Chapter 14: Priesthood Organization

The Priesthood Is on the Earth Today

Tremendous resources for this lesson, as was true for Chapter 13, “The Priesthood” can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Joseph Smith, Chapter 8, Brigham Young, chapters 18 & 20, John Taylor, Chapters 13 & 14, Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 4, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 16, Heber J. Grant, Chapter 11, David O. McKay, Chapter 12, and Harold B. Lee, Chapter 10. Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page. Following are some ideas on “What is the Priesthood?” from these sources:

Brigham Young expanded on the extent of the priesthood:

If anybody wants to know what the Priesthood of the Son of God is, it is the law by which the worlds are, were, and will continue for ever and ever. It is that system which brings worlds into existence and peoples them, gives them their revolutions… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 125)

Wilford Woodruff clarified the power of the priesthood:

By the power of [the] Priesthood, God, our Eternal Father, has organized all worlds, and redeemed all worlds that have ever been redeemed. By that same Priesthood men have administered on the earth in the ordinances of the Gospel of Christ. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 38)

Two Divisions of Priesthood

It may be important to note that, according to the Bible Dictionary, “The Aaronic Priesthood is not a different priesthood, it is the lesser portion of the true priesthood” (p. 730).

Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, well stated:

The first contains a lesser portion which prepares; thereafter comes the greater portion which fulfills. (Ensign, Nov 1997, 40)

In this section is explained the reason for the higher priesthood to be named Melchizedek. An interesting question has been asked by scholars, “Is it possible that Shem and Melchizedek are the same person?” An Ensign article by that name appeared in the “I Have a Question” installment, answered by Alma E. Gygi in Ensign, Nov. 1973, 15–16. It is possible. If this is used in teaching, you may want to examine two verses in Moses 8. Verse 12 lists the order of birth for Noah’s sons, Japeth, Shem, then Ham. Later, verse 27 lists Noah’s “three sons” as “Shem, Ham, and Japeth.” It appears that like with Jacob, Ephriam, and Nephi, Shem may have inherited the birthright after his older brother lost it, even though we are not given the reason for this.

Since Noah was the second Adam of this earth, his son Shem, who carries on the birthright lineage, was also an important individual in the kingdom.

President John Taylor proclaimed:

When both of these Priesthoods are carried out and united in their purity, the glory of the Lord will be manifested upon Mount Zion, in the Lord’s house, both operating according to their callings, position and authority. (quoted by Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Ensign, Nov 1997, 40)

Keys of the Priesthood

This section discusses the difference between priesthood and keys of the priesthood. President Brigham Young taught:

The keys of the eternal priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, is comprehended by being an apostle. All the priesthood, all the keys, all the gifts, all the endowments and everything preparatory to entering back into the presence of the Father and of the Son, is composed of, circumscribed by, or I might say incorporated within the circumference of the apostleship. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 138)

The last paragraph in this section discusses the various priesthood offices which need keys for presiding. Elder Russell M. Nelson summarizes this nicely:

Temple presidents, mission presidents, stake presidents, district presidents, bishops, branch presidents, and quorum presidents hold priesthood keys of presidency. Their keys control the power of their unit of the Church. (Ensign, Oct 2005, 40)

The concept of keys was forcefully and wonderfully developed near the end of Joseph’s death. First, Joseph Smith understood the importance of these keys:

One of the most pointed and poignant of Joseph Smith’s martyrdom prophecies was made to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the spring of 1844. Orson Hyde remembered the account: “We were in council with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks. Says Brother Joseph in one of those councils, there is something going to happen; I don’t know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you your endowment before the temple is finished. He conducted us through every ordinance of the holy priesthood, and when he had gone through with all the ordinances he rejoiced very much, and said, now if they kill me you have got all the keys and all the ordinances and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom as fast as you will be able to build it up.” (Church History in the Fulness of Times Institute Student Manual, 273-4)

Then Brigham Young came to understand the importance of these keys:

