, thirst, cold, fatigue,
                                                         rejection, insults, scorn, and desertion—and all this
THEME                                                    while afflicted with his own “thorn in the flesh.”
Justification comes by the grace of Christ through       Surely now he had done enough? Surely now he
faith.                                                   could return to Jerusalem and pass the baton on to
                                                         younger hands?


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But of course such would be unthinkable to Paul.            Remember the experiences that had molded and
With characteristic simplicity Luke reports, “After         shaped him as he sat in Corinth and wrote his letter
these things were ended, Paul purposed in the               to the saints in Rome.
spirit . . . to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have
                                                            Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:21.) And
                                                            in the reading block.
so he had come to Corinth to spend the winter,
waiting for safe sailing weather. It must have been a        INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
time of reflection and planning and concern. It was
evidently during these months that reports arrived
                                                             ROMANS
saying that Galatia was being ravaged by the
onslaughts of the Judaizers. “True righteousness is          (39-1) What Is the Theme of Romans?
based in the law of Moses,” they were saying,
“Believing in Christ is all well and good, but you           “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is
must not leave the foundation principles of                  the power of God unto salvation to every one that
circumcision, dietary law, and Levitical ritual.” They       believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
maligned Paul and his office, wooing many away               Greek.” (Romans 1:16.) In this brief but powerful
from the teachings of the great apostle.                     statement, Paul sounds the theme of his letter. The rest
                                                             of the epistle is spent in developing this theme and
Paul had written to the churches in Galatia and              showing that justification by faith brings eternal
sharply condemned the false teachings. “O foolish            salvation. Paul expands this theme, showing that true
Galatians, who hath bewitched you?” he asked in              faith requires personal righteousness and obedience to
sorrow. (Galatians 3:1.) It was shortly after this that      gospel principles, a truth often overlooked by those
the apostle wrote his letter to Rome, alerting the           who stress salvation by faith alone.
saints there of his intent to visit them. The reports
from Rome were positive. The saints were believing,          (39-2) Where and When Was It Written?
growing, testifying. But the concern for the growing         Though it is always difficult to state with absolute
threat of the false teachers must still have weighed         certainty the location from which a certain epistle was
heavily on his mind, for the book of Romans contains         written and when, in the case of the letter to the
Paul’s powerful defense of true righteousness and his        Romans, Paul gives several clues within the letter that
rejection of any system of salvation that is not based       correspond with the record in Acts. For example, he
on faith in Jesus Christ.                                    mentions that while he has not yet been to Rome, he
How ironic that the letters to Rome and Galatia              intends to come there as soon as he makes a trip to
should be used in later centuries as the basis for the       Jerusalem to deliver money collected for the poorer
doctrine that works are unessential for salvation.           saints in Judea (1:10; 15:19–27). Also, the more
Can you imagine the retort of the man who had been           formal and well-thought-out nature of this epistle
five times scourged of the Jews to those who would           suggests a period of relative peace and stability for its
say that all you must do to be saved is confess with         composition. In Acts 20:2, 3 Luke tells us that during
your mouth that Jesus is the Christ? Can you picture         Paul’s third missionary journey the apostle spent three
the response of the man who for two decades had              months in Corinth. He was probably waiting for good
devoted his life to good works to those who say that         sailing conditions before departing for Jerusalem.
good works are not a requirement for salvation? But          From these clues it can be said with some certainty
on the other hand, you must also recognize that Paul         that the letter to Rome was written from Corinth near
rejected the idea fostered by the Judaizers, namely,         the end of the third journey, most likely during the
that man can achieve righteousness by his own                winter months of A.D. 57–58.
efforts. The ideas are opposite ends of the grace and
works continuum, but both are false. In order to find        (39-3) What Are Some of the Significant
the true middle ground, let us now turn to a careful         Contributions of Romans?
study of what Paul wrote to the saints in Rome. What         “Romans defines the gospel and summarizes the laws
is the proper relationship between our own works             by obedience to which full salvation comes. It speaks
and the grace of God? If a man is justified by faith,        plainly of Adam’s fall, which brought death, and
just what does that mean? As you study this lesson           Christ’s atoning sacrifice, which brought life. It tells
and ponder such questions, remember Paul the man.            how the law of justification works, how men are




                                                          317
justified by faith and works, through the blood of           the procreative act between man and woman in
Christ. In it are some of the most explicit Biblical         honorable marriage. . . .
teachings on the election of grace, the status of the
                                                             “. . . where stands the perversion of homosexuality?
chosen race, on why salvation cannot come by the law
                                                             Clearly it is hostile to God’s purpose in that it negates
of Moses alone, on why circumcision was done away
                                                             his first and great commandment to ‘multiply and
in Christ, and on how and why salvation was taken to
                                                             replenish the earth.’ If the abominable practice became
the Gentiles. And it is a chief source of the glorious
                                                             universal it would depopulate the earth in a single
doctrine of joint-heirship with Christ, that marvelous
                                                             generation. It would nullify God’s great program for
principle under which men, through celestial marriage
                                                             his spirit children in that it would leave countless
and the continuation of the family unit in eternity, can
                                                             unembodied spirits in the heavenly world without the
gain exaltation in the highest celestial heaven. . . .
                                                             chance for the opportunities of mortality and would
“In its very nature Romans is an epistle capable of          deny to all the participants in the practice the eternal
differing interpretations. Those without prior and full      life God makes available to us all.
knowledge of the doctrines involved find it
                                                             “Because of the seriousness of this sin it carries a
exceedingly difficult to place Paul’s comments about
                                                             heavy penalty for the unrepentant. The offender may
these doctrines into their true perspective. For
                                                             realize that disfellowshipment or excommunication is
instance, it is on a misunderstanding of the Apostle’s
                                                             the penalty for heavy petting, adultery, fornication and
statement about justification by faith alone that the
                                                             comparable sins if there is not adequate repentance,
whole sectarian world is led to believe that men are
                                                             yet he often supposes that because his acts have not
not required to work out their own salvation; and it
                                                             been committed with the opposite sex he is not in sin.
was this very passage that enabled Martin Luther to
                                                             Let it therefore be clearly stated that the seriousness of
justify in his own mind his break with Catholicism, an
                                                             the sin of homosexuality is equal to or greater than
eventuality of vital importance to the furtherance of
                                                             that of fornication or adultery; and that the Lord’s
the Lord’s work on earth.” (McConkie, DNTC,
                                                             Church will as readily take action to disfellowship or
2:212–13.)
                                                             excommunicate the unrepentant practicing
(39-4) Romans 1:7, 8. Paul Writes to the Saints in           homosexual as it will the unrepentant fornicator or
Rome                                                         adulterer. . . .
“To whom was the Epistle to the Romans written? To           “After consideration of the evil aspects, the ugliness
the Gentiles in Rome? To the world in general? To            and prevalence of the evil of homosexuality, the
sectarian Christians today? Not by any means. If there       glorious thing to remember is that it is curable and
is any truth the world can gain from this Epistle, such      forgivable. The Lord has promised that all sins can be
is all to the good. But Paul wrote it to the saints, to      forgiven except certain ones enumerated, and this evil
members of the Church, to those who already had the          was not among those named. Thus it is forgivable if
gift of the Holy Ghost, to those who had been born           totally abandoned and if the repentance is sincere and
again, to those who held the priesthood and enjoyed          absolute. Certainly it can be overcome, for there are
the gifts of the Spirit. Hence he was writing to the         numerous happy people who were once involved in its
people who already knew the doctrines of salvation,          clutches and who have since completely transformed
and his teachings can only be understood by people           their lives. Therefore to those who say that this
who have the same background, the same knowledge,            practice or any other evil is incurable, I respond: ‘How
and the same experience as the original recipients of        can you say the door cannot be opened until your
the message. Romans is a sealed book to the sectarian        knuckles are bloody, till your head is bruised, till your
world; it is an open volume of inspiring gospel truth to     muscles are sore? It can be done.’
the saints of God.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:216.)                 “. . . Many have been misinformed that they are
                                                             powerless in the matter, not responsible for the
(39-5) Romans 1:26, 27. How Serious Is the Sin of
                                                             tendency, and that ‘God made them that way.’ This is
Homosexuality?
                                                             as untrue as any other of the diabolical lies Satan has
“Of the adverse social effects of homosexuality none         concocted. It is blasphemy. Man is made in the image
is more significant than the effect on marriage and          of God. Does the pervert think God to be ‘that
home. The normal, God-given sexual relationship is           way’? . . .




                                                           318
“Sometimes not heavenly but earthly parents get the           had he not come into the world, and laid down his life
blame. Granted that certain conditions make it easier         that he might take it again, or as he said in another
for one to become a pervert, the second Article of            place, to give us life that we may have it more
Faith teaches that a man will be punished for his own         abundantly we would still be subject to death and be
sins. He can, if normal, rise above the frustrations of       in our sins. . . .
childhood and stand on his own feet. . . .
                                                              “So it is easy to understand that we must accept the
“A man may rationalize and excuse himself till the            mission of Jesus Christ. We must believe that it is
groove is so deep he cannot get out without great             through his grace that we are saved, that he
difficulty. But temptations come to all people. The           performed for us that labor which we were unable to
difference between the reprobate and the worthy               perform for ourselves, and did for us those things
person is generally that one yielded and the other            which were essential to our salvation, which were
resisted. And if the yielding person continues to give        beyond our power; and also that we are under the
way he may finally reach the point of ‘no return.’ The        commandment and the necessity of performing the
Spirit will ‘not always strive with man.’ (D&C                labors that are required of us as set forth in the
1:33.)” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 80–86.)         commandments known as the gospel of Jesus
                                                              Christ:” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:309–11.)
(39-6) Romans 2:6–13. The Importance of Works
Those churches that make much of Paul’s doctrines of Question: If a person is doing all he can do to
justification by faith and salvation by grace either skip           overcome the world, do his works
or gloss over the powerful teaching of Paul in these                “earn” for him the companionship of the
verses. Paul clearly teaches that good works are                    Spirit, or does he merely merit that
rewarded and evil works punished, concluding with                   companionship?
these powerful words: “For not the hearers of the word Answer:      Mosiah 2:20, 21.
are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified.”                                               Question: Then God’s blessings are worth more
                                                                    than a man’s good works could ever
(39-7) Romans 3:1–31. Man Must Be Justified by                      earn? Does that mean that I am justified
Grace                                                               by grace after all I can do?
Since, as Paul says, all men sin, then no man can be         Answer:     Yes, see 2 Nephi 25:23; Moroni 10:32,
justified (or restored to a proper relationship with                     33.
God) by works alone. Some intervening power must
bridge the gap. That power was provided by Jesus             (39-8) Romans 4:4. Eternal Life—a Gift or a Wage?
Christ. He lived the law perfectly, had no sin, and
therefore never estranged himself from God. In               Paul’s suggestion here is that if a man were justified by
addition, he sacrificed himself so that he could pay the     the works of the law, then he would have reason to
debt of sin with his own holiness for all men who            glory, for then the reward he received from the Father
would come unto him. His grace becomes the source            would be a debt owed for services rendered and not a
of their justification with God.                             gift of grace. But, of course, this was not the case. No
                                                             man could earn salvation on his own. This shattered the
President Joseph Fielding Smith clearly pointed out          Jewish concept that somehow one could earn God’s
the role of both grace and works in our salvation.           pleasure and eternal glory through obedience to the
“There is a difference between the Lord Jesus Christ         law. In this connection, it is interesting to note that
and the rest of mankind. We have no life in ourselves,       even the very terminology the Lord uses makes it clear
for no power has been given unto us, to lay down our         that nothing man could have done himself would have
lives and take them again. That is beyond our power,         earned for him the celestial kingdom. Whenever the
and so, being subject to death, and being sinners—for        Lord speaks of his glory and kingdom being
we are all transgressors of the law to some extent, no       transmitted to man, the verb used is inherit and the
matter how good we have tried to be—we are                   noun is gift. While there is no suggestion that the gift is
therefore unable in and of ourselves to receive              given unconditionally, that it is a gift is always clear.
redemption from our sins by any act of our own.              The Doctrine and Covenants illustrates that balance
                                                             perfectly. “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out
“This is the grace that Paul was teaching. Therefore, it     faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom
is by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved. And


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of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God;        opportunity to write to modern saints who are
for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.”     confronted with the teachings that salvation is by
(D&C 6:13.)                                                   grace alone, it is likely that he would strongly
                                                              emphasize the need for personal righteousness.
“What price must men pay for this precious gift? Not
conformity to Mosaic standards, not compliance with           Let’s explore the concept of justification by faith a
the ordinances and performances of a dead law, but            little more deeply to find the proper balance between
the price of faith, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, faith     grace and works in the process of being saved in the
that includes within itself enduring works of                 kingdom of God.
righteousness, which faith cannot so much as exist
                                                              Study the following dialogue:
unless and until men conform their lives to gospel
standards.                                                    Justification by Faith
“Does salvation come, then, by works? No, not by the          Inquirer
works of the law of Moses, and for that matter, not           Paul said that a man is justified by faith. Just what
even by the more perfect works of the gospel itself.          does he mean by justification?
Salvation comes through Christ’s atonement, through
the ransom he paid, the propitiation he made; without         Teacher
this no good works on the part of men could redeem            Well, anciently the term carried the connotation of
them from temporal death, which redemption is                 being vindicated or made righteous just as it does
resurrection, or redeem them from spiritual death,            today. In addition, however, it was closely associated
which redemption is eternal life.” (McConkie, DNTC,           with the idea of relationship. Being justified meant to
2:231.)                                                       be put back into the right relationship with a person
(39-9) Romans 4:16. How Are Men Justified?                    whom you had offended by your wrongdoing.

“Therefore ye are justified of faith and works, through       Inquirer
grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the        So if I am justified, I am put back into the right
seed; not to them only who are of the law, but to them        relationship with God?
also who are of the faith of Abraham; who is the father
of us all.” (Romans 4:16, Inspired Version.)                  Teacher
                                                              Yes. When we sin we estrange ourselves from God;
(39-10) Romans 5:20. What Is Meant by the Phrase              we cut ourselves off from the relationship we had
“the Law Entered, That the Offense Might                      with him. This is so because he is a perfectly
Abound”?                                                      righteous and holy being. No unclean thing can dwell
The Greek word Paul uses here that is translated              in his presence. When we sin we become what the
entered means literally “to come in by the side of.” In       scriptures call “the natural man.” The natural man
classical Greek it was often used of actors in the            is an enemy to God. (See Mosiah 3:19.) When we are
theaters who played a supporting role and who would           made righteous, or in other words are justified, then
come on stage from the wings, play their part, and            we can come back into his presence, be reconciled to
disappear again. Such a word used to describe the law         him, and thus reestablish our original relationship
of Moses points out the same things that Paul                 with him.
suggested in Galatians when he called the law a               Inquirer
“schoolmaster.” (See the note on Galatians 3:24.)
                                                              But how can you be made righteous and reestablish
POINTS TO PONDER                                              the relationship with God without actually being
                                                              righteous?
MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH THROUGH THE Teacher
GRACE OF GOD
                                                You can’t. As Elder McConkie puts it, the law of
As you have read, Paul was fortifying the Roman justification means that
saints against the Judaizers, who claimed that                “‘. . . all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations,
obedience to the Mosaic law was the means to                  oaths, vows, performances, connections,
salvation. This explains his strong emphasis on the           associations, or expectations’ (D. & C. 132:7), in
grace of Christ. Should Paul have had the                     which men must abide to be saved and exalted, must


                                                            320
be entered into and performed in righteousness so             Teacher
that the Holy Spirit can justify the candidate for
                                                              Before we can answer that, we must define what faith
salvation in what has been done. (1 Ne. 16:2; Jac.
                                                              is. Here is how Joseph Smith defined faith:
2:13–14; Alma 41:15; D. & C. 98; 132:1, 62.) An act
that is justified by the Spirit is one that is sealed by      “By this we understand that the principle of power
the Holy Spirit of Promise, or in other words, ratified       which existed in the bosom of God, by which the
and approved by the Holy Ghost. This law of                   worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by
justification is the provision the Lord has placed in         reason of this principle of power existing in the
the gospel to assure that no unrighteous performance          Deity, that all created things exist; so that all things
will be binding on earth and in heaven, and that no           in heaven, on earth, or under the earth exist by
person will add to his position or glory in the               reason of faith as it existed in HIM.
hereafter by gaining an unearned blessing.” (DNTC,            “Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds
2:230.)                                                       would never have been framed neither would man
Inquirer                                                      have been formed of the dust. It is the principle by
                                                              which Jehovah works, and through which he
Doesn’t that say that a man is justified by his works?
                                                              exercises power over all temporal as well as eternal
He must be righteous to be justified.
                                                              things. Take this principle or attribute—for it is an
Teacher                                                       attribute—from the Deity, and he would cease to
                                                              exist.” (Lectures on Faith, Lecture First, vss. 15, 16.)
Yes, he must be righteous, but it is not his own
personal effort that justifies him. The only way a man        So simply put, faith is the power of God, and only this
could be justified through his works alone would be           power of God can justify a person. Does that remind
to keep all the laws of God perfectly. Even one               you of something Paul wrote to the Romans?
violation would estrange him from God, though, of
                                                              Inquirer
course, no one sins just once. All men are sinful,
violating the laws numerous times. This was what              Yes, he said he was not ashamed of the gospel of
Paul was teaching when he said, “For all have                 Jesus Christ, for it was the power of God unto
sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”                  salvation. (See Romans 1:16.)
(Romans 3:23.)
                                                              Teacher
Inquirer                                                      That brings a new perspective to that verse, doesn’t
I can see that, but certainly personal righteousness          it? Only in the gospel of Jesus Christ can one find the
helps to save us.                                             power of God, or develop true faith.
Teacher                                                       Inquirer
Of course! Man cannot be saved without being                  But, obviously, this kind of faith—true faith as you
righteous. But he must not think that somehow he              call it—is something much more than just intellectual
can save himself through his own obedience. Only              belief.
one person was justified by his works, and that was
                                                              Teacher
Christ. The rest of us must be justified, or made
righteous, or be put back into the proper relationship        Oh yes. And this is where a man’s need for personal
with God, by faith in Jesus Christ.                           righteousness comes in. Joseph Smith said there were
                                                              three things necessary for the development of faith:
Inquirer                                                      first, an idea of God’s existence; second, a correct
Then Christ is really the key to justification, isn’t he?     idea of his attributes; and third, the knowledge that
                                                              your life is in accordance with the will of God. (See
Teacher
                                                              Lectures on Faith, Lecture Third, vss. 2–5.)
Well, a better comparison would be to say that Christ
                                                              Inquirer
provides the doorway to salvation and faith in him is
the key.                                                      So the only way you can know that your life is
                                                              pleasing to God is to live according to his will.
Inquirer
Just how does faith justify a person?



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Teacher                                                      Why?
Exactly! Here is what the Prophet Joseph Smith went          Inquirer
on to say about the development of the third
                                                             To have our sins remitted.
condition.
                                                             Teacher
“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not
require the sacrifice of all things never has power          What exactly does that mean?
sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and
                                                             Inquirer
salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the
faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and               That through the blood of Christ we are sanctified, or
salvation never could be obtained without the                cleansed, from those sins.
sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this         Teacher
sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that
men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the         And if the sins we have committed are taken away
medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men       through the atoning power of Christ’s sacrifice, what
do actually know that they are doing the things that         does that do for the man?
are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man            Inquirer
has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s
sake, not even withholding his life, and believing           He becomes without sin; he is righteous.
before God that he has been called to make this              Teacher
sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does
know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept          And eventually what will happen to him if he remains
his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor         without sin?
will not seek his face in vain. Under these                  Inquirer
circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith
necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.”              He can go back into God’s presence. But no one lives
(Lectures on Faith, Lecture Sixth, vs. 7.) So,               perfectly, even after baptism.
personal righteousness is absolutely essential, and          Teacher
may be best developed through our willingness to
sacrifice to the Lord all that he requires. This helps       That’s true, but we’ll come back to that in a moment.
formulate the expression of faith through which we           First, what did we call the process that makes a man
may be justified. Once we have true faith, what will         righteous and brings him back into a relationship
result in our lives?                                         with God?

Inquirer                                                     Inquirer

I’m not sure what you mean.                                  Justification.

Teacher                                                      Teacher

Faith is the first principle of the gospel. What is the      And does the power that justifies a man lie in the
second?                                                      ordinance of baptism alone?

Inquirer                                                     Inquirer

Repentance.                                                  Not really. Baptism is the symbolic representation of
                                                             what should be taking place spiritually. If it hasn’t
Teacher                                                      taken place inwardly, baptism will not cleanse us
Yes. True faith in Jesus Christ will always lead a man       from sin.
to repent of his sins. And since faith is power, the         Teacher
repentance will be effective and sincere. Then what
follows?                                                     Partly right. The outward ordinance is required of
                                                             God too, of course, but the power to make those
Inquirer                                                     inward, spiritual changes comes from faith. So we
We are baptized.                                             are justified by faith. Now let’s go back to your
                                                             question. After we are baptized, then what?
Teacher


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Inquirer                                                   Inquirer
We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost.                   But what about those sins which he commits between
                                                           the time of his baptism and the time when he is
Teacher
                                                           perfected?
Why can’t we get that gift before we are baptized?
                                                           Teacher
Inquirer
                                                           If he continues to exercise faith, truly repent, and
I’m not really sure. We can have his influence and         renew the covenants he made at baptism each week
power before baptism but not the gift.                     when he partakes of the sacrament, what happens?
Teacher                                                    Inquirer
There is a very important and logical reason. The          Those sins will be taken from him by the same
Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead; or, in other        process. And the key to all of this is faith.
words, he is a God. What is the eternal rule about
                                                           Teacher
dwelling with Gods?
                                                           The key is faith in Jesus Christ! Without him all
Inquirer
                                                           would be to no avail. Our personal righteousness is
No unclean thing can dwell in their presence. I see        essential at every step of our progression, but it
now. So we must become holy, or cleansed from sin,         would always be insufficient without his grace and
before he can dwell with us.                               power. That is what Nephi meant when he said, “For
                                                           we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after
Teacher
                                                           all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23.)
And the cleansing comes because we repent, which
results from our faith. Now, obviously, even after         Inquirer
baptism men will continue to make mistakes. But the        Yes, and now I can see the sublime wisdom of Paul
closer they draw to the Holy Ghost, the more they          when he said, “Therefore ye are justified of faith and
can be influenced to live righteously. No man can live     works through grace. . . .” (Romans 4:16; Inspired
perfectly by himself, but with the help of God (the        Version.)
Holy Ghost) he can progress to the point where he
triumphs over all sins.




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                         40
           HEIRS OF GOD, AND JOINT
                             JOINT-
                               INT-HEIRS
                   WITH CHRIST




 A Letter of Paul to the Church at Rome Written from       THEME
 Corinth (?) During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey,
         ca. Winter, A.D. 57–58 (Romans 6–8)               Man’s highest potential is to become an heir to all that
                                                           the Father has.
                                                Romans

A New Life Begins with Baptism               6:1–11        INTRODUCTION

Holiness, Not Sin, Should Be One’s Master 6:12–14          Mighty Rome! Seat of empire! Umbrella of order and
                                                           stability under which the fledgling church of Christ
The Christian Is Freed from the Slavery of   6:15–19       was struggling to grow and fulfill the divine mandate
Sin                                                        to evangelize the world. Corrupt, ruthless, autocratic,
The Reward of Sin and the Reward of          6:20–23       Rome was nevertheless an undaunted hedge against
Holiness                                                   the sweeping ravages of barbarous anarchy that
                                                           marked affairs beyond her borders. And in the
The Law of Moses Is Fulfilled in Christ      7:1–6
                                                           relative calm thus vouchsafed to the Mediterranean
The Law of Christ Replaces the Law of        7:7–25        world by Roman legions, Paul and other
Moses                                                      representatives of the Master ranged far from
                                                           Jerusalem, bearing the gladsome news that Christ
The Law of Christ Brings Life and Peace      8:1–13
                                                           had risen from the dead, establishing and
The Sons of God Are Joint-Heirs with         8:14–19       strengthening branches of the church, and raising a
Christ                                                     warning voice to the citizens of those cities
                                                           penetrated by their zeal. There was a branch of the
Faithful Men Receive the Hope of Eternal     8:20–25
Life
                                                           church at Rome, converted Jews and others, some
                                                           whose membership possibly dated from their
How the Spirit Intercedes for Man            8:26, 27      pilgrimage to Jerusalem and participation there in
                                                           the scenes of Pentecost shortly after the resurrection
God’s Elect Are Foreordained to Eternal      8:28–34
Life                                                       of Jesus. The branch at Rome was established, well
                                                           ordered, and thriving, albeit under the burdens of
Christ Intercedes for Men                    8:34–39


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influence incident to life in the commercial, cultural,     subject to him that is dead.
and political center of a pagan empire.
                                                            “So with Israel and the law. As long as the law lived,
In the spring of A.D. 58 Paul was at Corinth, ordering      and was therefore in force, Israel was married to it and
the church, defending his apostleship, and making           required to obey its provisions. If she went after other
preparations to return to Jerusalem. He also found          gods, or followed other religions, it was as adultery.
time at Corinth to write to the church at Rome. That        But now the law is fulfilled; it no longer lives; it has
the Roman saints were generally faithful and diligent       become dead in Christ; and Israel is married to
seekers after truth seems evident from Paul’s               another, even to Christ, whose gospel law must now
readiness to write to them of profound doctrinal            be obeyed.
concepts, understandable to those who have matured
                                                            “As a matter of fact, whenever the Melchizedek
in their possession of the gift of the Holy Ghost, who
                                                            Priesthood—which ‘administereth the gospel’
are spiritually inclined, and who already perceive the
                                                            (D. & C. 84:19)—was found in ancient Israel, the
purposes and objectives for man in God’s great plan
                                                            law of Moses was dead, and the people were alive in
of salvation. For he wrote to them that man may obey
                                                            Christ. Hence, we find Nephi saying, some six
the gospel and become like God the Father, and
                                                            hundred years before Christ, ‘Notwithstanding we
inherit, possess, and retain in eternity all that the
                                                            believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look
Father has.
                                                            forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law
Read these passages carefully, and ponder upon the          shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given;
significance of the messages they contain.                  wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we
                                                            are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                            keep the law because of the commandments.’ (2 Ne.
in the reading block.
                                                            25:24–25.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:253–54.)
                                                            (40-3) Romans 8:4–6. The Meaning of the Words
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     Carnal and Flesh
                                                            This passage, as much as any other, has given rise to
(40-1) Romans 6:1–6. What Is the Symbolism of               the idea that Paul viewed the physical body as an
Baptism?                                                    inherently evil thing. This is unfortunate, for a careful
“Baptism cannot be by any other means than                  reading of Paul’s language leads to another
immersion of the entire body in water, for the              conclusion.
following reasons:                                          Our English word carnal is a derivative of the Latin
“1. It is in the similitude of the death, burial, and       carnalis, meaning “the flesh” or “the body.” Ironically
resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of all others who         enough, there is no separate word for carnal in the
have received the resurrection.                             Greek. What we have here is the adjectival form of the
                                                            Greek noun meaning “flesh.” So in verse 6 of this
“2. Baptism is also a birth and is performed in the         passage, where the King James Version translates it
similitude of the birth of a child into this world.         “carnally minded,” literally the Greek reads “the mind
“3. Baptism is not only a figure of the resurrection,       of the flesh.”
but also is literally a transplanting or resurrection       A close examination of Paul’s use of the term flesh
from one life to another. . . .” (Smith, Doctrines of       makes it clear that he does not see it as an inherently
Salvation, 2:323–24.)                                       evil thing. Perhaps the greatest insight into Paul’s idea
                                                            of the flesh is given in Galatians 5:13 where he
(40-2) Romans 7:1–6. The Law of Moses Is like a
                                                            employs an interesting Greek term in reference to the
Deceased Husband
                                                            flesh. The word he chooses is aphormay, which the
“Paul was an absolute genius at devising illustrations      King James Version translates as occasion. This was a
to drive home his gospel teachings. Here he compares        military word in classical Greek and was used to
Israel’s allegiance to the law of Moses with that of a      describe the point from which a commander launched
wife to her husband. As long as her husband lives, a        an attack upon the enemy. Literally, then, it should be
wife is bound to him, must obey his laws, and if she        translated as bridgehead or base of operations. This is
be with another, she is an adulteress. But when the         an appropriate metaphor, since the needs of our bodies
husband dies, he can no longer direct her actions, and      often become the vulnerable base of operations. How
she is free to marry another; she can no longer be          many souls have been won by Satan as they

                                                          325
surrendered to bodily appetites? How many eternal             Elder Joseph Fielding Smith wrote the following:
lives have been lost because they were not spiritually
                                                              “Just what Paul might have had in mind may not be
minded but, rather, were dominated by “the mind of
                                                              too clearly expressed in the translation that has come
the flesh”?
                                                              to us. That he taught that some men are destined to be
(40-4) Romans 8:17. What Does Paul Imply When                 damned must be rejected; likewise that some were
He Says, “We Shall Be Joint-Heirs with Christ”?               predestined to be saved without a trial of their faith.
                                                              Those who rejected the truth and rebelled were cast
“In the important doctrinal discourse known as the            out with Lucifer because of the great gift of free
‘King Follett Sermon’ the Prophet Joseph Smith,               agency.
referring to those who ‘shall be heirs of God and joint-
heirs with Jesus Christ,’ described joint-heirship as         “We have reason to believe that all who were
inheriting the same power, the same glory, and the            privileged to come to this mortal world came because
same exaltation, until an individual ascends to the           they were entitled by pre-mortal qualifications. It is
station of Godhood and rises to the throne of eternal         absurd to think that Paul would teach that in the
power sharing the rewards with all the faithful who           beginning before the earth was formed, some souls
have preceded him. A joint-heir legally inherits and          were destined to come to earth, receive tabernacles
shares all equities and gifts in equal interest with all      and then be consigned to perdition and some to be
other heirs. Nothing is excluded nor adjusted in value        saved. Such a doctrine is contrary to all that has been
between the participating joint-heirs. . . .                  revealed.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:153.)
“If we are led by the Spirit of God in our lives, we
are promised heirship with him and joint-heirship
                                                              POINTS TO PONDER
with Christ our Lord in the great estate of God’s
                                                              MEN MAY OBEY THE GOSPEL AND BECOME
kingdom and glory. We ‘suffer with Christ’ as we
                                                              LIKE GOD THE FATHER
sacrifice the things of the world and yield complete
obedience to every truth, principle, and ordinance of
the gospel plan. Whatever we contribute in honest                As little ones to big ones grow
tithes and other contributions along with unselfish              From birth to autumn, measured, slow,
participation and service to our fellow men to build             There is no evil in their course—
the kingdom of God on the earth, increases our                   The calf to cow, and foal to horse,
personal joy and happiness in heirship with Christ the           And crawling things to butterflies
Lord.” (Delbert L. Stapley in CR, Apr. 1961, p. 66.)             Who stretch their wings against the skies.
                                                                 Then what of man?
(40-5) Romans 8:29, 30. Did Paul Believe in                      Then what of man, this son of Power?
Predestination?                                                  First bud, then bloom, and thence the flower,
The dictionary defines predestination as determining             Who bears the seeds of heaven’s King.
beforehand one’s state, condition, and actions in life           From fallen earth, and petty things
by divine decree. There is no room for free agency.              To mount to realms of light and space
Latter-day Saints are sometimes disturbed to find Paul           And be as one with God’s own race!
using the word predestination in his letter. There are           O what of man!
three factors that help us to understand Paul’s
                                                             Inquirer
meaning.
                                                             You teach that man may become like God. I say, How
First, there is nothing in the original Greek word,
                                                             could he? For God is so far in advance of man.
which the King James Version chose to translate as
predestinate, which implies a loss of free agency. It is     Joseph Smith
a compound word formed from the prefix pro,                  “God himself was once as we are now, and is an
meaning “before,” and the verb horizo, meaning “to           exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!
define.” The verb itself was derived from horos, a           That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today,
boundary. (Our English horizon comes from this               and the great God who holds this world in its orbit,
verb.) Literally, the word means “to determine               and who upholds all worlds and all things by his
beforehand, or decide beforehand.” Some modern               power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you
biblical translations use the word foreordain to             were to see him today, you would see him like a man
translate prohoridzo.


                                                           326
in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and        power, and eternal increase. God designed this in the
very form as a man. . . .” (Teachings, 345; compare          beginning. We are the children of God. . . . We are
D&C 130:22.)                                                 precisely in the same condition and under the same
                                                             circumstances that God our heavenly Father was
Inquirer
                                                             when he was passing through this, or a similar
Am I to understand that God has not always been a            ordeal.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 64. Emphasis added.)
God?
                                                             Inquirer
Joseph Smith
                                                             If we must go through the same ordeal to reach the
“. . . it is necessary we should understand the              glory that God has, then it must be that when he was
character and being of God and how he came to be             a man and lived on an earth, he was baptized,
so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be            ordained, received his endowments, and was
God. We have imagined and supposed that God was              married.
God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take
                                                             Wilford Woodruff
away the veil, so that you may see.
                                                             “. . . He has had His endowments long ago; it is
“These are incomprehensible ideas to some, but they
                                                             thousands and millions of years since He received
are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to
                                                             His blessings. . . .” (JD, 4:192.)
know for a certainty the Character of God, and to
know that we may converse with him as one man                Can you see why your strivings to become like God
converses with another, and that he was once a man           must not be lessened by any fear that you cannot
like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all,        make it, or that his mortal situation was different?
dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself
                                                             Inquirer
did; and I will show it from the Bible.” (Teachings,
pp. 345–46.)                                                 Then it is not improper for me to have hope that I
                                                             may advance and progress until I become just like He
Inquirer
                                                             is?
I can see from what you say that God was once a
man; but was he really like us, limited and finite?
                                                             (40-6) Our Goal Should Be to Become as God
Brigham Young
                                                             “We have been promised by the Lord that if we know
“While He was in the flesh, as we are, He was as we          how to worship, and know what we worship, we may
are. But it is now written of Him that our God is as a       come unto the Father in his name, and in due time
consuming fire [Hebrews 12:29], that He dwells in            receive of his fulness. We have the promise that if we
everlasting burnings, and this is why sin cannot be          keep his commandments, we shall receive of his
where He is.” (JD, 4:54.)                                    fulness and be glorified in him as he is in the Father.
Inquirer                                                     [See D&C 93:11–20, 26–28.]
Then perhaps it is possible for me to become like Him        “This is a doctrine which delighted President Snow, as
If God was once finite and just as we are now, how           it does all of us. Early in his ministry he received by
did he become what he is now?                                direct, personal revelation the knowledge that (in the
                                                             Prophet Joseph Smith’s language), ‘God himself was
Joseph F. Smith                                              once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits
“It is absolutely necessary that we should come to           enthroned in yonder heavens,’ and that men ‘have got
the earth and take upon us tabernacles; because if we        to learn how to be Gods . . . the same as all Gods have
did not have tabernacles we could not be like God,           done before. . . .’ [Teachings, pp. 345–46.]
nor like Jesus Christ. God has a tabernacle of flesh         “After this doctrine had been taught by the Prophet,
and bone.                                                    President Snow felt free to teach it also, and he
“. . . We must go through the same ordeal in order to        summarized it in one of the best known couplets in the
attain to the glory and exaltation which God                 Church in these words:
designed we should enjoy with him in the eternal             “‘As man now is, God once was;
worlds. In other words, we must become like him;             As God now is, man may be.’
peradventure to sit upon thrones, to have dominion,



                                                           327
“This same doctrine has of course been known to the             Nor ever seek to carve his name
prophets of all the ages, and President Snow wrote an           High on the shaft of worldly fame;
excellent poetic summary of it, which came to him as            But here his ultimatum trace:
a result of pondering what some of the ancient                  The head of all his spirit-race.
prophets had written on the subject.
                                                                Ah, well: that taught by you, dear Paul,
“Paul wrote: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also
                                                                ’Though much amazed, we see it all;
in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God,
                                                                Our Father God, has ope’d our eyes,
thought it not robbery to be equal with
                                                                We cannot view it otherwise.
God.’ [Philippians 2:5, 6.]
“The Beloved Disciple John wrote:                               The boy, like to his father grown,
                                                                Has but attained unto his own;
“‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
                                                                To grow to sire from state of son,
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
                                                                Is not ’gainst Nature’s course to run.
God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it
knew him not.                                                   A son of God, like God to be,
“‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth              Would not be robbing Deity;
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,              And he who has this hope within,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we              Will purify himself from sin.
shall see him as he is.
                                                                You’re right, St. John, supremely right:
“‘And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth            Whoe’er essays to climb this height,
himself, even as he is pure.’ [1 John 3:1–3]                    Will cleanse himself of sin entire—
“Then President Snow, addressing himself to Paul and            Or else ’twere needless to aspire.
referring to the words written by John, penned these            (Improvement Era 22:660–61 [June 1919.])
lines:
                                                            “Now I hold this glorious hope out to you as the goal
Dear Brother:                                               toward which all members of the Church should
    Hast thou not been unwisely bold,                       strive. Our whole purpose in life should be to do those
    Man’s destiny to thus unfold?                           things which will enable us to gain eternal life, and
    To raise, promote such high desire,                     eternal life is the name of the kind of life possessed by
    Such vast ambition thus inspire?                        the Father and the Son; it is exaltation in the eternal
                                                            realms.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Address at Snow
    Still ’tis no phantom that we trace                     College, 14 May 1971, pp. 3–7.)
    Man’s ultimatum in life’s race;
    This royal path has long been trod                      (40-7) We Can Become like God Because We Have
    By righteous men, each now a God:                       the Seed of Deity Within Us
                                                           When Jesus was created after the fashion and in the
    As Abra’m, Isaac, Jacob, too,                          likeness of the Father, and was therefore in the image
    First babes, then men—to gods they grew.               of his Father, did he strive also to become like God in
    As man now is, our God once was;                       every other way? What does the word equal mean?
    As now God is, so man may be,—                         And since Jesus thought that it was not robbery for
    Which doth unfold man’s destiny.                       him to become like God, what does Paul say you
                                                           should strive to do as well? (See Philippians 2:5–8,
    For John declares: When Christ we see
                                                           12; 3 Nephi 27:27.)
    Like unto him we’ll truly be.
    And he who has this hope within,                       Inquirer
    Will purify himself from sin.                          Then because I am a child of God, I have within me
                                                           the seeds of Deity, which, by my obedience and
    Who keep this object grand in view,
                                                           righteousness, I may nurture and mature until I
    To folly, sin, will bid adieu,
                                                           become just like my Heavenly Father? (See Romans
    Nor wallow in the mire anew;
                                                           8:18, 19.)




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Lorenzo Snow                                                    does not forfeit or lose his power when he gives his
                                                                power to others, nor does he surrender his perfect
“We are the offspring of God, begotten by Him in the
                                                                knowledge when his children come to know all things.
spirit world, where we partook of His nature as
children here partake of the likeness of their parents.
                                                               Did Jesus eventually have all that the Father had?
Our trials and sufferings give us experience, and
                                                               (Compare Matthew 28:18; 3 Nephi 12:48.)
establish within us principles of godliness.” (JD,
26:368.)                                                       Now read D&C 93:26–28.
Inquirer                                                       Did Jesus receive a fulness of truth—was there any
                                                               truth that he did not know? Can man receive the
Then if I am pure enough, I will have glory just like
                                                               same fulness if he does not obey God’s
that of God and will be able to go where he is and
                                                               commandments? If a man does obey, how much of
feel comfortable in his presence?
                                                               truth shall he receive and how much shall he know?
Brigham Young
                                                               Inquirer
“When you are prepared to see our Father, you will
                                                               Will it be possible for those who become like the
see a being with whom you have long been
                                                               Father to know everything that the Father knows?
acquainted, and he will receive you into His arms,
and you will be ready to fall into His embrace and             Joseph Fielding Smith
kiss Him, as you would your fathers and friends that           “Those who receive exaltation in the celestial
have been dead for a score of years, you will be so            kingdom are promised the fulness thereof. ‘All things
glad and joyful. Would you not rejoice? When you               are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or
are qualified and purified, . . . you can endure the           things to come.’ [D&C 76:59.] Our Father in heaven
glory of eternity, so that you can see your                    is infinite; he is perfect; he possesses all knowledge
Father. . . .” (JD, 4:54–55.)                                  and wisdom. However, he is not jealous of his
Inquirer                                                       wisdom and perfection, but glories in the fact that it
                                                               is possible for his children who obey him in all things
How could I become like Him completely, since He
                                                               and endure to the end to become like him.
would have been a God for so much longer than I?
Wouldn’t He be different . . .                                 “Man has within him the power, which the Father
                                                               has bestowed upon him, so to develop in truth, faith,
                                                               wisdom, and all the virtues, that eventually he shall
MAN MAY BECOME A JOINT-HEIR IN                                 become like the Father and the Son; this virtue,
ETERNITY TO ALL THAT THE FATHER HAS                            wisdom, and knowledge on the part of the faithful
                                                               does not rob the Father and the Son, but adds to their
(40-8) An Heir Is One Who Inherits
                                                               glory and dominion. Thus it is destined that those
An heir is one who is entitled to inherit from a               who are worthy to become his sons and joint-heirs
progenitor or others, property, titles, or other benefits.     with our Redeemer, would be heirs of the Father’s
But heirs in an eternal sense involve more than                kingdom, possessing the same attributes in their
inheritance, and must be designated on the basis of            perfection, as the Father and the Son now
righteousness and obedience to divine law. All                 possess.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:35.)
mankind are God’s sons and daughters in the spirit,
                                                               Inquirer
but only those who qualify themselves by baptism,
priesthood, and faithfulness may become his heirs in           Do they receive from the Father such that they share
the ultimate sense and inherit the fulness of that which       his dominion as well?
he may bestow. (Compare Moses 6:64–68; D&C
                                                               Read D&C 84:38.
84:31–34.)
In the worldly sense, the giver must die before the heir
                                                               (40-9) Through Christ We Can Receive All That the
may inherit that which the giver has designated for
                                                               Father Has
him. In an eternal sense the Giver continues to live.
                                                               “Now, how are they to receive all that the Father hath,
In the worldly sense, the giver is left with nothing
                                                               if something is withheld? And if something is not
after his gift has been delivered to his heir. But in the
                                                               withheld, how can they receive all that he hath and not
eternal sense, both the Giver and the heir continue to
                                                               become as he is, that is, be gods themselves? . . .
live and possess jointly and mutually all things. God

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“How can the saints receive of his fulness and be           Father’s glory, even until they become like the Father.
equal with the Lord and not be as he is, that is, gods?     And how can they be perfect as their Father in heaven
                                                            is perfect if they are not like him? . . .
“The Father has promised through the Son that all that
he has shall be given to those who are obedient to his      “Now, if they overcome all things, then there are not
commandments. They shall increase in knowledge,             some things which they do not overcome. If these are
wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until         to receive ‘of his fulness and of his glory,’ and if into
the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them.       their ‘hands the Father has given all things,’ then the
They shall, through the glory and blessing of the           Father has not withheld some of the fulness of his
Almighty, become creators. All power, and dominion,         glory, or some things. And if they receive his fulness
and might shall be given to them, and they shall be the     and his glory, and if ‘all things are theirs, whether life
only ones upon whom this great blessing shall be            or death, or things present, or things to come, all are
bestowed. . . .                                             theirs,’ how can they receive these blessings and not
                                                            become gods? They cannot.’ (Smith, Doctrines of
“If the faithful, who keep the commandments of the
                                                            Salvation, 2:35–36, 39.)
Father, are his sons, then they are heirs of the
kingdom and shall receive of the fulness of the




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                  41
    ELECTED BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS
                       FOUNDATIONS
             OF THE WORLD




 A Letter of Paul to the Church at Rome Written from       True Saints Fellowship Each Other        15:1–7
 Corinth (?) During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey,
         ca. Winter, A.D. 57–58 (Romans 9–16)              Gospel Gifts Poured Out upon Gentiles    15:8–33
                                               Romans      Paul Salutes the Saints                  16:1–27
How the Law of Election Operates             9:1–33

How Faith and Salvation Come                 10:1–18        THEME
                                                            Those who are foreordained to special callings in this
Israel Is Chosen According to the Election   10:19–21;
of Grace                                     11:1–10        life must remain true and faithful.

Gentile Converts Are Adopted into Israel     11:11–24      INTRODUCTION

The Fulness of the Gentiles to Precede the   11:25–36      There is a divine tapestry in life, with threads that
Conversion of the Jews                                     merge from distant ends to form the intricate patterns
                                                           that give us hope and calm. Long ago, in that far
Be A Living Sacrifice Through Obedience      12:1–3        better land with our Father, friendships were made,
to God
                                                           were built through aeons and ages of that infinite
Talents Are Given Saints for Service         12:4–8        existence; and in those friendships were forged bonds
                                                           of love and trust and mutual help that, since they
Resist Evil with Charity                     12:9–21
                                                           were brought forth and cultivated in an eternal
Submission to Church Authorities             13:1–7        setting, shall ever be eternal, unchanging,
                                                           everlasting. And you are part of that. You were there
“Love Is the Fulfilling of the Law”          13:8–10       “when the morning stars sang together, and all the
                                                           sons of God shouted for joy.” (Job 38:7.)
Righteousness Leads to Salvation             13:11–14
                                                           “In the ‘Bluebird’ Maeterlinck pictures unborn
What are Matters of True Religion?           14:1–23       children summoned to earth life. As one group
                                                           approaches the earth, the voices of the children
                                                           earthward tending are heard in the distance to cry:


                                                         331
‘The earth! the earth! I can see it; how beautiful it       INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
is! . . .’ Then following these cries of ecstasy, there
issued from out of the depth of the abyss a sweet song      (41-1) Romans 9:11. How Does the Law of Election
of gentleness and expectancy, in reference to which         Operate?
the author says: ‘It is the song of the mothers coming
out to meet them.’                                          “Paul here tells how the election of grace fits in to the
                                                            gospel scheme. His Roman readers knew what he was
“Maeterlinck’s fairy play is not all fantasy or             talking about because they already understood the
imagination, neither is Wordsworth’s ‘Ode on                doctrine of election. Since the sectarian world has
Intimations of Immortality’ wherein he says:                little or no comprehension of pre-existence and eternal
    Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting,              progression, upon which doctrines the principles of
    The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,           election are based, it is no wonder that these and other
    Hath had elsewhere its setting                          teachings of Paul are so completely misconstrued by
    And cometh from afar;                                   them.
    Not in entire forgetfulness,                            “This doctrine of the election of grace is as follows:
    And not in utter nakedness                              ‘As part of the new song the saints will sing when they
    But trailing clouds of glory do we come                 “see eye to eye” and the millennial era has been
    From God, who is our home.                              ushered in will be these words, “The Lord hath
    (David O. McKay, as cited by Harold B. Lee,             redeemed his people, Israel, According to the election
Address to BYU Sixth Stake, 27 Apr. 1969, p. 20.)           of grace, Which was brought to pass by the faith And
                                                            covenant of their fathers.” (D. & C. 84:98–102; Rom.
                                                            11:1–5.) This election of grace is a very fundamental,
And so you see, all have come, and each with a
                                                            logical, and important part of God’s dealings with men
program of divine appointments keyed into his
                                                            through the ages. To bring to pass the salvation of the
immortal soul, appointments that act and react
                                                            greatest possible number of his spirit children the
throughout the sojourn of his tenure in this world,
                                                            Lord, in general, sends the most righteous and worthy
that whisper of friendships long since forged and of
                                                            saints to earth through the lineage of Abraham and
associations and relationships and communion that
                                                            Jacob. This course is a manifestation of his grace or in
death itself will never defeat. That is what
                                                            other words his love, mercy, and condescension
membership in the family of Israel is—an eternal
                                                            toward his children.
privilege that commenced in the premortal realms,
that continues even now, and that shall continue, if        “‘This election to a chosen lineage is based on
you are faithful, forever and without end.                  pre-existent worthiness and is made “according to
                                                            the foreknowledge of God.” (1 Pet. 1:2.) Those so
In his epistle to the Romans, Paul continued to
                                                            grouped together during their mortal probation have
remind the saints of these great and profound truths,
                                                            more abundant opportunities to make and keep the
which members of the Church even now should not
                                                            covenants of salvation, a right which they earned by
soon forget.
                                                            pre-existent devotion to the cause of righteousness. As
Study these passages, for the messages they contain         part of this election, Abraham and others of the noble
apply to you as well as to those Roman saints to            and great spirits were chosen before they were born
whom they were addressed. As you ponder the                 for the particular missions assigned them in this
significance of their themes, you may experience            life.’ (Abra. 3:22–24; Rom. 9.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
something of which Elder John Taylor wrote:                 2:273–74.)
“When truth shall touch the cords of your heart they        (41-2) Romans 9:13. Did the Lord Hate Esau?
will vibrate; then intelligence shall illuminate your
mind, and shed [its] lustre in your soul, and you shall     While it is likely that the names Esau and Jacob stood
begin to understand the things you once knew, but           for the nations that had sprung from these two
which had gone from you; you shall then begin to            brothers, namely, Edom and Israel, it still seems
understand and know the object of your creation.”           strange that God should choose one to hate and one to
(The Mormon [New York City], 29 Aug. 1857.)                 love. But while the Greek word used here does mean
                                                            “hate” in the same sense that we use it, Paul is quoting
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       a phrase from Malachi 1:3. In Hebrew the verb
in the reading block.                                       translated to hate carried many shades of meaning,
                                                            including “rejection,” “strong displeasure,” or, very


                                                          332
commonly, “loving less than.” The important point in         The heart (in Greek kardia) was seen as the seat of
Paul’s discussion is that this acceptance of Jacob and       man’s inner self. “Believing with the heart” implies
rejection of Esau was on the basis of personal               much more than intellectual assent. It implies
righteousness, not on some arbitrary judgment.               commitment, behavioral evidence of that commitment,
                                                             and an inner change. Obviously, if one truly believes
“God chose Jacob over Esau while the two were yet in
                                                             things, he will live accordingly. Confession with the
Rebecca’s womb and before either, as far as the works
                                                             mouth is not sufficient.
of this life are concerned, had earned any preferential
status. Why? It is a pure matter of pre-existence. Jacob     (41-4) Romans 10:14, 15. Acceptance of Christ
was coming into the world with greater spiritual             Requires Acceptance of His Prophets
capacity than Esau; he was foreordained to a special
work; he was elected to serve in a chosen capacity.          “Now it is not possible, in my judgment, for people in
                                                             the world to accept Christ and come to salvation,
“Then through the lineage of Jacob, God sent those           unless at one and the same time they accept the
valiant spirits, those noble and great ones, who in his      prophets whom Christ has sent and receive the
infinite wisdom and foreknowledge he knew would be           administration of holy ordinances under their hands.
inclined to serve him. Through Esau came those spirits
of lesser valiance and devotion. Hence, in the very          “Christ and his prophets are one. We could not believe
nature of things, many of Jacob’s seed were righteous        in Christ if there were not prophets to declare Christ
in this life, and many of Esau’s were wicked, causing        and his saving truths unto us. The Apostle Paul
Malachi to say in the Lord’s name, some fifteen              reasoned on this subject, and he said: ‘. . . how shall
hundred years later, that God loved the house of             they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and
Jacob and hated the house of Esau. (Mal. 1:2–3.)”            how shall they hear without a preacher?
(McConkie, DNTC, 2:277.)                                     “‘And how shall they preach, except they be
                                                             sent?’ (Romans 10:14–15.)
(41-3) Romans 10:9, 10. Can One Achieve
Salvation Simply by Confessing with the Mouth?               “Except for Christ, there would be no salvation.
                                                             Except for the prophets of God, sent in the various
These two verses of scripture have been quoted very
                                                             ages of the earth’s history, the testimony of Christ
often by those who believe that salvation comes by
                                                             would not be borne, the message of salvation would
grace alone and is not dependent in any way upon
                                                             not be taught, and there would be no legal
man’s good works. Some groups even go so far as to
                                                             administrators who could perform the ordinances of
say that if a man should confess Jesus before he is
                                                             salvation for men, that is, perform them so they will be
killed in an accident he will be saved in the kingdom
                                                             binding on earth and sealed eternally in the heavens.
of God, even if he had lived a wicked life prior to that
time. Not only does this idea go contrary to the vast        “So it is that the Lord has sent prophets. No one would
weight of Paul’s own teachings (some within the              suppose that he could believe in Christ and reject
Roman epistle itself—for example, 2:5–13; 6:13, 16;          Peter, James, and John. The Lord and his prophets go
all of chapters 12–14), but it is also a gross               hand in hand. Christ said, ‘I am the true vine, and my
misinterpretation of what Paul is really saying.             Father is the husbandman’; then he said to his
                                                             Apostles, ‘Ye are the branches.’ (John 15:1, 5.) The
The passage in question comes in the section where
                                                             branches and the vine are connected. He taught also
Paul is talking about Israel’s rejection of the gospel.
                                                             that if the branches were torn away from him, they
He begins by pointing out that while the Jews are
                                                             would wither and die and be cast into the fire. If
zealous for God (that is, eagerly trying to be obedient
                                                             people in the world would pick the fruit of eternal life
to his commandments), they have missed a vital point
                                                             off the branches, they have to accept the prophets, for
of the gospel by trying to rely on their own
                                                             the branches are the prophets.” (Bruce R. McConkie in
righteousness alone. Paul then quotes rather freely
                                                             CR, Oct. 1951, p. 147.)
from the Old Testament to show that no man could
accomplish what Christ did in coming down from               (41-5) Romans 10:17. How Does Faith Come?
heaven and in coming out of the great pit of death, no
matter how hard they tried. What men must do in              “Faith comes by hearing the word of God, through the
order to qualify for Christ’s blessings is to confess        testimony of the servants of God; that testimony is
their Lord openly before the world. This they can do         always attended by the Spirit of prophecy and
only with a heart that “believeth unto righteousness”        revelation.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 148.)
(vs. 10).


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(41-6) Romans 11:2. What Is the Meaning of the                 another so as to change the nature of the tree was a
Word Wot?                                                      common practice, it was always done in the reverse
                                                               order that Paul mentions; that is, a good branch from a
Wot is the present tense of the now obsolete English
                                                               tame olive tree could be grafted into a wild olive and
word wit, which means to know. Wist is its past tense.
                                                               make the wild olive tame. But if the process is
Paul is asking, “Know you not?”
                                                               reversed, so are the results. The tree is pulled in the
(41-7) Romans 11:13. “I Magnify Mine Office”                   direction of the grafted branches, not vice versa, as in
                                                               Paul’s little allegory. Therefore, these scholars
“Sometimes we hear brethren refer to ‘magnifying the           conclude that Paul was ignorant of olive culture and
priesthood.’ While many of us are guilty of making             made a rather obvious error in his symbol.
this erroneous statement, it isn’t the priesthood we
magnify; it is one’s office and calling in the                 But it is difficult to believe that a man as educated and
priesthood. It cannot be enlarged upon because there is        well traveled as Paul would not know the basic facts
no authority or power greater in the universe.                 of olive grafting, which were fairly commonly known
                                                               in his time. The better explanation is that in the very
“To magnify is to intensify, to increase in significance,      paradox of the symbol he teaches profound and
to enlarge upon, and to cause to be held in greater            important doctrines. For one thing, the conversion of
esteem or respect.                                             the gentiles (changing wild olives into tame) was
“President Joseph F. Smith said, ‘There is no office           contrary to the expectations of Israel and thus was not
growing out of this Priesthood that is or can be greater       what one would expect to happen naturally. Secondly,
than the Priesthood itself. It is from the priesthood that     Paul’s symbol makes it clear that the source of
the office derives its authority and power. No office          nourishment is still the covenant that God made with
adds to the power of the Priesthood. But all offices in        Abraham (the roots of the tree). The power flows from
the church derive their power, their virtue, their             the Abrahamic covenant and not from the gentiles. To
authority, from the Priesthood.’ (Joseph F. Smith,             reverse that symbolism would be contrary to the truth.
Gospel Doctrine [Salt Lake City: Desert Book Co.,              The gentiles were not the root of the tree; they are
1939], p. 148.)                                                only branches. The third point in Paul’s defense is that
                                                               he himself clearly indicates that he knew what he was
“The apostle Paul stated, ‘Inasmuch as I am the                saying was contrary to nature. The implication,
apostle of the gentiles, I magnify mine office.’               therefore, is that he chose the paradoxical symbolism
(Romans 11:13.) And Jacob teaching the people of               purposefully in order to teach the gentiles their true
Nephi states, ‘I, Jacob, according to the responsibility       relationship to the covenant people. Paul may have
which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with           been relying upon the writings of an ancient prophet,
soberness, . . .                                               Zenos, who spoke in a similar vein. (See Jacob 5, 6 in
“‘Ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been                 the Book of Mormon.)
diligent in the office of my calling; but I this day am
weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for             (41-9) Romans 11:25. What Is Meant by the
the welfare of your souls than I have hitherto                 Fulness of the Gentiles?
been.’ (Jacob 2:2, 3.)                                         “For the nearly two thousand years between Abraham
“There can be no office or calling that is higher than         and Christ, the statutes and judgments of God were
the priesthood. President John Taylor noted, ‘Honor            reserved almost exclusively for the seed of Abraham
proceeds from works, not from office, . . . but by a           and for the house of Israel. During the mortal ministry
person magnifying his office and calling.’ (John               of our Lord, the message was limited to Israel, to the
Taylor, Gospel Kingdom, comp. G. Homer Durham                  Jews, and it was not then offered to the Gentiles. After
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1944], p. 133.)”            Jesus’ resurrection, Peter opened the door to the
(Delbert L. Stapley in CR, Aug. 1972, p. 64.)                  preaching of the gospel of the Gentiles, and Paul
                                                               became their chief apostolic advocate and teacher.
(41-8) Romans 11:17–24. The Grafting In of the                 Thus there was a period or time for the Gentiles to
Wild Olive Branches                                            take precedence. The times of the Gentiles is the
                                                               period during which the gospel goes to them on a
Some Bible scholars have been quick to point out that          preferential basis, and this will continue until they
Paul made an evident blunder here when he drew upon            have had a full opportunity to accept the truth, or in
a symbol from the olive culture to make his point.             other words until the fulness of the Gentiles. Then the
While the grafting of branches from one olive tree to


                                                             334
message will go again to the Jews, meaning to the                (41-12) Romans 14:23. “Whatsoever Is Not of Faith
Jews as a nation and as a people.” (McConkie, DNTC,              Is Sin”
2:290. See also D&C 45:19, 25, 28–30.)
                                                                 “This law applies to the saints, to those who have the
(41-10) Romans 12:1. What Does It Mean to Be a                   light, who know that salvation is in Christ, to those
Living Sacrifice?                                                who are under covenant to keep the commandments. It
                                                                 is not applicable to the world in general, for sin is not
“Paul is here alluding to the fact that the old sacrifices,      imputed where there is no law. Thus the saints are
those unto death, are abolished, that they have been             guilty of sin when they fall short of those high
replaced with a new order, sacrifices unto life. As with         standards they are obligated to attain.” (McConkie,
almost all doctrines, this is taught in the Book of              DNTC, 2:302.)
Mormon with greater plainness and perfection than in
the Bible. To the Nephites, after his resurrection, the          (41-13) Romans 15:24, 28. Did Paul Ever Get to
Lord Jesus said: ‘Ye shall offer up unto me no more              Spain?
the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your
                                                                 The record of Acts ends with Paul’s first
burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept
                                                                 imprisonment, and the official account of Paul’s
none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings. And
                                                                 known life is closed. From that point on, the scholars
ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart
                                                                 are uncertain, but there is strong evidence that Paul
and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with
                                                                 was eventually acquitted and freed, during which time
a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize
                                                                 he would naturally have continued his missionary
with fire and with the Holy Ghost.’ (3 Ne. 9:19–20.)
                                                                 labors. Since he had expressed intent to go to Spain,
Thus to present one’s body as a living sacrifice is to
                                                                 many have assumed he succeeded in doing so before
come forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit
                                                                 he was arrested again and put to death under a wave
through obedience.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:292.)
                                                                 of Christian persecution. Clement of Rome (about
(41-11) Romans 13:1–7. Who Are the “Powers                       A.D. 100) states that Paul had “gone to the extremity of
That Be”?                                                        the West,” which would seem to imply Spain. Others
                                                                 of the early Christian fathers also reported that he
Joseph Smith added some significant phrases to these             labored in Spain. Thus, Paul’s intentions to go to
verses that make it clear that Paul was not speaking of          Spain may have been eventually realized.
governmental authorities, as is commonly supposed,
but of those who are the ruling authorities in the
church. Compare your King James Version with the
                                                                 POINTS TO PONDER
following rendition by the Prophet Joseph Smith:
                                                                 YOU ARE FAVORED BECAUSE OF YOUR
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For           CONDUCT IN PREMORTAL LIFE
there is no power in the church but of God; the powers
that be are ordained of God.
                                                                You belong to the family of Israel. By inheritance or
“But first, render to all their dues, according to              adoption you may lay claim to every blessing
custom, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom                 reserved for Israel. Not all the reasons for your
custom, that your consecrations may be done in fear of          blessings are because of your conduct in this world;
him to whom fear belongs, and in honor of him to                some go back into the beginning with God. Review
whom honor belongs.” (Romans 13:1, 7, Inspired                  the following scriptures and carefully study the
Version.)                                                       dialogue between David and John.
“To gain salvation the saints must be subject to God’s          Romans 9:11, 12
ministers. The doctrines and ordinances of the gospel
                                                                Did God bestow the same favors on Jacob and Esau?
cannot be separated from those appointed to teach
                                                                Was mortal performance the basis for God’s favoring
Christ’s gospel and perform his ordinances. Those
                                                                Jacob over Esau—had there been opportunity for
who accept the gospel do so by submitting to the will
                                                                either child to do either good or evil at the time of the
and dictation of Christ. They come to the legal
                                                                indication of favor?
administrators who teach the doctrines of Christ and
who perform the ordinances of salvation in his name
and by his authority.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:296.)




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Romans 9:14                                                    infinite period of time. We were on probation; we
                                                               were being schooled and tested and examined; we
Does the fact that God favored Jacob over Esau even
                                                               were given the laws and the circumstances so that we
at the time of birth mean that God arbitrarily selects
                                                               could progress and advance. . . .
those upon whom his favors will be bestowed without
reference to their worthiness or obedience?                    “This system was given to us, and for an infinite
                                                               period of time, we advanced and progressed and did
Romans 9:18–20
                                                               things that enabled us to go along the course leading
When we look at God’s dealings with men from a                 to exaltation and dominion and godhood. . . .
purely mortal perspective, it is difficult to see why he
                                                               “In this prior life, this premortal existence, this
gives to one blessings that he may withhold from
                                                               pre-existence, we developed various capacities and
another. The questions in verse 19 are the questions
                                                               talents. Some developed them in one field and some
asked by those who have no understanding of a
                                                               in another. The most important of all fields was the
premortal life. Is it appropriate to challenge God, or
                                                               field of spirituality, the ability, the talent, the
to suggest that he is not fair in placing us in the
                                                               capacity to recognize truth.” (Bruce R. McConkie, as
stations we occupy in this world? If two souls are
                                                               cited in When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy
born into this world in seemingly unequal
                                                               Brethren, A Study Guide for the Melchizedek
circumstances, and God is just, what had to occur to
                                                               Priesthood Quorums of the Church, 1974–75,
justify God’s placing them in unequal circumstances?
                                                               pp. 8–9.)
David
                                                               “Our spirit bodies went through a long period of
If some of the circumstances in which I find myself            growth and development and training and, having
are based upon my conduct before, where did I                  passed the test successfully, were finally admitted to
begin? When did I start?                                       this earth and to mortality.” (Kimball, Miracle of
                                                               Forgiveness, p. 5.)
John
Well, first of all, there is an eternity of spirit matter.     “Preexistence is not some remote and mysterious
“Our spirit matter was eternal and co-existent with            place. All of us are but a few years removed from the
God, but it was organized into spirit bodies by our            Eternal Presence, from him whose children we are
Heavenly Father.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness,            and in whose house we dwelt. . . .
p. 5.) “All men were first born in pre-existence as the        “. . . We know we had friends and associates there.
literal spirit offspring of God our Heavenly Father.           We know we were schooled and trained and taught in
This birth constituted the beginning of the human ego          the most perfect educational system ever devised, and
as a conscious identity. By the ordained procreative           that by obedience to his eternal laws we developed
process our exalted and immortal Father begat his              infinite varieties and degrees of talents. . . .
spirit progeny in pre-existence.” (McConkie,
                                                               “. . . When we come into mortality, we bring the
Mormon Doctrine, p. 84.) “All men and women are
                                                               talents, capacities, and abilities acquired by
in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother,
                                                               obedience to law in our prior existence.” (Bruce R.
and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity.”
                                                               McConkie in CR, Apr. 1974, pp. 101–3.)
(The First Presidency [Joseph Smith, John R.
Winder, and Anthon H. Lund], “The Origin of Man,”              David
Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, p. 78.)
                                                               I am to understand, then, that I was born as the spirit
David                                                          son of God in heaven, that I lived there with my
                                                               Father and mother in heaven and with my spirit
If I was born in the premortal world, what
                                                               brothers and sisters, and that I had opportunities to
experiences did I go through there that provided God
                                                               learn, to be tested, and to develop talents and
with a basis to favor or restrict me in this world?
                                                               abilities?
John
                                                               John
We lived there in the home of our Father in heaven.
                                                               That is right. Some accounts that we have of the
“He is a resurrected and holy and perfected man,               premortal life teach that we “were on the same
and we are his offspring. We are his spirit children.          standing” (Alma 13:5), and that we were “innocent”
He lives in the family unit. We are members of his             in the beginning (D&C 93:38). We were given laws
family. We lived in this premortal life with him for an        and agency, and commandments to have faith and


                                                             336
repent from the wrongs that we could do there. “. . .        John
Man could and did in many instances, sin before he
                                                             Yes. They were innocent at the time of their mortal
was born. . . .” (Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 44.)
                                                             birth. (See D&C 93:38.) Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
“God gave his children their agency even in the              said this:
spirit world, by which the individual spirits had the
                                                             “Their sin was not one that merited the extreme
privilege, just as men have here, of choosing the
                                                             punishment which was inflicted on the devil and his
good and rejecting the evil, or partaking of the evil to
                                                             angels. They were not denied the privilege of
suffer the consequences of their sins. . . . some even
                                                             receiving the second estate, but were permitted to
there were more faithful than others in keeping the
                                                             come to the earth-life with some restrictions placed
commandments of the Lord. . . .
                                                             upon them. . . . Yet, like all other spirits who come
“The spirits of men . . . had an equal start, and we         into this world, they come innocent before God so far
know they were all innocent in the beginning; but the        as mortal existence is concerned, and here, under
right of free agency which was given to them enabled         certain restrictions, they may work out their second
some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of       estate.” (Way to Perfection, pp. 43, 44. Emphasis
immortal existence, to become more intelligent, more         added.)
faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to
                                                             Hence, some in this world receive great privileges
think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel
                                                             and opportunities to receive the gospel because they
against it.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:58–59.)
                                                             chose to do good in preexistence. Others are limited
Many responded to the spirit of God there. They were         here because they were not as “noble and great”
favored and foreordained to receive privileges.              there. (See Abraham 3:22.)
“. . . And it was on account of their exceeding faith        David
and repentance, and their righteousness before God,
                                                             And how does the concept of Israel enter into this?
they choosing to repent and work righteousness
rather than to perish; therefore they were called after      John
this holy order, and were sanctified, and their              The family of Jacob is somehow involved in
garments were washed white through the blood of the          preexistence.
Lamb.” (Alma 13:10, 11; compare McConkie,
Mormon Doctrine, p. 477.)                                    “Israel is an eternal people. Members of that chosen
                                                             race first gained their inheritance with the faithful in
“Now this is the doctrine of foreordination; this is         the premortal life. Israel was a distinct people in
the doctrine of election. This is the reason why the         pre-existence. Many of the valiant and noble spirits
Lord has a chosen and favored and peculiar people            in that first estate were chosen, elected, and
on earth; and this is why he said: ‘My sheep hear            foreordained to be born into the family of Jacob, so
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.’”             as to be natural heirs of all of the blessings of the
(Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Apr. 1974, p. 103.)                gospel. It was to their pre-existent status that Moses
David                                                        alluded when, in speaking to mortal Israel, he said:
                                                             ‘Remember the days of old, consider the years of
But what of those in premortality who rejected the
                                                             many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew
Spirit of God and did not exercise exceeding great
                                                             thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the
faith and repentance and righteousness before God?
                                                             most High divided to the nations their inheritance,
(See Alma 13:4, 10.)
                                                             when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the
John                                                         bounds of the people according to the number of the
                                                             children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his
They were not able to enjoy the great privileges that
                                                             people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.’ (Deut.
others were foreordained to receive. (See Alma
                                                             32:7–9.) Those of mortal Israel who walk uprightly
13:4.) They “did not show the loyalty to their
                                                             in this second estate shall have eternal inheritance
Redeemer that they should.” (Smith, Way to
                                                             with Israel in the world to come.” (McConkie,
Perfection, p. 43.)
                                                             DNTC, 2:284.)
David
                                                             David
But weren’t they allowed to come into the world
                                                             So the fact that I am here now and receiving the
innocent, too?
                                                             blessings and opportunities that I now receive means


                                                           337
that I have already passed the test, under different        blessings of the gospel. But some of them, after such
circumstances and conditions?                               a favored birth, after being numbered with the
                                                            chosen seed, turn from the course of righteousness
John
                                                            and become children of the flesh; that is, they walk
Yes. And if you succeed here in this second estate,         after the manner of the world, rejecting the spiritual
you shall not only be entitled to advantages in the         blessings held in store for Israel. They are
world to come (D&C 130:19), but you “shall have             disinherited; they shall not continue as children in
glory added upon [your head] for ever and                   the family of the prophets when the chosen race
ever.” (Abraham 3:26.)                                      continues as a distinct people in the eternal worlds.
                                                            Thus they are descendants of the prophets in this life
YOU MUST BE FAITHFUL HERE TO RETAIN                         but shall not inherit with the sons of God in the life to
YOUR BIRTHRIGHT AND MERIT THE                               come.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:276–77.)
BLESSINGS YOU WERE ELECTED TO
RECEIVE                                                     “. . . there are many among us who because of their
                                                            faithfulness in the spirit world were ‘called’ to do a
Does birthright by itself secure your eternal destiny?      great work here, but like reckless spendthrifts they
                                                            are exercising their free agency in riotous living and
Will Israel be saved just because they are of Israel?       are losing their birthright and the blessings that were
Read Romans 10:11–13.                                       theirs had they proved faithful to their calling.” (Lee,
                                                            Youth and the Church, p. 172.)
Of course, the gentiles in Paul’s day had not had the
same opportunities to receive the gospel as had             Now what of you? For all that has been said of Israel
members of the house of Israel. But did members of          applies to you. You were vitally interested and
the house of Israel receive the rewards of the gospel       personally involved there.
just because they had the advantage of hearing about        What shall you do, and what shall you be, here? You
the gospel before the gentiles?                             came from God, and you have been given great
“The house of Israel was a distinct people in               privileges and blessings here because of your
pre-existence; that is, by obedience and devotion,          faithfulness. But you will go back one day, and you
certain of the spirit children of the Father earned the     will answer for all these blessings, for as Paul wrote,
right to be born in the lineage of Abraham, of Isaac,       “Every one of us shall give account of himself to
and of Jacob, and of being natural heirs to the             God.” (Romans 14:12.)




                                                          338
                    SECTION 9
           PAUL’S WITNESS FROM PRISON
LESSONS                                                       There, Paul lived in a house of his own hiring and
                                                              enjoyed some liberty. Paul taught all who visited him
42. “As Thou Hast Testified of Me in Jerusalem, so
                                                              during this period and wrote several of his letters to
    Must Thou Bear Witness Also at Rome” (Acts
                                                              the saints abroad.
    21–28; Colossians).
                                                              From tradition and from inferences drawn from some
43. “Ye Are . . . Fellow Citizens with the Saints”
                                                              of his letters, we conclude that Paul was released after
    (Ephesians; Philemon)
                                                              two years’ imprisonment. It seems probable that Paul
44. “Be Thou an Example of the Believers”                     immediately began to engage himself in missionary
    (Philippians; 1 Timothy)                                  service. Possibly he journeyed as far west as Spain;
                                                              perhaps his travels took him to Macedonia. It is also
BIOGRAPHY                                                     surmised that he may have traveled to Ephesus and
Paul’s Imprisonment                                           then to other branches of the church in southern Asia.

At Caesarea Paul had a hearing before Felix, the              At some point in the apostle’s travels, probably in
                                                              A.D. 67 or 68, Paul was arrested and taken to Rome
Roman governor. At this time Paul was accused of
treason, heresy, and sacrilege. The hearing did not           again. This second imprisonment was different from
bring about Paul’s release. For two years, the apostle        the first in that Paul’s freedom was almost totally
remained at Caesarea awaiting a final hearing. When           restricted. Paul was placed in chains and forbidden to
Felix was recalled to Rome, Paul was left behind in           preach openly. It appears that his friends found it
prison. About A.D. 60, Felix was succeeded in the             dangerous to visit the apostle. When the time of Paul’s
governor’s chair by Porcius Festus. Festus, willing to        hearing arrived, no one stood in his defense but
do the Jews a favor, desired that Paul stand trial in         himself. When his case was held over for a second
Jerusalem. This Paul refused to do, knowing that the          hearing, the apostle sensed that his mortal ministry
Jews did not intend to give him a fair trial. Instead, he     was drawing to a close. Death appeared imminent.
appealed to Caesar, which was his right as a Roman            Paul had fought the good fight. He had finished his
citizen. The appeal was granted (Acts 24:1–26:32).            course. He had kept the faith. He had earned that
                                                              crown of righteousness which is reserved by the Lord
During his journey to Rome, Paul suffered many                for all those who keep the faith and endure to the end
hardships. After a three-month stay on the island of          (2 Timothy 4:7, 8).
Malta, the result of a shipwreck at sea, Paul and his
companions traveled on and eventually reached Rome.




                                                            339
340
                     42
       “AS THOU HAS TESTIFIED
                    TESTIFIED OF ME IN
       JERUSALEM, SO MUST THOU
                           THOU BEAR
           WITNESS ALSO AT ROME”
                            ROME”




               The Acts of the Apostles                   Paul’s Letter to the Saints at Colossae—
    Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment, ca. A.D. 58–60          Written from His Imprisonment in
                                                            Rome, ca. A.D. 61–63 (Acts 25–28;
                                               Acts
                                                                         Colossians)
Jerusalem                              21:18–26                                                          Acts
  The Gradual Process of Conversion
                                                              Paul Appeals to Caesar                 25:1–22
 Paul Persecuted, Arrested, Bound      21:27–39
                                                              Paul Testifies Before King Agrippa     25:23–27;
 The Story of Paul’s Conversion        21:40; 22:1–16
                                                                                                     26:1–32
 Paul’s Vision of Jesus                22:17–21               Departure for Rome                     27:1–8
 The Protection of Roman Citizenship   22:22–29           Crete                                      27:9–44
                                                           Shipwreck at Fair Havens
 Appearance before the Sanhedrin       22:30; 23:1–10
                                                          Melita (Malta)                             28:1–10
 The Lord Again Appears to Paul        23:11               Paul Heals the Sick

 The Jewish Conspiracy Against Paul    23:12–22               From Malta to Rome                     28:11–15

Caesarea                               23:23–35           Rome                                       28:16–31
 Paul Transferred to Caesarea                              Paul Preaches in Rome

 The Case Before Felix                 24:1–27




                                                        341
                                          Colossians         can courageously remain true to our principles and
                                                             confidently share them with others.
 Gospel Brings Hope, Blessings, Salvation 1:1–12
                                                             Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
 Christ Created All Things                1:13–19            in the reading block.
 The Colossians Share in Salvation        1:20–29

 Paul Warns Against False Doctrines       2:1–23             INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
 Rules of Christian Behavior              3:1–17             (42-1) Acts 21:28, 29. What Charge Did the Jews
 Saints Should Be Wise in All Things      3:18–25;           Make Against Paul?
                                          4:1–18             Trophimus was an Ephesian, a gentile, one to whom
                                                             the inner courts of the temple were closed. The charge
THEME                                                        that Paul had thus violated the sacred precincts was a
The Lord will strengthen and inspire those who               serious one, even though untrue. It was a capital
courageously seek to declare his message in                  offense for which Paul could have been stoned. That
conditions of adversity.                                     he was not seriously hurt was due to the intervention
                                                             of the chief captain of the Roman soldiers stationed in
INTRODUCTION                                                 Jerusalem to maintain order.
There is a unifying thread that runs through the story       (42-2) Acts 21:38. “Art Not Thou That Egyptian?”
of Paul’s capture in Jerusalem which led to his
imprisonment in Rome. These last seven and a half            Josephus, the Roman-Jewish historian, tells us of an
chapters of Acts are a testimony of Paul’s courage           Egyptian Jew who raised a large following in the
and of his devotion to Christ, and his words and             wilderness and brought them to the Mount of Olives.
deeds serve as a witness to our Lord’s divinity.             (See Josephus, Flavius Josephus, Wars 2. 13. 5.) He
                                                             promised his followers that the walls of Jerusalem
Paul came to Jerusalem from the Greek city of                would crumble when they approached and they could
Corinth, possibly late in February, A.D. 58. He              drive out the Romans with ease. Felix, the Roman
wanted to be there by Pentecost (Acts 20:16). The            governor, met them with his army and totally defeated
plan was to sail to Syria (Acts 20:3); and some of his       them. However, the leader was not captured, and the
party did go by boat. But Paul had to travel by land         chief captain mistakenly thought Paul was this man.
to Philippi to thwart a plot against his life. The party
reunited at Troas near the western tip of what is now        (42-3) Acts 25:11. “I Appeal unto Caesar”
Turkey. Then they proceeded together, mostly by boat
                                                             Under Roman law, each citizen accused of crime had
through the Aegean Sea and the eastern
                                                             the right and privilege of being heard before the
Mediterranean, finally arriving in Jerusalem.
                                                             imperial seat. Authorities on Roman law assert that
Many friends tried in vain to persuade Paul to turn          local magistrates had a discretionary power where
aside from this his fifth visit to Jerusalem since his       appeal was concerned. They could decide if the case
conversion. But it meant a lot to him to meet again          warranted such a privilege where guilt was obvious
with the “brethren” and to bring alms from                   and the crime of such enormity that a delay would
Macedonia and Achaia for the poor at Jerusalem.              thwart true justice.
Then, too, he may have known that he had to face the
trials that awaited him, for they gave him the               (42-4) Acts 26:25. “I Am Not Mad, Most Noble
opportunity to testify before kings and rulers, for          Festus; but Speak Forth the Words of Truth and
which purpose the Lord had called him (Acts 9:15).           Soberness”
Like Paul, we are often confronted by persons who            As with Paul, so with Joseph Smith and others of the
seek to turn us from our spiritual commitments—              Lord’s prophets. Men who are spiritually out of tune
people with attitudes of indifference, criticism, and        with eternal truths simply cannot believe a humble
even condemnation; people who desire to win us over          testimony when they hear it. Joseph Smith described
to the goals and philosophies of men. However, using         his personal dilemma in these words: Read Joseph
the example of Paul in his days of imprisonment, we          Smith—History 1:24, 25.




                                                           342
Many people with testimonies of the gospel do not              myself shall come shortly.” (Philippians 2:24.) To
commit their lives to Christ because they have                 Philemon he wrote, “But withal prepare me also a
persuaded themselves that it would be too difficult            lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be
and costly to give up their friends, their habits, their       given unto you.” (Philemon 22.) As for the trial itself,
comfortable way of life. Yet Paul cared little for the         it would have to await the whim of Nero, most likely,
possessions, the fashions, the opinions of men. He             so that much of Paul’s time was taken up with waiting.
was willing to give up life itself for his testimony. Are
you “almost persuaded”? (See Acts 26:28.) What                 COLOSSIANS
have you learned thus far from the example of Paul
                                                               (42-7) The Letter to the Colossians—Jesus Is the
that has helped you to become totally committed to
                                                               Only Mediator Between God and Man
the Savior?
                                                               Paul wrote this letter to counteract the effect of Judaic
(42-5) Acts 27:9. What Is the Significance of Paul’s           and gentile thought, both of which demeaned the
Statement “The Fast Was Now Already Past”?                     preeminent status of Jesus Christ and his mission. Paul
                                                               affirms that Jesus is the Savior and the only mediator
Luke’s reference to the fact that sailing was dangerous        between man and the Father. Only in Jesus does all
because ‘the fast” was already past is a probable              fulness of the Father dwell. He alone is able to raise
reference to the Hebrew Day of Atonement. It marked            men to the status of godhood. Men ought, therefore, to
the period during which it was generally regarded as           focus their affections on the things of Jesus Christ.
unsafe to travel upon the waters until the weather
moderated. The Day of Atonement was the last of ten            (42-8) Place and Date of Writing
solemn days set aside for penitential reverence and
personal purification. It fell on the tenth day of Tishri,     Paul wrote this letter to the saints at Colossae and to
the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, and                  the members in the nearby cities of Laodicea and
corresponded to our latter part of September and early         Hierapolis (Colossians 4:12, 13, 16). The time of his
part of October. It also marked the yearly entrance of         writing was almost certainly during his first Roman
the high priest into the most sacred Holy of Holies to         captivity.
make a universal atonement for the sins of the people          (42-9) Background Information
and called for abstinence from all food and labor. The
Jews did much of their dating by means of their yearly         Colossae was a small, relatively unimportant city
festivals and holy days.                                       located in Phrygia on the famous trade route which
                                                               connected East with West. In the fifth century B.C., the
(42-6) Acts 28:16–31. What Do We Know                          city had achieved some degree of commercial
Concerning Paul’s Activities While He Was                      importance; however, by Paul’s day its influence had
Imprisoned in Rome?                                            significantly declined as Hierapolis and Laodicea, two
Luke gives us little information respecting Paul’s             neighboring cities, grew and thereby attracted much of
imprisonment in Rome. That Paul had been intending             the trade which Colossae formerly enjoyed.
for some time to go there is certain (Acts 19:21 and           Some scholars reason that Paul never visited Colossae
Romans 1:9–11), though perhaps not as a political              prior to his Roman imprisonment (Colossians 2:1).
prisoner. That Paul was not inactive during the period         Thus the question arises as to how a branch of the
of his confinement is more than a safe guess; it is a          church came to be established in that city. They
virtual certainty. Besides his native predisposition to        believe that Epaphras, who was native to Colossae,
hard work, Luke tells us that “Paul was suffered to            may have been converted by Paul while Paul preached
dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him” (Acts           at Ephesus during his third missionary journey.
28:16) and that he “received all that came in unto him”        Perhaps this same Epaphras was the missionary who
and taught them of Jesus Christ, “with all confidence,         spread the gospel message in Colossae and the
no man forbidding him.” (Acts 28:30, 31.)                      surrounding area (Colossians 1:7, 8; 4:12, 13). Others
It is generally recognized that Paul wrote at least four       feel Paul did visit Colossae on his third missionary
of his epistles during his first imprisonment, namely,         journey, either to establish the church in the area or
Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon.              else to lend his support to an already existing church
                                                               (Acts 18:23; 19:1; see Sperry, Paul’s Life and Letters,
That Paul entertained strong hopes of acquittal is             p. 234). In either case, it is apparent that Paul greatly
evident from some of his letters. To the saints at             desired to visit Colossae after his Roman
Philippi he wrote: “I trust in the Lord that I also            imprisonment (Philemon 22).


                                                             343
(42-10) Colossians 1:5, 6. What Does the Phrase “in            (42-14) Colossians 2:8. What Is the Danger of the
All the World” Mean?                                           Learning of the World?
The Inspired Version renders the phrase “in all the            “The Lord has sternly warned against the egotism and
world” as “in all generations.” Elder Bruce R.                 arrogance, the foolish pride and rebelliousness that
McConkie interprets it to mean “in all                         sometimes accompany learning. Acquiring and
dispensations.” (DNTC, 3:23.) The scripture appears            applying knowledge with intelligence—‘the light of
to mean that the gospel has been preached by holy              truth’—and with humility, is indispensable to our
prophets and teachers such as Adam, Enoch, Noah,               happiness and exaltation.
Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, the
                                                               “‘. . . O the vainness, and the frailties, and the
Prophet Joseph Smith, and Spencer W. Kimball in
                                                               foolishness of men! When they are learned they think
every dispensation of time during the history of this
                                                               they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel
world.
                                                               of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of
(42-11) Colossians 1:9. How May One Know the                   themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness
Will of God?                                                   and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
“All the saints of whom we have account, in all the            “‘But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the
revelations of God which are extant, obtained the              counsels of God.’ (2 Nephi 9:28, 29.)” (Hanks, Now
knowledge which they had of their acceptance in his            and Forever, p. 126.)
sight through the sacrifice which they offered unto
him; and through the knowledge thus obtained their            Most of your college instructors probably deserve
faith became sufficiently strong to lay hold upon the         your attention and respect for their knowledge and
promise of eternal life, and to endure as seeing him          preparation in their chosen fields. However, can they
who is invisible; and were enabled, through faith, to         be relied upon to be all-knowledgeable in matters of
combat the powers of darkness, contend against the            faith and morals? Do they have all the answers to the
wiles of the adversary, overcome the world, and obtain        questions posed by life? To whom may you turn for
the end of their faith, even the salvation of their           trustworthy advice? A well-balanced education
souls.” (Lectures on Faith, Lecture Sixth, vs. 11,            should always include a religion class or course of
p. 59.)                                                       individual study each quarter or semester. Danger
                                                              can occur if such studies are neglected. Elder
(42-12) Colossians 1:19. How Does “All Fulness”               Marion D. Hanks relates the story of a college
Dwell in the Son?                                             graduate who lost her testimony in part because of
                                                              her intellectual training at a university:
It has pleased the Father to vest in Jesus, the Son, a
fulness of all power both in heaven and in earth              “I wish it were appropriate to tell you all the details
(Matthew 28:18), to set him on high at the Father’s           of a conversation I once had with a young lady, a
hand, and to make him perfect even as the Father is           lovely person, who was professionally qualified in an
perfect (Ephesians 1:23: Colossians 2:9; 3 Nephi              important field. I would not want you to know those
12:48). The son “is also the express image and                details, so I simply share a headline. She was about
likeness of the personage of the Father, possessing all       to make a decision that would influence her and her
the fullness of the Father, or the same fullness with the     generations. She came into my office reluctantly, but
Father. . . . And he being the Only Begotten of the           she came because both she and I loved her parents.
Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome,         She was not really interested in anything I had to say
received a fullness of the glory of the Father,               and acknowledged it openly when I asked her. I said
possessing the same mind with the Father. . . .”              to her, ‘When did you last do any serious reading
(Lectures on Faith, Lecture Fifth, vs. 2, pp. 48–49.          about the Church?’
Italics added.)                                               “‘Oh,’ she said a bit blithely, ‘in the ninth grade. We
(42-13) Colossians 1:26–29. What Is “The Mystery              were reading the Book of Mormon. I quit, though.’
Which Hath Been Hid from . . . Generations”?                  “I said, ‘Did you also quit praying and going to
Paul refers to Christ as a mystery, and so he is to all       church?’
who try to understand him through the carnal mind.            “‘Yes,’ she said.
Christ is known only by the spiritual man.




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“‘And pretty soon you stopped living the life of the          to those who totally, consistently, and continueously
Church?’                                                      repent in a genuine and comprehensive transformation
                                                              of life. There is forgiveness for even the sinner who
“‘Yes.’
                                                              commits serious transgressions, for the Church will
“I said, ‘I really just have one other question to ask        forgive and the Lord will forgive such things when
you. The new Church Office Building is about ready            repentance has reached fruition.” (Kimball, Miracle of
to be completed—all those many stories. Your                  Forgiveness, p. 14.)
specialty will be involved in its completion. I’d like to
do what I could to get you the job to work on that            (42-17) Colossians 2:18, 19. What Does Paul Mean
great big building. Would you like that?’                     by the Worshiping of Angels?
“Looking a little dubious, she said, ‘Well, sure!’            The Gnostic philosophy held that God was not directly
                                                              approachable by man but had to be contacted through
“I said, ‘All right, I think I can do it on one               a series of angelic mediators or less divine spirits. Paul
condition. You agree to perform your professional             is here denouncing this idea of worshiping angels,
specialty on that building on the basis of what you           which led the saints away from allegiance to the true
knew about it in the ninth grade.’                            head (Christ), and only true mediator between man
“She looked a long time at the floor before the               and God.
teardrops came, and she said, ‘Oh, Brother Hanks,
                                                              (42-18) Colossians 3:3. What Is Meant by “Ye Are
I’m in terrible trouble. Can you help me?’
                                                              Dead, and Your Life Is Hid with Christ in God”?
“I said, ‘Yes, I think I can now.’” (“Appreciate
                                                              This verse refers to those who were dead to sin and
Your Opportunities,” Speeches of the Year, 1975,
                                                              sealed up unto eternal life. On this same subject, the
pp. 281–82.)
                                                              Prophet Joseph Smith said:
The poet John Milton said, that the end of all
                                                              “Your life is hid with Christ in God, and so are many
learning is to know God and to live and imitate him.
                                                              others. Nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent
It is wise to learn that lesson early in our education
                                                              you from inheriting eternal life for you are sealed up
for life!
                                                              by the power of the Priesthood unto eternal life,
                                                              having taken the step necessary for that
(42-15) Colossians 2:11. What Is “the Circumcision            purpose.” (Smith, HC, 5:391; see also D&C 86:8–11.)
of Christ”?
                                                              (42-19) Colossians 3:5. How Should the Saints
It is a “spiritual circumcision, which consists in            “Mortify Therefore [Their] Members Which Are
accepting Christ and living his gospel, of cutting            upon the Earth”?
away, not a part of the body, but one’s whole carnal
                                                              Mortify, as used here, means “to put to death.”
nature. The contrast is with carnal or literal
                                                              Therefore, the implication is this:
circumcision, which had in times past been a symbol
of conformity to the law of carnal commandments               “Deaden and control your carnal desires; discipline
which God gave Moses to remind Israel of her                  your appetites; control your worldly desires.”
duties.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:33.)                              (McConkie, DNTC, 3:36.)
(42-16) Colossians 2:13. What Does It Mean to Be              (42-20) Colossians 3:11. The Equality Brotherhood
Quickened by Jesus, Having Once Been Dead in                  in Christ
Sin?
                                                              “I might say, using a part of the apostle Paul’s
To be quickened means to be made alive. One who               language: We are neither English, nor German, nor
has been spiritually dead because of sin can be made          French, nor Dutch, nor Spanish, nor Italian, but we are
spiritually alive through submission to the first             all one as baptized members of The Church of Jesus
principles and ordinances of the gospel. He is raised to      Christ of Latter-day Saints, and also, we are
a newness of life in Jesus Christ through forgiveness         ‘Abraham’s seed,’ as the apostle Paul declared, and
of past sins.                                                 therefore ‘heirs according to the promise.’ All of us as
                                                              children of God have been baptized by those who have
“Our loving Father has given us the blessed principle
                                                              been authorized to preach the gospel and to administer
of repentance as the gateway to forgiveness. All sins
                                                              in the ordinances thereof.” (Harold B. Lee in
but those excepted by the Lord—basically, the sin
                                                              European Area CR, Aug. 1973, pp. 5–6.)
against the Holy Ghost, and murder—will be forgiven

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(42-21) Colossians 3:17. “In Word or Deed, Do All              spouse: all the heart, strength, loyalty, honor, and
in the Name of the Lord Jesus”                                 affection with all dignity. Any divergence is sin—any
                                                               sharing the heart is transgression. As we should have
“Any word which cannot be spoken in the name of
                                                               ‘an eye single to the glory of God’ so should we have
Christ should be left unsaid, any deed that cannot
                                                               an eye, an ear, a heart single to the marriage and the
properly bear our Lord’s name should be left
                                                               spouse and family.” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Oct.
undone.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:38.)
                                                               1962, p. 57.)
(42-22) Colossians 3:18. How Should a Wife                     See also interpretive commentary on Ephesians 5:22,
“Submit” to Her Husband?                                       23.
In Greek the word submit does not imply that women
are inferior to men. Rather, it means a willingness to         POINTS TO PONDER
put oneself under the guidance or direction of another.
The same word is used in Luke 2:51 wherein Luke                YOU CAN PREPARE TO ACT WITH THE
portrays how Jesus returned to Nazareth with Mary              SAME COURAGE THAT PAUL EXHIBITED IN
and Joseph where he was subject unto them. In any              PRESENTING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS
organization, including that of the family, someone            CHRIST
must govern; and Paul here suggests that man has that
priesthood assignment and that the woman should                When the Lord met Paul on the road to Damascus, a
recognize it and submit herself to it. In the very next        chain of events started which culminated in Paul’s
verse, Paul charges the man to love his wife; so he            martyrdom. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem this fifth
provides no justification for verbal or physical abuse         time since his conversion, could he have escaped
or for a dictatorship of any kind in the home. (See            from the hatred of the Jews that had been growing in
Ephesians 5:22–31.)                                            intensity since he began his ministry? What would be
                                                               the price of such escape? Repudiation of Christ and
(42-23) Colossians 3:19. “Husbands, Love Your                  of his Christian brethren? Even if the Jews had been
Wives”                                                         agreeable, could Paul have found it in his nature to
“There are those married people who permit their eyes          do such a thing? Any answer would have to take into
to wander and their hearts to become vagrant, who              account the courage that Paul showed in every
think it is not improper to flirt a little, to share their     situation.
hearts, and have desire for someone other than the             As to the Romans, they offered Paul a way out every
wife or the husband, the Lord says in no uncertain             time there was a confrontation. And does not King
terms: ‘Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and       Agrippa imply that he would have been easy to deal
shall cleave unto her and none else.’ (D&C 42:22.              with? Paul likely could have saved his life if he had
Italics added.)                                                been willing to back down from the firm stand he
“And, when the Lord says all thy heart, it allows for          always took in support of his beliefs.
no sharing nor dividing nor depriving. And, to the             Every good cause advances on the shoulders of those
woman it is paraphrased: ‘Thou shalt love thy husband          who are willing to carry responsibility. It always
with all thy heart and shall cleave unto him and none          takes moral courage. Sometimes it takes physical
else.’ The words none else eliminate everyone and              courage. Paul lived in a day when it took great
everything. The spouse then becomes preeminent in              physical and moral courage, because he lived among
the life of the husband or wife, and neither social life       a people that the Book of Mormon calls “the more
nor occupational life nor political life nor any other         wicked part of the world.” (2 Nephi 10:3–6.) Often it
interest nor person nor thing shall ever take                  takes a good deal of hard work, but always it takes
precedence over the companion spouse. We                       the courage to act responsibly.
sometimes find women who absorb and hover over the
children at the expense of the husband, sometimes                  Courage Is Often Needed to Act Responsibly
even estranging them from him. The Lord says to                Elder Lawrence and his companion had been asked
them: “. . . Thou shalt cleave unto him and none else.’        by the Ridgeleys to teach their eighteen-year-old son,
“Marriage presupposes total allegiance and total               Richard. Richard investigated, prayed, received the
fidelity. Each spouse takes the partner with the               witness of the Spirit, and requested baptism Now the
understanding that he or she gives self totally to the         elders were on their way to the Ridgeleys’ to ask
                                                               permission to baptize Richard.


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Mrs. Ridgeley met them at the door, and Elder              said, “Mr. Ridgeley, if you do not wish us to baptize
Lawrence stated the purpose of their visit. To his         your son, we will not do it because there is a rule in
surprise, his announcement that Richard wanted to          the church of Jesus Christ that we must honor the
be baptized was met with tears and anger. Among            rights of parents in these matters until children are of
other things, Mrs. Ridgeley stated that she would          age and can make their own decisions. However,
have preferred to see Richard anything but a               before you turn Richard down, you had better be sure
Mormon. After much discussion, including Richard’s         that this is not the true church of Jesus Christ as
humble pleas, Mrs. Ridgeley agreed to accept her           Richard believes it is and as we know it is. If we are
husband’s decision, whatever it would be. He was not       right, the responsibility for denying Richard an
at home and so another visit was necessary.                opportunity to be saved will be on your shoulders.”
When the elders found Mr. Ridgeley a few days later,       Mr. Ridgeley’s entire attitude and appearance
he was up on a ladder painting his house. The elders       changed. He became kindly and eager to please and
were greeted by some abuse and much silence as Mr.         cooperate. The baptism was arranged with no further
Ridgeley applied the brush with a ferocity which           problems.
displayed his anger.
                                                                You Can Emulate Paul’s Courageous Life
Elder Lawrence put the issue to him: “We have come
                                                           Using the life of Paul as an example, do those things
to ask permission to baptize Richard.”
                                                           that will make courage become a reality:
Freely translated, the answer was no. To Elder
                                                           1. Maintain personal purity so the Lord’s Spirit can
Lawrence’s companion, it seemed logical to beat a
                                                              be a constant source of inspiration.
retreat and regroup before the verbal abuse was
followed by a bucket of paint. But Elder Lawrence          2. Seek knowledge by every good means and from
felt that he owed Richard his very best effort. He            every proper source.
thought about the paint; he thought about the              3. Keep current with the counsel of the Brethren
physical damage this strong, mature man could                 and obey it.
inflict; and he thought of the Christians in the arena
with the lions. He decided to wait until Mr. Ridgeley      4. Pray sincerely and often for guidance.
came down, and he hoped he could think of                  5. Labor diligently for the kingdom.
something to say.
                                                           6. Have charity.
The Spirit rewarded his resolute action and took over
completely. It was as though he were watching and          If you do these things, the Lord will strengthen you so
hearing himself. As Mr. Ridgeley reached the bottom        that you can teach and defend the gospel of Jesus
of the ladder and turned around, Elder Lawrence            Christ with power and be an influence for good.
caught him by the hand and, looking into his eyes,




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348
                       43
     “YE ARE . . . FELLOW CITIZENS WITH
                   THE SAINTS”




Paul’s Letters to the Saints at Ephesus and to Philemon                                                Philemon
 of Colossae Written from His Imprisonment in Rome,
         ca. A.D. 61–63 (Ephesians; Philemon)               Gospel Changes a Servant into a Brother   1–25
                                             Ephesians
                                                            THEME
Saints Foreordained to Receive Gospel      1:1–8
                                                            Latter-day Saints can become more united as they bear
Gospel to Be Restored in Last Days         1:9–12           one another’s burdens and extend the hand of
                                                            fellowship to one another.
Saints Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise 1:13–14

The Godhead Is Known by Revelation         1:15–23          INTRODUCTION

Salvation Through Grace and Faith          2:1–10           Paul had defended himself before King Agrippa with
                                                            such force of certainty and testimony that Agrippa
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through         2:11–18          was almost persuaded to become a believer in Christ.
Christ                                                      Because he had appealed his cause to Caesar, Paul
Gentile Converts Become Fellow Heirs       2:19–22;         was placed under the custody of a centurion and sent
                                           3:1–13           on his way from Caesarea to Rome. He was put
                                                            aboard a ship with some other prisoners and sailed
Love Christ and Gain God’s Fulness         3:14–21
                                                            north to Sidon and finally on to Myra in Lycia. At
The Organization of Christ’s Church        4:1–16           Myra the centurion, who treated Paul with great
                                                            respect, secured passage for his company in a boat
Christ’s People Live New Lives             4:17–32;         bound for Italy, which immediately put to sea in
                                           5:1–21           hopes of reaching Syracuse in Sicilia before the
Love Between Husbands and Wives            5:22–33          lateness of the season and the attendant storms would
                                                            prevent progress. But the storms came as Paul had
Relationships of Parents and Children      6:1–4            prophesied, and drove them for many days. Finally
                                                            the boat was dashed upon the shores of Melita,
The Judgment of Servants and Masters       6:5–9
                                                            without the loss of life, again as Paul had
Girding for the Spiritual Battle           6:10–24



                                                          349
prophesied. That was Paul’s fourth shipwreck. But             (43-3) What Are Some of the Significant
neither this peril nor any other could dissuade him           Contributions of This Letter?
from his ministry or from his witness of the risen
                                                              Perhaps no other New Testament book contains so
Lord. After the winter season had passed, the
                                                              many doctrines that today are thought of as being
centurion brought his wards into an Egyptian grain
                                                              distinctively Latter-day Saint as does Ephesians. In it
ship bound for Italy. Without incident, they arrived at
                                                              we find reference to the doctrine of foreordination, the
Puteoli, and from there, via the Appian Way, to
                                                              dispensation of the fulness of times, the importance of
Rome. At Rome Paul was subjected only to house
                                                              apostles and prophets in the church, the idea that there
arrest and was afforded great liberty, which he used
                                                              is only one true and unified church, and the doctrine
to advantage, preaching and writing: preaching in
                                                              that the organization of the church is essential. In this
“the palace, and in all other places” (Philippians
                                                              letter we find some of the most sublime teachings on
1:13); writing to the Philippians, the Colossians, the
                                                              the role of the family and the importance of proper
Ephesians, to Philemon, and probably to many
                                                              family life that are found anywhere in scripture. Elder
others.
                                                              Bruce R. McConkie has aptly put it this way:
Our subject in this chapter is what Paul wrote to the
                                                              “Ephesians is an epistle for all the world, for Jew and
Ephesians of the necessity for a church of unity, and
                                                              Gentile, for husband and wife, for parent and child, for
the obligation of saints to bear one another’s
                                                              master and servant. It was the mind and will of God in
burdens, to extend the hand of fellowship, and to be
                                                              Paul’s day; it is the voice of inspiration in our day; it
as one.
                                                              is an epistle of universal appeal and application.”
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references         (DNTC, 2:489.)
in the reading block.
                                                              (43-4) Ephesians 1:3, 4. On What Basis Did the
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       Lord Choose His Saints Before the World Was?
                                                              “There must be leaders, presiding officers, and those
EPHESIANS                                                     who are worthy and able to take command. During the
                                                              ages in which we dwelt in the premortal state we not
(43-1) What Is the Theme of Paul’s Letter to the
                                                              only developed our various characteristics and showed
Ephesians?
                                                              our worthiness and ability, or the lack of it, but we
Determining a theme in this letter is difficult. It does      were also where such progress could be observed. It is
not seem to have the specific purpose of combating            reasonable to believe that there was a Church
errors of doctrine or evil practices, as do most of his       organization there. The heavenly beings were living in
other letters. It is more like a deeply spiritual sermon      a perfectly arranged society. Every person knew his
than a call to repentance. It seems to be directed to         place. Priesthood, without any question, had been
members of the church who have maturity and                   conferred and the leaders were chosen to officiate.
understanding, and therefore it reflects great depth in       Ordinances pertaining to that pre-existence were
its concepts.                                                 required and the love of God prevailed. Under such
                                                              conditions it was natural for our Father to discern and
Perhaps its theme could best be summarized as a
                                                              choose those who were most worthy and evaluate the
concise and beautiful outline of how a person sets
                                                              talents of each individual. He knew not only what each
aside the things of this world in order to partake of the
                                                              of us could do, but also what each of us would do
unity and fellowship of the church. It describes in
                                                              when put to the test and when responsibility was given
some of the most doctrinally beautiful passages of the
                                                              us. Then, when the time came for our habitation on
New Testament the ways in which the true saint takes
                                                              mortal earth, all things were prepared and the servants
upon himself the powers of godliness so that he may
                                                              of the Lord chosen and ordained to their respective
withstand the powers of evil.
                                                              missions.” (Smith, The Way to Perfection, pp. 50–51.)
(43-2) Where and When Was It Written?
                                                              (43-5) Ephesians 1:5, 11. Why Does Paul Say We
Ephesians is generally classed as one of the prison           Are Predestined?
epistles. (See Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20.) This helps us
                                                              When used by the King James translators, the word
to determine with some accuracy the place and date of
                                                              predestination did not have the same connotation as it
writing. Most scholars agree that it was written from
                                                              does today. Most modern versions translate the Greek
Rome during Paul’s first imprisonment. That would
                                                              word as “foreordain.” (For a discussion of Paul’s
place its date between A.D. 61 and 63.


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teachings about predestination, see the interpretive         (43-9) Ephesians 2:8–10. What Does Paul Mean
commentary on Romans 8:29, 30.)                              When He Says That Works Do Not Save Us?
(43-6) Ephesians 1:10. “The Dispensation of the              “I am not unmindful of the scripture that declares: ‘by
Fulness of Times”                                            grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
                                                             yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ (Ephesians 2:8.) That
Except for this single reference, the phrase “the            is absolutely true, for man in his taking upon himself
dispensation of the fulness of times” is one that is         mortality was impotent to save himself. When left to
unique to Latter-day Saints. We know from latter-day         grope in a natural state, he would have become, and
scripture that it is the dispensation in which we are        did become, so we are told in modern scripture,
presently living (D&C 27:13; 112:30; 124:41). Also,          ‘carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature.’ (Alma
latter-day prophets have explained in some detail what       42:10.) But the Lord, through his grace, appeared to
this concept actually means.                                 man, gave him the gospel or eternal plan whereby he
“This is the dispensation of the fullness of times, and      might rise above the carnal and selfish things of life
we see running into it, as mighty streams rush into the      and obtain spiritual perfection. But he must rise by his
ocean, all the former dispensations, putting us in touch     own efforts and he must walk by faith.
with them, putting them in touch with us; and we see         “‘He who would ascend the stairway leading upward
that God has had but one great purpose in view from          to eternal life must tread it step by step from the base
the beginning, and that has been the salvation of His        stone to the summit of its flight. Not a single stair can
children. And now has come the final day, the final          be missed, not one duty neglected, if the climber
dispensation, when truth and light and righteousness         would avoid danger and delay and arrive with all
must flood the earth.” (B. H. Roberts in CR, Oct.            safety and expedition at the topmost landing of the
1904, p. 73.)                                                celestial exaltation.’ The responsibility is upon each
                                                             individual to choose the path of righteousness, of
(43-7) Ephesians 1:18. “The Eyes of Your
                                                             faithfulness and duty to fellow men. If he choose
Understanding Being Enlightened”
                                                             otherwise and as a result meets failure, misery, and
Literally the original Greek phrase reads “having been       death, he alone is to blame.” (David O. McKay in CR,
enlightened as to the eyes of your heart.” Anciently, as     Apr. 1957, p. 7. Italics added.)
now, the heart was viewed as the seat of moral
character and spirituality. Paul’s words imply more          (43-10) Ephesians 2:14. To What Was Paul
than just illumination of the mind and its                   Referring When He Spoke of “the Middle Wall of
understanding; they indicate an actual enlightenment         Partition”?
of the whole man through the gospel of Jesus Christ.         As can be noted in the outline of this letter, Paul is
                                                             pointing out that the gentiles who accept the gospel
(43-8) Ephesians 1:23. “The Fulness of Him That
                                                             are now brought in and made part of the “covenant
Filleth All in All”
                                                             people.” In the great temple of Jerusalem, the temple
“In the Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith describes the        proper was shielded from gentile influences. A special
Father and the Son as ‘filling all in all’ because the       barrier was erected, and if a gentile passed beyond it,
Son, having overcome, has ‘received a fulness of the         he could be put to death. Archaeologists have even
glory of the Father,’ and possesses ‘the same mind           found one of the marble blocks of this barrier with this
with the Father.’ Then he announces the conclusion to        inscription: “let no foreigner enter within the screen
which Paul here only alludes: ‘And all those who keep        and enclosure surrounding the sanctuary. Whosoever
his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace,          is taken so doing will be the cause that death
and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint-         overtaketh him.” It will be remembered that it was the
heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind,           accusation that Paul had ignored this warning and
being transformed into the same image or likeness,           brought gentiles beyond the barrier that led to the riot
even the express image of him who fills all in all;          and his arrest (Acts 21:28).
being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become
one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are      (43-11) Ephesians 2:20. How Is Jesus the Chief
one.’ (Lectures on Faith, pp. 50–51.)” (McConkie,            Cornerstone?
DNTC, 2:497.)                                                To the Jewish leaders, Jesus described himself as the
                                                             stone which the builders had foolishly rejected in their
                                                             construction, which now had become the “head of the


                                                           351
corner” (Matthew 21:42), or as Paul says it, the chief      (43-14) Ephesians 5:22–25. Husband and Wives:
cornerstone. The symbolism is an apt one in this            Love Each Other
section of Paul’s discourse, for the cornerstone
                                                            “. . . One of the most provocative and profound
anciently was the massive stone laid at the corner to
                                                            statements in holy writ is Paul’s instructions to
bind fast the two separate walls into one solid whole.
                                                            husbands and wives concerning their duty to each
In Christ, both Jew and gentile are bound together
                                                            other and to their families. First he commands the
inseparable, not to form two separate walls, but to
                                                            women:
create one unified people forming a temple of the
Lord.                                                       “‘Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands,
                                                            as unto the Lord.’ (Ephesians 5:22.)
Jacob used a similar figure in the Book of Mormon
when he prophesied that the Jews in Jesus’ day would        “‘As unto the Lord.’ ‘As unto the Lord, subject
reject “the stone upon which they might build and           yourselves unto your own husbands,’ he says. ‘As
have safe foundation . . . the only sure foundation,        unto the Lord.’ Can you conceive that? Does that
upon which the Jews can build.” (Jacob 4:15, 16; see        mean something to you as you listen to the Lord’s
also Helaman 5:10–12.)                                      counsel, do his will, follow his righteous precepts,
                                                            serve him faithfully?
(43-12) Ephesians 4:8. What Is the Meaning of the
Phrase “He Led Captivity Captive”?                          “‘For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
                                                            Christ is the head of the church. . . .’ (Ephesians 5:23.)
“He overcame death; all men were the captives of
death until Christ captured the captivator and made         “Can you find in all the holy scriptures where the Lord
death subject to him, or, as the Psalm from which Paul      Jesus Christ ever failed his church? Can you find any
is quoting continues to say, ‘He that is our God is the     scripture that says he was untrue to his people, to his
God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the          neighbors, friends, or associates? Was he faithful?
issues from death.’ (Ps. 68:20.)” (McConkie, DNTC,          Was he true? Is there anything good and worthy that
2:509.)                                                     he did not give? Then that is what we ask—what he
                                                            asks of a husband, every husband. That is the goal.
(43-13) Ephesians 4:14. “That We Henceforth Be              Can you think of a single exception in his great life?
No More Children, Tossed To and Fro . . . With              There should be none in yours.
Every Wind of Doctrine”
                                                            “‘Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let
“The authorities which the Lord has placed in his           the wives be to their own husbands in every
Church constitute for the people of the Church a            thing.’ (Ephesians 5:24.)
harbor, a place of refuge, a hitching post, as it were.
                                                            “Many misconceptions, many errors, are creeping into
No one in this Church will ever go far astray who ties
                                                            the thoughts of great numbers of people in our day. . . .
himself securely to the Church Authorities whom the
                                                            Much is said in Paul’s words ‘as unto the Lord.’ Let it
Lord has placed in his Church. This Church will never
                                                            sink deep into your hearts. A woman need have no
go astray; the Quorum of the Twelve will never lead
                                                            fear of being imposed upon or being subject to any
you into bypaths; it never has and never will. There
                                                            dictatorial measures or improper demands when her
could be individuals who would falter; there will never
                                                            husband is thoughtful, self-sacrificing, and worthy.
be a majority of the Council of the Twelve on the
                                                            One would think that no intelligent woman would
wrong side at any time. The Lord has chosen them; he
                                                            hesitate to submit herself to her own truly righteous
has given them specific responsibilities. And those
                                                            husband in everything, but sometimes we are shocked
people who stand close to them will be safe. And,
                                                            to see the wife take over the leadership, naming the
conversely, whenever one begins to go his own way in
                                                            one to pray, the place to be, the things to do.
opposition to authority, he is in grave danger. I would
not say that those leaders whom the Lord chooses are        “Husbands are commanded:
necessarily the most brilliant, nor the most highly         “‘Love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
trained, but they are the chosen, and when chosen of        church, and gave himself for it.’ (Ephesians 5:25.)
the Lord they are his recognized authority, and the
people who stay close to them have safety.”                 “There is a scripture which says, ‘Greater love hath no
(Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr. 1951, 104.)                 man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
                                                            friends.’ (John 15:13.) Your wife is your friend. You




                                                          352
should be willing to go even to the extent of giving           typify our conduct. . . . And so we would have a
your life for her if the need should appear. Would you         breastplate over the heart.
give your life for her?
                                                               “And then he said we would have the feet shod with
“You need to ask yourself, ‘Can I love my wife even            the kind of armour that would protect our feet,
as Christ also has loved the Church?’ Can you think of         suggesting the feet as the objectives, the goals of life
how he loved the church? Its every breath was                  which we should have [guarded] by some kind of
important to him. Its every growth, its every                  armour and protected from getting off on the wrong
individual, was precious to him. He gave to those              foot. And finally we should have a helmet on our
people all his energy, all his power, all his interest. He     heads. Now there we have the four parts of the body
gave his life—and what more could one give?”                   that the apostle Paul saw to be the most vulnerable to
(Spencer W. Kimball, Address to Religious Educators            the powers of darkness. The loins, typifying virtue,
in the Assembly Hall, 12 Sept. 1975, pp. 3–5.)                 chastity. The heart typifying our conduct. Our feet, our
                                                               goals or objectives in life, and finally our head, our
(43-15) Ephesians 6:5–9. The Christlike                        thoughts.
Relationship Between Master and Servant
                                                               “Now the kind of armour that was to protect us is even
Elder Spencer W. Kimball has shown that Paul’s                 more interesting. . . . We should have our loins girt
advice still has application today, even though slavery        about with truth. What is truth? Truth, the Lord said,
has virtually been abolished.                                  was knowledge of things as they are, things as they
“Paul speaks of ‘unholy masters’ and surely has                were and things as they are to come. . . . What is going
reference to those who would defraud servants or               to guide us along the path of proper morals or proper
employees and would not properly compensate for                choices? It will be the knowledge of truth. There must
labors done or goods furnished. He likely has in mind          be a standard by which we measure our conduct, else
men who are unkind, demanding and inconsiderate of             how shall we know which is right? And how shall we
their subordinates. [See Ephesians 6:9.]                       know which is wrong? . . . ‘Our loins shall be girt
                                                               about with truth,’ the prophet said.
“In short, the employer should treat his employees
according to the golden rule, remembering that there is        “And the heart, what kind of a breastplate shall protect
a Master in heaven who judges both employer and                our conduct in life? We shall have over our hearts a
employee. Paul likewise enjoined a lofty standard              breastplate of righteousness. Well, having learned
upon employees: [See Ephesians 6:5, 6.]                        truth we have a measure by which we can judge
                                                               between right and wrong and so our conduct will
“We may take this to mean, on modern terms, that the           always be gauged by that thing which we know to be
servant and employee should consistently give honest           true. Our breastplate to cover our conduct shall be the
service, full and complete, and do for his employer            breastplate of righteousness.
what he would want an employee to do for him if he
himself were the employer. Any other course calls for          “With what shall we protect our feet, or by what shall
repentance.” (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 51.)                  we gauge our objectives or our goals in life? All
                                                               through the scriptures there runs a phrase suggested by
(43-16) Ephesians 6:11. What Does It Mean for a                the kind of armour the Apostle Paul would put upon
Latter-day Saint to Put On the Whole Armour of                 the feet. Listen to what he says: ‘Your feet should be
God?                                                           shod with the preparation of the gospel of
“Now notice the nature of the armour that [Paul] puts          peace.’ (Ephesians 6:15.) Interesting? What is the
on the man whom he is now preparing to withstand               gospel of peace? The whole core and center of the
the powers of darkness. He said, ‘Therefore stand,             gospel of peace was built around the person of Him
having your loins girt about with truth.’ Now the loins        who was cradled in the manger. . . . How fortunate are
is that part of the body between the lower rib and the         you if in your childhood in the home of your father
hip in which you will recognize are the vital organs           and mother you were taught the doctrine of
which have to do with reproduction . . . he was saying         repentance, faith in Christ, the Son of the living God;
that that part of the body was one of the most                 the meaning of baptism and what you gain by the
vulnerable. We should have our loins girt about with           laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
armour. And then the next we would have a                      Fortunate is the child who has been taught to pray and
breastplate over the heart. Now in the scriptures you          who has been given those steps to take on through life.
will remember that the heart has always been used to           Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of
                                                               peace! . . .


                                                             353
“And then finally the helmet of salvation. Did you           Paul makes it clear in his letter that he had entertained
ever hear of that kind of helmet? The helmet of              the notion of keeping Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway
salvation. What is salvation? Salvation is to be saved.      slave, with him, for he was a valuable friend. Paul
Saved from what? Saved from death and saved from             could not do so, however, since the young convert-
sin. . . .                                                   slave was the property of another man (vss. 12–14).
                                                             The punishment for a runaway slave was death, but
“. . . When those two things are missing from this
                                                             Paul begs Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would
earth and when it has been sanctified and cleansed of
                                                             receive Paul himself (vs. 17). Paul offers to make up
its impurity, this shall be the place of salvation. On
                                                             any financial loss suffered by Philemon following the
this earth will be the celestial kingdom, for there will
                                                             apostle’s release from prison (vss. 18, 19).
be no more sin, no more death, no more crying, for all
the former things are done away. By whom? By the             (43-19) Significant Contributions of Philemon
atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul
said, in effect, ‘A helmet of salvation shall guide our      This epistle gives one of the finest pictures of the
thinking all through our days.’ . . .                        meaning of forgiveness and repentance that can be
                                                             found in Paul’s writings. The apostle stands revealed
“Well, now, the apostle Paul went one step further. He       as a model of Christ-like love and compassion.
didn’t leave the man just with the armour on and             Encased in prison walls, Paul’s tender feelings reveal
expect him to cope against an army, seen or unseen.          themselves as he pleads the cause of a poor runaway
He had his armoured man holding in his hand a shield         who has naught but Paul to recommend him. The letter
and in his other hand a sword, which were the                is poignant in its beauty. “The epistle is tactfully and
weapons of those days. That shield was the shield of         sweetly written and does more to reveal the personal
faith, and the sword was the sword of the spirit which       feelings of its author than to contribute to the body of
is the Word of God. I can’t think of any more                Christian doctrine.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:129.)
powerful weapons than faith and a knowledge of the
scriptures in the which are contained the Word of God.       (43-20) Philemon 2. Who Were Apphia and
One so armoured and one so prepared with those               Archippus?
weapons is prepared to go out against the enemy [and]        It is highly probable that these two persons were
is more to be feared than the enemies of the                 members of the church in Colossae and friends,
light.” (Harold B. Lee, “Feet Shod with the                  perhaps converts, of Paul during his stay in Ephesus
Preparation of the Gospel of Peace,” Speeches of the         on his third mission. Some have even suggested that
Year, 1954, pp. 2–4, 6–7.)                                   Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus, his son.
PHILEMON                                                     Nothing more is said of Apphia in Paul’s writings, but
                                                             the letter to the Colossians, written about this same
(43-17) What Is the Theme of Paul’s Letter to                time, admonishes Archippus as follows: “Take heed to
Philemon?                                                    the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that
                                                             thou fulfill it.” (Colossians 4:17.) Precisely what this
The purpose of the letter is a plea from Paul to
                                                             ministerial call was is unknown. There is an ancient
Philemon to accept back into his good graces a former
                                                             tradition which holds that Philemon became bishop of
Greek slave, Onesimus, who had run away from his
                                                             Colossae and, during the persecution under Nero when
master and gone to Rome, perhaps hoping to get lost
                                                             Peter and Paul met their deaths, was martyred in
in the city throngs. While in Rome, however,
                                                             Colossae with his wife, Apphia, his son Archippus,
Onesimus was somehow brought into contact with
                                                             and his slave, Onesimus.
Paul. The aging apostle used his influence to induce
the younger man to return home and make amends.              (43-21) Philemon 7, 12, 20. “Refresh My Bowels in
The trip to Rome was not in vain, however, for               the Lord”
Onesimus had joined the church (vs. 10).
                                                             As formerly noted in another connection (see
(43-18) Background Information                               interpretive commentary for 2 Corinthians 6:12), the
                                                             word bowels as used by the King James translators
Philemon was a resident of Colossae, a city near
                                                             was a synonym for feelings and affections. When Paul
Ephesus, and appears to have been converted by Paul
                                                             speaks of having his bowels refreshed by the saints in
(vss. 19, 20). He seems also to have been a zealous
                                                             Colossae, he meant that his emotions had been
member, who generously lent his house and means for
                                                             heightened by the kindly and righteous responses of
the use of the church (vss. 2, 5).



                                                           354
his Colossian friends. “We would say: ‘The hearts of         gabet; the slave has no right. The master’s power was
the saints are refreshed.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:131.)         unlimited. He might mutilate, torture, or kill the slave
                                                             at his pleasure. Pollio, in the time of Augustus,
(43-22) Philemon 8. Did Paul Appeal to Philemon              ordered a slave to be thrown into a pond of voracious
on Grounds of Convenience?                                   lampreys. Augustus interfered, but afterward ordered a
It may seem strange that Paul would appeal to                slave of his own to be crucified on the mast of a ship
Philemon to accept Onesimus back on the basis of             for eating a favorite quail. Juvenal describes a
“convenience.” The word chosen by the King James             profligate woman ordering a slave to be crucified.
translators, however, has changed from its original          Some one remonstrates. She replies: ‘So then a slave
meaning. The Greek word is formed from the verb              is a man, is he! “He has done nothing,” you say.
which means “to come up to” and carries with it the          Granted. I command it. Let my pleasure stand for a
idea of measuring up to a certain mark or standard.          reason’ (vi., 219). Martial records an instance of a
Paul’s choice of the word gives the delicate hint that       master cutting out a slave’s tongue. The old Roman
Philemon’s forgiveness of his runaway slave would be         legislation imposed death for killing a plough-ox; but
the most fitting or becoming thing a true follower of        the murderer of a slave was not called to account.
Christ could do.                                             Tracking fugitive slaves was a trade. Recovered slaves
                                                             were branded on the forehead, condemned to double
(43-23) Philemon 9. How Old Was Paul at the Time             labor, and sometimes thrown to the beasts in the
He Wrote to Philemon?                                        amphitheatre. The slave population was enormous.
Paul refers to himself as “the aged” here in the King        Some proprietors had as many as twenty thousand.”
James translation, and some have wondered just how           (Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, 2:921.)
old the apostle really was at this time. We do not know
the time of Paul’s birth, but from such evidence as is       POINTS TO PONDER
available, we conclude that he was probably born
between, A.D. 1 and 6. If he was writing about A.D. 62,      THE CHURCH HAS NEED OF EVERY
he would have been between fifty-five and sixty years        MEMBER
of age. However, the Greek word from which the
expression “the aged” was translated is presbyteis,          When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Ye are no more
which literally means “elder.” It could be that Paul had     strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the
reference to his priesthood title (an apostle is an elder)   saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians
or he may have meant that he was older than                  2:19), he was emphasizing to these gentile-born
Philemon.                                                    converts that they now belonged to the kingdom of
                                                             God. This is a message that every convert to the
(43-24) Philemon 10, 11. What Does the Word                  Church and every member for that matter, needs to
Onesimus Mean?                                               receive—YOU BELONG!
The word Onesimus literally means “helpful” or
“profitable” and was a very common name for slaves           (43-26) The Hand of Fellowship Can Help People
during this period. Under Roman law, the slave was           Feel That They Belong
viewed as property, and the master would sometimes
bestow a name such as this if he was particularly            “It was back in the days when we had stake conference
optimistic about his slave’s potential. Note the clever      in the afternoon. I was in a stake; it had been cold; it
play on words which Paul uses in verses 10 and 11.           was winter. We came in out of the cold for the
                                                             afternoon session, and everybody had had too much to
(43-25) Philemon 16. What Was the Roman                      eat and the room was hot. Everybody fell asleep, and it
Practice Regarding Slavery?                                  was my turn to speak. I was too sleepy to gather my
                                                             thoughts, and not knowing what else to do, I asked for
In the days of Philemon and Onesimus, slaves were
                                                             a show of hands of all who had come into the Church in
completely at the mercy of their owners. Even trivial
                                                             the last two years. There was a fine young man and his
offenses were often punished in the most cruel
                                                             wife and two children right there. I said to the man, ‘I
manner. Indicative of the unrestricted authority
                                                             know this is an unkind thing to do, but wouldn’t you
enjoyed by the masters is this statement by Vincent:
                                                             like to come up and take ten minutes and tell us how
“The attitude of the law toward the slave was
                                                             you came into the Church and what it meant to you.’
expressed in the formula servile caput nullum jus



                                                          355
“He stood up, a really handsome young man. He said,          wrong with you? Here you are a PhD in Chemistry
‘You know, I came here from Palo Alto to work in             and you are passing out hymn books, coming over
this big chemical plant out here on the desert. I got my     through a blizzard like that.” I did it, but it wasn’t long
doctorate in chemistry and my wife has her degree in         after that I got another job.’
literature at Stanford. I knew all about chemistry; she
                                                             “Then with tears rolling down his face after he had
knew all about literature, but we didn’t know anything
                                                             spoken of going to the temple three months before, he
about getting along with one another. We had been to
                                                             said, ‘There’s bishop so and so. I want to express my
see a marriage counselor; all we got was talk. We had
                                                             appreciation to him for giving me an assignment on
been to see a psychologist; all we got was a big bill.
                                                             the day I was baptized—an assignment commensurate
We loved our children too much to be separated. That
                                                             with my ability.’” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Seminar for
was the only thing that held us together; we both
                                                             Regional Representatives of the Twelve, 4 Oct. 1973,
wanted the children. We disliked one another.
                                                             pp. 6–7. Italics added.)
“‘My wife said, “Let’s try religion; we’ve tried
everything else.” I said, “Okay, what religion?” She         (43-27) The Message “You Belong” Needs to Be
said, “The Mormon religion.” She had worked for a            Given to All
Mormon in San Francisco who she thought was the              “Well, there is a lot to be done. There’s brotherhood,
finest man she ever knew. We went one day, one               and fellowship, and love, and a welcome to be offered.
Sunday morning. We drove around the block the first          Let me mention the new members and the less active
time. No sign in front of the building to tell what time     people. When I saw the people coming into the
church started. We had to case the place. So, the next       Church . . . I thought of the parable of the sower.
Sunday we came and very sheepishly came in that              There was some of the seed, as you know, that burned
door. A man reached out his hand and took me by the          because it had no roots. These wonderful folks
hand, and said, “Good morning, glad to see you.              often . . . need the anchors of their faith sunk more
Haven’t seen you before. Where’ve you been? What             deeply. They need to know they belong to something
ward did you come from?” I was puzzled. I didn’t             and to somebody who will take the place of what they
know what he meant by a ward. Finally he got the idea        have given up, the associations and friendships that
that I wasn’t a member of the Church, but he made us         are behind them. . . .
feel at home. Took us to our classes in Sunday School;
sat with us; took the children to their classes. At the      “Let me only note what a new convert said to us in the
close of the meeting he invited us to come to dinner on      mail in England. ‘You feel like you never are going to
Wednesday. We came. The missionaries were there              be lonely again,’ she wrote. And she shouldn’t ever be
and five weeks later we were baptized.                       lonely again in this Church because she had become,
                                                             as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, ‘fellowcitizens with
“‘When we were baptized, the bishop was there, and           the saints, and of the household of God.’ (Ephesians
when we were dressed, he took me by the hand and             2:19.)” (Hanks, The Gift of Self, pp. 105–7.)
my wife by the hand and said, “Brother and Sister
Romney, I want to welcome you into the Church and            MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH HAVE
extend to you the hand of fellowship. Now, Brother           COVENANTED TO BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S
Romney, everybody has something to do in this                BURDENS
Church. We have a responsibility for you; we will put
you in charge of the hymn books. Sister Romney, we           Oftentimes there are those who have the idea that
will make you assistant secretary of the Primary.            whether they actually fellowship others doesn’t really
Brother Romney, priesthood meeting starts at eight           matter. “After all,” they say, “I’m only one person.
o’clock on Sunday morning; Sunday School at ten;             Whether I’m friendly or not won’t matter.” How
and sacrament meeting at six. We would like you here         important are you to the strength of the Church? (See
fifteen minutes early to see that all hymn books are in      Mosiah 18:8, 9.) What does it mean to “bear one
place. Will you be there?’ I didn’t know what else to        another’s burdens” and to “comfort those that stand
do but say yes. I’d been saying yes for five weeks.          in need of comfort”?
“‘One cold winter day when a blizzard was blowing, I         Consider this conversation. Note some of the answers
plowed over through the snow with my little boy. We          that you ought to be prepared to give as you strive to
were all alone there in the meetinghouse passing out         bear the burdens of and extend the hand of fellowship
hymn books, and I stopped and said, “Joe, what’s             to those around you.



                                                           356
New Convert                                                  By latter-day revelation, the Lord has broadly
                                                             defined the functions of offices in the priesthood by
The missionaries emphasized to us the fact that the
                                                             these designations:
church of Jesus Christ today in its restored state has
the same organization as did the church of Jesus             1. Those who travel to teach the gospel are called
Christ in the days of the early apostles. I don’t               traveling ministers. Examples would be seventies
question that statement. What I want to understand is           and apostles. (See D&C 107:33, 97.)
why this is necessary.
                                                             2. Those who preside or conduct the affairs of
Priesthood Leader                                               congregations in branches, wards, stakes, or
                                                                districts are called standing ministers. Examples
While it is true that the Church today has the same
                                                                are deacons, teachers, priests, and elders. (See
offices that existed in the church of Jesus Christ in
                                                                D&C 84:11.)
the days of the apostles, this fact alone is not what
makes the Church true, powerful, or distinctive. The         3. Those who are appointed by revelation to give
importance of these offices was emphasized by the               patriarchal blessings are called evangelical
apostle Paul. Read Ephesians 4:11–16.                           ministers. (See D&C 107:39.)
You will see in this letter the following purposes of        New Convert
these offices:
                                                             I’m not certain that I understand the difference
1. The perfecting of the saints                              between these designations.
2. The work of the ministry                                  Priesthood Leader
3. The edifying (or building up) of the body of              Let’s see if I can explain the difference by applying
   Christ (members of the church of Christ)                  their function to a common pattern in the Church
                                                             today.
These offices within the priesthood were to remain
till “we all come in the unity of the faith . . . unto a     Whenever we introduce the gospel to any areas in the
perfect man.” The degree of that perfection was to be        world, a mission is created. The purpose of a mission
“the stature of the fulness of Christ” or the status         is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to “strangers or
and glory enjoyed by Christ.                                 foreigners,” or nonmembers of the kingdom of God.
                                                             Who introduces the gospel in various areas of the
New Convert
                                                             world? It is done by apostles, seventies, and elders
I guess what I’m trying to understand is how these           called to be missionaries.
offices serve those purposes.
                                                             When sufficient priesthood strength is established in
Priesthood Leader                                            a mission by virtue of convert baptisms, then under
Let’s see if I can explain this. All offices in the          the direction of God’s prophet, a stake is created.
priesthood grow out of the Melchizedek Priesthood.           Stakes are created to perfect the saints. This is done
The office, in other words, is supplemental to the           by administering the ordinances of salvation and
priesthood itself. The purpose of the office is to help      teaching the principles of the gospel. Who
bring a man to a state of godliness, perfection, and         administers these ordinances and does the teaching?
unity with Christ.                                           It is done by deacons, teachers, priests, and elders—
                                                             in other words, the standing ministers. We see
New Convert                                                  examples of their work in both branches and wards
How does an office do that?                                  in the administration of the sacrament, the teaching
                                                             of classes, home teaching, and other presiding
Priesthood Leader                                            responsibilities such as presiding over quorums of
Offices exist in the priesthood to perform these             the priesthood.
functions:                                                   New Convert
1. To preach the gospel and administer the                   I see. You mentioned another office in the ministry—
   ordinances of salvation                                   an evangelist, I believe it was.
2. To preside over congregations of saints                   Priesthood Leader
3. To provide by revelation blessings and                    Yes, the office of an evangelical minister. (See D&C
   patriarchal lineage to the Saints.                        107:39.)

                                                           357
New Convert                                                  New Convert
Is that like an evangelist in other churches?                I see now! The whole purpose of the Church—its
                                                             programs and organizations—is to help bless the
Priesthood Leader
                                                             lives of people.
No, an evangelical minister is a patriarch. The
                                                             Priesthood Leader
Prophet Joseph Smith said that “there should be a
patriarch for benefit of the posterity of the saints, as     That’s right. What does that concept mean to you?
it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing
                                                             Convert
unto his sons.” (Teachings, p. 151.) There will be an
appropriate time when you will want such a blessing,         Well, now that I’m a member of Christ’s church I
which in the words of one of the prophets contain            have the responsibility to serve when I’m called.
“paragraphs from your eternal possibilities.” (Lee,
                                                             Priesthood Leader
Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 117.)
                                                             Is that all?
Now, let’s go back to what Paul said in the text: that
God gave “some, apostles; and some, prophets                 Convert
[traveling ministers]; and some, evangelists                 No. I guess I also have the responsibility to
[evangelical ministers]; and some, pastors and               fellowship every person with whom I come in contact,
teachers [standing ministers]” for the purposes of (1)       to make him feel he is a part of Christ’s church.
perfecting the saints; (2) the work of the ministry; (3)
the building up or strengthening of the church of            Priesthood Leader
God, until we achieve a state of perfection and              That’s exactly right. We have all covenanted to
become like Jesus Christ.                                    fellowship and love one another. Unity can be
New Convert                                                  achieved in no other way.
In other words, all these offices function out of the
priesthood for a particular responsibility in the
ministry.                                                     WHAT COULD THIS MEAN TO YOU?
Priesthood Leader
                                                             Can you see how important the Church is? Can you
Yes; and because of the many duties in the Church,           see how important you are?
and the fact that God has endowed his children with
different gifts and talents to perform these specialized     Do you understand why the Church has been
functions, these offices are all essential. Paul             organized? Can you understand why each member is
dramatized this by comparing the offices of the              important in the success of the whole? (See D&C
church to a human body, adding that the eye cannot           38:27.)
say to another member of the body, “I have no need           Can you determine in your own life to strive to bear
of thee,” or “I am greater than thee.” All are               burdens and extend fellowship to those around you,
important to this vital, unified organism, for the           and to strive to be one with the saints?
church members must be as one. (See 1 Corinthians
                                                             Can you strive to make a special effort to make
12:14–31.) Thus these offices “are and always will
                                                             someone feel welcome and a part of Christ’s church?
be in the true Church of Christ as long as the earth
                                                             That was Paul’s message to the Ephesians, and it is
shall stand.” (Delbert L. Stapley in CR, Apr. 1958,
                                                             his message to you.
p. 116.)




                                                           358
                         44
             “BE THOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE
                     BELIEVERS”




A Letter from Paul to the Saints in Philippi, Macedonia     Christ Came to Save Repentant Sinners   1:12–17
   Written While Under Arrest in Rome, ca. A.D. 63
                     (Philippians)                          Timothy’s Responsibility                1:18–20
                                           Philippians      Prayers of Thanks Are Pleasing to Our   2:1–8
                                                            Mediator
Paul’s Experiences in Teaching Christ     1:1–26
                                                            The Conduct of Women in Worship         2:9–15
Be of One Spirit and One Mind             1:27–30;          Services
                                          2:1–4
                                                            Requirements for a Bishop               3:1–7
The Equality of Father and Son            2:5–8
                                                            Description of a Worthy Deacon          3:8–13
All Men Shall Bow and Confess Christ      2:9–11
                                                            The Mystery of Godliness                3:14–16
“Work Out Your Own Salvation”             2:12–18
                                                            Signs of Latter-day Apostasy            4:1–11
The Mission of Timothy and Epaphroditus   2:19–30
                                                            “Be Thou an Example of the Believers”   4:12–16
The Way of Salvation                      3:1–21
                                                            Saints Commanded to Care for Their      5:1–16
“Stand Fast in the Lord”                  4:1–9             Worthy Poor
Paul’s Thanks for Aid                     4:10–23           The Responsibility of Elders            5:17–25

                                                            Slaves Are to Respect Their Masters     6:1, 2
Paul’s First Letter to Timothy Written from Macedonia
           to Ephesus, ca. A.D. 66 (1 Timothy)              Sound Teaching About Wealth             6:3–10
                                           1 Timothy        Timothy—Fight the Good Fight            6:11–21
Teach Only True Doctrine                  1:1–11



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THEME                                                        became convinced by the steady faith and
                                                             persuasions of Paul that Jesus was indeed the Lord
Latter-day Saint youth have been reserved for this
                                                             and Redeemer whom they should serve. His
time so their spiritual strength and example as
                                                             preaching in those years was incessant, and his
believers may combat the forces and doctrines of evil.
                                                             letters to the church never tired.
INTRODUCTION                                                 In the last of his letters from Rome, to the saints at
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it     Philippi, Paul gave encouragement and persuasions
was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,        to steadiness in the cause. To the Philippians he
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of              asserted that he had learned to be content in all
incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the          conditions to which he might be subjected. He
season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was        counseled them to seek after every good and
the winter of despair, we had everything before us,          wholesome thing the world might contain and
we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to        promised them as their reward for faithfulness the
Heaven, we were all going direct the other                   “peace of God, which passeth all
way. . . .” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities,          understanding.” (Philippians 4:7.)
p. 3.)                                                       When Paul’s cause was finally heard, we have
So begins the narrative in Dickens’s classic tale of         reason to believe he was acquitted and released.
the French Revolution; yet he could well have been           Subsequently he traveled, probably to Philippi to
writing of the latter part of the twentieth century, so      rest, then to Ephesus to strengthen the church, and
timely is his description. Brilliant developments in         perhaps even to Spain, before his return to Ephesus
science and technology have created a civilization           and, finally, Macedonia. It was probably from
unlike the ages of the past. Yet the basic moral             Macedonia that he wrote the first letter to Timothy.
problems of mankind have worsened. People are                Now you will consider Philippians, and also
more self-centered and more calloused to spiritual           1 Timothy where Paul cautioned Timothy about many
things, to motherhood, and to the joys of family life.       things, prophesied of doctrines of devils that might
Gratification and pleasure and possessions seem to           destroy the faith of the saints, and urged Timothy to
be a dominate aim of many.                                   “be thou an example of the believers.” (1 Timothy
Paul raised a warning voice to our generation:               4:12.)

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter       Read these passages carefully and ponder the
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to       messages they contain.
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy       Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
4:1.)                                                        in the reading block.
Yet a bright ray of hope remains—in you, the youth
of Zion. You were prepared and reserved by the Lord
                                                              INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
to come forth in this time to show, by your example,
                                                              THE LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS:
the blessings of living a godlike life; to present a
                                                              FRIENDSHIP, CONFIDENCE, AND GOOD
message of hope to a generation of despair.
                                                              CHEER
Paul in Rome: Building the Cause of the Master
                                                              (44-1) It Is a Classic of Spiritual Autobiography
By appealing his rights of Roman citizenship, Paul
had been brought to Rome to stand trial before                “This Epistle is a letter of friendship, full of affection,
Nero’s court. There in a hired residence near the             confidence, good counsel and good cheer. It is the
Imperial Palace on the Palatine hill, and for two             happiest of St. Paul’s writings, for the Philippians
whole years, Paul was confined to house arrest.               were the dearest of his children in the faith. . . .
Whatever motives his enemies had in pressing for the          “. . . it is a classic of spiritual autobiography. . . .
delay of his trial, or if legitimate purposes may             Philippians reveals the spring of his inward peace and
account for the wait, Paul used those years to build          strength. It admits us to St. Paul’s prison meditations
in Rome the cause of the Master. He was guarded               and communings with his Master. We watch his spirit
day and night by a sequence of soldiers, many of              ripening through the autumn hours when patience
whom, together with others from the royal household,          fulfilled in him its perfect work.” (Dummelow,
                                                              A Commentary on the Holy Bible, p. 969.)


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(44-2) Place and Date of Writing                              refined statement into which a number of gospel
                                                              doctrines are woven. And our Bible is greatly enriched
This letter was possibly the last letter Paul wrote
                                                              by its presence there.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:525.)
during his first imprisonment at Rome. The letter was
sent sometime about A.D. 63.                                  This letter depicts Paul’s triumphant faith. It shows his
                                                              total commitment to Jesus Christ. And it is obvious
(44-3) Background Information                                 from the letter, as it is so apparent from his other
Paul traveled to the country of Macedonia after he            writings, that Paul is diligent in carrying out his
received a special vision in the night wherein he saw a       commission to preach. In it Paul proclaims this good
man who said, “Come over into Macedonia, and help             news of the gospel, the glad tidings of faith and
us.” (Acts 16:9.) Philippi, which Luke describes in           exaltation in and through the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Acts as “the chief city of that part of Macedonia”
                                                              (44-5) Philippians 1:19. What Is “the Spirit of Jesus
(Acts 16:12), was the first city on the European
                                                              Christ”?
continent to receive the gospel. Lydia, “a seller of
purple,” and her household were Paul’s first converts         See D&C 84:46, 47 and Moroni 7:16, 18.
in Philippi (Acts 16:14, 15). Paul used his priesthood
powers to cast a demon from a young woman, for                (44-6) Philippians 2:5–8. Of the Equality and
which act Paul and Silas were persecuted, cast into           Nature of the Father and the Son
prison, scourged, and put into stocks. The persecution        “Wherein, then, lies our Lord’s equality with his God
continued until the magistrates learned of the Roman          and our God? Is it not in that Jesus, crowned now
citizenship of the two men, after which time Paul and         himself with exaltation, has received from the Father
Silas were asked to leave the city (Acts 16:39).              all knowledge, all truth, all wisdom, and all power? Is
The city of Philippi was located in eastern Macedonia,        it not in the same sense that all of the sons of God, as
at the foot of Mount Pangaeus, on the East-West               joint-heirs with Christ, shall receive all that the Father
Egnation Highway which linked Rome and Asia.                  hath? (D. & C. 76:54–60; 84:38; 132:20.) Is it not in
Between the time when Paul first preached in the city         that, treading in the tracks of the Father, those who are
and the writing of Philippians, approximately ten years       adopted as his sons gain exaltation of their own?” [See
had passed. News of Paul’s Roman imprisonment may             Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 347–48.]
have been the motivation for the Philippian saints to         (McConkie, DNTC, 2:531.)
remember Paul again. Whatever the reason, they sent a         (44-7) Philippians 2:12. “Work Out Your Own
gift, carried by a member of the branch whose name            Salvation with Fear and Trembling”
was Epaphroditus. It was apparently their intent to
have Epaphroditus stay with Paul and help him in              “An outstanding doctrine of the Church is that each
every possible way.                                           individual carries the responsibility to work out his
                                                              own salvation, and salvation is a process of gradual
It is possible that Epaphroditus brought Paul a letter        development. The Church does not accept the doctrine
which detailed the state of affairs among the saints.         that a mere murmured belief in Jesus Christ is all that
From Paul’s letter to the Philippians it appears that the     is necessary. A man may say he believes, but if he
members were still firm in their faith in the Lord            does nothing to make that belief or faith a moving
Jesus. No great schism or heresy, no major error of           power to do, to accomplish, to produce soul growth,
doctrine or practice appears to have occasioned Paul’s        his professing will avail him nothing. ‘Work out your
letter. Clearly, the letter is not one of chastisement.       salvation’ is an exhortation to demonstrate by activity,
Even reference to the legalism of the Judaizers may           by thoughtful, obedient effort the reality of faith. But
indeed have been written merely to call attention to a        this must be done with a consciousness that absolute
potential and not a real threat to the saints. When           dependence upon self may produce pride and
Epaphroditus decided to return home, Paul sent the            weakness that will bring failure. With ‘fear and
Philippian letter back with him.                              trembling’ we should seek the strength and grace of
(44-4) Significant Contributions                              God for inspiration to obtain the final victory.

Like Philemon, the letter to the Philippians is one of        “To work out one’s salvation is not to sit idly by
Paul’s most personal letters. “Philippians is not a           dreaming and yearning for God miraculously to thrust
mighty dissertation, one to shake the earth or serve as       bounteous blessings into our laps. It is to perform
a guidepost to Christendom, but it is a sweet and             daily, hourly, momentarily, if necessary, the



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immediate task or duty at hand, and to continue              priesthood leaders, to be true to their trust in the
happily in such performance as the years come and go,        ministry.
leaving the fruits of such labors either for self or for
                                                             An old tradition has it that the letter was written from
others to be bestowed as a just and beneficent Father
                                                             Laodicea; however, the possibility exists that it was
may determine.” (David O. McKay in CR, Apr. 1957,
                                                             written from Macedonia. Whatever the place of
p. 7.)
                                                             writing, it appears to have been written during the time
(44-8) Philippians 3:2. What Did Paul Mean When              between Paul’s first and second imprisonments in
He Said, “Beware of Dogs, Beware of Evil                     Rome. The year was approximately A.D. 66.
Workers, Beware of the Concision”?
                                                             (44-12) Background Information
Paul was attacking the Judaizers—those Jewish
                                                             At the time when Timothy received this letter, he was
Christians who demanded complete obedience to the
                                                             a priesthood leader in the church at Ephesus and had
Mosaic law as a condition for salvation. He used the
                                                             major administrative responsibilities. He was a church
word dogs to imply that they were unclean and
                                                             leader of proven worth whom Paul regarded highly.
unholy. His use of the words evil workers indicates
                                                             Timothy was left by Paul to be in charge of the
those who thought they were righteous and in fact
                                                             Ephesus church and to persuade the membership to
were not. In sarcasm he used the word concision,
                                                             adhere to the principles of the gospel. Most likely
which means “mutilation,” instead of circumcision,
                                                             some of the prominent members were older than
which is the normal adjective used to define Jews.
                                                             Timothy and experienced difficulty in accepting the
(44-9) Philippians 3:15. Was Paul Suggesting That            younger man’s authority. This appears to have been a
the Saints Were Perfect?                                     major reason why Paul sent Timothy this letter.
“When those apostles wrote letters to the members of         (44-13) Significant Contributions
the Church they addressed them as saints. A saint is
                                                             Church administration, the conscientious performance
not necessarily a person who is perfect, but he is a
                                                             of duties, the teaching of correct doctrine, the faithful
person who strives for perfection—one who tries to
                                                             conduct of an appointed servant in Christ’s church—
overcome those faults and failings which take him
                                                             these are some of the topics written of in Paul’s first
away from God. A true saint will seek to change his
                                                             letter to Timothy. Interwoven into the text are some of
manner of living to conform more closely to the ways
                                                             the references to Jesus Christ, to salvation, to the great
of the Lord.
                                                             latter-day apostasy, and to the necessity for obedience
“It is true that we each have imperfections to               to the principles of the gospel.
overcome. Life is a constant series of challenges and
trials. Notwithstanding, we should never fail to strive      (44-14) 1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7. What Were the Fables
for that perfection of life which can bring us closer        and Endless Genealogies?
into harmony with God.” (Theodore M. Burton in CR,           “‘The Jews had scrupulously preserved their
Oct. 1973, p. 151.)                                          genealogical tables, till the advent of Christ . . . but we
                                                             are told that Herod destroyed the public registers: he,
(44-10) Philippians 4:14. How Did the Philippian
                                                             being an Idumean, was jealous of the noble origin of
Saints “Communicate with [Paul’s] Affliction”?
                                                             the Jews: and that none might be able to reproach him
The word is used in the sense of “share” or “sharing.”       with his descent, he ordered the genealogical tables,
                                                             which were kept among the archives in the temple, to
Thus, here Paul had reference to gifts of material value
                                                             be burned. . . . From this time the Jews could refer to
which the saints had shared with Paul.
                                                             their genealogies only from memory, or from those
THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY                                  imperfect tables which had been preserved in private
                                                             hands; and to make out any regular line from these,
(44-11) Be True to Your Trust                                must have been endless and uncertain. It is probably to
Proper care of the church by Timothy and other               this the apostle refers; I mean the endless and useless
appointed leaders is the central theme of this letter.       labor which the attempt to make out these genealogies,
Paul encourages Timothy to teach only the true               must produce; the authentic tables being destroyed.’
doctrines of the kingdom, to keep the faith, to pray         “So we may well conclude that Paul’s denunciation
diligently, and to walk in all holiness. Paul’s letter       was towards doubtful and untruthful genealogies
challenges Timothy, and for that matter, all other


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which had been tampered with for improper                      born. A bishop, in particular, should be an experienced
purposes.” (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions,                priesthood holder.
1:214–15.)
                                                               (44-17) 1 Timothy 3:12. Should Deacons Be
Paul may also have had reference to the Jewish                 Married?
tendency to take great pride in their ancestry and in
their belief that genealogical descent was a proof of          “It was the judgment of Paul that a deacon in that day
God’s favor (John 8:37–45). This, Paul says, is a              should be a married man. That does not apply to our
fable. God’s favor is given on the basis of                    day. Conditions were different in the days of Paul. In
righteousness, not ancestry.                                   that day a minister was not considered qualified to
                                                               take part in the ministry until he was thirty years of
(44-15) 1 Timothy 3:3. What Is “Filthy Lucre”?                 age. Under those conditions deacons, teachers, and
                                                               priests were mature men. This is not the requirement
“Now, all money is not lucre—all money is not filthy.
                                                               today. There are in all kinds of churches today
There is clean money—clean money with which to
                                                               ministers who are under that age, and there is no
buy food, clothes, shelter, and other necessities and
                                                               requirement in the Church in this dispensation that a
with which to make contributions toward the building
                                                               person must be a matured man before he can take part
of the kingdom of God.
                                                               in the ministry or hold the priesthood. Nor was it the
“Clean money is that compensation received for a full          rule in very ancient times, for we learn that Noah was
day’s honest work. It is that reasonable pay for faithful      only ten years of age when he was given the
service. It is that fair profit from the sale of goods,        priesthood under the hands of Methuselah.” [D&C
commodities, or service. It is that income received            107:52.] (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:129.)
from transactions where all parties profit.
                                                               (44-18) 1 Timothy 4:3. “Forbidding to Marry”
“Filthy lucre is blood money; that which is obtained
through theft and robbery. It is that obtained through         Since eternal life may only be achieved through
gambling or the operation of gambling establishments.          celestial marriage, Satan does all within his power to
Filthy lucre is that had through sin or sinful operations      “forbid” men and women to marry. Celibacy, living
and that which comes from the handling of liquor,              together out of wedlock, homosexuality, adultery,
beer, narcotics and those other many things which are          abortion, and birth control are but a few of the many
displeasing in the sight of the Lord. Filthy lucre is that     methods employed to pervert men’s minds and
money which comes from bribery, and from                       prevent the creation and continuance of this holy
exploitation.                                                  union. In the words of President Harold B. Lee,
                                                               “Satan’s greatest threat today is to destroy the family,
“Compromise money is filthy, graft money is unclean,           and to make mockery of the law of chastity and the
profits and commissions derived from the sale of               sanctity of the marriage covenant.” (Church News,
worthless stocks are contaminated as is the money              19 Aug. 1972, p. 3.)
derived from other deceptions, excessive charges,
oppression to the poor and compensation which is not           Paul prophetically recognized this major problem of
fully earned. I feel strongly that men who accept              “forbidding to marry” in the latter times, and
wages or salary and do not give commensurate time,             accordingly he has given us a specific warning against
energy, devotion, and service are receiving money that         such an apostate practice.
is not clean. Certainly those who deal in the forbidden
                                                               (44-19) 1 Timothy 4:3–5. Are the Mosaic
are recipients of filthy lucre.” (Spencer W. Kimball in
                                                               Restrictions on Eating Certain Meats and Foods
CR, Oct. 1953, p. 52.)
                                                               Still in Force?
(44-16) 1 Timothy 3:6. Why Does Paul Say a                     “‘Whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man
Bishop Should Not Be a Novice?                                 should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For,
Paul used the word neophyton to refer to one who is            behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air,
newly converted. This word is a compound of neos,              and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the
“new, recently born” and phyow, which in the passive           use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might
means “to be born, to spring up, to grow,” thus                have in abundance.’ (D. & C. 49:18–19.)” (See also
expressing the concept of a new convert or one newly           D&C 89:12, 13.)




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“God has removed the Mosaic restrictions where the             POINTS TO PONDER
eating of certain meats and foods are concerned. These
are now clean (sanctified, as it were); there are no           RECOGNIZE AND RESIST “DOCTRINES OF
longer any ceremonially unclean or forbidden                   DEVILS” THAT SEEK TO DESTROY THE
foods.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:86.)                                FAITH OF THE SAINTS
(44-20) 1 Timothy 4:8. Does Paul Condemn Bodily                In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warned that in the
Exercise?                                                      latter days certain apostate doctrines would become so
The word order as arranged in the King James Version           popular among members of the Church that they
is an unfortunate one, for it conveys something                would constitute a most serious threat to the faith.
different from what was intended. Literally, the Greek         (1 Timothy 4:1, 2.) Even so today, members of the
reads, “Bodily exercise for a little is profitable, but        Church are confronted with social practices and false
godliness for all things profitable is.” The meaning is        beliefs so serious in nature that those who embrace
not that physical exercise is worthless, but, rather, that     them may lose their testimonies and their Church
its usefulness is limited; it is profitable only in a few      membership, and do irreparable damage to future
ways. But godliness (or spiritual exercise) has                generations. If you heed the counsel given, you may
unlimited usefulness; it is profitable in every way.           be the means by which your friends may avoid similar
Physical exercise profits the body, which shall perish,        pitfalls.
but godliness profits both the body and the spirit.        What are some of the doctrines of the devil that some,
(44-21) 1 Timothy 5:1–18. What Principles of               even in the Church, would begin to believe?
Temporal Welfare Are Endorsed by Paul?                        Paul cites two “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1)
Three specific welfare principles are taught by Paul in       as examples: first, forbidding to marry, and second,
these verses. They are as follows:                            commanding people not to eat meats (certain foods).

[1.] “Gospel standards provide that members of the            The exclusion of long lists of prohibited foods from
Church should work and support themselves. When               our diets is certainly not as important in our
this fails, they are to gain temporal assistance from         relationship to the Lord as the Jew of Paul’s time
their family, including children and grandchildren.           made it to be; nevertheless, today some take liberties
Only when these resources do not suffice is there             with what the Lord has said and suppose that the
justification for calling on the Church itself for            Word of Wisdom means more than it really means.
temporal assistance. . . .                                    “Some unstable people become cranks with reference
[2.] “To qualify for church assistance, under the             to this law of health. It should be understood that the
welfare system then in operation, widows were: To be          Word of Wisdom is not the gospel, and the gospel is
in need; to be without children or relatives who could        not the Word of Wisdom. As Paul said, ‘The kingdom
support them; to be 60 years of age: to have been             of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and
faithful to their husbands; to have lived the gospel in       peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom 14:17.)
general, as shown by the fact of rearing children, of         “There is no prohibition in Section 89, for instance,
lodging strangers, of washing the clothes of the saints,      as to the eating of white bread, using white flour,
of relieving the afflicted, and of general proper living.     white sugar, cocoa, chocolate, eggs, milk, meat, or
Young widows were counseled to marry again and                anything else, except items classified under the
raise families.                                               headings, tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor. As a
[3.] “There are times when elders, spending their full        matter of fact those who command that men should
time in the ministry, should receive temporal help            not eat meat, are not ordained of God, such counsel
from the Church, especially for their families.”              being listed by Paul as an evidence of apostasy. God
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:90–91; see D&C 75:24.)                     has created ‘meats,’ he says, ‘to be received with
                                                              thanksgiving of them which believe and know the
(44-22) 1 Timothy 5:22. “Lay Hands Suddenly on                truth.’ (1 Tim. 4:3.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon
No Man”                                                       Doctrine, pp. 845–46.)
“Brethren should be seasoned, tried, and found worthy         Sadly, some persons become so involved in their
before they are ordained and set apart to serve in            interpretation and practice of the Word of Wisdom
positions of power and influence in the Church.”              that they overlook other matters which are of great
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:92.)


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significance to their exaltation. Paul said that one of       “Let us also teach girls that motherhood is divine, for
the most important of these is marriage. If Satan or          when we touch the creative part of life, we enter into
one of his advocates came to Church members and               the realm of divinity. It is important, therefore, that
said, “You should never marry,” few if any members            young womanhood realize the necessity of keeping
of the Church would accept this idea. But we are              their bodies clean and pure, that their children might
extremely naive if we suppose that Satan would try            enter the world unhampered by sin and disease. An
such a direct, boldfaced approach to try to get us to         unshackled birth and an inheritance of noble
accept his program. Satan is more subtle than that.           character are the greatest blessings of childhood. No
(See Moses 4:1–6, for instance.)                              mother has the right to shackle a child through life
                                                              for what seems in youth to be a pleasant pastime or
Today many couples live together without marriage.
                                                              her right to indulge in harmful drugs and other sinful
They justify themselves by arguing that their
                                                              practices. Those who are to be the mothers of the
“commitment” to one another is more important than
                                                              race should at least so live as to bear children who
a marriage ceremony. Fortunately, most Latter-day
                                                              are not burdened from birth by sickness, weakness,
Saint men and women do not choose to follow this
                                                              or deformity. . . .” (CR, Apr. 1969, p. 6.)
evil practice. They acknowledge the value and
importance of the marriage contract. But what of              SATAN’S LIE: Birth control should be practiced.
those who choose a civil ceremony when a celestial
                                                              Is the commandment to “multiply and replenish the
sealing is available? If Satan can persuade you not to
                                                              earth” still in force? Can you see how the violation
marry, or to postpone marriage in the temple, what
                                                              of this commandment will have a deteriorating,
may be the eternal consequences? In May of 1843 the
                                                              disintegrating effect on marriage?
Prophet Joseph Smith gave inspired instruction
which indicates how much the Lord values celestial            President Spencer W. Kimball has said:
marriage. Read D&C 131:1–4.                                   “The first commandment recorded seems to have
Even after people are married, Satan continues his            been ‘Multiply and replenish the earth.’ Let no one
relentless battle. Listed here are some of the lies he is     ever think that the command came to have children
using in his attempt to destroy marriage; also listed         without marriage. No such suggestion could ever
are the answers given by our modern prophets. This            have foundation. When God had created the woman,
is a good opportunity for you to check your own               he brought her unto the man and gave her to him as
attitude on these matters so that you may be assured          his wife, and commanded, ‘Therefore shall a man
you are in harmony with the Lord’s servants.                  leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto
                                                              his wife: and they shall be one flesh’ (Genesis
SATAN’S LIE: Physical gratification before
                                                              2:24). . . .
marriage should be emphasized.
                                                              “There seems to be a growing feeling that marriage
Can young people indulge in improper relationships
                                                              is for legal sex, for sex’s sake. Marriage is basically
before marriage without detrimental effect to their
                                                              for the family; that is why we marry—not for the
eventual marriage? President McKay has given this
                                                              satisfaction of the sex, as the world around us would
answer:
                                                              have us believe. When people have found their
“It is important for young people to realize that             companions, there should be no long delay. Young
intelligent home building begins with a young man             wives should be occupied in bearing and rearing
and a young girl in their teens. Often the health of          their children. I know of no scriptures where an
children, if a couple be blessed with such, depends           authorization is given to young wives to withhold
upon the actions of parents before marriage. . . .            their families and to go to work to put their husbands
“Every young man, particularly, should prepare for            through school. There are thousands of husbands
the responsibility of fatherhood by keeping himself           who have worked their own way through school and
physically clean, that he might enter into that               have reared families at the same time. Though it is
responsibility not as a coward or deceiver, but as one        more difficult, young people can make their way
honorable and fit to found a home. The young man              through their educational programs. On most
who, in unfitness, takes upon himself the                     campuses there are married student buildings for
responsibility of fatherhood is worse than a deceiver.        their living. It’s a good experience to learn to save
The future happiness of his wife and children                 and to scratch and to economize.” (“Marriage Is
depends upon his life in youth.                               Honorable,” Speeches of the Year, 1973, pp. 262, 63.)



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SATAN’S LIE: Legal opportunities for abortion              1942, as cited by Spencer W. Kimball, CR, Apr.
should be increased.                                       1974, p. 9.)
When couples may destroy unwanted children simply          “By bringing these choice spirits to earth, each
because they want to, what does the institution of         father and each mother assume towards the
marriage become? In what ways does this weaken             tabernacled spirit and towards the Lord Himself by
marriage? The First Presidency (Spencer W.                 having taken advantage of the opportunity He
Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney) has            offered, an obligation of the most sacred kind,
stated:                                                    because the fate of that spirit in the eternities to
                                                           come, the blessings or punishments which shall await
“The Church opposes abortion and counsels its
                                                           it in the hereafter, depend, in great part, upon the
members not to submit to, be a party to, or perform
                                                           care, the teachings, the training which the parents
an abortion except in the rare cases where, in the
                                                           shall give to that spirit.
opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or
health of the woman is seriously endangered or             “No parent can escape that obligation and that
where the pregnancy was caused by forcible rape            responsibility, and for the proper meeting thereof, the
and produces serious emotional trauma in the victim.       Lord will hold us to a strict accountability. No loftier
Even then it should be done only after counseling          duty than this can be assumed by mortals.” (Message
with the local bishop or branch president and after        of the First Presidency [Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben
receiving divine confirmation through prayer.              Clark, Jr., David O. McKay], presented by J. Reuben
                                                           Clark, Jr., in CR, Oct. 1942, p. 12.)
“Abortion is one of the most revolting and sinful
practices in this day, when we are witnessing the          SATAN’S LIE: Divorce is the solution for unhappy
frightening evidence of permissiveness leading to          marriages.
sexual immorality.
                                                           As it becomes easier and easier to obtain a divorce,
“Members of the Church guilty of being parties to          will couples who otherwise might work out a
the sin of abortion are subject to the disciplinary        successful marriage be tempted to break their
action of the councils of the Church as circumstances      marriage apart without making a real effort? In what
warrant. In dealing with this serious matter, it would     way does this cheapen marriage and weaken it as a
be well to keep in mind the word of the Lord stated in     means to hold society together? Are lax divorce laws
the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse      simply a symptom of the low spiritual level of
6. ‘Thou shalt not steal; neither commit adultery, nor     society? President Spencer W. Kimball has said:
kill, nor do anything like unto it.’
                                                           “With all conditions as nearly ideal as possible,
“As far as has been revealed, the sin of abortion is       there are still people who terminate their marriages
one for which a person may repent and gain                 for the reason of ‘incompatibility.’ We see so many
forgiveness.” (Ensign, July 1976, p. 76.)                  shows and read so much fiction and come in contact
                                                           with so many society scandals that the people in
SATAN’S LIE: Reduce the contact children have with
                                                           general come to think of ‘marrying and giving in
parents.
                                                           marriage,’ divorcing and remarrying, as the normal
Is it natural for children to be raised by other than      patterns.
their parents? How does it affect children if they are
                                                           “The divorce itself does not constitute the entire evil,
taken from the home a great deal during those early
                                                           but the very acceptance of divorce as a cure is also a
years of their greatest need for parental love and
                                                           serious sin of this generation. The fact that a
training? The First Presidency of the church has
                                                           program or a pattern is universally accepted is not
declared:
                                                           evidence that it is right. Marriage never was easy. It
“This divine service of motherhood can be rendered         may never be. It brings with it sacrifice, sharing, and
only by mothers. It may not be passed to others.           a demand for great selflessness.
Nurses cannot do it; public nurseries cannot do it;
                                                           “Many of the TV screen shows and stories of fiction
hired help cannot do it—only mother, aided as much
                                                           end with marriage: ‘They lived happily ever after.’
as may be by the loving hands of father, brothers,
                                                           Since nearly all of us have experienced divorce
and sisters, can give the full needed measure of
                                                           among our close friends or relatives, we have come
watchful care.” (The First Presidency [Heber J.
                                                           to realize that divorce is not a cure for difficulty, but
Grant, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., David O. McKay], Oct.
                                                           is merely an escape, and a weak one. We have come


                                                         366
to realize also that the mere performance of a               life to the question of whether it is wrong to eat any
ceremony does not bring happiness and a successful           meat?
marriage. Happiness does not come by pressing a
                                                             These are the last days, and it is no coincidence that
button, as does the electric light; happiness is a state
                                                             you have come to the earth at this time. President
of mind and comes from within. It must be earned. It
                                                             Joseph Fielding Smith said:
cannot be purchased with money; it cannot be taken
for nothing. . . .                                           “Our young people are among the most blessed and
                                                             favored of our Father’s children. They are the nobility
“Every divorce is the result of selfishness on the part
                                                             of heaven, a choice and chosen generation who have a
of one or the other or both parties to a marriage
                                                             divine destiny. Their spirits have been reserved to
contract. Someone is thinking of self—comforts,
                                                             come forth in this day when the gospel is on earth, and
conveniences, freedoms, luxuries, or ease. Sometimes
                                                             when the Lord needs valiant servants to carry on his
the ceaseless pinpricking of an unhappy,
                                                             great latter-day work.
discontented, and selfish spouse can finally add up to
serious physical violence. Sometimes people are              “May the Lord bless you, the youth of Zion, and keep
goaded to the point where they erringly feel justified       you true to every covenant and obligation, cause you
in doing the things which are so wrong. Nothing, of          to walk in paths of light and truth, and preserve you
course, justifies sin.” (“Marriage and Divorce,” BYU         for the great labors ahead.” (“Our Concern for All Our
Devotional, 7 Sept. 1976, pp. 3, 6.)                         Father’s Children,” Improvement Era, June 1970,
                                                             p. 3.)
                                                             Will you be faithful to this birthright about which
(44-23) Strive to Be an Example of the Believers             Elder Lee spoke? Will you resist Satan’s lies which
With regard to the lies of Satan listed earlier, what        Paul prophesied would deceive some of the saints in
should a “believer” do? If you are to be “an example         the latter-days? Will you strive with all your might to
of the believers,” how would you respond to Satan’s          be “an example of the believers”? For Saturday night
lies?                                                        is drawing to a close, and a glorious Sabbath morning
                                                             shall greet those who have been faithful.
If you are determined to be an example of the
believers, how would you respond in your personal




                                                           367
368
                  SECTION 10
        PAUL’S WITNESS TO PR
                          PRIESTHOOD
                             IESTHOOD
                   LEADERS
LESSONS                                                      fight, that he did not preach and persuade to the last.
                                                             And what was he to receive? A crown of
45. “I Have Fought a Good Fight, I Have Finished My
                                                             righteousness. And what shall others receive who do
    Course, I Have Kept the Faith” (2 Timothy)
                                                             not labor faithfully, and continue to the end? We leave
46. “Let Us Go On unto Perfection” (Hebrews 1–7)             such to search out their own promises if any they
                                                             have; and if they have any they are welcome to them,
47. “By the Blood Ye Are Sanctified” (Hebrews
                                                             on our part, for the Lord says that every man is to
    8–10)
                                                             receive according to his works. Reflect for a moment,
48. Faith: Evidence of Things Not Seen (Hebrews              brethren, and enquire, whether you would consider
    11–13)                                                   yourselves worthy [of] a seat at the marriage feast
                                                             with Paul and others like him, if you had been
BIOGRAPHIES                                                  unfaithful? Had you not fought the good fight, and
Paul’s Faithfulness                                          kept the faith, could you expect to receive? Have you
                                                             a promise of receiving a crown of righteousness from
“. . . in Paul’s last letter to Timothy, which was written   the hand of the Lord, with the Church of the
just previous to his death,—he says: ‘I have fought a        Firstborn? Here then, we understand, that Paul rested
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the       his hope in Christ, because he had kept the faith, and
faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of         loved His appearing and from His hand he had a
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,          promise of receiving a crown of righteousness.”
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto      (Smith, Teachings, pp. 63–64.)
all them also that love His appearing.’ No one who
believes the account, will doubt for a moment this           Timothy was born of a Greek father and a devoutly
assertion of Paul which was made, as he knew, just           Jewish mother, Eunice (Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 1:5). He
before he was to take his leave of this world. Though        lived at either Lystra or Derbe where he was converted
he once, according to his own word, persecuted the           by Paul during the first missionary journey. While
Church of God and wasted it, yet after embracing the         completing the second missionary journey, Paul took
faith, his labors were unceasing to spread the glorious      Timothy to be his secretary and companion (Acts
news: and like a faithful soldier, when called to give       16:1–4; 1 Thessalonians 3:2) after ordaining and
his life in the cause which he had espoused, he laid it      circumcising him to please the Jews (2 Timothy 1:6;
down, as he says, with an assurance of an eternal            Acts 16:3).
crown. Follow the labors of this Apostle from the time       Timothy remained with Silas in Berea after Paul was
of his conversion to the time of his death, and you will     forced to flee the city (Acts 17:14). Not long
have a fair sample of industry and patience in               afterwards, he joined Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1, 5).
promulgating the Gospel of Christ. Derided, whipped,
and stoned, the moment he escaped the hands of his           At a later time, Timothy was sent back to Corinth
persecutors he as zealously as ever proclaimed the           to deal with disorders in the church, and there
doctrine of the Savior. And all may know that he did         he may have labored until Titus took his place
not embrace the faith for honor in this life, nor for the    (1 Thessalonians 3:6; Acts 19:22; 1 Corinthians 4:17;
gain of earthly goods. What, then, could have induced        16:11; 2 Corinthians 7:6, 13; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18).
him to undergo all this toil? It was, as he said, that he    After helping to organize a collection for the
might obtain the crown of righteousness from the hand        Jerusalem church, he accompanied Paul as far as
of God. No one, we presume, will doubt the                   Troas, though it isn’t certain whether he continued to
faithfulness of Paul to the end. None will say that he       Jerusalem (Acts 20:4–6). Nor is there indication that
did not keep the faith, that he did not fight the good       he was with Paul in Rome during the first


                                                         369
imprisonment. What is known is that Timothy was               from Antioch to Jerusalem where Judaizers desired to
with Paul when Philippians, 2 Corinthians, Colossians,        have him circumcised and where the leaders of the
and Philemon were written. No other information               church determined not to require him to submit to that
about the travels of Timothy is available.                    Mosaic ritual (Acts 15:2, 23–29; Galatians 2:1, 3).
                                                              When Titus was sent to Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:17;
Referred to as a young man (1 Timothy 1:3), Timothy
                                                              16:10), his conciliatory measures were successful and
is considered by Paul to be a capable and beloved
                                                              peace was restored (2 Corinthians 7:5–15). Later, no
soldier of Christ. In Paul’s letters to Timothy, the
                                                              doubt because of his influence among the Corinthian
apostle bolsters, encourages, and challenges Timothy
                                                              saints, Titus was again asked by Paul to visit Corinth
to remain firm in the faith in spite of opposition from
                                                              to complete a collection for the members at Jerusalem
Judaizers, licentious members, and heathen
                                                              (2 Corinthians 8:6–16). Several years later, he was
nonmembers. The last reference to Timothy in the
                                                              assigned to labor in Crete until he was called to meet
New Testament tells of his release from a Roman
                                                              with Paul (Titus 1:4, 5). Tradition holds that he was
prison wherein he may have languished during the
                                                              the church leader in Crete and that he performed
final days of Paul’s life (Hebrews 13:23).
                                                              missionary labors in Dalmatia, which is now part of
Titus, a Greek convert of Paul’s (Titus 1:4) and whose        Yugoslavia (2 Timothy 4:10). It is thought by some
parents were probably gentiles (Galatians 2:3), was           that he was in Rome during Paul’s final imprisonment.
one of Paul’s foremost companions in the work of the
ministry (2 Corinthians 8:23). Titus accompanied Paul




                                                                     BLACK SEA

            MACEDONIA
                                     Philippi
                                                    Thracia
                   Thessalonica




                                  AEGEAN
                                  SEA                                 Timothy was in Ephesus
                                                                      as the priesthood leader.

                            Athens

                  Corinth                                         Ephesus
                                                                                 Laodicea




                        Some scholars believe Paul was in Laodicea
                        when he wrote Timothy; others think
                        Macedonia, possibly Philippi or Thessalonica.
                  CRETE




                                                          370
371
                          45
            “I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD
                              GOOD FIGHT,
             I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE,
                                COURSE,
                I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH”
                                FAITH”




             A Letter from Paul to Titus                   The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy in
           Written from Macedonia to Crete,                                Ephesus
                 ca. A.D. 67–68 (Titus)                     Written from Roman Imprisonment,
                                                                   ca. A.D. 68 (2 Timothy)
                                              Titus
                                                                                                        2 Timothy
Paul Foreordained to Gain Eternal Life   1:1–4
                                                           Timothy’s Gifts of the Spirit               1:1–18
Appointment of Bishops                   1:5–9
                                                           How Timothy Should Face Hardships           2:1–7
Opposing False Teachers                  1:10–16
                                                           Christ Gives Eternal Glory to the Elect     2:8–13
Instruction in Moral Living              2:1–15
                                                           Shun Contention, Seek Godliness             2:14–26
How to Live After Baptism                3:1–8a
                                                           Dangers of the Last Days                    3:1–13
Personal Advice to Titus                 3:8b–15
                                                           Scriptures Guide Man to Salvation           3:14–17
THEME                                                      Timothy Exhorted to “Preach the Word”       4:1–5
By following the pattern established by Christ,
strength can be developed to overcome all obstacles to     Paul and All Saints Assured of Exaltation   4:6–22
spiritual sensitivity and growth.
                                                           again, he now faces what appears to be certain
INTRODUCTION                                               conviction and death. Fearfully, friends desert him;
The final scene of Paul’s ministry is Rome. Three          others betray him. Yet he remains calm and even
decades of strenuous service have seen the                 exultant. “I am now ready to be offered,” he writes
transformation of Saul of Tarsus into Paul the             without remorse or pity. “The time of my departure is
zealous apostle of Jesus Christ. Imprisoned once           at hand.” (2 Timothy 4:6.)