In Boston rumors of Joseph Smith’s death began on 9 July. During the week before confirmation came from family letters and more complete newspaper accounts, Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and Orson Pratt struggled within themselves about what the terrible news meant. Brigham recorded in his journal, “The first thing which I thought of was, whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth; brother Orson Pratt sat on my left; we were both leaning back on our chairs. Bringing my hand down on my knee, I said the keys of the kingdom are right here with the Church.” (Church History in the Fulness of Times Institute Student Manual, 289)

President Brigham Young later wrote about the importance of apostles holding all of the keys when the president of the Church dies:

The Priesthood is given to the people and the keys thereof, and, when properly understood, they may actually unlock the treasury of the Lord…
Did they destroy it when they took the life of Joseph? No. “Mormonism” is here, the Priesthood is here, the keys of the Kingdom are here on the earth; and when Joseph went, they did not go. And if the wicked should succeed in taking my life, the keys of the Kingdom will remain with the Church (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 126-7)

The Offices and Duties of the Aaronic Priesthood

Joseph Smith taught that a priest has a role comparable to that of the prophets:

If a Priest understands his duty, his calling, and ministry, and preaches by the Holy Ghost, his enjoyment is as great as if he were one of the Presidency; and his services are necessary in the body, as are also those of Teachers and Deacons. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 111)

Indeed, both priesthoods are crucial to Our Heavenly Father’s plan. The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys to baptism and the sacrament. The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the keys to the Gift of the Holy Ghost and temple ordinances.

It may be beneficial at this point to discuss the idea of how the Lord prepares priests for the Melchizedek priesthood. A priest is given the exact words to say, directly from revelation for the baptismal and sacramental prayers. This hopefully prepares them for when they receive the Melchizedek priesthood and are required to add words “as the spirit directs” to blessings and healing ordinances.

The Offices and Duties of the Melchizedek Priesthood

Concerning the office of elder:

In the October 1904 General Conference, President Joseph F. Smith said that the elders are to be “standing ministers at home; to be ready at the call of the presiding officers of the Church and the stakes, to labor in the ministry at home, and to officiate in any calling that may be required of them, whether it be to work in the temples, or to labor in the ministry at home, or whether it be to go out into the world, along with the Seventies to preach the Gospel” (CR [Oct. 1904]:4). (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 447)

You may want to ask: “What is the most common assignment for all priesthood holders?” (If you want to give a hint, you could add, “except for deacons”)

Among the duties under the heading of “Teacher” is “help Church members live the commandments” (p.75). Among the duties under the heading of “Elder” is “teach, expound, exhort” (p. 76). Teachers and elders (priests are still teachers and all other offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood are still elders) are assigned as Home Teachers.

This may be an excellent time to ask, “How important is Home Teaching in the Church?” The Prophet Joseph Smith gave high priority to home teaching. President James E. Faust illustrated this in a conference address:

A Brother Oakley was the Prophet’s home teacher, and whenever Brother Oakley went home teaching to the Smith home, “the Prophet called his family together and gave his own chair to Oakley, telling his family” to listen carefully to Brother Oakley. (Ensign, May 2006, 50)

President David O. McKay added his evaluation of home teaching:

… Some of [the home teachers] feel that their calling is of little importance, that there is not much dignity attached to it, when the fact is, that there is no more important work in the Church. We can not say of any one calling in the Church, that it is of more importance than another, because all are devoted to the development, to the instruction, to the salvation of God’s children. So it is with the calling of teacher; but if there be any preference given, because of superior advantages in winning these people to salvation, it will go to those men holding the priesthood of God, who come in direct contact with the individual members of the Church. … (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 121)

President David O. McKay also added:

I believe that in [home] teaching there is one of the greatest opportunities in all the world to awaken in those who are negligent, discouraged, downhearted, and sad, renewed life and a desire to re-enter into activity in the Church of Jesus Christ. By such activity they will be led back into the spiritual atmosphere which will lift their souls and give them power to overcome weaknesses which are now shackling them.
To give help, encouragement, and inspiration to every individual is the great responsibility and privilege of [home] teachers. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 122)