                                                         372
Nevertheless Paul is not without concerns. His                 (45-2) Place and Date of Writing
thoughts turn to his brethren who remain in the
                                                               Paul probably wrote this letter not long after his return
ministry. Even before his final imprisonment he had
                                                               to Ephesus, about A.D. 67 or 68, sometime between his
written Titus to guide him in his duty. Now he writes
                                                               first and second imprisonments. There are no clues as
to his “dearly beloved” Timothy. With death
                                                               to the letter’s point of origin.
approaching, his counsel reflects eternal perspective.
He speaks movingly of the trials which the youthful            (45-3) Background Information
Timothy must face. Above all he reveals the key both
to his own strength and to Timothy’s future                    Sometime prior to writing, Paul and Titus had visited
happiness: the need to build spirituality.                     the island of Crete. When it became apparent that Paul
                                                               would be unable to remain on the island, he left Titus
Paul had learned this lesson for himself. “We                  behind to set in order the church (Titus 1:5). Paul’s
ourselves . . . were sometimes foolish, disobedient,           letter, written to strengthen and encourage Titus,
deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in        provides definite instructions about the duties of those
malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another,”             who minister in the church. Specifically, the apostle
Paul confessed about his early life. (Titus 3:3.) What         warns Titus to beware of false ministers and doctrines.
had transformed him? Now, before his impending                 He also speaks regarding the character and conduct
death, how could he speak confidently of exaltation?           befitting one who is called to assume priesthood
What had he learned that enabled him to replace fear           leadership.
with strength, love, and self-control? (See 2 Timothy
1:7.)                                                          (45-4) Titus 1:9. Who Were “the Gainsayers”?
This is the message of Titus and 2 Timothy. Turn and           This word is derived from the old Anglo-Saxon word
read these letters. Remember, these are Paul’s last            gegn, which means “contrary to” or “in opposition of.”
words, solemnized by his approaching death. They               We see this same root in our word against, which is
are his final bequest, the distillation of his experience      close to a perfect synonym for gain as it is used in
and wisdom. You will find that Paul warns his                  verse 9. When used in the word gainsayers, this root
“sons” of dangers similar to our own times.                    means “those who speak against something in order to
                                                               enrich oneself at the expense of others.”
But even more importantly, he lists the means by
which you can build spirituality, the formula by               (45-5) Titus 1:12. The Nature and Character of the
which you can successfully complete your life’s                Cretans
journey and secure the deep and full joy which our
Savior promises (John 16:24).                                  Paul’s reference to Cretans as “liars, evil beasts, slow
                                                               bellies” may have been borrowed from Epimenides, a
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          Greek poet who lived in the sixth century B.C. Using
in the reading block.                                          this admittedly strong language, Paul condemns the
                                                               false teachers on Crete for perverting the gospel in
                                                               order to make money (vs. 11). This corresponds with
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        the reputation of the Cretans for greed and
                                                               avariciousness, as reported by such ancient writers as
TITUS                                                          Cicero, Livy, Plutarch, and Polybius. Historically, the
                                                               name Cretan came to be synonymous with dishonesty.
(45-1) The Letter to Titus                                     Their reputation for lying became so commonly
                                                               known that the name became both a verb (kretidzein,
“Titus is the epistle of obedience. Writing in his old
                                                               meaning “to speak like a Cretan” or “to lie”) and a
age, Paul seems increasingly impressed by the Spirit
                                                               noun (kretismos, literally, “Cretan behavior,” which
to counsel his beloved Titus, and through him all the
                                                               equaled “lying”). Slow bellies is better translated idle
saints, of the overpowering need to walk in paths of
                                                               bellies and carries the idea of lazy gluttony that leads
truth and righteousness. . . .
                                                               to extreme obesity. Some argue that Paul, an apostle,
“Titus is written to and for the saints. It is a sermon of     would not slur a whole group of people in making his
practical exhortation to those in the fold, a common           point. But as you read it carefully, Paul is applying it
sense approach to the problem of living in the world           to those who would bring false teachings into the
without being of the world.” (McConkie, DNTC,                  church. In all of his letters, he does not hesitate to
3:119.)                                                        speak sharply and strongly about such wickedness.



                                                             373
(45-6) Titus 1:15. Who Are “the Pure”?                         glad tidings,” with this restriction: ‘Of tenets thou
                                                               shalt not talk’ (D. & C. 19:20–31), meaning they are
That purity spoken of is purity of mind and body. It
                                                               to teach and explain the basic doctrines of salvation
includes sexual purity. It is of the greatest importance,
                                                               and not engage in contentions and strivings about the
and it cannot be neglected as we strive to develop
                                                               doctrines of sectarianism.
perfect lives. Elder McConkie has written:
                                                               “Linked here with contentions and strivings about the
“The pure in heart are those who are free from moral
                                                               Law of Moses, these refer to the false Jewish tradition
defilement or guilt; who have bridled their passions,
                                                               that salvation was for the chosen seed as such was
put off the natural man and become saints through the
                                                               known by genealogical recitations. In this
atonement (Mosiah 3:19); who have been born again,
                                                               dispensation, the Lord has commanded genealogical
becoming the sons and daughters of Christ (Mosiah
                                                               research as an essential requisite in making salvation
5:7); who are walking in paths of uprightness and
                                                               available to those who do not have opportunity to
virtue and seeking to do all things that further the
                                                               receive the gospel in this life.” (McConkie, DNTC,
interests of the Lord’s earthly kingdom. . . .
                                                               3:127.)
“One of the chief identifying characteristics of a saint
is that he has a pure mind. (2 Pet. 3:1)” (McConkie,           (45-11) Titus 3:10, 11. What Is the Sin of Heresy?
Mormon Doctrine, pp. 612–13.)                                  One is considered to be a heretic when he belongs to
                                                               the church yet adheres to any religious opinion which
(45-7) Titus 2:10. What Is Meant by the Word
                                                               is contrary to the official doctrine of the church.
Purloining?
                                                               Heresy is the belief and espousal of false doctrine. The
This word carried a meaning of “to put far away from           true doctrines of the kingdom are to be found in the
another,” and thus it came to mean “to appropriate             scriptures, the conference reports, and the words of the
something of another’s for one’s own use.” It is secret        living prophets, as these were and are inspired by the
rather than open theft. Servants are exhorted by Paul          Holy Ghost.
not to take for their own use the things which belong
to their masters. Rather, they are to show fidelity; they      (45-12) Titus 3:10. Is Any Man to Be Rejected?
are to be trustworthy in all things.                           “There comes a time when it is wise to shun and avoid
                                                               those who rebel against the light and whose hearts are
(45-8) Titus 3:5. Are Men Saved by the “Works of
                                                               set on promulgating false and damning doctrines. A
Righteousness”?
                                                               modern illustration of such is those cultists who leave
“There is no salvation in good works as such. That is:         the Church to advocate and practice plural marriage in
There are no good works which men may do which—                a day when the President of the Church has withdrawn
standing alone—will cause them to be resurrected or            from all men the power to perform these marriages.”
to gain eternal life. Immortality and eternal life come        (McConkie, DNTC, 3:128.)
through the atonement of Christ, the one being a free
gift, the other being offered freely to all who will be        2 TIMOTHY
baptized and who then keep the commandments.”
                                                               (45-13) The Second Letter to Timothy
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:126–27.)
                                                               Second Timothy is a letter of encouragement to
(45-9) Titus 3:5. What Is the “Washing of                      Timothy and to all priesthood leaders. It is a warning
Regeneration”?                                                 against spiritual apostasy and a clear manifestation of
“Baptism in water, so named to signify that baptized           Paul’s triumphant faith.
converts are regenerated; that is, they become new             This letter probably was written from Rome near the
again spiritually; they become like little children, alive     end of Paul’s second imprisonment and just prior to
in Christ and without sin.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:127.)           his martyrdom, about A.D. 68. It is very likely the last
                                                               of Paul’s letters.
(45-10) Titus 3:9. Why “Avoid Foolish Questions,
and Genealogies, and Contentions, and Strivings                (45-14) Background Information
About the Law”?
                                                               Paul’s second imprisonment was different from the
“There is no converting power in debate and                    first in that the Roman authorities did not treat Paul
contention. Christ’s ministers are to teach, not to            with the same deference which they had shown to him
argue. Missionaries go forth, for instance, to “declare


                                                             374
before. The attitude of the Roman government toward         The second metaphor dealt with athletics. It indicated
the early church had undergone a radical shift. Nero        that a man wins the prize only by conforming his life
placed the blame for the great fire of Rome upon the        to the rigorous training and contest rules of the game.
saints and launched a series of intense but limited         Timothy was challenged to keep all of the
persecutions against the Christians in Rome. Both           commandments if he was to win the great prize of
Paul and Peter were caught up in this new hostility         eternal life (vs. 5).
and were martyred, along with many other members
                                                            A third metaphor, taken from agriculture, implied that
of the church. During the period of his second
                                                            if Timothy diligently labored in the Lord’s vineyard,
imprisonment, friends still visited Paul, but evidence
                                                            he would reap salvation to his own soul (vs. 6. and see
indicates that his freedom to preach the gospel was
                                                            D&C 4 and John 4:36).
greatly restricted. At his trial no one came forth to
plead his cause. Apparently only Luke remained with         (45-17) 2 Timothy 2:14, 16, 23–25. Why Is It of No
him.                                                        Profit to Strive About Words?
In spite of the negative and adverse circumstances in       “Contention and division are of the devil. Agreement
which he found himself, he remained optimistic and          and unity are of God. Since true religion comes by
buoyed up by his faith in Christ. Second Timothy            revelation, man’s sole purpose in trying to understand
stands as one of the great monuments to faith and hope      and interpret gospel principles should be to find out
in the face of loneliness and adversity.                    what the Lord means in any given revelation. This
                                                            knowledge can be gained only by the power of the
(45-15) Significant Contributions
                                                            Spirit. Hence, there is no occasion to debate, to argue,
Timothy is a priesthood leader in the kingdom. Paul’s       to contend, to champion one cause as against another.
second letter to Timothy is a challenge for him to          ‘Those who have the Spirit do not hang doggedly to a
magnify the calling to which he has been ordained and       point of doctrine or philosophy for no other reason
to endure to the end. Paul counsels his young friend in     than to come off victorious in a disagreement. Their
the ministry to be strong in the faith, to keep the         purpose, rather, is to seek truth by investigation,
commandments, to shun contention, to strive for             research, and inspiration. Cease to contend one with
complete victory over the temptations of the world, to      another,” the Lord has commanded. (D. & C.
study the holy scriptures, and to preach the word with      136:23; Tit. 3:9.)’ (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed.,
power.                                                      p. 161.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:105; see also 3 Nephi
                                                            11:28–30.)
Today, the same advice applies to priesthood leaders
throughout the world. In this world gone mad with           (45-18) 2 Timothy 2:15. How Should Men Rightly
wickedness, this letter serves as a concise, powerful       Divide the Word of Truth?
description of the great apostasy. It is a graphic and
prophetic picture of that fearful spiritual pollution       “Not all truth is of equal value. Some scientific truths
which covers this latter-day world. This, Paul’s final      may benefit men in this life only; the truths of
letter, is a timeless letter for all mankind.               revealed religion will pour out blessings upon them
                                                            now and forever. But even revealed truth is not all of
(45-16) 2 Timothy 2:1–7. What Kind of Devotion to           the same worth. Some things apply only to past
the Work Did Paul Require of Timothy?                       dispensations, as the performances of the Mosaic
                                                            system; others are binding in all ages, as the laws
Paul admonished Timothy to be strong in the faith. In
                                                            pertaining to baptism and celestial marriage.”
doing so, he used three metaphors.
                                                            (McConkie, DNTC, 3:105–6.)
The military metaphor referred to the fact that a
soldier was to be a soldier and nothing else. He was        (45-19) 2 Timothy 2:17. What Was the Meaning of
not to entangle himself in other business. He was to be     the Word Canker?
valiant, for only valiant soldiers receive the favor of     Paul admonishes the saints against contention and
their captain. Like a stalwart warrior, Timothy was to      foolish arguments. He uses the example of a canker to
be whole-souled in his devotion to Jesus if the great       teach the principle. Today a canker is a spreading,
battle between light and darkness was to be won             painful sore. In the Greek, though, the word is
(vss. 3, 4).                                                gangreina, from which we take our word gangrene.




                                                          375
Gangrene is not just a painful sore but is associated          never gave birth to good of any kind, and Paul said:
with the death of living cells and tissues from lack of        ‘But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she
blood. Contention and arguments choke off the life-            liveth.’ (1 Tim. 5:6.) But now comes a heavenly voice.
giving spiritual sustenance of the Holy Ghost and              ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that
bring death to spirituality. If tolerated, such contention     committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast
can destroy the faith of the saints.                           out.’ (D&C 42:24.)” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr.
                                                               1971, p. 8.)
(45-20) 2 Timothy 2:18. Why Did Some Argue That
the Resurrection Was Past?                                     (45-23) 2 Timothy 3:5. What Is “a Form of
                                                               Godliness” Without “the Power Thereof”?
“Satan’s ministers delight in spiritualizing away the
prophecies and doctrines of the gospel. Probably what          “A form of godliness without saving power! A hollow
was here involved was the allegorical teaching that the        shell shattered into many fragments! An illusive image
resurrection consisted in imparting new life to the soul       without substance! An imitation of what God had
through acceptance of the gospel. Such a view is on a          aforetime revealed through Peter and Paul! A system
par with the sectarian heresy that the Second Coming           of so-called Christianity which worshipped a God
is past, meaning that the Lord already has returned to         without a power, a God who gave no revelations,
dwell in the hearts of the faithful.” (McConkie, DNTC,         unfolded no visions, worked no miracles, and had
3:106.)                                                        forgotten the unchangeable pattern of the past! All
                                                               Christendom wallowing in the mire and filth of
(45-21) 2 Timothy 3:1–4. To What Extent Has                    apostasy!” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:111.)
Paul’s Prophecy About Perilous Times Been
Fulfilled in Our Day?                                          (45-24) 2 Timothy 3:7. “Ever Learning and Never
                                                               Able to Come to the Knowledge of the Truth”
“We see our world sinking into depths of corruption.
Every sin mentioned by Paul is now rampant in our              “Among the signs of the last days was an increase of
society.                                                       learning. . . .
“Men and women are ‘lovers of their own selves.’               “. . . Is not knowledge increased? Was there ever a
They boast in their accomplishment. They curse. They           time in the history of the world when so much
blaspheme. Another sin is disobedience of children to          knowledge was poured out upon the people? But sad
parents and parents’ disobedience to law. Many are             to say, the words of Paul are true—the people are
without the natural affection, which seems to be               ‘ever learning and never able to come to the
eroding family life as they seek to satisfy their own          knowledge of the truth.’ (2 Tim. 3:7.)” (Joseph
selfish wants.                                                 Fielding Smith in CR, Apr. 1966, pp. 13–14.)
“There are said to be millions of perverts who have            (45-25) 2 Timothy 3:8. Who Were Jannes and
relinquished their natural affection and bypassed              Jambres?
courtship and normal marriage relationships. This
practice is spreading like a prairie fire and changing         According to Jewish tradition, these were the two
our world. They are without ‘natural affection’ for            Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses. (See Exodus
God, for spouses, and even for children.” (Spencer W.          7:9–13 and Smith, A Dictionary of the Bible, rev. ed.,
Kimball in CR, Apr. 1971, p. 7.)                               s.v. “Jannes and Jambres.”)

(45-22) 2 Timothy 3:4. What of Those Who Love                  (45-26) 2 Timothy 3:16. Will the Scriptures Alone
Pleasure More Than They Love God?                              Save Us?

“Paul speaks of ‘lovers of pleasure more than lovers of        “‘But,’ says an objector, ‘have we not the Bible, and
God.’ Does that not describe the wanton sex                    are not the Holy Scriptures able to make us wise unto
permissiveness of our day?                                     salvation?’ Yes, provided we obey them. ‘All
                                                               Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
“Paul speaks of those who ‘creep into houses, and lead         profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
captive silly women laden with sins, led away with             instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may
divers lusts.’ (2 Tim. 3:6.)                                   be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’
“Immorality seems to now receive the wink of                   The ‘good works’ are the great desideratum. The Bible
approval of the once honorable people. Debauchery              itself is but the dead letter, it is the Spirit that giveth




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life. The way to obtain the Spirit is that which is here       POINTS TO PONDER
marked out so plainly in the Scriptures. There is no
other. Obedience, therefore, to these principles is            YOU MUST OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES TO
absolutely necessary, in order to obtain the salvation         SPIRITUALITY
and exaltation brought to light through the gospel.”
(Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 101–2.)                 (45-31) Fear of Adverse Opinions of Others
(45-27) 2 Timothy 4:2. How Did Joseph Smith                    “Not all acts of courage bring . . . spectacular rewards.
Revise This Verse?                                             But all of them do bring peace and contentment; just
                                                               as cowardice, in the end, always brings regret and
“Preach the word. Be instant in season. Those who are          remorse. . . .
out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-
suffering and doctrine.” (Inspired Version, taken from         “I remember . . . when I was in Australia on a mission.
the original manuscript by Robert J. Matthews. Note            I went up to visit the Jenolan Caves—very wonderful,
the punctuation changes in addition to the word                spectacular caves. And as we walked through them,
changes made by the Prophet.)                                  the guide said, ‘If some of you will get out and stand
                                                               on that rock over there and sing a song, it will
(45-28) 2 Timothy 4:4. What Did Paul Mean by the               demonstrate the capacity of this cave.’
Use of the Word Fables?
                                                               “Well, the Spirit said to me, ‘Go over there and sing
“All false doctrines are fables. That is, they are stories     “O, My Father.” I hesitated, and the crowd walked on.
which have been imagined, fabricated, and invented as          I lost the opportunity. I never felt good about
opposed to the gospel which is real and true. (2 Pet.          that.” (Marion G. Romney, Ensign, May 1975, p. 74.)
1:16.) Apostasy consists in turning from true doctrine
to fables.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 261.)               (45-32) Unwillingness to Endure Affliction
                                                               “There are those who have lost faith because of
(45-29) 2 Timothy 4:6, 7. Was Paul to Be Martyred
                                                               personal tragedies or troubles. Faced with problems
Before His Time?
                                                               akin to Job’s, they have in effect accepted the
“It will be recalled that Peter was released from prison       invitation to curse God and die rather than to love God
by an angel and protected in many ways ’till his work          and gain the strength to endure their trials. There is, of
was finished. And Paul likewise. No violence could             course, in the promises of God no warrant that we will
take his life until he had borne his testimony to Rome         avoid the very experiences which we came here to
and Greece and other lands. But finally he made the            undergo and through which we can learn reliance on
prophetic statement to Timothy: ‘For I am now ready            the Lord. . . .
to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
                                                               “Some years ago I became acquainted with the story
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
                                                               of a young family whose little son was tragically ill
I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim. 4:6, 7.) There was no
                                                               with cancer. Every night the father sat with his boy,
fear in his approach to eternity—only assurance and
                                                               holding him in his arms. The pain seemed less when
calm resignation to the inevitable martyrdom which he
                                                               daddy held him close. The father slept on a mattress
faced. He did not want to die but was willing thus to
                                                               on the floor beside the son so that he could reach him
seal his testimony of the Redeemer.” (Spencer W.
                                                               whenever the boy cried out. The parents bore their
Kimball in CR, Apr. 1946, p. 46.)
                                                               sorrow with courage. They prayed, they loved, they
(45-30) 2 Timothy 4:6–8. “Henceforth Is Laid                   served. Faith gave them strength to meet the
up . . . a Crown of Righteousness”                             test.” (Marion D. Hanks in CR, Apr. 1972, p. 128.)
“Paul’s calling and election had been made sure. He            (45-33) Entanglements with Things of the World
was sealed up unto eternal life. He had kept the
                                                               “Many people build and furnish a home and buy the
commandments, been tried at all hazards, and the Lord
                                                               automobile first—and then find they ‘cannot afford’ to
had given him the promise: ‘Son, Thou shalt be
                                                               pay tithing. Whom do they worship? Certainly not the
exalted.’ And since no man is or can be exalted alone,
                                                               Lord of heaven and earth, for we serve whom we love
this is one of the crowning reasons why we know Paul
                                                               and give first consideration to the object of our
was married.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:116.)
                                                               affection and desires. Young married couples who




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postpone parenthood until their degrees are attained         “I know whom I have believed,” Paul wrote in
might be shocked if their expressed preference were          beginning his epistle to Timothy. (2 Timothy 1:12.
labeled idolatry. Their rationalization gives them           Emphasis added.) His contrast between knowledge
degrees at the expense of children. Is it a justifiable      and belief is significant. The Savior taught that
exchange? Whom do they love and worship—                     knowing God, rather than merely believing,
themselves or God?” (Kimball, Miracle of                     constituted eternal life; and he listed such knowledge
Forgiveness, p. 41.)                                         as the first of his spiritual gifts (John 17:3; D&C
                                                             46:13). How can you come to know God? On this, the
(45-34) Vain Babblings and Contentions                       teaching of the former and modern prophets is plain
“A vicious tongue can ruin the reputation and even the       and provides you with the key to spiritual greatness.
future of the one attacked. Insidious attacks against        A. A Scriptural Overview of How You Attain
one’s reputation, loathsome innuendoes, half-lies            Spiritual Greatness
about an individual are as deadly as those insect
parasites that kill the heart and life of a mighty oak.          WE MUST KNOW THE FATHER AND THE SON
They are so stealthy and cowardly that one cannot                       TO ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE
guard against them. As someone has said, ‘It is easier                                READ
to dodge an elephant than a microbe.’” (N. Eldon
Tanner in CR, Apr. 1972, p. 57.)                                                    John 17:3
                                                                                   D&C 132:24
(45-35) Lust and Indulgence
                                                                       WE LEARN OF THE FATHER BY
“When the unmarried yield to the lust which induces
                                                                            KNOWING CHRIST
intimacies and indulgence, they have permitted the
body to dominate and have placed the spirit in                                        READ
chains. . . .                                                                     John 5:19, 30
“That the Church’s stand on morality may be                                     John 8:19, 28, 29
understood, we declare firmly and unalterably it is not
an outworn garment, faded, old-fashioned, and                                      John 14:6–9
threadbare. God is the same yesterday, today and                 WE KNOW CHRIST BY DOING HIS WORKS AND
forever, and His covenants and doctrines are                           BY FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE
immutable; and when the sun grows cold and the stars
no longer shine, the law of chastity will still be basic                              READ
in God’s world and in the Lord’s Church. Old values                                1 John 2:3–6
are upheld by the Church not because they are old, but
rather because through the ages they have proved                                    D&C 93:1
right. It will always be the rule.” (Spencer W.                  SUCH KNOWLEDGE ALLOWS US TO ENDURE
Kimball, “Love Vs. Lust,” Speeches of the Year, 1965,                       TO THE END
pp. 9, 11.)
                                                                                      READ
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF
                                                                                  2 Nephi 31:16
CHRIST AND ACHIEVE SPIRITUALITY
                                                             B. The Goal: To Know Christ in a Real, Personal,
Fear, suffering, worldliness, foolish speech,                       and Close Association
unbridled passion, idle speculation—each can                 The first step in knowing Christ is to learn all that we
destroy spirituality. But pursuing excellence requires       can about him. President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., has
more than just recognizing obstacles. You may                offered the following advice:
realize you have a spiritual illness, but now you must
find a cure. Positive values must replace negative           “. . . I am quite a believer in studying the life of the
influences. Confidence and endurance must replace            Savior as an actual personality. That is not often
fear and suffering; godliness must transform                 done. Our students of the Bible and of the New
worldliness; self-control must conquer unrestraint.          Testament, seem to refrain from trying to build a
Paul understood this and provided you the key.               biography of the Master. . . .




                                                           378
“. . . try to go along with the Savior, live with him, let             How can you include faith in your scriptural
him be an actual man, half divine, of course, but                      study?
nevertheless moving as a man moved in those
                                                                   3. Daily Prayer. No less than every morning
days.” (Behold the Lamb of God, p. 8.)
                                                                      and evening “enter into thy closet, and when
Once you have begun to understand Christ’s true                       thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
attributes and personality, place these characteristics               Father . . . in secret.” (Matthew 6:6.)
into your life. When confronted by a circumstance,
                                                                                  2 Timothy 1:3.
ask yourself, What would Jesus do? “Many of my
decisions have been motivated by [this question],”                     Paul’s counsel is by example. Why is it
Elder Marion G. Romney has testified, “Doing what I                    important that your prayers, like Paul’s,
have thought He would have done has always                             reveal a compassion toward others?
brought satisfaction and joy.” (“Jesus Christ, Man’s               4. Daily Service. The Savior’s paradox remains
Great Exemplar,” Speeches of the Year, 1967, p. 2.)                   the key to spiritual happiness: As you lose
C. Spiritual Exercise Brings the Power Necessary                      your life in service to others, you shall
                                                                      actually find it (Matthew 10:39).
So that you might have the strength and sensitivity to
follow Christ’s pattern, design a personal program of                   2 Timothy 3:17 and Titus 3:8, 14.
spiritual exercise. Notice that Paul recommended a                     Paul stresses the need for “good works” but
similar course. Spirituality will never be attained                    urges that they be fruitful. In what
merely by avoiding the negative pitfalls to its                        circumstances could service be “unfruitful”?
development, however important that may be. The                        How can secrecy and selflessness enhance
full strength of the Spirit will come only as you make                 our works?
positive spiritual activity an integral part of your
daily life. Such a program should at least include the             5. Fasting. On occasions of special importance
following:                                                            and need, strengthen your “exercise”
                                                                      program with a meaningful fast.
    1. A Daily Resolve to Follow Christ’s Example.
       Commit yourself at the beginning of each day            D. Then Comes Confirmation by the Spirit
       to emulate the Savior’s life.                           Finally and ultimately, knowledge of Christ will come
                     2 Timothy 1:8.                            through revelation (Matthew 16:16, 17). The
                                                               whispering of the Spirit will give your soul the
        What did Paul mean when he warned                      assurance that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the
        Timothy—and you—not to be “ashamed” of                 Savior, and as you increasingly take upon yourself
        a testimony of Christ?                                 his example and become more spiritually attuned,
    2. An Organized Study Program. Devote at                   such knowledge will deepen and grow more real.
       least twenty to thirty minutes daily to gospel          This is part of what the scriptures define as the
       study, especially a study of the scriptures.            “power of Godliness” (D&C 84:21), for such
                                                               knowledge will give you spiritual power. Truly this
                  2 Timothy 3:14–16.
                                                               conviction became the rock of Paul’s testimony and
        Paul counsels that the scriptures can make             the reason that he successfully endured mortality’s
        you “wise unto salvation through faith.”               trials and faced death with calm assurance.




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380
                     46
       “LET US GO ON UNTO PERFECTION”
                          PERFECTION”




   Letter to the Hebrews—Believed Written by Paul,        Melchizedek Accepted Tithes from           7:4–10
                  ca. A.D. 65 (Hebrews)                   Abraham
                                              Hebrews     Melchizedek Priesthood Administers the     7:11–14
                                                          Gospel
Christ the Creator, the Heir, the Son       1:1–4
                                                          Christ’s Priesthood Is the Power of Endless 7:15–18
Angels Are Ministering Spirits              1:5–14        Life

Jesus: Made a Little Lower than Elohim      2:1–9         Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood        7:19–22

Christ Became Mortal to Save Man            2:10–18       THEME

Christ Is the Great High Priest and Apostle 3:1–6         Perfection is obtained by complying with the
                                                          requirements of the everlasting gospel as revealed by
The Unfaithful Shall Not Earn the Rest of   3:7–19        Jesus Christ.
the Righteous
The Gospel Was Offered to Ancient Israel    4:1, 2        INTRODUCTION

How to Enter into the Rest of the Lord      4:3–11        How often have you excused an act of personal
                                                          disobedience with the words, “Oh well, nobody’s
The Sure Testimony of the Still, Small      4:12, 13      perfect.” Or how many times have you dismissed the
Voice                                                     good intent or actions of someone else with a
Christ, the Compassionate High Priest       4:14–16;      sarcastic retort, “We can’t all be perfect, you know.”
                                            5:1–3         Perfection is the goal of every true follower of Jesus
Christ Called to the Holy Priesthood        5:4–14        Christ. We seek excellence in all we say and do. No
                                                          one understood this better than the apostle Paul.
“Let Us Go On unto Perfection”              6:1–3         Prior to his writing of the epistle to the Hebrews,
                                                          Paul had suffered much for the kingdom of God
Sons of Perdition Crucify Christ Afresh     6:4–9
                                                          (2 Corinthians 11:23–27). He understood, as few
God Swears That the Faithful Shall Be       6:10–20       men do, the meaning of his own words in relation to
Saved                                                     Jesus, that the “captain of our salvation” was made
                                                          “perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10.)
Melchizedek Priesthood Brings Exaltation    7:1–3



                                                        381
Yes, in spite of great disappointments, constant             Italy and sending greetings from his Italian
setbacks, and untold suffering, Paul remained true to        acquaintances? Or does it mean that he was in some
his convictions, true to his commitment of service to        other portion of the empire and sending greetings to
his fellowmen, and true to his missionary purpose as         Italy from Italian acquaintances? Both points of view
defined for him by the risen Lord (Acts 26:15–18).           have been entertained and it is not possible to give a
He accepted for himself and urged others to accept           final answer without further information.
this personal challenge: “let us go on unto
                                                             Similar problems confront us in reference to an
perfection.” (Hebrews 6:1.)
                                                             acceptable date. The epistle was certainly known as
But what of yourself?                                        early as A.D. 95, for Clement, the bishop of Rome,
                                                             cites it in his first letter and clearly accepts its
Do you strive daily for that perfection of which Jesus
                                                             authority. Moreover, those for whom the letter was
and Paul spoke?
                                                             intended have obviously had substantial time and
Do you struggle to achieve your potential as a son or        experience in the church (Hebrews 5:12; 10:32); and it
daughter of God?                                             would also seem, from the frequent allusions to
Do you receive the tests and trials of life as things to     Mosaic ritual, that the temple in Jerusalem was still
be surmounted and overcome, or do you permit                 standing. If this was the case, we must place the
yourself to be overcome by them?                             letter’s date before A.D. 70, since that is the time when
                                                             the temple was destroyed. Paul died about A.D. 68, and
Do you seek to produce your best, as Paul did, in            since we accept him as its author, it must date before
spite of the private trauma of your life?                    that year. A date of about A.D. 65 would seem to fit
Now read the chapters in Hebrews which are                   the known facts.
indicated below. As you do so, keep in mind our goal         (46-3) Authorship
of “perfecting the saints,” of becoming “a perfect
man,” of measuring up to “the stature of the fulness         Latter-day Saints are fortunate in that they do not need
of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12, 13.)                            to thread their way through a maze of conjecture in
                                                             order to form a conclusion. Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references        explains why:
in the reading block.
                                                             “. . . the Prophet Joseph Smith says this Epistle was
                                                             written ‘by Paul . . . to the Hebrew brethren’
                                                             (Teachings, 59), and repeatedly in his sermons he
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      attributes statements from it to Paul. Peter, himself a
                                                             Hebrew, whose ministry and teachings were directed
(46-1) The Book of Hebrews Shows Christ’s                    in large part to his own people, seems to be identifying
Fulfillment of the Law of Moses                              its authorship when he writes, ‘Our beloved brother
                                                             Paul . . . according to the wisdom given unto him hath
As the high priest of old entered the tabernacle and
                                                             written unto you [the Hebrews] ; As also in all his
offered the blood of a lamb as a sacrifice for Israel’s
                                                             [other] epistles, . . . some things hard to be
sins, so Jesus, the greatest High Priest and the true
                                                             understood.’ (2 Pet. 3:15–16.) In any event, Paul did
Lamb of God, offered his own blood to atone for sin,
                                                             write Hebrews, and to those who accept Joseph Smith
entered the heavenly sanctuary, and thereby made
                                                             as an inspired witness of truth, the matter is at
possible the salvation of all men. Paul shows the
                                                             rest.” (DNTC, 3:133.)
symbolic significance of the law of Moses and its
fulfillment in Christ. Paul indicates that through this      (46-4) Background Information
great High Priest, Israel gains access to the presence of
the Lord, and that the sacrifice of Christ is an ongoing     As shown in our studies thus far, tension was often
relevant act for all who turn to him in faith and            sharp between gentile and Jewish Christians, the
obedience.                                                   former insisting that Mosaic ritual was done away in
                                                             Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the latter often insisting
(46-2) Place and Date of Writing                             that it was not. As the former point of view began to
                                                             prevail, an interesting question arose: If we accept the
The place from which the book of Hebrews was
                                                             truth that the law of Moses is no longer binding on
written is unknown. A partial clue, however, is
                                                             Christians, what is the true value of the Old Testament
furnished by a single phrase, “They of Italy salute
                                                             and how should it be interpreted? The question was
you.” (13:24.) Does this mean that the author was in


                                                           382
particularly pressing for Jewish Christians, since their      [Hebrews 1:4] we learn that Paul perfectly understood
personal upbringing included a reverent study of the          the purposes of God in relation to His connection with
ancient scriptures. (The only scriptures available to the     man, and that glorious and perfect order which He
Christians at this early date, whether Jew or gentile,        established in Himself, whereby he sent forth power,
were those known to us as the Old Testament. The              revelations, and glory.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 168.)
New Testament was in the process of preparation, and
nearly three centuries passed before it was accepted as       (46-7) Hebrews 2:69. Is the Savior Really Lower
a standard or rule of faith.) Paul’s letter to the            than the Angels?
Hebrews appears to have been written, at least in part,       “The marginal reading of this quotation from Psalm
to answer this question.                                      8:4–6 recites that man is made, not a little lower than
                                                              the angels, but a little lower than Elohim, which
(46-5) Significant Contributions
                                                              means that all God’s offspring, Jesus included, as
Hebrews is our finest scriptural commentary (aside            children in his family, are created subject to him, with
from some key Book of Mormon passages) on the Old             the power to advance until all things are ‘in
Testament and on the manner in which the doctrine of          subjection’ to them. Of those who gain eternal life, it
Christ’s atoning sacrifice was clearly signified in the       is written: ‘Then shall they be above all, because all
Old Testament. As you study, note the repeated                things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods,
appeals by Paul to Old Testament authority to                 because they have all power, and the angels are
establish the New Testament role of Christ. For Paul,         subject unto them.’ (D. & C. 132:20.)
Christ is concealed in the Old Testament and revealed
                                                              “The only sense in which either men or Jesus are
in the New Testament. For this reason, the book of
                                                              lower than the angels is in that mortal restrictions limit
Hebrews is an excellent scriptural guide to an
                                                              them for the moment; and for that matter, angels
understanding of Old Testament teachings and
                                                              themselves become mortals and then in the
practices. Far from being obsolete, Paul seems to say,
                                                              resurrection attain again their angelic
the Old Testament possesses numerous references to
                                                              status.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:143.)
the mission and priesthood of the Son of God.
One of the great contributions of the book of Hebrews         (46-8) Hebrews 3:11. What Does It Mean to Enter
is that it shows the ever-present role of Jesus Christ in     into the “Rest” of the Lord?
men’s lives. While the scriptures are replete with            The scriptures define the “rest” of the Lord as “the
references to Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, to his                fulness of his glory.” (D&C 84:24.) President
resurrection from the dead, and to his ascension into         Joseph F. Smith put it a little differently:
heaven, they do not deal at length, as Hebrews does,
with the ongoing work of the Redeemer now. This is            “The ancient prophets speak of ‘entering into God’s
what Hebrews is all about.                                    rest’; what does it mean? To my mind, it means
                                                              entering into the knowledge and love of God, having
(46-6) Hebrews 1:13, 14. What Is the Difference               faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent
Between an Angel and a Ministering Spirit?                    that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting
                                                              for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind
From the minutes of a meeting in which Joseph Smith
                                                              of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men
spoke, we have the following:
                                                              who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine
“He explained the difference between an angel and a           that it is of God, and we do not ask any questions of
ministering spirit; the one a resurrected or translated       anybody about it; they are welcome to their opinions,
body, with its spirit ministering to embodied spirits—        to their ideas and to their vagaries. The man who has
the other a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering      reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and
to disembodied spirits. Jesus Christ became a                 fear have been cast from him, he has entered into
ministering spirit (while His body was lying in the           ‘God’s rest.’ . . . rest from doubt, from fear, from
sepulchre) to the spirits in prison, to fulfill an            apprehension of danger, rest from the religious turmoil
important part of His mission, without which He could         of the world. . . .” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 58.)
not have perfected His work, or entered into His rest.
                                                              When we leave this life, if we enter into paradise, we
After His resurrection He appeared as an angel to His
                                                              go to “a state of rest, a state of peace, where [we] shall
disciples.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 191.)
                                                              rest from all [our] troubles, and from all care, and
“These angels are under the direction of Michael or           sorrow.” (Alma 40:12.)
Adam, who acts under the direction of the Lord. From


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(46-9) Hebrews 3:7–18. Why Did the Ancient                  (46-12) Hebrews 5:4. How Did Ancient Priests
Israelites Fail in Their Efforts to Enter the “Rest”        Obtain Their Authority?
of the Lord?
                                                            Aaron and his sons, as we have seen, were called of
For a clear answer to this question, read the following     God by one having authority in the ministry (Exodus
scriptural passages: Exodus 19:5–25; D&C 84:23, 24.         28:1). It is the same in our dispensation; men receive
                                                            their authority from those who have it to bestow. “Let
(46-10) Hebrews 4:8. Why Does Paul Indicate That            no man take this honor upon himself, except he be
Jesus Did Not Give the Ancient Israelites “Rest”?           called of God, as was Aaron; and Aaron received his
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua           call by revelation.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 272.)
and is transferred into the English as Joshua. Paul has
                                                            (46-13) Hebrews 5:5. How Did Christ Become a
reference here to the man Joshua of the Old Testament
                                                            High Priest?
rather than to Jesus Christ. His point is that the
Israelites did not find their “rest” under Moses nor        “The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and
Joshua, under whose direction they found and entered        existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity,
the promised land, or even under David, their greatest      without beginning of days or end of years.” (Smith,
king.                                                       Teachings, p. 157.)
(46-11) Hebrews 5:1–3. What Do We Know                      “If a man gets a fulness of the priesthood of God he
Concerning the Work of Ancient High Priests?                has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained
                                                            it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and
Sometime during the sojourn of the children of Israel       obeying all the ordinances of the house of the
in the desert near Sinai, God commanded Moses to            Lord.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 308.)
take Aaron and his sons and consecrate them in the
priest’s office (Exodus 28:1). An account of their          (46-14) Hebrews 5:7, 8. Does the Phrase “Though
consecration, which lasted seven days, is found in          He Were a Son” Apply to Melchizedek, to Christ,
Leviticus, chapter 8. Later, other priests, members of      or to Both?
the tribe of Levi, were likewise ordained to assist
                                                            “These verses make clear reference to Christ and his
Aaron and his sons in their priestly duties (Numbers
                                                            mortal ministry and are in complete harmony with
18:1–6). These sons of Aaron presided over those
                                                            other scriptures which bear on the same matters, as
priests of the Levitical, or lesser, order and are
                                                            also with the sermons of the early brethren of this
specifically called “high priests” in some passages
                                                            dispensation who quote them as applying to our Lord.
(Leviticus 21:10; Numbers 35:25; Joshua 20:6;
2 Kings 12:10), though they were not high priests as        “However, there is a footnote in the Inspired Version
we know them today; rather, they were presiding             which says, ‘The 7th and 8th verses allude to
priests of the Aaronic order. (See John Taylor, Items       Melchizedek, and not to Christ.’ Standing alone, and
on Priesthood, pp. 5, 6.)                                   because it is only part of the picture, this footnote
                                                            gives an erroneous impression. The fact is verses 7
The priests of God were set apart to perform certain
                                                            and 8 apply to both Melchizedek and to Christ,
ordinances and functions prescribed by the Lord. It
                                                            because Melchizedek was a prototype of Christ and
was their special task to bear the ark of the covenant
                                                            that prophet’s ministry typified and foreshadowed that
of the Lord (Deuteronomy 31:9; Joshua 3:3, 17) and to
                                                            of our Lord in the same sense that the ministry of
serve in the tabernacle (Numbers 3:6–9; 8:24). Chief
                                                            Moses did. (Deut. 18:15–19; Acts 3:22–23; [Joseph
among the duties of these priests was to offer the
                                                            Smith—History 1:40].) Thus, though the words of
morning and evening sacrifices unto the Lord in behalf
                                                            these verses, and particularly those in the 7th verse,
of the people (Exodus 29:38–44). They were also
                                                            had original application to Melchizedek, they apply
appointed to keep watch over the fire which burned on
                                                            with equal and perhaps even greater force to the life
the sacred altar and to see that it burned continually
                                                            and ministry of him through whom all the promises
day and night (Leviticus 6:12). It was their special
                                                            made to Melchizedek were fulfilled.” (McConkie,
responsibility to teach the children of Israel the
                                                            DNTC, 3:157.)
commandments of the Lord (Leviticus 10:11,
Deuteronomy 33:10). Thus Paul could say they were
“ordained for men in things pertaining to God.”




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(46-15) Hebrews 5:9. In What Way Was Jesus                      (46-18) Hebrews 6:19, 20. “Whither the
Made Perfect?                                                   Forerunner Is for Us Entered”
“Christ always was perfect in that he obeyed the                “As the high priest in Israel passed through the veil
whole law of the Father at all times and was                    into the holy of holies on the day of atonement, as part
everlastingly the Sinless One. See Heb. 4:14–16; 5:1–           of the cleansing rites which freed Israel from sin (Lev.
3. But on the other hand he was made perfect, through           16), so Jesus has entered into heaven to prepare the
the sufferings and experiences of mortality, in the             way for those who through obedience to his laws
sense that he thereby died and was resurrected in               become clean and pure. (McConkie, DNTC, 3:165.)
glorious immortality. In that perfected state,
possessing at long last a body of flesh and bones, he           (46-19) Hebrews 7:1. Who Was Melchizedek, King
then had the same eternal perfection possessed by his           of Salem?
Father. Hence his pronouncement, after the                      “Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought
resurrection, that all power was given him in heaven            righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and
and in earth. (Matt 28:18.)” (McConkie, DNTC,                   stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the
3:158.)                                                         violence of fire.
(46-16) Hebrews 6:1. Can One Leave the Principles               “And thus, having been approved of God, he was
of Christ’s Doctrine and Attain Perfection?                     ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant
                                                                which God made with Enoch.
“This is a contradiction. I don’t believe it. I will render
it as it should be—‘Therefore not leaving the                   “It being after the order of the Son of God; which
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto         order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither
perfection, not laying again the foundation of                  by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor
repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,            end of years; but of God;
of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands,         “And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his
and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal                 own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as
judgment.’” (Smith, Teachings, p. 328.)                         believed on his name.” (Genesis 14:26–29, Inspired
(46-17) Hebrews 6:4–6. What Must People Do in                   Version. Note that in the King James Version,
Order to “Crucify to Themselves the Son of God                  chapter 14 ends with verse 24.)
Afresh, and Put Him to an Open Shame”?                          (46-20) Hebrews 7:3. Was Melchizedek “Without
“All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the         Father, Without Mother, Without Descent”?
Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of          “For this Melchizedek was ordained a priest after the
perdition. What must a man do to commit the                     order of the Son of God, which order was without
unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost,               father, without mother, without descent, having
have the heavens opened unto him, and know God,                 neither beginning of days, nor end of life. And all
and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned                those who are ordained unto this priesthood are made
against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for              like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest
him.’ He has got to say that the sun does not shine             continually.” (Hebrews 7:3, Inspired Version.)
while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when
the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny              (46-21) Hebrews 7:3. What Is the Meaning of the
the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of        Expression “Without Father, Without Mother,
it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This           Without Descent” in Reference to the Melchizedek
is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus          Priesthood?
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
                                                                “As compared to the Aaronic Priesthood, as
“When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he              administered in ancient Israel, the order of
hunts me, he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to              Melchizedek did not come ‘by descent from father and
thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the devil—the        mother.’ (Teachings, p. 323.) That is, the right to this
same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of             higher priesthood was not inherited in the same way as
Life—the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost.          was the case with the Levites and sons of Aaron.
You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them             Righteousness was an absolute requisite for the
to repentance; they make open war, like the devil, and          conferral of the higher priesthood.” (Bruce R.
awful is the consequence.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 358.)          McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 478.)


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(46-22) Hebrews 7:9. How Could Levi Pay Tithes to            hereditary in nature, passing from father to son. Then,
Melchizedek?                                                 as now, the Aaronic Priesthood was received by men
                                                             “without an oath” (Hebrews 7:20, 21; Smith,
Abraham met Melchizedek and paid tithes to him long
                                                             Teachings, pp. 319, 323); that is, no eternal promises
before Isaac, his son, was born. Isaac’s sons, Esau and
                                                             were exchanged in connection with its reception. With
Jacob, were born after the death of Abraham, and Levi
                                                             the Melchizedek Priesthood it is different, as is clearly
was the third son of Jacob. How, then, was it possible
                                                             explained in D&C 84:33–44. The Melchizedek
that Levi “payed tithes in Abraham,” a man whose
                                                             Priesthood is received only by an oath and covenant.
death preceded Levi’s birth by many years? The
problem becomes even more puzzling when it is                “Every person upon whom the Melchizedek
realized that Levites did not become the priestly tribe      Priesthood is conferred receives his office and calling
(to which the Israelites paid their tithes) until after      in this higher priesthood with an oath and a covenant.
Moses had delivered them from captivity, some four           The Covenant is to this effect: 1. Man on his part
hundred years later!                                         solemnly agrees to magnify his calling in the
                                                             priesthood, to keep the commandments of God, to live
Though it is difficult for us to fully understand its
                                                             by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of
reality, this argument from Paul would have had a
                                                             Deity, and to walk in paths of righteousness and
great appeal for a Jewish mind, for the Jews strongly
                                                             virtue; and 2. God on his part agrees to give such
emphasized the continuity and unity of their entire
                                                             persons an inheritance of exaltation and godhood in
race. The phrase “as I may say” is equivalent to “so to
                                                             his everlasting presence. The oath is the solemn
speak,” so Paul makes it clear that he is speaking
                                                             attestation of Deity, his sworn promise, that those who
metaphorically.
                                                             keep their part of the covenant shall come forth and
“The whole Jewish law, its ordinances and priesthood,        inherit all things according to the promise.”
are regarded as potentially in Abraham. When                 (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 480.)
Abraham paid tithes, Levi paid tithes. When Abraham
was blessed, Israel was blessed. It is a kind of             POINTS TO PONDER
reasoning which would appeal to Hebrews, who so
strongly emphasized the solidarity of their                  (46-25) Perfection Is an Achievable Goal When the
race.” (Vincent, Word Studies, 2:1128.)                      Formula Revealed by Christ Is Complied With
(46-23) Hebrews 7:11–14. Why Did the Change                  “Progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving
from Mosaic to Gospel Law Require a Change in                perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees
the Priesthood Also?                                         total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation
The mission and atonement of our Savior brought an           through that perfection which comes by complying
end to the lesser law of Moses and instituted in its         with the formula the Lord gave us. In his Sermon on
place the higher law of Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 15:8, 9).      the Mount he made the command to all men: ‘Be ye
This change, in turn, required a change in the               therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
priesthood also, and that is what Paul was talking           heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:48.) Being perfect means
about. Neither the law of Moses nor the priesthood of        to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord.
Aaron which administered it was capable of bringing          He is just and wise and kind. He would never require
God’s children unto perfection. The Aaronic                  anything from his children which was not for their
Priesthood is a lesser authority, and it administers the     benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection
preparatory gospel only. The Melchizedek Priesthood,         therefore is an achievable goal.” (Kimball, Miracle of
on the other hand, is the higher priesthood,                 Forgiveness, pp. 208–9.)
commissioned to minister the gospel ordinances in            (46-26) The Greatest Hindrance to Perfection Is
their fulness and capable of purifying our lives so that     Procrastination
we can again enter into the presence of the Lord
(3 Nephi 27:19, 20).                                         “There are even many members of the Church who are
                                                             lax and careless and who continually procrastinate.
(46-24) Hebrews 7:18–22. “For Those Priests Were             They live the gospel casually but not devoutly. They
Made Without an Oath”                                        have complied with some requirements but are not
The Aaronic Priesthood, being of a lesser order and          valiant. They do no major crime but merely fail to do
thereby incapable of bringing men to perfection, was         the things required—things like paying tithing, living



                                                           386
the Word of Wisdom, having family prayers, fasting,          God with an eternal and limitless potential; that there
attending meetings, serving. Perhaps they do not             is joy in service and satisfaction in laboring in a great
consider such omissions to be sins, yet these were the       cause.” (Gordon B. Hinckley in CR, Apr. 1973, p. 73.)
kinds of things of which the five foolish virgins of
Jesus’ parable were probably guilty. The ten virgins         PERFECTION RESTS ON FOLLOWING
belonged to the kingdom and had every right to the           GOSPEL PRINCIPLES
blessings—except that five were not valiant and were        Perfection is attained only on the principles laid
not ready when the great day came. They were                down in the gospel of Christ. As the author of our
unprepared through not living all the commandments.         salvation, Jesus has a perfect right to prescribe the
They were bitterly disappointed at being shut out from      conditions of salvation. This he has done in what we
the marriage—as likewise their modern counterparts          call the gospel of Jesus Christ. As propounded by
will be. . . .                                              Christ, the gospel has principles and ordinances
“Because men are prone to postpone action and ignore        which must be complied with in order to merit
directions, the Lord has repeatedly given strict            eternal blessings.
injunctions and issued solemn warnings. Again and
                                                            The Power for Attaining Perfection Is in Christ
again in different phraseology and throughout the
centuries the Lord has reminded man so that he could        The fullest kind of perfection is not attainable in
never have excuse. And the burden of the prophetic          mortality. President Joseph F. Smith explained thus:
warning has been that the time to act is now, in this       “We do not look for absolute perfection in man.
mortal life. One cannot with impunity delay his             Mortal man is not capable of being absolutely
compliance with God’s commandments.” (Kimball,              perfect. Nevertheless, it is given to us to be as perfect
Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 7–10.)                          in the sphere in which we are called to be and to act,
(46-27) The Time to Begin the Process of Becoming           as it is for the Father in heaven to be pure and
Perfect Is Now                                              righteous in the more exalted sphere in which he acts.
                                                            We will find in the scriptures the words of the Savior
“. . . when we go out of this life, leave this body, we     himself to his disciples, in which he required that
will desire to do many things that we cannot do at all      they should be perfect, even as their Father in heaven
without the body. We will be seriously handicapped,         is perfect; that they should be righteous, even as he is
and we will long for the body, we will pray for that        righteous. I do not expect that we can be as perfect as
early reunion with our bodies. We will know then            Christ, that we can be as righteous as God. But I
what advantage it is to have a body.                        believe that we can strive for that perfection with the
“Then, every man and woman who is putting off until         intelligence that we possess, and the knowledge that
the next life the task of correcting and overcoming the     we have of the principles of life and salvation.”
weakness of the flesh are sentencing themselves to          (Gospel Doctrine, p. 132. Emphasis added.)
years of bondage, for no man or woman will come             Not only is Jesus our great exemplar, he is also the
forth in the resurrection until they have completed         source of “all power . . . in heaven and in earth,”
their work, until they have overcome, until they have       which power he received from his Father. (Matthew
done as much as they can do. . . .                          28:18.) Those who wish to achieve perfection are in
“The point I have in mind is that we are sentencing         constant need of the assisting grace of Jesus Christ,
ourselves to long periods of bondage, separating our        not only for the forgiveness of past sins but also for
spirits from our bodies, or we are shortening that          the power to overcome present temptations.
period, according to the way in which we overcome           Christ is your Savior, not only because he atoned for
and master ourselves.” (Ballard, Three Degrees of           and forgives you of your sins, but also because he
Glory, pp. 14–15.)                                          assists you with the spiritual strength needed to
                                                            overcome evil, if you seek for it in deep humility. As
(46-28) Deep, Abiding Testimony Is of Greatest
                                                            you exercise personal self-discipline and call upon
Assistance in Becoming Perfect
                                                            the Lord for strength, he answers. Knowing this, the
“In matters of religion, when a man is motivated by         prophet Moroni wrote the inspiring words found in
great and powerful convictions of truth, then he            Moroni 10:32, 33. Read them with the understanding
disciplines himself, not because of demands made            that they are for you. They are your personal
upon him by the Church but because of the knowledge         promise.
within his heart that God lives; that he is a child of


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In Christ you really can become perfect. Again note            you to work on that until you’ve been able to conquer
the promise of the Lord to you as recorded in D&C              that weakness. Then you start on the next one that’s
93:20.                                                         most difficult for you to keep.” (Church News, 5 May
                                                               1973, p. 3.)
What does the Lord mean when he states you will
receive a fulness? Do you think he would give you a            President Lee’s comments suggest some specific
fulness of this power and glory if you are unworthy to         things that you can do to overcome your weaknesses.
receive it?                                                    First identify what your weaknesses are. Make a list
                                                               with your greatest concern at the top and so on in
Do you think the Lord would excuse you if in
                                                               descending rank. Remember, this list is very personal
mortality you did not climb as high on the ladder of
                                                               and should be kept secret and private. It is a matter
perfection as it is possible for you to do? Ponder
                                                               strictly between you and your Savior, and you should
these words of Elder Joseph Fielding Smith:
                                                               never share it in class or in public.
“It is our duty to be better today than we were
                                                               Each morning review your list, particularly noting
yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today.
                                                               the problem you want to work on that day. Then pray
Why? Because we are on that road, if we are keeping
                                                               to the Lord, entreating him for power and promising
the commandments of the Lord, we are on that road
                                                               him you will do all you can. That night report to him
to perfection, and that can only come through
                                                               on your success or failure. As you find yourself
obedience and the desire in our hearts to overcome
                                                               improving (and you will), pray for forgiveness and
the world.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:18–19.)
                                                               additional strength. Keep constantly in mind the joy
Perfection Entails Consecrated Effort on a Specific            and love your Heavenly Father is feeling toward you
Problem                                                        because of your efforts. Remember also that your
In a very real and meaningful way, you can begin to            weaknesses can become your strengths; indeed, as
become perfect right now. This means specific and              each is overcome, it can be a rung of power leading
concentrated efforts on a particular problem rather            upward to God and your eternal home. Examine
than scattered random attempts to overcome all                 Ether 12:27. What is the purpose of weakness? What
problems in one immense effort. Consider the counsel           does the Lord intend to do with your weaknesses if
from President Harold B. Lee: “The most important              you let him? Will you let him? If you do, you will find
of all the commandments of God is that one that                the power of heaven opened to you and you will
you’re having the most difficulty keeping today. If it’s       receive greater joy and peace and a closer
one of dishonesty, if it’s one of unchastity, if it’s one      relationship with your Savior than most people ever
of falsifying, not telling the truth, today is the day for     know.




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                    47
     “BY THE BLOOD YE ARE SANCTIFIED”




   Letter to the Hebrews—Believed Written by Paul,         and personal sinfulness, can be born again and
                  ca. A.D. 65 (Hebrews)                    receive eternal life. One of the great themes and
                                               Hebrews     essential doctrines within the gospel is that of
                                                           sanctification. Through this means man can not only
Salvation Comes Through Christ’s             7:23–28       be cleansed from sin but also be made pure and holy.
Intercession                                               This is one of the most sacred and beautiful teachings
Christ Offered Himself a Sacrifice for Sin   8:1–5         of the Church.

A New Covenant with Israel                   8:6–13        You may be assured that as you approach your study
                                                           of sanctification prayerfully, positively, and with
Mosaic Ordinances Prefigure Christ’s         9:1–14        sufficient time to draw near to your Father in heaven,
Ministry                                                   you can be edified by him. Coupling your intellect
Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant     9:15–28       with the power of the Spirit, you will understand the
                                                           necessary steps you must follow in preparing yourself
“By the Blood Ye Are Sanctified”             10:1–18       for the great achievement of becoming sanctified
                                                           through obedience to the gospel and through the
Those Who Fall From Grace Are Damned         10:19–39
                                                           blood of the Savior.
THEME                                                      In Hebrews, Paul masterfully analyzes the contrasts
Through the shedding of the blood of Christ,               between the temporal law of Moses and the
redemptive power by which a person can be sanctified       principles and doctrines of the gospel of Christ. So
is extended to each individual.                            skillful is he in this contrasting of spiritual and
                                                           temporal principles that not only do we see that we
INTRODUCTION                                               can achieve sanctification, but also we are
                                                           powerfully motivated to do whatever is necessary to
The Savior declared, “I am come that they might            make it a reality in our own lives.
have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.” (John 10:10.) To achieve this, the Lord       Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
revealed the life-giving power of the gospel by which      in the reading block.
mankind, suffering spiritual death because of the Fall


                                                         389
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      ‘Lo we turn unto the Gentiles’; and the Gentiles
                                                             received the covenant, and were grafted in from
(47-1) Hebrews 8:3. What Do We Know                          whence the chosen family were broken off: but the
Concerning the Ordinance of Sacrifice as Practiced           Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God,
by the Ancient High Priests?                                 but have departed from the faith that was once
                                                             delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant
Many have supposed that the ordinance of sacrificing         in which their fathers were established [see Isaiah
animals was first introduced by Moses. Such is not the       24:5]; and have become high-minded, and have not
case. The principle of sacrifice was initially taught to     feared; therefore, but few of them will be gathered
Adam following his expulsion from the Garden of              with the chosen family.” (Smith, Teachings,
Eden. Adam was clearly instructed that in offering the       pp. 14–15.)
“firstlings” of his flocks, he was prefiguring the
atoning sacrifice of Christ. “This thing is a similitude     (47-3) Hebrews 9:1–10. What Do We Know
of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father,” he     Concerning the Ancient Tabernacles and Its
was told. (Moses 5:7.) Elder McConkie writes as              Services?
follows concerning the ordinance of sacrifice:               During Israel’s wanderings and prior to the building of
“The form of the ordinance was always so arranged as         a temple in Solomon’s day (about 970 B.C.), the
to point attention to our Lord’s sacrifice. The              priests of Israel performed the sacred ordinances in
sacrificial offering made in connection with the             behalf of their people in a portable tent known as the
Passover, the killing of the Paschal Lamb, for               tabernacle. This edifice, constructed in such a way that
instance, was so arranged that a male lamb of the first      it could be quickly moved from place to place, was the
year, one without spot or blemish, was chosen; in the        first item set up in any new place of encampment.
offering the blood was spilled and care was taken to         The tabernacle was composed of two parts. There was
break no bones—all symbolical of the manner of               an outer compartment into which the Levites and sons
Christ’s death. (Ex. 12.) Many sacrificial details were      of Aaron might enter daily to perform the sacred
added to the law as it operated in the Mosaic                ordinances prescribed by the Mosaic law. There was
dispensation, but the basic principles governing             also an inner compartment separated by a veil and
sacrifices are part of the gospel itself and preceded        considered to be the most holy place, into which the
Moses and the lesser order which came through                high priest might enter but once a year to perform his
him.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 665.)                   sacred duties on the Day of Atonement. As explained
(47-2) Hebrews 8:7–13. What Is the Better                    by Paul, the outer division of the tabernacle contained
Covenant of Which Paul Speaks?                               the sacred candlestick, twelve loaves of shewbread,
                                                             and an altar of incense; in the inner chamber known as
The gospel was a “better covenant” because it offered        the Holy of Holies was located the ark of the
the principles and ordinances of salvation in their          covenant, a chest somewhat equivalent to a good-sized
fulness, while the law of Moses did not. The Israelites,     modern trunk. In the ark were kept the golden censer,
in general, rejected the fulness of the gospel on both       the golden pot containing manna, Aaron’s rod, and the
occasions when it was offered to them, first while           tablets on which were inscribed the Ten
wandering in the desert under Moses and later when           Commandments.
Jesus came to earth in the meridian of time. Joseph
Smith once said: “This covenant has never been               The word tabernacle literally means “place of
established with the house of Israel, nor with the house     dwelling” and was so called in the belief that God
of Judah, for it requires two parties to make a              literally lived within its sacred confines. When Israel
covenant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no        camped, the tabernacle was set up in the precise center
covenant can be made.                                        of the camp (symbolizing the idea that God was to be
                                                             the center of his people’s lives) with the various tents
“Christ, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a        of the different tribes surrounding it on all sides.
covenant with them, but they rejected Him and His
proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were             Each division of the tabernacle was regarded as a
broken off, and no covenant was made with them at            sacred sanctuary. While priests might enter the outer
that time. . . .                                             chamber every day as required by priestly duty, only
                                                             the high priest (i.e., the presiding priest, who was to be
“Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and       of the tribe of Levi and a firstborn son of a direct
His proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them,        descendent of Aaron) might enter the Holy of Holies,


                                                           390
and that but once a year on Yom Kippur, or the Day of        sanctuary of heaven itself, there to intercede before the
Atonement. This is the most sacred of all days in the        Father in behalf of those whose penitence makes
Jewish year and had for its purpose the offering up of       them eligible for his act of mercy (Hebrews 9:11–15,
a special sacrifice within the Holy of Holies for the        23–25).
sins of the people. The ritual involved a series of
events, the first two of which were to prepare the high      (47-5) Hebrews 9:15–17. What Did Paul Mean by
priest for his solemn duties. First he would make            “For Where a Testament Is, There Must Also of
sacrifices for himself and his brother priests so as to      Necessity Be the Death of the Testator”?
make them symbolically worthy to perform their               “. . . In legal usage, a testator is one who leaves a
sacred functions. Then he would lay aside his priestly       valid will or testament at his death. The will or
robes, don a simple white tunic in preparation for the       testament is the written document wherein the testator
sacrifice itself, and return to the outer court. Taking      provides for the disposition of his property. As used in
two pure and unblemished male goats, he would                the gospel sense, a testament is a covenant. Jesus is the
dedicate one to Jehovah and one to the evil one,             Mediator of the new covenant or testament, that is of
Azazel, or the devil. The goat dedicated to Jehovah          the gospel which came to replace the law of
was then sacrificed in the outer court. Its blood was        Moses. . . .
taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the
mercy-seat and before the ark of the covenant. This          “. . . In other words, Christ had to die to bring
symbolized that Israel’s sins were atoned for by             salvation. The testament or covenant of salvation came
sacrifice.                                                   in force because of the atonement worked out in
                                                             connection with that death. Christ is the Testator. His
Returning to the outer court, the high priest then laid      gift, as would be true of any testator, cannot be
his hands on the second goat and solemnly confessed          inherited until his death. Christ died that salvation
upon it all Israel’s sins. This done, the goat was taken     might come; without his death, he could not have
outside the camp and either compelled to lose its way        willed either immortality or eternal life to
or else was thrown from a cliff and thus destroyed. In       men.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 784–85.)
this manner was symbolized a transference of sins
from the children of Israel to the goat. This is the         (47-6) Hebrews 9:22. What Does Paul Mean by
source for the modern notion of a scapegoat, that is,        “Without Shedding of Blood Is No Remission”?
one who is literally punished for the mistakes or sins       As noted above, remission of sins under the law of
of another.                                                  Moses required the shedding of an animal’s blood. In
(47-4) Hebrews 9:11–15, 23–28. The Role of Jesus             setting forth the laws respecting sacrificial ordinances
Christ as High Priest Mediator of the New                    in ancient Israel, the Lord explained: “For the life of
Testament                                                    the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you
                                                             upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:
Jesus performed essentially the same function for us         for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the
which ancient priests did for Israel: he atoned for our      soul.” (Leviticus 17:11.) In other words, blood is
sins. There is a difference, however, between the two        symbolic of life, and it was the life of Christ that was
offerings: ancient priests offered up goats or lambs         required to remit sins. (See Mosiah 3:14, 15.)
from Israel’s flocks; Christ, the purest “Lamb of
God” (John 1:29, 36), offered up himself. No man             (47-7) Hebrews 10:1–9. “The Law [of Moses] . . .
took Christ’s life from him; the Savior gave it up           Can Never . . . Make the Comers Thereunto
voluntarily (John 10:18). Thus, Jesus was not only the       Perfect”
high priest for us in the making of the offering; he was     Paul returns here to a former theme, namely that
also the very offering himself! This is what Paul            perfection cannot come either by the law of Moses or
wishes us to see. Christ is the mediator of the New          by the lesser priesthood which administers that law
Testament as ancient priests were mediators of the Old       (compare Hebrews 7:11, 12). The law, says Paul, is
Testament, or law of Moses. Jesus came “to put away          but “a shadow of good things to come, and not the
sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26.) As         very image of the things” themselves. This is true, he
the ancient high priest entered into the Holy of Holies      argues, because Mosaic sacrifice for sin must be
on earth and sprinkled the goat’s blood upon the             repeated daily, whereas Christ’s atoning act was “once
mercy-seat, so Jesus Christ entered the sacred               for all.”




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(47-8) Hebrews 10:19, 20. How Do We Enter into              veil of the old temple was rent with the crucifixion.
the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus?                          (Matt. 27:50–51.) Now Jesus has passed through the
                                                            veil into heaven itself. While he lived, his mortal flesh
The ancient tabernacle and the temples patterned
                                                            stood between him and the eternal holy of holies, for
thereafter had veils which separated one portion of the
                                                            ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
structure from another. To pass the first veil was to
                                                            God’ (1 Cor. 15:50), but now he has, as it were, rent
move from the outer court into an inner sanctuary
                                                            the veil of his flesh through death and entered into the
known as the Holy Place. To pass the second veil was
                                                            fulness of his Father’s kingdom through
to enter the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place.
                                                            resurrection.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:190–91.)
Paul capitalizes upon the Hebrew understanding of
these things to indicate symbolically the role of Jesus     (47-9) Hebrews 10:26–31. What Does It Mean to
in making it possible for us to enter into heaven, our      Do “Despite unto the Spirit of Grace”?
“holy of holies.” As in ancient times the high priest       See Interpretive Commentary 46-17.
entered the earthly sanctuary through rites of
purification, so we too are privileged to enter the
heavenly sanctuary through the blood of Christ, which
                                                            POINTS TO PONDER
cleanses us from sin.
                                                            THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BLOOD
“Atonement for sin is no longer made by the high
priest in Israel when he passes through the veil of the     (47-10) Blood Is the Life of the Body
temple into the holy of holies. (Lev. 16.) See Heb.         Blood is that physical substance that renews and
6:19–20. Now there is a new way, a living way, for the      energizes the body, carrying to it food and
                                                            nourishment and eliminating waste materials. In the
                                                            resurrection we will receive a perfected, physical
                                                            body—sometimes referred to as a spiritual body
                                                            (D&C 88:27). This does not mean that such a body
                                                            has no tangible substance but, rather, that it “is
                                                            quickened by spirit and not by blood. . . . The
                                                            immortal body is quickened by spirit, but the mortal
                                                            body is quickened by blood.” (Smith, Doctrines of
                                                            Salvation, 1:76–77.) In the scriptures we are told that
                                                            the life of the flesh is the blood (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus
                                                            17:10, 11, 14; 19:26; 1 Samuel 14:32, 33; Acts 15:20,
                                                            29). It was stated clearly to Moses: “Only be sure
                                                            that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life;
                                                            and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.”
                                                            (Deuteronomy 12:23.) Leviticus chapter 17, verse 11
                                                            states: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I
                                                            have given it to you upon the altar to make an
                                                            atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that
                                                            maketh an atonement for the soul.”
                                                            There can be no mistake that the blood anciently
                                                            offered upon the altar of sacrifice was a direct
                                                            reminder of the sacrifice of the Savior. Furthermore,
                                                            the ancient prophets understood that it was blood that
                                                            made atonement for their sins possible.
                                                            (47-11) Redemption Comes by the Shed Blood of
                                                            Christ
                                                            “That is, through faith in Christ, who was to come,
                                                            and by prefiguring the shedding of his blood in their
                                                            sacrifices and the rites incident thereto, those in
               Plan of Ancient Tabernacle                   ancient Israel were making atonement for their sins.


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Through their revealed system of rites and                   usual scriptural pronouncement is that men are
performances, they were being reminded that                  ‘sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost.’ (3 Ne.
forgiveness and redemption comes through the                 27:20.) The meaning is that although men are
shedding of the blood of Christ.” (McConkie, DNTC,           sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost, such
3:184–85.)                                                   sanctifying process is effective and operative because
                                                             of the shedding of the blood of Christ. Thus Moroni
(47-12) Remission of Sins Through the Blood of               says that the faithful saints are ‘sanctified in Christ by
Christ                                                       the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of
“The Latter-day Saints believe in the efficacy of the        Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the
blood of Christ. They believe that through obedience         remission’ of their sins, that they become holy and
to the laws and ordinances of the gospel they obtain a       without spot. (Moro. 10:33.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
remission of sins; but this could not be if Christ had       3:188.)
not died for them. If you did believe in blood
                                                             (47-14) Sanctification Defined
atonement, I might ask you why the blood of Christ
was shed, and in whose stead was it shed? I might ask        “To be sanctified is to become clean, pure, and
you to explain the words of Paul, ‘Without shedding          spotless; to be free from the blood and sins of the
of blood is no remission.’ Hebrews 9:22.” (Smith,            world; to become a new creature of the Holy Ghost,
Doctrines of Salvation, 1:133.)                              one whose body has been renewed by the rebirth of
                                                             the Spirit. Sanctification is a state of saintliness, a state
When was Christ’s blood shed for you? Was it on the          attained only by conformity to the laws and ordinances
cross, or was there another time, another place,             of the gospel. The plan of salvation is the system and
when he trembled because of pain and bled at every           means provided whereby men may sanctify their souls
pore and prayed that the time of agony might pass?           and thereby become worthy of a celestial
Did he know you then as an individual? And did he            inheritance. . . .
willingly suffer there for you, for your personal sins?      “. . . Those who attain this state of cleanliness and
Perhaps you would like to stop now for a moment              perfection are able, as occasion may require, to see
and consider the testimony of the prophets Isaiah and        God and view the things of his kingdom. (D. & C.
Abinadi. Ponder the meaning of Mosiah 14:1, 10;              84:23; 88:68; Ether 4:7.) The Three Nephites ‘were
15:10, 11.                                                   sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and that the
How would the Savior feel about someone for whom             powers of the earth could not hold them.’ (3 Ne.
he suffered who refused, through pride and                   28:39.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 675–76.)
arrogance, to accept his sacrifice and partake of his
redeeming power?                                             (47-15) How We Make Christ’s Shed Blood
                                                             Effective for Us
THE SHEDDING OF CHRIST’S BLOOD IN                            “Men can only be saved and exalted in the kingdom of
OUR BEHALF MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US                          God in righteousness; therefore, we must repent of our
TO BE SANCTIFIED                                             sins and walk in the light as Christ is in the light, that
                                                             his blood may cleanse us from all sins and that we
(47-13) “By the Blood Ye Are Sanctified”                     may have fellowship with the Lord and receive of his
Through faith in Christ and the efficacy of his              glory and exaltation.” (Joseph Fielding Smith in CR,
atonement, there is a quality of spiritual life fostered     Oct. 1969, p. 109.)
within the soul of the believer. This spiritual
enlivening is directly associated with the process of        What heart could but melt in love and gratitude for
personal sanctification. The following statements            the Savior and the sacrifice of his blood with which
further clarify the manner in which the sanctifying          we must become so personally involved. As the Spirit
powers of the Atonement can refine the lives of men          distills quietly upon the soul and we are drawn near
and women:                                                   the Master, the realization that we are completely
                                                             dependent upon him dawns upon us. How could one
“The atonement of Christ is the rock foundation upon         such as he care for us so much that he would desire
which all things rest which pertain to salvation and         to provide an infinite atonement in our behalf? And
eternal life. Hence the Lord said to Adam: ‘By the           yet he does.
blood ye are sanctified’ (Moses 6:60), although the



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Your key to becoming perfect in Christ is found
through faith and obedience, which leads to being
“born again.” Then comes the “mighty change in us,
or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to
do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2.)
Then only one step remains: ultimately to bring about
this final change that Christ suffered for you. This is
described in Alma 13:11–13. This is your promise. It
can happen to you if you will begin now to exercise
your faith and obey him who has already prepared
the way for your sanctification and eternal life.




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                             48
                FAITH: “EVIDENCE OF THINGS
                         NOT SEEN”




     Letter to Hebrews—Believed Written by Paul,        “Some Have Entertained Angels             13:1–3
                 ca. A.D. 65 (Hebrews)                  Unawares”
                                            Hebrews     Marriage Is Honorable                     13:4–7

By Faith the Worlds Were Made             11:1–3        Christ is Everlastingly the Same          13:8

Why Abel’s Sacrifice Was Acceptable       11:4          How Christians Offer Sacrifices           13:9–25

The Doctrine of Translation               11:5, 6        THEME
Faith Saved Noah                          11:7           Faith is the power by which eternal life is obtained.
Abraham Sought a Heavenly City            11:8–16
                                                        INTRODUCTION
Why Abraham Was Commanded to              11:17–19      As Paul nears the end of his instructions to the
Sacrifice Isaac
                                                        Hebrew saints, his words take on new force and
Patriarchal Blessings Came by Faith       11:20–22      elegance. The intensity with which he writes betrays
                                                        his passionate desire to motivate the saints to
Faith of Ancients Centered in Christ      11:23–31
                                                        overcome the persecutions and temptations of the
Faith and Miracles Are Inseparable        11:32–35      world. Here in these last few chapters he reaches the
                                                        powerful climax toward which he has moved his
Faith Enables Men to Endure Sufferings    11:35–40      readers through the epistle. Here he is ready to give
                                                        them the key by which they can overcome the world
“Whom the Lord Loveth He Chasteneth”      12:1–8
                                                        and gain their exaltation.
Premortality and Exaltation               12:9, 10      So important is the message, that Paul develops it
Peace and Holiness Lead One to See God    12:11–17
                                                        with great care and excellent clarity. He wants all to
                                                        be able to understand so that none will miss the
Exalted Saints Belong to the Church of the 12:18–24     point. Why such pains? Why such a desire to reach
Firstborn                                               all who will listen? Because he is revealing the key
“Our God Is a Consuming Fire”             12:25–29      by which men have become prophets, people have

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received revelations, great miracles have been                 are made, not by man’s power, not by some undirected
performed, Zion was established and translated, and            forces of nature or of the universe. There was no
saints throughout the ages have sealed their                   happenstance in creation, no chance creation of life in
exaltation. It is the power by which mankind can               primordial swamps, no development up from one
overcome the world—its temptations, its                        species to another by evolutionary processes. The
persecutions, and its degenerative powers.                     creation was planned, organized, and controlled. It
                                                               came by God’s power—and faith! It came by a power
Paul knew the trying conditions under which the
                                                               that does not appear and is not seen and understood by
early saints were struggling. He also knew and had
                                                               the carnal mind or the scientific intellect. The creation
prophesied of the conditions under which we would
                                                               is God’s doing. Things came into being by forces
struggle in the latter days (1 Timothy 4:1–4).
                                                               which do not appear to man and can in fact be known
Therefore, the key he gave the Hebrews in his letter
                                                               only by revelation. And as God created all things by
is also your key. It is as relevant to you as to the
                                                               faith, even so his created handiwork can be known and
ancient saints, and each of us must learn how to use
                                                               understood only by that same power, the power which
it in order to escape from the wickedness of our day.
                                                               is faith.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:195.)
As you read these last few chapters of Hebrews, ask
yourself what the key is of which we speak, and                (48-3) Hebrews 11:4. “By Faith Abel Offered . . . a
search for ways in which you can use it in your own            More Excellent Sacrifice than Cain”
life. Keep in mind that Paul knew whereof he spoke,
for he wrote from experience. He had used the key—             Many have wondered why Cain’s offering was refused
many times—to unlock the treasures of eternity. So,            and Abel’s accepted (Genesis 4:3–5; Moses 5:19–21).
too, can you if you will but utilize it in your life.          What was the nature of Cain’s sin? Was it only that
                                                               Cain received his command from Satan whereas Abel
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references          received and obeyed the Lord’s command (Moses
in the reading block.                                          4:18)? Joseph Smith explains:
                                                               “By faith in this atonement or plan of redemption,
                                                               Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted,
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                        which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of
                                                               the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because
(48-1) Hebrews 11:3. “Through Faith . . . the                  he could not do it in faith, he could have no faith, or
Worlds Were Framed”                                            could not exercise faith contrary to the plan of heaven.
                                                               It must be shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to
“By this we understand that the principle of power             atone for man; for this was the plan of redemption;
which existed in the bosom of God, by which the                and without the shedding of blood was no remission;
worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason        and as the sacrifice was instituted for a type, by which
of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that all     man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had
created things exist; so that all things in heaven, on         prepared; to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith
earth, or under the earth exist by reason of faith as it       could be exercised, because redemption was not
existed in Him.                                                purchased in that way, nor the power of atonement
“Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds         instituted after that order; consequently Cain could
would never have been framed neither would man                 have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is
have been formed of the dust. It is the principle by           sin.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 58–59.)
which Jehovah works, and through which he exercises            (48-4) Hebrews 11:4. “He [Abel] Being Dead Yet
power over all temporal as well as eternal things. Take        Speaketh”
this principle or attribute—for it is an attribute—from
the Deity, and he would cease to exist.” (Lectures on          “How doth he yet speak? Why he magnified the
Faith, Lecture First, vss. 15, 16.)                            Priesthood which was conferred upon him, and died a
                                                               righteous man, and therefore has become an angel of
(48-2) Hebrews 11:3. “Things Which Are Seen                    God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still
Were Not Made of Things Which Do Appear”                       the keys of his dispensation; and was sent down from
“A difficult and obscure passage? Not really. Paul is          heaven unto Paul to minister consoling words, and to
simply saying that created things were not made of or          commit unto him a knowledge of the mysteries of
by ‘things’ which are seen. That is: All created things,       godliness.
this earth and all that is thereon—all things were and

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“And if this was not the case, I would ask, how did           infinite number of stars in all the galaxies of the
Paul know so much about Abel, and why should he               sidereal heavens. And in this greater and more
talk about his speaking after he was dead? Hence, that        important sense, all of these same blessings become
he spoke after he was dead must be by being sent              the inheritance of all saints who live the law of
down out of heaven to administer.” (Smith, Teachings,         Abraham and enter into the same order of matrimony
p. 169.)                                                      which blessed his life and that of Isaac and
                                                              Jacob.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:203–5.)
(48-5) Hebrews 11:5. “By Faith Enoch Was
Translated that He Should Not See Death                       (48-7) Hebrews 11:10, 16. “A City . . . Whose
                                                              Builder and Maker Is God”
The only information we have in the Bible concerning
Enoch, aside from this statement of Paul’s, is that           The city referred to in this passage is the “city of
given in Genesis 5:24: “And Enoch walked with God:            Zion” or the city which Enoch and his people built.
and he was not; for God took him.” This one passage,          Translated from the earth because of the righteousness
together with Paul’s inspired comment, has given rise         of its inhabitants, the city of Enoch became an
to endless speculation regarding Enoch’s destiny.             example of that to which all men who studied and
What is the meaning of “and he was not; for God took          practiced righteousness might seek.
him”? Took him where—to heaven? to paradise?
                                                              Abraham certainly did, as Paul informs us here. We
Once again Joseph Smith, the great prophet of the last
                                                              are also told elsewhere that the people of
dispensation, has helped provide the answer: Enoch
                                                              Melchizedek, contemporaries of Abraham, “wrought
and his entire city was so righteous that they were
                                                              righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the
taken from the earth to a place where they could
                                                              city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating
“dwell in safety forever.” (Moses 7:18–21; see
                                                              it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter
especially verse 20.) Speaking of Enoch and the
                                                              days, or the end of the world.” (Genesis 14:34,
doctrine of translation, Joseph once said: “Now this
                                                              Inspired Version.)
Enoch God reserved unto Himself, that he should not
die at that time, and appointed unto him a ministry           Those of succeeding generations likewise continued to
unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there has been but           seek for this standard, but as the Lord informs us in
little revealed. . . .                                        latter-day scripture, they “found it not because of
                                                              wickedness and abominations; And confessed that
“Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation
                                                              they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth; But
was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately
                                                              obtained a promise that they should find it and see it in
into the presence of God, and into an eternal fulness,
                                                              their flesh.” (D&C 45:12–14.)
but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is
that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for       The scriptures contain a promise that the city of Enoch
such characters He held in reserve to be ministering          shall someday return to earth. This promise is reserved
angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not             for fulfillment during the coming millennium of peace.
entered into so great a fulness as those who are              The Lord told Enoch that in the latter days of earth, He
resurrected from the dead.” (Smith, Teachings,                would prepare “an Holy City . . . and it shall be called
p. 170.)                                                      Zion, a New Jerusalem. . . . Then shalt thou and all thy
                                                              city meet them there, and we will receive them into
(48-6) Hebrews 11:9, 14. What Does It Mean to Be              our bosom, and they shall see us. . . .’ (Moses 7:62,
Heirs with Abraham?                                           63.) The city of Enoch shall return to earth.
“In an initial and preliminary sense, they deal with
                                                              (48-8) Hebrews 11:17–19. Why Was Abraham
lands and temporal seed. They and their children after
                                                              Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac?
them are to inherit the land of Canaan, and their
posterity (figuratively) is to be as innumerable as the       “In all history there is scarcely a more soul-wrenching
sands upon the sea shore and the stars of heaven.             moment than that on Mount Moriah nearly 4000 years
(Gen. 12:1–3; 17:1–22; 22:15–18; 24:60; 26:2–5;               ago when faithful Abraham, at God’s command,
28:1–15.)                                                     raised his knife to slay Isaac, ‘his only begotten
                                                              son.’ (Gen. 22:1–19.) Who can conceive of a more
“But in a fuller and more complete sense, the promises
                                                              severe test of faith than the heaven-sent order to
deal with celestial marriage, with the continuation of
                                                              sacrifice the heir of promise, the heir whom God must
the family unit in eternity, with eternal increase, with
                                                              then raise from the dead that his promises concerning
having spirit children forever so that (literally) they
                                                              Isaac might be fulfilled. (Gen. 21:12.) Is it any wonder
will outnumber the particles of the earth and the near
                                                              that in all succeeding generations the seed of Abraham

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have looked back with awe and reverence upon a                 “They rest from their labors for a long time, and yet
scene which tested mortal man almost beyond mortal             their work is held in reserve for them, that they are
power to obey?                                                 permitted to do the same work, after they receive a
                                                               resurrection for their bodies.” (Smith, Teachings,
“Why did Deity devise such a test? Certainly it was
                                                               pp. 170–71.)
for Abraham’s blessing and benefit. There can be no
question that the harder the test, the higher the reward       (48-10) Hebrews 11:40. Why Can’t the Dead Be
for passing it. And here Abraham laid his all on the           Made Perfect Without Us?
altar, thus proving himself worthy of that exaltation
which he has now received. (D. & C. 132:29.) And               “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has
immediately following his conformity to the divine             laid upon us is to seek after our dead. The Apostle
will, he received a heavenly manifestation of the glory        says, ‘They without us cannot be made perfect’;
and honor reserved for him and his seed. (Gen.                 (Hebrews 11:40) for it is necessary that the sealing
22:15–18.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:206–7.)                         power should be in our hands to seal our children and
                                                               our dead for the fulness of the dispensation of times—
In addition to the personal test of Abraham’s faith, this      a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus
commandment foreshadowed Christ’s coming                       Christ before the foundation of the world for the
atonement. Abraham’s sacrifice was in “similitude of           salvation of man.
God and his Only Begotten Son.” (Jacob 4:5.) Elder
Melvin J. Ballard has given us this insight of Abraham         “Now, I will speak of them. I will meet Paul half way.
and Isaac:                                                     I say unto you, Paul, you cannot be perfect without us.
                                                               It is necessary that those who are going before and
“They ascended the mountain, gathered the stones               those who cone after us should have salvation in
together, and placed the fagots upon them. Then Isaac          common with us; and thus hath God made it
was bound, hand and foot, kneeling upon the altar. I           obligatory upon man.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 356.)
presume Abraham, like a true father, must have given
his son his farewell kiss, his blessing, his love, and his     (48-11) Hebrews 12:5–13. “For Whom the Lord
soul must have been drawn out in that hour of agony            Loveth He Chasteneth”
toward his son who was to die by the hand of his own           “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is
father. Every step proceeded until the cold steel was          wasted. It ministers to our education, to the
drawn, and the hand raised that was to strike the blow         development of such qualities as patience, faith,
to let out the life’s blood. When the angel of the Lord        fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that
said: ‘It is enough.’                                          we endure, especially when we endure it patiently,
“Our Father in heaven went through all that and more,          builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands
for in His case the hand was not stayed.” (“The                our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable,
Sacramental Covenant,” Improvement Era, Oct. 1919,             more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and
p. 1029.)                                                      it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation,
                                                               that we gain the education that we come here to
(48-9) Hebrews 11:35. What Does Paul Mean by                   acquire and which will make us more like our Father
His Reference to a “Better Resurrection”?                      and Mother in heaven. . . .” (Orson F. Whitney, as
“Now it was evident that there was a better                    cited in Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 98.)
resurrection, or else God would not have revealed it
                                                               (48-12) Hebrews 12:18. “The Mount That Might Be
unto Paul. Wherein then, can it be said a better
                                                               Touched, and That Burned with Fire”
resurrection? This distinction is made between the
doctrine of the actual resurrection and translation:           Paul compares the situation of the children of Israel in
translation obtains deliverance from the tortures and          Moses’ day with the people of his own day. In Moses’
sufferings of the body, but their existence will prolong       time the children of Israel were forbidden by divine
as to the labors and toils of the ministry, before they        law to touch Mount Sinai on penalty of death; it was
can enter into so great a rest and glory.                      not so in Paul’s day, nor is it in our own. Elder
                                                               McConkie commented:
“On the other hand, those who were tortured, not
accepting deliverance, received an immediate rest              “No longer is there a restraining barrier to keep the
from their labors. ‘And I heard a voice from heaven,           people from seeing and communing with their God.
saying, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for          The mountain is no longer Sinai but Zion. And all
from henceforth they do rest from their labors and             those who have cleansed and perfected their souls,
their works do follow them.’ (See Revelation 14:13.)           shall be welcomed on the heavenly mountain, and in

                                                             398
the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, the city of            “But whatever the then prevailing views of the
exalted beings. And there, in that heavenly realm,           Hebrews may have been, Paul is here teaching: ‘The
where the saints shall see and know, as Moses alone          blood of righteous Abel’ (Matt. 23–35), together ‘with
did in Israel, shall be found such might, display,           the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar
splendor and omnipotence, that the doings of                 that John saw’ (D. & C. 135:7; Rev. 6:9–11) cries unto
Jehovah on Sinai, incomprehensibly glorious as they          the Lord for vengeance against the wicked; the blood
were, shall be but a blurred image in comparison.”           of Christ, on the other hand, was poured out as a
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:229.)                                     propitiation for sins, and through it men are
                                                             empowered to repent and be reconciled to God. Thus
(48-13) Hebrews 12:23, 24. What Is the “General              the voice of Abel’s blood is one of death and
Assembly and Church of the Firstborn”?                       separation and sorrow; the voice of our Lord’s blood
“Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day         is one of life and reunion and eternal joy. Truly his
Saints who so devote themselves to righteousness that        blood speaketh better things than that of Abel!”
they receive the higher ordinances of exaltation             (McConkie, DNTC, 3:231–32.)
become members of the Church of the Firstborn. . . .
                                                             (48-15) Hebrews 12:29. “Our God Is a Consuming
“The Church of the Firstborn is made up of the sons          Fire”
of God, those who have been adopted into the family
                                                             The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “God Almighty
of the Lord, those who are destined to be joint-heirs
                                                             Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot
with Christ in receiving all that the Father hath.”
                                                             go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire.
(McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 139.)
                                                             ‘Our God is a consuming fire.’ When our flesh is
The phrase “the Church of the Firstborn” has no              quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood in this
reference to the apostate group of the same name.            tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others.”
                                                             (Smith, Teachings, p. 367.)
(48-14) Hebrews 12:24. How Does “the Blood of
Sprinkling” Speak “Better Things Than That of                The Savior’s second coming is said to be “like a
Abel”?                                                       refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:3) in which “all the proud,
                                                             yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble” before
The blood of Jesus Christ was shed as an atonement           its burning force (Malachi 4:1; D&C 29:9). The very
for the sins of all men. Precisely what Paul had in          “presence of the Lord shall be as the melting fire that
mind by his allusion to Abel is not certain, but it must     burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to
be remembered that Abel too had his blood shed,              boil” (D&C 133:41), and all the wicked shall be
though not as an atonement for sin. Elder McConkie           consumed away and utterly destroyed by the
has written:                                                 brightness of his coming (D&C 5:19). In addition to
“Is Paul here alluding to the ancient heresy that the        having a destructive effect, the fire will cleanse every
blood of Abel was shed for the remission of sins? Had        corruptible thing. Read D&C 101:23–25.
this false doctrine lingered among some of the
Hebrews of that day? As the first gospel martyr (Gen.        (48-16) Hebrews 13:9–14. “We Have an Altar”
4:1–10; Moses 5:17–35), the shedding of Abel’s blood         The altar Paul refers to is the sacramental table spread
had gained great significance among the descendants          by the atonement of Jesus Christ, which may be
of Adam. By the time of Abraham, however, the true           partaken of by all who covenant with Christ. “Those
understanding of Abel’s sacrifice and martyrdom had          who serve the tabernacle” has reference to the
been so lost and perverted that Deity felt disposed to       Levitical Priesthood holders who performed the
say to the Father of the Faithful: ‘My people have           ordinances in the ancient tabernacle and temple.
gone astray from my precepts, and have not kept mine
ordinances, which I gave unto their fathers; And they        POINTS TO PONDER
have not observed mine anointing, and the burial, or
baptism wherewith I commanded them; But have                 YOU MUST BE TRIED, EVEN AS ABRAHAM
turned from the commandment, and taken unto
themselves the washing of children, and the blood of
                                                             As he entered my office, I could sense from the look
sprinkling; And have said that the blood of the
                                                             on his face that he was disgruntled. When he sat
righteous Abel was shed for sins; and have not known
                                                             down, however, he continued to brood in silence for
wherein they are accountable before men.’ (Inspired
                                                             a few moments, long enough for me to ask him the
Version, Gen. 17:4–7.)
                                                             inevitable question, “What’s the matter?”

                                                           399
“Oh, it’s Abraham. No, it’s not Abraham. What I              (48-18) Developing Faith Is Active Belief, Which Is
mean is, it’s God.”                                          More than Just Belief
“And what’s the matter with Him?”                            “The terms faith and belief are sometimes regarded as
                                                             synonyms; nevertheless each of them has a specific
“Well, it’s the way he treated Abraham.”
                                                             meaning in our language, although in earlier usage
“What do you mean?”                                          there was little distinction between them, and therefore
“Didn’t Abraham come out of a background where               the words are used interchangeably in many scriptural
people offered human sacrifices? And wasn’t he               passages. Belief, in one of its accepted senses, may
appalled by it?”                                             consist in a merely intellectual assent, while faith
                                                             implies such confidence and conviction as will impel
“Yes.”                                                       to action. . . . Belief is in a sense passive, an
“And doesn’t the Pearl of Great Price teach us that          agreement or acceptance only; faith is active and
Abraham came very close to being a sacrificial               positive, embracing such reliance and confidence as
victim himself and thus knew, personally, the horror         will lead to works. Faith in Christ comprises belief in
of that experience?”                                         Him, combined with trust in Him. One cannot have
                                                             faith without belief; yet he may believe and still
“Yes.”                                                       lack faith. Faith is vivified, vitalized, living belief.”
“Then how could a loving God ask Abraham to                  (Talmage, Articles of Faith, pp. 96–97.)
ascend Mt. Moriah and there sacrifice his own son?           (48-19) Faith Is a Principle of Action and
It doesn’t make sense. Would God really try a man’s          Assurance
faith in that way?”
                                                             “The author of the epistle to the Hebrews, in the
Would he? Would God try a man’s faith in that way?           eleventh chapter of that epistle and first verse, gives
And if he did, would he not try the faith of others          the following definition of the word faith:
also? Would God try your faith? The answer is found
in D&C 101:1–5. Study it carefully for what it has to        “‘Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things
say to you.                                                  hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’
Suddenly the test of faith does not lie solely in the        “From this we learn that faith is the assurance which
past with Abraham and other great prophets but also          men have of the existence of things which they have
with you and with your immediate future. Why did             not seen, and the principle of action in all intelligent
Abraham respond as he did? Didn’t he know that               beings.” (Lectures on Faith, Lecture First, vss. 7–9.)
human sacrifice was wrong? Read again Hebrews
11:17–19.                                                    (48-20) Fully Developed Faith Is Power

Obviously, God, who does nothing that is                     “. . . faith is not only the principle of action, but of
nonessential, had a purpose in trying the faith of his       power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven
servant Abraham. Can you develop the kind of                 or on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the
Abrahamic faith to help you meet the challenges of           Hebrews, xi. 3—
your own “Mt. Moriah”? Paul felt that you could.             “‘Through faith we understand that the worlds were
Thus, in the course of his treatment on faith, he has        framed by the word of God; so that things which are
more to say about Abraham than any other prophet.            seen were not made of things which do appear.’
It seems apparent that he wanted the saints, ancient
                                                             “By this we understand that the principle of power
and modern, to develop that kind of faith.
                                                             which existed in the bosom of God, by which the
(48-17) The Word Faith Can Describe Different                worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason
but Related Phenomena                                        of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that all
                                                             created things exist; so that all things in heaven, on
The word faith in the scriptures is used to describe a       earth, or under the earth exist by reason of faith as it
number of different though intimately related                existed in Him.
phenomena. Faith, when used in one passage of
scripture, may not mean exactly what it does when            “Faith, then, is the first great governing principle
used in another passage. It is often necessary to decide     which has power, dominion, and authority over all
from the context in which the passage appears just           things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they
what the writer meant when he used the term faith.           are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will


                                                           400
of God. Without it there is no power, and with out         “Joshua spake, and the great lights which God had
power there could be no creation nor existence!”           created stood still. Elijah commanded, and the
(Lectures on Faith, Lecture First, vss. 13–15, 24.)        heavens were stayed for the space of three years and
                                                           six months, so that it did not rain: he again
Do you see how one grows in faith? At the beginning,       commanded and the heavens gave forth rain. All this
faith may be no more than belief, but as an individual     was done by faith. And the Savior says, ‘If you have
acts on that belief it is transformed into a positive      faith as a grain of mustard seed, say to this mountain,
reliance and confidence in Jesus Christ. Consider the      “Remove,” and it will remove; or say to that
following illustration: a teacher once asked his class     sycamine tree, “Be ye plucked up, and planted in the
this rather straight-forward question on a true-false      midst of the sea,” and it shall obey you.’ Faith, then,
examination: “The first principle of the gospel is         works by words; and with these its mightiest works
faith. True or false?”                                     have been, and will be performed.” (Lectures on
                                                           Faith, Lecture Seventh, vs. 3.)
The answer is “false.” The first principle of the
gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.                  As you develop faith in Christ you will also develop
                                                           your powers of spirituality, as others before you have
It is a critical and essential point. Why? To find out     done. That is what Paul was telling the Hebrew
read Acts 4:12.                                            Saints, and it works! Every man of faith knows that it
Do you see that only faith in Christ brings eternal        works.
life? Faith in any other thing or being will not. Why?     We might diagram our present understanding of the
Again the answer is found in the scriptures. Read          principle of faith as follows:
Ether 12:4.
                                                                                               Power Principle in
Did you notice as you read that he who believes in                                             God and Man
God (that is, exercises his faith) has produced within
his soul a sure hope “for a better world, yea, even a                                          The ability to work
place at the right hand of God”? This hope in turn                                             with and through the
becomes “an anchor to the souls of men.” As a                                                  Holy Spirit
result, their faith is strengthened and good works                                  Assurance of Christ
abound. Thus men learn to call on God with
confidence and assurance. They have what Paul calls                                 Testimony of Holy Ghost
“the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the                                 added to faith
evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1.)
                                                                            Faith in Christ
But there is still one higher level of faith. Paul
alludes to it in these words: “Through faith we                             Commitment to keep his
understand the worlds were framed by the word of                            commandments
God. . . .” (Hebrews 11:3.) Joseph Smith spoke on                   Active Belief
this same theme as you just read. (See 48-20.)
                                                                    Commitment and action in response to the
What did he mean by that? This kind of faith is the                 belief
ability to work through the Holy Ghost, to work for
God under inspiration, literally to produce miracles       Belief
by the power of God. This is what the Lord may have
                                                           Simplest level at which all begin
had in mind when he said that he had created worlds
without number “by the word of my power.” (Moses
1:32.) Amplifying this, Joseph Smith explained: “God        (48-21) It Is Through Faith, Not by Knowledge,
spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by           That Salvation Comes
reason of the faith there was in HIM.” (Lectures on         “It is said that during an epidemic of cholera in a great
Faith, Lecture First, vs. 22.)                              city, a scientific man proved to his own satisfaction,
You too can learn to have this kind of faith. Joseph        by chemical and microscopical tests, that the water
Smith taught that man, as he adheres to the standards       supply was infected, and that through it contagion was
of the gospel, can gain power to work in the realm of       being spread. He proclaimed the fact throughout the
the spirit. The Prophet wrote:                              city, and warned all against the use of unboiled water.
                                                            Many of the people, although incapable of


                                                         401
comprehending his methods of investigation, far less         another way, and with sufficient faith, you too could
of repeating such for themselves, had faith in his           reach out and save a life. It might not be in a
warning words, followed his instructions, and escaped        physical way. Perhaps your words of faith will heal a
the death to which their careless and unbelieving            broken heart or a rebellious spirit. But if you are
fellows succumbed. Their faith was a saving one. To          prepared, you will find yourself speaking and healing
the man himself, the truth by which so many lives had        and serving under inspiration and by the power of
been spared was a matter of knowledge. He had                the living God. That is faith.
actually perceived, under the microscope, proof of the
                                                             Once you have an understanding of what faith is and
existence of death-dealing germs in the water; he had
                                                             what it can do in the lives of those who possess it,
demonstrated their virulence; he knew of what he
                                                             you are ready to consider your own personal relation
spoke. Nevertheless, in a moment of forgetfulness he
                                                             to it: “How can I develop faith in Christ in my life?”
drank of the unsterilized water, and soon thereafter
                                                             Some are overwhelmed by the prospects and hesitant
died, a victim to the plague. His knowledge did not
                                                             to begin. “I can never exercise the kind of faith that
save him, convincing though it was; yet others, whose
                                                             Abraham did; or Noah; or Enoch.” Remember that
reliance was only that of confidence or faith in the
                                                             each of us has to begin somewhere and sometime.
truth that he declared, escaped the threatening
                                                             Why not begin where you are now? In fact, where
destruction. He had knowledge; but, was he wise?
                                                             you are now is an excellent place to start if you are
Knowledge is to wisdom what belief is to faith, one an
                                                             willing to begin the quest. The way is not
abstract principle, the other a living application. Not
                                                             complicated. The prophet Alma explained the
possession merely, but the proper use of knowledge
                                                             necessary steps quite clearly. Turn to Alma 32:26–
constitutes wisdom.” (Talmage, Articles of Faith,
                                                             28, 33. Did you notice Alma said that even to desire
pp. 99–100.)
                                                             to believe was exercising a particle of faith? But
(48-22) By Faith We Work with and Through the                what should you desire to believe? For the answer
Spirit to Accomplish God’s Will                              turn to Alma 33:14. What is the seed that you should
                                                             plant? Compare your answer with Alma’s in verse
A story is told about a certain district president who       23.
was a man of great faith. He was called to the hospital
to administer to a baby girl who had been born               Can you see that one example of the seed is the
without a fully developed diaphragm. The doctors felt        testimony of the prophets, both ancient and modern,
that there was no way the child could live. When the         that Jesus is the Christ? But you may ask, How can I
president arrived with his companion, they placed            make their testimony grow within me until it becomes
their hands on the infant’s head and, under inspiration,     the kind of faith I would like to have? Alma has the
promised the child not only that she would live but          answer. Read Alma 32:37. How do you nourish the
that she would become a mother in Israel. The mother         seed with great care? Read verse 41 for the answer.
who tells the story says that after the administration       Did you note the four things that are your
was complete, there was an almost instantaneous              responsibility? Isn’t it interesting that Alma mentions
change in the child, as though some one had pulled a         that the seed is nourished by faith—that is, the simple
blanket down over her body. Her color changed from           kind of faith called active belief. Next he stresses
blue to pink. Within a few days the baby was released        diligence coupled with patience, and finally he
from the hospital with a fully developed diaphragm.          speaks of the “looking forward,” which we call hope.
That little girl is now a mother in Zion. (Based on a        If you want greater faith, your job is to do those
personal experience.)                                        things which will nourish it. Faith is a gift of God.
                                                             (See Moroni 10:11.) It is God’s responsibility to give
YOUR FAITH IS THE SOURCE OF POWER TO
                                                             the increase. That is the reason patience and
GAIN ETERNAL LIFE AND EXALTATION
                                                             diligence are so important. As you strive with all
                                                             diligence to serve at whatever level of faith you have,
The story you just read about the district president is      waiting patiently for the Lord, he will give the
true.                                                        increase; then you will feel your faith grow and bring
Can you imagine the feelings of that mother toward           great joy as you serve your Lord and your God. The
the Lord and his servant who, under inspiration and          way for you to achieve the tremendous powers of
acting in the power of God, spoke the words of faith         faith is clear and uncomplicated. All you are waiting
whereby the child was healed? At another time, in            for is you.



                                                           402
                SECTION 11
      THE EARLY APOSTLES SSEND
                           END THEIR
          WITNESS TO THE WORLD
LESSONS                                                      whom the populace called Christians. Christus, from
                                                             whom the name had its origin, had been condemned to
49. “Pure Religion and Undefiled” (James)
                                                             death in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator
50. “For This Cause Was the Gospel Preached Also to          Pontius Pilate, and the pernicious superstition, thus
    Them That Are Dead” (1 Peter)                            suppressed for the moment, was breaking out again
51. “Partakers of the Divine Nature” (2 Peter)               not only in Judea, the original source of this evil, but
                                                             even in Rome, where all things horrible or shameful
52. “Walk in the Light, As He Is in the Light” (1 John)      from all parts of the world collect[ed] and became
53. “For There Are Certain Men Crept In                      popular. First, then, those who confessed membership
    Unawares” (2 and 3 John; Jude)                           were arrested; then, on their information, great
                                                             numbers were convicted, not so much of guilt for the
THE FIERY TRIAL                                              conflagration as of hatred of the human race. And
                                                             mockery was added to their deaths: they were covered
“. . . ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,      with the skins of wild beasts and torn to death by
and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the               dogs, or they were nailed to crosses and, when
uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8.)                    daylight failed, were set on fire and burned to provide
For three decades following the ascension of the Lord,       light at night. Nero had offered his gardens for the
the infant church of Jesus Christ grew rapidly.              spectacle, and was providing circus games, mingling
Consistent with the prophecy by Jesus (Acts 1:8), the        with the populace in the dress of a charioteer or
church expanded from its relative obscurity in remote        driving a chariot. Hence, though they were deserving
Palestine to many parts of the empire.                       of the most extreme punishment, a feeling of pity
                                                             arose because of the savagery of one man.” (Naphtali
In July, A.D. 64, a disastrous fire raged for nine days
                                                             Lewis and Meyer Reinhold, Roman Civilization,
and destroyed the imperial capital of Rome.
                                                             3:226–27.)
Contemporary public opinion said that Nero, seeking
to cover his crimes and to appropriate a sizable area in     The burning of Rome could be likened to a “fiery
the center of the city for a new palace, was himself the     trial” about to be inflicted upon the membership of the
incendiary. To dispel this rumor, Nero cast the blame        church. Thus did Peter, the president of the church,
for the fire on the Christians. The teaching of the          warn the saints in Asia of the impending persecution.
church that the eventual destruction of the world was        How literal the prophecy was is seen by the fact that
to be by fire led credibility to the accusation. A           both Peter and Paul fell as martyrs to the faith during
general persecution against the saints followed.             these years of persecution under Nero, probably in
Tacitus, a Roman historian, chronicled the extent and        A.D. 68.
severity of what became known as the first Roman             A second fiery persecution followed during the reign
persecution of the church.                                   of the Emperor Domitian, A.D. 81–96. During this
“But all human efforts, all the largesses of the             period John the Beloved was banished to the isle of
emperor, all the propitiations of the gods, failed to        Patmos. It was alleged that thousands of saints were
dispel the sinister belief that the conflagration had        killed or tortured during this period.
been ordered. Consequently, to scotch the rumor, Nero        The third of the persecutions commenced under the
fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite          Emperor Trajan, who reigned from A.D. 98 to 117. By
tortures upon a group hated for their abominations,




                                                           403
this time Christianity had been declared an illegal         denied knowing the Lord, yet he later received the
society in the empire; and unless the saints renounced      transforming power of the Holy Ghost. His faith in the
Christ, they were executed. Trajan, determined to see       Lord Jesus Christ became so powerful that when he
the law upheld, directed that Christians not be sought      was threatened, beaten, and maligned by his Sanhedrin
out, but if they were discovered and did not renounce       persecutors, he boldly testified, “We ought to obey
the faith, they were to be executed. Interestingly, the     God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29.) Peter was “a man
Greek word for “witness” is martyrs, and for                who had grown perfect through his experiences and
“testimony” it is martyrion. Before the first century       sufferings—a man with vision, a man of revelations,
was concluded, bearing faithful witness of Jesus            a man fully trusted by his Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christ led to torture, persecution, and death so often      (Spencer W. Kimball, “Peter, My Brother,” Speeches
that the very word witness took on the connotation of       of the Year, 1971, p. 1. The complete text of “Peter,
dying for one’s belief. Our English word martyr is a        My Brother,” is included in Appendix D at the end of
direct derivative from the Greek. To deny Christ and        this manual.)
deify Caesar, or to die was the choice given many of
the early saints of the church.                             JAMES
                                                            The weight of evidence indicates that the author of the
BIOGRAPHIES
                                                            letter of James is not the James who was the brother of
PETER                                                       John and a member of the presidency of the church
                                                            with Peter and John. The author of the book of James
Following the Savior’s ascension, Peter assumed the         was probably the brother of the Lord (Galatians 1:19)
heavy responsibilities of leading the infant church.        and evidently was not fully converted to the Savior
Thus, Peter directed the apostles in their efforts to       until after the resurrection (John 7:5; 1 Corinthians
choose a successor to Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15–26).        15:7). After his conversion he began to take a
On the day of Pentecost, it was Peter who became the        prominent position in church leadership (Acts 15:4–
spokesman for the apostles and saints (Acts 2:14).          34; 21:18, 19; Galatians 1:18, 19; 2:1–10). Because of
Peter received the revelation which authorized              this it is likely that he was made an apostle, perhaps
missionary efforts among the gentiles (Acts 10:1–           even filling the quorum vacancy left when James, the
11:18), and he it was who declared the policy               son of Zebedee, was martyred (Acts 12:1, 2). It is an
regarding circumcision (Acts 15:1–29; Galatians             interesting note on James’ humility that in his letter he
2:1–10). As with many of the ancient saints, Peter          does not call himself the brother of the Lord, but,
suffered much from persecution, first in Jerusalem          rather, the servant of the Lord (James 1:1). (For
(Acts 5:29–32, 40; chapter 12) and later in Rome.           further information on the author of the epistle of
From ancient tradition it is learned that the apostle was   James see reading 49–3.)
arrested while he was in Rome and crucified near the
end of the reign of Nero. It is said that at his own        Judas (same as Jude in later Greek and Judah in
request Peter was crucified upside down because he          Hebrew) was the brother of James and the author of
considered himself unworthy to be crucified in the          the book of Jude. (See Jude 1.) If this is the same man,
same manner as was the Savior (John 21:18, 19). (See        he would be a brother (technically a half-brother) of
Frederic W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul,          the Savior (Matthew 13:55). Little else is known about
p. 448.)                                                    his life.
Peter became a spiritual rock of a man. He healed the       Note: Though John has written three of the epistles in
lame and the sick through the power of the priesthood       this section, his biographical information is included
(Acts 3; 5:15, 16). Though at one point in his life he      in section 12.




                                                          404
                                 Roman Emperors of the First Century
Augustus    (27 B.C.–A.D. 14)
Tiberius    (A.D. 1–A.D. 37)         On the throne at the time of Jesus
Caligula    (A.D. 37–A.D. 41)
Claudius    (A.D. 41–A.D. 54)
Nero        (A.D. 54–A.D. 68)        The first Roman persecution: Peter and Paul martyred
Galba       (A.D. 68–A.D. 69)
Otho        (A.D. 69)
Vitellius   (A.D. 69)
Vespasian   (A.D. 69–A.D. 79)
Titus       (A.D. 79–A.D. 81)
Domitian    (A.D. 81–A.D. 96)        The second Roman persecution; John banished to the isle of Patmos
Nerva       (A.D. 96–A.D. 98)
Trajan      (A.D. 98–A.D. 117)       The third imperial persecution; Christianity an illegal religion




                                                  405
406
                       49
         “PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED”
                            UNDEFILED”




 The Letter of James to Christians Living Across the     THEME
Graeco-Roman World Written by James, the Brother of
   the Lord, from Jerusalem, ca. A.D. 50–51 (James)      The true religion of Christ is expressed in the service
                                                         of love through which perfection is obtained.
                                           James
                                                         INTRODUCTION
Trials Are a Privilege—Ask God for      1:1–7
Wisdom                                                   If the author of the epistle of James was the half
God Tempts No One to Do Wrong           1:8–18           brother of Jesus as the evidence seems to indicate,
                                                         then perhaps he knew the Master as intimately as
“Be Ye Doers of the Word”               1:19–27          anyone. But later he knew the Savior as more than a
                                                         brother. With a witness born of the Spirit, he knew
We Commit Sin If We Show Favoritism     2:1–9            him as Lord and God. James’ writing cannot help but
The Entire Law Must Be Kept             2:10–13          reflect those lessons learned in childhood as he grew
                                                         with Jesus, always being led and enlightened by his
“Faith Without Works Is Dead”           2:14–26          eldest brother’s example. It is of little wonder, then,
                                                         that James focuses on the essence of pure religion as
Controlled Language Aids Perfection     3:1–12           a very practical, down-to-earth activity. Religion, he
Envy and Strife Are of Evil             3:13–18          teaches, is what we do because of testimony and love.
                                                         So he focuses on the little things of which the
The Source of War and Strife            4:1–3            stairway to perfection and exaltation are built. He
                                                         understood well the principle taught by a modern
Identifying the Enemies of God          4:4–6            apostle:
Becoming a Friend of God                4:7–12           “There is no one great thing that we can do to obtain
                                                         eternal life, and . . . the great lesson to be learned . . .
What Is Sin?                            4:13–17
                                                         is to apply in the little acts and duties of life the
A Warning for the Wealthy               5:1–6            glorious principles of the Gospel. . . . Life after all, is
                                                         made up of little things. . . . the true Christian life is
Await the Lord’s Coming with Patience   5:7–11           made up of little Christ-like acts performed this hour,
Elders Anoint and Heal the Sick         5:12–20



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this minute, in the home, in the quorum, in the             (49-3) Authorship
organization, in the town, wherever our life and acts
                                                            There is no question about the fact that this letter was
may be cast.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1914,
                                                            written by someone named James. The problem lies in
pp. 87–88.)
                                                            determining which James is referred to. Some assume
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references       that the author of the letter is the brother of John and
in the reading block.                                       the son of Zebedee, whom the Lord called to the
                                                            apostleship early in his ministry (Matthew 10:12). He,
As you read this beautiful and practical epistle note
                                                            together with Peter and John, formed the first
those elements which express how a modern disciple
                                                            presidency of the early church. This James, however,
of Christ should act.
                                                            was the first apostolic martyr of the early church. He
                                                            was “killed with the sword” (probably beheaded) by
                                                            Herod in a wave of persecution against the church
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     (Acts 12:1, 2). Most scholars fix the date of his
                                                            execution at A.D. 44, five or six years before the great
(49-1) Theme                                                Jerusalem Council. With these facts considered, some
                                                            scholars believe that the epistle of James was written
The letter of James does not have a theme in the usual      by James, the Lord’s brother.
sense, as do the letters to the Romans or Ephesians or
Galatians. It does not take one central idea and then       (49-4) Background Information
develop and expound it in some systematic way. But
                                                            As was stated above, the epistle of James is a general
this letter does have an overall purpose that could be
                                                            letter. It was not sent to a specific branch or a group of
thought of as a theme. Throughout the epistle James
                                                            branches of the church but seems to have been
seems to be showing that once we accept the gospel
                                                            intended for all saints. This feeling of generality is
and have faith, it is expected that we will demonstrate
                                                            heightened by the lack of personal references, personal
the reality of that faith in our day-to-day living
                                                            greetings, or mention of any items of news that are so
patterns. The book is characterized by a series of
                                                            typical in the letters of Paul. The introduction is very
staccato mini-sermons showing that the saints are not
                                                            brief, and there is no formal closing. But while this
only to know the word of God but are to live it as
                                                            would seem to be a disadvantage on the surface,
well.
                                                            actually this lack of concrete application to either time
(49-2) Place and Date of Writing                            or place gives the epistle a universality that has made
                                                            it one of enduring value down through the centuries.
In the General Epistles (so-called because they had no
specific location to which they were sent), of which        James addressed the letter to the “twelve tribes which
James is one, the determination of date and place of        are scattered abroad.” (James 1:1.) Many scholars,
writing is difficult. James, for example, gives no clue     lacking a concept of spiritual Israel as contrasted with
whatsoever as to the place from which he is writing.        blood-descent Israel, assume that James wrote to
Many have assumed that it must have been Jerusalem,         Jewish Christians only. Elder McConkie, however,
since that is where he resided, but it can only be          suggests that James wrote specifically to saints who
supposition.                                                would become part of Israel even far in the future.
As to the date, we know from the historian Josephus         “James—religious by nature; schooled in the strict
that after many years of prominent church leadership        Judaism of the day; converted after our Lord’s
in Jerusalem, James was taken before the Sanhedrin,         resurrection; and said to have died a martyr’s death—
sentenced to death, and executed by stoning in              took upon himself the awesome responsibility to write
A.D. 62. (See Josephus, The Life and Works of Flavius       an epistle to the saints in the dispensation of the
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20. 9. 1.) That           fulness of times.
would, of course, mean that the letter was written          “Paul wrote to the saints of his own day, and if his
before then. Though it cannot be stated with certainty,     doctrine and counsel blesses us of later years, so much
the tone of the letter (for example, no mention of the      the better. But James addressed himself to those of the
Jewish-gentile controversy) might suggest that it was       twelve scattered tribes of Israel who belonged to the
written early in the church’s history, perhaps around       Church; that is, to a people yet to be gathered, yet to
A.D. 50 or 51. This fact, if true, would make it one of     receive the gospel, yet to come into the fold of Christ;
the earliest of the New Testament letters.                  and if his words had import to the small cluster of



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saints of Judah and Benjamin who joined the Church            (49-9) James 1:21. What Is a “Superfluity of
in the meridian of time, so much the better.”                 Naughtiness”?
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:243.)
                                                              Naughtiness has come to connote petty or mischievous
(49-5) James 1:2. Are We to Be Joyful When We                 acts, such as the pranks of children; but this is a very
Have Many Temptations?                                        inadequate translation of the word James used. Kakias
                                                              not only meant evil in the general sense but,
Joseph Smith made the following important change in           specifically, hatred or bitterness toward another. Thus
this verse: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall       malice probably comes closest to the truest meaning.
into many afflictions.” (James 1:2, Inspired Version.)        The Greek word translated superfluity is used in many
                                                              other places in the New Testament. Typically it is
(49-6) James 1:5, 6. “If Any of You Lack Wisdom”
                                                              translated as abundance. This gives the true sense of
“. . . this single verse of scripture has had a greater       James’ phrase, “an abundance of malice.”
impact and a more far reaching effect upon mankind
than any other single sentence ever recorded by any           (49-10) James 1:27. What Is Pure Religion?
prophet in any age. It might well be said that the            “This may be interpreted as meaning that a person
crowning act of the ministry of James was not his             who is religious is thoughtful to the unfortunate, and
martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, but his                 has an inner spirit that prompts to deeds of kindness
recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of these             and to the leading of a blameless life; who is just,
simple words which led to the opening of the heavens          truthful; who does not, as Paul says, think more highly
in modern times.                                              of himself than he ought to think; who is affectionate,
“And it might well be added that every investigator of        patient in tribulation, diligent, cheerful, fervent in
revealed truth stands, at some time in the course of his      spirit, hospitable, merciful, and who abhors evil and
search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He             cleaves to that which is good. The possession of such
must turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God            a spirit and feeling is a true sign that a person is
by revelation if he is to gain a place on that strait and     naturally religious.
narrow path which leads to eternal life.” (McConkie,          “The Church’s outward ordinances and requirements
DNTC, 3:246–47.)                                              are but necessary—yet they are necessary—aids to the
                                                              inner spiritual life. The Church itself, the organization,
(49-7) James 1:10. Why Should the Rich Rejoice in
                                                              meetings, ordinances, requirements, are only helps,
Being Made Low?
                                                              but very necessary helps, to the practice of true
“‘Let wealthy saints who are stripped of their goods          religion—schoolmasters to direct us in the way of
because of their allegiance to the gospel also rejoice,       eternal light and truth.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
for worldly riches are fleeting and not to be compared        p. 121.)
with the riches of eternity. Or, let them rejoice when,
through trials, they become lowly in spirit and no            (49-11) James 2:25. Who Was Rahab?
longer trust in those things which wither and die in the      Both James and Paul cite the harlot Rahab as an Old
day’s heat.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:248.)                        Testament example of true faith (Hebrews 11:31). She
                                                              was an inhabitant of Jericho at the time the armies of
(49-8) James 1:14. The Way Satan Works
                                                              Israel, under Joshua’s leadership, approached the
As James describes man being influenced by his own            Promised Land (Joshua 2:1–24). Joshua sent two men
lusts, he chooses two words that are vivid and                into Jericho to spy out the strength of the city. Rahab
descriptive of how Satan works upon men. The first            took them in, even hiding them when the king sought
word, translated as drawn out, was used in hunting            for them. Then she helped them to escape safely from
and was the word which described what the hunter did          the city. For that, she and her family were spared when
when he lured wild game out of the safety of the thick        the rest of Jericho was destroyed, and she dwelt in
brush into an area set with snares. And the word entice       Israel for the remainder of her life. (See Joshua 6:22–
came from fishing and meant “to bait, or to catch with        25.) A Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of the
bait.” How apt is the description, for the lusts of the       Savior. (See Matthew 1:5.) Since no other woman of
flesh are designed to lure us out from the true safety of     that name is mentioned in the scriptures, most scholars
protective righteousness to become the victim of the          assume it is the same woman.
evil hunter or fisherman.




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(49-12) James 3:5. “How Great a Matter a Little              standards, and false values. Those who do not accept
Fire Kindleth”                                               God’s revelation through his prophets have devised
                                                             numerous philosophies from their limited human
The literal meaning of the word matter in this verse is
                                                             reasoning and seemingly think that they can find
“wood.” It is used as we would speak of a forest or a
                                                             happiness and the satisfaction of their souls by
wooded area. The meaning of the passage is, “Behold,
                                                             ignoring God’s plan of salvation.” (Harold B. Lee in
how great a forest fire a tiny spark can start.”
                                                             CR, Oct. 1968, p. 59.)
(49-13) James 3:8. The Importance of Taming the
                                                             (49-15) James 4:7. How Do We Resist the Devil So
Tongue
                                                             That He Will Flee from Us?
“I think now of self-control. Many of the cases which
                                                             “James gave a formula for conquering: ‘Submit
I review started with uncontrolled appetites and
                                                             yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he
tempers, leading often to cruelty, mental and physical.
                                                             will flee from you. (Jas. 4:7.) In abandoning evil,
When in a temper the tongue may be venomous. The
                                                             transforming lives, changing personalities, molding
Apostle James said, ‘. . . it is an unruly evil, full of
                                                             characters or remolding them, we need the help of the
deadly poison.’ (James 3:8.) That is only potential, but
                                                             Lord, and we may be assured of it if we do our part.
it is often true. The tongue, with which we say our
                                                             The man who leans heavily upon his Lord becomes
prayers and pledge our troth is sometimes used to
                                                             the master of self and can accomplish anything he sets
wound those we love best. ‘Boys flying kites haul in
                                                             out to do, whether it be to secure the brass plates,
their white winged birds; we can’t do that when we’re
                                                             build a ship, overcome a habit, or conquer a deep-
flying words.’
                                                             seated transgression.
“A middle-aged couple on the farm had a violent
                                                             “He who has greater strength than Lucifer, he who is
quarrel at breakfast time. Later in the day they started
                                                             our fortress and our strength, can sustain us in times of
for town in the buggy, with a fine team of horses to
                                                             great temptation. While the Lord will never forcibly
sell their vegetables and eggs. As the horses trotted
                                                             take anyone out of sin or out of the arms of the
along, Mary said, ‘John, why can’t we travel together
                                                             tempters, he exerts his Spirit to induce the sinner to do
like these horses do? They don’t quarrel and fight.’
                                                             it with divine assistance. And the man who yields to
John said, ‘Mary, we could if there was only one
                                                             the sweet influence and pleadings of the Spirit and
tongue between us.’
                                                             does all in his power to stay in a repentant attitude is
“Oh, the unkind things we say to those we love.              guaranteed protection, power, freedom and joy.”
                                                             (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 176.)
“‘We have kind words for the stranger
And smiles for the sometime guest,                           (49-16) James 4:17. “To Him That Knoweth to Do
While oft to our own                                         Good, and Doeth It Not”
The bitter tone,
Though we love our own the best!’”                           “Sin is the transgression of divine law, as made known
                                                             through the conscience or by revelation. A man sins
(Hugh B. Brown in CR, Oct. 1954, p. 16.)                     when he violates his conscience, going contrary to
                                                             light and knowledge—not the light and knowledge
(49-14) James 4:4. What Is a “Friend of the
                                                             that has come to his neighbor, but that which has come
World”?
                                                             to himself. He sins when he does the opposite of what
“The use of the word ‘world’ in this sense is defined        he knows to be right. Up to that point he only
in the scriptures when speaking of the ‘end of the           blunders. One may suffer painful consequences for
world’ as the destruction of the wickedness that is in       only blundering, but he cannot commit sin unless he
the world. (See [Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:4].)                 knows better than to do the thing in which the sin
“The world to which the apostles James and John and          consists. One must have a conscience before he can
the Master make reference is that moral and spiritual        violate it.” (Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts,
system which is hostile to God and which seeks to            p. 239.)
delude us into thinking that we and mankind generally        (49-17) James 5:4. “The Lord of Sabaoth”
do not need God. It is a society which in every age has
operated and is operating on wrong principles, from          Often that phrase is read carelessly as the “Lord of the
selfish desires, from improper motives, unworthy             Sabbath.” This is incorrect, for the two words are




                                                           410
actually unrelated in meaning. Sabaoth is the Greek              (49-20) James 5:19, 20. The Saving Power of
transliteration of the Hebrew word tsabaoth, which               Missionary Work
means “host” or “multitude.” The title is the same as
                                                                 “Every person who is beginning the long journey of
that used numerous times in the Old Testament,
                                                                 emancipating himself from the thralldom of sin and
namely, the Lord of Hosts, meaning “the Lord of the
                                                                 evil will find comfort in the thought expressed by
multitudes who dwell in heaven and on earth.” It is
                                                                 James. We could expand it somewhat and remind the
interesting to note that the Savior so characterized
                                                                 transgressor that every testimony he bears, every
himself in this dispensation also. (See D&C 87:7;
                                                                 prayer he offers, every sermon he preaches, every
88:2; 95:7; 98:2.)
                                                                 scripture he reads, every help he gives to stimulate and
(49-18) James 5:16. Are We to Confess Our Sins to                raise others—all these strengthen him and raise him to
One Another?                                                     higher levels.
“The confession of his major sins to a proper Church             “The proper motivation for missionary work of any
authority is one of those requirements made by the               kind, as for all Church service, is of course love for
Lord. These sins include adultery, fornication, other            fellowmen, but always such work has its by-product
sexual transgressions, and other sins of comparable              effect on one’s own life. Thus as we become
seriousness. This procedure of confession assures                instruments in God’s hands in changing the lives of
proper controls and protection for the Church and its            others our own lives cannot help being lifted. One can
people and sets the feet of the transgressor on the path         hardly help another to the top of the hill without
of true repentance.                                              climbing there himself.” (Kimball, Miracle of
                                                                 Forgiveness, p. 205.)
“Many offenders in their shame and pride have
satisfied their consciences, temporarily at least, with a
few silent prayers to the Lord and rationalized that this
                                                                 POINTS TO
                                                                        TO PONDER
was sufficient confession of their sins. ‘But I have
                                                                 JAMES IDENTIFIED MANY PRACTICAL
confessed my sin to my Heavenly Father,’ they will
                                                                 ASPECTS OF GOSPEL LIVING
insist, ‘and that is all that is necessary.’ This is not true
where a major sin is involved. Then two sets of                 The young elders quorum president sat perplexed for
forgiveness are required to bring peace to the                  a few moments, and then he began to describe to the
transgressor—one from the proper authorities of the             bishop why he was concerned about Brother Miller:
Lord’s Church, and one from the Lord himself.                   for the last three months he hadn’t completed his
“When one has wronged another in deep transgression             home teaching, and when he was asked to help on a
or in injuries of lesser magnitude, he, the aggressor,          welfare assignment he refused. The president
who gave the offense, regardless of the attitude of the         explained that the problem was not apostasy, and
other party, should immediately make amends by                  that was why the matter was so perplexing. Brother
confessing to the injured one and doing all in his              Miller had told him he didn’t do the things he was
power to clear up the matter and again establish good           asked to do because they took time from his studies.
feelings between the two parties.” (Kimball, Miracle            He said he had purchased some Church books and
of Forgiveness, pp. 179, 186.)                                  wanted to spend his time learning the gospel.
                                                                Nothing could be more important than that. The
(49-19) James 5:17. Elias or Elijah?                            young man looked at the bishop. “I’m not sure what
                                                                to tell him, and I’m afraid his attitude is getting
The name and title Elias is often confusing, since it
                                                                worse. Brother Miller told me he isn’t going to come
can refer to an office, a function, or a person. (See
                                                                to priesthood meeting any more because he knows
McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 219–22.) It is
                                                                more about the gospel than any of the members
further confused by the fact that the common Greek
                                                                there.”
spelling for the name of the famous Old Testament
prophet Elijah is also Elias. In this verse, James is           Does Brother Miller really know the gospel? If you
obviously referring to Elijah, who had the power to             were the bishop, what counsel would you give to the
stop the rains for 3½ years as a warning to Israel              elders quorum president? Are there some things that
(1 Kings 17; 18).                                               you could point out in the epistle of James which
                                                                might be helpful to Brother Miller? Consider each of
                                                                the following readings as it might apply to this story.




                                                            411
(49-21) If You Lack Wisdom, Ask God in Faith                   (49-24) Show Not Partiality in Unrighteousness
(James 1:5–7)                                                  (James 2:4)
It is significant that the Prophet Joseph followed the         From time immemorial men have shown partiality in
advice of James and received the great foundation of           unrighteousness. The only aristocracy that counts with
his testimony from God himself. He laid the book               the Lord is that of righteousness. He who does His
down and went to the source. You should have similar           will is favored of God (1 Nephi 17:35). Men often
experiences in life in that you should go to God to            have much less lofty reasons for their partiality. If you
receive the ultimate testimony and answers. It is well         show partiality for any of the following reasons, you
to accept the testimony of others—parents, teachers,           need to examine your life (read the scriptures for
friends, and even prophets—but it is your privilege to         elucidation):
know for yourself. Then your witness will be based on
                                                               •   Color of skin (2 Nephi 26:33)
the solid rock of personal revelation, and this is the
                                                               •   Opportunities for learning (see 3 Nephi 6:12)
great strength of the Church.
                                                               •   Expensiveness of clothes (see James 2:2–5)
“. . . perhaps the most important reason of all for the        •   Economic standing (Alma 32:5)
growth of the Church is the individual testimonies of          •   National heritage—origin (Matthew 3:8–10;
the divinity of this work, as would be multiplied in the           2 Nephi 26:33)
hearts of the individual members of the Church. . . . in       •   Religious exclusiveness (Alma 31:12–18)
the hearts of faithful members of the Church is the
                                                               These are only a few of the unworthy things men show
conviction that this is indeed the church and kingdom
                                                               partiality for. Can you think of others?
of God on the earth.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr.
1973, p. 9.)                                                   (49-25) The Sin of Levity (James 4:9)
(49-22) “A Double Minded Man Is Unstable in All                The Saints have been informed to “let the solemnities
His Ways” (James 1:8)                                          of eternity rest upon your minds.” (D&C 43:34.) The
                                                               Prophet Joseph stated that levity is inconsistent to
There are many in the Church who have not yet made
                                                               those called of God (Joseph Smith—History 1:28).
a full commitment to the Lord and his church. They
                                                               This should not be interpreted to mean that there is no
seek to be in the world and of the world and also in the
                                                               place for amusement or laughter, for Brigham Young
Church. Such a course is unwise. “Choose you this
                                                               said that “the people must have amusement as well as
day” are the words of Joshua. (Joshua 24:15.) Jesus
                                                               religion,” and that “every pure enjoyment was from
said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew
                                                               heaven and was for the Saints.” (Clarissa Young
6:24.) There comes a time when we must count the
                                                               Spencer, Brigham Young at Home, pp. 148–49.) But
cost of discipleship; the cost is full dedication and
                                                               uncontrolled loud laughter or excessive frivolity are
consecration, and there is no other way. If, with the
                                                               offensive to God (D&C 88:69).
major decisions of life, we constantly waver between
alternatives and make and unmake decisions only                (49-26) Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only
according to the expediency of the moment, our lives           (James 1:22)
will be rocked with compromise and we will be
unstable in all our ways.                                      Some of the Savior’s most severe denunciations were
                                                               aimed at hypocrites—those who profess but do not. As
(49-23) Individual Lust Is the Source of                       members of the Lord’s true church our professions are
Temptation (James 1:13–15)                                     lofty. We are “called to be saints.” (Romans 1:7.) We
                                                               should be the light of the world—a city set on a hill so
In these modern times many evade responsibility for
                                                               that men will see our good works and glorify God
their own actions and blame heredity, society, or the
                                                               (Matthew 5:14, 16). Sometimes the opposite is the
devil for their problems. As significant as these factors
                                                               case: we are recognized by what we don’t do rather
are, James identifies the root cause of sin as individual
                                                               than by what we do. The revelations indicate that the
lust or unhealthy, intense desire for that which is
                                                               Saints will become such a positive force for good that
unlawful. Nothing is a temptation unless there is a
                                                               those in the world will be constrained to acknowledge
desire for it. It is not that our desires are necessarily
                                                               the power of God in us (D&C 105:32). This can come
evil in and of themselves, but it is our responsibility to
                                                               only as we do as we hear. “Not every one that saith
bridle our own passions lest they devolve to lusts
                                                               unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of
which will invariably lead to sin (Alma 38:12). Thus
                                                               heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which
we exercise our agency and must accept the
                                                               is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21.)
responsibility if our decisions lead to sin.

                                                             412
What would you say is Brother Miller’s problem?               accomplishing, and there is no use trying; that it
How do you think God would feel toward an                     projects an ideal so utterly unrealistic as to make it of
individual who spent all his time studying the gospel         little value. There might be some validity to this
and no time loving his fellowman? You may wish to             objection, if life is to be thought of only in terms of
consider what the Savior taught in 2 Nephi 31:14              mortal probation. To get full value of the admonition
concerning those who know much but do not apply it            we need a broader understanding of the work of life.
in lifting others. Do you see that study is important
                                                              “President Brigham Young let some light in on that in
provided the objective is to apply the information in
                                                              one of his sermons. After quoting the saying, he
your own life and also use it in your service of
                                                              remarked: ‘If the . . . passage I have quoted is not
others?
                                                              worded to our understanding, we can alter the
Consider Lucifer. He knows the scriptures and is              phraseology of the sentence, and say: “Be ye perfect
probably an excellent theologian in that sense. But he        as ye can,” for that is all we can do.
is still the devil because of what he does. Therefore, it
                                                              “‘When we are doing as well as we know how in the
is in what you do that you become either devilish or
                                                              sphere and station which we occupy here, we are
Christlike. As you choose to do what the Savior did
                                                              justified in the justice, righteousness, mercy, and
you become like him, and that means ultimately you
                                                              judgment that go before the Lord of heaven and earth.
will become perfect. Therefore, following the
                                                              We are as justified as the angels who go before the
teachings of James is the practical road to
                                                              throne of God. The sin that will cleave to all the
perfection.
                                                              posterity of Adam and Eve is that they have not done
                                                              as well as they know how.’ (JD, 21:129.)
THE TEACHINGS OF JAMES MAY BE                                 “That puts the admonition to be perfect on a practical
PARALLELED WITH THE SERMON ON THE                             working basis. It is within the range of the possibility
MOUNT AS A PATTERN FOR PERFECTION                             of attainment. . . .
Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written that James set            “This interpretation introduces the principle that it is
forth “the practical operation of the doctrines taught        not intended that we shall accomplish everything in
by his Elder Brother [Jesus Christ].” (DNTC, 3:243.)          this life, but that we are expected to be progressive
Celestial living is practical for the reborn Saint            beings, growing toward our final destiny. But that
because the gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto        principle in no way excuses us from doing the best we
salvation.” (Romans 1:16.) The disciple is, indeed,           can or from acquiring all the knowledge that we have
through the grace of the Savior and his own will,             capacity and opportunity to assimilate as we go
“thoroughly furnished unto all good works” that the           along.” (Albert E. Bowen in CR, Apr. 1951,
“man of God may be perfect.” (2 Timothy 3:17.)                pp. 122–23.)
“The Lord said, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your        In his exposition of “pure religion and undefiled”
Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:48.)          James establishes a pattern for perfection remarkably
This terse sentence epitomizes all that Jesus taught          similar to that given by Jesus in the Sermon on the
about the mission and life and destiny of man. It             Mount; in fact, it is so similar that one wonders if he
seems on its face a hard saying, and many have felt           may have been present when the Savior gave it.
that it sets a task beyond all possibility of




                                                            413
              Examine this chart and evaluate your own progress toward perfection through application of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

                                                           PATTERN FOR PERFECTION


                                SERMON ON THE MOUNT                                          TEACHINGS OF JAMES




                                              Matthew 5:48; 6:33; 7:11       Perfection         James 1:4, 17
                                                                             is, after all
                                                                            we can do,
                                                                           a gift of God.

                                                Matthew 5:38–47          Charity, the pure           James 2:8
                                                                         love of Christ, is
                                                                      essential to perfection.
 (Note: In the account of the Sermon
 on the Mount given to the Nephites         Matthew 5:38–47            Service is a hallmark             James 1:27
 the Savior specifically commands                                         of perfection.
 the people to follow the prophets.
 See 3 Nephi 12:1.)
                                          Matthew 5:10, 11         True prophets help move us                James 5:10
                                                                  toward perfection by example
 (Note: This beatitude is                                                 and precept.
 included in the Joseph Smith
 Translation but not in other
 versions of the Bible;                   Matthew 5:4             The ordinances of the gospel                   James 5:14, 15
 see also 3 Nephi 12:2.)                                          are essential to perfection.

                                  Matthew 6:5–15              Prayer is a vital avenue to perfection.                James 5:16

                                Matthew 6:19–21                 The riches of life may cause us to                       James 5:1–5
                                                                      be poor toward God.

                            Matthew 5:33–37                   Control of the tongue is basic in the                        James 3:2
(Note: The Joseph                                                   process of perfection.
Smith Translation of
these verses makes it
clear that the Savior     Matthew 5:27–30           Lust is destructive to the soul and must be overcome.                     James 4:2–4
is speaking of the
removal of all sin.)
                        Matthew 5:27–30                      All sin must be shunned or there can be                              James 1:22–25
                                                                     no hope for perfection.

                  Matthew 5:11, 12                    The trials of life will refine us toward perfection.                          James 1:12


            Matthew 7:21, 24–27                   The rock of perfection is doing what the Lord commands.                              James 1:22–25


               Matthew 7:7–11                     We receive that which we desire with all of our hearts.                               James 1:4–7



                                               And so, indeed, the gospel of Christ is “pure religion and undefiled.”
                                                  It has as its goal the perfection of all who will follow in its way.




                                                                           414
                             50
                 “FOR THIS CAUSE WAS THE
                 GOSPEL PREACHED ALSO TO
                   THEM THAT ARE DEAD”




 The First Letter of Peter to Saints in Five Provinces     Saints to Be Tried in All Things           4:12–19
Apparently Written from Rome, ca. A.D. 62–63 (1 Peter)
                                                           Elders to Feed the Flock of God            5:1–4
                                               1 Peter
                                                           God Refuses the Proud and Favors the       5:5–14
Salvation Comes by Faith in Christ          1:1–16         Humble
Christ Was Foreordained to Be the           1:17–21         THEME
Redeemer
                                                            Latter-day Saints have a responsibility to their dead.
Converts Experience a New Birth in Christ 1:22–25;
                                          2:1–3            INTRODUCTION
Christ, the Cornerstone for a Holy Nation   2:4–10         Peter’s first epistle was written at a time just prior to
The Obligation of Christians Towards        2:11, 12
                                                           Nero’s persecutions of the early Christians.
Gentiles                                                   It was near this time of tremendous persecution that
Saints to Accept Civil Authority            2:13–25        Peter reminded the saints that they were a “chosen
                                                           generation” and “a royal priesthood.” With this
Husbands and Wives Should Honor Each        3:1–7          reminder, Peter included, among other instructions,
Other                                                      some of the clearest and most revealing statements in
“Be Followers of That Which Is Good”        3:8–17         the Bible about salvation for the dead.

Christ Preached the Gospel to Spirits in    3:18–22;       Today we are charged with becoming saviors on
Prison                                      4:1–6          Mount Zion. What does that expression mean, and
                                                           how can Peter’s teachings be relevant in your life?
“Speak as an Oracle of God”                 4:7–11
                                                           Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                           in the reading block.


                                                         415
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      sends the most righteous and worthy spirits to earth
                                                             through the lineage of Abraham and Jacob. This
(50-1) Theme of Peter’s First Letter                         course is a manifestation of his grace or in other words
                                                             his love, mercy, and condescension toward his
How the saints ought to react to suffering and               children.
persecution is the theme of the letter. The president of
the church was forewarning the members that there            “This election to a chosen lineage is based on
was yet to be a “fiery trial” wherein they would be          pre-existent worthiness and is thus made ‘according to
classed with murderers, thieves, and evil doers. The         the foreknowledge of God.’ (1 Pet. 1:2.) Those so
letter constituted a warning and a preparation for           grouped together during their mortal probation have
ominous days ahead.                                          more abundant opportunities to make and keep the
                                                             covenants of salvation, a right which they earned by
(50-2) Place and Date of Writing of First Peter              pre-existent devotion to the cause of righteousness. As
                                                             part of this election, Abraham and others of the noble
This letter was probably written at Rome, inasmuch as
                                                             and great spirits were chosen before they were born
“Babylon” (5:13) is a scriptural designation for the
                                                             for the particular missions assigned them in this life.
wickedest city in the empire (Revelation 18:10, 21).
                                                             (Abra. 3:22–24; Rom. 9.) . . .
The date of writing was sometime before the Neronian
                                                             “Actually, if the full blessings of salvation are to
persecutions in A.D. 62 or 63.
                                                             follow, the doctrine of election must operate twice.
(50-3) Background Information for First Peter                First, righteous spirits are elected or chosen to come to
                                                             mortality as heirs of special blessings. Then, they must
As noted in chapter 1, the Roman government                  be called and elected again in this life, an occurrence
displayed a general tolerance toward all religions,          which takes place when they join the true Church.
Christianity not excepted. As long as the church posed       (D. & C. 53:1.) Finally, in order to reap eternal
no threat to Rome, the state ignored the church.             salvation, they must press forward in obedient
The priesthood leadership of the church, however, was        devotion to the truth until they make their ‘calling and
under divine commission to preach the gospel “unto           election sure’ (2 Pet. 1), that is, are ‘sealed up unto
all the world” (Mark 16:15). This meant, of course, a        eternal life.’ (D. & C. 131:5.)” (McConkie, Mormon
peaceful penetration of the gospel message into and          Doctrine, pp. 216–17.)
throughout the Roman Empire. It was not a message
that could or would long remain ignored by the               (50-5) 1 Peter 1:9. What Is Salvation?
Roman government, for the gospel messengers were             “Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph
making bold assertions that Jesus of Nazareth, who           over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And
was rejected by his own nation and crucified under           when we have power to put all enemies under our feet
Roman edict, was now risen from the dead. A message          in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil
that proclaimed a risen Christ, a coming judgment, and       spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in
an eventual return of Christ to establish his universal      the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all
kingdom on earth was not a message to be favorably           enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was
regarded by power-obsessed earthly monarchs.                 death.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 297.)
Under the emperor Nero, misunderstanding, hatred,            (50-6) 1 Peter 2:9. What Is the Meaning of the
and accusations toward the saints in Rome and                Phrase “a Peculiar People”?
throughout the empire were actively fostered. The
change from tolerance to hostility toward the church         Each of the titles used here by Peter is a title formerly
provoked apprehension among the saints throughout            used to refer to the covenant people, the house of
Asia. What should be their attitude, in turn, toward the     Israel. He therefore seeks to call to their minds that by
state? How ought they to regard this unjust                  virtue of their embracing the gospel they are now the
persecution? They looked to the prophet for answers.         new Israel. They are the chosen nation (see Isaiah
                                                             43:20), a royal “kingdom of priests” and a “holy
(50-4) 1 Peter 1:2. Who Are the “Elect According             nation” (Exodus 19:6) and a peculiar people. The
to the Foreknowledge of God”?                                word peculiar as used in the King James Version
                                                             comes from the Latin peculium, meaning “private
“To bring to pass the salvation of the greatest possible
                                                             property.” Though today it has come to mean “strange
number of his spirit children the Lord, in general,
                                                             or unusual,” it really carries the same idea—a


                                                           416
characteristic or quality belonging to something. The                  1 Peter 2                      Isaiah 53
marginal reading is “purchased” and means that the
                                                             vs. 21                          vs. 4
saints are God’s own, private people, a people for
                                                             “. . . Christ also suffered for “Surely he hath borne our
God’s own possession. This title too is suggested in         us. . . .”                      griefs, and carried our
the Old Testament when Isaiah says, “This people                                             sorrows. . . .”
have I formed for myself.” (Isaiah 43:21.)
                                                             vs. 22                        vs. 9
President Joseph Fielding Smith added this: “And we          “Who did no sin, neither      “. . . he had done no violence
will be peculiar because we will not be like other           was guile found in his        [sin], neither was any deceit
people who do not live up to these standards.” (CR,          mouth:”                       in his mouth.”
Apr. 1971, p. 47.)                                           vs. 23                     vs. 7
                                                             “Who, when he was reviled, “He was oppressed, and he
(50-7) 1 Peter 2:9. What Is a Royal Priesthood?
                                                             reviled not again. . . .”  was afflicted, yet he opened
“Whenever the Lord has a people on earth he offers to                                   not his mouth. . . .”
make them a nation of kings and priests—not a                vs. 24                        vs. 12
congregation of lay members with a priest or a               “Who his own self bare our    “. . . and he bare the sin of
minister at the head—but a whole Church in which             sins. . . .”                  many. . . .”
every man is his own minister, in which every man
                                                             vs. 24                        vs. 5
stands as a king in his own right, reigning over his         “. . . by whose stripes ye    “. . . and with his stripes we
own family-kingdom. The priesthood which makes a             were healed.”                 are healed.”
man a king and a priest is thus a royal
priesthood.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:294.)                        vs. 25                      vs. 6
                                                             “For ye were as sheep going “All we like sheep have gone
Christ is the king of all those kings who he calls his       astray. . . .”              astray. . . .”
own—those who are made royal by virtue of holding
and honoring his priesthood.                                  (50-9) 1 Peter 3:15. “Be Ready Always to Give an
                                                              Answer”
(50-8) 1 Peter 2:18–26. Patience in Suffering—
Peter’s Profound and Beautiful Analogy                        Members of the church should be prepared at all times
                                                              to give their testimony “with meekness and fear” to
In this section, Peter addresses specifically those who       every person who asks them. (1 Peter 3:15, Inspired
are in servitude. The Greek word means “household             Version.)
servant,” which in the Roman Empire were almost
always slaves. Peter encourages them to remember the          (50-10) 1 Peter 3:18–20. What Was the Fate of the
suffering of their Savior during his period of trial and      People Who Ignored Noah’s Warning?
execution as they seek to endure patiently their own          “They were drowned in their sins. Their marriages
trials and sufferings. The whole passage carries a            were for time. They reveled in worldliness. They were
vividness and peculiarity of language that suggests           possibly like many in the world today who place no
Peter was remembering in all of its clarity the night he      curb upon their eating, drinking and licentiousness.
was an eyewitness to the Savior’s hour of trial. He           Their ignoring the laws of God and the warning of the
uses the word buffeted (vs. 20), which means literally        prophets continued until the very day when Noah and
“to be struck with fists” and is the term used by both        his family entered the ark. Then it was too late. Too
Matthew (Matthew 26:67) and Mark (Mark 14:65) to              late! What finality in that phrase! Following their
describe the treatment of the Master. He hints at the         eternal history, we find Peter telling of them more than
contemptuous scorn of the high priest and Christ’s            two millennia later: (Read 1 Peter 3:18–20.)
silent acceptance of it (vs. 23). Peter mentions the
stripes, using the word which means “bruise” or the           “And last, they had a chance in the spirit world to hear
“bloody welt which results from lashing with a whip,”         the voice of missionaries and prophets again. But so
exactly the result of a Roman scourging.                      late! What sad words! Nearly a further two millennia
                                                              passed into history and we hear of them again in
Also remarkable in this passage are the parallels             modern revelation. Of the vision given to Joseph
between it and Isaiah 53.                                     Smith and Sidney Rigdon in 1832, the Prophet writes:
                                                              “‘And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold
                                                              and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial. . . .



                                                           417
“‘. . . They who are the spirits of men kept in prison,       (50-14) 1 Peter 4:11. What Is Meant by the
whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto            Injunction to “Speak as the Oracles of God”?
them, that they might be judged according to men in
                                                              The Inspired Version renders this as “speak as an
the flesh;
                                                              oracle of God.” Elder McConkie said:
“‘Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh,
                                                              “‘Speak by inspiration, not of yourself, but simply as a
but afterwards received it.’ (D&C 76:71, 73–74.)
                                                              medium through whom the mind and will of the Lord
“Too late! The terrestrial for them! It could have been       is revealed.’ This is an absolute requisite of a true
the celestial, and it could have been exaltation! But         minister. They must preach by the power of the
they procrastinated the day of their preparation. The         Spirit. . . . Unless they do so they cannot minister life
same lamentable cry of ‘Too late!’ will apply to many         and salvation to the children of men. Hence the divine
of today’s Church members who did not heed the                counsel that the Lord’s servants are to treasure up in
warning but who proceeded—sometimes carelessly,               their minds continually the words of life; to rely upon
sometimes defiantly—to bind themselves through                the Holy Spirit; and then, without taking thought
mortality to those who could not or would not prepare         beforehand, to speak forth what the Lord wants them
for the blessings which were in reserve for them.”            to say, at the very moment of their preaching. (D. & C.
(Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 248–49.)                84:85.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:317.)
(50-11) 1 Peter 4:1. How Do You “Arm                          (50-15) 1 Peter 4:12. What Was the “Fiery Trial”?
Yourselves . . . with the Same Mind”?
                                                              The “fiery trial” probably refers to the Neronian
“Gain the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), thereby               persecutions against the church. Every saint, however,
thinking what he thought, saying what he said, and            faces his own “fiery trial” as a part of his experience
doing what he did—which course of life will stand as          in the second estate.
a defense against the evils of the world.” (McConkie,
                                                              “. . . the greatest trials of life are reserved for the
DNTC, 3:315.)
                                                              saints. They are the ones whom the world hates
(50-12) 1 Peter 4:6. Is Salvation for the Dead                (Matt. 10:22), and they must overcome the world, if
Intended for All Who Did Not Accept the Gospel in             they are to gain the Lord’s approval. They face all that
Mortality?                                                    the world faces in the way of mortal difficulties—
                                                              sickness, disease, calamities, famine, pain, sorrow,
“Salvation for the dead is limited expressly to those         death—and in addition their faith in Christ and his
who do not have opportunity in this life to accept the        work is tested to see if they will serve the Lord at all
gospel but who would have taken the opportunity had           hazards.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:318.)
it come to them.
                                                              (50-16) 1 Peter 4:17. Judgments to Begin at the
“‘All who have died without a knowledge of this
                                                              House of God
gospel,’ the Lord said to the Prophet, ‘who would
have received it if they had been permitted to tarry,         Notice the close relationship between Peter’s comment
shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all      and a revelation given for Thomas B. Marsh, president
that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it,          of the Quorum of the Twelve, in 1837. (See D&C
who would have received it with all their hearts, shall       112:24–26.)
be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all
men according to their works, according to the desire         POINTS TO PONDER
of their hearts.’ (Teachings, p. 107.)” (McConkie,
Mormon Doctrine, p. 686. Italics added.)                      JESUS CHRIST BEGAN THE GLORIOUS
                                                              WORK FOR THE DEAD DURING HIS VISIT
(50-13) 1 Peter 4:8. “Charity Shall Cover the
                                                              TO THE SPIRIT WORLD
Multitude of Sins”
The Prophet revised this verse to read: “And above all        (50-17) Jesus Made Available to the Dead the
things have fervent charity among yourselves; for             Blessings of the Gospel
charity preventeth a multitude of sins.” (Inspired            “Why did he [Jesus] preach to these disobedient
Version.)                                                     spirits? Surely not to increase their torments, to taunt
It is clear that only repentance truly covers or takes        them for not accepting of his truth in the days of the
away sin because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.               prophets! . . .


                                                            418
“. . . He took the glorious message of the gospel and        affirmative. “But what do group sheets have to do
proclaimed it to the dead with the promise that they, if     with loving your family?” I asked. I guess Brother
they would obey it, should partake of its blessings.”        Parsons was waiting for that question, because I
(Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:159–60.)                   shall never forget his answer. He said, “Bob, your
                                                             ancestors who died without a knowledge of the
One of the most important teachings of the gospel is         gospel are probably being taught the truth right now
that of work for the dead.                                   in the spirit world. Many of them are probably just as
                                                             anxious to be baptized and receive the blessings of
Consider the following questions: You may wish to
                                                             the Church as you were two years ago. But without
look up the scriptures to check your answers.
                                                             you they will have to wait. How would you have felt
What special promise concerning the dead did Jesus           two years ago if your parents had not given their
make during his mortal ministry?                             permission for you to be baptized? What would you
John 5:24, 25.                                               have said if they had told you not to bother them
                                                             about joining the Church, that maybe someday they’d
How and when was this promise fulfilled?                     get around to giving you permission? You are in that
1 Peter 3:18–20; 4:6.                                        same position as far as your ancestors are
                                                             concerned. They are waiting for you. When I asked
What did Jesus do during his visit to the spirit world?      the class how many of them love their families and
Joseph F. Smith, Vision of the Redemption of the             then asked about the pedigree charts, I was serious.
Dead, verses 1–19 (Pearl of Great Price).                    Genealogical research and temple work are works of
                                                             love. Those who really love their families will do all
Did Jesus visit the wicked spirits?                          they can to save them. Those who do for their dead
Ibid., verses 20–32.                                         what the dead cannot do for themselves are called
                                                             saviors on Mount Zion.”
What exactly is being taught in the spirit world?
                                                             I left that class with an empty feeling. I was sad that I
Ibid., verses 33–37.                                         had not caught the vision of this great program
What happens to the dead who repent?                         before. I went home and got out a dusty pedigree
                                                             chart. Where would I begin? I went to my mother and
Ibid., verses 57–60.                                         began asking questions. We talked for two hours! I
                                                             learned things about my family that I had never
IT TAKES LOVE TO DO WORK FOR THE                             known before. I soon found my love and concern for
DEAD                                                         my ancestors growing to depths I had never before
                                                             experienced.
I joined the Church at age sixteen. Because I was            Now I know that what President Joseph Fielding
young, I thought that genealogy work was not for me.         Smith said about genealogical and temple work is
Anyway, I was a new convert, and there were so               true:
many other things to learn and do. It was two years
                                                             “. . . younger people must not get the idea that this is
after my conversion that I finally saw the light. I was
                                                             only an old person’s work. It is for all the Latter-day
in our young adult Sunday School class when our
                                                             Saints, and young people can attend to these matters
instructor, Brother Parsons, asked: “How many of
                                                             and get the spirit of this work just as much as those
you love your family?” It was such an obvious
                                                             who are advanced in years.” (Smith, Doctrines of
answer that every hand went up. He continued by
                                                             Salvation, 2:130–31.)
asking, “Now, how many of you have a book of
remembrance with at least four generations of                As you think of your specific responsibilities and
genealogical work completed?—that is, family group           opportunities in relation to your dead ancestors,
sheets and pedigree charts? Only about three of the          what should you do to make the blessings of the
thirty young adults raised their hands. Needless to          gospel available to them? What do you need to do to
say, I was one of those who didn’t respond in the            become a savior on Mount Zion?




                                                           419
420
                  51
   “PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE
                     DIVINE NATURE”




 The Second Letter of Peter Apparently Written from       grandeur and insight with those in the Vision of the
           Rome Prior to A.D. 68 (2 Peter)                degrees of glory and the sermons of the Lord
                                             2 Peter      himself.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:325.)

“Make Your Calling and Election Sure”     1:1–19
                                                          It concerned Peter that Paul had written “some
                                                          things hard to be understood,” enabling the
Prophecy Comes by the Holy Ghost          1:20, 21        unlearned and unstable to “wrest” his meaning to
                                                          their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). Thus we may
False Teachers Are Damned                 2:1–9           understand the simplicity and directness of this
The Fallen State of Lustful Saints        2:10–22         epistle of Peter’s, which not only gave understanding
                                                          but avoided all possibility of misunderstanding.
Latter-day Scoffers Shall Deny the Second 3:1–10          Furthermore, he wrote with the awareness that his
Coming                                                    own death was imminent; at such a time, one would
Holy and Saintly Lives Are Prepared for   3:11–18         not expect the man Peter to trifle with words (2 Peter
the Lord                                                  1:14).
                                                          Elder McConkie says of chapter one, “Nowhere else
                                                          in ancient writ do we find the door so frankly opened
THEME                                                     to a knowledge of the course men must pursue to
The purpose of the gospel is to assist man in             have their calling and election made sure.” (DNTC,
overcoming sin so that he might become a partaker of      3:323.) It is clear from what Peter teaches that
the divine nature of Jesus Christ.                        knowing about God and knowing God are not the
                                                          same, and that a true knowledge of God requires that
INTRODUCTION                                              we become like him. Thus, the saints are challenged
                                                          to become “partakers of the divine nature.” (2 Peter
With an eloquence unique to Peter, his second epistle     1:4.)
combines a straightforward simplicity with a rich
outpouring of the Spirit to produce words which,          Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
according to one of our Church leaders, “rank in          in the reading block.


                                                        421
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                      prophesied, would deny the fact because of what
                                                             seemed to them an unreasonable delay. Peter wrote the
(51-1) What Is the Theme of Second Peter?                    letter, therefore, to warn of an impending apostasy
                                                             within the church and to exhort the saints to continue
The dominant theme in this letter is how one comes to        to grow in knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This
a knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As shown by            counsel if followed would lead them to make their
the outline, it may be divided into three main sections.     callings and elections sure.
The first tells how one comes to a knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ by becoming “a partaker of his             (51-5) 2 Peter 1:1–19. What Are the Three Grand
divine nature” and having his “calling and election          Keys to Obtaining the True Knowledge of God?
made sure.” In the second section this true knowledge        “There are three grand secrets lying in this chapter, . . .
of Christ is contrasted to false knowledge—heresies          which no man can dig out, unless by the light of
perpetrated by apostates. The third section calls            revelation, and which unlocks the whole chapter. . . .
attention to the hope that the true knowledge of the
Lord brings: the promise of his glorious return to the       “1st key: Knowledge is the power of salvation. 2nd
earth.                                                       key: Make your calling and election sure. 3rd key: It is
                                                             one thing to be on the mount and hear the excellent
(51-2) Place and Date of Writing                             voice, etc., and another to hear the voice declare to
We cannot say with certainty the place from which            you, You have a part and lot in that kingdom.” (Smith,
Peter wrote the letter, though some suppose it was           Teachings, pp. 304, 306.)
Rome. Because the threat of persecution seems past           Concerning the three grand keys to the knowledge of
(there is no mention in this letter of persecution or        God, we learn three concepts:
suffering), it is assumed that the letter falls between
the Nero persecutions and the alleged date of Peter’s        1. The knowledge of Christ which brings salvation is
death, perhaps about A.D. 68.                                obtained a little at a time.
                                                             “It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge
(51-3) Authorship                                            at once presented before us; but that we should have a
Though some scholars have challenged the                     little at a time; then we can comprehend it. . . .
genuineness of this letter, the weight of evidence           “. . . The principle of knowledge is the principle of
favors Peter as the author. Joseph Smith noted in a          salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the
discussion on First Peter, “Peter penned the most            faithful and diligent; and every one that does not
sublime language of any of the apostles.” (Teachings,        obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be
p. 301.) The Prophet Joseph frequently quoted Peter.         condemned. The principle of salvation is given us
(51-4) Background Information                                through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” (Smith,
                                                             Teachings, p. 297. Italics added.)
Peter, president of the church in his day, addressed
this letter to the saints who had “obtained like precious    2. As one acquires knowledge of Christ’s divine
faith with us.” (1:1.) New problems seem to have             attributes and incorporates them into his own life, he
arisen in the church. Where before the threat to the         makes his calling and election sure.
church was persecution from without, the danger now          “None can comprehend the knowledge of God, of
seems to be apostasy from within. “There shall be            Christ, and of the gospel unless he himself possesses
false teachers among you,” wrote the chief apostle,          the attributes of godliness, for the knowledge of
“who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even          spiritual things comes only by revelation, and until a
denying the Lord. . . .” (2:1). The great danger to the      person gains godly attributes he cannot receive the
church was that many in the future would follow after        Spirit from whom revelation comes.” (McConkie,
these teachers out of ignorance and uncertainty. The         DNTC, 3:354.) (The process of having one’s calling
letter twice reminds the saints of the things they had       and election made sure is discussed in the interpretive
been taught (1:12–15; 3:1, 2): first, that if they go on     commentary for 2 Peter 1:10.)
to make their calling and election sure, they will not
fall (1:10, 11); and second, that the second coming of       3. The more sure word of prophecy—the Lord’s
the Lord was certain and sure, even though scoffers, as      promise that a person will be exalted and come to




                                                           422
know God fully (John 17:3)—comes as a result of               continuation of the family unit in eternity.”
making one’s calling and election sure.                       (McConkie, DNTC, 3:343.)
“Now for the secret and grand key. Though they might          (51-9) 2 Peter 1:21. How Does One Correctly
hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the             Interpret Scripture?
Son of God, this would be no evidence that their
election and calling was made sure, that they had part        “If prophets speak by the power of the Holy Ghost,
with Christ, and were joint-heirs with him. They then         then the Holy Ghost is required to interpret correctly
would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they         the teachings of holy men. Therefore, those who do
were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of             not possess the Spirit of God cannot comprehend the
eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having this         things of God.” (Delbert L. Stapley in CR, Oct. 1966,
promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul,       p. 113.)
sure and steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and        (51-10) 2 Peter 2:1. Are There Heresies in the True
lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war             Church of Christ?
gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge
would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble        “Heresies abound in the sectarian world. False
and tribulation. Then knowledge through our Lord and          doctrines are manifest on every hand. . . .
Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key that unlocks the         “But what of the true Church? Are there heresies
glories and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”              within even that divine institution? Paul says such was
(Smith, Teachings, p. 298.)                                   the case among the Corinthians, and it is apparent that
(51-6) 2 Peter 1:4–8. What Does It Mean to Be                 the same thing prevails in the modern kingdom of God
“Partakers of the Divine Nature”?                             on earth. Speaking of our day, Nephi said that
                                                              ‘because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations,
Peter himself said it is escaping “the corruption that is     and whoredoms,’ all men have ‘gone astray save it be
in the world through lust.” (vs. 4.)                          a few, who are the humble followers of Christ.’ Then
President David O. McKay, commenting on verse 4,              pointing to these true saints, he added: ‘Nevertheless,
said it means “to rise above the temporal, the sensual,       they are led, that in many instances they do err
and partake of the divine Spirit of God.” (CR, Oct.           because they are taught by the precepts of men.’
1961, p. 90.)                                                 (2 Ne. 28:14.) That is, heresies are found in the
                                                              Church today, even as in the meridian of time.”
(51-7) 2 Peter 1:10. What Is Meant by Having                  (McConkie, DNTC, 2:362–63.)
One’s Calling and Election Made Sure?
                                                              (51-11) 2 Peter 2:13. What Was the Meaning of the
“To have one’s calling and election made sure is to be        Word Riot?
sealed up unto eternal life; it is to have the
unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest          Actually there is no word in English that carries the
heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the           exact meaning of the Greek word truphay. The actual
assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day       meaning is “to live delicately, live luxuriously, be
of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the       given to a soft and luxurious life.” (See Thayer,
glory and honor of the Father’s kingdom is assured            Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 631.) The picture is
prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into        not one of wild rebellion and disorder, but of soft, self-
the divine presence to sit with Christ in his throne,         indulgent pampering of the desires of the flesh.
even as he is ‘set down’ with his ‘Father in his              (51-12) 2 Peter 2:20–22. Can Immorality and
throne.’ (Rev. 3:21.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:330–31.)            Rebellion Lead to the Unpardonable Sin?
(51-8) 2 Peter 1:10. Must an Individual Be Married            “It is important for all men that they do not even
for Eternity to Have His Calling and Election                 approach the tragic point of the unpardonable sin.
Made Sure?                                                    Numerous people have lost the Spirit through
“. . . making one’s calling and election sure comes           immorality and through rebellion brought about by the
after and grows out of celestial marriage. Eternal life       sophistry and philosophy of men, and sometimes
does not and cannot exist for a man or a woman alone,         through fancied offenses. Bitterness has a way of
because in its very nature it consists of the                 poisoning the mind and killing the spirit. One should




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take no chances of permitting such situations to                POINTS TO PONDER
become sore and gangrenous, for who can tell when
one might slip across the line? To do so rather than            IN EVERY AGE THERE HAVE BEEN THOSE
enduring to the end is perhaps to be in the category            WHO HAVE SOUGHT TO LEAD PEOPLE
Peter described.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness,             ASTRAY
pp. 121–22.)
                                                               A few years ago, one of our Latter-day Saint
(51-13) 2 Peter 3:3. “There Shall Come in the Last             chaplains was interviewing a young serviceman
Days Scoffers”                                                 imprisoned in a military stockade. In response to the
“In ‘this second epistle,’ the Chief Apostle both              question why he had gone A.W.O.L., the serviceman
assumes and announces the literal nature of the                expressed his dislike for the military and his desire to
Second Coming of the Son of Man, with this added               be free. The chaplain was empathetic, for there was
proclamation: In the last days, in so-called                   much about the military that he too disliked. He also
Christendom (for the doctrine is not so much as an             shared the imprisoned soldier’s desire for personal
issue in other circles) the fact of our Lord’s literal         freedom. After having identified those common
return shall be challenged; false ministers shall mock         feelings, the chaplain asked the soldier which of the
at such an antiquated view; and the scientists shall           two of them enjoyed the greater freedom. The
scoff at the idea of the burning of the earth as a             answer, of course, was obvious. When their interview
prelude to a Millennial era when none but the                  ended, the chaplain could get up and walk out of the
righteous shall dwell on the new earth thus cleansed           stockade, but the soldier would be returned to
from its wicked inhabitants. All history, all                  confinement. The chaplain observed that he had
experience, and all reason, they shall say, negate these       found considerable personal freedom by his
old-fashioned doctrines about the Lord living again            compliance to military regulations, suggesting that
among men. Surely the scriptures must mean that he             the better he did his job the less supervision he
shall come as a power or influence to dwell in the             received and the greater freedom he found.
hearts of men whenever they gain oneness with him,             We live at a time when the pursuit of personal
shall be their cry. “But Peter, whose views came not           freedom is a prevailing concern. Great movements
from reason but by revelation, replies: Which is easier,       are sweeping the world to “liberate” us from the
to believe in a creation (which fact is self-evident) or a     mores of the past and bring about what their
Second Coming? To believe in the destruction of the            adherents choose to call “equality.” One is left to
world by water in Noah’s day (of which fact there is           wonder how many of these movements, like the
ample evidence) or the burning of the vineyard in that         actions of that A.W.O.L. soldier, are, in fact, leading
day when ‘as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be         to greater bondage; and one cannot help but be
also in the days of the Son of man’? (Luke 17:26.)”            impressed with the striking similarities between those
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:364–65.)                                    who Peter warned the saints against anciently and
(51-14) 2 Peter 3:10–13. What Is Meant by the                  many movements that are sweeping the world today.
Expression “Look for New Heavens and a New                     Consider his description of the false teachers who, if
Earth”?                                                        they had not already done so, Peter knew would soon
                                                               come among the saints:
“Let us not misunderstand this expression. The new
heaven and new earth will be the same heaven and the           2 Peter, chapter 2:
same earth on which we now sojourn, for this earth is          verse 1     They will deny Christ.
to receive the resurrection after this day of mortality
and be the abode of the righteous in eternity. Without         verse 2     They will make truth appear as evil.
the revelations of the Lord given to men, this truth           verse 3     They will exploit people with cunning
would not be made known. Neither would we have                             arguments.
knowledge of the final glory to which this earth will
                                                               verse 10    They will be “self-willed,” that is,
be assigned. Even now, where men are without the
                                                                           obstinate in doing whatever they want,
divine guidance and revelation, this truth would not be
                                                                           without regard for others.
known.” (Smith, Seek Ye Earnestly . . . , p. 262.)




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verse 12    They will have little knowledge of the          we came through. It drove us together because of
            things of righteousness which they defy.        enemies from the outside. And we survived it. We
                                                            passed through a period of mobbing and driving, when
verse 13    They will sin openly, publicly, willfully.
                                                            lives were taken and blood was shed, and somehow
verse 14    They will be motivated by lust and greed.       the place of the martyr gave us strength. We passed
verse 14    They will prey upon those who are               through poverty, and we gained strength from the test
            unstable and unseasoned.                        of it. Then we passed through an age of what we might
                                                            call apostasy, or betrayal from the inside—one of the
verse 18    They will present their cause with              severest tests through which we have passed. We are
            polished rhetoric and oratory.                  now going through another test—a period of what we
verse 19    They will promise to liberate those who         might call sophistication. This is a time when there are
            sympathize with and follow after them.          many clever people who are not willing to listen to the
                                                            humble prophets of the Lord. And we have suffered
As you read Peter’s epistle and mentally translate it       from that. It is rather a severe test.” (Harold B. Lee,
to a modern setting, you are left wondering whether         Instructor, June 1965, p. 217.)
Peter was writing to the people of his own day or to
those of ours. There are many today who, like the          How, you may ask, can I fortify myself against the
A.W.O.L. soldier, in their flight to find freedom find     philosophies of false teachings?
themselves in a bondage far worse than that which
they sought to escape. Well might they ponder the          Read 2 Peter 2:1, 20–22. What does Peter mean by
observation of Elder James E. Talmage when he said,        the “knowledge of the Lord”? Once one learns about
“Obedience to law is the habit of the free man; the        the Lord, is that sufficient? Read Matthew 7:22, 23.
transgressor fears the law, for he brings upon himself     Can you see from this that as you come to have a
deprivation and restraint, not because of the law,         personal relationship with the Lord through study,
which would have protected him in his freedom, but         prayer, and obedience, you will have power to
because of his antagonism to the law.” (Articles of        overcome the false philosophies of the adversary?
Faith, p. 53.)
It is of interest how consistently false prophets come     (51-17) We Ought to Live So That We May Know
posing as the champions of the common people to            the Will of the Father Respecting All Our
“liberate” them from the influence of righteousness.       Circumstances
(See Numbers 16:3 and Alma 30:14, 23 for                   “The one thing now that I desire to impress upon the
examples.)                                                 minds of my brethren bearing the Holy Priesthood is
                                                           that we should live so near to the Lord, be so humble in
(51-15) There Are False Teachings Today as in              our spirits, so tractable and pliable, under the influence
Peter’s Day                                                of the Holy Spirit, that we will be able to know the
                                                           mind and will of the Father concerning us as
“Apparently there were in the early church those who       individuals and as officers in the Church of Christ
taught for doctrines the sophistries of men. There are     under all circumstances.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
those today who seem to take pride in disagreeing          pp. 58–59.)
with the orthodox teachings of the Church and who
present their own opinions which are at variance with      (51-18) Righteousness Comes by Revelation
the revealed truth. Some may be partially innocent in      “Ever remember, dear brethren, that if you would be
the matter; others are feeding their own egotism; and      righteous like your heavenly Father, His righteousness
some seem to be deliberate. Men may think as they          comes by REVELATION, through your faith. Be
please, but they have no right to impose upon others       content with nothing short of the revealed will of your
their unorthodox views. Such persons should realize        heavenly Father; for being built upon this foundation,
that their own souls are in jeopardy.” (Spencer W.         the floods of error and temptation that must come upon
Kimball in CR, Apr. 1948, p. 109.)                         all them that dwell upon the earth, will not be able to
(51-16) Our Test Today Is the Philosophies of the          overthrow you.” (Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball
World Versus the Living Prophets                           and Willard Richards, as cited in James R. Clark,
                                                           comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church
“During the early days of the Church we passed             of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2:124.)
through a period of slander and misrepresentation, and


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(51-19) We Should So Live That The Revelations of          Can you see from this chapter that as you learn about
Jesus Can Be with Us Constantly                            God and then strive to become like him, you can
                                                           actually draw down the powers of heaven to help you
“Latter-day Saints should so live that they will know
                                                           act more like Jesus Christ here and now? Carefully
the voice of the True Shepherd, and not be deceived
                                                           study the following quote by President Brigham
by pretenders. . . . The Latter-day Saint who does not
                                                           Young:
live so as to have the revelations of Jesus constantly
with him, stands in great danger of being deceived and     “When through the Gospel, the Spirit in man has so
falling away.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1967,            subdued the flesh that he can live without wilful
p. 103.)                                                   transgression, the Spirit of God unites with his spirit,
                                                           they become congenial companions, and the mind
TO PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE OF                         and will of the Creator is thus transmitted to the
GOD IS TO PARTAKE OF THE POWER OF                          creature.” (JD, 9:288.)
GOD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT
                                                           Isn’t that what is meant by the term “partaking of the
What is the divine nature? It is the nature of God. It     divine nature?”
is the nature, perfection, personality, glory, power,
                                                           Now, what can you do to more fully partake of the
and holiness not only of the Father but also of the
                                                           divine nature of Jesus Christ?
Son, Jesus Christ, for he has partaken of the
“fulness” and has become like the Father in every          Peter suggests some qualities that will help you in
respect. We are promised that, since Christ has            this effort (2 Peter 1:5–7). Consider your efforts to
obtained this fulness, we, through obedience to him,       acquire the “divine nature” in the following areas:
may ultimately do so also. (See D&C 93:16, 17, 19,
                                                           1. Faith                I am actively putting into
20.)
                                                                                   practice the teachings of the
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day                                prophets of the Church, such
Saints are expected to become like the Lord Jesus                                  as home teaching, family
Christ; they are expected to gain the divine nature                                home evening, etc.
possessed by the Father and the Son. Of course, we
                                                           2. Virtue               I am striving continually to
are only called to achieve this great destiny. The
                                                                                   control any undesirable
calling—the election, the promise, the opportunity—
                                                                                   thoughts that would have
has been extended to us by the Lord, but no one is
                                                                                   produced unrighteous action.
going to force us to fulfil it and make certain; it is
very much a matter of free agency. But already we          3. Knowledge            During this past week, I have
have done something to suggest our seriousness in                                  read out of the standard
accepting the calling and election which has been                                  works.
offered to us. For instance, you have elected to join      4. Temperance           I am moderate in the intake of
the Saints and meet with them, to pray, to read the                                food, and in all I do.
scriptures, to study this lesson. Your calling to be a
partaker of the divine nature—to become like God—          5. Patience             When provoked in a family
has not come about in a vacuum; the election is not                                situation, I am able to
only God’s, but yours as well. Indeed, in earlier                                  forebear against retaliating
lessons (for example, lesson 3) it has been suggested                              by words or actions.
that we sought this opportunity even before we             6. Godliness            I am sincerely striving to
entered mortality. (See 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Thessalonians                               become like God in my speech
2:13, 14; and 3 Nephi 27:27.)                                                      and actions.
Peter specifies faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance,      7. Brotherly kindness I treat my roommates and my
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity                             family members as I desire to
(2 Peter 1:5–7). These are not demonstrated in                                   be treated.
perfection by fallen mankind here below, but by the
Father and Son who are above. Yet, we are to obtain        8. Charity              Love of Jesus Christ prevails
these qualities too, somehow, and become perfect                                   in the way I speak and treat
therein (Matthew 5:48).                                                            others.




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I am not doing so now.                                       Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13.)
                                                             Remember that these promises that Peter called
                                                             “exceeding great and precious promises” are yours
I am trying.             Use one of these three ratings      also, and that the divine nature of the Father and the
                         to indicate your present            Son are well within your reach. The process is just as
                         progress.                           real and operable as you are willing for it to be in
I am doing fine.                                             your life.