From the old priesthood/relief society manual on President John Taylor:

President Taylor also recognized and appreciated the authority of those who used their priesthood to serve him and his family. His humble respect for priesthood authority was exemplified by a story that his son Moses W. Taylor once related regarding an evening in the Taylor home when the family was visited by the home teachers. “One of the two was a boy sixteen years of age,” the younger Taylor recalled, “and that night it was his turn to preside. Father called the family together and informed the teachers that we were all there and said: ‘We are in your hands and await your instructions.’ ”
The boy then asked President Taylor if they prayed as a family and privately, if they treated their neighbors well, attended church regularly, and supported the authorities of the Church. “These questions were answered one after another by my father just as humbly as the youngest member of the family would have answered them. After the teachers had concluded their labors, they then requested my father to give them some instructions.
“He told them that he was pleased with them for their faithfulness and thanked them for calling and urged them to call on the family as often as they could for he realized the great good that a man holding the priesthood—which is the power of God—could do his family, and told them that there was no office in the church where greater good could be done than in that of a teacher. He told them to pay particular attention to his children and counsel them as a father.
“ ‘I am not often home,’ said he, ‘for my church duties call me away so much and I fear if my children do not frequently get good counsel, they may be led astray.’ (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 117-8)

The Quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood

I love this story told by President Henry B. Eyring about a deacons quorum presidency:

It is painful to imagine a shepherd feeding himself and letting the sheep go hungry. Yet I have seen many shepherds who feed their flocks. One was the president of a deacons quorum. One of his quorum members lived near my home. That neighbor boy had never attended a quorum meeting nor done anything with the members of his quorum. His stepfather was not a member, and his mother did not attend church.
The presidency of his deacons quorum met in council one Sunday morning. Each week they were fed the good word of God by the fine adviser and teacher. In their presidency meeting, those 13-year-old shepherds remembered the boy who never came. They talked about how much he needed what they received. The president assigned his counselor to go after that wandering sheep.
I knew the counselor, and I knew he was shy, and I knew the difficulty of the assignment, so I watched with wonder through my front window as the counselor trudged by my house, going up the road to the home of the boy who never came to church. The shepherd had his hands in his pockets. His eyes were on the ground. He walked slowly, the way you would if you weren’t sure you wanted to get where you were headed. In 20 minutes or so, he came back down the road with the lost deacon walking by his side. That scene was repeated for a few more Sundays. Then the boy who had been lost and was found moved away.
Now, that story seems unremarkable. It was just three boys sitting in a room around a small table. Then it was a boy walking up a road and coming back with another boy. But years later, I was in a stake conference, a continent away from the room in which that presidency had met in council. A gray-haired man came up to me and said quietly, “My grandson lived in your ward years ago.” With tenderness, he told me of that boy’s life. And then he asked if I could find that deacon who walked slowly up that road. And he wondered if I could thank him and tell him that his grandson, now grown to be a man, still remembered.
He remembered because in those few weeks he had been, for the first time in his life that he recognized, watched over by the shepherds of Israel. He had been warned by hearing eternal truth from people who cared about him. He had been offered the bread of life. And young shepherds had been true to their trust from the Lord. (Ensign, May 2001, 38)

President Monson relates his experience in a deacons quorum presidency:

I recall that when I was the second counselor in our deacons quorum presidency, I was considered a ward officer. At ward conference, when we sat on the front row of our ward officer’s meeting, I remember the stake president saying, “We will now call on Thomas Monson, the second counselor in the presidency of the deacons quorum of this ward, to give an account of his stewardship before the priesthood leadership of this ward.” Twelve years old, shaking like a leaf, I had to go forward to the same pulpit and give an account of my stewardship as the second counselor in the deacons quorum. We were taught responsibility, dependability, and accountability. We have not tapped that resource to a sufficient degree. Let us harness the energy of the deacons quorum presidency, the teachers quorum presidency, and the priests quorum youth leadership. (Ensign, Feb 1985, 22)