Now, how is it that we can ever hope to obtain the           Such was the testimony of President David O. McKay
divine nature? Certainly, the experience of all              when he said this:
mortals would suggest that our own independent self-         “[Peter] wrote on one occasion: ‘. . . that we might
discipline and ingenuity would not be sufficient for         be partakers of the divine nature.’ . . . He realized
the task.                                                    what it means to be in touch with the spiritual, to rise
Peter says that, if we are willing to give “all              above the temporal, the sensual, and partake of the
diligence” (2 Peter 1:5) to the task of acquiring or         divine Spirit of God.
developing these qualities, things that pertain to “life     “. . . that is the purpose of making us more capable
and godliness” will come to us by “divine                    of responding to the Spirit and subduing the
power.” (2 Peter 1:3.) If we were expected to acquire        sensual. . . .
the divine nature without nourishment and power
                                                             “That is why we like to have every young man and
from a divine source, Peter would not have asked us
                                                             every young woman utilize his or her time
to be “partakers.” It is reasonable that we should
                                                             intelligently, usefully, to bring the soul in harmony
partake of divine power in order to reach divine
                                                             with the spirit, that we all might be partakers of
heights.
                                                             God’s Spirit, partakers of his divine nature. . . . (CR,
We have the calling before us, with specific                 Oct. 1961, p. 90.)
characteristics of the divine nature laid out. It is a
                                                             “Happy is the man who has experienced that
lifelong matter of faith and diligence. But it is also a
                                                             relationship to his Maker, wherein we are ‘partakers
matter of divine assistance, involving that personal
                                                             of the divine nature.’ That is a reality, and I so testify
relationship with Christ which we explored earlier in
                                                             to you here in this sacred hour.” (David O. McKay in
this lesson. Paul said, “I can do all things through
                                                             CR, Apr. 1957, p. 130. Emphasis added.)




                                                           427
428
                                  52
                       “WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS
                         HE IS IN THE LIGHT”




    1 John—a Letter to the Christian Communities,              THEME
                     ca. A.D. 96
                                                               Those who walk in the light receive the love of Christ
                                               1 John          and enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son and
Walk in the Light of Christ                 1:1–7
                                                               with the children of God.

We Must Break from Our Sins                 1:8–10; 2:1, 2     INTRODUCTION

The Saints May Know God and Christ          2:3–6              Suppose you had lived in the days of Jesus and had
                                                               actually spent time in his presence. Suppose that you
Abide in the Light Through the Law of       2:7–14             had heard him teach, had seen the miracles he had
Love                                                           performed, and had felt by the Spirit the power of the
“Love Not the World”                        2:15–17            testimony he bore of himself—that he came into the
                                                               world to do the will of the Father, which included
Anti-Christs to Come in Latter Days         2:18–26            giving his life. Further, suppose you were a witness
                                                               to his resurrection and had been privileged and
The Holy Ghost Leads Saints to Truth        2:27–29            worthy enough to see and feel the wounds made
The Sons of God Shall Be Like Christ        3:1–3              during his sacrifice, in part, for your sins. How
                                                               would you feel toward the Savior? How would you
Saints Must Not Continue in Sin             3:4–9              feel about a teaching spreading among some of your
                                                               fellow Christians that Jesus didn’t really suffer for
Love the Brethren and Gain Eternal Life     3:10–18            anyone’s sins but merely seemed to do so? Further,
Gaining Answers to Prayers                  3:19–24            that he really wasn’t a partaker of mortality but only
                                                               appeared to be, and that the physical body the Lord
“Try the Spirits”                           4:1–6              displayed after the resurrection was an illusion? This
                                                               was the problem faced by the apostle John. It
“God Is Love”                               4:7–21             appears that some Christians had adopted an early
“Who Is Born of God?”                       5:1–4              form of Gnosticism and were teaching that Jesus
                                                               could not have truly come in the flesh, for God is holy
Many Witnesses Testify of Eternal Life in   5:5–21             and could have nothing to do with contaminating
Christ


                                                             429
matter. To explain the Savior’s presence on earth, the     “That all the purposes and plans of Deity are based on
Gnostics set forth two arguments: either Christ was        his infinite and eternal love; and
only apparently human or else the spirit which
                                                           “That if men will personify that love in their lives,
inhabited Jesus’ mortal body descended into the man
                                                           they will become like the Lord himself and have
Jesus at the time of his commitment to God in
                                                           eternal life with him.
baptism and departed just prior to his suffering on
the cross. Thus Christ did not really suffer for our       “The doctrines expounded include how to gain
sins; it was only the man Jesus who was crucified.         fellowship with God; how to know God and Christ;
The first of these philosophies was known as               how to become the sons of God; how to abide in the
Docetism, so called from the Greek word dokeo, “to         light and love the brethren; how to dwell in God and
seem or appear,” and the latter was known as               have him dwell in us; how to be born again and gain
Cerinthianism, named for Cerinthus, its primary            eternal life.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:371.)
proponent in the first century.
                                                           (52-2) Where and When Was It Written?
John wrote, among other reasons, to dispel such
notions. Note his insistence that he had personally        As with the other general epistles, so with 1 John: the
seen and “handled” the “Word of life” (1 John 1:1,         letter provides us with little or no evidence on which
2), a strike at Docetism. Notice also his vehement         to fix a place of writing. If the tradition regarding
statement that whoever “denieth that Jesus is the          John’s long residence in Ephesus is correct, the letter
Christ” is a liar (1 John 2:22), a slap at                 could have been written from there. Although John
Cerinthianism. Finally, notice his declaration that        spent the major portion of his life in the Holy Land,
“every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is     Christians as well as Jews were unwelcome there
come in the flesh” is not of God but is anti-Christ        following the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple
(1 John 4:2, 3).                                           in A.D. 70.

As you turn your attention to the book of 1 John,          The letter seems to belong to a period in which the so-
consider the power of John’s testimony as an               called Gnostic philosophy was on the rise. It also bears
eyewitness of Jesus Christ’s appearance in the flesh.      a close relationship to the fourth Gospel, which is
Consider also the meaning in your life as John             dated about A.D. 90 or 95.
teaches that you can come to know the true God and         The book of 1 John was probably written sometime
Christ and, more, have a fellowship with them. As          around A.D. 96 and almost certainly between A.D. 70
you read, look for his instructions on how you can         and 100.
develop this fellowship and how you can know that
another person has true fellowship with those              (52-3) 1 John 1:1. “We Have Seen with Our
members of the Godhead.                                    Eyes . . . and Our Hands Have Handled, of the
                                                           Word of Life”
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
in the reading block.                                      To Jesus’ apostles, John being one, was given the
                                                           sacred privilege following the Savior’s resurrection of
                                                           seeing the resurrected Lord in the flesh. “Behold my
                                                           hands and my feet,” the Savior said, “that it is I
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                    myself.” But that is not all. They were also privileged
                                                           to feel his wounds: “Handle me, and see; for a spirit
(52-1) What Is the Theme of 1 John?                        hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke
                                                           24:39). John wishes it clearly understood that it is he,
“Written by the Disciple whom Jesus loved, and who         a personal witness of the resurrected Christ, who is
in turn had such great love for his Lord and his           writing this letter.
fellowmen that he gained permission to remain on
earth and seek to save souls until the Second              (52-4) 1 John 1:3. “Our Fellowship Is with the
Coming—this Epistle has as its essential theme:            Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”
“That God is love;                                         “To have fellowship with the Lord in this life is to
“That love is the foundation upon which all personal       enjoy the companionship of his Holy Spirit, which
righteousness rests;                                       makes us one with him; and to have fellowship with
                                                           him in eternity is to be like him, having that eternal



                                                         430
life of which he is the possessor and originator.”            (52-8) 1 John 2:6. “Walk Even As He Walked”
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:374.)
                                                              “Merely saying, accepting, believing are not enough.
(52-5) 1 John 2:1. “We Have an Advocate with the              They are incomplete until that which they imply is
Father”                                                       translated into the dynamic action of daily living. This,
                                                              then, is the finest source of personal testimony. One
An advocate is one who pleads on behalf of another.           knows because he has experienced. He does not have
Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father. God is a        to say, ‘Brother Jones says it is true, and I believe
god of justice, and his law requires that every sin be        him.’ He can say, ‘I have lived this principle in my
paid for. If it were not for the Atonement, all men           own life, and I know through personal experience that
would stand condemned because of the law, because             it works. I have felt its influence, tested its practical
all men sin. But Jesus Christ suffered the punishment         usefulness, and know that it is good. I can testify of
and thereby paid the price for the sins of all mankind.       my own knowledge that it is a true principle.’”
Therefore, he can plead on our behalf before the              (Howard W. Hunter in CR, Apr. 1967, p. 116.)
Father. (See D&C 45:3–5.)
                                                              (52-9) John 2:18, 19. What Is an Anti-Christ?
(52-6) 1 John 2:2. “He Is the Propitiation for Our
Sins” and “Also for the Sins of the Whole World”              The prefix anti means exactly the same in Greek as it
                                                              does in English, namely, that which is against
God’s divine justice cannot simply wave sins away;            something else. An anti-Christ is one who stands in
payment must be made. Propitiation means just that.           opposition to Christ, or seeks to amend, change, add
Because Jesus was totally righteous and had no sins           to, or undermine his doctrine. The devil is the best
for which to answer personally, he can propitiate, or         example, for he “opposeth and exalteth himself above
pay, for our sins through atonement. This righteous act       all that is called God, or that is worshipped. . . .”
satisfies the demands of justice and makes mercy, or          (2 Thessalonians 2:4.) John speaks not of the devil,
forgiveness, possible (Alma 42:12–25).                        however, but of those men in his day who followed
But Christ’s atonement is universal. It is extended to        the devil in opposition to Jesus Christ. These
all who will accept it by faith in Christ and repentance      apostates, though they had once been in the church,
from sin. The Savior suffered “the pain of all men,”          “went out from us, but they were not of us; for had
the suffering due for the accumulated sins of the             they been of us, they would no doubt have continued
“whole world.” Only those who will truly repent,              with us.” Examples of anti-Christs would be men like
however, are made its beneficiaries. (Read D&C                Sherem (Jacob 7:1–23), Nehor (Alma 1:2–16), and
18:10–12.) The rest must live without full benefits of        Korihor (Alma 30:6–60).
the Atonement. (Read Alma 11:40, 42.)
                                                              (52-10) 1 John 2:20, 27. What Is the “Unction,” or
(52-7) 1 John 2:3. “Hereby We Do Know That We                 “Anointing,” of Which John Speaks?
Know Him, If We Keep His Commandments”                        “This unction, this holy anointing, is the gift of the
It was this same John who quotes our Savior as                Holy Ghost, which gives them access to the infinite
saying, “And this is life eternal, that they might know       wisdom of the Father and the Son so that they may
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou           know all things as fast as they are able to bear
hast sent.” (John 17:3.) Now he tells us how it is            them.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:383.)
possible to know God.
                                                              (52-11) 1 John 3:9. What Does John Mean by
“It is by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the         “Whosoever Is Born of God Doth Not Commit
gospel! and in no other way! . . .                            Sin”?
“Since the very fact of knowing God, in the ultimate          In the Inspired Version, Joseph Smith translates the
and full sense, consists of thinking what he thinks,          passage as follows:
saying what he says, doing what he does, and of being
                                                              “Whosoever is born of God doth not continue in sin;
like him, thus having exaltation or godhood—it
                                                              for the Spirit of God remaineth in him; and he cannot
follows that saved souls must advance and progress
                                                              continue in sin, because he is born of God, having
until they acquire his character, perfections, and
                                                              received that holy spirit of promise.”
attributes, until they gain his eternal power, until they
themselves become gods.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:377.)




                                                            431
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains:                             be no mortal birth as such without the loss of blood by
                                                              the mother); and
“All men sin, before and after baptism, but those
saints who strive to keep the commandments, and are           “Spirit (the offspring of God which comes from
continually repenting and returning to the Lord, no           pre-existence to dwell in the tabernacle of clay formed
longer continue in that course of sinful rebellion            from the dust of the earth in the womb of the mother);
against God and his laws which was their lot before
                                                              “So there can be no spiritual birth into the kingdom of
they were baptized for the remission of sins. Church
                                                              heaven without:
members who do so continue in sin are members in
name only; they do not receive the companionship of           “Water (baptism by immersion under the hands of a
the Holy Ghost, through whose revelations alone can           legal administrator); and
the Lord be ‘known’” (DNTC, 3:386)                            “Spirit (the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit which
(52-12) 1 John 3:21. “Beloved, If Our Heart                   burns sin and iniquity out of the human soul as though
Condemn Us Not, Then Have We Confidence                       by fire, thus making the soul fit to dwell with holy and
Toward God”                                                   pure beings in God’s kingdom); and

“An actual knowledge to any person, that the course of        “Blood (the shed blood of Him who poured out his
life which he pursues is according to the will of God,        soul unto death so that all of the terms and conditions
is essentially necessary to enable him to have that           of the plan of salvation would have force and validity
confidence in God without which no person can obtain          and so that mortal man might be ransomed from the
eternal life. It was this that enabled the ancient saints     temporal and spiritual death brought into the world by
to endure all their afflictions and persecutions, and to      the fall of Adam). . . .
take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing (not       “Also: The symbolism here used helps center our
believing merely) that they had a more enduring               attention in the atoning sacrifice of the Son. The same
substance.” [Hebrews 10:34.] (Lectures on Faith,              elements were then present:
Lecture Sixth, vs. 2.)
                                                              “Spirit (in that our Lord voluntarily gave up the Ghost,
(52-13) 1 John 4:8. What Does John Mean by “God               permitting his spirit to leave the body);
Is Love”?                                                     “Blood (in that he there completed the act,
“‘Our God is a consuming fire.’ (Heb. 12:29.) ‘God is         commenced in Gethsemane, of shedding his own
light.’ (1 John 1:5.) Similarly, God is also faith, hope,     blood for the sins of men); and
charity, righteousness, truth, virtue, temperance,            “Water (in that when ‘one of the soldiers with a spear
patience, humility, and so forth. That is, God is the         pierced his side, . . . forthwith came there out blood
embodiment and personification of every good grace            and water. And he that saw it [John himself] bare
and godly attribute—all of which dwell in his person          record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he
in perfection and in fulness.” (McConkie, DNTC,               saith true, that ye might believe.’) (John 19:34–35.)”
3:398.)                                                       (McConkie, DNTC, 3:403–5.)
(52-14) 1 John 4:12. “No Man Hath Seen God at
Any Time”                                                     POINTS TO PONDER
“No man hath seen God at any time, except them who
                                                              THE SAINTS ENJOY A UNIQUE KIND OF
believe. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,
                                                              FRIENDSHIP
and his love is perfected in us.” (Inspired Version.)
                                                              Membership in the Church exists, in part, to further
(52-15) 1 John 5:8. “There Are Three That Bear                one’s spiritual condition. Fellowship is the principle
Witness in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and              means by which this is to be accomplished. Through
the Blood”                                                    fellowship, men and women with common goals and
“. . . just as there can be no mortal birth without:          aspirations are given an opportunity to uplift and
                                                              strengthen one another. This kind of fellowship far
“Water (the viable fetus being immersed in such in its        transcends that found in social groups or political
mother’s womb); and                                           parties. John knew that this fellowship is the
“Blood (the life of the mortal body is in the blood,          distinguishing mark of the true Church, for it is not
without which there is immediate death; and there can         found anywhere else.



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What, you may ask, is the unique fellowship that the         and distress. Those who are not moved by that
Saints can enjoy but which cannot be enjoyed outside         same inspiration turn instead to government. Such
the Church? To find the answer to this question, read        man-made course of action does little good compared
carefully 1 John 1:3–7. John declares that in the            to the Lord’s approach and often results in doing great
church of Christ two types of fellowship are                 harm to our Father’s children, even though the
necessary. What are they? Which of these must                intentions may seem to have been noble.
precede the other?
                                                             “Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the
Do you see that to John, fellowship with God and             most, then you must put the first commandment first.
Christ must precede that of one person to another?
                                                             “When we fail to put the love of God first, we are
Why is this order a necessity for true fellowship?
                                                             easily deceived by crafty men who profess a great love
The message of John’s letter is that we must become          of humanity, while advocating programs that are not
partakers of the fellowship of God and his children if       of the Lord.” (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Oct. 1967,
we are to obtain eternal life. This can be done only as      p. 35.)
we love and serve both God and each other. Only in
this way can there be true fellowship. How much              TRUE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND MAN IS
sense does it make for a person to say, “I love God”         ENJOYED ONLY BY THOSE WHO WALK IN
but then display hatred towards one of his children?         THE LIGHT OF CHRIST
Conversely, how much sense is there in the
statements of those who say they love their fellow          Let us turn our attention to another phase of John’s
men but disavow the existence of God?                       writing: the suggestion of how we can enjoy true
                                                            fellowship with God and with our fellowmen. His
(52-16) When We Love God and Our Fellow Men,                instructions are clear and simple. Read the following
We Cannot Be Deceived by Those Who Profess                  verses and consider the requirements: 1 John 1:8, 9;
Love for Humanity but Work Against Man’s True               2:9, 15, 24; 3:23; 4:7, 20, 21; 5:2. Do these
Welfare                                                     teachings seem difficult? Well, the road to perfection
                                                            is not easy, but it is John’s testimony that you can
“The world largely ignores the first and great
                                                            make it. Read again these promises and assurances
commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about
                                                            from John: 2:1–3, 5, 24, 25; 3:24; 4:12, 13; 5:18–20.
loving their brother. They worship at the altar of man.
                                                            This time, however, consider how these teachings
Would Nephi have slain Laban if he had put the love
                                                            apply to you and to your ability to gain fellowship
of neighbor above the love of God? Would Abraham
                                                            with Christ.
have taken Isaac up for a sacrifice if he had put the
second commandment first?                                   Do you understand the promise John is making to
                                                            you? Can you see that as you determine to keep the
“The attitude of the world is reflected in a phrase of
                                                            commandments, you will receive power and love
falsehood that reads, ‘Presume not God to scan, the
                                                            from God, and that he will readily cleanse you from
proper study of mankind is man.’ But only those who
                                                            all sin as you love and serve his children? Further,
know and love God can best love and serve his
                                                            do you see that God’s power and love will be
children, for only God fully understands his children
                                                            perfected in you until you become perfect and enjoy
and knows what is best for their welfare. Therefore,
                                                            full fellowship in Christ and partake of his Spirit and
one needs to be in tune with God to best help his
                                                            blessings? God is offering you the power of eternity,
children. That’s why the Church, under the inspiration
                                                            and all he is asking in return is that you love and
of the Lord, encourages its members to first look to
                                                            obey him and willingly serve his children. Can you
themselves, then their family, then the Church and if
                                                            make the offering of love so that you might be filled
need be to other voluntary agencies to help solve the
                                                            with his glory?
problems of poverty, unemployment, hunger, sickness,




                                                          433
434
                 53
  “FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN
                 CERTAIN MEN CREPT
           IN UNAWARES”




           2 John: To a Branch of the Church                 The Letter of Jude, a Brother of the
         3 John: To Gaius, a Christian Convert                Lord, to Jewish Christians from
               (2 and 3 John), ca. A.D. 96                    Jerusalem, ca. A.D. 70–90 (Jude)
                                            2 John                                                        Jude

Saints Are Commanded to Teach the Law    1:1–6           “Contend for the Faith”                    1:1–5
of Love
                                                         Certain Angels Kept Not Their First Estate 1:6
Do Not Aid the Enemies of Christ         1:7–13
                                                         The Disputation of Michael the Archangel   1:7–13
                                            3 John
                                                         Enoch Prophesied of Christ’s Second        1:14–16
Gaius Praised for His Labors             1:1–8           Coming
Beware of the Example of Diotrephes      1:9–11          “Keep Yourselves in the Love of God”       1:17–25

Demetrius Commended                      1:12–14
                                                         doctrines and conduct were polluting the church and
                                                         leading the unsuspecting astray. John and Jude
THEME                                                    forthrightly identified these errors and counseled the
                                                         faithful how they might resist them.
Latter-day Saints must be aware of false ideas and
unrighteous behavior so that they might actively         Similarly, in our own time church leaders have
“contend for the faith.”                                 cautioned the Latter-day saints of the false men
                                                         teaching incorrect doctrine. The modern prophets
INTRODUCTION                                             have spoken as unequivocally as their predecessors,
                                                         and not surprisingly they have described problems
As the shadows of apostasy increasingly overtook the
                                                         remarkably parallel to those of the early church.
church, its leaders earnestly sought to meet the
                                                         Satan’s tools and man’s nature have not changed.
challenge. Thus John and Jude warned the former-
day saints of “ungodly” and false men who had            “There are some as wolves among us. By that, I
“crept in unawares.” (Jude 1:4, 15.) Their perverse      mean some who profess membership in this church


                                                       435
who are not sparing the flock. And among our own              Unfortunately these questions cannot be answered
membership, men are arising speaking perverse                 conclusively from the evidence that is available. What
things. Now perverse means diverting from the right           is apparent, however, is that Second and Third John
or correct, and being obstinate in the wrong,                 seem to have been written to warn the faithful saints
willfully, in order to draw the weak and unwary               against the Gnostic philosophy of the day, to beware
members of the Church after them.” (Harold B. Lee             of those “many deceivers . . . who confess not that
in CR, Oct. 1972, p. 125.)                                    Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” (2 John 7.) John
                                                              urges those confronted by this and other heresies to
Who are these people? What are their false ideas and
                                                              “follow not that which is evil, but that which is
ungodly practices? How can you fortify yourself
                                                              good.” (3 John 11.)
against their deceptions? If you suspect someone of
“speaking perverse things,” what is your obligation           (53-3) Significant Contributions
both to them and to the Church?
                                                              Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who believes that these two
The letters of John and Jude help to answer these             epistles may have been personal letters written to
pressing and important questions. Now read 2 John,            members of John’s own immediate family,
3 John, and Jude. Remember that their warning and             summarizes the contributions of the two writings as
counsel have an application for our own time.                 follows:
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references         “Why these two brief, personal epistles?
in the reading block.
                                                              “Their doctrinal content and historical recitations are,
                                                              of course, minimal. But they do add a unique
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                       contribution to the revealed word which well pays for
                                                              their preservation. . . .
SECOND AND THIRD JOHN
                                                              “Brief, less significant than some portions of Holy
(53-1) Place and Date of Writing                              Writ, these two lesser epistles of the Beloved John are
                                                              yet of eternal worth, and the saints rejoice in the added
All the evidence, and it is very scanty, suggests a date
                                                              perspective they give to the Bible as a
and place identical to that for First John somewhere
                                                              whole.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:409.)
near the turn of the first century at an unknown place
in the Roman Empire. Indications in the letters suggest       (53-4) 2 John 1. Was John an Elder in the
that Gnosticism is still the apostle’s dominant concern.      Priesthood?
While we cannot be certain as to the exact order in
which the three letters of John were written, there is        The word elder is a title applied to all holders of the
no solid evidence for accepting them in any other             Melchizedek Priesthood, whether they be ordained to
sequence than that in which they presently appear in          the specific office of elder or not (D&C 20:38). The
the New Testament.                                            priesthood is greater than any of its ordained offices.
                                                              Peter, an apostle and president of the high priesthood,
(53-2) Background Information                                 referred to himself as an elder (1 Peter 1:5). John and
                                                              Peter were elders in the same sense that any holder of
The background of Second and Third John is much
                                                              the Melchizedek Priesthood, regardless of his ordained
like that for John’s first letter. Second and Third John,
                                                              position, is an elder.
however, are more intimate, for they are addressed to
“the elect lady and her children” (2 John 1) and to           (53-5) 2 John 1. What or Who Is an “Elect Lady”?
“the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the
truth.” (3 John 1.) Who is this elect lady? Is she a          If we assume that the “elect lady” to whom John wrote
person of John’s close acquaintance, such as a wife or        was an actual person rather than a figurative
sister? Are the children his own flesh and blood              designation for a branch of the church, as some
offspring? Or are these designations to be interpreted        maintain, what does the term mean? Elder McConkie
spiritually? Is the “elect lady” an individual branch of      has written:
the church whose members are her “children”? Is she           “An elect lady is a female member of the Church who
an individual in whose home (2 John 10) the faithful          has already received, or who through obedience is
saints, her “children,” gather for weekly worship? Is         qualified to receive, the fulness of gospel blessings.
Gaius a presiding elder of a local branch? Who are            This includes temple endowments, celestial marriage,
Diotrephes and Demetrius?                                     and the fulness of the sealing power. She is one who


                                                            436
has been elected or chosen by faithfulness as a                courtesy cannot be extended to those who teach
daughter of God in this life, an heir of God, a member         contrary doctrines. But in his time, the phrase he used
of his household. Her position is comparable to that of        also meant to welcome one into the home, to accept
the elders who magnify their callings in the priesthood        him as a guest. It was this kind of hospitality that
and thereby receive all that the Father hath. (D. & C.         enabled the itinerant preachers to exist and carry on
84:38.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 217.)                  their work. Thus, extending greeting was akin to
                                                               supporting the work of these teachers. John is saying
(53-6) 2 John 7. “For Many Deceivers Are Entered               that saints should support only those who come
into the World”                                                teaching the gospel doctrine that Christ actually came
From the beginning of this earth’s history, Satan and          in the flesh, suffered for mankind, brought about the
his emissaries have engaged in works of deception.             Resurrection, and will judge each of us in the final
For this reason, prophets of God have constantly               day.
warned the followers of Christ to beware of those who
                                                               (53-8) 3 John 5–8. For What Is Gaius Commended
seek to beguile the unwary away from the truths
                                                               by John in These Verses?
revealed by God.
                                                               Even as John urged his readers not to provide lodging
John’s day, as formerly shown, was no exception, for
                                                               for teachers of false doctrine, so he commends Gaius
there were “many deceivers” in his day. John
                                                               for his kindness to the true ministers of God’s word. It
specifically warned of those “who confess not that
                                                               was a custom in the early church that members of the
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” These were the
                                                               branch would take Christian missionaries into their
Docetists, Gnostic heretics who insisted that Christ
                                                               homes and provide for their needs. Such an act, as
was a phantom and ministered in appearance only.
                                                               formerly noted, implied acceptance of the missionaries
Matter is evil, and Christ could not have been a
                                                               and their message. Even if the inns of that day had not
material being, for that would make him evil by
                                                               had the evil reputation that they did, it is unlikely that
association. Christ did not suffer for men’s sins in the
                                                               very many of the brethren would have been wealthy
Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross; he only
                                                               enough to stay in them. Gaius is praised for his
seemed to suffer. (Dokein in the Greek means “to
                                                               unselfish devotion to the cause of Christ in providing
seem or appear,” hence Docetism.)
                                                               accommodations for God’s traveling servants.
Such a teaching, if accepted, would have undermined
the entire structure of the gospel of Christ. If Jesus had     JUDE
not suffered for our sins through the shedding of his
                                                               (53-9) Theme
blood, our sins would have remained unremitted. If
Jesus had not conquered death by resurrecting his              Jude’s announced purpose in his letter was to urge
physical body, we and all before us would have                 his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith which
remained dead forever and ever. All of our                     was once delivered unto the saints.” (Vs. 3.) The
expectations for eternal life would have been                  problem is one of apostasy, for he tells us “there are
shattered. There would have been no “good news,” or            certain men” crept into the church unnoticed,
gospel of Jesus Christ, to place confidence in. Small          “ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
wonder that John warned his readers to beware of the           lasciviousness, and denying the Lord God, and our
“many deceivers” abroad in the world who “confess              Lord Jesus Christ.” (Vs. 4.)
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” Latter-day
Saints know he has, and that knowledge opens the               (53-10) Authorship
doors to a more purposeful life.                               Although the question of authorship has been much
                                                               debated, no solid evidence has been produced to show
(53-7) 2 John 10, 11. What Is So Serious About                 that anyone other than Jude, brother of Jesus and
Bidding a Bearer of False Doctrine “Godspeed”?                 James, wrote the letter.
“Godspeed” was a common form of greeting and of                Peter was president of the church of Jesus Christ in his
farewell in the 1600s when the King James Version              day. We have no indication that Jude held any office
was produced. It was, at that time, a good translation         of importance in the early church, but the epistle
of the Greek. John was actually telling his readers to         seems to suggest that he eventually attained to a
refrain from wishing prosperity and success to those           position wherein a letter from him would carry some
whose lives and teachings were not in harmony with             weight.
gospel truth. John is not suggesting that common


                                                             437
(53-11) Background Information                             the gospel. Rather, they employ subtle, deceitful, and
                                                           secret methods to lure the unwary away from the truth.
Next to Second and Third John, Jude is the shortest
                                                           Jude uses the image of someone slipping
letter in the New Testament. Like the other general
                                                           surreptitiously through the side door to mingle quietly
epistles, little is known concerning the group or
                                                           with the congregation until there is an opportunity to
groups to which the epistle was directed. Jude merely
                                                           cloak false teachings beneath his membership in the
addresses his writing “to them that are sanctified by
                                                           church.
God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and
called.” (Vs. 1.)                                          The second term Jude uses, translated as
                                                           lasciviousness by the King James translators, is also a
Jude’s words are sharp and incisive against the
                                                           very powerful one in Greek. It does not imply simply
particular form of apostasy with which he was
                                                           a condition of mental or spiritual immorality but
concerned. In graphic style, he cites three scriptural
                                                           highly visible and improper sexual behavior—
precedents to show how God has dealt in times past
                                                           unbridled lust and passion, as it were. Jude is probably
with disbelievers: the destruction of those who came
                                                           referring to a group of members who are attempting to
out of Egypt and were not permitted to enter the
                                                           clothe their adultery with religious sanction.
Promised Land, the angels “who kept not their first
estate,” and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.        (53-14) Jude 6. “The Angels Which Kept Not Their
These Jude likens to apostates of his own day, and he      First Estate”
predicts that the same fateful calamity which befell
those in other eras will come to modern apostates as       Both Abraham and Jude speak of the premortal world
well. They err, he contends, in the same way that Cain,    as our “first estate” (Abraham 3:26). Those spirits who
Balaam, and Korah of old erred—they trust in               were faithful in that initial stage of eternal progression
themselves rather than God. The only solution for          qualified for the privilege of coming into mortality,
those who would avoid such calamities is to call to        our second estate, while those who rebelled against
mind the source of their blessings and to continue in      God and followed Lucifer are they of whom Jude
prayer and good works. (See vss. 20, 21.) Having           speaks, “angels which kept not their first estate.’’ The
preserved themselves from apostasy, faithful members       Prophet Joseph Smith explains their condition:
should be active in helping to avoid a similar fate        “The spirits in the eternal world are like the spirits in
(vss. 22, 23).                                             this world. When those have come into this world and
                                                           received tabernacles, then died and again have risen
(53-12) Significant Contributions
                                                           and received glorified bodies, they will have an
“In the whole Bible, it is Jude only who preserves for     ascendancy over the spirits who have received no
us the concept that pre-existence was our first estate     bodies, or kept not their first estate, like the devil. The
and that certain angels failed to pass its tests.          punishment of the devil was that he should not have a
                                                           habitation like men.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 305–6.)
“It is to him that we turn for our meager knowledge of
the disputation between Michael and Lucifer about the      (53-15) Jude 6. What Are the “Everlasting Chains
body of Moses.                                             Under Darkness” of Which Jude Speaks?
“He alone records Enoch’s glorious prophecy about          Outer darkness is the habitation of those “angels
the Second Coming of the Son of Man.                       which kept not their first estate” but rebelled against
“And he is the only inspired writer to express the         God and joined forces with Lucifer. Here they will be
counsel that the saints should hate even the garments      joined by sons of perdition: those who, in this life,
spotted with the flesh.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:415.)          having known the ways of righteousness unto
                                                           perfection, consciously chose a course that leads to
(53-13) Jude 4. What of Jude’s Description of False        hell (D&C 76:32, 33, 44). Since there is no
Teachers in His Day?                                       progression, no spiritual growth, no advancement in
                                                           light and truth in this state, those who inherit this
Jude describes the false teachers in the church as
                                                           condition are grasped with “everlasting chains” of
having “crept in unawares.” The Greek here is very
                                                           darkness from which there is no return. Hell will end
vivid, being derived from a compound word which
                                                           for all others.
means “to slip in through a side door.” Rarely do
apostate members openly challenge the principles of




                                                         438
(53-16) Jude 7. What Do We Know About the                    (53-19) Jude 11. “The Way of Cain . . . the Error of
Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah?                                Balaam . . . and . . . the Gainsaying of Core”
Sodom and Gomorrah were twin cities that existed             Each of these men made a grievous mistake in the
somewhere near the Dead Sea, probably at its southern        eyes of the Lord. Cain murdered his brother Abel in
end. They were destroyed because of their great              order to gain his brother’s flocks (Moses 5:32, 33);
wickedness, principally homosexuality, from which            Balaam used his God-given gift of prophecy to
we derive the term sodomy. Both cities and their             enhance himself with riches and the honors of men
inhabitants were destroyed by fire from heaven               (Numbers 22:5; 25); and Core (or Korah, as it is
(Genesis 19:24, 25). Their fate, as well as the practices    spelled in the Old Testament) rebelled against Moses,
known to have existed there, suggest that perhaps            the Lord’s prophet, because of his exclusion from
Jude’s reference to “lasciviousness” by “certain men         priesthood office (Numbers 16:1–3, 31–35). In each
crept in unawares” is intended to connote the practice       instance these men were cursed of the Lord for their
of homosexuality. This evil practice has been                evil: Cain was made a “fugitive and a vagabond . . . in
condemned by the prophets of God in all ages. (See           the earth” (Moses 5:37); Balaam was slain by the
Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, chapter 6.)                 sword (Numbers 31:8); and Korah and those who
                                                             sided with him were swallowed up alive in the earth
(53-17) Jude 9. Who Is “Michael he Archangel”?               (Numbers 16:31–35). Jude wishes it understood that
Michael the archangel is the great patriarch Adam            the evil men of his day, having “gone in the way” of
(D&C 107:54).                                                Cain, Balaam, and Core, shall also meet a similar fate.

(53-18) Jude 9. What Do We Know Concerning the               (53-20) Jude 14. What Do We Know Concerning
Dispute Which Michael the Archangel Had with                 Enoch’s Prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ?
the Devil About the Body of Moses?                           See Moses 7:62–66.
“Commentators assume, and it surely must have been
                                                             (53-21) Jude 20. What Does It Mean to Pray “in the
so, that Jude had before him and was quoting from a
                                                             Holy Ghost”?
then current apocryphal book, ‘The Assumption of
Moses,’ which has been preserved to us in                    “Praying by the power of the Holy Ghost, so that all
fragmentary form only. This non-canonical work               requested petitions are granted, because ‘it shall be
presents the doctrine that Moses was translated and          given you what you shall ask.’ (D. & C. 50:29–30;
taken up into heaven without tasting death. It appears       101:27.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:427.)
to deal ‘with certain revelations made by Moses,’ and
‘with his disappearance in a cloud, so that his death        (53-22) Jude 23. “Pulling Them Out of the Fire”
was hid from human sight . . . Michael was                   “In the day of judgment, every corruptible thing will
commissioned to bury Moses. Satan opposed the                be consumed (D. & C. 101:24), and the wicked shall
burial on the ground (a) that he was the lord of matter      be burned with unquenchable fire. (Mal. 4:1.) If the
and that accordingly the body should be rightfully           erring saints are to be saved, they must be pulled, as it
handed over to him; (b) that Moses was a murderer,           were, from the coming fire, even as God said of
having slain the Egyptian. Michael having rebutted           Israel: ‘Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the
Satan’s accusations proceeded to charge Satan with           burning.’ (Amos 4:11.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
having instigated the serpent to tempt Eve. Finally, all     3:427–28.)
opposition having been overcome, the assumption
took place in the presence of Joshua and                     (53-23) Jude 23. “The Garment Spotted by the
Caleb.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:421.)                            Flesh”
It should be noted that, as Elder McConkie points out,       “To stay the spread of disease in ancient Israel,
“The Assumption of Moses” is an apocryphal book.             clothing spotted by contagious diseases was destroyed
Apocryphal means of dubious authenticity or validity.        by burning. (Lev. 13:47–49; 15:4–17.) And so with sin
In other words, such books were not included in the          in the Church, the saints are to avoid the remotest
Bible because they were not felt to be correct in every      contact with it; the very garments, as it were, of the
particular, even though they may have contained some         sinners are to be burned with fire, meaning that
things of value. (See, for example, what the Lord said       anything which has had contact with the pollutions of
about other apocryphal works in D&C 91.)                     the wicked must be shunned. And so also with those
                                                             yet in the world who are invited to join the kingdom.


                                                           439
To them the call is: Repent, ‘Save yourselves from this      doctrines. When you can hear in our Sunday Schools
untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire,         in some of our most prominent wards, that we do not
hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.’            need to worry much about or think much about the
(D. & C. 36:6.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:428.)                    first vision, we do not need to think very much about
                                                             the atoning sacrifice of Christ—that is a mystery; . . .
POINTS TO PONDER                                             we would better be careful.
                                                             “We must not ‘liberalize,’ and I put that term in
ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FOR                           quotes, our teachings; we must accept them as God
LATTER-DAY SAINTS IS TO BE AWARE OF                          gave them to us and there must be amongst us unity
FALSE IDEAS AND UNRIGHTEOUS                                  in faith. . . .” (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in CR, Oct. 1944,
BEHAVIOR                                                     pp. 117–18.)
From time to time internal dissension has                    Do you know of the reality of the Father and Son and
undermined the strength of the Savior’s church. Men          accept Christ’s redeeming sacrifice?
like Diotrephes have arisen—church members who               Do you have a personal assurance that Jesus has
have openly repudiated their presiding brethren              returned in these latter days to establish and lead his
(3 John 1–10). In previous times they resorted to            church?
primitive and violent means. Today, in our own more
settled time, the lack of unity and concord is still         The Aspiration for Leadership, Honor, and Gain
evident in the Church:                                       3 John 9 They “loveth to have . . . preeminence.”
“The Church is little, if at all, injured by persecution     Jude 11 They “have gone in the way of Cain, and
and calumnies from ignorant, misinformed, or                         ran after the error of Balaam for reward.”
malicious enemies. A greater hindrance to its
progress comes from faultfinders, shirkers,                  Jude 16 They flatter “men’s persons . . . because of
commandment-breakers, and apostate cliques                           advantage.”
within its own ecclesiastical and quorum groups.”            “It would be gratifying to my mind to see the Saints
(David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 9.)                     in Kirtland flourish, but think the time is not yet
The letters of John and Jude list the evil doctrines         come; and I assure you it never will until a different
and practices which then, as now, caused dissension          order of things be established and a different spirit
within the church. Can any of these—or their modern          manifested. . . .
counterparts—be found in your life?                          “It is in consequence of aspiring men that Kirtland
Study carefully the following comparisons. Ponder            has been forsaken. How frequently has your humble
the significance of the modern application to your           servant been envied in his office by such characters,
life.                                                        who endeavored to raise themselves to power at his
                                                             expense, and seeing it impossible to do so, resorted
The Denial of God the Father and of the Mission              to foul slander and abuse, and other means to effect
of His Son                                                   his overthrow. Such characters have ever been the
2 John 7 They “confess not that Jesus Christ is come         first to cry out against the Presidency, and publish
         in the flesh.”                                      their faults and foibles to the four winds of
                                                             heaven.” (Smith, HC, 4:166.)
Jude 4    They deny “the only Lord God, and our
          Lord Jesus Christ.”                                When friction arises between you and a church
                                                             member, is a prideful desire for “preeminence” a
“There is creeping into our midst, and I warn you            factor? Are you more quick to see that trait in others
brethren about it, and I urge you to meet it, a great        than in yourself?
host of sectarian doctrines that have no place
amongst us. The gospel in its simplicity, is to be           Do you regard Church service as an opportunity to
found in the revelations, the teachings of the Prophet       serve others, or do you view it as a means of
and the early leaders of the Church. We shall make           advancing yourself?
no mistake if we follow them. We shall make                  Do you resent callings in the Church that seem
mistakes . . . if we try to harmonize our simple beliefs     unimportant and wish you could serve in presiding
with the philosophy and the speculations of sectarian        positions?



                                                           440
Are the compliments you pay to others genuine? Or            Sexual Transgression
do you employ them to make people think well of
                                                             Jude 4    They turn “the grace of our God into
you?
                                                                       lasciviousness.”
Disobedience to Priesthood Authority
                                                             Jude 7    They give “themselves over to fornication”
3 John 10 They reject the brethren, “prating                           and go “after strange flesh.”
          against [them] with malicious words.”
                                                             Jude 8    They are “filthy dreamers” who “defile the
Jude 19     They “separate themselves” from their                      flesh.”
            brethren.
                                                             Jude 10 They are “as brute beasts” and “corrupt
“Brigham Young was a great defender of the Prophet                   themselves.”
Joseph Smith. There were Judases in the ranks in that
                                                             Jude 16 They walk “after their own lusts.”
day, just as there were in the Savior’s day, and just
as we have today, some who are members of the                “. . . In the area of one of Satan’s most destructive
Church who are undercutting us, who are betraying            evils, we strongly warn all our people from childhood
their trusts. We are shocked when we see the places          to old age to beware of the chains of bondage,
from which some of these things come.                        suffering, and remorse which come from improper
                                                             use of the body.
“Brigham Young was invited by some of these men
who were trying to depose the Prophet Joseph from            “The human body is the sacred home of the spirit
his position as President of the Church; but they            child of God, and unwarranted tampering with or
made a mistake by inviting President Brigham Young           defilement of this sacred tabernacle can bring only
into their circle. And after he had listened to what         remorse and regret. We urge: stay clean,
their motives were, he said something to this effect: ‘I     uncontaminated, undefiled. . . .
want to say something to you men. You cannot                 “We urge, with Peter, ‘. . . Abstain from fleshly lusts,
destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you         which war against the soul.’ (1 Pet. 2:11.) No
can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of          indecent exposure or pornography or other
God, and sink yourselves to hell.’ . . .                     aberrations to defile the mind and spirit. No fondling
“Remember that, brethren. You cannot destroy the             of bodies, one’s own or that of others, and no sex
appointments of the prophets of God. . . .” (Harold B.       between persons except in proper marriage
Lee in CR, Oct. 1972, p. 129.)                               relationships. This is positively prohibited by our
                                                             Creator in all places, at all times, and we reaffirm it.
“I want to bear you my testimony that the
                                                             Even in marriage there can be some excesses and
experiences I have had has taught me that those who
                                                             distortions. No amount of rationalization to the
criticize the leaders of this Church are showing signs
                                                             contrary can satisfy a disappointed Father in
of a spiritual sickness which, unless curbed, will
                                                             heaven. . . .” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr. 1974,
bring about eventually spiritual death. I want to bear
                                                             pp. 8–9.)
my testimony as well that those who in public seek by
their criticism, to belittle our leaders or bring them       Consider in your life the test given to John Wesley by
into disrepute, will bring upon themselves more hurt         his loving mother: “Would you judge of the
than upon those whom they seek thus to                       lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleasure? Take this
malign. . . .” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1947, p. 67.)      rule: Now note, whatever weakens your reason,
                                                             impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures
Do you “invite” the brethren into your life by
                                                             your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual
studying their conference addresses?
                                                             things, whatever increases the authority of the body
Do you give as much credence to the statements of            over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however
the living prophet as to those of the past?                  innocent it may seem in itself.” (Quoted by Ezra Taft
                                                             Benson in CR, Oct. 1964, p. 59.)
In order to justify a personal belief, do you attempt to
pit the statements of one general authority against          Do you understand that sexual transgression—
another?                                                     whether masturbation, homosexuality, fornication,
                                                             adultery, or the use of pornographic materials—can
                                                             lessen spiritual strength and lead to apostasy?




                                                           441
Disobedience to Civil Authority                           It has been asserted that the measure of mental
                                                          health is the disposition to find good everywhere.
Jude 8    They “despise dominion, and speak evil of
                                                          During the past week, what portion of your thoughts
          dignities.”
                                                          have been devoted to finding good everywhere?
“Now there is another danger that confronts us.
                                                          Note the things which have most easily disturbed you
There seem to be those among us who are as wolves
                                                          during the past several days and apply this axion:
among the flock, trying to lead some who are weak
                                                          The faults which we find disturbing in others are
and unwary among Church members, according to
                                                          often those which we possess in abundance. Why is
reports that have reached us, who are taking the law
                                                          this so?
into their own hands by refusing to pay their income
tax because they have some political disagreement
with constituted authorities.                              YOU CAN APPROPRIATELY AND
“Others have tried to marshal civilians, without           EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH
police authority, and to arm themselves to battle          (53-24) We Can Avoid Individual Apostasy by
against possible dangers, little realizing that in so      Maintaining an Unshakable Testimony of Jesus
doing they themselves become the ones who, by              Christ
obstructing the constituted authority, would become
subject to arrest and imprisonment.                        The characteristics of apostasy clearly have changed
                                                           but little in 2,000 years. Today, as in the early church,
“We have even heard of someone claiming Church             those who have failed to control ambition, appetite,
membership in protest against pornographic pictures        and speech have become subject to the tempter’s
being displayed in theaters, having planted bombs,         snare. Characteristically, they have neglected to build
and therefore becoming subject to punishment by the        and nourish an unshakable testimony in Christ and his
law and subsequently standing judgment before the          church. Consequently, their works have become like
disciplinary bodies of the church.” (Lee in CR, Oct.       unto clouds without water (Jude 12). They have turned
1972, p. 127.)                                             away from God’s learning and instead “read by the
Do you obey even those laws which you find to be           lamp of their own conceit.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
inconvenient or consider to be unreasonable? What          p. 373.)
proper recourse do you have to unjust legislation?
                                                          Jude advised the saints of his day to “earnestly
Are you as charitable to civil authorities as you are     contend for the faith.” (Jude 3.) How can this
to close associates?                                      counsel be applied to you and your testimony of the
Do you show respect for the rules, manners, and           restored gospel? Return to the Points to Ponder
traditions which make orderly and civilized society       section under the heading “One of the greatest
possible?                                                 challenges for Latter-Day Saints is to be aware of
                                                          false ideas and unrighteous behavior”; then choose
Faultfinding
                                                          one specific teaching that you could begin to apply
Jude 16 They are “murmurers” and                          more conscientiously to your life. For example, if you
        “complainers.”                                    find that you are not inviting the Brethren into your
                                                          life, study some of the messages of the General
“I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of
                                                          Authorities in the latest conference issue of the
the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has
                                                          Ensign. If you find that frictions arise easily between
existed with God from all eternity: That man who
                                                          you and other people (roommates, family, church
rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the
                                                          associates), make a sincere effort to subdue your
Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he
                                                          pride and seek to understand and look for the good in
himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that
                                                          others. As you actively strive to apply a principle of
man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does
                                                          the gospel to your life, you will find yourself
not repent, will apostatize, as God lives.” (Smith,
                                                          “contending for the faith.”
Teachings, pp. 156–57.)




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                            SECTION 12
                      JOHN’S WITNESS OF THE
                                        THE
                       CHURCH TRIUMPHANT
LESSONS                                                      means “past”), believe that the book of Revelation
                                                             relates only to what is now past, i.e., the events of
54. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ . . . unto His
                                                             John’s own day. They believe that the whole of John’s
    Servant John” (Revelation 1–3)
                                                             writings are to be interpreted in the light of events as
55. “The Kingdoms of This World Are Become the               they were then; the imagery and symbolism refer only
    Kingdoms of Our Lord” (Revelation 4–18)                  to the clash between the church and the Roman
                                                             Empire. There are no future predictions, they feel, and
56. “Behold, I Come Quickly; and My Reward Is with
                                                             those who try to find them will badly misinterpret the
    Me” (Revelation 19–22)
                                                             book’s meaning.
THE PROPHETIC EYE                                            Though differing greatly from the preterists, another
A Note on Symbolism                                          group of interpreters also class Revelation as
                                                             nonprophetic. These are sometimes called the
The book of Revelation is unique. It is quite different      “idealists” or the allegoricists” because they maintain
from any of the other New Testament books. To                that the only correct meaning of the book is a spiritual
many, it is a baffling and confusing book, containing        one. They reject attempts to interpret the book
symbolism and imagery foreign to anything with               literally, and they deny that John’s symbols were
which they are familiar. To many, its name seems to          meant to have any direct correspondence with actual
be a contradiction, for in Greek Apocalypsis means           events or situations. Everything is to be taken as a
“an uncovering” or “an unveiling” of something, and          graphic portrayal of spiritual truths. The beasts and the
the typical reader finds the content of this book veiled     great whore are merely representations of the evil in
and obscure rather than the opposite.                        men that must be conquered by Christian principles.
From earliest times, those who have studied and              The great judgment is not some actual accounting for
pondered the book of Revelation have taken different         one’s works before God; rather, it takes place
stances on how its mysteries should be unraveled, how        whenever an important moral issue is decided. The
its symbolism should be interpreted. Does the book           New Jerusalem is only the figurative description of a
describe events future or past? Is the symbolism literal     society that eliminates war, hatred, and evil from its
or allegorical? Did John actually see history as yet         midst and begins to live in love, harmony, and peace.
unmade, or was he simply using vivid and powerful            The Prophetic View
language to convey spiritual truths? Thee and other
questions have been debated and pondered for                 Those holding to the prophetic view agree that John
centuries.                                                   was prophesying of future events, but they differ as to
                                                             exactly how the book of Revelation is to be correlated
Though there have been many different approaches             with history. One group, generally called the
and theories as to how the book should be viewed, the        “historicists,” maintains that Revelation outlines the
suggested methods of interpretation can be divided           whole scope of the history of Christ’s church, from the
into two general categories—the prophetic and the            day of Pentecost to the day of judgment. The symbols
nonprophetic.                                                are to be seen as future predictions of all the great
The Nonprophetic View                                        events of history (i.e., they were future to John, but
                                                             most have now been fulfilled). Historicists thus
Many scholars and interpreters of Revelation have            attempt to match up what is known from the past with
denied that John had any prophetic intent as he wrote        what is found in the Apocalypse. One example of the
this book, and they reject the idea that the contents        historicist interpretation is the identification of the
have reference to future events. One group, often            locusts who emerge from the bottomless pit to become
called the “preterists” (from the Latin Praeter, which       a vast conquering army (Revelation 11) with the


                                                           443
Mohammedan invasions of the Middle Ages. The                  can peer through the windows and glimpse things
historicists say that while some of John’s predictions        inside, but only in shadowy darkness and with limited
are yet to be fulfilled, most are now past.                   perspective. But with the key of modern revelation,
                                                              one can open the door and enter. That does not mean
Another theory holds that while the first three chapters
                                                              that once inside he will recognize everything he sees,
of Revelation (the letters to the seven churches) were
                                                              but at least he is within the house where he can
applicable to John’s time, the rest of the book deals
                                                              explore and examine with much greater perception
with the events of the very last days. All the remaining
                                                              and freedom.
chapters are prophetic and refer to the terrible and
magnificent events that are to take place just before         That analogy is especially true of Doctrine and
the coming of Christ the second time. Those who               Covenants 77. As he was working on the Inspired
interpret the book in this manner call these days “the        Version of the Bible, Joseph Smith asked several
great tribulation” and variously see that period as           questions about the book of Revelation and received
lasting from three and one-half to seven years. They          answers to them. One of these questions concerned the
say that the tribulation shall be followed immediately        book sealed with seven seals which John saw in the
by the triumphal return of the Savior and the ushering        hand of God (Revelation 5:1). From that answer
in of the Millennium. So this group sees the great            comes the information which gives the Latter-day
majority of the book as not only being future to John,        Saints their unique interpretation of the book. Joseph
but actually still future to us as well (though they see      Smith was told that the book represented the whole of
the gap closing very rapidly, for the most part). While       the world’s temporal history, and that each of the
they recognize the symbolic imagery of John, they see         seven seals represented a one-thousand-year period of
the fulfillment of these predictions as being very            that history (D&C 77:6, 7). In other words, the
literal. For obvious reasons, this group is often called      opening of the first seal represents the events of the
“futurists.”                                                  first one thousand years, and so on.
A View Based on Latter-Day Revelation                         However, its major purpose is not history but
                                                              prophecy. Therefore, each of the first four thousand-
Not too surprisingly, a Latter-Day Saint interpretation       year periods are only highlighted briefly (two verses
does not fit any of the four, and indeed, it would not        each). The fifth—the very period in which John and
even be accurate to say that it is a blending of any of       his readers were living—is expanded slightly. The
them. An LDS interpretation is unique, though it              sixth thousand years is the first that receives any
clearly falls under a prophetic view of the book. This        detailed treatment (twenty-three verses), but even then
is to be expected, since we have an advantage over the        it is not the focus of concentration. Only when we
rest of the Christian scholarship because of latter-day       come to the opening of the seventh seal does the detail
revelation. As Elder McConkie points out:                     become profuse and lengthy. Much of the rest of the
“As a matter of fact, we are in a much better position        book concentrates on the happenings of the seventh
to understand those portions of revelation which we           seal.
are expected to understand than we generally realize.         In summary, then, an LDS interpretation is that the
Thanks be to the interpretive material found in               Revelation presents the great plan of the Father and
sections 29, 77, 88, and others of the revelations in the     the Son being worked out in all of history, but
Doctrine and Covenants; plus the revisions given in           especially concentrating on that era of time when evil,
the Inspired Version of the Bible; plus the sermons of        in all of its power and wickedness, shall be put down
the Prophet; plus some clarifying explanations in the         once and for all.
Book of Mormon and other latter-day scripture; plus
our over-all knowledge of the plan of salvation—              It is not hard to realize how much comfort such a
thanks be to all of these things (to say nothing of a         revelation would have brought to those early saints
little conservative sense, wisdom and inspiration in          who faced direct and terrible persecutions from their
their application), the fact is that we have a                own great evil power (Rome). The church was facing
marvelously comprehensive and correct understanding           literal destruction in their time; the beginnings of the
of this otherwise hidden book.” (Bruce R. McConkie,           great apostasy had already started to snuff out the
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:431.)                   gospel’s light. Under such circumstances it would
                                                              only be natural to wonder if God was still working
This revealed information provides an important key           with his people, or if Satan were not triumphant. But
to the interpretation of the Apocalypse. In some ways,        Revelation shows that while he may have some time
Revelation is like a house locked and shuttered. One


                                                            444
of power, Satan will never be victorious. The time is          spiritual significance becomes evident. The concept of
coming when he will be put down once and for all,              the death and burial of the old sinful man is suggested.
finally and forever.                                           The baptismal font becomes the grave for the natural
                                                               man. But even that does not exhaust its spiritual
Such knowledge was undoubtedly of great worth to
                                                               depths. The font is also symbolic of the womb, where
those early saints. And it is of great value also to those
                                                               the new spiritual man is reborn in a manner
of today’s generation; to those who once again see the
                                                               profoundly similar to the original physical birth. (See
forces of evil gathering great power; to those who see
                                                               Moses 6:59.) So baptism is more than just a simple
a political power and philosophy more directly
                                                               and beautiful ordinance; in its symbolism are found
opposed to God than emperor worship and controlling
                                                               some of the most elemental and important truths of the
the lives of more people than Rome did in all her
                                                               gospel.
glory; to those who see the wickedness of man
expanding at a rapid pace. How valuable for this               Certainly there are other reasons for the use of
generation is the overview of the divine plan and the          symbols in the gospel: their simplicity and beauty, for
comforting assurances that God is still over all and           example, or the universal appeal that symbols have.
will triumph in the final great battle between                 They also stimulate the individual to search and
righteousness and evil.                                        ponder their meanings. Let us now turn to an
                                                               examination of the book of Revelation, without
Why the Lord Uses Symbolism to Teach His                       question one of the most symbolic and figurative
Children                                                       books in all of scripture.
Even the most cursory reading of the scriptures makes
                                                               The Symbolism of the Book of Revelation
it clear that the Lord frequently uses symbolic
language and imagery to teach his children the truths          Some of the most oft-recurring and difficult questions
of the gospel. Wheat and tares, mustard seeds,                 asked about the Apocalypse concern its symbolism.
candlesticks, olive trees, trumpets, wine presses, the         How many of the images and figures seen by John are
eye, the ear, the heart, baptism, the sacrament—the list       symbolic? Should they be taken literally or
of things having symbolic significance is almost               metaphorically? If some are symbolic and some literal,
endless.                                                       how can one tell the difference? Why are some of the
                                                               images—for example, a beast with seven heads and
A little reflection helps us to understand why the Lord
                                                               ten horns (Revelation 13:1)—so strange and unusual?
uses such symbols to teach eternal truths. First, and
possibly most important, a symbolic or figurative              While these questions cannot be answered with
image can convey truth and reality with greater impact         complete surety, there are some important things to
to the mind than can abstract concepts or words.               keep in mind as you begin a study of this book:
Consider, for example, the idea of the wheat and the
                                                               1. It is almost certain that John did not intend to write
tares. Jesus could have told his disciples that the
                                                               things that were obscure or incomprehensible to his
kingdom would have both bad and good people in it.
                                                               readers. He wrote in their language; he was part of the
But tares were a poisonous weed that in its earliest
                                                               same cultural background and heritage as they, and
stages of growth was almost indistinguishable from
                                                               they were probably familiar with special terms or
wheat. Only when both plants came to full head and
                                                               phrases that he used to express himself. Part of our
bore their fruit (another common symbol in scriptures)
                                                               difficulty in understanding this book is caused by the
could they be easily identified and separated. When
                                                               fact that we are far removed from their time, their
one remembers that, the parable of the wheat and the
                                                               situation, and their language. But when John wrote, he
tares takes on profound and deep significance. We can
                                                               fully expected that his readers would clearly
see the principle of the wheat and the tares clearly in
                                                               understand what he wrote to them.
the church history of our own dispensation and also
that of the early apostles.                                    2. By revelation, Nephi was told that when John’s
                                                               writings were first set down, they were “plain and
A second reason that symbols are such effective
                                                               pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding
teaching devices is that they have the capability of
                                                               of all men.” (1 Nephi 14:23.) We can probably assume
conveying different levels of spiritual truth to different
                                                               that the book of Revelation also suffered with the rest
levels of spiritual maturity. The ordinance of baptism
                                                               of the Bible records when it went “through the hands
is one of the best examples. In it is contained the very
                                                               of the great and abominable church,” and had “many
obvious symbolism of cleansing, the washing away of
                                                               plain and precious things taken away from the
sin. But as one ponders its meaning further, deeper


                                                             445
book.” (1 Nephi 13:28.) This would, of course,              thing to remember is that while the book of Revelation
complicate the problem of achieving a proper                is filled with symbolism, each symbol has specific
interpretation. The Inspired Version may have restored      meaning and correspondence with some real thing.
some of these things, but there may be other important
                                                            5. The meaning of the book and its symbols can be
losses.
                                                            correctly interpreted only through the gift of
3. Much of John’s imagery is symbolic. In fact, if          inspiration. Uninspired reason, regardless of how
taken literally, they present a bizarre or grotesque        brilliant, cannot unlock its mysteries. It is called the
picture. A good example of this is John’s description       book of Revelation, and revelation is essential for its
of the beasts around the throne of God. They are            understanding. This, perhaps, is why Joseph Smith
described as having six wings, and “they were full of       could say, “The book of Revelation is one of the
eyes.” (Revelation 4:8.) Joseph Smith was told that the     plainest books God ever caused to be written.”
wings were symbolic of their ability to move and act,       (Teachings, p. 290.) Latter-day revelation can be
and their eyes were representative of light and             immensely helpful in unlocking the mysteries of
knowledge (D&C 77:4). In an ancient world, to which         Revelation, and the most important of those latter-day
vehicles and trains, jetliners and rockets were             revelations will be those received through the Spirit as
unknown, what could be more symbolic of mobility            the student studies this book with humble, earnest
and speed than the flight of birds? And it is through       prayer.
the eye that we perceive light and also receive the
greatest percentage of what we know. The eye is an          BIOGRAPHY
appropriate symbol for light and knowledge.                 John, brother of James and son of Zebedee, was one of
Revelation is deeply symbolic. To try to interpret          the original twelve called by Jesus. He came to be
everything literally would result in some gross             known as John the Beloved because of the special
misconceptions.                                             fondness Jesus felt for him (John 13:23). He was in
4. However, though the book is highly symbolic, the         the presidency of the early church with Peter and
symbols represent real and actual things, persons, or       James and stood fearlessly at Peter’s side during the
events. In other words, while the book is symbolic, it      early persecutions which followed the Savior’s death
is not symbolic in the sense that the idealists claim;      (Acts 3, 4). He is the author of the Gospel of John, the
that is, it does not have meaning only in abstract,         three epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. He
indefinite concepts. For example, the sea of glass is a     was given the special privilege of being allowed to
symbolic concept, but it represents something definite      live on the earth as a translated being until the Savior’s
and concrete—the earth in its celestial state (D&C          second coming. (See John 21:21–23; D&C 7.) Little
77:1). The book sealed with seven seals is symbolic,        more is recorded of his life except for the brief
but it has a literal and specific referent—the seven        mention in Revelation of his being on the isle of
periods of the earth’s temporal history (D&C 77:6).         Patmos (Revelation 1:9), to which he was probably
Some of the symbols are clear, and through modern           banished during the wave of Christian persecution
revelation we know what they mean. Many are not,            under the emperor Domitian. In 1831 the Prophet
and we must wait for more revelation before we can          Joseph Smith indicated that John was then laboring
say with surety what they represent. But the important      among the lost ten tribes. (See HC, 1:176.)




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Introduction to the Revelation
A. John bears witness of the truthfulness of the
   revelation. (1:1–8)                                       The Structure
B. Christ gives special instructions to John. (1:9–20)        of the Book
C. Saints are admonished and counseled by the
   Savior. (2:1–29; 3:1–22)
                                                               of Revelation




The Revelation                                               Conclusion of the Revelation
A. Vision of heaven (4:1–11)                                 A. Angel bears witness of the truthfulness of the
   John sees the Father and Son in the celestial                revelation (22:6–7)
   kingdom.                                                  B. Special instructions from Christ given to John
B. Vision of the triumphant destiny of God’s                    (22:8–15)
   kingdom.                                                  C. Saints are given final admonishment and counsel
   1. The book with seven seals (chaps. 5–11)                   by the Savior (22:16–21)
   2. The kingdom of God versus the kingdom of
       Satan (chaps. 12–14)
   3. The destruction of Satan’s kingdom (chaps.
       15–18)
   4. Final scenes of the world’s history (chaps.
       19–20)
C. Vision of heaven
   John sees the new heavens and new earth—the
   world in its celestialized state. (21:1 through 22:5)




                                                           447
448
                54
“THE REVELATION OF JESUS
                   JESUS CHRIST . . .
      UNTO HIS SERVANT JOHN”
                       JOHN”




  The Book of Revelation (the Revelation of John) to          THEME
 Seven Branches of the Church in Asia Written by the
Apostle John, Exiled on the Island of Patmos, ca. A.D. 95
                                                              John’s letters to the seven churches have great
                                                              meaning in our day.
                                            Revelation

 God Makes Men Kings and Priests          1:1–6
                                                              INTRODUCTION
                                                              A short distance off the coast of present-day Turkey,
 Christ the Almighty Shall Come Again     1:7, 8              in the sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea, lies a
 John’s Vision of the Risen Lord          1:9–20              tiny, rocky island called Patmos. In Roman times, its
                                                              barren isolation made it ideal as a site for the
Ephesus:                                  2:1–7               banishment of political prisoners, ambitious enemies,
 Overcome, Gain Eternal Life                                  or others considered undesirable by the imperial
Smyrna:                                   2:8–11              state. To it in the last years of the first century A.D.
 Overcome, Avoid the Second Death                             came the exiled apostle John, known also as the
                                                              Beloved. And to that rocky island prison on a Sunday
Pergamum:                                 2:12–17
                                                              some nineteen hundred years ago came the glorified,
 Overcome, Inherit Celestial Kingdom
                                                              exalted Christ.
Thyatira:                                 2:18–29
 Overcome, Rule Many Kingdoms                                 Heralded by the trumpet blast of the godly voice and
                                                              standing in the midst of seven golden candlesticks
Sardis:                                   3:1–6               symbolic of the seven branches of the church in Asia
 Overcome, Remain in the Book of Life
                                                              was the Savior. Some fifty or sixty years before, he
Philadelphia:                             3:7–13              had hung in agony on the cross and had been laid in
 Overcome and Gain Godhood                                    the dark recesses of a borrowed tomb. Now he stood
Laodicea:                                 3:14–22             in blinding, blazing glory before John. “I am he that
 Overcome and Sit on God’s Throne                             liveth, and was dead,” he declared, “and, behold, I
                                                              am alive for evermore.” (Revelation 1:18.)



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John fell to the earth as though dead, but the glorious      must have been glorious, for not only did it split the
figure touched him, commanding him to fear not,              darkness of those terrible times with the brightness of
commanding him to write those things which he was            Christ’s person, but it revealed a Savior still living,
about to receive from his Master. One by one the             still loving, still triumphing over the power of the
divine dictations were pronounced. Ephesus, Smyrna,          satanic forces. As John said in his opening words, it
Sardis, Laodicea—one after another the recipients of         was “the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
the heavenly letters were designated.
                                                             Before proceeding read all the scriptural references in
Surely the saints of those times, those to whom the          the reading block.
letters were to go, must have been similar to the
saints of modern times. They laughed and loved,
worried and worshipped, wept and warned. Their                INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
men presided and directed, their women sustained
and supported, their youth testified and hoped, and           (54-1) What Is the Theme of Revelation?
certainly their children squirmed and fidgeted
through services as they do today.                            The theme of the work is very simple and is stated by
                                                              John in the first verse: it is a revelation of Jesus Christ.
And yet there was a great difference. Our saints know         The book of Revelation presents a picture of Christ’s
peace acceptance. We live in an age when the                  dealings with men throughout the ages of earth’s
Church is earning great respect in the world. When            history. In particular, for modern man it mirrors the
we ask ourselves, “Am I faithful enough to die for the        second coming of Jesus, the judgment of mankind, the
Savior?” it is, for the most part, a theoretical              destruction of the wicked, the Millennium, and the
possibility. To those of John’s time it was reality.          ultimate celestialization of the world.
They knew the wrath of a government intent on
enforcing the policy of emperor worship. They knew            (54-2) To Whom Was It Written?
the clutch of fear at the approaching sound of Roman          The immediate recipients of the writing known as
legionaires. By the time of Patmos, according to the          Revelation were seven churches in Asia designated by
traditions that have come down to us, Peter had been          the Lord himself (1:4, 11). The reason why these
crucified, Paul beheaded, Bartholomew skinned                 particular churches were singled out is not made clear.
alive, Thomas and Matthew run through with spears.            It was not because there were no other branches of the
John was the only surviving apostle; all the others           church in Asia, for we know from the New Testament
had died violently because of their faith. By the time        that there were saints in Troas (Acts 20:6–12),
of Patmos, the history of the church included the             Colossae (Colossians 1:12), and Hierapolis
lining of Nero’s colonnade with crucified Christians          (Colossians 4:13). Nor could it be that these seven
and the savagery of the mobs screaming for blood in           were the more important cities in Asia, for while
the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus.                          Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos were cities of some
How often must the minds of those early saints have           size and note, Thyatira and Philadelphia were small
been torn from the pleasant thoughts of home, family,         and quite insignificant.
friends, and peace and thrust upon the awful                  If John spent the last years of the first century as a
possibilities that faced them? How many times must            resident of Ephesus, as many have supposed, he would
they have been forced to turn the searching eye               have been familiar with the seven churches. Moreover,
inward to examine personal commitment and                     his ecclesiastical position as an apostle would have
testimony? And some, in the face of such vicious and          given him the authority to address these churches in
persistent persecution, must have asked themselves,           the manner in which he did. Sir William Ramsay, a
“Does he really live?”                                        renowned scholar of New Testament geography, once
Christ’s visit to Patmos was not just a personal              noted that all seven of the cities to whom John
reaffirmation of his reality to the apostle John. It was      addressed the revelation lay on a great circular road
a revelation of himself to the saints of God in one of        that anciently ran through Asia. If one were to start at
the blackest moments of the church’s history. We who          Ephesus and travel to the others in the order in which
enjoy the comfort and peace of the twentieth century          they were named, he would travel along this circular
cannot fully fathom the comfort and courage that              route.
must have come from Patmos. We think of the book of           While we know that there were other branches of the
Revelation as a mysterious, baffling work. To them it         church in Asia, it may be that by the time of John’s


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revelation on Patmos, the apostasy had eliminated all         Abraham or Jesus, only so far as is plainly represented
but these seven as faithful branches. Writing just            by John, and clearly set forth by him. John saw that
before his death (A.D. 68), Paul told Timothy that “all       only which was lying in futurity and which was
they which are in Asia [are] turned away from me”             shortly to come to pass.’ (Teachings, p. 289.) Also:
(2 Timothy 1:15). Even the seven branches (A.D. 95),          ‘John had the curtains of heaven withdrawn, and by
it would seem, had things of which they needed to             vision looked through the dark vista of future ages,
repent. Ephesus, in particular, is told by the Lord, “I       and contemplated events that should transpire
will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy              throughout every subsequent period of time, until
candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.             the final winding up scene.’ (Teachings, p. 247.)”
(Revelation 2:5.)                                             (McConkie, DNTC, 3:435.)
Another important item of background is that the early        (54-5) Revelation 1:6. What Does It Mean to Be
saints were not the only intended recipients of John’s        “Kings and Priests”?
writing. We know from latter-day revelation that an
important part of the Lord’s purpose in directing John        “Those holding the fullness of the Melchizedek
to write what he saw was to give the saints of the last       Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High
dispensation an understanding of the events of the last       God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact,
days, the period of time in which much that John saw          that priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and
would be fulfilled. The prophet Nephi, also privileged        stands as God to give laws to the people,
to behold the things that John saw, was told that the         administering endless lives to the sons and daughters
honor of recording the vision was reserved for John           of Adam.” (Smith, HC, 5:555.)
(1 Nephi 14:19–25). Nephi was also informed that the          (54-6) Revelation 1:12. What Is the Symbolism of
things which John would see and record would be               the Seven Candlesticks?
brought forth in their purity in the Lord’s due time
(1 Nephi 14:26; see also Ether 4:15, 16). In other            “Candlesticks carry light; they do not create it. Their
words, the book of Revelation is not solely for the           function is to make it available, not to bring it into
saints of the seven churches in Asia, but also for the        being. So by using seven candlesticks to portray the
saints of the dispensation of the fulness of times as         seven churches to whom John is now to give counsel,
well.                                                         the Lord is showing that his congregations on earth are
                                                              to carry his light to the world. Christ is the Light of the
(54-3) What Is Significant About the Book of                  world. (John 8:12.) ‘Hold up your light that it may
Revelation?                                                   shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which
Nowhere in all of the existing standard works do we           ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do.’
receive such a detailed and comprehensive picture of          (3 Ne. 18:24; Matt. 5:14–16.)” (McConkie, DNTC,
the whole scope of the Lord’s plan as we do in the            3:442.)
book of Revelation. The book contains an inspired             (54-7) Revelation 1:13–16. A Word About the
overview of the history of the world, concentrating on        Symbolic Language of John
that period of time when the Lord shall usher in the
great era of millennial peace.                                Sometimes the reader of Revelation is startled by
                                                              some of the imagery and symbolism used by John.
(54-4) Revelation 1:1. “Things Which Must Shortly             They seem almost bizarre at times in their unusual
Come to Pass”                                                 nature. This is due, however, to a basic difference in
“This is one of the great keys which opens the door to        cultural background and the use of language. Most
an understanding of the book of Revelation. What is           members of the Church today are products of Western
recorded therein is to transpire in the future, mainly in     (Occidental) civilization. The occidental peoples tend
a day subsequent to New Testament times. The                  to use language like a contractor uses building
revelations promised are to come to the saints of             materials: he builds structures which are concrete in
latter-days, not to those in the meridian of time. All        detail and form. But the oriental world, of which the
the promised events shall transpire ‘shortly’; they are       Holy Land was a part, is more artistic in its use of
soon to be in the perspective of Him with whom one            language. Words are but colors with which the artist
day is ‘as a thousand years, and a thousand years as          paints verbal pictures. Thus, the Oriental is usually
one day.’ (2 Pet. 3:8.)                                       more concerned with effect than with form and detail.
                                                              Westerners say the sun is rising, while an Arab may
“Joseph Smith said: ‘The things which John saw had            say that it leaps from its bed of sleeping.
no allusion to the scenes of the days of Adam, Enoch,

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John, of course, being Jewish, was a product of               was famous throughout the world for its magnificent
Oriental, not Occidental, culture. So his depiction of        temple of Diana (Artemis, in Greek), one of the seven
the Savior as having a sharp, two-edged sword                 wonders of the ancient world. The temple was the
protruding from his mouth is perfectly acceptable,            center of the riot in Ephesus involving the apostle
even though the Western mind trying to picture that           Paul. His preaching threatened to destroy the business
image concretely may find it somewhat jarring to the          of the local artisans who made silver models of the
sensitivities. To the Eastern mind the symbolism is           temple to sell to tourists and worshipers (Acts
most appropriate, for such a person is more concerned         19:23 ff). At the time of Paul, the port was filling with
with the effect of the symbol than with its detail.           silt from the river Cayster, and, while still a major
Pushing the images and symbols of John’s writings for         city, Ephesus was in a state of gradual decline. After
literal interpretation will lead to baffling and              the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the city became the
sometimes grotesque pictures. But if one remembers            center of the Christian church for many years until the
the Oriental’s love of imagery, such things as beasts         center gradually shifted to Rome.
with seven heads and ten horns, armies compared to
locusts, and prophets with fire coming from their             (54-11) Revelation 2:8. “Unto . . . the Church in
mouths (11:5; 19:15) will become beautiful and                Smyrna Write”
profound symbols of eternal truth.                            Called by many ancient writers, “The Jewel of Asia,”
                                                              Smyrna disputed with Ephesus over the right to be
(54-8) Revelation 1:18. Why Should Christ Have
                                                              called the first city of Asia. Situated on an excellent
the Key of Hell?
                                                              harbor that is still one of the major ports of Turkey
Obviously Christ has power over death, for his                (present-day Izmir), Smyrna was an important trade
resurrection unlocks the doors of death for all men.          center. Destroyed by earthquake in 627 B.C., it was
But wherein does he also have the key of hell? Hell is        completely rebuilt by Lysimachus, one of the
that portion of the spirit world where the wicked suffer      successors of Alexander the Great, about 290 B.C.
torment until they have satisfied the strict demands of       Thus it was one of the few “planned” cities of the
God’s justice. It is Christ alone who releases them           ancient world. As early as 195 B.C., Smyrna built a
from their awful state when their torments are over.          temple to the goddess of Rome and thereafter was one
This accords perfectly with the teachings of Peter            of the first and foremost cities to heartily embrace the
about Christ’s visit to the spirits in prison between the     Imperial Cult (emperor worship). In light of the
Savior’s death and resurrection. (See 1 Peter 3:18–20;        special encouragement given to the angel (servant in
4:6; see also Hymns, 218.)                                    the Inspired Version) of the church at Smyrna, it is
                                                              interesting to note that Polycarp, the bishop of
(54-9) Revelation 1:20. Who or What Were the                  Smyrna, was martyred in the city when he refused to
Seven Angels of the Seven Churches?                           deny Christ. He was burned at the stake and smitten
Joseph Smith changed the word angels to servants in           with a sword as the flames were encircling him.
the Inspired Version, both in this verse and in the
                                                              (54-12) Revelation 2:12. “And to . . . the Church in
opening verse of each of the seven letters to the
                                                              Pergamos Write”
churches in Asia. Elder McConkie states that the
seven stars are “the presiding officers of the seven          Also called Pergamum, this city was the provincial
congregations who, as with all his ministers, are in the      capital of Asia. Although eager to claim for itself the
hands of the Lord. They do not speak or act of                status of being the most important city in the province,
themselves; they represent their Master, whose words          it was clearly eclipsed by both Ephesus and Smyrna.
they speak, whose acts they perform, and in fact              Peramos became a major center for emperor worship
whose they are.” (DNTC, 3:444.)                               and was most famous for its library which housed over
                                                              200,000 scrolls. It was also the major center for the
(54-10) Revelation 2:1. “Unto . . . the Church in             worship of the serpent god Aesculapius, whose temple
Ephesus Write”                                                stood in the city. The city was a place of much
Though not the capital of the Roman province of Asia,         wickedness.
Ephesus was nevertheless one of the major cities of
                                                              (54-13) Revelation 2:14. What Was the Doctrine of
the Empire. It was fourth largest in population and the
                                                              Balaam?
largest city in all of Asia Minor. Its strategic location
made it not only an important harbor but also the             “To divine for hire; to give counsel contrary to the
junction for important highways and trade routes. It          divine will; to pervert the right way of the Lord—all


                                                            452
with a view to gaining wealth and the honors of men.          because of its location. It was in the midst of an active
In effect, to preach for money, or to gain personal           volcanic region and had several hot springs in the area.
power and influence. In the very nature of things such        Bacchus, the god of wine, was the primary deity
a course is a perversion of the right way of the Lord.        worshipped there, since Philadelphia lay in a rich area
See 2 Pet. 2:10–22.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:450.)                 of vineyards. It was probably second only to Thyatira
                                                              in smallness and unimportance.
(54-14) Revelation 2:18. “And unto . . . the Church
in Thyatira Write”                                            (54-19) Revelation 3:7. What Is the Key of David?
In spite of the fact that Thyatira was the smallest of        “From the day of Adam the term key has been used by
the seven cities, the church there received the longest       inspired writers as a symbol of power and authority.
letter. The city was best known as a center for many          Keys are the right of presidency, and the one holding
craft guilds, including its dyeing of wool. (It will be       them holds the reigns of government within the field
remembered that Lydia, “a seller of purple” and a             and sphere of his appointment. In ancient Israel, David
convert of Paul’s, was from Thyatira [Acts 16:17].)           was a man of blood and battle whose word was law
The city lay directly on the road from Smyrna and was         and whose very name was also a symbol of power and
a garrison city. The military spirit was stressed highly,     authority. Accordingly, when Isaiah sought to convey
and its chief deity, Tyrimnos, a sun-god, was typically       a realization of the supreme, directive control and
portrayed in attitudes of military prowess.                   power resident in our Lord, the Son of David, he
                                                              spoke these words in the Lord’s name: ‘and the key of
(54-15) Revelation 2:23. What Does It Mean to                 the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he
Search “the Reins and Hearts”?                                shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and
The word reins literally means kidneys. To the                none shall open.’ (Isa. 22:22.) . . . Thus, the key of
Hebrews, the word signified strength and vigor. The           David is the absolute power resident in Christ whereby
phrase is an idiom, meaning that the Lord knows all           his will is expressed in all things both temporal and
things about the inner man, his strengths and                 spiritual.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 409.)
weaknesses, his character and emotions. And he shall
                                                              (54-20) Revelation 3:12. “And I Will Write upon
then be able to “give unto every one of you according
                                                              Him the Name of My God”
to your works.”
                                                              “God’s name is God. To have his name written on a
(54-16) Revelation 3:1. “And unto . . . the Church            person is to identify that person as a god. How can it
in Sardis Write”                                              be said more plainly? Those who gain eternal life
Sardis was located at the crossroads of five major land       become gods! Their inheritance is both a fulness of the
routes and was an important inland trade center. It was       glory of the Father and ‘a continuation of the seed
renowned for its great wealth, as well as for its inner       forever and ever. Then shall they be gods, because
softness and corruption. Perhaps the Lord referred to         they have no end; therefore shall they be from
this condition when he said, “I know thy works, that          everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then
thou hast a name [a reputation] that thou livest, and art     shall they be above all, because all things are subject
[spiritually] dead.” (Revelation 3:1.)                        unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have
                                                              all power, and the angels are subject unto them.’
(54-17) Revelation 3:1. The Spiritually Dead                  (D. & C. 132:19–20.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:458.)
“There are many people in this Church today who               (54-21) Revelation 3:14. “And unto . . . the Church
think they live, but they are dead to the spiritual           of the Laodiceans Write”
things. And I believe even many who are making
pretenses of being active are also spiritually dead.          Located at the junction of two important valleys and
Their service is much of the letter and less of the           three major roads, Laodicea was one of the richest
spirit.” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr. 1951,                commercial centers in the ancient world. It was
pp. 104–5.)                                                   especially noted for its banking, its manufacture of a
                                                              unique black wool, and for a medical school that was
(54-18) Revelation 3:7. “And to . . . the Church in           famous for an eye salve made from Phrygian stone
Philadelphia Write”                                           (Revelation 3:18). Hot springs at Hierapolis, a short
Located twenty-eight miles southeast of Sardis,               distance to the north, sent steaming waters into the
Philadelphia was called “the Gateway to the East”             streams that flowed southward. Those waters were still



                                                            453
lukewarm when they reached Laodicea (3:15, 16).              Sally
Ironically enough, this city was often called “the City
                                                             That’s strange, for we found the same thing as we
of Compromise,” the very problem that seemed to
                                                             examined the things which Christ condemned in the
affect the Laodicean members of the church.
                                                             seven churches. We classified them into five
(54-22) Revelation 3:14. Why Does Christ Title               categories.
Himself as the “Amen”?                                       Brother Jacobson
The English word amen is derived from the Hebrew             And what were they?
verb meaning to “prop or make firm.” Anciently, it
was a verbal acclamation of the truthfulness of a            Sally
prayer, concept, or vow. When used at the beginning          First, imperfect works; second, insufficient love for
of a discourse, it signified truthfulness and surety.        Christ; third, toleration of teachers who pretended to
When used after a prayer or statement of doctrine, it        be of God but were really of Satan; fourth, lack of
signified that the speaker and listener accepted what        commitment or faithfulness; and fifth, defilement of
had been said as binding and valid for him. That is          their garments.
how it is commonly used today.
                                                             Brother Jacobson
Through Christ all acts, doctrines, and ordinances are
given the stamp of truth and validity; thus the Savior       Good. Before we hear from Bob’s committee let’s
is characterized as the Great Amen. The title takes on       talk about these things you’ve learned. Did you find
additional meaning when it is remembered that the            any indications that what the Lord said to those early
saints at Laodicea were troubled with lukewarmness,          saints was meant for saints of our day too?
lack of commitment—the very opposite of the                  George
affirmation “Amen.”
                                                             Well, obviously these points have great value for us
                                                             too.
POINTS TO PONDER
                                                             Brother Jacobson
THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES                            Do you mean the things which he condemned,
CONTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AND COUNSEL OF                          George?
GREAT WORTH TO SAINTS OF THE LATTER
DAYS                                                         George
                                                             Yes, and the things that he praised, too. They would
Each of the seven letters written by John was a              provide an excellent standard for evaluating our own
personal revelation on conditions in the last days.          spiritual standing with the Master.
To help you better understand how you personally             Mary
can benefit from the letters to the seven churches, sit
in now on a group discussion of these very chapters.         Not only that, and I agree with George, but we know
                                                             these instructions were meant for more than just
Brother Jacobson                                             those people, because again and again, he says, “He
Now that you have had a chance to study carefully            that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit is
each of the seven letters, let’s see what you have           saying.” I think almost every letter had that
learned. Rick, your group was to examine the praise          admonition after it.
Christ gave to each group. Would you report on that?         Brother Jacobson
Rick                                                         That’s right, Mary. Every letter does. But do we
Well, it was kind of surprising to us. Even though           really need the same praise and criticisms today? Do
each letter seems so individual and personal, when           we in the Church today have Balaams and Jezebels,
we started listing the things Jesus praised we found         for example?
many of them to be similar. In fact, we combined             Karl
them into four major items: (1) Good works, (2)
faithfulness in the face of opposition, (3) rejection of     I suppose we have them in the Church, too—people
false teachings, and (4) keeping their garments clean,       who teach false doctrines or who are trying to
which we called worthiness.                                  deceive others—but when Sally said that about



                                                           454
teachers pretending to be of God, I had another             Bob
thought. I thought of the doctrines and teachings of
                                                            Well, I don’t know. I guess those things that he had
the world which are made to appear morally right
                                                            condemned in each church.
but are really satanic.
                                                            Brother Jacobson
Brother Jacobson
                                                            Exactly! And what is the other half of the formula?
Can you think of an example, Karl?
                                                            Kathy
Karl
                                                            Several times he tells them to hold fast to that which
Yes. I’ve often thought how clever Satan is about
                                                            they had.
birth control. The population explosion people have
made it look as if those who limit their children are       Brother Jacobson
the ones who are doing the good and moral thing,            Right! What a simple rule for drawing close to
and those who have more children are evil, selfish,         Christ. Repent of those things which are not
and terrible.                                               acceptable to him, and continue doing those things
Brother Jacobson                                            that please him. Okay, Bob, let’s hear now what
                                                            things are promised to those who obey this simple
That’s an excellent example. Are there any others?
                                                            formula.
Jennifer
                                                            Bob
Well, this isn’t exactly the same thing as Karl was
                                                            We didn’t classify them the way the other committees
talking about, but I know Mormons today who sound
                                                            did. We listed them all.
like the Laodiceans. I’m the Junior Sunday School
coordinator in our branch, and while most of our            Brother Jacobson
teachers are good, we have some that are pretty luke-       That’s fine. I’ll write them on the board as you read
warm, too.                                                  them?
Sally                                                       Bob
And I can think of times when I’ve been an Ephesian,        In each case these are the rewards promised to those
too.                                                        who overcome, which we felt includes enduring to the
Brother Jacobson                                            end. So he that overcomes will (1) eat of the fruit of
                                                            the tree of life; (2) be protected from the second
In what way do you mean that?
                                                            death; (3) eat of the hidden manna; (4) receive a
Sally                                                       white stone with a new name on it; (5) be given
                                                            power over the nations and rule them with a rod of
Like the saints at Ephesus, I do lots of good things
                                                            iron; (6) receive the morning star; (7) be clothed in
but more out of habit or obligation than love. During
                                                            white raiment; (8) have his name left in the Book of
high school I felt so close to the Savior and loved him
                                                            Life; (9) have his name confessed by Jesus to the
so much. Now I’m struggling to regain those feelings.
                                                            Father; (10) have the names of God, New Jerusalem,
Brother Jacobson                                            and Christ written on him; and (11) sit down with
I think many of us could identify with that particular      Jesus and the Father on the throne of heaven.
weakness. So we see that the Lord has really                Brother Jacobson
provided us with a very effective measuring stick of
                                                            Good, Bob. Now, class, as you look at all of those,
our own relationship with him. Now, does he tell us
                                                            what do they have in common?
in these letters what to do about it?
                                                            Ruth
Bob
                                                            I’m not even sure what some of them mean. What is
Yes, he says to repent.
                                                            the hidden manna, for example?
Brother Jacobson
                                                            Rick
Okay, but of what?
                                                            Yes, and the morning star? What does that mean?




                                                          455
Brother Jacobson                                              it means to have God’s name written on an
                                                              individual? (See item 54-19.)
Obviously there is much symbolism here. So we must
look to other sources for help. Later, for example,           Kathy
Christ calls himself the “bright and morning star.”
                                                              He said it was a title. If you have God written on you,
That’s in Revelation 22:16.
                                                              it means you are a God.
Sally
                                                              Brother Jacobson
So if the faithful are given the morning star, then they
                                                              Exactly! And so as you look at all eleven promises,
receive Christ?
                                                              what do you see that each has in common with the
Brother Jacobson                                              others?
Yes. And related to that is the hidden manna. Let me          Rick
read you something from the great “Bread of Life”
                                                              Well, they are promises to the faithful, to those who
sermon in John’s gospel. After speaking of the manna
                                                              endure to the end.
that fed the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus said, “l
am the living bread which came down from heaven:              Brother Jacobson
if any man eat of this bread, he shall live                   Yes, but there’s more. What level of promises are
forever.” (John 6:51.) So Christ is the morning star          they? Or to put it another way, if a person receives
and the hidden manna. We get two other important              each of these blessings, at what level will he be?
clues from the vision of Lehi. We’ve already talked
about the fruit of the tree of life being symbolic of the     Sally
love of God. Do you remember what the rod of iron             The celestial level. These are all celestial promises.
symbolized?
                                                              Brother Jacobson
George
                                                              Very good! Right here in these seven ancient letters
The word of God.                                              we have one of the great gospel summaries. Nowhere
Brother Jacobson                                              else except in the 76th section of the Doctrine and
                                                              Covenants can you find such a complete description
Right. What is the application here, then?                    of the promises awaiting those who go to the celestial
George                                                        kingdom. In these brief chapters, the Lord lays out a
                                                              summary that is as beautifully applicable to you and
That those who overcome shall rule in the celestial
                                                              me today as it was to the saints in Asia. He gives the
kingdom through the word of God.
                                                              rule: Hold fast to the good things you are doing;
Brother Jacobson                                              repent of the bad. Then he lists, briefly but
                                                              comprehensively, examples of both the good and the
Yes. Ruling with a rod of iron sounds harsh, but not
                                                              bad. Then he describes the conditions awaiting those
when you understand its true meaning. Now one
                                                              who are obedient to that rule. Now you can see why
more, and then we’ll ask our original question. Do
                                                              Jesus said, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what
you remember from your reading of the interpretive
                                                              the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:6.)
commentary what Elder McConkie taught about what




                                                            456
                55
 “THE KINGDOMS OF THI
                   THIS
                      S WORLD ARE
BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD”




  The Book of Revelation (the Revelation of John) to         Seventh Seal:                            8:1–13
 Seven Branches of the Church Written by the Apostle          Fire and Desolation
   John, Exiled on the Island of Patmos, ca. A.D. 95
                                                              War and Plagues                         9:1–21
                                          Revelation
                                                              John to Help Restore All Things         10:1–11
 All Created Things Worship the Lord     4:1–11
                                                             Jerusalem:                               11:1–14
 The Book of Seven Seals                 5:1–14                Two Prophets to Be Slain

First Seal:                              6:1, 2               Christ Shall Reign over All the Earth   11:15–19
  Enoch Ministered
                                                              Satan Makes War in Heaven and Earth     12:1–17
Second Seal:                             6:3, 4
 War Raged                                                    Satan Governs Earthly Kingdoms          13:1–10
Third Seal:                              6:5, 6               Church of Devil Works Miracles          13:11–18
 Famine Stalked the Earth
                                                              “The Lamb Shall Stand upon Mount        14:1–5
Fourth Seal:                             6:7, 8               Zion”
 Death, Hell, War, Famine
                                                              Gospel Restored by Angelic Ministers    14:6, 7
Fifth Seal:                              6:9–11
  Christian Martyrs Slain                                     Eternal Torment Awaits the Wicked       14:8–11
Sixth Seal:                              6:12–17
                                                              Righteous Saints Who Die Shall Rest     14:12, 13
  Signs of the Times
 Gospel Restored                         7:1                  Son of Man Harvests the Earth           14:14–20

 Elias to Seal 144,000                   7:2–8                Exalted Saints Praise God Forever       15:1–4

 The Righteous Saints Exalted from All   7:9–17               God Pours Out Plagues upon the Wicked 15:5–8;
 Nations                                                                                            16:1–12


                                                       457
 Nations Assemble for Armageddon          16:13–16          events are the present: they are now. And if you can
                                                            feel to some degree what John felt, see in the present
 Christ Comes, Islands Flee, Mountains    16:17–21
                                                            what John saw in revelation, hear what John heard,
 Cease to Exist
                                                            then you can face calmly the now that is and the now
 The Great and Abominable Church          17:1–18           that shall shortly come to pass.
 “Babylon the Great Is Fallen”            18:1–24           Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
                                                            in the reading block.
THEME
The righteous saints will be a part of the kingdom of
                                                             INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY
Christ when Babylon the great will fall.
                                                             (55-1) Revelation 4:4. Who Were the Twenty-four
INTRODUCTION                                                 Elders Surrounding the Throne of God?
Revelation is given privately to those who have              Read D&C 77:5.
prepared themselves through obedience and
                                                             (55-2) Revelation 4:6. What Is the Meaning of the
sacrifice. John was a revelator; he knew for himself
                                                             Sea of Glass?
that he was. Joseph Smith described John’s
revelations in this way:                                     Read D&C 77:1 and 130:6–9.
“. . . when John had the curtains of heaven                  (55-3) Revelation 4:8. What Is the Meaning of the
withdrawn, and by vision looked through the dark             Wings and Eyes of the Beasts?
vista of future ages, and contemplated events that
should transpire throughout every subsequent period          Read D&C 77:4.
of time, until the final winding up scene—while he           (55-4) Revelation 5:1. What Is the Meaning of the
gazed upon the glories of the eternal world, saw an          Book Sealed with Seven Seals?
innumerable company of angels and heard the voice
of God—it was in the Spirit, on the Lord’s day,              “‘The book which John saw’ represented the real
unnoticed and unobserved by the world.” (Teachings,          history of the world—what the eye of God has seen,
p. 247.)                                                     what the recording angel has written; and the seven
                                                             thousand years, corresponding to the seven seals of the
On a Sunday nearly two thousand years ago, John              Apocalyptic volume, are as seven great days during
the Beloved received a marvelous vision of the future.       which Mother Earth will fulfill her mortal mission,
By command of the Savior, the apostle was                    laboring six days and resting upon the seventh, her
commanded to write in some measure the thrill of             period of sanctification. These seven days do not
heavenly revelations. Through him you shall be               include the period of our planet’s creation and
privileged to experience some of the impact of such a        preparation as a dwelling place for man. They are
vision.                                                      limited to Earth’s ‘temporal existence,’ that is, to
John seems to want his readers to experience as fully        Time, considered as distinct from Eternity. . . .
as possible what he experienced that day on Patmos.          “. . . According to received chronology—admittedly
Notice the phrases that saturate his account. “I             imperfect, yet approximately correct—four thousand
heard,” “I saw,” “I was in the spirit,” “I beheld,” “I       years, or four of the seven great days given to this
wept,” “I stood,” “I fell at his feet.” John wants you       planet as the period of its ‘temporal existence,’ had
to see what he saw, hear what he heard, feel what he         passed before Christ was crucified; while nearly two
felt. He pours out his experience with a wealth of           thousand years have gone by since. Consequently,
detail, sharing the dazzling splendor of heaven, the         Earth’s long week is now drawing to a close, and we
jubilant shouts of Alleluia, the terror of the               stand at the present moment in the Saturday Evening
judgments, the triumphs of the kingdom.                      of Time, at or near the end of the sixth day of human
Can you do what John asks? Can you take the                  history. Is it not a time of thought, a season for solemn
proffered hand and walk through the marvelous                meditation? Morning will break upon the Millennium,
vistas with him as your guide? Can you, as you read,         the thousand years of peace, the Sabbath of the
let him speak to your heart? John looked far into the        World!” (Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts, p. 12.)
future as he saw those events in vision, but to you the




                                                          458
(55-5) Revelation 5:13. How Literally Should We              “Truly, never was there a ministry such as Enoch’s,
Interpret the Phrase “Every Creature”?                       and never a conqueror and general who was his equal!
                                                             How appropriate that he should ride the white horse of
“John saw curious looking beasts in heaven; he saw
                                                             victory in John’s apocalyptic vision!” (McConkie,
every creature that was in heaven,—all the beasts,
                                                             DNTC, 3:476–78.)
fowls and fish in heaven,—actually there, giving glory
to God. How do you prove it? (See Rev. 5:13.) ‘And           (55-7) Revelation 6:3, 4. What Is the Interpretation
every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth,         of the Opening of the Second Seal?
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all
that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor,       “Who rode the red horse, the red horse of war and
and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon          bloodshed and a sword, during the second seal?
the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.’            Perhaps it was the devil himself, for surely that was
                                                             the great day of his power, a day of such gross
“I suppose John saw beings there of a thousand forms,        wickedness that every living soul (save eight only)
that had been saved from ten thousand earths like            was found worthy of death by drowning, which
this,—strange beasts of which we have no conception:         wickedness caused the Lord God of Heaven to bring
all might be seen in heaven. The grand secret was to         in the floods upon them.
show John what there was in heaven. John learned that
God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had       “Or if it was not Lucifer, perhaps it was a man of
made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He           blood, or a person representing many murdering
will glorify Himself with them.                              warriors, of whom we have no record. Suffice it to say
                                                             that the era from 3000 B.C., to 2000 B.C., was one of
“Says one, ‘I cannot believe in the salvation of beasts.’    war and destruction, these being the favorite weapons
Any man who would tell you that this could not be,           of Satan for creating those social conditions in which
would tell you that the revelations are not true. John       men lose their souls.
heard the words of the beasts giving glory to God, and
understood them. God who made the beasts could               “Of the wickedness and abominations of Noah’s day,
understand every language spoken by them. The four           the revealed word says: [Read Moses 8:22, 28,
beasts were four of the most noble animals that had          29.]” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:478.)
filled the measure of their creation, and had been
                                                             (55-8) Revelation 6:4, 5. What Is the Interpretation
saved from other worlds, because they were perfect;
                                                             of the Opening of the Third Seal?
they were like angels in their sphere. We are not told
where they came from, and I do not know; but they            “As famine follows the sword, so the pangs of hunger
were seen and heard by John praising and glorifying          gnawed in the bellies of the Lord’s people during the
God.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 291–92. Compare D&C             third seal. From 2000 B.C. to 1000 B.C., as never in
77:2, 3.)                                                    any other age of the earth’s history, the black horse of
                                                             hunger influenced the whole history of God’s dealings
(55-6) Revelation 6:2. What Is the Interpretation of         with his people.
the Opening of the First Seal?
                                                             “In the beginning years of this seal, the famine in Ur
“Such of these events as John saw pertained to               of the Chaldees was so severe that Abraham’s brother,
someone on a white horse (the emblem of victory);            Haran, starved to death, while the father of the faithful
who had a bow (weapons of war); wore a crown (the            was commanded by God to take his family to Canaan.
garland or wreath of a conqueror); and who went forth        (Abra. 1:29–30; 2:15.) Of his struggle to gain
conquering and to conquer (that is, was victorious in        sufficient food to keep alive, Abraham said: [Read
war). . . .                                                  Abraham 2:17, 21.]
“. . . it is clear that the most transcendent happenings     “This search for sustenance was yet burdening the
involved Enoch and his ministry. And it is interesting       Lord’s people in the days of Jacob, who sent his sons
to note that what John saw was not the establishment         to Egypt to buy corn from the granaries of Joseph his
of Zion and its removal to heavenly spheres, but the         son. In that day ‘the famine was over all the face of
unparalleled wars in which Enoch, as a general over          the earth,’ and it was only through divine intervention
the armies of the saints, ‘went forth conquering and to      that Jacob and the beginning members of the house of
conquer.’ Of these wars our revelations recite: [Read        Israel were saved from the fate of Haran. (Gen. 41:53–
Moses 7:13–17.]                                              57; 42; 43; and 44.) And in the days of their sojourn in



                                                           459
the wilderness, the millions of Jacob’s seed who had        (55-11) Revelation 6:9–11. What Is the
followed Moses out of Egyptian bondage, lest they           Interpretation of the Opening of the Fifth Seal?
perish for want of bread, were fed for forty years with
                                                            “Where the Lord’s people are concerned, the events of
manna from heaven. [Ex. 16.] . . .
                                                            the fifth seal, that period from our Lord’s birth down
“. . . Truly the third seal was a millennium in which       to 1000 A.D., which are of unspeakable worth are:
hunger among men affected the whole course of
                                                            “1. The birth into mortality of God’s only Son; his
God’s dealings with his people.” (McConkie, DNTC,
                                                            ministry among men and the atoning sacrifice which
3:479–80.)
                                                            he wrought by the shedding of his own blood.
(55-9) Revelation 6:6. “A Measure of Wheat for a            “2. The spread and perfection of the Church which
Penny”                                                      was set up by Him whose Church it is, and the
This strange accounting of the price of wheat and           unbelievable fanaticism among unbelievers that made
barley seems baffling to us today, but knowledge of         acceptance of martyrdom almost synonymous with
the monetary units and customs of John’s time helps         acceptance of the gospel.
us to better understand what the voice declared. John’s     “3. And then, of course, the complete falling away
readers would have clearly understood it. A measure         from true and perfect Christianity, which sad
(Greek choenix) was approximately the same volume           eventuality ushered in the long night of apostate
as our own quart and was the usual amount of a day’s        darkness on all the face of the earth.
allowance or ration. The penny (denarius) was a small
silver coin of Roman mintage. Although it is hard to        “Our Lord’s work and ministry are everywhere taught
determine the equivalent value in today’s inflated          in holy writ; the facts relative to the post-meridian
economy, it is known that a denarius was the typical        apostasy and the perversion of the saving truths and
wage for a day’s work in those times. Thus, to spend        powers are also abundantly taught in other sacred
one day’s wages to buy only enough food for one             writings. And so what is more natural than to find the
person for one day clearly points out that these were       Lord revealing here, that portion of the sealed book
famine prices. Three measures of barley could be            which deals with the doctrine of martyrdom. Among
purchased for a penny, but barley was a much inferior       the ancient saints martyrdom was an ever present
grain for human consumption and was generally used          possibility, one which completely occupied their
only in times of great hunger.                              thoughts and feelings. They knew that by forsaking all
                                                            to follow Christ, they might, if fate so decreed, be
The fact that the rider had balances in his hand            called to lay down their lives for Him who had laid
suggests that the scarcity of food was such that it had     down his life for them. In an almost death-inviting
to be doled out with exactness. Elder McConkie has          sense, the meridian of time was the dispensation of
suggested that the phrase “hurt not the oil and the         martyrdom.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:482–83.)
wine” meant that enough food should be preserved so
that man would not utterly perish in the famine             (55-12) Revelation 6:12–17. What Is the
conditions of that time. (See McConkie DNTC,                Interpretation of the Opening of the Sixth Seal?
3:480.)                                                     “We are now living during the final years of the
(55-10) Revelation 6:7, 8. What Is the                      sixth seal, that thousand year period which began in
Interpretation of the Opening of the Fourth Seal?           1000 A.D. and will continue through the Saturday
                                                            night of time and until just before the Sabbatical era
“During the fourth seal, from 1000 B.C. to the coming       when Christ shall reign personally on earth, when all
of our Lord, death rode roughshod through the nations       of the blessings of the Great Millennium shall be
of men, and hell was at his heels. Thus, the slain          poured out upon this planet. This, accordingly, is
among the ungodly in this age of bloodshed—whether          the era when the signs of the times shall be shown
by sword or by famine or by pestilence or by wild           forth, and they are in fact everywhere to be seen.”
beasts—were, at their death, cast down to hell. This is     (McConkie, DNTC, 3:485–86.)
the millennium of those great kingdoms and nations
whose wars and treacheries tormented and overran,           For other references concerning the signs of the times
again and again, the people whom Jehovah had chosen         which shall affect the earth during the sixth seal, see
to bear his name. This is also the general era in which     D&C 88:87–91; 29:14–21; Isaiah 13:9–11; Isaiah
the Lord’s own people warred among themselves and           24:20; Matthew 24:29, 30.
sent countless numbers of their own brethren to
untimely graves.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:481.)

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(55-13) Revelation 7:1–3. The Four Angels of the           (55-15) Revelation 7:3. What Is the Interpretation
Sixth Seal                                                 of the Sealing of the Lord’s Servants?
“Can you tell me where the people are who will be          It was a common practice in John’s day for devotees
shielded and protected from these calamities and           of the various heathen gods to mark their foreheads
judgments which are even now at our doors? I’ll tell       with the name or symbol of their god. Thus followers
you. The Priesthood of God who honor their                 of Zeus would mark their foreheads with the
priesthood, and who are worthy of their blessings are      thunderbolt; those of Poseidon, the trident, and so on.
the only ones who shall have this safety and               John’s imagery would have had a powerful impact on
protection. No other people have a right to be shielded    the readers of his day. Being sealed or marked in the
from these judgments. They are at our very doors; not      forehead would be a vivid metaphor of devotion and
even this people will escape them entirely. They will      servitude to God—whether that god was the true God
come down like the judgments of Sodom and                  or the evil beast worshipped as a god. (See Revelation
Gomorrah. And none but the priesthood will be safe         13.)
from their fury. God has held the angels of destruction
                                                           As to the actual meaning of the sealing itself, Joseph
for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat
                                                           Smith said: “Four destroying angels holding power
with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those
                                                           over the four quarters of the earth until the servants of
angels have left the portals of heaven, and they stand
                                                           God are sealed in their foreheads, which signifies
over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And
                                                           sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the
from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities
                                                           everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and
and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a
                                                           election sure. When a seal is put upon the father and
meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect
                                                           mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot
upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my
                                                           be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of
duty, we’ll have the protection, and shall pass through
                                                           their father and mother.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 321.)
the afflictions in peace and in safety. Read the
scriptures and the revelations. They will tell you about   (55-16) Revelation 7:4–8. Who Are the One
these things.” (Wilford Woodruff in The Young              Hundred Forty-Four Thousand of Whom John
Woman’s Journal, 5:512–13.)                                Speaks?
(55-14) Revelation 7:2. Who Is Elias, and How Is           Read D&C 77:11.
He Related to the Angel from the East?
                                                           (55-17) Revelation 7:4–8. The Washing of Our
Read D&C 77:9.                                             Robes in the Blood of the Lamb
“As previously stated, the restoration of the Gospel       The symbolic meaning here is that one accepts the
did not come through just one messenger, but there are     atonement of Christ and keeps his commandments,
several who came and bestowed their keys of authority      thus cleansing himself through divine power from the
and power. The name Elias is a title. This we have         sins of the world (Alma 13:11, 12).
been taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith. (Teachings,
p. 335.) Is it not possible, therefore, since so many      (55-18) Revelation 8:10. Who Fell from Heaven?
ancient prophets had a hand in the restoration, that in    A star is sometimes used in the scriptures as a symbol
speaking of the Elias who was to come and restore all      of a great and important person. One star that fell
things, do we not have a composite picture of several      from heaven is Satan, or Lucifer, as he was known in
Eliases, rather than one single individual? The angel      the premortal existence. (Read Isaiah 14:12; D&C
with the seal directs the four angels holding the          76:25–27.)
destiny of the world in their hands, not to hurt the
earth until the servants of the Lord have been sealed.     (55-19) Revelation 8:10. What Is the Significance of
This could not be accomplished until the Gospel was        Wormwood As It Relates to the Star That Fell
restored and proclaimed to the nations of the              from Heaven?
earth.” (Smith, Church History and Modern
                                                           The wormwood associated with the star that fell from
Revelation, 1:301–2.)
                                                           heaven is a symbol of the bitterness and awfulness




                                                       461
which comes to all who follow the devil. Wormwood               way of interpretation of this act: ‘Thou must prophesy
was a plant with an extremely bitter taste. To use it for       again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues,
food or drink was to eat that which brought about               and kings.’ When this mission was given, John was an
death. In the case of Satan, all who follow his evil            old man far beyond the allotted years of three score
ways perish in spiritual death.                                 and ten. In answer to a question as to the meaning of
                                                                this vision of the book, the Prophet Joseph Smith said:
(55-20) Revelation 9:4–10. A Time of Great                      It was a mission and an ordinance for John to gather
Warfare                                                         the tribes of Israel. (D. & C. 77:14.) At a conference
“During this particular period of the war and                   of the Church, held June, 1831, Joseph Smith said
desolation the evil forces will be directed against all         ‘that John the Revelator was then among the ten tribes
men, save those sealed up unto eternal life, for those in       of Israel who had been led away by Shalmaneser, king
Zion shall be preserved. The plagues and torments of            of Assyria, to prepare them for their return from their
this era shall so afflict men that they shall desire to die     long dispersion.’ (Documentary History of the
rather than to suffer more.                                     Church, Vol. 1:176; Essentials in Church History,
                                                                p. 126.)” (Smith, Church History and Modern
“In prophetic imagery John here seeks to describe a             Revelation, 1:48.)
war fought with weapons and under circumstances
entirely foreign to any experience of his own or of the         (55-23) Revelation 11:3–13. The Two Witnesses
people of that day. Joel, subject to the same limitations       Who Prophesy at Jerusalem
of descriptive ability, attempted to portray the same
                                                                Read D&C 77:15.
scenes in these words: [Read Joel 2:1–11.]
                                                                “Suffice it to say, the Jews gather home, and rebuild
“It is not improbable that these ancient prophets were
                                                                Jerusalem. The nations gather against them in battle.
seeing such things as men wearing or protected by
                                                                Their armies encompass the city, and have more or
strong armor; as troops of cavalry and companies of
                                                                less power over it for three years and a half. A couple
tanks and flame throwers; as airplanes and airborne
                                                                of Jewish prophets, by their mighty miracles, keep
missiles which explode, fire shells and drop bombs;
                                                                them from utterly over-coming the Jews; until at
and even other weapons yet to be devised in an age
                                                                length they are slain, and the city is left in a great
when warfare is the desire and love of wicked
                                                                measure to the mercy of their enemies for three days
men.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:502–3.)
                                                                and a half. The two prophets then rise from the dead
(55-21) Revelation 9:11. Who Is Abaddon, or                     and ascend up into heaven.
Apollyon?                                                       The Messiah comes, convulses the earth, overthrows
John tells us that this is the angel of the bottomless pit.     the army of the Gentiles, delivers the Jews, cleanses
He gives his name in Hebrew and Greek. Both the                 Jerusalem, cuts off all wickedness from the earth,
Hebrew and the Greek words come from the roots                  raises the Saints from the dead, brings them with him,
meaning “to destroy” or “destruction.” Thus the name            and commences his reign of a thousand years; during
signifies “the Destroyer,” an appropriate title for             which time his Spirit will be poured out upon flesh;
Satan. There is yet another word which is related to            men and beasts, birds and serpents, will be perfectly
these two names and which serves as one of the                  harmless, and peace and the knowledge and glory of
devil’s names. It is Perdition (see Moses 5:24), and it         God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea;
means “utter loss” or “destruction.”                            and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom
                                                                under the whole heaven, shall be given to the saints of
(55-22) Revelation 10:10, 11. What Was the Little               the Most High.” (Pratt, A Voice of Warning and
Book John Ate?                                                  Instruction to All People, pp. 49–50.)
“A great mission was given unto John because of his             (55-24) Revelation 12:1, 7. Important Insights from
desire, and he is even now laboring as ‘a flaming fire          the Inspired Version
and a ministering angel, for those who are heirs of
salvation.’ In the tenth chapter of Revelation we read          Joseph Smith made many significant changes in the
that John was given a little book by the angel and              book of Revelation as he worked on the Inspired
commanded to eat it up, which he did, and he said ‘it           Version. Of the many chapters in which changes were
was in my mouth sweet as honey; and as soon as I had            made, chapter twelve was the most revised. Every
eaten it, my belly was bitter.’ And the angel said by           verse, with the exception of verse 12, received some



                                                              462
change. Two verses were changed in such a manner                “This government which embraces all the peoples of
that the meaning of the entire chapter was significantly        the earth, both in and out of the Church, is also
altered. Those verses are 1 and 7:                              sometimes spoken of as the kingdom of God, because
                                                                the people are subject to the kingdom of God which
“And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the
                                                                Christ will set up; but they have their agency and
likeness of things on the earth; a woman clothed with
                                                                thousands will not be members of the Church until
the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her
                                                                they are converted; yet at the same time they will be
head a crown of twelve stars.”
                                                                subject to the theocratic rule.” (Smith, Doctrines of
“And the dragon prevailed not against Michael,                  Salvation, 1:229.)
neither the child, nor the woman which was the church
of God, who had been delivered of her pains, and                (55-26) Revelation 12:4. Who Are the Stars of
brought forth the kingdom of our God and his Christ.”           Heaven That Were Cast to the Earth?
                                                                These are the Father’s spirit children who rejected the
(55-25) Revelation 12:1, 4, 15. Who Are the
                                                                plan of salvation and followed Lucifer in the premortal
Woman and the Manchild Mentioned by John?
                                                                life.
“A woman (‘the church of God’!) gives birth to a man
child (‘the kingdom of our God and his Christ’ which            (55-27) Revelation 12:7–9. “And There Was War in
shall hold sway during the Millennial Era, the                  Heaven”
kingdom John has just seen in vision!). See Rev.                Lucifer and his followers waged a war in heaven
11:14–19. Such is the Prophet’s inspired                        against our Father in heaven and his faithful children.
interpretation. Among Biblical scholars of the world,           “The contention in heaven was—Jesus said there
the man child is presumed to be Christ, a speculative           would be certain souls that would not be saved; and
conclusion which, though seemingly persuasive, is               the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans
refuted by the obvious fact that the Church did not             before the grand council, who gave their vote in favor
bring forth Christ; he the Creator of the Church.               of Jesus Christ. So the devil rose up in rebellion
Among Latter-day Saint scriptural exegetes, it is not           against God, and was cast down, with all who put up
uncommon to say that the man child is the priesthood,           their heads for him.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 357.)
a seemingly persuasive speculation, which again
however must be rejected by the same line of                    Read D&C 29:36, 37; Moses 4:1–3; Abraham
reasoning. The Church did not bring forth the                   3:24, 28.
priesthood, but the priesthood is the power that                (55-28) Revelation 12:14. What Is the Meaning of
brought the Church into being.” (McConkie, DNTC,                the Woman Going into the Wilderness?
3:511.)
                                                                The woman is symbolic of the church of Jesus Christ,
Though at first it may seem confusing to speak of the           and we learn in verse 13 that the dragon (Satan)
Church and the kingdom as separate entities, the one            persecuted the woman. The woman fleeing into the
giving birth to the other, this in fact is the condition to     wilderness is the symbolic driving of the church into
exist in the Millennium. The Church is a spiritual              the wilderness of apostasy.
organization governed by priesthood and revelation.
Only those who have covenanted with Christ in the               Read D&C 86:3.
waters of baptism hold membership therein. The
kingdom of God is a product of the Church. It is a              (55-29) Revelation 14:6, 7. “And I Saw Another
political organization in which all men who live in the         Angel . . . Having the Everlasting Gospel”
millennial era will belong.                                     “Now, as to the actual work of restoration—what
“After Christ comes, all the peoples of the earth will          angel performed this mighty deed, this work which
be subject to him, but there will be multitudes of              involves the salvation of all men on earth in these
people on the face of the earth who will not be                 latter-days? Who restored the everlasting gospel? Was
members of the Church; yet all will have to be                  it one angel or many?
obedient to the laws of the kingdom of God, for it will         “It is traditional (and true!) to reply: ‘Moroni, son of
have dominion upon the whole face of the earth. These           Mormon, the now resurrected Nephite prophet, who
people will be subject to the political government,             holds the keys of “the stick of Ephraim” (D. & C.
even though they are not members of the ecclesiastical          27:5), the one through whose ministry the Book of
kingdom which is the Church.                                    Mormon was again brought to light.’ The reasoning


                                                              463
that the Book of Mormon contains ‘the fulness of the         the valley of Megiddo. Prior to the second coming of
everlasting gospel’ (D. & C. 135:3); that therein is         Christ, all nations of the earth shall be gathered
God’s message of salvation for all of the earth’s            together to battle against Jerusalem. This tremendous
inhabitants; and that this gospel message is now being       war, one of the final great events prior to the Savior’s
taken by the Lord’s witnesses to one nation, and             second coming, has been foreseen and described in
kindred, and tongue, and people after another. . . .         detail by many of the Lord’s ancient prophets. (See,
                                                             for example, Ezekiel 38, 39; Joel 2, 3; Isaiah 34;
“. . . But other angels were yet to come—Moses, Elias,
                                                             Jeremiah 25; Daniel 11, 12; Zechariah 12–14.)
Elijah, Gabriel, Raphael, and ‘divers angels. . . . all
                                                             Jerusalem will be under siege and great suffering will
declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys,
                                                             be the lot of her inhabitants. Evidently, Armageddon,
their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of
                                                             which is north of Jerusalem, will be the site of the
their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon
                                                             great decisive battle of this war. “During this siege,
precept; here a little, and there a little.’ (D. & C.
                                                             when the nations are gathered and the Lord comes,
128:21.)
                                                             there will be great destruction. The armies will
“Thus the angel Moroni brought the message, that is,         become so confused they will fight among themselves.
the word; but other angels brought the keys and              There will be great slaughter. Then the Lord comes to
priesthood, the power. And in the final analysis the         the Jews. He shows Himself. He calls upon them to
fulness of the everlasting gospel consists of all of the     come and examine His hands and His feet, and they
truths and powers needed to enable men to gain a             say, ‘What are these wounds?’ And He answers them,
fulness of salvation in the celestial heaven.”               ‘These are the wounds with which I was wounded in
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:528–30.)                                  the house of my friends. I am Jesus Christ.’
(55-30) Revelation 16:1–21. The Seven Last Plagues           “Then they will accept Him as their Redeemer, which
                                                             they have never been willing to do.” (Smith, Signs of
“God in his mercy shall pour out destructive plagues         the Times, p. 171.)
upon the wicked and ungodly in the last days. These
diseases and calamities shall sweep great hosts of men       (55-32) Revelation 16:20. “And Every Island Fled
from the face of the earth, preparatory to that final        Away”
Millennial cleansing which shall prepare our planet as
                                                             “When that day comes great changes shall take place
an abode for the righteous.” (McConkie, DNTC,
                                                             upon the earth. We believe this is a day of restoration,
3:359.)
                                                             and that the earth is to be renewed. (Tenth Article of
(55-31) Revelation 16:16. “A Place Called in the             Faith; Lesson 40.) In this renewal we are informed that
Hebrew Tongue Armageddon”                                    the Lord ‘shall command the great deep, and it shall
                                                             be driven back into the north country, and the islands
Lying about sixty miles north of Jerusalem is the site       shall become one land; and the land of Jerusalem and
of Megiddo, a great mound or hill commanding the             the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own
northern entrance to the broad plain called the valley       place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days
of Esdraelon. The mountain or hill of Megiddo                before it was divided.’ (Gen. 10:25.) The notion
(Har Meggido in Hebrew, of which Armageddon is               prevails quite generally that the dividing of the earth
the Greek transliteration) guarded the strategic pass        in the days of Peleg was a division politically among
that cuts through the mountain range separating the          the people, but from this word of the Lord we gain the
coastal plains from the inland plains and hill country       idea that the earth itself was divided and that when
of Galilee. Because of this fortress or Mount of             Christ comes it will again be brought back to the same
Megiddo, the valley and surrounding areas have also          conditions physically as prevailed before this division
come to be known as Armageddon.                              took place. The sea is to be driven back into the north.
One of the most important highways of the ancient            The land is to be brought back as it was originally and
world—the main link between Egypt and Asia—ran               the lands of Zion ‘America’ and Jerusalem (Palestine
through this valley and near the fortress of Megiddo.        and all the land pertaining unto it) will be restored to
Because of that strategic location, Megiddo and the          their own place as they were in the beginning. The
valley of Esdraelon have seen some of history’s              Savior will stand in the midst of his people, and shall
bloodiest battles. Egyptian pharaohs, Roman legions,         reign over all flesh. We have discovered in our study
British troops, and Israeli tanks all have struggled in      that the wicked, or all things that are corruptible




                                                           464
(Section 101:23–35), will be consumed and therefore            POINTS TO PONDER
will not be permitted to be on the earth when this time
comes.” (Smith, Church History and Modern                     As you have read, John described in graphic words
Revelation, 1:264.)                                           the efforts Satan would make in the latter day to
(55-33) Revelation 17:1. The Imagery of the Great             thwart the kingdom of God. How would you respond
Whore of the Earth                                            to someone who said this: “The world isn’t so bad
                                                              today. In fact, with all of the new social and scientific
One of the most indisputable things about the                 advancements, we’re living in a virtual Garden of
Apocalypse is the vividness of the symbolism and              Eden”?
imagery used by John. The kingdom of Satan, in all its
opulent and wicked splendor, is depicted as a harlot,         (55-36) There Is Greater Wickedness in the World
lavishly dressed and riding on a beast. The obvious           Now Than at Any Time Since the Flood
representation is that of impurity, evil, wickedness.
                                                              “There is more sin and evil in the world now than there
But the symbolism goes much deeper than that. The
                                                              has been at any time since the day of Noah, when the
figure of a harlot as a metaphor for Satan’s dominions
                                                              Lord felt disposed to destroy the world by a flood so that
is appropriate, for Satan prostitutes all that is noble
                                                              He could send His spirit children to earth in a better and
and good.
                                                              more righteous environment. . . .
The ideal relationship between man and God has often
                                                              “. . . There is some degree of worldliness in all of us,
been symbolized in scripture as a marriage. In the Old
                                                              and we overcome the world by degrees.” (Joseph
Testament, Jehovah is the husband and Israel the
                                                              Fielding Smith, Ricks College Baccalaureate
bride. In the New Testament Christ is the bridegroom
                                                              Services, 7 May 1971, as cited in Church News, 15 May
and the church is the bride (Matthew 25:1–13;
                                                              1971, p. 3.)
Revelation 19:7–9). Whenever his people prove
unfaithful to their covenants, they can be likened to a       (55-37) The Prophets Have Recommended the Only
faithless woman who has sold herself to immorality            Cure for an Ailing World, but the Cure Has Been
and sin.                                                      Rejected
(55-34) Revelation 17:1–6. The Church of the Devil            “Our world is in turmoil. It is aging toward senility. It is
                                                              very ill. Long ago it was born with brilliant prospects. It
“The titles church of the devil and great and
                                                              was baptized by water, and its sins were washed away. It
abominable church are used to identify all churches or
                                                              was never baptized by fire, for that is still to come. It has
organizations of whatever name or nature—whether
                                                              had shorter periods of good health, but longer ones of
political, philosophical, educational, economic, social,
                                                              ailing. Most of the time there have been pains and aches
fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to
                                                              in some parts of its anatomy, but now that it is growing
take men on a course that leads away from God and
                                                              old, complications have set in, and all the ailments seem
his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of
                                                              to be everywhere.
God.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 137–38.)
                                                              “The world has been ‘cliniced,’ and the complex
(55-35) Revelation 17:14. “And the Lamb Shall                 diseases have been catalogued. The physicians have had
Overcome”                                                     summit consultations, and temporary salve has been
After painting the picture of the harlot and the beast in     rubbed on afflicted parts, but it has only postponed the
all of their power and wickedness, John testifies that        fatal day and never cured it. It seems that while remedies
they shall be conquered by the superior power of the          have been applied, staph infection has set in, and the
Lamb of God. Latter-day revelation confirms this. Just        patient’s suffering intensified. His mind is wandering. It
before the organization of the Church in this                 cannot remember its previous illnesses nor the cure
dispensation, the Lord said that because of his               which was applied. The political physicians through the
obedience to the Father’s will he had subdued all             ages have rejected suggested remedies as unprofessional
things, including “retaining all power, even to the           since they came from lowly prophets. Man being what
destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the           he is with tendencies such as he has, results can be
world.” (D&C 19:3.)                                           prognosticated with some degree of accuracy.”
                                                              (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Oct. 1961, p. 30.)




                                                            465
(55-38) Satan Has Control of Most of the World                  and women who are puffing on cigarets or cigars or
                                                                dirty pipes. It gets very annoying, and I get a little
“Satan has control now. No matter where you look, he
                                                                disturbed. I will turn to Sister Smith, and I will say
is in control, even in our own land. He is guiding the
                                                                something to her, and she will say, ‘Well, now, you
governments as far as the Lord will permit him. That is
                                                                know what you have taught me. You are in their
why there is so much strife, turmoil, and confusion all
                                                                world. This is their world.’ And that sort of brings me
over the earth. One master mind is governing the
                                                                back to my senses. Yes, we are in their world, but we
nations. It is not the president of the United States; it is
                                                                do not have to be of it.
not Hitler; it is not Mussolini; it is not the king or
government of England or any other land; it is Satan            “So, as this is their world we are living in, they
himself.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:315.)               prosper, but, my good brethren and sisters, their world
                                                                is coming to its end. It will not be many years. I can
What, then, is the hope of today’s generation, those            say that. . . .
who live in the Saturday night of time? What did
                                                                “The day will come when we will not have this world.
John see? Review Revelation 17:14. What will be the
                                                                It will be changed. We will get a better world. We will
fate of Satan and his followers? Who will be with
                                                                get one that is righteous, because when Christ comes,
Christ?
                                                                he will cleanse the earth.” (Joseph Fielding Smith in
                                                                CR, Apr. 1952, p. 28.)
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING WE CAN DO
IS TO OVERCOME THE WORLD BY KEEPING                             (55-40) The World Is Kept from Destruction by the
THE COMMANDMENTS AND COVENANTS                                  Righteous Saints
OF GOD
                                                                “Our world is now much the same as it was in the
What can the Saints do to be a part of that kingdom             days of the Nephite prophet who said: ‘. . . if it were
that will be here when Satan and his hosts are                  not for the prayers of the righteous . . . ye would even
defeated? (See Revelation 18:1–4.) What does it                 now be visited with utter destruction.’ (Al. 10:22.) Of
mean to “come out of her, my people”? (See D&C                  course, there are many many upright and faithful who
133:14.) How will the righteous Saints be protected             live all the commandments and whose lives and
in the period of time when Babylon the great will               prayers keep the world from destruction.
fall? (See 1 Nephi 14:14, 15.)                                  We are living in the last days, and they are precarious
                                                                and frightening. The shadows are deepening, and the
(55-39) Our Part in the World Should Be to Build                night creeps in to envelop us.” (Spencer W. Kimball in
the Kingdom and Keep the Commandments                           CR, Apr. 1971, p. 7.)

“If we are living the religion which the Lord has               WHAT CAN THIS MEAN TO YOU?
revealed and which we have received, we do not
belong to the world. We should have no part in all its         Are you living in such a way that the Lord can bless
foolishness. We should not partake of its sins and its         you with his power? Are you one of the righteous
errors—errors of philosophy and errors of doctrine,            who is helping to keep the world from destruction?
errors in regard to government, or whatever those              What promise and challenge has the Lord given you?
errors may be—we have no part in it.                           Read D&C 103:5–10.
“The only part we have is the keeping of the                   “Our challenge today . . . is to be a light unto the
commandments of God. That is all, being true to every          world. . . . If the three million members of the church
covenant and every obligation that we have entered             would live the gospel principles all errors of the
into and taken upon ourselves. . . .                           world would evaporate. The world would come to us,
“If I sometimes, and once in a while I do, go to a             and we would change the frustration of the world to
football game or a baseball game or some other place           the peace of the gospel.” (Spencer W. Kimball,
of amusement, invariably I will be surrounded by men           Church News, 26 Feb. 1972, p. 13.)




                                                           466
                      56
       “BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY;
                       QUICKLY; AND MY
            REWARD IS WITH ME”




  The Book of Revelation (the Revelation of John) to     Saints Will Reign as Gods                  22:1–5
 Seven Branches of the Church Written by the Apostle
   John, Exiled on the Island of Patmos, ca. A.D. 95     Christ Comes to Bless the Worthy Saints    22:6–16

                                         Revelation      “Come unto Christ”                         22:17–21

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb         19:1–9a
                                                         THEME
The Testimony of Jesus—the Spirit of    19:9b–10
Prophecy                                                 The message of John’s vision is one of hope and glory
                                                         for all who are faithful to the Savior.
Christ: King of Kings, Lord of Lords    19:11–16

Last War—the Supper of the Great God    19:17–21         INTRODUCTION
Satan Bound During Millennium           20:1–3           In these concluding chapters of the great revelation
                                                         of John you witness the saints saying Alleluia in
Saints Lived, and Reign with Christ     20:4–6           praise of the Lord. It is significant that these final
Devil and Armies Cast Out Eternally     20:7–10          chapters are a crescendo of adoration, for the gospel
                                                         of Christ from first to last is the glad tidings of good
Dead Judged According to Works          20:11–15         things, the good news of Christ and his glorious
                                                         atonement. The culmination of the gospel is full
Earth Receives Its Paradisiacal Glory   21:1–6           celestialization, and it was John’s privilege to testify
Men May Become Sons of God              21:6, 7          of the glorification of the earth and those, the
                                                         righteous saints, who will finally inherit it. As is
The Second Death                        21:8             always the case, words are poor vehicles to convey
                                                         the fulness, but how grateful we should be that John
Earth Attains Its Celestial Glory       21:9–27


                                                       467
was commanded to “seal not the sayings of the               of prophecy; therefore, if I profess to be a witness or
prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:10.) John            teacher, and have not the spirit of prophecy, which is
fulfilled his foreordination (1 Nephi 14:18–27) and         the testimony of Jesus, I must be a false witness; but if
recorded the magnificent destiny of this righteous          I be a true teacher and witness, I must possess the
earth and its faithful inhabitants. If you read with        spirit of prophecy, and that constitutes a prophet; and
comprehension and a lively hope, you, like John,            any man who says he is a teacher or a preacher of
must exclaim in anxious expectation, “Even so, come,        righteousness, and denies the spirit of prophecy, is a
Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20.)                            liar, and the truth is not in him; and by this key false
                                                            teachers and imposters may be detected.” (Smith, HC,
“My hopes in reference to the future life are
                                                            5:215–16.)
supremely grand and glorious, and I try to keep these
prospects bright continually; and that is the privilege     (56-3) Revelation 19:11–16. Why Did John See
and the duty of every Latter-day Saint. I suppose l am      Jesus Riding on a White Horse?
talking now to some Latter-day Saints that have been
sorely tried and they have thought sometimes,               Interestingly enough, just before his crucifixion,
perhaps like the Savior felt, that he had no friends,       Christ made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a
that his friends had all gone; and everything was           donkey (Matthew 21). Traditionally, riding into a city
going wrong, and everything was disagreeable, and           on a donkey signified that the rider came in peace.
his circumstances were continuing to get worse and          Who could imagine a conqueror riding to battle on a
worse, and those that he depended upon for                  donkey? John’s vision of Christ’s second coming
assistance failed perhaps to render the assistance          showed the Lord as riding on a white horse
expected, and all that sort of thing.                       (Revelation 19:11–16). That does not mean that Christ
                                                            will actually come riding on a horse, but seems to
Likewise everything sometimes becomes dark to us            symbolize that his second coming will be that of the
and we almost forget the relationship that we stand         conqueror of all evil, as King of kings and Lord of
in to the Lord and begin to feel as though it was not       lords.
what we expected.” (Lorenzo Snow in CR, Oct.
1900, p. 4.)                                                (56-4) Revelation 19:13. “A Vesture Dipped in
                                                            Blood”
Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references
in the reading block.                                       It is a common misconception that Christ shall be
                                                            clothed in white at his coming. Here and also in the
                                                            Doctrine and Covenants it is clear that he shall be
INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY                                     dressed in red apparel, symbolic of his taking upon
                                                            himself the sins of the world and of coming in his
(56-1) Revelation 19:7–9. Who Are to Be Invited to          judgment. (Read D&C 133:46, 48, 50, 51.)
the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?
                                                            (56-5) Revelation 19:21. “Slain with the Word” of
“‘In this dispensation the Bridegroom, who is the
                                                            God
Lamb of God, shall come to claim his bride, which is
the Church composed of the faithful saints who have         The Inspired Version changes the word sword in this
watched for his return. As he taught in the parable of      verse to word. This suggests that the wicked are
the marriage of the king’s son, the great marriage          condemned by the word of God (Hebrews 4:12, D&C
supper of the Lamb shall then be                            14:2). Men should learn to live by every word that
celebrated.’ (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 469.) The        proceeds from the mouth of God, for his word is truth
elders of Israel are now issuing the invitations to the     (D&C 84:44, 45).
marriage supper of the Lord; those who believe and
obey the gospel thereby accept the invitation and shall     (56-6) Revelation 20:2, 3. How Is Satan Bound?
sit in due course with the King’s Son at the marriage       “Many other scriptures refer to the thousand years of
feast.” (McConkie, DNTC, 5:563–64.)                         wonderful, glorious conditions on the earth, because
                                                            Lucifer, Satan, the devil, will be bound.
(56-2) Revelation 19:10. “The Testimony of Jesus Is
the Spirit of Prophecy”                                     “The scriptures say he will be ‘bound with a chain’
                                                            and ‘put into a bottomless pit.’ To me, these are
“If any person should ask me if I were a prophet, I         symbolical terms. I cannot quite conceive of steel
should not deny it, as that would give me the lie; for,     chains or pits that could hold Satan. The only power I
according to John, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit


                                                          468
know of that will bind Satan, or render him powerless,        fought between the forces of good and evil. Michael
is righteous living.                                          the archangel (who is Adam) shall gather the armies of
                                                              God together to do battle with Satan and his armies,
“The war that started in heaven has not ended yet and
                                                              and Satan and his hosts shall be defeated and cast
shall not end until everyone has proved the extent of
                                                              into their own place for the rest of eternity (D&C
his ability to resist Satan. Even Jesus Christ had to
                                                              88:110–16).
bind Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness.
Satan had no power over him, because Jesus resisted           John calls the hosts who follow Satan, Gog and
his temptations. Then the record says, ‘. . . he departed     Magog. These terms cause some confusion, for they
from him for a season.’ (Luke 4:13.)” (Eldred G.              are also used to refer to the leader of the final battle
Smith in CR, Apr. 1970, p. 142; see also 1 Nephi              before the Millennium begins, which is commonly
22:26.)                                                       called the battle of Armageddon. The terms
                                                              themselves come from Ezekiel 38, 39, where the battle
(56-7) Revelation 20:4. Who Is Meant in the Phrase            of Armageddon is described in some detail. Most
“Judgment Was Given unto Them”?                               scholars believe that Ezekiel chose these names as
“Under Christ, selected agents and representatives            symbols of great military prowess and wickedness.
shall sit in judgment upon specified peoples and              Joseph Fielding Smith clarifies the difference between
nations. Scriptural intimations indicate that there will      the battle of Armageddon and the battle of Gog and
be a great judicial hierarchy, each judge acting in his       Magog: “Before the coming of Christ, the great war,
own sphere of appointment in conformity with the              sometimes called Armageddon, will take place as
eternal principles of judgment which are in Christ. . . .     spoken of by Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. Another
“Our Lord promised his 12 apostolic ministers in              war of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium.”
Jerusalem that when he came in glory, they also               (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:45.)
should ‘sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
                                                              (56-10) Revelation 20:12. What Books Are to Be
tribes of Israel.’ (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30.) [Read
                                                              Used in the Judgment?
D&C 29:12; 1 Nephi 12:9, 10; 3 Nephi 27:27;
Mormon 3:19.]                                                 “We are informed that the books will be opened. One
                                                              of these books will be the record of our lives as it is
“Nor is this principle of placing eternal judgment in
                                                              kept in heaven. Other books which will be opened are
the hands of the Lord’s agents, who have undergone
                                                              records which have been kept on earth. From the very
the testing of mortality along with those who are to be
                                                              organization of the Church the Lord has given
judged, limited to the Jewish and Nephite Twelves.
                                                              instruction that records should be kept of the members
Paul said that the saints should judge both the world
                                                              of the Church.” (Smith, The Way to Perfection,
and angels (1 Cor. 6:2–3); and the faithful elders
                                                              p. 342.)
have this promise relative to those who reject their
testimony, ‘Know this, that in the day of judgment            (56-11) Revelation 20:14. What Is the Lake of Fire?
you shall be judges of that house, and condemn them;
And it shall be more tolerable for the heathen in the         “A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner.
day of judgment, than for that house.’ (D. &. C.              Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that
75:21–22; Matt. 10:14–15.) Daniel has left us the             burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of
assurance that when the Ancient of Days sits in that          disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a
great council at Adam-ondi-Ahman that then judgment           lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the
will be given to the saints of the Most High. (Dan.           torment of man.” (Smith, HC, 6:314.)
7:22.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 398–99.)              (56-12) Revelation 21:1. “And I Saw a New Heaven
(56-8) Revelation 20:4–6. Are There Varying Times             and a New Earth”
for the Resurrection?                                         “We discover from the word of the Lord that the earth,
Read D&C 88:96–102.                                           like mankind upon it, is passing through various stages
                                                              of development, or change. It was created and
(56-9) Revelation 20:7–10. The Battle of Gog and              pronounced good. It partook of the decree of mortality
Magog                                                         coming through the fall. It is now passing through the
                                                              telestial condition, in which telestial beings
John tells us clearly that after the Millennium Satan
                                                              predominate and rule. It will then pass into the
shall be loosed again, and one last great battle shall be
                                                              ‘renewed,’ or restored state, for a thousand years as a


                                                            469
terrestrial earth and the abode of terrestrial inhabitants.     “But when those here designated have suffered for
Then comes the end. The earth like all creatures living         their own sins, after they have paid the utmost farthing
on it must die. Then it will, like all creatures, receive       in hell, after they have suffered ‘the wrath of Almighty
its resurrection and be celestialized because it obeys          God, until the fulness of times,’ they shall come forth
its law.” (Smith, Church History and Modern                     in the second resurrection and receive their inheritance
Revelation, 1:295.)                                             in the telestial kingdom. (D. & C. 76:103–106.) That
                                                                is, the allotted period of their spiritual death shall
(56-13) Revelation 21:2, 3. The New Jerusalem                   cease; death and hell shall deliver up the dead which
“To envision what is meant by this title, we must               are in them; and all men, except the sons of perdition,
know these five facts:                                          shall receive their part in the kingdoms which are
                                                                prepared. Thus these vessels of wrath are ‘the only
“1. Ancient Jerusalem, the city of much of our Lord’s           ones on whom the second death shall have any power
personal ministry among men, shall be rebuilt in the            after the resurrection. (D. & C. 76:37.)” (McConkie,
last days and become one of the two great world                 DNTC, 3:583–84.)
capitals, a millennial city from which the word of the
Lord shall go forth.                                            (56-15) Revelation 21:17. How Long Is a Cubit?
“2. A New Jerusalem, a new Zion, a city of God shall            Cubit comes from the Latin cubitas, “the elbow,” and
be built on the American continent.                             originally signified the length from the tip of the
                                                                middle finger to the elbow. Though the cubit varied
“3. Enoch’s city, the original Zion, ‘the City of
                                                                somewhat down through the ages, it was
Holiness, . . . was taken up into heaven.’ (Moses
                                                                approximately a foot and a half. One hundred forty-
7:13–21.)
                                                                four cubits would be about 216 feet. The significance
“4. Enoch’s city, with its translated inhabitants now in        of the number may be symbolical, however. Twelve is
their resurrected state, shall return, as a New                 associated throughout with the holy city, and 144 is
Jerusalem, to join with the city of the same name               twelve squared.
which has been built upon the American continent.
                                                                (56-16) Revelation 22:1. The River and Tree of Life
“5. When this earth becomes a celestial sphere ‘that
great city, the holy Jerusalem,’ shall again descend            Read 1 Nephi, chapters 8 and 11.
‘out of heaven from God,’ as this earth becomes the
                                                                (56-17) Revelation 22:7. “I Come Quickly”
abode of celestial beings forever. (Rev. 21:10–27.)”
(McConkie, DNTC, 3:580–81.)                                     “Not soon, but in a quick manner; that is, with speed
                                                                and suddenness after all of the promised conditions
Read Moses 7:62–64.
                                                                precedent have occurred. ‘I am Jesus Christ, who
“And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are                cometh quickly, in an hour you think not.’ (D. & C.
going to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will                51:10.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:590.)
answer. Men and angels are to be co-workers in
bringing to pass this great work, and Zion is to be             (56-18) Revelation 22:9. “For I Am Thy
prepared, even a new Jerusalem, for the elect that are          Fellowservant”
to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth, and         “We are told by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that ‘there
to be established an holy city, for the tabernacle of the       are no angels who minister to this earth but those who
Lord shall be with them. . . .                                  do belong or have belonged to it.’ Hence, when
“I discover by this quotation, that John upon the isle of       messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants
Patmos, saw the same things concerning the last days,           of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the
which Enoch saw.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 84.)                    ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings
                                                                and fellow-servants.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
(56-14) Revelation 21:8. What Is the Second                     pp. 435–36.)
Death?
                                                                (56-19) Revelation 22:18, 19. Do Modern
“After the separation of the body and spirit, which is          Revelations “Add unto These Things”?
the natural death, the wicked and ungodly die a second
death, a spiritual death, meaning they are cast out of          “Of course, a careful reading of this text shows very
the presence of the Lord and are dead as pertaining to          clearly that John the Revelator was speaking only of
the things of righteousness, which are the things of the        the book of Revelation and not of any collection of
Spirit. [Read D&C 63:17, 18.]                                   other sacred writings. Moses used a similar expression
                                                                in speaking to ancient Israel when he said: ‘Ye shall
                                                              470
not add unto the word which I command you, neither             Of course, that hope is anchored in Christ, his gospel
shall ye diminish ought from it, . . .’ This is found in       and our obedience thereto.
the fourth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy (verse
                                                               No one can read these concluding chapters of
2). In the 12th chapter of the same book Moses said
                                                               Revelation without sensing the great joy and hope that
this: ‘What things soever I command you, observe to
                                                               was felt by John as he wrote. And yet consider the
do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from
                                                               circumstances that were then current. John himself
it.’ (Verse 32.)
                                                               was in exile. Most, if not all, of his fellow apostles had
“Can anyone suppose that in these words Moses laid             suffered martyrs’ deaths, and the church was on the
down a prohibition against all subsequent revelations          eve of one of the greatest apostasies of all history. And
and against all books which might be called scripture          yet this magnificent message of hope goes to the
in years to come? Did he have the power to silence all         beleaguered seven churches and to all of us. One can
future prophets and forbid them to speak or write as           only imagine the comfort the revelation must have
God intended that they should? Of course not, or we            given to those struggling saints standing at the eve of
would be without most of the Old Testament and                 their dispensation. What effect does it have on you
would have none of the New Testament at all.                   who live in the greatest of all dispensations: the
                                                               dispensation of the fulness of times? Though your
“It was the same with John the Revelator. In warning
                                                               time is certainly more hopeful, you see in the reality of
against additions to the book of Revelation he spoke
                                                               your life what John saw in vision: the culmination of
of that book only, insisting that no one attempt to
                                                               the struggle between the dragon, even that old serpent
change or corrupt what he had said. The Bible was not
                                                               the devil (Revelation 20:2), and the Christ, on whose
compiled when John wrote the book of Revelation, so
                                                               side you fought before the foundation of the world.
he could not possibly have referred to it.
                                                               You surely can take renewed hope from the Beloved
“Furthermore, scholars tell us that the Gospel of John         John, who, having seen our day and beyond, was so
was written after the book of Revelation, and if this be       ultimately hopeful and even sure of the righteous
true it becomes another indication that John had no            triumph of our God and of His Christ.
thought of precluding other writings but only of
protecting this particular book of Revelation from            Let us now consider together the following question:
change or corruption.” (Mark E. Petersen in CR, Oct.          Why is hope such an essential part of the gospel?
1964, p. 121.)                                                (See Romans 8:24.) List three or four reasons:
                                                              For further insights read 1 Peter 3:15. Could you
POINTS TO PONDER                                              give reasons “for the hope that is in you”?

JOHN HAD A LIVELY HOPE OF ETERNAL                             Read Alma 32:21 and Hebrews 11:1. (Note: The
LIFE, AND SO MUST ALL OF US                                   Inspired Version of Hebrews 11:1 substitutes the
                                                              word assurance for substance.) How essential is hope
(56-20) Saints Should Be Optimists                            to the development of faith?
“Yet, of all people, we as Latter-day Saints should be
the most optimistic and the least pessimistic. For while      (56-22) Hope—the Great Incentive to Repentance
we know that ‘peace shall be taken from the earth, and        “Hope is indeed the great incentive to repentance, for
the devil shall have power over his own dominion,’ we         without it no one would make the difficult, extended
are also assured that ‘the Lord shall have power over         effort required—especially when the sin is a major one.
his saints, and shall reign in their midst.’ (D&C 1:35–       Scriptures breathe hope into the soul of the convinced
36.)” (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Oct. 1974, p. 90.)             sinner.
(56-21) Our Hope Is Anchored in Christ                        “‘. . . he said unto him that the Lord surely should come
                                                              to redeem his people, but that he should not come to
The prophets of God, and especially the “seers” who           redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from
have seen as God sees from the beginning to the end           their sins.
(Ether 4:7), are substantial optimists because their
hope is sure. They are given a “knowledge of things as        “‘And he hath power given unto him from the Father to
they are, . . . were, and . . . are to come.” (D&C            redeem them from their sins because of repentance,
93:24.) As a matter of fact, our Articles of Faith state      . . .’ (Hel. 5:10–11.)” (Spencer W. Kimball, Church
that “we hope all things.” (Thirteenth Article of Faith.)     News, 2 Jan. 1971, p. 14.)



                                                            471
Without hope, where would the sinner be? (See             wisdom, and all power. . . . Believe that ye must
Moroni 10:22.) Read Hebrews 11:13.                        repent . . . and now, if you believe . . . see that ye
                                                          do. . . .” (Mosiah 4:9, 10.) On the other hand, the
How long must hope be maintained? Read
                                                          “double minded man is unstable in all his ways” and
Colossians 1:5 and Job 38:4–7.
                                                          as a result can bring no hope to fruition. (James 1:8.)
How long has hope been a part of the gospel and of
                                                          Sin Destroys Hope
your life?
                                                           The Lord has made it very plain that those who
                                                           involve themselves in the grosser sins of this fallen
(56-23) Hope unto Salvation                                world and then fail to repent cannot have a hope of a
“As used in the revelations, hope is the desire of         first resurrection. Rather, they are “thrust down to
faithful people to gain eternal salvation in the kingdom hell” (D&C 76:84), where they suffer and pay the
of God hereafter. It is not a flimsy, ethereal desire, one uttermost farthing (Matthew 5:26). Ultimately, as
without assurance that the desired consummation will John relates, they suffer the second death (Revelation
be received, but a desire coupled with full expectation 21:8), for where God and Christ dwell they cannot
of receiving the coveted reward.” (McConkie,               come (D&C 76:112).
Mormon Doctrine, p. 365.)                                  Lest we feel that we need not concern ourselves with
                                                           the sins listed above, it would be well to remember
SOME FACTORS ROB US OF THE HOPE                            that the Lord has said that he has seen abominations
THAT SAVES                                                 in the church that bears his name (D&C 50:4). He
                                                           has told us that we must not kill nor do anything like
Of the wicked, the Lord says, “their hopes [are] cut       unto it. Moreover, sexual sin is a serious problem in
off.” (D&C 121:14.) There can be no confidence in          the Church today and is the greatest cause for
the presence of the Lord unless there is obedience.        disfellowshipment and excommunication. The occult
“. . . When ye do not what I say, ye have no               and other manifestations of sorcery run rampant in
promise.” (D&C 82:10; see also 121:45.) In                 the world in which we live; and idolatry, or the
Revelation 21:8 John lists some of the factors that        worship of “things” other than the Lord, is
rob us of any lively hope unto eternal life. Read this     prominent. Men walk in their own ways, after the
verse and consider the following:                          image of [their] own God, whose image is in the
Fear Not!                                                  likeness of the world.” (D&C 1:16.) Finally, the
                                                           basic integrity of many has been so much
Fear. It is written of the unrighteous that rather than    compromised that they live a lie.
seek the Lord when he comes, they will call on the
rocks to fall on them to hide them from his wrath.         Without repentance there is no hope for the wicked.
(Revelation 6:16.) Conversely, the true love of God
casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). Constantly the           AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD HOPE
injunction to the saints is fear not! (See Matthew         FOR?
28:5; Luke 2:10; Revelation 1:17.) To all of us, the
                                                           In these last chapters of Revelation John identifies
gospel proclaims that “God hath not given us the
                                                           five of the great hopes we must have if we are ever to
spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a
                                                           have that faith unto eternal life that will anchor our
sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7.)
                                                           souls (Ether 12:4).
The Impotency of Unbelief
                                                           1. The hope to keep from receiving the mark of the
The Savior himself “did not many mighty works” in          beast (Revelation 20:4).
Nazareth because of the unbelief of the people.
                                                           As is stated in Alma 3:18–19, one marks, or curses,
(Matthew 13:58) Those who come to God must
                                                           himself by disobedience to God. Are you keeping
believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those
                                                           yourself more fully . . . “unspotted from the
who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Of course,
                                                           world” (James 1:27) by separating from it in all that
in the fullest sense belief is not merely intellectual
                                                           is evil?
assent but vivified, active and living belief which
leads to action; and the works produced are the fruits Hopefully, you are now more able than ever to
of enlightened hope. King Benjamin aptly taught his        discern the influences of Satan. There can be no
people: “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that      lively hope in disobedience. Sin brings only despair
he created all things . . . believe that he has all        (Moroni 10:22).


                                                       472
2. The hope to be called to “the marriage supper of           body. Of course, there can be no exaltation without
the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9.)                                 entering in at the gate of baptism (John 3:3–5).
                                                              Further, exaltation comes through the holy
In part, at least, the symbolism of the marriage
                                                              endowment (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 227),
supper refers to the coming of Christ to the earth at
                                                              and the crowning ordinance of celestial marriage
the outset of the great millennial day. (See Matthew
                                                              brings you to the fulness (D&C 131:4). All of these
11:1–14.) To be invited to this transcendent event is
                                                              blessings can be hoped for only as you live by all the
to be worthy to remain with Christ on the earth. As
                                                              covenants, walking always in obedience.
the Savior and John indicate, there can be no lively
hope for an invitation unless we keep our                     5. The hope for the coming of Christ (Revelation
“garments” clean of the sins of the world (Revelation         22:20).
16:15), “for the fine linen is the righteousness of
                                                              Certainly all of earth’s history finally revolves
saints” (Revelation 19:8).
                                                              around two pivotal points: the first coming of Christ
3. The hope to overcome all things (Revelation                in the meridian of time and his coming in glory at the
21:7).                                                        beginning of the Millennium. All the saints in all the
                                                              ages have yearned for the time when the earth would
The hope for perfection is real in the life of a Saint
                                                              rest, for the time when He whose right it is would
who has been born again. Though not accomplished
                                                              reign. This anticipation is called by many “the
in a day, you can be on your way to fulfilling this
                                                              Messianic hope.” That hope has been and will be
commandment. Such a course is essential to hope for
                                                              realized. You who have placed your trust in the Lord
eternal life.
                                                              will not be disappointed; your hope will not be
“We do not look for absolute perfection in man.               blasted. Whether it be in time or eternity, in life or
Mortal man is not capable of being absolutely                 death, each of you will see the day; and may it be
perfect. Nevertheless, it is given to us to be as perfect     that, as John, you will await it with a perfect
in the sphere in which we are called to be and to act,        brightness of hope. “Even so, come, Lord
as it is for the Father in heaven to be pure and              Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20.)
righteous in the more exalted sphere in which he
acts. . . . we can strive for that perfection with the
intelligence that we possess, and the knowledge that          (56-24) SUMMARY
we have of the principles of life and salvation. The
duty of the Latter-day Saints, and the paramount duty         You have come to the end of this manual. May it be
of those who are leaders . . . in the Church, is to           that your study has strengthened and blessed your life.
inculcate in the hearts of the young people these             Hopefully, you will return again and again to the
principles of righteousness, of purity of life, of honor,     words of life as found in all scripture, ancient and
of uprightness and of humility withal, that we may be         modern, for as the Prophet Joseph Smith said:
humble before God and acknowledge his hand in all             “This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the
things.” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 132.)          principle of eternal life, and so can you. . . . I know
4. The hope to be resurrected in the morning of the           that when I tell you these words of eternal life . . . you
first resurrection (Revelation 20:6).                         taste them, and I know that you believe them. You say
                                                              honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste the spirit
To come forth in the morning of the first resurrection        of eternal life. I know it is good . . . and rejoice more
is to receive, among other things, a celestialized            and more.” (Teachings, p. 355.)




                                                            473
474
APPENDIX
SECTION




   475
                                       APPENDIX A
PROPHECIES OF THE SAVIOR
Old Testament Prophecies (Adapted from J. Reuben
Clark, Jr., Our Lord of the Gospels [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1968], pp. 521–26.)
•   Lineage, Divine Birth, and Youth
•   Mortal Ministry
•   Atonement and Death
•   Resurrection, Triumph, and Divinity
Further Selected Prophecies
OLD TESTAMENT
PROPHECIES OF THE SAVIOR
Lineage, Divine Birth, and Youth

Genesis
49:9, 10             Of the tribe of Judah
Psalms
2:7                  The Father acknowledges him to be his Son
Isaiah
7:14                 Born of a virgin
9:1, 6, 7            Place of birth; Messiah to come as a son; lineage of David
11:1, 10             Lineage; of the house of David
53:2                 To grow up as a tender plant
60:6                 The Magi (See Matthew 2:11.)
Jeremiah
23:5, 6              Of the house of David
31:15                Massacre of the innocents (See Matthew 2:18.)
33:15                Lineage
Daniel
3:25                 Reference to the Son of God
7:13                 Reference to the Son of God
Hosea
11:1                 Taken for refuge into Egypt (See Matthew 2:15.)
Micah
5:2, 3               Relation to God; of the tribe of Judah; born in Bethlehem




                                                       476
Mortal Ministry

Deuteronomy
18:15–19          Advent; prophet
Psalms
8:2               Triumphant entry (See Matthew 21:16.)
35:11             Condemned on the evidence of false witnesses
41:9              His betrayal by a friend and disciple
45:1–17           Characteristics of his life and work
56:1–6            Constant presence of enemies
69:8              Brethren do not believe on him; rejected of men
69:9              The desecration of the temple, and his cleansing of it; his bearing
                      undeserving of reproach (See John 2:17.)
71:10, 11         Plots formed against him
72:1–20           Characteristics of his life and work
78:2              Method of teaching, parables
110:1–4           Characteristics of his life and work
118:22, 23        Rejected of men
118:26            Acclamations at his triumphal entry to Jerusalem
Proverbs
8:32–36           His teachings
Isaiah
6:9, 10           His teachings rejected (See Matthew 13:14.)
8:14              Rejected of men; to the Jews a stumbling stone
9:1               The place of his ministry, Galilee
11:1–3            Characteristics of his life and work
28:16             The cornerstone
40:3              A special herald to go before him
40:9–11           Time of advent
42:1–5            Characteristics of his life and work
49:7              Persecution
50:4–9            Characteristics of his life and work
52:13–15          Characteristics of his life and work
53:1–3            Characteristics of his life and work
61:1, 2           His teaching, its character and subject matter
Jeremiah
7:11              The desecration of the temple and his cleansing of it
Zechariah
9:9               His triumphal entry into Jerusalem
11:12, 13         His betrayal




                                                    477
Atonement and Death

Exodus
12:1–14         The Lamb of God
12:46           His bones not broken
Leviticus
16:7–22         Sin offering in behalf of the people
Numbers
21:6–9          Brass serpent lifted upon a pole to save the people
Job
19:25           Reference to Redeemer
Psalms
22:1–19         His sufferings and crucifixion
31:4, 5         His commendation of his spirit to his Father
34:20           No bone broken
35:11           Condemned through false witnesses
41:9            His betrayal by a friend and disciple
69:9            His bearing the reproaches of others
69:21           Sufferings on the cross; thirst; vinegar given him to drink
109:21–26       Mocked, his sufferings
118:22, 23      Rejected of men
Isaiah
8:14, 15        Rejected of men; to the Jews a stumbling stone
49:7            The Redeemer rejected
49:8            Mediator
52:3            Redeemed not by money
53:4–12         His sufferings, atonement, and death
59:16           An intercessor provided
59:20           Redeemer referred to
63:3            The blood of others upon him
Daniel
9:24–26         Cut off; vicarious sacrifice
Hosea
13:4, 14        Savior, Redeemer, and Ransomer
Zechariah
11:12, 13       His betrayal by a friend and disciple, for thirty pieces of silver
12:10           Pierced
13:6, 7         Betrayed; pierced




                                                    478
Resurrection, Triumph, and Divinity

Genesis
1:1                Called the Word of God (See Psalms 33:6 and John 1:1–14.)
2 Samuel
7:12               King of Israel
Job
19:25              To stand upon the earth
Psalms
2:6–8              His exaltation
8:4–6              The Son of Man; supremacy
16:10              The Holy One not to see corruption
16:11              Ascension
17:15              Resurrection
45:17              His name eternal
56:13              Resurrection
68:18              His ascension and triumph
72:17              His name eternal
89:27              Firstborn; King of Jews
110:1–3            His exaltation
110:4–7            Our great High Priest; his supremacy
118:17–19          Resurrection and triumph
Proverbs
8:22–31            Foreordination and divinity
Isaiah
9:6, 7             The mighty God, etc.; his kingdom
11:2–5             His supremacy
45:23              Ultimate universal acceptance of him
53:10              Made immortal
61:1–3             His kindness and power to bless
Daniel
7:13, 14           Son of man to have everlasting dominion
Hosea
13:14              To destroy death
Jonah
1:17               Raised on the third day (See Matthew 16:4.)
Malachi
4:1, 2             His second advent foretold




                                                   479
FURTHER SELECTED
PROPHECIES OF THE SAVIOR

Book of Mormon                             Pearl of Great Price
1 Nephi              Mosiah                Moses
1:21                 3:5–11                1:6
10:5–11              13:33–35              1:32, 33
11:12–34             15:5–13               2:1
13:40–42             Alma                  5:6–8
14:18–27                                   6:53, 54, 59, 62
19:16                7:9–13                7:45–47, 54–57
                     13:2, 16
2 Nephi              39:15
                     40:2, 3
6:13
9:5–8                Helaman
10:3
25:12–14, 16–27      8:13–24
26:1–3, 12, 13       13:6, 7
                     14:2–9, 20–28
Jacob                Ether
1:5–7                3:6–16




                                     480
                                         APPENDIX B
THE MIRACLES OF JESUS

MIRACLE                                                       WHERE RECORDED
The first miracle, water converted into wine.                 John 2:1–11
Healing nobleman’s son.                                       John 4:46–54
Jesus passes unseen through the crowd.                        Luke 4:28–30
The draught of fishes                                         Luke 5:1–11
An unclean spirit cast out.                                   Mark 1:21–28
                                                              Luke 4:31–37
Peter’s wife’s mother healed.                                 Matt. 8:14, 15
                                                              Mark 1:29–31
                                                              Luke 4:38, 39
A multitude healed.                                           Matt. 8:16, 17
                                                              Mark 1:32–34
                                                              Luke 4:40, 41
The leper healed.                                             Matt. 8:1–4
                                                              Mark 1: 40–45
                                                              Luke 5:17–26
A man with an infirmity of thirty-eight years’ standing healed. John 5:1–16
Man with withered hand healed.                                Matt. 12:9–13
                                                              Mark 3:1–5
                                                              Luke 6:6–10
Centurion’s servant healed of palsy.                          Matt. 8:5–13
                                                              Luke 7:2–10
The son of a widow of Nain raised.                            Luke 7:7–17
Blind and dumb demoniac healed.                               Matt. 12:22, 23
The storm stilled.                                            Matt. 8:23–27
                                                              Mark 4:35–41
                                                              Luke 8:22–25
The two Gadarene demoniacs healed.                            Matt. 8:28–34
                                                              Mark 5:1–20
                                                              Luke 8:26–39
The swine rush down into the sea and perish.                  Matt. 8:32–34
                                                              Mark 5:13–20
                                                              Luke 8:33–39
The daughter of Jairus raised.                                Matt. 9:18–26
                                                              Mark 5:22–43
                                                              Luke 8:41–56
The woman with the issue of blood healed.                     Matt. 9:20–22
                                                              Mark 5:25–34
                                                              Luke 8:43–48


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MIRACLE                                                        WHERE RECORDED

Two blind men healed.                                          Matt. 9:27–31
The dumb demoniac healed.                                      Matt. 9:32–34
The five thousand fed.                                         Matt. 14:14–21
                                                               Mark 6:33–34
                                                               Luke 9:11–17
                                                               John 6:1–14
Jesus walks on the sea.                                        Matt. 14:24–33
                                                               Mark 6:47–52
                                                               John 6:16–21
Peter saved.                                                   Matt. 14:28–33
The wind ceases, and the ship is immediately at the land.      Matt. 14:24–33
                                                               Mark 6:47–52
                                                               John 6:16–21
People healed by touch of his garment.                         Matt. 14:34–36
                                                               Mark 6:53–56
Daughter of the Greek woman healed.                            Matt. 15:22–28
                                                               Mark 7:25–30
Deaf man with impediment in speech healed.                     Mark 7:32–37
The four thousand fed.                                         Matt. 15:29–38
                                                               Mark 8:1–9
A blind man healed.                                            Mark 8:22–26
A demoniac boy healed after failure of disciples.              Matt. 17:14–21
                                                               Mark 9:14–29
                                                               Luke 9:37–43
The tribute money in the fish.                                 Matt. 17:24–27
Jesus passes through crowd unseen                              John 8:59
Jesus casts out a dumb devil.                                  Luke 11:14–26
Jesus heals a man born blind.                                  John 9:1–7
The woman long ill healed on Sabbath.                          Luke 13:11–17
The man with dropsy healed on Sabbath.                         Luke 14:1–6
The raising of Lazarus from the dead.                          John 11:17–46
The ten lepers healed.                                         Luke 17:11–19
Sight restored to Bartimaeus and another blind beggar.         Matt. 20:29–34
                                                               Mark 10:46–52
                                                               Luke 18:35–43
Barren fig tree cursed.                                        Matt. 21:18–21
                                                               Mark 11:12–21
They who were sent to take Jesus fall to the ground.           John 18:3–6
The ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant, healed.         Luke 22:50–51
The great haul of fishes.                                      John 21:6–14
(Adapted from J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Our Lord of the Gospels [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1968], pp. 535–37.)
                                                         482
                                           APPENDIX C
THE PARABLES OF JESUS

PARABLE                                                   WHERE RECORDED
Temple, if destroyed, to be raised in three days.         John 2:19–22
Candle under bushel.                                      Matt. 5:14–16
House on rock, and on sand.                               Matt. 7:24–27
Children of the bridechamber.                             Matt. 9:14, 15
                                                          Mark 2:18–20
                                                          Luke 5:33–35
Piece of new cloth in an old garment.                     Matt. 9:16
                                                          Mark 2:21
                                                          Luke 5:36
New wine in old bottles.                                  Matt. 9:17
                                                          Mark 2:22
                                                          Luke 5:37, 38
New wine as against old wine.                             Luke 5:39
The beam and the mote.                                    Luke 6:37–42
The two debtors.                                          Luke 7:36–50
The sower.                                                Matt. 13:3–23
                                                          Mark 4:3–25
                                                          Luke 8:5–18
The seed growing by itself.                               Mark 4:26–29
The tares.                                                Matt. 13:24–30
The mustard seed and the leaven.                          Matt. 13:31–35
                                                          Mark 4:30–34
Parable of the tares explained.                           Matt. 13:36–43
Treasure hid in a field.                                  Matt. 13:44
Pearl of great price.                                     Matt. 13:45, 46
The dragnet [Gospel Net].                                 Matt. 13:47, 48
The lost sheep, and the ninety and nine.                  Matt. 18:12–14
The harsh servant and the debt.                           Matt. 18:23–35
The good Samaritan.                                       Luke 10:25–37
The friend at midnight.                                   Luke 11:5–13
The unclean spirit.                                       Luke 11:24–26
The foolish rich man.                                     Luke 12:13–21
The watchful servants.                                    Luke 12:35–40
The faithful and wise steward.                            Luke 12:41–48
The unfruitful fig tree.                                  Luke 13:6–9

                                                    483
PARABLE                                                      WHERE RECORDED
The good shepherd.                                           John 10:1–18
The mustard seed and the leaven.                             Luke 13:18–21
The shut door.                                               Luke 13:23–30
The wedding feast.                                           Luke 14:7–11
The great supper.                                            Luke 14:16–24
The building of the tower.                                   Luke 14:25–30
The king going to make war.                                  Luke 14:31–33
The lost sheep.                                              Luke 15:3–7
The ten pieces of silver.                                    Luke 15:8–10
The return of the prodigal son.                              Luke 15:11–32
The unjust steward.                                          Luke 16:1–13
The rich man and Lazarus.                                    Luke 16:19–31
Servant and master supping.                                  Luke 17:7–10
The importunate widow.                                       Luke 18:1–8
The Pharisee and the publican.                               Luke 18:9–14
The labourers in the vineyard.                               Matt. 20:1–16
The ten pounds.                                              Luke 19:11–27
The two sons.                                                Matt. 21:28–32
The wicked husbandman.                                       Matt. 21:33–46
                                                             Mark 12:1–12
                                                             Luke 20:9–18
The king’s son.                                              Matt. 22:1–14
The fig tree leaves.                                         Matt. 24:32, 33
                                                             Mark 13:28, 29
                                                             Luke 21:29–33
The man taking a long journey.                               Mark 13:34–37
The faithful and the evil servant.                           Matt. 24:42–51
The ten virgins.                                             Matt. 25:1–13
The talents.                                                 Matt. 25:14–30
The sheep and the goats.                                     Matt. 25:31–46
(Adapted from Clark, Our Lord of the Gospels, pp. 538–40.)




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                                         APPENDIX D
PETER, MY BROTHER                                            His eyes had seen, his ears had heard, and his heart
                                                             had understood and accepted the wondrous
By Elder Spencer W. Kimball                                  happenings of the days from the baptism of the Master
Today I wish to talk about my brother, my colleague,         in the waters of Jordan to the ascension of his
my fellow apostle—Simon Barjona or Cephas or Peter           Redeemer from the Mount of Olives.
the Rock.                                                    I see this great church president assume leadership of
Some time ago a newspaper in a distant town carried          the church. I see the sick and infirm arise and leap to
an Easter Sunday religion editorial by a minister who        health and normalcy. I hear his powerful sermons. I
stated that the presiding authority of the early-day         see him walk steadily, unflinchingly to martyrdom and
church fell because of self-confidence, indecision, evil     drink of its bitter cup.
companions, failure to pray, lack of humility, and fear      But this sectarian minister belittled him, unmercifully
of man. He than concluded:                                   undercut him, and downgraded him.
Let us as people, especially those who are Christians        Much of the criticism of Simon Peter is centered in his
and claim to abide by the Word of God, not make the          denial of his acquaintance with the Master. This has
same mistakes and fall as Peter fell. (Rev. Dorsey E.        been labeled “cowardice.” Are we sure of his motive
Dent, “A Message for This Week.”)                            in that recorded denial? He had already given up his
As I read this, I had some strange emotions. I was           occupation and placed all worldly goods on the altar
shocked, then I was chilled, then my blood changed its       for the cause. If we admit that he was cowardly and
temperature and began to boil. I felt I was attacked         denied the Lord through timidity, we can still find a
viciously, for Peter was my brother, my colleague, my        great lesson. Has anyone more completely overcome
example, my prophet, and God’s anointed. I whispered         mortal selfishness and weakness? Has anyone
to myself, “That is not true. He is maligning my             repented more sincerely? Peter has been accused of
brother.”                                                    being harsh, indiscreet, impetuous, and fearful. If all
                                                             these were true, then we still ask, Has any man every
                 A Man with Vision                           more completely triumphed over his weaknesses?
Then I opened my New Testament. I could find no                                The First Apostle
such character as this modern minister described.
Instead, I found a man who had grown perfect through         Good men were among the Lord’s followers, yet
his experiences and suffering—a man with vision, a           Cephas was chosen the number one. The Lord knew
man of revelations, a man fully trusted by his Lord          well the guilelessness of Nathanial, the tender love of
Jesus Christ.                                                John, the erudition of Nicodemus, and the faithfulness
                                                             and devotion of James and the other brethren. Christ
I remember his sad, triple denial of his acquaintance        knew men’s inner thoughts and saw their
with the Lord in those terrifying, frustrating moments.      manifestations of faith. In short, he knew men; yet he
I recall his tearful repentance. Many times he was           chose from all of them this great character who
rebuked by the Master, but he learned by experience          possessed the virtues, powers, and leadership needed
and never seemed to make the same error twice. I see         to give stability to the church and to lead men to
a lowly fisherman, untaught and untrained, climb             accept the gospel and follow truth.
gradually under the tutelage of the best Teacher to the
high pinnacle of great faith, bold leadership,               When Christ chose this fisherman for his first and
unwavering testimony, unparalleled courage, and              chief apostle, he was taking no chances. He picked a
almost limitless understanding. I see the lay disciple       diamond in the rough—a diamond that would need to
become the chief apostle to preside over the Lord’s          be cut, trimmed, and polished by correction,
church and kingdom. I hear him breathing heavily as          chastisement, and trials—but nevertheless a diamond
he laboriously climbs the steep Mount of                     of real quality. The Savior knew this apostle could be
Transfiguration. Here he sees and hears unspeakable          trusted to receive the keys of the kingdom, the sealing
things and has the transcendent experience of being in       and the loosing power. Like other humans, Peter
the presence of his God, Elohim; Jehovah, his                might make some errors in his developing process, but
Redeemer; and other heavenly beings.                         he would be solid, trustworthy, and dependable as a


                                                           485
leader of the kingdom of God. Even with so perfect a          Peter was under fire; all the hosts of hell were against
teacher it was difficult to learn the vast gospel plan in     him. The die had been cast for the Savior’s
three years.                                                  crucifixion. If Satan could destroy Simon now, what a
                                                              victory he would score. Here was the greatest of all
Peter inquired of Jesus:
                                                              living men. Lucifer wanted to confuse him, frustrate
Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what         him, limit his prestige, and totally destroy him.
shall we have therefore?                                      However, this was not to be, for he was chosen for and
                                                              ordained to a high purpose in heaven, as was
And Jesus said unto them, verify I say unto you, that
                                                              Abraham.
ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when
the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye       Peter followed the Savior to his trial and sat in the
also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve        outer court. What else could he do? He knew that
tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:27–28.)                         many times the Savior himself had escaped from the
                                                              crowd by slipping out of their clutches. Would he
Is it conceivable that the omniscient Lord would give
                                                              again do so?
all these powers and keys to one who was a failure or
unworthy?                                                     Though the Lord taught of the coming crucifixion and
                                                              resurrection, neither Simon nor anyone else fully
If Peter was cowardly, how brave he became in so
                                                              comprehended his meaning. Was this so strange?
short a time. If he was weak and vacillating, how
                                                              Never before had there been such a person or such an
strong and positive he became in weeks and months. If
                                                              occurrence upon the earth. Millions today cannot
he was unkind, how tender and sympathetic he
                                                              understand the resurrection, even though it has been
became almost immediately. Responsibility as a
                                                              preached for nineteen hundred years as a reality with
refiner and a purger usually takes time.
                                                              many infallible proofs. Could these men, then, be
If Peter was frightened in the court when he denied his       criticized for not fully understanding this frustrating
association with the Lord, how brave he was hours             situation?
earlier when he drew his sword against an
                                                              Is it possible that there might have been some other
overpowering enemy, the night mob. Later defying the
                                                              reason for Peter’s triple denial? Could he have felt that
people and state and church officials, he boldly
                                                              circumstances justified expediency? When he bore a
charged, “Him [the Christ] . . . ye have taken, and by
                                                              strong testimony in Caesarea Philippi, he had been
wicked hands have crucified and slain.” (Acts 2:23.)
                                                              told that “they should tell no man that he was Jesus the
To the astounded populace at the healing of the cripple
                                                              Christ.” (Matthew 16:20.)
at the Gate Beautiful, he exclaimed, “Ye men of
Israel . . . the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son   When the three apostles came down from the Mount
Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the            of Transfiguration, they were again charged implicitly,
presence of Pilate. . . . ye denied the Holy One. . . .       “Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be
And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath                  risen again from the dead.” (Matthew 17:9.) Could
raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”              Peter have felt this was not the time to tell of Christ?
(Acts 3:12–15.)                                               He had been with his Lord in Nazareth when the
                                                              Savior was taken by his own people to the brow of the
Does this portray cowardice? Quite a bold assertion
                                                              hill, “whereon their city was built, that they might cast
for a timid one. Remember that Peter never denied the
                                                              him down headlong. But he passing through the midst
divinity of Christ. He only denied his association or
                                                              of them went his way.” (Luke 4:29–30.) Surely Peter
acquaintance with the Christ, which is quite a different
                                                              did not think of this escape as cowardice but as wise
matter.
                                                              expediency. Christ’s time was not come.
Could it have been confusion and frustration that
caused Peter’s denial? Could there still have been                        The Approaching Crucifixion
some lack of understanding concerning the total               When the Lord had spent some energy in attempting
unfolding of the plan? Being a leader, Peter was a            to explain the coming crisis—“how that he must go
special target of the adversary. As the Lord said:            unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you,         and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be
that he may sift you as wheat:                                raised again the third day”—Peter attempted to
                                                              dissuade the Savior from thinking of such calamity.
But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. (Luke     (See Matthew 16:21.) He was promptly chastised for
22:31–32.)


                                                            486
suggesting escape from the tragedy. Perhaps he should        betray his Master with a kiss, and his Master had not
have understood that it was the Lord’s will that the         repulsed him. Peter had been reminded that angels
dire happenings occur.                                       could be summoned if protection was needed; he had
                                                             been commanded to put away his sword. Even now he
What this meant—that the hour was now come—Peter
                                                             did not desert his Master but followed sorrowfully
may not have fully realized, but he was prohibited
                                                             behind the jeering crowd. He would remain to the end.
from resisting the coming crucifixion by the Redeemer
                                                             He likely heard every accusation, saw every indignity
himself. Was he frustrated? Perhaps for the moment,
                                                             heaped upon his Lord, felt all the injustice of the mock
but how many of us in a hostile camp, totally helpless
                                                             trial, and noted the perfidy of false witnesses perjuring
to save, would champion the Lord under such
                                                             their souls. He saw them foully expectorate in the face
circumstances, especially when previous efforts had
                                                             of the Holy One; he saw them buffet, strike, slap, and
been repulsed? Had not Peter single-handedly already
                                                             taunt him. He observed the Lord making no resistance,
raised his sword against a “great multitude with
                                                             calling for no protective legions of angels, asking for
swords and staves”? (Matthew 26:47.) Had he not
                                                             no mercy. What was Peter to think now?
attempted to defend the Lord from all the mob’s
manhandling and kidnapping, and was he not stopped                                 His Denial
by his Lord?
                                                             A smart aleck damsel accused Peter, “Thou also wast
The Savior had walked calmly from Gethsemane’s               with Jesus of Galilee.” (Matthew 26:69.) What would
garden, seemingly resigned to the inevitable sacrifice       his further defense of the Lord accomplish in this
of himself. Simon had courageously manifested his            situation? Would it displease Jesus? Would it only
willingness to alone fight the great mob to protect his      destroy Peter himself without beneficial effect? Would
Master. At the risk of death he had struck the               Christ want him to fight now, when he had denied him
contemptible Malthus and sliced off his ear. But this        that privilege earlier that evening?
act of bravery and personal disregard was stopped by
the Lord, who said to his loyal apostle:                     Then another maid announced to the bystanders and
                                                             villains, “This fellow was also with Jesus of
Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that     Nazareth.” (Matthew 26:71.) Peter replied, “I do not
take the sword shall perish with the sword.                  know the man.” (Matthew 26:72.) And others,
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father,           recognizing his Galilean accent, declared, “Surely
and he shall presently give me more than twelve              thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth
legions of angels? (Matthew 26:52–53.)                       thee.” (Matthew 26:73.)
What more could Peter do? How else could he show             What was he to do? Could he do more? What would
his loyalty and courage? Could it be that in these last      have been the result had he admitted his connection?
hours Peter realized that he should stop protecting his      Would he have lived to preside over the church? Peter
Lord, that the crucifixion was inevitable, and that          had seen the Savior escape from crowds many times
regardless of all his acts, the Lord was moving toward       and hide from assassins. Is it conceivable that Peter
his destiny? I do not know. I only know that this            also saw advisable advantage to the cause in his
apostle was brave and fearless.                              denial? Had Peter come to fully realize the hidden
                                                             meaning in the oft-repeated phrase “Mine hour is not
Events followed each other in rapid succession. At           yet come” (John 2:4), and did he now understand that
Gethsemane Peter was futilely trying to defend his           “now is the Son of man glorified” (John 13:31)?
Lord one hour; in the next he was following the mob.
Apparently the Savior was voluntarily suffering men          I do not pretend to know what Peter’s mental reactions
to heap monumental indignities upon him. What                were nor what compelled him to say what he did that
should Peter do?                                             terrible night. But in light of his proven bravery,
                                                             courage, great devotion, and limitless love for the
He boldly and meaningfully postulated to the Savior,         Master, could we not give him the benefit of the doubt
“Though all men shall be offended because of thee,           and at least forgive him as his Savior seems to have
yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26:33.) To           done so fully. Almost immediately Christ elevated
which the Lord replied, “This night, before the cock         him to the highest position in his church and endowed
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” (Matthew 26:34.)           him with the complete keys of that kingdom.
This was a critical moment. Peter’s act of protection        Simon Barjona did not have long to consider the
with his sword-slashing had been after this prediction       matter or change his decisions, for he now heard the
was made. He had tried. He had seen one apostle


                                                           487
cock crow twice and was reminded of Christ’s                 unfolded as they traveled the dusty or rocky paths of
prediction. He was humbled to the dust. Hearing the          Galilee. Surely, his innumerable questions were
bird’s announcement of the dawn reminded him not             answered by the Lord as they ate together, slept
only that he had denied the Lord but also that all the       together, and walked together. The hours were
Lord had said would be fulfilled, even to the                precious as rare jewels. He heard the parables given to
crucifixion. He went out and wept bitterly. Were his         the people and learned the rich lessons therein.
tears for personal repentance only, or were they
                                                             Peter heard the constant flow of divinity in the
mingled with sorrowful tears in realization of the fate
                                                             ceaseless unfolding of the way of life. He grasped
of his Lord and Master and his own great loss?
                                                             many lessons readily but had difficulty in
Only hours passed until he was among the first at the        understanding the experiences that had never before
tomb as the head of the group of believers. Only             occurred on earth. He perceived the darkening shadow
weeks passed until he was assembling the saints and          and the lowering clouds but could not fully
organizing them into a compact, strong, and unified          comprehend their meaning. No personage in his
community. It was not long before he was languishing         experience had ever given his life in this manner. No
in prison, being beaten, abused, and “sifted as wheat”       soul on earth had ever been resurrected. It took time
as Christ had predicted. (See Luke 22:31.)                   for these awesome truths to penetrate his mind. It was
                                                             hard for him to think of spiritual leadership only. Peter
                  Of Humble Origin                           expected Christ to take the sword and redeem Israel.
Simon Peter, son of Jonas, began his matchless career        But when Gethsemane was passed, when Golgotha
under most humble circumstances. A common                    was a hard nightmare, when the Lord had risen and
operator of boats, a fisher of fish, and a man once          ascended, and when the Comforter had come, the great
rated as “ignorant and unlearned,” he climbed the            compelling truth burst forth and was impressed upon
ladder of knowledge until he knew, as perhaps no             his mind. The miscellaneous tiles were now set into a
other living person, his Father, Elohim; the Son,            beautiful pattern. The mosaic was a glorious reality;
Jehovah; and Christ’s program and relationship with          and Peter, James and John and their associates went
men. He was spiritual and devout. He came without            forth to convert a hard, resisting world.
persuasion, probably walking every step of the length        Peter was full of faith. He never faltered. From the day
of the major Jordan to hear the powerful sermons of          he forsook his nets and boats, his feet never turned
the fearless John the Baptist. Little did he know the        away. Even in his moment of denial, he was as near to
great things in store for him. Here he heard the voice       his Lord as he could be. Let him who would be critical
of the prophet and may have been baptized by him.            of this apostle put himself in the same place—among
Peter’s brother, Andrew, declared, “We have found            the bitterest enemies, persecutors, and assassins—with
the Messias, which is, bring interpreted, the                a growing knowledge of the futility of defending his
Christ.” (John 1:41.) They had undoubtedly heard             Lord, whose hour had come. He who had forgiven his
John the Baptist declare, “Behold the Lamb of God,           crucifiers also forgave Peter who had denied him.
which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29.)        Peter was a man of faith. He healed the sick by their
But to hear the voice of the living Father, God, now         merely passing through his shadow. Prison walls
acknowledge Jesus as his Begotten Son must have              could not hold him. Because of him, the dead came
stirred this humble fisherman to his foundations.            back to life. He walked upon the water. Though this
Simon Peter was ill prepared at this time to assume          was not a total triumph, has any other human soul
great responsibility, but the Master knew his potential.     succeeded? Let him who would scoff at Peter’s
On the day of his call began the intensive training that     momentary wavering try such a feat himself.
was to bring this humble man and his associates to           Simon Peter was humble. He recognized James and
great leadership, immortality, and eternal life.             John, who were with him on the Holy Mount and who
Simon Peter’s education, both secular and spiritual,         shared with him the sorrows of Gethsemane. Perhaps
had been limited, but now he followed the Master             his first official act, as presiding authority, was to call
Teacher. He heard the Sermon on the Mount; he stood          a conference at which the saints were to have voice in
with the Redeemer in the boat and heard the masterful        filling the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. A
sermons to the congregated people. He sat in the             new witness was chosen.
synagogues, listening to the convincing and powerful         When the lame walked under the administration of
statements of the Creator. The Scriptures were               Peter and John and when the awestricken multitude


                                                           488
gaped and wondered, Peter gave credit to the God of          meekness. He commanded the husbands to honor their
Israel, saying, “Why look ye so earnestly on us, as          wives as partners, to love them, to be compassionate
though by our power or holiness we had made this             to them, and to treasure them. He urged parents to be
man to walk?” (Acts 3:12.) When Dorcas Tabitha lay           kind to children and the posterity to honor and obey
dead, there was no display nor ostentation. He simply        the parents. He urged employers to be honorable and
“put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed,”          just with their workers and employees to give service
and presented the living Tabitha back to her friends.        willingly. He urged the clean and constructive life and
(See Acts 9:40–41.)                                          forbade company with rioters, wine-bibbers, revelers,
                                                             banqueters; idolaters, and lustful ones. He urged
He accepted threats, beatings, and calumny. He defied
                                                             service in the church, the sober life, a vigilant faith,
those who condemned his Lord, saying, “We ought to
                                                             and works leading toward perfection.
obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29.) He charged
them with the slaughter of the Redeemer, then stood          The great leader frequently repeated his testimony as
before them without flinching. He chastised the              an eyewitness and an ear witness to spectacular and
sorcerer Simon, saying, “Thy money perish with               eventful happenings. Foreshadowing the apostasy, he
thee.” (Acts 8:20.) He stood before his brethren and         testified that false teachers with damnable heresies
announced a major policy change in the church                would come after his departing to deny the Lord and
whereby gentiles might be accepted.                          to make merchandise of the souls of men. (See 2 Peter
                                                             2:1–3.) He placed the divine stamp of approval on the
Simon Peter was spiritual and prophetic. He received
                                                             writings of the Old Testament and unfolded the
the revelations concerning the church. Angels
                                                             history of the world, which covered the flood, the
accompanied him in and released him from the prison,
                                                             destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other
and a great vision opened the door to millions of
                                                             important events. Again and again, he preached the
honest souls.
                                                             law of chastity and cleanliness and denounced the
His testimony was as the rock, his faith unwavering.         evils of sporting, feasting, adultery, incontinence, and
The Savior, abandoned by others, asked Peter, “Will          covetousness.
ye also go away?” (John 6:67.) Peter replied, “Lord, to
                                                             As he neared martyrdom, drinking a bitter cup
whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
                                                             somewhat like his Master and Teacher, he made sure
life.” (John 6:68.) Shortly before the crucifixion, the
                                                             that the world would know his witness and sureness.
Lord asked, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew
                                                             Sitting figuratively on the brink of his grave, he made
16:15.) The answer revealed from God expressed the
                                                             a solemn declaration which has been read by countless
power and character of Peter: “Thou art the Christ, the
                                                             millions. To the members of the church, he prayed
Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16.) The Savior
                                                             that they might have a “knowledge of God, and of
replied, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
                                                             Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2.) He gloried in the
thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew
                                                             “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these
16:17.) Heavenly messengers he had seen; martyrs he
                                                             ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
had accompanied; with the Son of God he had lived.
                                                             escaped the corruption that is in the world through
The Comforter had come, and never was there
                                                             lust.” (2 Peter 1:4.)
faltering or questioning in his mind again.
                                                             Peter continued:
                  Peter’s Teachings
                                                             Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make
The teachings of Simon Peter are to all people, even to      your calling and election sure. . . .
the latest generation. He bore testimony constantly of
the divinity of the Christ. As he had been forgiven of       Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle,
his weaknesses, he now urged all men to forgive. He          to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
urged the chaste and virtuous life. He taught honesty        Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
and urged that members live in peace with the                even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
gentiles. This apostle taught his people to honor kings,
governments, and laws; to endure grief, suffering, and       Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my
buffeting patiently; and to consider revilement and          decease to have these things always in remembrance.
suffering for the Lord’s sake a blessing. Perhaps he         For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
had seen much marital unhappiness; for he                    when we made known unto you the power and coming
commanded wives to be subject to and convert their           of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his
unbelieving husbands through their own goodness and          majesty.


                                                           489
For he received from God the Father honour and            appeared on the banks of the Susquehanna River in
glory, when there came such a voice to him from the       Pennsylvania, where Peter delivered to the young
excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am     prophets the keys of the kingdom, which the apostles
well pleased.                                             possessed from the Lord Jesus Christ.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard,           The apostle lives. The weak things of the world
when we were with him in the holy mount. (2 Peter         confounded the wise. Millions have read his
1:10, 13–18.)                                             testimony. His powerful witness has stirred
                                                          multitudes. Through the countless ages of eternity, he
When his work was done, his testimony borne, his
                                                          will live and extend his influence over the children of
witness delivered, his numbered days run out, Satan
                                                          this earth. With his brethren, the Twelve, he will judge
who had long desired him was now permitted to take
                                                          the nations.
him in martyrdom. His testimony came from his dying
lips.                                                     My young brothers and sisters, I hope that you can
                                                          love and accept the great prophet, Peter, as I feel in
But Simon Peter was not dead. Important changes
                                                          my heart to do. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
came to him—the dissolution of his body, but also the
                                                          (Speeches of the Year [Provo, Utah: Brigham Young
resurrection of his soul. With his loyal associates,
                                                          University Press, 1971], pp. 1–8.)
James and John, Simon Peter returned to the earth,
bridging the gap of darkened centuries. Together they




                                                        490
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A Syllabus of New Testament Readings on Jesus and          Farrar, Frederic William. The Life of Christ. Portland:
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                                                           ———. The Life and Works of St. Paul. New York:
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Clark, J. Reuben, Jr. Behold the Lamb of God. Salt
    Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1962.                     Kimball, Spencer W. Faith Precedes the Miracle. Salt
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Clarke, Adam. The Holy Bible . . . A Commentary and
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Conference Report of The Church of Jesus Christ of         ———. Stand Ye in Holy Places. Salt Lake City:
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Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. New York:          ———. Ye Are the Light of the World. Salt Lake City:
   Washington Square Press, 1957.                            Deseret Book Co., 1974.
Dummelow, J. R., ed. A Commentary on the Holy              ———. Youth and the Church. Salt Lake City:
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Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the
   Messiah. 2 vols. Grand Rapids: William B.               ———, comp. Masterful Discourses and Writings of
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Matthews, Robert J. A Burning Light. Provo, Utah:          ———. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
   Brigham Young University Press, 1972.                     Compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith. Salt Lake
                                                             City: Deseret Book Co., 1938.
———. The Parables of Jesus. Provo, Utah: Brigham
  Young University Press, 1969.                            Smith, Joseph F. Gospel Doctrine. Salt Lake City:
                                                              Deseret Book Co., 1939.
———. Unto All Nations: A Guide to the Book of Acts
  and Writings of Paul. Salt Lake City: Deseret            Smith, Joseph Fielding. Answers to Gospel Questions.
  Book, 1975.                                                 5 vols. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957.
Maxwell, Neal A. A Time to Choose. Salt Lake City:         ———. Doctrines of Salvation. Compiled by
   Deseret Book Co., 1972.                                   Bruce R. McConkie. 3 vols. Salt Lake City:
                                                             Bookcraft, 1954–56.
McConkie, Bruce R. Doctrinal New Testament
  Commentary. 3 vols. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,           ———. Essentials in Church History. 22d ed. enl.
  1965–73. Cited as DNTC.                                    Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971.
———. Mormon Doctrine. 2d ed. Salt Lake City:               ———. Seek Ye Earnestly. Salt Lake City: Deseret
  Bookcraft, 1966.                                           Book Co., 1970.
McKay, David O. Ancient Apostles. Salt Lake City:          ———. Signs of the Times. Salt Lake City: Deseret
  Deseret Sunday School Union, n.d.                          Book Co., 1952.
———. Gospel Ideals. Salt Lake City: Improvement            ———. Take Heed to Yourselves. Salt Lake City:
  Era Publication, 1953.                                     Deseret Book Co., 1966.
———. Pathways to Happiness. Salt Lake City:                ———. The Way to Perfection. Salt Lake City:
  Bookcraft, 1957.                                           Deseret Book Co., 1970.
———. Treasures of Life. Compiled by Clare                  Smith, Joseph Fielding, Jr., and Stewart, John J. The
  Middlemiss. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,               Life of Joseph Fielding Smith. Salt Lake City:
  1962.                                                       Deseret Book Co., 1972.
Miller, Madeleine S., and Miller, J. Lane. Harper’s        Smith, William. A Dictionary of the Bible. rev. ed.
    Bible Dictionary. New York: Harper and Brothers,          Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House,
    1959.                                                     1948.
Pratt, Parley P. Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt.     Speeches of the Year. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young
    Edited by Parley P. Pratt [son]. Salt Lake City:          University Press.
    Deseret Book Co., 1938.
                                                           Spencer, Clarissa Young, and Harmer, Mabel.
———. A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All                Brigham Young at Home. Salt Lake City: Deseret
  People. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, n.d.            Book Co., 1940.
———. Key to the Science of Theology. 10th ed. Salt         Sperry, Sidney B. Paul’s Life and Letters. Salt Lake
  Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1966.                          City: Bookcraft, 1955.
Roberts, B. H. A Comprehensive History of the              Talmage, James E. Articles of Faith. 24th ed. Salt
   Church. 6 vols. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,          Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
   1959.                                                      day Saints, 1946.
Romney, George J., comp. (Discourses of Marion G.          ———. Jesus the Christ. 32d ed. Salt Lake City: The
   Romney) Look to God and Live. Salt Lake City:             Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946.
   Deseret Book Co., 1971.
                                                           ———. The Great Apostasy. Salt Lake City: Deseret
Sill, Sterling W. The Law of the Harvest. Salt Lake          Book Co., 1968.
     City: Bookcraft, 1963.
                                                           Taylor, John. Items on Priesthood. Salt Lake City:
Smith, Joseph. History of The Church of Jesus Christ          Deseret News, 1881.
   of Latter-day Saints. Edited by B. H. Roberts.
                                                           ———. The Gospel Kingdom. Compiled by G. Homer
   7 vols. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ
                                                             Durham. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1943.
   of Latter-day Saints, 1932–51. Cited as HC.



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———. Mediation and Atonement. Salt Lake City:           ———. Life of Heber C. Kimball. 3d ed. Salt Lake
  Deseret News, 1882.                                     City: Bookcraft, 1967.
Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New              ———. Saturday Night Thoughts. Salt Lake City:
   Testament. 4 vols. New York: Charles Scriber’s         Deseret News Press, 1921.
   Sons, 1901.
                                                        Widtsoe, John A. Evidences and Reconciliations.
When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren (a        3 vols. 2d ed. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1951.
   study guide for Melchizedek Priesthood quorums
                                                        Young, Brigham. Discourses of Brigham Young.
   of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
                                                           Compiled by John A. Widtsoe. Salt Lake City:
   Saints, for 1974–75). Salt Lake City: The Church
                                                           Deseret Book Co., 1954.
   of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1974.
Whitney, Orson F. Elias, an Epic of the Ages. New
   York: Knickerbocker Press, 1904.




                                                      493
494
                                                  AUTHOR INDEX
Some quotes do not have a number and so are described by location.
[Note: Page numbers given here are those in the printed manual, not this special PDF version.]
BALLARD, MELVIN J.
    We Partake of the Sacrament to Satisfy Our Spiritual Hunger ......................................................... 12-9
    The Time to Begin the Process of Becoming Perfect Is Now......................................................... 46-27
    Why Was Abraham Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac? ....................................................................... 48-8
BENNION, LOWELL L.
    What Are Hypocrites?....................................................................................................................... 21-6
BENSON, EZRA TAFT
    Putting the First Commandments First ........................................................................................... 16-12
    Jesus the Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer, Is Risen!.................................................................... 27-19
    Those Who Follow the Prophets Need Not Fear ............................................................................ 33-21
    The Present-Day Welfare Program Is One Way to Be Prepared .................................................... 33-23
    When We Love God and Our Fellowmen, We Cannot Be Deceived by Those
        Who Profess Love for Humanity but Work Against Man’s True Welfare............................... 52-16
    Saints Should Be Optimists ............................................................................................................ 56-20
    [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 284
BOWEN, ALBERT E.
    The Teachings of James May Be Paralleled with the Sermon on the Mount as a
       Pattern for Perfection................................................................................................................ 49-27
BROCKBANK, BERNARD P.
    “Simon, . . . Lovest Thou Me More than These?” ............................................................................ 28-3
BROWN, HUGH B.
    “The Lord Wants You to Give the Balance of Your Life to the Church” ...................................... 19-13
    The Importance of Taming the Tongue .......................................................................................... 49-13
BURTON, THEODORE M.
    Was Paul Suggesting That the Saints Were Perfect? ........................................................................ 44-9
CLARK, JAMES R.
    Jesus Was the First Begotten in the Spirit and the Only Begotten in the Flesh .................................. 2-3
    Righteousness Comes by Revelation .............................................................................................. 51-18
    Jesus Christ the Firstborn of Elohim ...................................................................................Chap. 2 Intro.
CLARK, J. REUBEN, JR.
    A Lost Sentence in Luke ................................................................................................................... 16-6
    [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 439
DICKENS, CHARLES
    [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 359
DUMMELOW, J. R.
    What Are the “Dogs” Spoken of in Matthew 15:26?........................................................................ 13-9
    How Did Many Jewish Leaders in the Day of Jesus Interpret the Term Neighbor? ........................ 16-3
    It Is a Classic of Spiritual Autobiography......................................................................................... 44-1

                                                                                495
DYER, ALVIN R.
   . . . As You Contemplated His Life and Mission, As You Received the Humble and
         Solemn Witness That He Lives? .............................................................................................. 27-18
EDERSHEIM, ALFRED
   Who Were the Scribes?..................................................................................................................... 13-3
FARRAR, FREDERICK WILLIAM
   Those Whose Hearts Are Impure Are Offended by Spiritual Truth ................................................. 13-2
   Was the Apostle Paul a Married Man? ............................................................................................. 35-5
   What Was It Like to Be Scourged by the Jews? ............................................................................. 37-12
GRANT, HEBER J.
   Heber J. Grant, Testimony of .......................................................................................................... 28-15
   The Church Hath Need of Every Member ...................................................................................... 36-13
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 365
HANKS, MARION D.
   We Are Commissioned to Remember the Worth of Souls ............................................................. 18-12
   What Is the Danger of the Learning of the World?......................................................................... 42-14
   The Message “You Belong” Needs to Be Given to All .................................................................. 43-27
   Unwillingness to Endure Affliction ................................................................................................ 45-32
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 344
HINCKLEY, ALONZO A.
   . . . As You Received the Light, and Walked in the Light? ............................................................ 27-17
HINCKLEY, GORDON B.
   The Hand of Fellowship Can Help People Feel That They Belong ................................................ 43-26
   Deep, Abiding Testimony Is of Greatest Assistance in Becoming Perfect..................................... 46-28
HUNTER, HOWARD W.
   How Did the World Receive the Savior? ............................................................................................ 2-2
   How Did Jesus Avoid the Dilemma Posed in the Tribute Money Incident? .................................... 21-7
   Why Did Paul Write to the Corinthians, and What Was the Approximate Date of Writing?........... 34-4
   “It Is Raised a Spiritual Body”.......................................................................................................... 36-8
   Those Who Would Introduce False Teachings into the Church ....................................................... 38-4
   “Walk Even As He Walked”............................................................................................................. 52-8
   Biographies—Paul ............................................................................................................... Sec. 7, Intro.
KIMBALL, SPENCER W.
   We Should Not Even Accommodate Temptation ............................................................................. 4-15
   How Did Jesus Appoint His Servants? ............................................................................................. 11-1
   Who Are Those Who Seek to Kill the Soul? .................................................................................... 11-4
   Is It Necessary to Discuss One’s Transgression with Church Leaders? ........................................... 14-9
   The Woman Taken in Adultery ........................................................................................................ 15-3
   “The Last State of That Man Is Worse than the First”...................................................................... 16-8
   Are There Modern-Day Sepulchre Builders? ................................................................................. 16-10
   Spencer W. Kimball, Testimony of ................................................................................................ 28-20
   “Lord, Lay Not This Sin to Their Charge” ..................................................................................... 29-19
   When the World Will Be Converted ............................................................................................... 29-22
   When the World Will Be Converted ............................................................................................... 29-24
   What Blinded Saul on the Road to Damascus?................................................................................. 31-4
   We Have Made Covenants with the Lord ......................................................................................... 31-9

                                                                               496
  Was the Apostle Paul a Married Man? ............................................................................................. 35-5
  “For Godly Sorrow Worketh Repentance to Salvation Not to Be Repented Of” ........................... 37-11
  Can a Wicked Person Really Put On Christ Through Repentance and Baptism?........................... 38-12
  How Serious Is the Sin of Homosexuality? ...................................................................................... 39-5
  What Does It Mean to Be Quickened by Jesus, Having Once Been Dead in Sin? ......................... 42-16
  “Husbands, Love Your Wives”....................................................................................................... 42-23
  “That We Henceforth Be No More Children, Tossed To and Fro . . . with Every
      Wind of Doctrine” .................................................................................................................... 43-13
  Husbands and Wives: Love Each Other ......................................................................................... 43-14
  The Christlike Relationship Between Master and Servant ............................................................. 43-15
  What Is “Filthy Lucre”? .................................................................................................................. 44-15
  To What Extent Has Paul’s Prophecy About Perilous Times Been Fulfilled in Our Day? ............ 45-21
  What of Those Who Love Pleasure More Than They Love God? ................................................. 45-22
  Was Paul to Be Martyred Before His Time? .................................................................................. 45-29
  Entanglements with Things of the World ....................................................................................... 45-33
  Lust and Indulgence ........................................................................................................................ 45-35
  Perfection Is an Achievable Goal When the Formula Revealed by Christ Is Complied With........ 46-25
  The Greatest Hindrance to Perfection Is Procrastination ................................................................ 46-26
  How Do We Resist the Devil So That He Will Flee from Us? ....................................................... 49-15
  Are We to Confess Our Sins to One Another? ............................................................................... 49-18
  The Saving Power of Missionary Work.......................................................................................... 49-20
  What Was the Fate of the People Who Ignored Noah’s Warning?................................................. 50-10
  Can Immorality and Rebellion Lead to the Unpardonable Sin? ..................................................... 51-12
  There Are False Teachings Today as in Peter’s Day ...................................................................... 51-15
  What Do We Know About the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? ................................................... 53-16
  The Spiritually Dead ....................................................................................................................... 54-17
  The Prophets Have Recommended the Only Cure for an Ailing World, but the Cure
      Has Been Rejected.................................................................................................................... 55-37
  The World Is Kept from Destruction by the Righteous Saints ....................................................... 55-40
  Hope—the Great Incentive to Repentance...................................................................................... 56-22
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 149
  Intro. 212 .........................................................................................................................................p. 226
  [Box] .......................................................................................................................................pp. 246–47
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 335
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 365
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 366
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 441
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 465
  Peter, My Brother ..................................................................................................................... Appen. D
LEE, HAROLD B.
  Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem, April 6, 1 B.C. .................................................................................... 3-4
  All Will Be Tested ............................................................................................................................ 4-14
  What Does It Mean to Become “Fishers of Men”? ............................................................................ 6-2
  Physical Healings Are Performed Today Among Humble People of Faith...................................... 6-10
  The Greatest Miracles Today Are the Healing of Sick Souls ........................................................... 6-11
  “Is It Lawful on the Sabbath Days to Do Good, or to Do Evil?”........................................................ 7-3
  From Whom Did the Twelve Apostles Receive Their Special Endowment of Power? ..................... 7-5
  What Is an Apostle? ............................................................................................................................ 7-6
  The Sermon on the Mount Is Our Constitution for Perfection.......................................................... 8-14
  The Stony Places ............................................................................................................................. 10-18
  Is There a Special Significance to Jesus’ Statement That Peter Would Receive the
       Keys of the Kingdom? ................................................................................................................ 14-3



                                                                              497
  Who Heard the Voice of God Testify of Jesus?................................................................................ 20-7
  How Might the Very Elect Be Preserved from Deception? .............................................................. 22-5
  What Is the Meaning of the Parable of the Ten Virgins?................................................................ 22-10
  What Is the Key, the Sure Word of Prophecy, That Will Help Us Understand the
      Signs of the Times? .................................................................................................................. 22-12
  How May You Always Be Prepared? ............................................................................................. 22-13
  “The Prince of This World Cometh” ................................................................................................ 24-7
  “Be of Good Cheer; I Have Overcome the World” ........................................................................ 24-12
  Harold B. Lee, Testimony of .......................................................................................................... 28-19
  Why Was Peter Chosen to Introduce the Gospel to the Gentiles? .................................................... 30-3
  Was Paul Teaching About the Premortal Existence When He Spoke of the “Times
      Before Appointed”?.................................................................................................................. 32-16
  Our Only Safety Is Obedience ........................................................................................................ 33-22
  How Can You Prepare? .................................................................................................................. 35-18
  “There Was Given to Me a Thorn in the Flesh” ............................................................................. 37-14
  Those Who Would Introduce False Teachings into the Church ....................................................... 38-4
  The Equality of Brotherhood in Christ ........................................................................................... 42-20
  What Does It Mean for a Latter-day Saint to Put On the Whole Armour of God?......................... 43-16
  “Forbidding to Marry” .................................................................................................................... 44-18
  What Is a “Friend of the World”? ................................................................................................... 49-14
  If You Lack Wisdom, Ask God in Faith ......................................................................................... 49-21
  Our Test Today Is the Philosophies of the World Versus the Living Prophets .............................. 51-16
  We Should So Live That the Revelations of Jesus Can Be with Us Constantly ............................. 51-19
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 25
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 41
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 51
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 57
  [Box] .........................................................................................................................................pp. 60–61
  Intro. 212 .........................................................................................................................................p. 226
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 255
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 335
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 357
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 387
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 435
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 440
MATTHEWS, ROBERT J.
  Did John Doubt That Jesus Was the Messiah? ................................................................................... 9-1
  Why Was Herod Afraid of Jesus? ..................................................................................................... 11-7
  The Symbolism of the “Good Shepherd” ......................................................................................... 15-6
MAXWELL, NEAL A.
  Must a True Disciple Make a Choice Between the Kingdom of God and the World? ..................... 17-6
  Every Knee Will Bow ....................................................................................................................... 31-8
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 304
McCONKIE, BRUCE R.
  All Things Typify Christ................................................................................................................... 2-10
  How Important Was the Mission of John the Baptist? ....................................................................... 4-1
  What Is the Significance of the Holy Ghost Descending “like a Dove”? ........................................... 4-4
  Did Jesus Go into the Wilderness to Be Tempted?............................................................................. 4-5
  Why Was It Significant That Simon Was Given Another Name? ...................................................... 4-8
  What Was Nathanael’s Experience “Under the Fig Tree”? ................................................................ 4-9



                                                                               498
What Was the Passover? ..................................................................................................................... 5-1
Jesus Himself Performed Water Baptisms .......................................................................................... 5-4
Those Who Come unto Christ Need Never Thirst Again ................................................................... 5-7
Can Evil Spirits Enter into a Person’s Body and Take Possession? ................................................... 6-3
What Is a Publican? ............................................................................................................................ 6-8
Clarifications Concerning the Sermon on the Mount ......................................................................... 8-2
How Can One Give Alms in Righteousness? ..................................................................................... 8-4
What Are Treasures in Heaven? ......................................................................................................... 8-6
What Is Mammon? .............................................................................................................................. 8-7
Should Members of the Church Really Take No Thought for Temporal Concerns? ......................... 8-8
“Enter Ye In at the Strait Gate” ........................................................................................................ 8-10
We Can Become Members of the Family of Jesus Christ .................................................................. 9-9
The Significance of the Healings Performed by Jesus ...................................................................... 10-2
What Was the Significance of the Second Rejection at Nazareth? ................................................. 10-15
Those Who Have Ears to Hear Will Hear ....................................................................................... 10-16
Among Thorns ................................................................................................................................ 10-19
Good Ground .................................................................................................................................. 10-20
Are Today’s Missionaries Supposed to Travel “Without Purse or Scrip”? ...................................... 11-2
The Jews, like Many Today, Lacked Spiritual Understanding of Christ’s Mission ......................... 12-8
Those Whose Hearts Are Pure Can Draw Down the Powers of Heaven .......................................... 13-1
Who Were the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel? ........................................................................... 13-8
What Is the Solid Rock upon Which the True Church Stands? ........................................................ 14-1
What Are the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven? .............................................................................. 14-2
“The Truth Shall Make You Free”.................................................................................................... 15-4
What Did Jesus Mean, “Before Abraham Was, I Am”? ................................................................... 15-5
“I Am the Light of the World” .......................................................................................................... 15-8
“Teach Us to Pray” ........................................................................................................................... 16-5
The Men of Nineveh Shall Rise Up in Judgment and Condemn This Generation ........................... 16-9
Jesus Describes the Loss of the Fulness of the Scriptures .............................................................. 16-11
What Did Jesus Mean When He Said, “I Am Come to Send Fire on the Earth”? ............................ 17-1
What Does the Parable of the Fig Tree Mean? ................................................................................. 17-2
“Which of You, Intending to Build a Tower, Sitteth Not Down First, and Counteth the Cost?” ..... 18-2
What Do We Learn About the Spirit from the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? .................... 18-6
“If They Hear Not Moses and the Prophets, Neither Will They Be Persuaded, Though
    One Rose from the Dead” .......................................................................................................... 18-7
What Is the Significance of the Death and Restoration to Life of Lazarus? ..................................... 18-8
Why Were the Ten Lepers to Show Themselves to the Priests?....................................................... 19-1
“Were There Not Ten Cleansed?” .................................................................................................... 19-2
Why Did Jesus Say, “The Kingdom of God Cometh Not with Observation”? ................................ 19-3
What Is Meant by “the Kingdom of God Is Within You”?............................................................... 19-4
“What Therefore God Hath Joined Together, Let Not Man Put Asunder” ....................................... 19-7
Why Did Jesus Give the Parable of the Pounds? .............................................................................. 19-9
“What Good Thing Shall I Do, That I May Have Eternal Life?” ................................................... 19-12
Going On to Perfection ................................................................................................................... 19-14
Jesus Blessed His Disciples Against the Day When Jerusalem Would Be Destroyed ..................... 20-3
“Behold, Thy King Cometh” ............................................................................................................ 20-4
Why Did Jesus Curse the Barren Fig Tree? ...................................................................................... 20-8
Why Were the Jews So Offended by Jesus’ Cleansing of the Temple? ........................................... 20-9
Should Men Use Such Titles as Rabbi? .......................................................................................... 21-10
Why Did Jesus Lament over Jerusalem? ........................................................................................ 21-11
What Is the Abomination of Desolation Spoken of by Daniel the Prophet and the Savior?............. 22-4
“Wheresoever the Carcass Is, There Will the Eagles Be Gathered Together” ................................. 22-6
Why Is It That One Is Destroyed and the Other Left Alone When the Lord Returns? ..................... 22-8



                                                                         499
“The Faithful and Wise Servant” ...................................................................................................... 22-9
Did Satan Literally Enter into Judas’ Body? .................................................................................... 23-2
What Is the Significance of the “Thirty Pieces of Silver”?............................................................... 23-3
When Jesus Washed His Disciples’ Feet, It Was a Sign of His Love for Them............................... 23-5
What Are the Two Comforters? ........................................................................................................ 24-4
Had the Apostles Never Before Prayed?........................................................................................... 24-8
How Can a Man Know God and Jesus?............................................................................................ 25-2
What Took Place in Gethsemane? .................................................................................................... 25-5
“And Being in an Agony, He Prayed More Earnestly” .................................................................... 25-7
What Did Pilate Mean When He Washed His Hands Before the Jews? ........................................... 26-7
Pilate Sought to Release Him ........................................................................................................... 26-8
Derision and Scourging..................................................................................................................... 26-9
The Cross ........................................................................................................................................ 26-10
“Upon My Vesture Did They Cast Lots” ........................................................................................ 26-13
His Forgiving Nature ...................................................................................................................... 26-15
What Is the Significance of the “First Day of the Week”? ............................................................... 27-3
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene ................................................................................................... 27-5
What Is the Significance of Jesus’ Words “I Ascend unto My Father, and Your Father;
    and to My God, and Your God”? ............................................................................................... 27-7
Why Did the Lord Withhold His Identity When He Appeared to Cleopas and His
    Companion on the Road to Emmaus? ...................................................................................... 27-11
What Acts Incident to the Resurrection of Our Lord Tend to Ennoble and Exalt
    Mary Magdalene and the Other Faithful Women? ................................................................... 27-14
Did Thomas Doubt the Resurrection?............................................................................................... 28-2
Would John Never Die? .................................................................................................................... 28-4
Jesus Appears in Galilee ................................................................................................................... 28-5
What Is Meant by the “Times of the Refreshing”? ......................................................................... 29-11
What Is Meant by the “Times of Restitution”? ............................................................................... 29-12
What Lesson Can Be Learned from the Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira? .................................... 29-14
What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “Fell into a Trance”? ................................................................ 30-4
When Were the Early Saints Called Christians, and Why? .............................................................. 30-6
Why Was It Necessary for Paul, Who Saw a Vision, to Submit to Baptism? .................................. 31-5
We Have Made Covenants with the Lord ......................................................................................... 31-9
“Certain Men Which Came Down from Judea” ............................................................................... 32-4
Why Did the Lord Speak by Peter’s Mouth? .................................................................................... 32-6
“For It Seemed Good to the Holy Ghost, and to Us” ........................................................................ 32-7
Is Belief on the Lord Jesus Christ All That Is Necessary for Salvation? ........................................ 32-11
What Does It Mean to “Possess [One’s] Vessel in Sanctification and Honour”?............................. 33-5
“Comfort the Feebleminded” ............................................................................................................ 33-8
“Quench Not the Spirit” .................................................................................................................... 33-9
What Is “Everlasting Destruction”? ................................................................................................ 33-11
Are We Really Supposed to Withdraw Our Fellowship “from Every Brother That
    Walketh Disorderly”? ............................................................................................................... 33-18
What Is Meant by “Neither Did We Eat Any Man’s Bread for Nought”?...................................... 33-19
Can Women Prophesy? ..................................................................................................................... 34-2
Should Paul Have Come to Jerusalem When Warned Against It? ................................................... 34-3
“God Hath Chosen the Weak Things of the World to Confound the Things Which Are Mighty” .. 34-8
“My Speech and My Preaching Was Not with Enticing Words of Man’s Wisdom” ..................... 34-10
Did Paul Use the Word Fornication As We Use It Today? .............................................................. 35-2
Paul’s Views on Marriage in Light of the Inspired Version ............................................................. 35-8
“I Am Made All Things to All Men” .............................................................................................. 35-12
Should Women Keep Silent in Church? ........................................................................................... 36-5
“The Last Adam Was Made a Quickening Spirit” ............................................................................ 36-9



                                                                           500
How Could Paul, an Apostle, Correct Peter, the President of the Church? ...................................... 38-6
The Allegory of Sarah and Hagar ................................................................................................... 38-14
Why Would Circumcision in Paul’s Day Have Negated the Power of Christ? .............................. 38-15
What Are Some of the Significant Contributions of Romans? ......................................................... 39-3
Paul Writes to the Saints in Rome .................................................................................................... 39-4
Eternal Life—a Gift or a Wage? ....................................................................................................... 39-8
The Law of Moses Is like a Deceased Husband ............................................................................... 40-2
How Does the Law of Election Operate?.......................................................................................... 41-1
Did the Lord Hate Esau? ................................................................................................................... 41-2
Acceptance of Christ Requires Acceptance of His Prophets ............................................................ 41-4
What Is Meant by the Fulness of the Gentiles? ................................................................................ 41-9
What Does It Mean to Be a Living Sacrifice? ................................................................................ 41-10
Who Are the “Powers That Be”? .................................................................................................... 41-11
“Whatsoever Is Not of Faith Is Sin” ............................................................................................... 41-12
What Is “the Circumcision of Christ”? ........................................................................................... 42-15
How Should the Saints “Mortify Therefore [Their] Members Which Are upon the Earth”? ......... 42-19
“In Word or Deed, Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus” ............................................................ 42-21
What Are Some of the Significant Contributions of This Letter? .................................................... 43-3
“The Fulness of Him That Filleth All in All” ................................................................................... 43-8
What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “He Led Captivity Captive”?.................................................. 43-12
Significant Contributions of Philemon ........................................................................................... 43-19
“Refresh My Bowels in the Lord” .................................................................................................. 43-21
Significant Contributions of Philippians ........................................................................................... 44-4
Of the Equality and Nature of the Father and the Son ...................................................................... 44-6
Are the Mosaic Restrictions on Eating Certain Meats and Foods Still in Force? ........................... 44-19
What Principles of Temporal Welfare Are Endorsed by Paul? ...................................................... 44-21
“Lay Hands Suddenly on No Man” ................................................................................................ 44-22
The Letter to Titus ............................................................................................................................ 45-1
Who Are “the Pure”? ........................................................................................................................ 45-6
Are Men Saved by the “Works of Righteousness”? ......................................................................... 45-8
What Is the “Washing of Regeneration”? ......................................................................................... 45-9
Why “Avoid Foolish Questions, and Genealogies, and Contentions, and Strivings
     About the Law”? ...................................................................................................................... 45-10
Is Any Man to Be Rejected? ........................................................................................................... 45-12
Why Is It of No Profit to Strive About Words? .............................................................................. 45-17
How Should Men Rightly Divide the Word of Truth? ................................................................... 45-18
Why Did Some Argue That the Resurrection Was Past?................................................................ 45-20
What Is a “Form of Godliness” Without “the Power Thereof”? ..................................................... 45-23
What Did Paul Mean by the Use of the Word Fables?................................................................... 45-28
“Henceforth Is Laid Up . . . a Crown of Righteousness” ................................................................ 45-30
Authorship ........................................................................................................................................ 46-3
Is the Savior Really Lower than the Angels?.................................................................................... 46-7
Does the Phrase “Though He Were a Son” Apply to Melchizedek, to Christ, or to Both? ............ 46-14
In What Way Was Jesus Made Perfect? ......................................................................................... 46-15
“Whither the Forerunner Is for Us Entered” ................................................................................... 46-18
What Is the Meaning of the Expression “Without Father, Without Mother, Without
     Descent” in Reference to the Melchizedek Priesthood?........................................................... 46-21
“For Those Priests Were Made Without an Oath” .......................................................................... 46-24
What Do We Know Concerning the Ordinance of Sacrifice as Practiced by the
     Ancient High Priests? ................................................................................................................. 47-1
What Did Paul Mean by “For Where a Testament Is, There Must Also of Necessity
     Be the Death of the Testator”? ................................................................................................... 47-5
How Do We Enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus? .............................................................. 47-8



                                                                           501
Redemption Comes by the Shed Blood of Christ ........................................................................... 47-11
“By the Blood Ye Are Sanctified” .................................................................................................. 47-13
Sanctification Defined .................................................................................................................... 47-14
“Things Which Are Seen Were Not Made of Things Which Do Appear” ....................................... 48-2
What Does It Mean to Be Heirs with Abraham? .............................................................................. 48-6
Why Was Abraham Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac? ....................................................................... 48-8
“The Mount That Might Be Touched, and That Burned with Fire” ............................................... 48-12
What Is the “General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn”? ..................................................... 48-13
How Does “the Blood of Sprinkling” Speak “Better Things than That of Abel”? ......................... 48-14
Background Information—Epistle of James ..................................................................................... 49-4
“If Any of You Lack Wisdom” ......................................................................................................... 49-6
Why Should the Rich Rejoice in Being Made Low? ........................................................................ 49-7
Who Are the “Elect According to the Foreknowledge of God”?...................................................... 50-4
What Is a Royal Priesthood? ............................................................................................................. 50-7
How Do You “Arm Yourselves . . . with the Same Mind”? ........................................................... 50-11
What Is Meant by the Injunction to “Speak as the Oracles of God”? ............................................. 50-14
What was the “Fiery Trial”? ........................................................................................................... 50-15
What Is Meant by Having One’s Calling and Election Made Sure?................................................. 51-7
Must an Individual Be Married for Eternity to Have His Calling and Election Made Sure? ........... 51-8
Are There Heresies in the True Church of Christ? ......................................................................... 51-10
“There Shall Come in the Last Days Scoffers”............................................................................... 51-13
What Is the Theme of 1 John? .......................................................................................................... 52-1
“Our Fellowship Is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” ............................................... 52-4
“Hereby We Do Know That We Know Him, If We Keep His Commandments” ............................ 52-7
What Is the “Unction,” or “Anointing,” of Which John Speaks? ................................................... 52-10
What Does John Mean by “Whosoever Is Born of God Doth Not Commit Sin”? ......................... 52-11
What Does John Mean by “God Is Love”? ..................................................................................... 52-13
“There Are Three That Bear Witness in Earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood” ................... 52-15
Significant Contributions of Second and Third John ........................................................................ 53-3
What or Who Is an “Elect Lady”? .................................................................................................... 53-5
Significant Contributions of Jude ................................................................................................... 53-12
What Do We Know Concerning the Dispute Which Michael the Archangel Had with the
    Devil About the Body of Moses? ............................................................................................. 53-18
What Does It Mean to Pray “in the Holy Ghost”? .......................................................................... 53-21
“Pulling Them Out of the Fire” ...................................................................................................... 53-22
“The Garment Spotted by the Flesh” .............................................................................................. 53-23
“Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass”.................................................................................... 54-4
What Is the Symbolism of the Seven Candlesticks? ......................................................................... 54-6
Who or What Were the Seven Angels of the Seven Churches? ....................................................... 54-9
What Was the Doctrine of Balaam?................................................................................................ 54-13
What Is the Key of David?.............................................................................................................. 54-19
“And I Will Write upon Him the Name of My God” ..................................................................... 54-20
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the First Seal? ............................................................ 55-6
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the Second Seal? ........................................................ 55-7
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the Third Seal? ........................................................... 55-8
“A Measure of Wheat for a Penny” .................................................................................................. 55-9
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the Fourth Seal? ....................................................... 55-10
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the Fifth Seal? .......................................................... 55-11
What Is the Interpretation of the Opening of the Sixth Seal? ......................................................... 55-12
A Time of Great Warfare ................................................................................................................ 55-20
“And I Saw Another Angel . . . Having the Everlasting Gospel” ................................................... 55-29
The Seven Last Plagues .................................................................................................................. 55-30
The Church of the Devil ................................................................................................................. 55-34
Who Are to Be Invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? .......................................................... 56-1


                                                                       502
  Who Is Meant in the Phrase “Judgment Was Given unto Them”? ................................................... 56-7
  What Is the Second Death? ............................................................................................................. 56-14
  “I Come Quickly” ........................................................................................................................... 56-17
  Hope unto Salvation........................................................................................................................ 56-23
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 39
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 40
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 40
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 44
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 67
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 93
  [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 98
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 101
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 107
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 110
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 119
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 319
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 335
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 335
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 364
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 421
  A View Based on Latter-day Revelation ............................................................... Sec. 12, Intro., p. 444
McKAY, DAVID O.
  The Three Temptations Jesus Faced Are a Pattern for All Temptations .......................................... 4-13
  Jesus Defended the Sanctity of His Father’s House ........................................................................... 5-2
  What Posture Should the Saints Assume Toward Those Who Seek to Destroy the Soul? ............... 11-5
  Why Did So Many of Jesus’ Disciples Turn from Him Following the Sermon on
        the Bread of Life? ....................................................................................................................... 12-7
  What Test Did Jesus Prescribe to Know the Truthfulness of His Doctrine? .................................... 15-2
  The Light of Truth Is the Light of Christ .......................................................................................... 15-9
  The Lost Sheep: It Strayed Without Intending To ............................................................................ 18-9
  The Lost Coin: It Was Lost Through the Carelessness and Neglect of Another ............................ 18-10
  The Lost Son: He Was Lost Through His Own Willful Disobedience and Self-Concern .............. 18-11
  Jesus Wept over Jerusalem ............................................................................................................... 20-1
  When Jesus Washed His Disciples’ Feet, It Was a Sign of His Love for Them............................... 23-5
  . . . As You Listened to Inspirational Singing and Sublime Testimonies? ..................................... 27-15
  David O. McKay, Testimony of ..................................................................................................... 28-17
  Will It Make a Difference? ............................................................................................................. 28-21
  What Are Two Important Lessons We Can Learn from the Accounts of Paul’s Conversion?......... 31-2
  “It Is Hard for Thee to Kick Against the Pricks” .............................................................................. 31-3
  Does God Seek to Delude Men? ..................................................................................................... 33-17
  How May the Lord “Give You Peace Always”? ............................................................................ 33-20
  The Natural and the Spiritual .......................................................................................................... 38-16
  What Does Paul Mean When He Says That Works Do Not Save Us? ............................................. 43-9
  “Work Out Your Own Salvation with Fear and Trembling” ............................................................ 44-7
  What Does It Mean to Be “Partakers of the Divine Nature”?........................................................... 51-6
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 189
  [Box] ............................................................................................................................. Intro. 212, p. 227
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 331
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 365
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 407
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 426
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 439



                                                                               503
MONSON, THOMAS S.
   His Concern for Others ................................................................................................................... 26-16
   . . . Has a Teacher of the Gospel Opened to You the Scriptures? ................................................... 27-16
PACKER, BOYD K.
   The Lord’s Servants Mark the Path to Eternal Life .......................................................................... 11-8
   A Man Who Says He Will Sustain the President of the Church but Not His Bishop
       Is Deceiving Himself .................................................................................................................. 11-9
   “Lord, Is It I?” ................................................................................................................................... 23-9
   Testimonies of the Prophets .............................................................................................................. 28-8
   Called As an Apostle .......................................................................................................................... 7-7
PENROSE, CHARLES W.
   What Are the Implications of President Lee’s Comment?.............................................................. 22-14
PETERSON, H. BURKE
   How Does One Pray in Secret? ........................................................................................................... 8-5
PETERSEN, MARK E.
   “He That Is Not with Me Is Against Me” ........................................................................................... 9-5
   Hypocrisy Is One of the Worst Forms of Dishonesty ..................................................................... 21-13
   “Be Ye Not Unequally Yoked Together with Unbelievers” ........................................................... 37-10
   Do Modern Revelations “Add unto These Things”? ...................................................................... 56-19
PRATT, PARLEY P.
   The Holy Ghost Brings Man to His Fullest Potential ..................................................................... 24-10
   The Two Witnesses Who Prophesy at Jerusalem ........................................................................... 55-23
RICHARDS, STEPHEN L
   Some Comments on the Parable of the Prodigal Son ....................................................................... 18-3
ROBERTS, B. H.
   “The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times” .................................................................................... 43-6
ROMNEY, MARION G.
   The Remission of Sins Heals the Spirit .............................................................................................. 6-7
   What Does It Mean to “Search the Scriptures”? ................................................................................. 7-2
   What Are Some of the Consequences of Sin? .................................................................................. 18-4
   How Was the Prophecy Regarding the Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem Fulfilled? .......... 22-1
   How Is It Possible to Understand About the Father? ........................................................................ 24-2
   Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 37-16
   Fear of Adverse Opinions of Others ............................................................................................... 45-31
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 81
SILL, STERLING W.
   Hypocrisy, like Cancer, Can Grow Until It Overcomes Us ............................................................ 21-14
SMITH, ELDRED G.
   How Is Satan Bound?........................................................................................................................ 56-6
SMITH, GEORGE ALBERT
   George Albert Smith, Testimony of................................................................................................ 28-16




                                                                                504
SMITH AND STEWART
  Apostles Are Called by Revelation ..................................................................................................... 7-8
SMITH, JOSEPH
  We Witnessed and Approved the Selection of Christ ......................................................................... 2-6
  Mary Was Espoused to Joseph ........................................................................................................... 3-3
  Jesus and John Escape Herod’s Wrath................................................................................................ 3-5
  As a Child, Jesus Sought to Learn from His Father ............................................................................ 3-8
  How Was John an Elias?..................................................................................................................... 4-2
  What Is the Significance of the Holy Ghost Descending “like a Dove”? ........................................... 4-4
  Perfection Is Compared to Climbing a Ladder ................................................................................. 8-12
  No Greater Prophet than John the Baptist........................................................................................... 9-2
  What Is a Key to Understanding the Parables? ................................................................................. 10-3
  What Single Prophetic Message Is Developed by the Parables in Matthew 13? .............................. 10-4
  What Was a Major Purpose of the Parable of the Sower? ................................................................ 10-5
  Why Do Some Receive the Words of the Savior and Others Do Not? ............................................. 10-6
  Do the Tares Represent Wickedness Outside the Church or Among Church Members
      Themselves? ............................................................................................................................... 10-9
  To What Stage of the Gathering Does the Parable of the Mustard Seed Refer?............................. 10-11
  What Is Represented by the “Birds of the Air” Which Come Down to Lodge in the
      Branches of the Mustard Tree?................................................................................................. 10-12
  The Parable of the Three Measures of Meal ................................................................................... 10-13
  The Pattern of a Householder Bringing Forth Things Old and New .............................................. 10-14
  The Wayside Soil ............................................................................................................................ 10-17
  What Reward Shall Jesus’ Faithful Servants Receive? .................................................................... 20-6
  What Is the Interpretation of the Parable of the Marriage of the King’s Son? ................................. 21-4
  What Is the End of the World Spoken of Here? ............................................................................... 22-3
  What Did the Prophet Joseph Tell Us of the Time of the Second Coming and of the
      Sign of the Son of Man? ............................................................................................................. 22-7
  An Explanation for the Parable of the Entrusted Talents................................................................ 22-11
  What Are the Many Mansions? ........................................................................................................ 24-1
  How Could His Servants Do Greater Works Than Jesus Did? ......................................................... 24-3
  “I Will Come to You” ....................................................................................................................... 24-5
  Has the Ancient Pentecostal Experience Ever Been Repeated? ....................................................... 29-8
  What Do We Know Concerning the Spiritual Fate of David, King of Israel?.................................. 29-9
  Why Did Cornelius Seek Out Peter After Having Seen an Angel? .................................................. 30-2
  What Is the Difference Between the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy Ghost? .......................... 30-5
  “They Found a Certain Sorcerer, a False Prophet” ........................................................................... 32-2
  How May the Saints Escape the Wrath to Come? ............................................................................ 33-3
  Does the Phrase “Gods Many and Lords Many” Have Reference to Heathen Gods? .................... 35-10
  How Pure Must We Be to Be like the Lord? .................................................................................. 35-16
  “No Man Can Say That Jesus Is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”.................................................. 36-1
  Are All the Gifts of the Spirit Observable like the Gift of Tongues? ............................................... 36-3
  What Are Some Things We Should Know in Relation to Speaking in Tongues? ............................ 36-4
  “Else What Shall They Do Which Are Baptized for the Dead” ....................................................... 36-6
  “Flesh and Blood Cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God” ................................................................ 36-10
  “I Knew a Man in Christ . . . Caught Up to the Third Heaven” ...................................................... 37-13
  We Bear Some Afflictions as Punishment for Disobedience.......................................................... 37-15
  To What Was the Law of Moses Added Because of Transgression? ............................................. 38-10
  How Does Faith Come? .................................................................................................................... 41-5
  How May One Know the Will of God? .......................................................................................... 42-11
  How Does “All Fulness” Dwell in the Son? ................................................................................... 42-12
  What Is Meant by “Ye Are Dead, and Your Life Is Hid with Christ in God”? .............................. 42-18


                                                                           505
   What Is the Difference Between an Angel and a Ministering Spirit? ............................................... 46-6
   How Did Ancient Priests Obtain Their Authority? ......................................................................... 46-12
   How Did Christ Become a High Priest? ......................................................................................... 46-13
   Can One Leave the Principles of Christ’s Doctrine and Attain Perfection? ................................... 46-16
   What Must People Do in Order to “Crucify to Themselves the Son of God Afresh,
       and Put Him to an Open Shame”? ............................................................................................ 46-17
   What Is the Better Covenant of Which Paul Speaks? ....................................................................... 47-2
   “Through Faith . . . the Worlds Were Framed”................................................................................. 48-1
   “By Faith Abel Offered . . . a More Excellent Sacrifice than Cain” ................................................. 48-3
   “He [Abel] Being Dead Yet Speaketh”............................................................................................. 48-4
   “By Faith Enoch Was Translated, That He Should Not See Death” ................................................ 48-5
   What Does Paul Mean by His Reference to a “Better Resurrection”? ............................................. 48-9
   Why Can’t the Dead Be Made Perfect Without Us? ...................................................................... 48-10
   “Our God Is a Consuming Fire” ..................................................................................................... 48-15
   Faith Is a Principle of Action and Assurance.................................................................................. 48-19
   Fully Developed Faith Is Power ..................................................................................................... 48-20
   What Is Salvation? ............................................................................................................................ 50-5
   Authorship—of Second Peter ........................................................................................................... 51-3
   What Are the Three Grand Keys to Obtaining the True Knowledge of God? .................................. 51-5
   “Beloved, If Our Heart Condemn Us Not, Then Have We Confidence Toward God” .................. 52-12
   “The Angels Which Kept Not Their First Estate” .......................................................................... 53-14
   What Does It Mean to Be “Kings and Priests”? ............................................................................... 54-5
   How Literally Should We Interpret the Phrase “Every Creature”? .................................................. 55-5
   What Is the Interpretation of the Sealing of the Lord’s Servants? .................................................. 55-15
   “And There Was War in Heaven”................................................................................................... 55-27
   “The Testimony of Jesus Is the Spirit of Prophecy” ......................................................................... 56-2
   What Is the Lake of Fire?................................................................................................................ 56-11
   The New Jerusalem ......................................................................................................................... 56-13
   Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 56-24
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 21
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 24
   ]Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 39
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 39
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 41
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 53
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 293
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 301
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 319
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 320
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 325
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 325
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 357
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 369
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 400
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 439
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 457
SMITH, JOSEPH F.
   Joseph F. Smith, Testimony of ....................................................................................................... 28-14
   “Know Them Which Labour Among You, and Are over You in the Lord”..................................... 33-7
   “Neither Is the Man Without the Woman, Neither the Woman Without the Man, in the Lord” .... 35-15
   Will the Scriptures Alone Save Us?................................................................................................ 45-26
   What Does It Mean to Enter in the “Rest” of the Lord? ................................................................... 46-8



                                                                                506
  What Is Pure Religion? ................................................................................................................... 49-10
  We Ought to Live So That We May Know the Will of the Father Respecting All Our
     Circumstances .......................................................................................................................... 51-17
  We Can Avoid Individual Apostasy by Maintaining an Unshakeable Testimony of
     Jesus Christ ............................................................................................................................... 53-24
  “For I Am Thy Fellowservant” ....................................................................................................... 56-18
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 281
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 325
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 387
  [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 472
SMITH, JOSEPH FIELDING
  Jesus: The Creator of This Earth ......................................................................................................... 2-4
  Jesus Had to Overcome the Veil ......................................................................................................... 3-7
  How Was John an Elias?..................................................................................................................... 4-2
  What Is the Significance of the Holy Ghost Descending “like a Dove”? ........................................... 4-4
  What Is the “Kingdom of God” That Jesus Referred To? .................................................................. 5-3
  The Lord Guides His Saints Through the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve .............. 7-9
  “If Thy Right Hand Offend Thee, Cut It Off” .................................................................................... 8-3
  The Doctrine of Becoming like God Has Been Taught by Prophets ................................................ 8-11
  Faithfulness to the Commandments Is the Key to Growth ............................................................... 8-13
  Is There Such a Place as Hell? ............................................................................................................ 9-4
  What Is the Sin Against the Holy Ghost? ........................................................................................... 9-7
  What Is the Difference Between Rejecting Jesus and Denying the Holy Ghost? ............................... 9-8
  How Can You Save Your Life by Losing It?.................................................................................... 11-6
  Why Were Peter, James, and John Singled Out to Receive Special Privileges, Keys,
      and Blessings? ............................................................................................................................ 14-5
  Why Is It That No Man Could Take Jesus’ Life from Him? ............................................................ 15-7
  When Did the Disciples Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost?.......................................................... 24-6
  As a Messenger of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost Teaches Faithful Members ............................... 24-11
  Why Did Jesus Appear to Peter Apart from the Others? .................................................................. 28-1
  “For Yourselves Know Perfectly That the Day of the Lord So Cometh As a Thief
      in the Night” ............................................................................................................................... 33-6
  Who Is “the Son of Perdition”? ...................................................................................................... 33-14
  “Know Ye Not That We Shall Judge Angels”? ................................................................................ 35-3
  Was Paul an Ordained Apostle, and If So, by Whom? ................................................................... 35-11
  How Pure Must We Be to Be like the Lord? .................................................................................. 35-16
  Man Must Be Justified by Grace ...................................................................................................... 39-7
  What Is the Symbolism of Baptism?................................................................................................. 40-1
  Did Paul Believe in Predestination?.................................................................................................. 40-5
  Our Goal Should Be to Become as God ........................................................................................... 40-6
  Through Christ We Can Receive All That the Father Has................................................................ 40-9
  On What Basis Did the Lord Choose His Saints Before the World Was? ........................................ 43-4
  What Were the Fables and Endless Genealogies? .......................................................................... 44-14
  Should Deacons Be Married? ......................................................................................................... 44-17
  Strive to Be an Example of the Believers ....................................................................................... 44-23
  “Ever Learning and Never Able to Come to the Knowledge of the Truth” .................................... 45-24
  Blood Is the Life of the Body ......................................................................................................... 47-10
  Remission of Sins Through the Blood of Christ ............................................................................. 47-12
  How We Make Christ’s Shed Blood Effective for Us .................................................................... 47-15
  What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “a Peculiar People”? ................................................................. 50-6
  Jesus Made Available to the Dead the Blessings of the Gospel ..................................................... 50-17
  What Is Meant by the Expression “Look for New Heavens and a New Earth”? ............................ 51-14



                                                                              507
   Who Is Elias, and How Is He Related to the Angel from the East?................................................ 55-14
   What Was the Little Book John Ate?.............................................................................................. 55-22
   Who Are the Woman and the Man-Child Mentioned by John?...................................................... 55-25
   “A Place Called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon” .................................................................. 55-31
   “And Every Island Fled Away” ...................................................................................................... 55-32
   There Is Greater Wickedness in the World Now than at Any Time Since the Flood ..................... 55-36
   Satan Has Control of Most of the World ........................................................................................ 55-38
   Our Part in the World Should Be to Build the Kingdom and Keep the Commandments ............... 55-39
   The Battle of Gog and Magog .......................................................................................................... 56-9
   What Books Are to Be Used in the Judgment? ............................................................................... 56-10
   “And I Saw a New Heaven and a New Earth” ................................................................................ 56-12
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 15
   [Box] .................................................................................................................................................p. 39
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 103
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 175
   [Box] .......................................................................................................................................pp. 175–76
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 327
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 336
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 336
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 387
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 419
SMITH, LUCY MACK
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 175
SMITH, SIR WILLIAM
   What Is Meant by the Phrase “Two Hundred Pennyworth of Bread”?............................................. 12-1
   What Is Meant by the “Fourth Watch of the Night”? ....................................................................... 12-2
   What Is Manna? ................................................................................................................................ 12-5
SNOW, LORENZO
   Lorenzo Snow, Testimony of .......................................................................................................... 28-13
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 327
SPERRY, SIDNEY B.
   Was the Apostle Paul a Married Man? ............................................................................................. 35-5
   Background Information on Colossians............................................................................................ 42-9
   Biographies—Paul ................................................................................................... Sec. 7, Intro., p. 238
STAPLEY, DELBERT L.
   How Is Peter’s Experience of Walking on the Water like Our Own When Faith Waivers? ............ 12-3
   What Does Paul Imply When He Says, “We Shall Be Joint-Heirs with Christ”? ............................ 40-4
   “I Magnify Mine Office” .................................................................................................................. 41-7
   How Does One Correctly Interpret Scripture?.................................................................................. 51-9
TALMAGE, JAMES E.
   How Is Jesus the Word of God? ......................................................................................................... 2-1
   What Is the Meaning of the Titles “Christ,” “Messiah,” and “Jehovah”? .......................................... 2-8
   A Decree from Caesar Augustus......................................................................................................... 3-1
   Jesus Descended from Kings .............................................................................................................. 3-2
   Mary Was Espoused to Joseph ........................................................................................................... 3-3
   Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem, April 6, 1 B.C. .................................................................................... 3-4
   Because God Was His Father, Jesus Had Power over Life and Death ............................................... 3-6



                                                                                508
What Did John Mean by Saying That God Was Able to Raise Up Children unto Abraham
    from the Stones? ........................................................................................................................... 4-3
What of Jesus’ Addressing His Mother as “Woman”? ..................................................................... 4-11
Why Did the Jews Feel So Much Antipathy Towards the Samaritans? ............................................. 5-5
Miracles Operate Through Law .......................................................................................................... 6-5
What Was Leprosy? ............................................................................................................................ 6-6
What Did Jesus Mean by the Phrase “New Wine in Old Bottles”? .................................................... 6-9
What Is the Distinction Between a Disciple and an Apostle?............................................................. 7-4
To Whom Was the Sermon Given? .................................................................................................... 8-1
Why Does the Man Speak with Such Confusion: “My Name Is Legion, for We Are Many”? ........ 10-1
What Are Tares? ............................................................................................................................... 10-7
The Mustard Tree............................................................................................................................ 10-10
Why Did So Many of Jesus’ Followers Seek to Make Him Their King? ......................................... 12-6
What Were the Numerous Washings Required by Jewish Custom? ................................................ 13-4
What Is Meant by “a Woman of Canaan”? ....................................................................................... 13-7
Who Are the “Babes” to Whom the Father Gives Revelation? ........................................................ 16-2
The Devotion of Mary and Martha ................................................................................................... 16-4
The Parable of the Friend at Midnight .............................................................................................. 16-7
Where Did Jesus Go Following His Encounter with the Jews at the Feast of Dedication? .............. 17-5
What Is the Meaning of the Parable of the Great Supper?................................................................ 18-1
“The Children of This World Are in Their Generation Wiser than the Children of Light”.............. 18-5
What Is the Significance of the Death and Restoration to Life of Lazarus? ..................................... 18-8
Why Did the Lord Give the Parable of the Unjust Judge?................................................................ 19-5
Why Did the Lord Give the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican? ................................................. 19-6
“Behold, We Have Forsaken All, and Followed Thee; What Shall We Have Therefore?”.............. 19-8
What of the Anointing of Jesus with Spikenard? ............................................................................ 19-11
“There Shall Not Be Left Here One Stone upon Another” ............................................................... 20-2
How Did Jesus Teach the Greeks That It Was Necessary for Him to Die? ...................................... 20-5
Why Did Jesus Curse the Barren Fig Tree? ...................................................................................... 20-8
Why Were the Jews So Offended by Jesus’ Cleansing of the Temple? ........................................... 20-9
What Is the Message of the Parable of the Two Sons? ..................................................................... 21-1
When They Answered the Lord’s Question, How Did the Jewish Leaders Pass Judgment
    upon Themselves? ...................................................................................................................... 21-2
What Efforts Were Made to Tempt Jesus into an Act or Statement Contrary to Jewish
    or Roman Law? .......................................................................................................................... 21-5
Is There to Be Marriage in the Resurrected State? ........................................................................... 21-8
“They Make Broad Their Phylacteries, and Enlarge the Borders of Their Garments” ..................... 21-9
What Was the Significance of the Widow’s Gift? .......................................................................... 21-12
What Is the Significance of the Mount of Olives? ............................................................................ 22-2
Why Didn’t the Jewish Leaders Capture Jesus During the Feast of the Passover? .......................... 23-1
What Is the Relationship Between the Sacrament and the Atonement? ........................................... 23-8
“Then Cometh Jesus . . . unto a Place Called Gethsemane” ............................................................. 25-3
To What Extent Was the Atonement Completed in the Garden of Gethsemane? ............................ 25-6
“And His Sweat Was As It Were Great Drops of Blood Falling Down to the Ground” .................. 25-8
Why Did Pilate Give In to the Demands of the Jews to Execute Jesus?........................................... 26-5
Christ Before Herod .......................................................................................................................... 26-6
Golgotha, or Calvary....................................................................................................................... 26-11
“And They Crucified Him” ............................................................................................................. 26-12
His Resignation by His Own Will to Die a Physical Death ............................................................ 26-17
What Was the Soldiers’ Reaction to the Events of the Day of Resurrection? .................................. 27-1
What Was the Time of the Resurrection? When Did the Savior Emerge from the Tomb? .............. 27-2
Was Mary Magdalene the Same Who Anointed Jesus at Simon the Pharisee’s House
    (Luke 7:36–50), or the Same Woman Referred to as Mary of Bethany? ................................... 27-4
Why Did the Lord Forbid Mary to Touch Him? ............................................................................... 27-6


                                                                         509
   Why Did Mary Magdalene and Other Faithful Women Set Out to Visit the Tomb? ....................... 27-8
   Why Didn’t the Apostles Believe the Account of Mary Magdalene and the Other Women? .......... 27-9
   What Attempts Were Made to Discredit the Resurrection? ............................................................ 27-10
   Why Did Jesus Appear to Peter Apart from the Others? .................................................................. 28-1
   Developing Faith Is Active Belief, Which Is More than Just Belief .............................................. 48-18
   It Is Through Faith, Not by Knowledge, That Salvation Comes .................................................... 48-21
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 119
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 119
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 127
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 176
TANNER, N. ELDON
   Must True Disciples Follow the Injunction “Judge Not”? .................................................................. 8-9
   Love in Deed and Not in Word Only .............................................................................................. 23-12
   What Is the Mystery of Iniquity? .................................................................................................... 33-15
   Vain Babblings and Contentions .................................................................................................... 45-34
TAYLOR, JOHN
   Must a True Disciple Make a Choice Between the Kingdom of God and the World? ..................... 17-6
   “Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing” .................................................................................................. 24-9
   “If It Be Possible, Let This Cup Pass from Me” ............................................................................... 25-4
   “And Being in an Agony, He Prayed More Earnestly” .................................................................... 25-7
   John Taylor, Testimony of .............................................................................................................. 28-11
   Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 37-16
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 331
VINCENT, M. R.
   Paul’s Teachings on Charity—Some Further Insights ...................................................................... 36-2
   What Was the Roman Practice Regarding Slavery? ....................................................................... 43-25
   How Could Levi Pay Tithes to Melchizedek? ................................................................................ 46-22
WHITNEY, ORSON F.
   The Great Pre-Earth Council .............................................................................................................. 2-7
   “For Whom the Lord Loveth He Chasteneth” ................................................................................ 48-11
   “To Him That Knoweth to Do Good, and Doeth It Not” ................................................................ 49-16
   What Is the Meaning of the Book Sealed with Seven Seals? ........................................................... 55-4
WIDTSOE, JOHN A.
   The Significance of the Calling of the Seventy ................................................................................ 16-1
WOODRUFF, WILFORD
   Wilford Woodruff, Testimony of .................................................................................................... 28-12
   Can a Member of the Aaronic Priesthood Perform Great Works of Righteousness? ..................... 29-21
   The Four Angels of the Sixth Seal .................................................................................................. 55-13
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 326
YOUNG, BRIGHAM
   The Savior Was Appointed Before the Foundation of the Earth Was Laid ........................................ 2-5
   Does Satan Have Power to Work Signs and Wonders? .................................................................. 33-16
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 273
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 305
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 325
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 327
   [Box] ...............................................................................................................................................p. 425


                                                                               510
                               SCRIPTURE INDEX
[Note: Page numbers given here are those in the printed manual, not this special PDF version.]

GENESIS                               LEVITICUS                              16:10                        29-7
                                                                             16:13–15                     15-1
1:28                      44-22       6:12                         46-11
                                                                             17:6                          8-6
2:24                      44-22       8                            46-11
                                                                             17:6, 7             Sec. 7, Intro.
4:1–10                    48-14       10:11                        46-11
                                                                             18:9–14                    32-10
4:3–5                       48-3      12:3                          32-5
                                                                             18:15–19                   46-14
5:24                        48-5      13:47–59                     53-23
                                                                             18:18, 19                    11-7
6:3                       18-11       14:2, 3                       19-1
                                                                             21:1–9                       26-7
9:4                       47-10       15:4–17                      53-23
                                                                             21:22, 23                  26-12
10:25                     55-32       16                     46-18, 47-8
                                                                             22:23, 24                     3-3
12:1–3                      48-6      17:10, 11, 14                47-10
                                                                             24:1–4                       19-7
14:26–29                  46-19       17:11                  47-6, 47-10
                                                                             24:9                       37-12
14:34                       48-7      18:6–8, 29                    35-2
                                                                             25:1–3                     37-12
17                          32-5      19:18                  16-3, 16-11
                                                                             28                           22-4
17:1–22                     48-6      19:26                        46-10
                                                                             28:58, 59                  37-12
17:9–14                     32-5      21:10                        46-11
                                                                             31:9                       46-11
18:13–14                  29-24       23:34                         15-1
                                                                             31:10–13                     15-1
19:24, 25                 53-16       23:39–43                      15-1
                                                                             32:4                       33-17
21:12                       48-8
                                      NUMBERS                                32:7–9                     41-13
22:1–19                     48-8
                                                                             32:8                       32-16
22:15–18             48-6, 48-8       3:6–9                        46-11     33:10                      46-11
24:60                       48-6      8:24                         46-11
26:2–5                      48-6      12:5–8                Sec. 7, Intro.   JOSHUA
28:1–15                     48-6      12:12                           6-6
34:14–17           Sec. 7, Intro.                                            2:1–24                     49-11
                                      15:37–41                       13-1
41:53–57                    55-8                                             3:3, 17                    46-11
                                      15:38                          21-9
42:44                       55-8                                             6:22–25                    49-11
                                      16:1–3, 31–35                53-19
                                                                             13:22                      32-10
                                      16:3                         51-14
EXODUS                                                                       15:24                        7-9
                                      18:1–6                       46-11
                                                                             20:6                       46-11
3:1–15                      15-5      22:5                         53-19
                                                                             24:15                      49-22
6:2, 3                      15-5      25                           53-19
6:3                         15-5      28:26                          29-7    1 SAMUEL
7                         33-16       29:12–38                       15-1
7:9–13                    45-25       31:8                         53-19     14:32, 33                  47-10
8                         33-16       35:25                        46-11     16:7                         8-9
12                    5-1, 47-1                                              1 KINGS
12:48              Sec. 7, Intro.     DEUTERONOMY
13:2–17                     21-9      4:2                          56-19     17; 18                     49-19
13:9                        21-9      5:6–21                       16-11     21:13                      26-12
16                          55-8      6:5                          16-11
19:5, 6            Sec. 7, Intro.                                            2 KINGS
                                      6:4–9                          21-9
19:5–25                     46-9      6:8                            21-9    2                           14-6
19:6                        50-6      7:3, 4                Sec. 7, Intro.   4:7                        33-23
21:28–32                    23-3      7:6                   Sec. 7, Intro.   12:10                      46-11
23:16                       29-7      10:15                 Sec. 7, Intro.   16:10–16                    31-1
23:16, 17                   15-1      11:13–21                       21-9
28:1               46-11, 46-12       12:23                        47-10     JOB
29:38–44                  46-11       12:32                        56-19     1:12                       37-15
32:22                       29-7      14:2                  Sec. 7, Intro.   2:3                        37-15


                                                      511
2:4–6                  37-15     59:20                     20-10    3:2–4                        37-15
9:17                   37-15     60:1–3                      15-8   3:3                          48-15
16:17                  37-15     61:1, 2           Intro. 6, 18-6   4:1            33-23, 48-15, 53-22
19:25                  27-10     65:17                     29-11
23:6, 10–14            37-15                                        MATTHEW
38:4–7                 56-21     JEREMIAH
                                                                    1:5                          49-11
38:7                Intro. 41    2:13                       5-6     1:17                            3-2
                                 16:14, 15                 10-4     1:18–25                         3-3
PSALMS                                                              1:21                            2-8
                                 16:14–21                  22-6
12:6                   37-16     25                       55-31     2:1, 2                          3-5
14:7                   20-10     32:27                    29-24     2:7, 16                         3-5
22:7, 8             Intro. 27    49:23-27                  31-1     2:11                            3-5
22:18                  26-13                                        2:13–23                         3-5
24:3, 4             Intro. 13    EZEKIEL                            3:1                             4-1
63–68           Sec. 7, Intro.   18:21–24                38-17      3:1–3                           4-2
68:20                  43-12     38–39              55-31, 56-9     3:7–9                Sec. 7, Intro.
69:20               Intro. 27                                       3:8–10                       49-24
78:38, 39              37-12     DANIEL                             3:9                     4-3, 30-11
127:3, 5               34-10     2:27                     32-10     3:15                       Intro. 4
                                 5:11                     32-10     3:16                            4-4
PROVERBS                                                            3:24–26                         3-8
                                 7:22                      56-7
3:5, 6                 33-10     9:26                     26-13     4:1                             4-5
6:18                    13-9     9:27                      22-4     4:1, 2                          4-5
28:1                    11-7     11–12                    55-31     4:5, 6, 7, 9                    4-6
                                 11:31                     22-4     4:5, 8                          4-6
ISAIAH                                                              4:17                            6-1
                                 12:11                     22-4
2:3                    21-11                                        4:18                       6-1, 7-9
2:4                    21-11     JOEL                               4:18, 19                        6-1
2:6                    32-10                                        4:18–20                         6-1
                                 2:3                      55-31     4:19                            6-2
7:14                      3-3    2:1–11                   55-20
8:6                       5-6                                       4:19, 20                      11-1
                                 2:28–32                   29-7     4:21                            7-9
13:9–11                55-12
14:12                  55-18     AMOS                               4:22                            6-4
17:1                     31-1                                       4:23                            6-4
                                 1:4                       31-1     4:23–25                    6-4, 6-5
22:22                  54-19     4:11                     53-22
24:5                     47-2                                       5–7                   Intro. 1, 8-2
24:20                  55-12                                        5:1                             8-1
                                 MICAH
26:19                    2-10                                       5:3                           8-14
                                 5:1                        2-10    5:3, 4                          8-2
29:13                  21-14
                                 5:2                         3-4    5:4                           8-14
34                     55-31
40:3                      4-1                                       5:5                           8-14
                                 ZECHARIAH                          5:6                           8-14
40:10, 11                15-6
41:8            Sec. 7, Intro.   9:9                 2-10, 20-4     5:7                           8-14
43:20                    50-6    11:12                     23-3     5:8                   8-14, 28-20
43:21                    50-6    11:12, 13                 2-10     5:9                           8-14
49:6             15-8, 32-16     12–14                   55-31      5:10                          8-14
50:6                     2-10    12:1–9                    22-4     5:10, 11                     49-26
50:7                Intro. 15    14                        22-4     5:11, 12                     49-26
53                     26-13                                        5:14–16               49-26, 54-6
                                 MALACHI                            5:16                          15-8
53:4–7, 9, 12            50-8
53:9, 12                 2-10    1:2, 3                     41-2    5:17, 18                  Intro. 23
58:11                     5-6    1:3                        41-2    5:18                          15-8
58:14                  31-11     3–4                        22-8    5:23–24                      35-18


                                             512
5:26                     56-23    11:1–4                       56-23    15:22                         13-7
5:27–28          Sec. 1, Intro.   11:2, 3                         9-1   15:24                         13-8
5:27–30                  49-26    11:11                           9-2   15:26                         13-9
5:29, 30                    8-3   11:20–24                        9-4   16:13–19                      19-4
5:38–47                  49-26    11:23, 24            Sec. 2, Intro.   16:15                   Appen. D
5:48              8-10, 46-25,    11:29, 30                    35-18    16:15–17                      28-6
                 49-26, 51-19     12:23                           9-8   16:16             Intro. 211, 3-8,
6:1–4                       8-4   12:24                           9-8                      27-10, Sec. 7,
6:5–15                      8-5   12:25, 26                       9-8                   Intro., Appen. D
6:12                      16-6    12:26                           9-6   16:16, 17                    45-35
6:19–21                  49-26    12:30                           9-5   16:17                  7-9, 31-11,
6:19–23                     8-6   12:31                      9-6, 9-7                           Appen. D
6:22, 23                  15-8    12:32                           9-8   16:17, 18                     14-1
6:24                8-7, 49-22    12:33–35                        9-8   16:18                          4-8
6:25–27                     8-2   12:36                          13-9   16:19                  14-2, 14-3,
6:25–34                     8-8   12:49, 50             Intro. 9, 9-8                         14-10, 28-1
6:33                     49-26    13                         Intro. 1   16:20                   Appen. D
7:1                         8-9   13:1–53                        10-4   16:21            27-2, Appen. D
7:1, 2                      8-9   13:3–8                         10-5   16:24                         14-4
7:6–17                      8-2   13:4, 19                     10-17    17:1–8                        28-1
7:7, 8                    28-7    13:5, 6, 20, 21              10-18    17:1–9       Sec. 4, Intro., 14-5
7:7–11                   49-26    13:7, 22                     10-19    17:2                         35-16
7:11          Intro. 36, 49-26    13:8, 23                     10-20    17:3, 4                       14-6
7:13, 14                  8-10    13:9–17                        10-6   17:9                    Appen. D
7:16–19                  10-16    13:10–13                     10-16    17:23                         27-2
7:21                     49-26    13:19                        10-16    18:6                          14-8
7:21, 24–27              49-26    13:25                          10-7   18:15–17, 21–35               14-7
7:22, 23                 51-16    13:29                          10-8   18:17                         14-9
7:24–27                  10-16    13:29, 30, 38                  10-9   18:21, 22                     14-7
7:29                      11-1    13:30                          10-8   19:6                          19-7
8:2                         6-6   13:31                        10-10    19:7                          19-8
8:28–34                   10-1    13:31, 32            10-11, 10-12     19:16–20                     19-12
9:2–8               6-4, 26-15    13:33                        10-13    19:16–22                     19-12
9:11                        6-8   13:38                        10-16    19:18                        31-11
10                          8-2   13:44–46              24-12, 28-7     19:20                    Intro. 19
10:1                 7-5, 11-1    13:52                        10-14    19:27–28                Appen. D
10:1–4                      7-7   13:54–58                     10-15    19:27–30                      19-8
10:1–5                    11-1    13:55               Sec. 11, Intro.   19:28                 29-11, 56-7
10:4                        7-9   13:58                        56-23    20:19                         27-2
10:9, 10                  11-2    14:1, 2                        11-7   21                            56-3
10:12                     49-3    14:2                           11-7   21:1–5                        2-10
10:14                     11-3    14:25                          12-2   21:9    Sec. 5, Intro., Intro. 212
10:14, 15                 56-7    14:30, 31                      12-3   21:13        Sec. 5, Intro., 20-9
10:16                     11-3    14:34–36       Sec. 4, Intro., 13-1   21:17               Sec. 4, Intro.
10:22                    50-15    15:1–20                        13-2   21:23               Sec. 5, Intro.
10:28               11-4, 11-5    15:2                           13-4   21:28–32                      21-1
10:37, 38                 11-6    15:2–6               Sec. 7, Intro.   21:33–41                      21-2
10:38                    26-12    15:3–6                         13-5   21:42                        43-11
10:38, 39                 11-6    15:7, 8                        13-2   21:42–46                      21-3
10:39                    21-14    15:11        Intro. 13, 13-2, 13-9    22:2–11                       21-4
10:40                 Intro. 11   15:13                          13-6   22:15                         21-5
10:41                     11-7    15:17–20                       13-9   22:17–21                      21-7
10:42                     11-9    15:21–28             Sec. 4, Intro.   22:18                         21-6



                                                   513
22:18, 19                      21-7    26:22                        23-9   28:1–4, 11–15              27-10
22:20, 21                      21-7    26:23                        23-6   28:1, 5–7                    27-8
22:21                          21-7    26:32        Sec. 6, Intro., 28-5   28:1–8                  Intro. 28
22:23–33                       21-8    26:33                  Appen. D     28:2, 4                    27-13
22:28                          21-8    26:34                  Appen. D     28:2–4                       27-1
22:29                          21-8    26:36                 25-3, 25-8    28:3, 4                    27-13
22:35–39                      16-11    26:36–39           Sec. 5, Intro.   28:5                       56-23
22:40                         16-11    26:36–56           26 Int. Com.     28:7         Sec. 6, Intro., 28-5
22:42                            3-5   26:38                        25-8   28:9, 10                     28-5
23                Intro. 1, Sec. 7,    26:39             Sec. 5, Intro.,   28:11–15                     27-1
                      Intro., 21-14                   25-4, 25-7, 25-8     28:16              Sec. 6, Intro.
23:5                           21-9    26:40, 41                    25-8   28:16–20                     28-5
23:7                          21-10    26:42                        25-8   28:18–20               7-7, 11-1
23:13                          20-1    26:44                        25-8   28:18              40-8, 42-12,
23:13, 14            Sec. 7, Intro.    26:45, 46                    25-8                      46-15, 46-28
23:23                     Intro. 21,   26:47                  Appen. D     28:19                   Intro. 29
                     Sec. 7, Intro.    26:47–75                     26-3
23:34–37                       11-7    26:52, 53              Appen. D     MARK
23:35                   3-5, 48-14     26:57–66           Sec. 5, Intro.   1:17                           6-2
23:37                Sec. 5, Intro.    26:57–75                Intro. 26   1:21–28                 6-3, 23-2
23:37–39                      21-11    26:59                        26-2   2:14                           7-9
24                            22-12    26:64                    Intro. 5   2:18–22                        6-9
24:1–3                        22-11    26:67                        50-8   3:8                 Sec. 4, Intro.
24:2         20-2, Intro. 22, 22-1     26:69                  Appen. D     3:14                        14-10
24:3               Intro. 22, 22-2,    26:71                  Appen. D     3:16–19                        7-7
                       22-3, 22-11     26:72                  Appen. D     4:4, 25                     10-17
24:3–5                        22-11    26:73                  Appen. D     4:5, 16, 17                 10-18
24:6, 7, 12, 14, 15           22-12    27:1, 2          Intro. 26, 26-2    4:7, 18, 19                 10-19
24:7                          33-21    27:2                         26-4   4:8, 20                     10-20
24:9–13                       22-11    27:7                         2-10   4:39                Sec. 2, Intro.
24:15–22                      22-11    27:11–25                Intro. 26   5:1–21              Sec. 3, Intro.
24:15–22, 29, 34, 35           22-4    27:20              Sec. 5, Intro.   5:22–24                       14-5
24:24                          22-5    27:24–35                Intro. 26   5:25–34                       13-1
24:24, 26–34, 37–51           22-12    27:24                 26-5, 27-7    5:35–43                       14-5
24:28                          22-6    27:25                      29-19    6:1–6               Sec. 3, Intro.
24:29, 30                     55-12    27:26–30                     26-9   6:4                 Sec. 2, Intro.
24:29–30, 36–39                22-7    27:30                        2-10   6:37                          12-1
24:36, 37                      33-6    27:31–61                Intro. 26   7:1                           13-3
24:40                          22-8    27:32                      26-10    7:3–8               Sec. 7, Intro.
24:45–51                       22-9    27:33                      26-11    7:11                          13-5
25:1–13              22-10, 55-33      27:35              26-12, 26-13     7:26                          13-7
25:14–30               19-9, 22-11     27:35–50                Intro. 27   7:31                Sec. 4, Intro.
25:29                          17-6    27:38, 57–60                 2-10   8:9                 Sec. 4, Intro.
25:40                          11-9    27:39                      29-19    8:11–13                       20-9
26:1, 2                       23-10    27:46              26-14, 26-17     8:31                      Intro. 5
26:3, 57               26-1, 29-13     27:50, 51                    47-8   9:2                 Sec. 2, Intro.
26:5                           23-1    27:52, 53                    2-10   9:30–32                     23-10
26:6                          19-10    27:57–60                   26-13    9:31                          27-2
26:6–13                19-11, 27-4     27:58                      26-12    10:32–34                    23-10
26:14–16                       2-10    27:62–66                   27-13    10:34                         27-2
26:15                          23-3    27:62–69                   27-10    11:1                        19-10
26:17                          23-7    27:66                      27-13    11:11         Sec. 5, Intro., 20-3
26:21                          23-9    28:1–4                       27-2   11:12–14                      20-8


                                                       514
11:13                20-3    6:17                Sec. 4, Intro.   15:3–7              18-9, 18-12
12:41–44           21-12     6:37                           8-9   15:8–10            18-10, 18-12
14:20–25             23-4    6:46                        28-20    15:11–32             18-3, 18-4,
14:22–25      23-4, 23-8     7:3                           34-5                      18-11, 18-12
14:25           Intro. 25    7:11–17       Sec. 3, Intro., 18-8   16:8                        18-5
14:26           Intro. 25    7:28                 Intro. 4, 4-2   16:19–31                    18-6
14:32–42             14-5    7:36–50                       27-4   17:14                       19-1
14:32–52        Intro. 26    8:5, 12                     10-17    17:17, 18                   19-2
14:36                25-8    8:6, 13                     10-18    17:20                       19-3
14:40                25-8    8:7, 14                     10-19    17:21                       19-4
14:43                25-8    8:8, 15                     10-20    17:26                      51-13
14:53–71        Intro. 26    8:11                        10-16    18:1–8                      19-5
15:1            Intro. 26    8:15                          8-16   18:9–14                     19-6
15:2–19         Intro. 26    8:41                          34-5   18:11, 12          Sec. 7, Intro.
15:20–47        Intro. 26    8:41, 42, 49–56               18-8   18:14                       19-6
15:28              26-13     8:41, 46            Sec. 7, Intro.   18:22                   Intro. 17
15:47                27-8    9:10, 11            Sec. 3, Intro.   18:33                       27-2
16:1          27-8, 30-8     9:21, 22                    23-10    19:11–28                    19-9
16:1–8          Intro. 28    9:22                          27-2   19:41                       20-1
16:3            Intro. 28    9:28–36                       28-1   19:41–44                   21-11
16:6        Sec. 6, Intro.   9:51                      Intro. 7   19:42                       20-1
16:7                 28-5    10:16                         11-7   20:35, 36                   21-8
16:9–11      27-5, 27-11     10:17                         16-1   22:3                        23-2
16:11, 13            27-9    10:21                         16-2   22:30                       56-7
16:12              27-11     10:25–28                    16-11    22:31                  Appen. D
16:14           Intro. 28    10:27, 29, 36                 16-3   22:31, 32              Appen. D
16:15                50-3    10:38–42                      16-4   22:25, 26                   11-2
                             11:1–4                 16-5, 16-6    22:40                       25-8
LUKE                         11:5–13                16-5, 16-7    22:40–53                Intro. 26
1:3                29-5      11:13                         16-7   22:42–44                    4-15
1:5–44               4-1     11:24–26                      16-8   22:43, 44                   25-8
1:13–17              4-2     11:32                         16-9   22:44                 25-7, 25-8
1:30–35              3-6     11:47–49                    16-10    22:54–71                Intro. 26
1:32                 3-5     11:52                       16-11    23:2–25                 Intro. 26
1:35                 3-6     11:53                       16-11    23:6–11                     26-6
2:1–20           3-1, 34     12:1                          17-5   23:7–11                 Intro. 26
2:10              56-23      12:4, 5                       17-5   23:8–11                    26-13
2:51              42-22      12:7                          17-5   23:26–56                Intro. 26
3:2               29-13      12:15                         17-5   23:33                      26-11
3:4             Intro. 4     12:19                         17-5   23:34       26-13, 26-14, 29-19
3:23–38              3-2     12:20                         17-5   23:43              26-14, 26-16
4:13               56-6      12:33                          8-8   23:46              26-14, 26-17
4:18               18-6      12:36–39                      17-5   24:1–9                  Intro. 28
4:21            Intro. 6     12:48         Sec. 7, Intro., 17-6   24:3                       27-19
4:24            Intro. 6     12:49–53                      17-1   24:5, 6                    27-19
4:29, 30       Appen. D      13:6–9                        17-2   24:7                        27-2
5:1–11               6-1     13:14                         34-5   24:10, 11                   27-9
5:17–24              6-7     13:32                         27-2   24:13                      27-12
6:9                  7-3     13:33               Sec. 5, Intro.   24:25, 32                  27-18
6:12, 13             7-7     14:12–24                      18-1   24:32       27-15, 27-16, 27-17
6:13                 7-6     14:16–24                      21-4   24:34                       28-1
6:14–16              7-7     14:24                         18-1   24:36–44                   27-11
6:15                 7-9     14:28–30                      18-2   24:39                       52-3



                                             515
24:46                         27-2     6:63                           12-7    10:30                        17-4
24:46, 47                  Intro. 5    6:66                           12-7    10:32                        14-4
                                       6:66, 67                       17-6    10:33                        17-4
JOHN                                   6:67                     Appen. D      10:39, 40                    17-5
1                               4-1    6:68                     Appen. D      10:40                        17-5
1:1                Intro. 212, 2-1     6:71                            7-9    11:1                Sec. 4, Intro.
1:1, 14                     Intro. 3   7:1–7                          30-8    11:1–46                      18-8
1:9–11                          2-2    7:2                            15-1    11:1–52                      18-7
1:9                           31-10    7:4                       Intro. 15    11:4, 11, 15                 18-8
1:18                            4-7    7:5                 Sec. 11, Intro.    11:6                         18-8
1:19                            4-7    7:8                       Intro. 15    11:16                         7-9
1:29, 36                       47-4    7:16, 17     Intro. 211, 3-8, 15-2     11:18                      19-10
1:29                     Appen. D      7:17                           15-2    11:25                    Intro. 5
1:41                     Appen. D      7:53                      Intro. 16    11:48               Sec. 7, Intro.
1:42                       4-8, 7-9    8:1                       Intro. 16    11:49                26-1, 29-13
1:47–49                         4-9    8:1–11                 15-3, 20-10     11:51               Sec. 5, Intro.
2:4                     4-10, 4-11,    8:3–12                         15-8    11:53                   Intro. 21
                         Appen. D      8:12                 Sec. 4, Intro.,   11:56                   Intro. 20
2:6                            4-12                            15-8, 15-9     12:4                          7-9
2:13, 14                        5-1    8:19, 28, 29                 45-35     12:10, 11                    18-7
2:13–22                         5-2    8:28                            3-8    12:15                        20-4
2:16                      5-2, 20-9    8:31, 32                       15-4    12:20–26                     20-5
2:18–22                       23-10    8:37                      Intro. 16    12:21                         7-9
3:1–12                          5-7    8:37–45                      44-14     12:23                        20-5
3:3                             5-7    8:39                 Sec. 7, Intro.    12:24                        20-5
3:3–5                         56-23    8:44                            9-8    12:25                        20-5
3:5                        5-3, 5-7    8:56–59                        15-5    12:26                        20-6
3:13–15                         5-7    8:58                            2-8    12:27–30                     20-7
3:22                            7-5    8:58, 59                       10-4    12:33                    Intro. 5
4:1–3                           5-4    9:1–41                         15-8    12:49                         3-8
4:2–4                           5-4    9:11, 15, 17,                          13:1–20                      23-5
4:7–10                        23-10    25-27, 31–35                   15-8    13:20                        11-7
4:9                             5-5    9:13–34              Sec. 7, Intro.    13:23             Sec. 12, Intro.
4:9, 11, 14, 15, 19, 29         5-7    9:28                 Sec. 7, Intro.    13:26, 27                    23-6
4:10                            5-6    9:39                           15-8    13:27                        23-6
4:33, 34                       4-15    10:1                           15-6    13:31                  Appen. D
4:36                          45-16    10:1–15                        15-6    13:31–35                   23-11
5:16                  Sec. 3, Intro.   10:2, 3                        15-6    13:34                      23-12
5:19, 30                      45-35    10:3, 4, 27                    15-6    13:34, 35                  23-10
5:24, 25                      50-17    10:4, 5                        15-6    13:35                      23-11
5:26, 27                       15-7    10:9                 Intro. 5, 15-6    14                      Intro. 25
5:31–38                         7-1    10:10          Intro. 31, Intro. 47    14:2                         24-1
5:39                           7-26    10:11                Sec. 4, Intro.    14:5, 6                  Intro. 1
6:14, 15                       12-6    10:11–13                       15-6    14:6–9                     45-35
6:25                           12-4    10:14                          11-7    14:7–11                      24-2
6:26, 27                       12-7    10:14–16                       17-4    14:9                         24-2
6:31, 32                       12-5    10:17, 18               15-7, 25-8     14:12                        24-3
6:32–35                        12-6    10:18                          47-4    14:15        28-18, 28-20, 31-11
6:35                     Intro. 211    10:22                          17-3    14:18–24              24-4, 24-5
6:38                           4-15    10:22–38                       17-4    14:22                         7-9
6:46                            4-7    10:25                          17-4    14:26                 24-6, 24-9
6:47–51                        12-7    10:27                          17-4    14:27                      33-20
6:51          Sec. 2, Intro., 54-22    10:27, 28                       3-8    14:30                        24-7



                                                        516
15:1, 5                        41-4    20:31     Intro. 1, Sec. 5, Intro.    5:29             Sec. 11, Intro.,
15:1–8                         24-9    21:1–17                      28-3                            Appen. D
15:8–13                       23-11    21:2                          7-7     5:29–32           Sec. 11, Intro.
15:9, 10                      23-11    21:15–17                     15-6     5:30–32             Sec. 7, Intro.
15:13                         43-14    21:16               Sec. 7, Intro.    5:34–40                     29-15
15:16                            7-5   21:18, 19         Sec. 11, Intro.     5:35–39                     29-16
15:26                   24-9, 28-6     21:21–23          Sec. 12, Intro.     5:36                        29-16
16:1–3                         20-9    21:21–24                     28-4     6:1                 Sec. 7, Intro.
16:5, 20                   Intro. 24   21:24, 25                    28-7     6:1–6                       29-30
16:7                           24-8                                          6:5–7:59                    29-17
16:7–11                        24-9    ACTS                                  6:9                 Sec. 7, Intro.
16:13–15                       24-9    1:1                     29-3, 29-5    6:14                Sec. 7, Intro.
16:24               Intro. 45, 24-8    1:3                 Sec. 6, Intro.,   6:15                        29-17
16:29, 30                  Intro. 25                             Intro. 29   7                   Sec. 7, Intro.
16:33                 24-12, 27-19     1:8              Intro. 212, 29-1,    7:54–60                     22-11
17           Intro. 25, 16-5, 25-1                29-6, Intro. 29, 29-22,    7:58               Sec. 7, Intro.,
17:1                           25-1                29-24, Sec. 11, Intro.                       26-12, 29-18
17:1–3                         25-1    1:11                 Sec. 6, Intro.   7:60               29-18, 29-19
17:3             3-5, 25-2, 28-20,     1:12                           29-4   8:1          Sec. 7, Intro., 29-5
                45-35, 51-5, 52-7      1:13                      7-7, 30-8   8:3          Sec. 7, Intro., 35-5
17:4–19                        25-1    1:15–26             Sec. 11, Intro.   8:4                          29-5
17:20–26                       25-1    1:18                            7-7   8:5                  29-6, 29-20
17:24                          24-3    2:1                            29-7   8:5–8                       29-29
18:1, 2             Intro. 26, 25-3    2:2–4                          29-8   8:5–13                      29-30
18:12–14                       26-3    2:5                  Sec. 7, Intro.   8:10                        32-17
18:13                          26-1    2:9–11               Sec. 7, Intro.   8:20                   Appen. D
18:13, 14, 24, 28      26-1, 29-13     2:14                Sec. 11, Intro.   8:26–29                     29-20
18:13–27                   Intro. 26   2:16–21, 25, 26      Sec. 7, Intro.   8:32–35                     26-13
18:15–24                   Intro. 26   2:22–24                  Intro. 212   9:1, 2       Sec. 7, Intro., 35-5
18:18, 24                     29-13    2:23                     Appen. D     9:2, 3, 8                    31-1
18:28–38                   Intro. 26   2:23, 24, 32         Sec. 7, Intro.   9:4–6                        31-2
18:28–40                   Intro. 26   2:29–31, 34                    29-9   9:5                   31-3, 31-4
18:32                       Intro. 5   2:32              Intro. 212, 28-6    9:8                  31-4, 31-12
19:1                          26-13    2:40                         29-10    9:13, 14                     31-6
19:1–16                    Intro. 26   2:42                            7-9   9:15            Intro. 42, 32-16
19:2, 18, 34                  26-13    3                  Sec. 11, Intro.,   9:15, 16                Intro. 32
19:4–12                        26-8                        Sec. 12, Intro.   9:18                         31-5
19:16–42                   Intro. 26   3:12                     Appen. D     9:20                         31-6
19:18–30                      26-13    3:12–15                  Appen. D     9:20–22                      31-6
19:19                         27-19    3:19                         29-11    9:23                         31-6
19:23                          26-3    3:21                         29-12    9:23–25                      31-1
19:26, 27             23-14, 26-16     3:22, 23              11-7, 46-14     9:27                         31-7
19:28                  25-6, 26-14     3:22–26              Sec. 7, Intro.   9:29                Sec. 7, Intro.
19:30          25-6, 26-14, 26-17      4                   Sec. 12, Intro.   9:40, 41               Appen. D
19:34, 35                     52-15    4:6                   26-1, 29-13     10         Sec. 11, Intro., 29-18
20:1                           27-3    4:10–12                        21-3   10:1                         30-1
20:11–18                       27-5    4:12                 28-17, 48-20     10:1, 2                      30-1
20:17                   27-6, 27-7     4:16–18              Sec. 7, Intro.   10:1–11:18        Sec. 11, Intro.
20:19–29                       28-2    4:36                           31-7   10:3–6                       30-1
20:22                            7-5   5:1–11                       29-14    10:6                         30-2
20:24                            7-9   5:15, 16            Sec. 11, Intro.   10:9–33                      30-3
20:27                 Sec. 6, Intro.   5:17–32              Sec. 7, Intro.   10:10                        30-4
20:28                         28-17    5:18                         22-11    10:21–35                     38-6



                                                        517
10:34                    Intro. 30   15:32                        32-8    20:4             Sec. 7, Intro.
10:34, 35                     29-6   15:36                        32-9    20:4–6          Sec. 10, Intro.
10:40                         27-2   15:40           32-8, 33-2, 32-9     20:6                       29-3
10:44–48                      30-5   16:1              Sec. 10, Intro.    20:6–12                    54-2
10:47, 48                     30-1   16:1–4            Sec. 10, Intro.    20:10, 11                  30-7
11:18                       30-11    16:1–9                       38-3    20:16                 Intro. 42
11:19                         29-6   16:7                Sec. 7, Intro.   20:18, 19       Sec. 11, Intro.
11:20               Sec. 7, Intro.   16:7–9, 26                   32-9    20:22–24                   34-3
11:24                         31-7   16:9         Sec. 7, Intro. 44-3     20:28             15-6, 43-10
11:25, 26     31-7, Sec. 8 Intro.    16:10        Sec. 7, Intro. 29-3     20:28, 29                  42-1
11:26                         30-6   16:12                        44-3    20:29, 30        Sec. 7, Intro.
11:28                         30-7   16:14, 15                    44-3    20:38                      34-1
11:29, 30                     31-7   16:16                       32-10    21:8–15                  29-20
11:29–31            Sec. 8, Intro.   16:16–40                     32-8    21:9              29-20, 34-2
12           Sec. 11, Intro., 30-9   16:17                       54-14    21:10–14                   34-3
12:1                   30-8, 30-9    16:24–33                    32-16    21:27–29         Sec. 7, Intro.
12:1, 2           Sec. 11, Intro.,   16:30–34                    32-11    21:37–40         Sec. 7, Intro.
               22-11, 30-9, 49-3     16:37                        32-8    21:38                      42-2
12:4                        30-10    16:39                        44-3    21:39            Sec. 7, Intro.
12:12                       30-11    17:1–15                      32-8    22:3             Sec. 7, Intro.,
12:12–17                    30-11    17:2                     Intro. 33                     29-15, 35-5
12:25                       30-11    17:3                        32-12    22:4             Sec. 7, Intro.
13:1–14, 26                   32-1   17:5, 10                     33-1    22:4, 30         Sec. 7, Intro.
13:2                        32-16    17:14             Sec. 10, Intro.    22:5                       35-5
13:5                        30-11    17:16          Intro. 212, 32-16     22:11                      31-4
13:5, 14            Sec. 7, Intro.   17:15–34                    32-14    22:20            Sec. 7, Intro.
13:6                          32-2   17:18                       32-13    22:24–29                 37-12
13:7                          32-3   17:19                       32-14    22:25–29         Sec. 7, Intro.
13:12                         32-3   17:19, 20           Sec. 7, Intro.   23:6             Sec. 7, Intro.
13:13                       30-11    17:21      Sec. 7, Intro., 32-14     24:1–26:32       Sec. 9, Intro.
13:13; 14:23                  38-3   17:22                       32-15    25:11                      42-3
13:16–22, 35        Sec. 7, Intro.   17:26                       32-16    25:8–13          Sec. 7, Intro.
13:28                         29-4   17:26, 27                   32-16    25:13                      30-9
13:44–50            Sec. 7, Intro.   17:28                       32-13    25:13–23                   30-9
13:46                         29-6   17:32              Sec. 7, Intro.,   25:13–26:26                30-9
13:47                       32-16                           Intro. 212    26:4             Sec. 7, Intro.
13:50                       38-17    17:34                       32-14    26:5        Sec. 7, Intro. 35-5
14:1                Sec. 7, Intro.   18:1, 5           Sec. 10, Intro.    26:10                      35-5
14:4, 14                      31-7   18:5                         32-8    26:12            Sec. 7, Intro.
14:5                        38-17    18:6                         29-6    26:15–18              Intro. 46
14:12                         31-7   18:7–12      Sec. 7, Intro., 32-9    26:25                      42-4
14:19                       38-17    18:9                         32-9    26:28                      42-4
15                          30-11    18:10                       32-17    26:30                      30-9
15:1                   32-4, 32-5    18:14, 15                    29-6    26:32            Sec. 7, Intro.
15:1–29            Sec. 11, Intro.   18:18                        32-9    27:9                       42-5
15:1–35        32-6, 38-8, 38-15     18:23      Intro. 35, 34-1, 42-9     27:14                 Intro. 28
15:2, 23–29        Sec. 10, Intro.   19:1                         42-9    27:24            Sec. 7, Intro.
15:4–34            Sec. 11, Intro.   19:21             Intro. 39, 42-6    28:16                      42-6
15:7                          32-6   19:22             Sec. 10, Intro.    28:16–31                   42-6
15:13–34                      30-8   19:23                       54-10    28:28                      29-6
15:20, 29                   47-10    20:2, 3                      39-2    28:30                      29-2
15:28                         32-7   20:3                     Intro. 42   28:30, 31                  42-6




                                                     518
ROMANS                     15:19–27                   39-2    13                          36-11
                           15:24, 28                 41-13    13:1–13                       36-2
1:7                49-26
                                                              14:1–22                       36-3
1:7, 8              39-4   1 CORINTHIANS                      14:26–40                      36-4
1:9–11              42-6
                           1:10                        34-6   14:27                         36-4
1:10                39-2
                           1:14                        34-5   14:34, 35                     36-5
1:16        19-14, 39-1,
                           1:17                        34-6   15:3–8                 Intro. 212,
            39-10, 49-26
                           1:20, 22–25           Intro. 212                       Sec. 7, Intro.
1:26, 27            39-5
                           1:23        Sec. 7, Intro., 34-7   15:4                          27-2
2; 3; 4             32-5
                           1:26–31                     34-8   15:4–8              Sec. 7, Intro.
2:5–13              41-3
                           1:28                        34-9   15:6          Sec. 6, Intro., 28-5
2:6–13              39-6
                           2:1–8                     34-10    15:7               Sec. 11, Intro.
3:1–31              39-7
                           2:1, 2          Sec. 8, Intro. 9   15:20               Sec. 6, Intro.
3:23               39-10
                           2:2                    Intro. 32   15:29                         36-6
4:4                 39-8
                           2:5                       31-12    15:33                         36-7
4:16         39-9, 39-10
                           2:6, 7                    34-10    15:44–49                      36-8
5:5                31-12
                           2:14                      34-10    15:45                         36-9
5:20               39-10
                           2:16                      50-11    15:50                36-10, 47-8
6:1–6               40-1
                           4:16                        35-1   16:6–8                        34-4
6:3, 4              34-6
                           4:17             Sec. 10, Intro.   16:10              Sec. 10, Intro.
6:13, 16            41-3
                           5:1                         37-4   16:11              Sec. 10, Intro.
7:1–6               40-2
                           5:1, 11                     35-2   16:22                       36-11
8:4–6               40-3
8:6                 13-9   5:7, 8                      17-5
                                                              2 CORINTHIANS
8:16                 9-9   6:2, 3               35-3, 56-7
8:17                40-4   6:19, 20                    15-6   1:19                        32-8
8:18, 19            40-7   7:1                         34-4   1:22                        37-3
8:24               56-21   7:7                         35-5   2:5                         37-4
8:26               31-12   7:7, 8                      35-5   2:6–12                      37-4
8:29, 30      40-5, 43-5   7:9                         35-6   2:13                        37-2
9             41-1, 50-4   7:14                        35-7   2:17                        37-5
9:11                41-1   7:19                        32-5   3:6, 14                     37-6
9:11, 12           41-13   7:23                        15-6   4:17                      37-15
9:13                41-2   7:25–40                     35-8   5:19                        37-7
9:14               41-13   7:32                        35-9   6:2                         37-8
9:18–20            41-13   8                         35-14    6:12                37-9, 43-21
10:9, 10            41-3   8:5                       35-10    6:14                      37-10
10:11–13           41-13   9:1                       35-11    7:1                       35-16
10:14, 15           41-4   9:5                         35-5   7:5–7                       37-2
10:17               41-5   9:6                         31-7   7:5–15            Sec. 10, Intro.
11:1               29-18   9:22                      35-12    7:6, 13           Sec. 10, Intro.
11:2                41-6   10:3, 4                     12-9   7:8–10                    37-11
11:13               41-7   10:4                         2-8   8:1                         37-7
11:17–24            41-8   10:21                     35-15    8:6–16            Sec. 10, Intro.
11:25               41-9   10:24                     35-13    8:6, 16, 23       Sec. 10, Intro.
11:26, 27          20-10   10:25                     35-14    8:12                      21-12
12; 14              41-3   11:11              35-5, 35-15     8:18, 22                    37-2
12:1               41-10   11:23–30                  35-17    8:23              Sec. 10, Intro.
12:1, 2            35-16   11:28                     31-11    8:24                        37-2
13:1–7             41-11   12:3                 28-6, 36-1    9:2–4                       37-2
14:11               31-8   12:7                      36-11    9:5                         37-2
14:12              41-13   12:4–11                   36-11    11; 12                    31-12
14:17              44-22   12:12–27                  36-13    11:14                     33-16
14:23              41-12   12:14–31                  43-27    11:23–27               Intro. 46
                           12:31                     36-11    11:24                     37-12

                                          519
11:24–33                 37-15      1:18                        43-7    1:9                          42-11
12:2–4                   37-13      1:23                 42-12, 43-8    1:12                           54-2
12:7–9                   37-14      2:8                         43-9    1:19                         42-12
12:7–10    31-12, 37-12, 37-15      2:8–10                      43-9    1:26–29                      42-13
12:18           Sec. 10, Intro.     2:14                       43-10    2:1                            42-9
13:5                     35-18      2:19                43-25, 43-27    2:8                          42-14
                                    2:20                 21-3, 43-11    2:9                          42-12
GALATIANS                           3:1                         43-2    2:11                   32-5, 42-15
1:8                        36-11    4:1                         43-2    2:12                           34-6
1:8, 9                      38-4    4; 5                        34-6    2:13                         42-16
1:11, 12   Sec. 8, Intro., 31-12    4:8                        43-12    2:18, 19                     42-17
1:17               Sec. 8, Intro.   4:11–14                       7-9   3:3                          42-18
1:18, 19   Sec. 11, Intro., 30-8    4:11–16                    43-27    3:5                          42-19
1:19             Sec. 11, Intro.    4:12, 13                Intro. 46   3:8–21                         35-5
1:21–24            Sec. 8, Intro.   4:13                       31-13    3:11                   32-5, 42-20
2:1, 3           Sec. 10, Intro.    4:14                       43-13    3:12                           37-9
2:1–10           Sec. 11, Intro.    5:21–6:4                    35-5    3:17                         42-21
2:2–4, 9                    38-5    5:22                       43-14    3:18                         42-22
2:3              Sec. 10, Intro.    5:22–25                    43-14    3:19                         42-23
2:7                         32-5    5:22–31                    42-22    4:10                         30-11
2:9         Sec. 8, Intro., 30-8    5:23                       43-14    4:12, 13                       42-9
2:11–21                     38-6    5:24                       43-14    4:12, 13, 16                   42-8
2:13                        38-7    5:25                       43-14    4:13                           54-2
2:16        Sec. 7, Intro., 38-8    6:5, 6                     43-15    4:14                  Sec. 7, Intro.
3:1                    Intro. 39    6:5–9                      43-15    4:17                         43-20
3:8                         38-9    6:9                        43-15
                                    6:11                       43-16    1 THESSALONIANS
3:19                       38-10
3:24              38-11, 39-10      6:15                       43-16    1:1               32-8, 33-1, 33-2
3:27                34-6, 38-12     6:20                        43-2    1:10                          33-3
4:3, 9             Sec. 7, Intro.                                       2:2                           33-4
                                    PHILIPPIANS
4:6                        38-13                                        3:2                 Sec. 10, Intro.
4:9                        38-17    1:8                         37-9    3:6                 Sec. 10, Intro.
4:12                       31-13    1:13                   Intro. 43    4:3–5                         33-5
4:21, 22                    38-8    1:19                        44-5    5:2                           33-6
4:21–31           38-14, 39-14      2:1                         37-9    5:8                           33-6
5:1                Sec. 7, Intro.   2:5, 6                      40-6    5:11–15                       33-6
5:2                        38-15    2:5–8                40-7, 44-6     5:12, 13                      33-7
5:6                         32-5    2:12                 40-7, 44-7     5:14                          33-8
5:13                        40-3    2:24                        42-6    5:16–22                       33-6
5:16–26                    38-16    3:2                         44-8    5:19                          33-9
5:24                       31-12    3:5        Sec. 7, Intro., 29-18    5:23                          33-6
6:7                        38-18    3:5, 6             Sec. 7, Intro.   5:26                        33-10
6:7, 8                      13-9    3:15                        44-9
6:7–9                      38-18    4:6                         35-9    2 THESSALONIANS
6:8                        38-18    4:7            Intro. 44, 24-12     1:1                            32-8
6:9                        38-18    4:8, 9                      13-9    1:9                          33-11
6:15                        32-5    4:13       31-12, 35-16, 51-19      2:2            33-12, Sec. 8, Intro.
6:17                       38-17    4:14                       44-10    2:3                   33-13, 33-14
                                                                        2:4                            52-9
EPHESIANS                           COLOSSIANS
                                                                        2:7                          33-15
1:3, 4                     43-4     1:5                        56-22    2:9                          33-16
1:5, 11                    43-5     1:5, 6                     42-10    2:10                         33-17
1:10                       43-6     1:7, 8                      42-9    2:11                         33-17


                                                  520
2:13, 14                    51-19     TITUS                             6:4–6                     46-17
3:6                         33-18                                       6:19, 20            46-18, 47-8
                                      1:4             Sec. 10, Intro.
3:8                         33-19                                       7:1                       46-19
                                      1:4, 5          Sec. 10, Intro.
3:16                        33-20                                       7:3                46-20, 46-21
                                      1:5                       45-3
                                                                        7:9                       46-22
1 TIMOTHY                             1:9                       45-4
                                                                        7:11, 12                   47-7
                                      1:11                      45-5
1:3                 Sec. 10, Intro.                                     7:11–14                   46-23
                                      1:12                      45-5
1:4                          44-14                                      7:18–22                   46-24
                                      1:15                      45-6
3:1–7                        45-21                                      7:20, 21                  46-24
                                      2:10                      45-7
3:3                          44-15                                      8:3                        47-1
                                      3:3                  Intro. 45
3:6                          44-16                                      8:7–13                     47-2
                                      3:5                45-8, 45-9
3:12                         44-17                                      9:11–15, 23–28             47-4
                                      3:8, 14                 45-35
4:1               Intro. 44, 44-22                                      9:1–10                     47-3
                                      3:9              45-10, 45-17
4:1–4                     Intro. 48                                     9:15–17                    47-5
                                      3:10                    45-12
4:1, 2                       44-22                                      9:22                47-6, 47-12
                                      3:10, 11                45-11
4:3                  44-18, 44-22                                       9:23–25                    47-4
4:3–5                        44-19    PHILEMON                          9:26                       47-4
4:7                          44-14                                      9:28                      26-13
                                      1:2                       43-2    10:1–9                     47-7
4:8                          44-20
                                      1:2, 5                  43-18     10:19, 20                  47-8
4:12                      Intro. 44
                                      1:7, 12, 20             43-21     10:26–31                   47-9
5:1–16, 1–18                 44-21
                                      1:8                     43-22     10:32                      46-2
5:6                          45-22
                                      1:9                     43-23     10:34                     52-12
5:22                         44-22
                                      1:10                    43-17     11:1        48-19, 48-20, 56-21
2 TIMOTHY                             1:10, 11                43-24     11:3          48-1, 48-2, 48-20
                                      1:12, 14                43-18     11:4                 48-3, 48-4
1:3                         45-35     1:16                    43-25
1:5, 6             Sec. 10, Intro.                                      11:5                       48-5
                                      1:17                    43-18     11:6                      56-23
1:7              Intro. 45, 56-23     1:18, 19                43-18
1:8                         45-35                                       11:9, 14                   48-6
                                      19; 20                  43-18     11:10, 16                  48-7
1:12                        45-35     1:22                42-6, 42-9
1:15                          54-2                                      11:12                     29-24
                                      1:24                    30-11     11:13                     56-22
2:1–7                       45-16
2:14, 16, 23–25             45-17     HEBREWS                           11:17–19            48-8, 48-16
2:15            Intro. 211, 45-18                                       11:31                     49-11
                                      1:3            Intro. 20, 24-2    11:35                      48-9
2:17                        45-19
                                      1:4                       46-6    11:40                     48-10
2:18                        45-20
                                      1:13, 14                  46-6    12:4                      31-12
3:1–4                       45-21
                                      2:6–9                     46-7    12:5–13                   48-11
3:4                         45-22
                                      2:10                  Intro. 46   12:6                       26-9
3:5                         45-23
                                      2:18                        3-7   12:9, 10                    9-9
3:6                         45-22
                                      3:7–18                    46-9    12:18                     48-12
3:7                         45-24
                                      3:11                      46-8    12:23, 24                 48-13
3:8                         45-25
                                      4:8                      46-10    12:24                     48-14
3:14–16                     45-35
                                      4:12                      56-5    12:29        40-5, 48-15, 52-13
3:16                        45-26
                                      4:14–16                  46-15    13:9–14                   48-16
3:17                45-35, 49-26
                                      4:15, 16          Intro. 7, 3-7   13:12                     26-12
4:2                         45-27
                                      5:1–3            46-11, 46-15     13:23            Sec. 10, Intro.
4:4                         45-28
                                      5:4                      46-12    13:24                      46-2
4:6                      Intro. 45
                                      5:5                      46-13
4:6, 7                      45-29                                       JAMES
                                      5:7, 8                   46-14
4:6–8                       45-30
                                      5:7–9                     25-7    1:1         Sec. 11, Intro., 49-4
4:7, 8              Sec. 9, Intro.,
                                      5:9                      46-15    1:2                          49-5
                    31-12, 45-30
                                      5:12                      46-2    1:4–7                      49-26
4:10               Sec. 10, Intro.
                                      6:1           Intro. 46, 46-16


                                                    521
1:4, 17                   49-26     4:12                        50-15     2:20, 27                      52-10
1:5, 6                     49-6     4:17                        50-16     2:22                       Intro. 52
1:5–7                     49-21     5:12                         32-8     2:24                          52-16
1:8                49-22, 56-23     5:13                         50-2     2:27–29                          5-7
1:10                       49-7                                           3:1–3                          40-6
1:12                      49:26     2 PETER                               3:2                            25-2
1:13–15                   49-23     1                            50-4     3:9                      5-7, 52-11
1:14                       49-8     1:1                          51-4     3:17, 18                      23-11
1:17, 18                    9-9     1:1–19                       51-5     3:17                           37-9
1:21                       49-9     1:2                    Appen. D       3:18                          23-12
1:22                      49-26     1:3                        51-19      3:21                          52-12
1:22–25                   49-26     1:4         Intro. 51, Appen. D       3:23                          52-16
1:27        49-10, 49-26, 56-23     1:4–8                        51-6     3:24                          52-16
2:2–5                     49-24     1:5                        51-19      4:2, 3                     Intro. 52
2:4                       49-24     1:5–7                      51-19      4:7–10                        23-10
2:8                       49-26     1:10            51-5, 51-7, 51-8      4:7, 20, 21                   52-16
2:25                      49-11     1:10, 13–18           Appen. D.       4:7                              5-7
3:2                       49-26     1:10, 11                     51-4     4:8                           52-13
3:5                       49-12     1:12–15                      54-4     4:12                          52-14
3:8                       49-13     1:14                    Intro. 51     4:12, 13                      52-16
4:2–4                     49-26     1:16                       45-28      4:18                          56-23
4:4                       49-14     1:20, 21            Sec. 8, Intro.    5:1                              5-7
4:7                       49-15     1:21                         51-9     5:2                           52-16
4:9                       49-25     2                          51-14      5:4                              5-7
4:17                      49-16     2:1                  15-6, 51-16      5:8                           52-15
5:1–5                     49-26     2:1–3          51-14, Appen. D        5:18–20                       52-16
5:4                       49-17     2:10–22                    54-13      5:20                     Intro. 211
5:10                      49-26     2:13                       51-11
5:14, 15                  49-26                                           2 JOHN
                                    2:20–22            51-12, 51-16
5:16               49-18, 49-26     3:1                          45-6     1:1               53-2, 53-4, 53-5
5:17                      49-19     3:1, 2                       51-4     1:7              53-2, 53-6, 53-23
5:19, 20                  49-20     3:3                        51-13      1:10                          53-2
                                    3:8                          54-4     1:10, 11                      53-7
1 PETER
                                    3:10–13                    51-14
1:2                  41-1, 50-4     3:15, 16        Intro. 211, 46-3      3 JOHN
1:5                         53-4    3:16                    Intro. 51     1:1                           53-2
1:9                         50-5                                          1:5–8                         53-8
1:18, 19                    15-6    1 JOHN
                                                                          1:9                          53-23
2:2                         20-9    1:5                          52-16    1:10                         53-23
2:9                  50-6, 50-7     1:1                           52-3    1:11                          53-2
2:11                      53-23     1:1, 2                    Intro. 52
2:18–26                     50-8    1:3                           5-24    JUDE
2:20                37-15, 50-8     1:3–7                        52-15    1:1           Sec. 11, Intro., 53-11
2:21–25                     50-8    1:5                          52-13    1:3                     53-9, 53-24
2:23                        50-8    1:8, 9                       52-16    1:4, 15                    Intro. 53
3:15                50-9, 56-21     2:1                           52-5    1:4             53-9, 53-13, 53-23
3:18–20           Sec. 5, Intro.,   2:1, 2                       26-13    1:6                   53-14, 53-15
             50-10, 50-17, 54-8     2:1–3, 5, 24, 25             52-16    1:7                   53-16, 53-23
3:18–22                     18-6    2:2                           52-6    1:8                            53-23
4:1                       50-11     2:3                           52-7    1:9                   53-17, 53-18
4:6    18-6, 50-12, 50-17, 54-8     2:3–6            Intro. 211, 45-35    1:10                           53-23
4:8                       50-13     2:6                           52-8    1:11                  53-19, 53-23
4:11                      50-14     2:9, 15, 24                  52-16    1:12                           53-24


                                                     522
1:14                     53-20     7:3                     55-15     21:8               56-14, 56-23
1:16                     53-23     7:4–8            55-16, 55-17     21:8–15           Sec. 12, Intro.
1:19                     53-23     8:10             55-18, 55-19     21:10–27                   56-13
1:20                     53-21     9:4–10                  55-20     21:16–21          Sec. 12, Intro.
1:20, 21                 53-11     9:11                    55-21     21:17                      56-15
1:22, 23                 53-11     10:10, 11               55-22     22:1                       56-16
1:23              53-22, 53-23     11              Sec. 12, Intro.   22:7                       56-17
                                   11:3–13                 55-23     22:9                       56-18
REVELATION                         11:5                      54-7    22:10                   Intro. 56
1:1                         54-4   11:8                    21-11     22:16                      54-22
1:1–8            Sec. 12, Intro.   11:14–19                55-25     22:18, 19                  56-19
1:4, 11                     54-2   12:1, 4, 15             55-25     22:20           Intro. 56, 56-23
1:6                         54-5   12:1, 7                 55-24
                                   12:4                    55-26     1 NEPHI
1:9–20           Sec. 12, Intro.
1:9              Sec. 12, Intro.   12:7–9                  55-27     3:7         29-24, 35-16, 35-18
1:12                        54-6   12:11                      2-6    3:29–31                   31-11
1:13–16                     54-7   12:14                   55-28     8; 11              36-11, 56-16
1:17                      56-23    13                      55-15     10:7–10                      4-1
1:18            Intro. 54, 54-8    13:1            Sec. 12, Intro.   11:1                      31-10
1:20                        54-9   14:6, 7                 55-29     11:15, 18–21                 3-3
2:1                       54-10    14:13                     48-9    11:18–21                     3-6
2:1–29           Sec. 12, Intro.   16:1–21                 55-30     11:27                   4-1, 4-4
2:5                         54-2   16:1–21                 55-30     11:31–34                   2-10
2:8                       54-11    16:14                   33-16     12:9, 10                   56-7
2:12                      54-12    16:15                   56-23     13:28            Sec. 12, Intro.
2:14                      54-13    16:16                   55-31     14:14, 15                 55-38
2:18                      54-15    16:20                   55-32     14:18–27               Intro. 56
2:23                      54-15    17:1–6                  53-34     14:19–25                   54-2
3:1               54-16, 54-17     17:1                    55-33     14:23            Sec. 12, Intro.
3:1–22           Sec. 12, Intro.   17:14            55-35, 55-38     14:26                      54-2
3:6                       54-22    18:1            Sec. 12, Intro.   16:2                      39-10
3:7               54-18, 54-19     18:1–4                  55-38     17:35              30-11, 49-24
3:12                      54-20    18:10, 21                 50-2    19:7–10                    2-10
3:14              54-21, 54-22     19                        21-4    19:9                      26-17
3:14–19                     18-2   19:7–9            55-33, 56-1     20–10                     37-15
3:15, 16                  54-21    19:8                    56-23     22:26                      56-6
3:18                      54-21    19:9                    56-23
3:19–21                   37-15    19:10                     56-2    2 NEPHI
3:21                        51-7   19:11–16                  56-3    2:11                        20-8
4:4                         55-1   19:13                     56-4    9:2                         22-6
4:6                         55-2   19:15                     54-7    9:7                         25-8
4:8        Sec. 12, Intro., 55-3   19:21                     56-5    9:12                        18-6
5:1        Sec. 12, Intro., 55-4   20:2                    56-21     9:28, 29                  42-14
5:13                        55-5   20:2, 3                   56-6    9:39                        13-9
6:2                         55-6   20:4              56-7, 56-23     10:3              Sec. 5, Intro.,
6:3, 4                      55-7   20:4–6                    56-8                       21-11, 30-6
6:4, 5                      55-8   20:6                    56-23     10:3–6                    42-23
6:6                         55-9   20:6, 7         Sec. 12, Intro.   11:4                        2-10
6:7, 8                    55-10    20:7–10                   56-9    25:15–18                    22-6
6:9–11            48-14, 55-11     20:12                   56-10     25:19                       30-6
6:12–17                   55-12    20:14                   56-11     25:23              39-7, 39-10
6:16                      56-23    21:1                    56-12     25:24, 25                   40-2
7:1–3                     55-13    21:2, 3                 56-13     26:24                     31-12
7:2                       55-14    21:7                    56-23


                                                 523
26:33                   49-24     7:9–12                       2-10    12:48             40-8, 42-12
28:9–16                 34-10     7:10                           3-3   13:1–4                  21-14
28:14                   51-10     10:6                        31-10    13:25                      8-2
28:30                    17-6     10:22                       55-40    15:2–9                     2-4
28:31                   34-10     11:37                       35-16    15:8, 9                 46-23
31:4–18                   4-1     11:40, 42                    52-6    15:9                      15-8
31:5–10                  4-12     13:4, 10                    41-13    18:16–24                  15-8
31:8                      4-4     13:5                        41-13    18:24              15-8, 54-6
31:14            31-11, 49-26     13:10, 11                   41-13    18:28–32          12-9, 35-17
31:15–21                32-11     13:11, 12                   55-17    19                        16-5
31:16                   45-35     13:11–13                    47-15    19:17–25                  24-8
31:20             25-2, 38-18     13:28                       37-15    19:25                   35-16
33:1                      7-7     30:6–60                      52-9    27:13–19                  4-15
                                  30:14, 23                   51-14    27:19                   35-16
JACOB                             31:12–18                    49-24    27:19, 20               43-23
2:2, 3                    41-7    32:5                        49-24    27:20                   47-13
2:13, 14                 39-10    32:21                       56-21    27:27               6-2, 40-7,
4:5                       48-8    32:23                  28-8, 34-2                      51-19, 56-7
4:14, 15                  34-7    32:26–28, 33                48-22    28:1–10, 36–40            28-4
4:15, 16                 43-11    32:27, 28                   10-16    28:39                   47-14
5; 6                      41-8    32:37, 41                   48-22
                                  33:14, 23                   48-22    4 NEPHI
7:1–23                    52-9
                                  34:10–14                     25-8    1:2–6                 Intro. 29
MOSIAH                            34:13                    Intro. 23
                                  34:27                       31-11    MORMON
2:20, 21                  39-7
2:38                      25-8    34:31–33                     37-8    3:19                      56-7
3:5–10                    2-10    36:3–5, 27                   4-14
3:5                       10-2    38:12                31-11, 49-23    ETHER
3:7             3-7, 4-5, 25-8    40:11–14                     18-6
                                                                       4:7               47-14, 56-21
3:8                    3-3, 3-6   40:12                        46-8
                                                                       4:15, 16                  54-2
3:14, 15                  47-6    40:13                       37-16
                                                                       12:4              48-20, 56-23
3:18                      25-2    41:13–15                       8-6
                                                                       12:6                  Intro. 28
3:19        37-15, 39-10, 45-6    41:15                       39-10
                                                                       12:26, 27                 8-14
3:25–27                   25-8    42:10                        43-9
                                                                       12:27            31-12, 35-18,
4:9, 10                  56-23    42:12–25                     52-6
                                                                                                46-28
4:29, 30                  13-9    45:18, 19                    14-6
5:2                      47-15    46:14, 15                    30-6    MORONI
5:7                  9-9, 45-6    HELAMAN                              7:16–18                  44-5
5:13                  Intro. 35                                        7:47              36-2, 36-11
6:10–13                   15-6    5:10, 11                    56-21
                                                                       8:8                      32-5
13:29–31                 38-11    5:10–12                     43-11
                                                                       10:8–18                 36-11
14:1, 10                 47-12    13:38                35-16, 38-18
                                                                       10:11                   48-22
15:10, 11                47-12                                         10:22            56-22, 56-23
                                  3 NEPHI
18:7–10                   12-9                                         10:32, 33         39-7, 46-28
18:8, 9                  43-27    6:12                        49-24    10:33                   47-13
18:8–10                  31-11    9:19, 20                    41-10
18:9                     29-24    11:11                        4-15    DOCTRINE AND
27:16                    31-11    11:13, 14                     2-4    COVENANTS
                                  12; 14                        8-2
ALMA                                                                   1:2, 4                  29-24
                                  12:1                        49-26
                                                                       1:12                    33-21
1:2–16                    52-9    12:2                        49-26
                                                                       1:14                    33-21
3:18, 19                 56-23    12:3                        16-12
                                                                       1:14, 38                 11-7
5:14–31                    5-7    12:23, 24                   35-18


                                                 524
1:16                        56-23    43:34                33-6, 49-25   76:103–106                 56-14
1:17                        33-21    45                         22-12   76:112                     56-23
1:17–18                     33-21    45:3–5                      52-5   77                Sec. 12, Intro.
1:17–23                Intro. 212    45:12–14                    48-7   77:1        Sec. 12, Intro., 55-2
1:33                         39-5    45:15–17                   22-12   77:4        Sec. 12, Intro., 55-3
1:35–36                     56-20    45:19, 25, 28–30            41-9   77:5                         55-1
1:37                 7-29, 33-21     45:31                      33-21   77:6              Sec. 12, Intro.
1:38                        33-21    45:44                      22-14   77:6, 7           Sec. 12, Intro.
1:39                         28-8    45:48–53                    22-2   77:9                       55-14
4                           45-16    45:56–58                   20-11   77:11                      55-16
5:19                        48-15    45:57                      22-10   77:14                      55-22
6:13                         39-8    45:60, 61             Intro. 211   77:15                      55-23
6:28                         28-6    46:4                       35-17   81:2             4-8, 14-5, 28-1
7                 Sec. 12, Intro.    46:8–33                    36-11   82:3         Sec. 7, Intro., 17-6
7:1–8                        28-4    46:13                      45-35   82:10                      56-23
7:7                          14-5    49:18, 19                  44-19   84:6, 31–34                   9-8
8                            32-7    50:4                       56-23   84:11                      43-27
9                            32-7    50:29, 30                  53-21   84:19                        40-2
13                            4-1    51:10                      56-17   84:21                      45-35
14:2                         56-5    53:1                        50-4   84:23                      47-14
18:9–16                     32-17    58:2–4                     37-15   84:23, 24                    46-9
18:10–12                     52-6    58:11                       21-4   84:24               31-11, 46-8
18:11       Sec. 5, Intro., 26-17    59:6                       44-22   84:26–28                      4-1
19:3                        55-35    59:9, 11, 12               35-18   84:31–34                     40-8
19:15–20                     25-8    59:9–17                     27-3   84:33–44                   46-24
19:16–20                     4-15    62–6                       33-17   84:35–38              11-7, 53-5
19:18               Sec. 5, Intro.   63:17, 18                  56-14   84:38                 40-8, 44-6
19:18, 19               Intro. 26    63:20, 21                   22-8   84:44, 45                    56-5
19:20                        25-8    63:21                      29-11   84:46–47                     44-5
19:20–31                    45-10    63:33                      33-21   84:85                      50-14
20:1                          3-4    63:53, 54                  22-10   84:98–102                    41-1
20:38                        53-4    64:7–11                     14-7   84:109, 110                36-13
20:77–79           29-24, 31-11      64:23                      33-23   86:1–7                       10-9
21:4, 5                     33-22    64:23–25                    22-8   86:3                       55-28
21:6                        33-22    64:34                      16-11   86:7                         10-8
27:5                        55-29    74:2–7                      35-7   86:8–11                    42-18
27:12, 13                    14-5    75                           8-8   87:7                       49-17
27:13                        43-6    75:21, 22                   56-7   88                Sec. 12, Intro.
29                Sec. 12, Intro.    75:24                      44-21   88:2                       49-17
29:4                        32-16    76                         54-22   88:6–13                      15-9
29:9                        48-15    76:22–24                    28-9   88:15                        36-8
29:12                        56-7    76:25–27                   55-18   88:17                        36-9
29:14–21                    55-12    76:26                      33-14   88:27                      47-10
29:16                       33-21    76:28                      34-10   88:32, 33                     9-4
29:36, 37                   55-27    76:31–37, 44                 9-4   88:68              35-15, 47-14
36:6                        53-23    76:32, 33, 44              53-15   88:69                      49-25
38                          22-12    76:37                      56-14   88:85                        33-3
38:18–22, 39–42             22-13    76:54–60                    44-6   88:87–91                   55-12
38:27                       43-27    76:59                       40-8   88:96–102                    56-8
38:30                       33-21    76:69                      35-18   88:110–116                   56-9
42:12                         7-2    76:71, 73–74               50-10   88:141                   Chap. 1
42:22                       42-23    76:79                       18-2   89:12, 13                  44-19
42:24                       45-22    76:84                      56-23   89:21                      33-23



                                                    525
90:24                       35-18    122:7, 8                      25-8    5:32, 33                   53-19
91                          53-18    122:9                        37-15    5:37                       53-19
91:5                   Intro. 211    124:41                        43-6    6:59               Sec. 12, Intro.
93:1                        45-35    128:20                        14-5    6:59, 60                      5-7
93:2                        31-10    128:20, 21                      3-7   6:60                       47-13
93:7–9                    Intro. 3   128:21                       55-29    6:64–68                      40-8
93:11–17                      3-7    130:6–9                       55-2    7:13–17                      55-6
93:11–20                    35-16    130:18                          8-6   7:13–21                    56-13
93:11–20, 26–28       8-11, 40-6     130:18–21                       3-8   7:18–21                      48-5
93:16–20                    51-19    130:19                       41-13    7:37–39                      18-6
93:17                         3-7    130:22                        40-5    7:51, 52                   32-16
93:20               35-18, 46-28     131:1–4                19-7, 44-22    7:62, 63                     48-7
93:24                       56-21    131:4                        56-23    7:62–64                    56-13
93:26–28                     40-8    131:5                         50-4    7:62–66                    53-20
93:38                       41-13    132                           19-7    8:22, 28, 29                 55-7
93:53                  Intro. 211    132:1, 62                    39-10
95:7                        49-17    132:7                 14-10, 39-10    ABRAHAM
98                          39-10    132:13                       14-10    1:29, 30                       55-8
98:2                        49-17    132:19–20                    54-20    2:7, 8                         15-5
98:3                        37-15    132:20                  44-6, 46-7    2:8–11         Sec. 7, Intro., 32-5
98:23–48                     14-7    132:24                       45-35    2:9–11                       32-16
99:13, 14                    17-5    132:29                        48-8    2:15                           55-8
101                         22-12    132:47                        20-8    2:17, 21                       55-8
101:1–5                     48-16    133                    22-6, 22-12    3:19                            3-7
101:11–23                   22-12    133:1–64                     22-12    3:22                         41-13
101:23–35           55-32, 48-15     133:14                       55-38    3:22–24                 41-1, 50-4
101:24                      53-22    133:41                       48-15    3:24             Intro. 2, Intro. 3
101:27                      53-21    133:46–49                 Intro. 20   3:24, 28          2-7, 3-7, 55-27
101:81–92                    19-5    133:46–51                     56-4    3:26           31-9, 41-13, 53-14
103:5–10                    55-40    133:55                        14-6
103:17                      32-16    135:3                        55-29    JOSEPH SMITH—MATTHEW
104:17                      34-10    135:7                        48-14    1                      22-12
104:78                      33-23    136:21                       32-16    1:2–4                  22-11
105:32                      49-26    136:23                       45-17    1:4                    49-14
106:4, 5                     33-6    138:37, 57–60                50-17    1:22, 23, 25–34, 36–55 22-12
107:23, 24, 33-35, 58         7-7
107:25                       16-1    MOSES                                 JOSEPH SMITH—HISTORY
107:33, 97                  43-27    1:2–38            Sec. 1, Intro.      1:8–19                       4-13
107:39                      43-27    1:31–33                      2-4      1:24, 25                     42-4
107:54                      53-17    1:32              Sec. 1, Intro.,     1:28                       49-25
109:35–39                    29-8                         2-1, 48-20       1:40                  46-14, 11-7
110:1–4                       2-8    1:39                   Intro. 31      1:66–75                       4-1
110:11–16             10-4, 14-6     4:1–4                   2-6, 2-7
112:1–7                       7-7    4:1–6                     44-22       ARTICLES OF FAITH
112:16–19                     7-7    4:1–13                    55-27       1                           16-12
112:24–26                   50-16    4:18                        48-3      4                           16-12
112:30                       43-6    5:7                         47-1      9                    Sec. 8, Intro.
121:14                      56-23    5:9–12                    32-16       10                   29-11, 55-32
121:34–37                    13-9    5:17–35                   48-14       13                          56-21
121:45               37-9, 56-23     5:19–21                     48-3
121:45, 46                   13-9    5:24                      55-21




                                                     526
                                     SUBJECT INDEX
A                                                                probably traveled and wrote much, Sec. 8, Intro.
                                                                 trained by Jesus, Sec. 5, Intro.
Aaronic Priesthood, 4-1, 29-21, 46-24, 47-1
                                                              Appearances of resurrected Christ, Sec. 6, Intro., 27-5
Abel, 48-3, 48-4, 48-14
                                                                 to 27-14
Abomination of Desolation, 22-4, 33-3
                                                              Aramaic language, Sec. 7, Intro.
Abortion, 44-22
                                                              Areopagus, Sec. 7, Intro., 32-14
Abraham
                                                              Armageddon, 55-31
    “Abraham’s bosom,” 18-6
                                                              Armour of God, 43-16
    “Before Abraham Was, I Am,” 15-5
                                                              Authorized Version of the Bible, Intro. 211
    children unto, from the stones, 4-3, Sec. 7,
         Intro., 30-11                                        B
    covenant people through, Sec. 7, Intro.,
         32-16, 50-4                                          Baptism
    “Heirs with Abraham,” 48-6                                    for the dead, 36-6
    Palestine given to posterity of, Chap. 1                      mission of John the Baptist, 4-1
    “Tried even as Abraham,” 48-16                                necessary for Saul though he’d seen visions, 31-5
    why commanded to sacrifice Isaac, 48-8                        part of gospel, Intro. 211
Acts, book of, 29-3                                               performed by Jesus, 5-4
Adultery, woman taken in, 15-3, 15-8                              symbolism of, 40-1
Affliction, 37-1, 37-13, 45-32, 49-5                              “Washing of Regeneration,” 45-9
Agabus, 30-7, 34-3                                            Barabbas, 26-1
Alexander, Chap. 1, Sec. 7, Intro.                            Barnabas
Almsgiving, 8-4                                                   biography of, 31-7
Ananias (priesthood leader in Damascus), 31-6,                    works with Paul, Sec. 8, Intro.
    Sec. 8, Intro.                                            Battle of Armageddon, 55-31, 56-9
Ananias and Sapphira, 29-14                                   Battle of Gog and Magog, 56-9
Angels, exalted man greater than, 35-3                        Beasts, 55-5
Annas, Sec. 1, Intro., 26-1, 29-13                            Beatitudes, 8-14
Anointed One, 2-8                                             Birth control, 44-22
Anointing of Jesus by Mary, 19-11, 20-1                       Bishop, 44-16
Anti-Christs, 52-9, 53-23                                     Blood, 47-12, 47-13, 47-15
Apostasy                                                      Born again, 5-7, 31-12, 47-15, 52-11, Appen. B
    in days of Apostles, Sec. 7, Intro., 38-4,                Bread of Life discourse, Sec. 4, Intro.
         45-20, 51-14                                         C
    in last days, 44-22, 45-24, 51-13, 51-14, 53-23
    of Israel before Christ, Chap. 1                          Caiaphas, Sec. 1, Intro., 26-1, 29-13
    precedes Second Coming, 33-15                             Cain, 48-3, 53-19
    withdraw from apostates, 33-18, 53-7                      Calling and election, 51-19
Apostle, definition of, 7-4                                   Calling and election made sure, 42-19, 45-30, 47-15,
Apostles, Twelve                                                  50-4, 51-7, 51-8
    appearance of resurrected Jesus to, Sec. 6, Intro.        Candlestick, 54-6
    calling of, Sec. 2, Intro., 6-1, 6-2, Sec. 3, Intro.,     Ceremonialism in Jewish customs, 13-4, 15-8, Sec. 7,
         Sec. 8, Intro., 7-1                                      Intro.
    feet washed by Jesus, 23-5                                Charity, pure love of Christ, 36-2, 36-12, 47-15, 50-13
    Jesus’ resurrection greatly affected, Sec. 6, Intro.      Chastening, 48-11, 50-10
    keys and sealing power, Sec. 2, Intro., 7-5, 11-1,        Chosen people, 32-16, 41-13
         14-2, Sec. 5, Intro.                                 Christ, 2-8
    missionary labors, Sec. 2, Intro., Sec. 3, Intro.,        Christianity
         11-1, Intro. 212                                         as viewed by Romans, Sec. 7, Intro.
    names of original Twelve, 7-7                                 conflicts with Judaism, Sec. 7, Intro.
    prison, delivered from, 30-7                                  influenced by Greek culture, Sec. 7, Intro.


                                                            527
Christians, 30-6                                        Epaphroditus, 44-3
Church of the devil, 55-34                              Ephesians, letter to, 42-6, 43-1 to 43-3
Circumcision                                            Epicureans, 32-13
    before Christ, Chap. 1                              Epistles, Sec. 8, Intro.
    done away in Christ, 32-4                           Esau, 41-2
    negates the power of Christ, 38-15                  Eternal life, 39-8, 40-6
    required by Jews of gentile converts to Church,     Eunice, Sec. 10, Intro.
        Sec. 7, Intro., 30-11, 32-4                     Euroclydon, 28-1
    subject of Jerusalem Council, 30-11, 32-5           Evil spirits, 6-3
Cleansing the temple, Sec. 5, Intro., 20-9              Exaltation, 35-3, 40-6
Cleopas, 27-11
Colossians, letter to, 42-7 to 42-9                     F
Confession of sin, 49-18                                Faith
Contention, 45-17, 45-34                                    definitions of, 48-17, 48-22
Conversion, 5-7, 23-10 to 23-12                             how faith comes, 41-5
Corban, 13-5                                                justification by, 39-10
Corinthians, first letter to, 34-4                          Paul’s teachings about, 48-22
Corinthians, second letter to, 37-1 to 37-13                power by which eternal life is obtained,
Cornelius, 5-7, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-6, 30-1, 30-5                 48-1, 48-22
Council at Jerusalem (over circumcision), 30-11             power to accomplish great works, 48-1
Council in heaven, 2-7                                      saved by faith and works, 43-9, 49-26
Courage, 42-24                                          Faithfulness, 8-13, 42-4
Covenants made before this world, 31-9, 41-1,           False doctrines, 44-22, 51-14 to 51-16
    41-13, 50-4                                         False teachers, 38-4, 51-14, 53-6
Creation of the world, Sec. 1, Intro.                   Family, eternal, 8-6, 48-6
Crispus, 34-5                                           Family of Christ, becoming part of, 9-1, 9-8
                                                        Fasting, 45-35
D
                                                        Faultfinding, 53-23
Damaris, 32-14                                          Fear, 56-23
Damnation, 33-17                                        Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), 17-3 to 17-5
David, king of Israel, 29-9                             Feast of Tabernacles, 15-1, 15-8
Deacon, 44-17                                           Feast of Unleavened Bread, 23-7
Dead, seeking after our, 48-10, 50-17                   Felix, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 8, Intro., Sec. 9, Intro.
Debt, 33-23                                             Fellowship, 43-26, 52-15 to 52-17
Dedication, examples of, 31-1                           Festus, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 9, Intro.
Degrees of glory, 9-4                                   Firkin, 4-12
Devils, casting out, 6-3                                “Fishers of men,” 6-2
Dionysius, 32-14                                        Food storage, 33-13, 33-23
Discouragement, 35-18                                   Foreknowledge of God, 41-1, 50-4
Dispersion, Jewish, Sec. 7, Intro.                      Foreordination
Divination, 32-10                                           as opposed to predestination, 40-5, 43-5
Divorce                                                     of Paul, 32-16
    Jesus discourses on, 19-7                               of the Elect, Box 2, 41-13, 41-1, 41-13
    Satan’s way to destroy marriage, 44-22              Forgiveness
Dove, sign of the, 4-4                                      condition for, 9-6
                                                            limits to, 14-7
E                                                       Forgiving others, 29-19
Easter, 30-10                                           Friends, 8-3
Election, doctrine of, 41-1, 41-13, 50-4
                                                        G
Elias, 4-2, 49-19, 55-14
Elijah, 14-6, 49-19                                     Gabriel, 3-6, 4-1
Enoch, 35-1, 48-5, 48-7, 53-20, 55-6                    Gaius, 53-2, 53-8
Enoch, city of, 48-7, 56-13                             Galatians, book of, Sec. 7, Intro., 38-1 to 38-3


                                                      528
Gamaliel, 29-15                                                 conversion by, 5-7
Gathering of Israel, 10-1 to 10-16                              form of a dove, 4-4
Genealogical work, 48-10, 50-12 to 50-17                        gift of, 5-7, 24-1, 24-6, 30-5, 52-10
Genealogies, Fables and endless, 44-14, 45-10, 45-28            gifts of the Spirit, 36-1
Gentiles                                                        not father of Jesus Christ, 3-6
    forbidden to enter inner temple area, Sec. 7, Intro.        part of gospel, Sec. 1, Intro.
    “Fulness of the Gentiles,” 41-9                             peace known through, 24-1
    inferior to “chosen people,” Sec. 7, Intro.                 sin against, 9-7, 9-8, 46-21
    Peter initiates gospel to, 30-3                             teaches truths, 24-11
Gifts of the Spirit, 36-1                                       witness of Father and Son, 24-9, 36-1
Gnostics, 42-17, 52-1                                        Holy Spirit of promise, 39-10
God, becoming like, 51-19, 52-7                              Homosexuality, 39-5
God, coming to know, 45-35, 51-1, 51-17                      Hope, 56-21 to 56-23
God, privilege of seeing, 4-7                                Hypocrisy, 17-5, 21-1 to 21-14, Sec. 7, Intro.
God, the Father of Jesus, Sec. 1, Intro.
Gospel                                                       I
    definition of, Sec. 1, Intro.                            I Am, 2-8
    greater than law of Moses, 38-1                          Immorality
    only one true gospel, 38-4                                   kills the Spirit, 51-12
Government                                                       problem with Corinthians, 35-2
    disobedience to civil authority is apostasy, 53-23           sign of apostasy, 53-23
    of earth during the Millennium, 55-25                    Inspired Version, Intro. 211
    of Palestine before Christ, Chap. 1                      Intelligence, 8-6
    of Palestine after Christ, Sec. 7, Intro.                Israel, gathering of, 22-7
Grace, 43-9
    sanctifies, 47-14, 47-15                                 J
Greek influence on early church, Sec. 7, Intro.              James, brother of Jesus, Sec. 11, Intro.
Greek language, Sec. 7, Intro.                               James (brother of John), killed by Herod, 30-8
Growth of the early church, Sec. 8, Intro.                   James, epistle of, Sec. 8, Intro., 49-1 to 49-4
H                                                            James and John, 7-7
                                                             Jehovah, 2-8, 3-1, 15-5, Sec. 7, Intro.
Healings                                                     Jerusalem
    remission of sins heals the Spirit, 6-7                      description of, 20-1, 21-11
    still performed today, 6-10                                  destruction of (70 A.D.), 20-2, 22-1
    those who believe healed, 6-4, 10-2                      Jerusalem, New, 56-13
Hebrew language, Sec. 7, Intro.                              Jesus Christ (See Chronological History of Life and
Hebrews, book of, Sec. 8, Intro., 46-1 to 46-5                   Ministry—Chart in Map Section)
Herod Agrippa, Sec. 7, Intro.                                    atonement of, Sec. 1, Intro., Sec. 5, Intro., 23-8,
Herod Antipas, Chap. 1, 11-7, 26-1, 26-6, Sec. 7,                    25-1 to 25-8, 26-1, 39-10, 47-10 to 47-15
    Intro.                                                       baptism of, 4-1, 4-13
Herod Archelaeus, Sec. 7, Intro.                                 betrayal of, Sec. 5, Intro., 23-3, 26-1
Herod, Philip, Chap. 1, Sec. 7, Intro.                           birth of, Sec. 1, Intro., 3-1 to 3-6
Herod the Great                                                  boyhood, 3-7, 3-8
    massacre of children in Bethlehem, Chap. 1, 3-5              burial of, Sec. 5, Intro., 26-1
    Palestine divided after death of, Chap. 1, Sec. 7,           carpenter, Sec. 1, Intro.
          Intro.                                                 chief cornerstone, 43-11
    rise to leadership, Chap. 1                                  cleansing of the temple, 5-2
Hell, 9-4, 18-6, 25-8                                            Creator of the world, Sec. 1, Intro., 2-4
Hellenization of Palestine, Chap. 1, Sec. 7, Intro.              crucifixion of, Sec. 1, Intro., Sec. 5, Intro.,
High-priestly prayer (intercessory prayer), 25-1                     26-12, 26-17
History of Palestine before Christ, Chap. 1                      Davidic descent of, 3-2
Holy Ghost                                                       divine sonship, Sec. 1, Intro., 3-6
    Comforter, 24-4                                              Exemplar, Chap. 1, 8-1, 28-21, 45-35


                                                           529
   Firstborn, 2-3, 3-7                                            no greater prophet, 9-2
   foreordained, 3-1                                              restores Aaronic Priesthood, 4-2
   gaining a testimony of, Chap. 1, 45-35                         sends investigators to Jesus, Sec. 3, Intro., 9-1
   glorified His Father, Sec. 1, Intro.                       Joint-heirship with Christ, 40-4 to 40-6, 40-9
   Good Shepherd, Sec. 4, Intro., 15-6                        Joseph
   Intercessor, 47-1, 52-5                                        espoused to Mary, 3-3
   Lamb of God, Sec. 1, Intro., 3-1, 47-4                         foreordained to honored station, 3-3
   Living Water, 5-1, 5-6, Box 3, 5-7                             genealogy of, 3-2
   love of, 23-1, 23-5 to 23-12                                   not Jesus’ father, 3-2, 3-6
   Mediator, 47-4                                             Joseph of Arimathea, 26-1, 26-13, 27-8
   Messiah, Box 2, 5-7, 6-1, 12-7, Sec. 5, Intro.             Joseph Smith, translation of the Bible, Intro. 211
   miracles of, Sec. 1, Intro., Sec. 2, Intro., 6-5           Judaism
        to 6-11                                                   apostate during Jesus’ time, 3-8, 15-8
   mission of, Sec. 1, Intro., 7-1, 15-9                          before Christ, Chap. 1
   names and titles, 2-8                                          exclusive philosophy of, 4-1, Sec. 7, Intro., 30-11
   Only Begotten Son, 3-7                                         not patched up by Jesus, 6-9
   perfection after resurrection, 28-2                        Judaizers, Sec. 7, Intro., 30-11
   premortal roles, 2-3 to 2-8                                Judas Iscariot
   prophecies about, Appen. A, 2-1 to 2-10                        betrayal plans, 23-3
   prophesies death and resurrection, Sec. 5,                     betrayal, 26-1
        Intro., 23-10                                             death, 26-1
   resurrection of, Sec. 1, Intro., 4-13, Sec. 5, Intro.,         Judean, Sec. 2, Intro.
        Sec. 6, Intro.                                        Jude (of the original Twelve), name and family, 7-7
   Savior, 2-5, 3-1, Sec. 6, Intro.                           Jude, a later apostle, Sec. 8, Intro., Sec. 11, Intro.
   tempted and tried, 3-7, 3-8, 4-5, 4-13 to 4-15             Jude, letter of, 53-8 to 53-12
   testified of Himself, Sec. 1, Intro.                       Judging others, 8-9
   “trials” of, Sec. 5, Intro., 26-1, 26-3                    Judgment, the, 56-10
   types of, 2-10                                             Justification by faith, 38-8, 39-10
Jews                                                          Justification by grace, 39-7
   claim to lineage of Abraham, 2-8, Sec. 7, Intro.
   education among, Sec. 7, Intro.                            K
   hate of Samaritans, 5-5, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-4              Keys of the Kingdom, 4-8, 14-2 to 14-11, 28-1
   offended in Jesus, 20-9                                    King James Version, Intro. 211
   opposition in days of Apostles, Sec. 7, Intro.             Kingdom of God, 5-3, 5-7
   seek to kill Jesus, 17-5                                   Kiss = Salutation, 33-10
John
   biography of, Sec. 7, Intro.                               L
   features of his Gospel, Sec. 1, Intro.                     Last days, preparing for, 33-21 to 33-23
   first letter, 52-1, 52-2                                   Law of Moses
   second and third letters, 53-1 to 53-3                         doesn’t lead to perfection, 47-7
   laboring among Ten Tribes, Sec. 7, Intro., 55-22               fulfilled in Christ, Sec. 1, Intro., 6-9, 23-1,
   perhaps president after Peter, Sec. 8, Intro.                       Sec. 7, Intro.
   testifies of Christ, Intro. 212                                purpose of the law, 38-11
   to care for Mary, mother of Jesus, 26-16                       strictness observed, Sec. 7, Intro.
   translated, 28-4, Sec. 7, Intro.                               superseded by higher law, 38-1, 38-15, 46-23
John and Alexander, 29-13                                     Lazarus, 23-1, 18-8
John the Baptist                                              Leaven, 10-13
   an Elias, 4-2                                              Leprosy, description of, 6-6
   escapes Herod’s edict, 3-5                                 Levity, 49-25
   forerunner, Sec. 1, Intro.                                 Light of Christ, 15-1, 15-8, 27-17, 31-10, 44-5, 52-16
   killed by Herod Antipas, 11-7                              Love, 23-12, 26-17, 36-12
   mission of, 4-1                                            Lucre, filthy, 44-15



                                                            530
Luke                                                         casting out unclean spirits, Sec. 4, Intro.
   author of Luke and Acts, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-1             centurion’s servant healed, Sec. 3, Intro.
        to 29-4                                              daughter of Jairus healed, Sec. 3, Intro.
   biography of, Sec. 7, Intro.                              deaf healed, Sec. 4, Intro.
   features of his Gospel, Chap. 1                           feeding of four and five thousand, Sec. 2, Intro.,
   missionary companion of Paul, Sec. 7, Intro.                    Sec. 4, Intro.
Lydia, 44-3                                                  Gentile’s daughter healed, Sec. 4, Intro., 13-7
                                                             healing at Pool of Bethesda, Sec. 3, Intro.
M                                                            healing, those who believe, 6-4, 10-2
Maccabees, Sec. 1, Intro., 17-3                              lepers healed, 19-1
Mammon, 8-7                                                  man with evil spirits healed, Sec. 3, Intro.
Manna, 12-5                                                  operate through natural law, 6-5
Mark                                                         palsied man healed, 6-4
    biography of, 30-11                                      still performed today, 6-11
    features of his Gospel, Sec. 1, Intro.                   walking on water, Sec. 4, Intro., 12-3
Marriage                                                     water to wine at Cana, 4-12
    exaltation forfeited without, 50-10                      widow’s son raised, Sec. 3, Intro.
    fidelity in, 42-23                                       woman with issue of blood healed,
    in the resurrection, 21-8                                      Sec. 3, Intro., 13-1
    Jesus’ discourses on, 19-7                            Missionary work
    marry within your faith, 37-8                            all peoples to be taught; anyone may
    necessary for having calling and election made                 receive, 30-11
         sure, 51-8, 56-24                                   by example, 44-1
    ordained of God, 35-5, 35-15, 48-18                      every member’s responsibility, 29-22 to
    perversions of, 45-21                                          29-24, 49-20
    relationships of parents and children, 44-22             missionaries—married or single, 35-8
    Satan’s way to destroy, 44-22                            sacrifices required, 8-8
    sex outside marriage, 44-22                           Moneychangers, Sec. 2, Intro., 5-2
    wives, husbands, love each other, 42-23, 43-14        Moses, 14-6, Sec. 7, Intro., 53-18
Mary, mother of Jesus                                     Mourn, they that, 8-14
    birth of Jesus, Sec. 1, Intro.                        Mysteries of God
    espoused to Joseph, 3-3                                  known because of faith and confidence in
    genealogy of, 3-2                                              Jesus, 10-6
    spoken to by Jesus on cross, 26-16                       known through endowment, 31-11
    visit with Gabriel, 3-6
                                                          N
Mary and Martha (sisters of Lazarus), Sec. 4, Intro.,
    16-4, 18-8                                            Nathanael, 4-9, 7-7
Mary Magdalene, Sec. 6, Intro., 27-4 to 27-6              Natural man, 47-15
Matthew                                                   Nebuchadnezzar, Sec. 7, Intro.
    features of his Gospel, Sec. 1, Intro.                Neighbor, love of, 16-3, 23-12
    name and family, 7-7                                  Nero, Sec. 7, Intro.
Meekness, 8-14                                            New Testament Chronological History Chart,
Melchizedek, 46-14, 46-19, 48-7                              Map Sec.
Melchizedek Priesthood, 46-23, 47-1                       Nicodemus, Sec. 2, Intro., 5-1, 27-8
Merciful, 8-14                                            Noah, 50-10
Messiah, 2-8
Michael, 53-17, 56-9                                      O
Millennium, “Times of Refreshing,” 29-11                  Obedience
Miracles (See Appendix B)                                    commandments to obey to show love of God,
    barren fig tree cursed, 20-8                                 31-11
    blind healed, Sec. 4, Intro., 15-8                       disobedience one reason for trial and affliction,
    calming storms on Galilee, Sec. 2, Intro.,                   37-13
         Sec. 3, Intro.                                      Jesus obeyed commandments, 4-12


                                                        531
    obey commandments, become sons and daughters                endures hardships, 33-4, 37-10, Sec. 9, Intro.,
        of God, 9-1, 9-8                                             Sec. 10, Intro.
    our only safety in last days, 33-22                         faithfulness and dedication, 35-1, 37-10, 39-1,
    taught by parable of the Sower, Sec. 7, Intro.                   Sec. 9, Intro., 42-1, Sec. 10, Intro., 46-1
Offenses, 14-8                                                  imprisonment, Sec. 9, Intro., 42-6
Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in New Testament,            journeys detailed on maps, Map Sec.
    Sec. 1, Intro., Appen. A                                    King Agrippa, testifies before, 42-3
P                                                               languages he spoke, Sec. 7, Intro.
                                                                marriage of, Sec. 7, Intro., 35-5, 45-30
Parables, 10-1 to 10-20, Appen. C                               Mars Hill discourse, 32-14, 32-15
    Faithful and Wise Servant, 22-9                             martyrdom, Sec. 7, Intro., 45-13, Sec. 11, Intro.
    Fig Tree, 17-2                                              member of Sanhedrin, 35-5
    Foolish Rich Man, 17-5                                      missionary experiences, Sec. 8, Intro.
    Friend at Midnight, 16-7                                    persecuted the church, Sec. 7, Intro.
    Great Supper, 18-1                                          Pharisee, Sec. 7, Intro., 35-5
    Joseph Smith’s explanation of Matthew                       preparation in Arabia, Sec. 8., Intro.
         Thirteen, 10-4                                         Roman citizen, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 9, Intro.,
    keys to understanding parables, 10-3, 10-16                      42-2, 42-3
    Lost Coin, 18-10                                            shipwrecked, 43-1
    Lost Sheep, 18-9                                            student under Gamaliel, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-15
    Marriage Feast and Wedding Garment, 21-4                    Tarsus, born in, Sec. 7, Intro.
    Mustard Seed, 10-10                                         teaches first in synagogues, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-6,
    parables at Sea of Galilee, Sec. 3, Intro.                       Sec. 8, Intro.
    Pharisee and Publican, 19-6                                 testifies of Christ, Intro. 212
    Prodigal Son, 18-3, 18-12                                   trials before rulers, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 9,
    Rich Man and Lazarus, 18-6                                       Intro., 42-3
    Soil, Four Kinds of, 10-17 to 10-20                         weaknesses, 37-12
    Sower, 10-5, 10-16                                          writings, difficult to understand, Intro. 211
    Talents, 19-9, 22-11                                    Peace, 24-1, 38-1
    Tares, 10-7                                             Peacemakers, 8-14
    Ten Pounds, 19-9                                        Peculiar People, 50-6
    Ten Virgins, 22-10                                      Pentecost, 29-7
    Three Measures of Meal, 10-13                           Perdition, son of, 9-4, 33-14
    Two Sons, 21-1                                          Perfection, 8-1, 8-11 to 8-14, 19-12, 35-16, 35-18,
    Unjust Judge, 19-5                                          46-1, 46-25, Box 2, 49-26, 56-24
    Unjust Steward, 18-5                                    Persecution
    Wheat and the Tares, 10-7                                   of Apostles, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 11, Intro., 54-1
    Wicked Husbandman, 21-2                                     of Christians, 8-14, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 11, Intro.,
Passover, Sec. 2, Intro., 5-1, Sec. 5, Intro., 23-1,                 50-1
    30-10, 47-1                                             Peter (See Appendix D)
Patience in suffering, 50-8                                     appearance of resurrected Jesus to, Sec. 6,
Paul                                                                 Intro., 28-1
    apostle, ordained, 35-11                                    biography of, Sec. 7, Intro., Appen. C
    appeals to Caesar, Sec. 9, Intro., 42-3                     Cephas, 4-8, 7-7, Sec. 7, Intro.
    at Stephen’s execution, Sec. 7, Intro.                      corrected by Paul, 38-6
    baptism necessary though he’d seen visions, 31-5            denies knowing Jesus, 26-3, Sec. 7, Intro.
    Benjamin, tribe of, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-18                   “Feed my sheep,” Sec. 6, Intro., 28-3, Sec. 7,
    biography of, Sec. 7, Intro., Sec. 8, Intro.,                    Intro.
         Sec. 10, Intro                                         first epistle, 50-1 to 50-3
    calling and election made sure, 45-29                       martyrdom, Sec. 7, Intro., 45-14, Sec. 11, Intro.
    conversion, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-1, 31-2, 31-9, 31-12         President of the church, 4-8, 28-1, Sec. 7, Intro.,
    corrects Peter, 38-6                                             30-3, 32-6, Sec. 11, Intro.
    description of, Sec. 7, Intro.                              second epistle, 51-1 to 51-4
    education, Sec. 7, Intro., 42-1


                                                          532
    testifies of Christ, Sec. 4, Intro., Intro. 212, Sec. 7,     Prophets
         Intro.                                                      following the prophets, 33-22
    vision of the unclean, 30-1                                      mission of, 11-8
    walks on water, 12-3                                             must accept prophets, 41-4
Peter, James, and John                                               two prophets at Jerusalem, 55-23
    First Presidency of church, Sec. 8, Intro.                   Propitiation, 52-6
    Keys of the Kingdom, Sec. 2, Intro.; Sec. 4, Intro.,         Publicans, 6-8, 19-6
         14-3, 28-1                                              Pure in heart, 8-14, 13-1, 13-9, 45-6
    transfiguration, Sec. 2, Intro., Sec. 4, Intro., 14-1,       Purse and scrip, 11-2
         28-1, Sec. 7, Intro.
    with Jesus in Gethsemane, 26-1                               R
Pharisees, and others                                            Rabbi, 12-4
    accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Satan’s                Remission of sins, 6-7, 47-6
         power, 9-8                                              Repentance
    condemned by Jesus, Sec. 5, Intro.                              confession of sins, 49-18
    hypocrisy of, 17-5, Sec. 5, Intro., 21-1, 21-13 to              eliminating sins one by one, 35-18
         end, Sec. 7, Intro.                                        godly sorrow leads to, 37-9
    offended in Jesus, 13-2, 20-6                                   mission of John the Baptist, 4-1
    plans to take Jesus’ life, 13-1, 18-8, Sec. 5, Intro.,          part of gospel, Intro. 211
         21-1, 26-1                                              Respecter of persons, God is no, 30-11
    Sanhedrin members, 26-2                                      Restoration of the gospel
Philemon, letter to, 4-7 to 4-9                                     “Dispensation of the Fulness of Times,” 43-6
Philip                                                              “Times of Restitution,” 29-12
    baptized eunuch, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-20                       Resurrection
    daughters who prophesied, 29-20                                 others immediately after Jesus, 27-6
    miracles worked, converts Simon, 29-4, 29-20                    spiritual bodies in the resurrection, 36-8, 36-9
    name and family, 7-7                                         Revelation
    one of the seven, 29-20                                         righteousness comes by, 51-18
Philippians, letter to, 42-7 to 42-9                                rock on which Church founded, 14-1
Philosophies of men, 34-1, 34-10                                 Revelation, book of
Phylacteries, 21-9                                                  chart with entire book outlined, Map Sec.
Pilate, Pontius                                                     theme of, 54-1
    orders Jesus crucified, Sec. 5, Intro., 26-1                    written to, 54-2
    Roman procurator, Chap. 1, 26-4                                 symbolism in, Sec. 12, Intro., 54-7
    seeks Jesus’ release, Sec. 1, Intro., 26-8                   Riches, 8-6
Politics                                                         Roman Empire
    of Palestine before Christ, Chap. 1                             at birth of Christ, 3-1
    of Palestine after Christ, Sec. 7, Intro.                       before Christ, Chap. 1
Poor in spirit, 8-14                                                emperors during time of Apostles, Sec. 11, Intro.
Prayer                                                              in days of the Apostles, Sec. 7, Intro.
    disciples taught by Jesus, 16-5                              Romans, book of, Sec. 7, Intro., 39-1 to 39-3
    every morning and evening, 45-35                             Royal priesthood, 50-7
    in secret, 8-5                                               Ruler, rich young, 19-12
    with scripture study, Intro. 211
    with the Spirit, 53-21                                       S
Predestination, 40-5, 43-5                                       Sabbath
Premortal life, 41-13, 53-12                                         accusations against Jesus, Sec. 3, Intro.
Priesthood                                                           lawful to do good or evil, 7-3
    magnifying office in, 41-7                                       observance before Christ, Chap. 1
    oath and covenant, 47-1                                          Resurrection day, 27-2
    purposes of, 43-27                                           Sacrament
Procrastination, 46-27                                               introduced by Jesus, Sec. 5, Intro.
Prophecy, Sec. 12, Intro., 56-2                                      Paul’s teachings about, 35-1, 35-15
                                                                     satisfies spiritual hunger, 12-9

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Sacrifice                                                  Sin
    a living sacrifice, 41-10                                  consequences of, 18-4
    performed by ancient high priests, 47-1                    definition of, 49-16, 53-23
    required for true discipleship, 17-1, 17-5,                individual lust, cause of, 49-23
         18-1, 39-10                                       Solomon’s Temple, Sec. 7, Intro.
    sacrament involves conditions of, 35-17                Son of Man, 2-8
Saint, definition of, 44-9                                 Soothsaying, sorcery, 32-10
Salvation, definition of, 50-5                             Sop, 23-6
Samaritan woman by Jacob’s well, Sec. 2, Intro., 5-7       Spiritual rebirth, 5-1, 5-7, 31-12, 47-13
Samaritans, 5-5                                            Spirit world, Christ’s visit to, 18-6
Sanctification                                             Spirituality, 45-31 to 45-35
    by faith, baptism, Holy Ghost, Sec. 1, Intro.          Star, 3-5
    definition of, 33-5, 33-6, 47-4                        Stephen, martyred, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-17
    process of, 35-16 to 35-18, 47-1, 47-13 to 47-15       Stoics, 32-13
    sacrament sanctifies, 12-9, 35-16 to 35-18             Stone, rejected, 21-3, 43-11
Sanhedrin, 26-2                                            Struggles, spiritual, 45-31 to 45-35
Satan                                                      Stumblingblock, 34-7
    ability to work signs and wonders, 33-16               Suffering, 48-11, 50-8, 50-10
    bound during Millennium, 56-6                          Sustaining Church leaders, 11-9, 31-2, 33-7, 41-11,
    controls the world now, 55-38                              43-13, 53-23
    rebellion before this world, 2-6                       Symbolism, Sec. 12, Intro., 54-7
Saul, see “Paul”                                           Synagogues, Sec. 7, Intro., 34-5
Scourging                                                  Synoptic Gospels, Chap. 1
    method of punishment described, 37-10
    of Jesus, 26-1, 26-9                                   T
    of Paul, 37-10                                         Tabernacle, ancient, 47-3, 47-8
Scribes, 13-3, Sec 7, Intro.                               Temple in Jerusalem, Sec. 5, Intro., Map. Sec.,
Scriptures                                                     Sec. 7, Intro.
    cannot save us alone, 45-26                            Temptation, 3-7, 4-13
    correctly interpreting, 51-9                           Testimonies of modern-day prophets concerning Jesus
    guide to salvation, 45-26                                  Christ, 28-9 to 28-20
    how to study, Intro. 211                               Testimony, 5-7, 15-2, 23-12, 27-16, 28-8
    learning through teachers, 27-16                       Theophilus, 29-5
    searching the scriptures, 7-2                          Thessalonians, letters to, 29-3
Seals, Book of Seven, 55-4                                 Theudas and Judas of Galilee, 29-16
Second Coming                                              Thomas
    Jesus’ teachings about, 17-5, 20-11, 22-1 to 22-14         doubted resurrection, 28-2
    Joseph Smith’s teachings about, 22-7                       name and family, 7-7
    Paul’s teaching about, Sec. 8, Intro.                  Time in New Testament Palestine, Map Sec.
Second death, 56-14                                        Timothy (Timotheus), 33-2, 44-11, Sec. 10, Intro.,
Seer, 4-8                                                      45-13 to 45-15
Septuagint, Sec. 7, Intro.                                 Timothy
Sergius Paulus, 32-3                                           first letter to, 44-11 to 44-13
Sermon on the Mount, Sec. 3, Intro., 8-1 to 8-14,              second letter to, 45-13 to 45-15
    Box 2, 49-26                                           Titus, Sec. 10, Intro.
Seven to assist Apostles, Sec. 7, Intro., 29-17, 29-20     Titus, letter to, 45-1 to 45-3
Seventy, 16-1                                              Tongues, gift of, 36-3
Sex outside marriage, 44-22, 45-35                         Torah (Pentateuch), Chap. 1, 12-4, Sec. 7, Intro., 38-8
Shambles, 35-14                                            Transfiguration, the, Sec. 2, Intro., Sec. 4, Intro.,
Silas (Silvanus), 32-8, 33-2                                   14-1, 28-1
Simon (Peter), 7-7




                                                         534
Translation, doctrine of, 48-5                        W
Treasures in heaven, 8-6
                                                      War in heaven, 55-27
Trials, tests
                                                      Washing of feet, 23-5
    all must be tested, 4-14, 37-1, 37-13, 37-14,
                                                      Weaknesses, 35-18
         48-11, 50-10
                                                      Welfare plan, 8-4, 33-13, 44-21
    greatest trials for saints, 50-15
                                                      Widow’s mite, 21-12
    Holy Ghost helps during trials, 24-10
                                                      Wise men, 3-5
    Jesus’ trials greater than anybody’s, 3-7,
                                                      “Woman” (Jesus addressing his mother), 4-11
         4-13, 4-14
                                                      Women
    tried even as Abraham, 48-16
                                                         conduct in worship services, 35-5
Tribute money, 21-7
                                                         not to rule in Church, 36-5
Triumphal Entry, Sec. 5, Intro., 20-1
                                                         spiritual gifts of, 34-2
Trusting in God, 34-10
                                                         “submit” to husbands, 42-23
Trusting in the arm of flesh, 34-1
                                                      Works, 39-6, 49-26
Two witnesses, 55-23
                                                      Worship, 8-11
U
                                                      Z
Unity of the Saints, 43-26
                                                      Zacharias, 3-5, 4-2
V                                                     Zealots, 29-16
                                                      Zeus, Chap 1
Veil, 3-7                                             Zion, city of, 48-7, 56-13




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