The Quorums of the Melchizedek Priesthood

The Ensign ran a series of articles about “priesthood quorums and their purposes.” In the fourth article, President Stephen L Richards, of the First Presidency, was quoted:

A quorum is three things: first, a class; second, a fraternity; and third, a service unit. Within it the men of the Priesthood learn of the principles of the Gospel, establish true brotherhood, and carry forward the work of Christ. It is a God-given association from which they derive more of lasting advantage than from any other fraternal organization in our society. Its prime purpose is to encourage and safeguard the individual. (Ensign, Apr 2005, 30)

President David O. McKay also added:

These groups meet together, first, to instruct and to edify, to improve in knowledge generally, and particularly to instruct in moral and religious knowledge, in faith, in holiness, but also to obtain mutual strength, to act uprightly. These groups supply a need that is felt among mankind generally. … Priesthood quorums … will supply every yearning for fellowship, fraternity, and service if men will but do their duty. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 116)

Importance of Priesthood Quorums

Concerning the importance of quorums, President Gordon B. Hinckley explained:

It will be a marvelous day, my brethren … when our priesthood quorums become an anchor of strength to every man belonging thereto, when each such man may appropriately be able to say, ‘I am a member of a priesthood quorum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I stand ready to assist my brethren in all of their needs, as I am confident they stand ready to assist me in mine. Working together, we shall grow spiritually as covenant sons of God. Working together, we can stand, without embarrassment and without fear, against every wind of adversity that might blow, be it economic, social, or spiritual.’ (Ensign, Nov. 1977, 86)


President David O. McKay also added:

Strictly speaking, priesthood as delegated power is an individual acquirement. However, by divine decree men who are appointed to serve in particular offices in the priesthood unite in quorums. Thus, this power finds expression through groups as well as in individuals. The quorum is the opportunity for men of like aspirations to know, to love, and to aid one another.
If priesthood meant only personal honor, blessing, or individual elevation, there would be no need of groups or quorums. The very existence of such groups established by divine authorization proclaims our dependence upon one another, the indispensable need of mutual help and assistance. We are, by divine right, social beings. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 116)

Auxiliaries to the Priesthood

Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a wonderful conference talk entitled “Strength in Counsel.” In it, he explained how stake and ward councils utilize auxiliaries to help individuals and the family:

God called a grand council in the premortal world to present His glorious plan for our eternal welfare. The Lord’s church is organized with councils at every level, beginning with the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and extending to stake, ward, quorum, auxiliary, and family councils.
In many respects, general Church councils function much the same as stake and ward councils. All councils in the Church should encourage free and open discussion by conferring with one another and striving to have clear, concise communication. Councils should discuss objectives and concerns, with mutual understanding being the ultimate goal. Stake and ward councils are ideal settings for leaders of all organizations to converse together and strengthen one another. The primary focus of stake and ward council meetings should be coordinating activities and stewardship, not calendaring. In these meetings, priesthood and auxiliary leaders should review together their responsibilities and find ways for Church programs to help members live the gospel in the home. Today, individuals and families need wise and inspired help from the Church to combat the evils of the world. (Ensign, Nov. 1993, 76)

Later, Elder M. Russell Ballard also reminded us how auxiliaries are not only auxiliary to the priesthood, but to something even more important:

Teach the gospel and basic values in your home. Establish a love for reading the scriptures together. Too many of our parents are abdicating this responsibility to the Church. While seminary, auxiliaries, and priesthood quorums are important as a supplement to parental gospel instruction, the main responsibility rests in the home. (Ensign, Nov 2005, 41)

Chapter 13: The Priesthood

What Is the Priesthood?

Teachers who teach this lesson need to review the next chapter, “Priesthood Organization - - Chapter 14” to make sure material from that one is not taught in this lesson.

Tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Joseph Smith, Chapter 8, Brigham Young, chapter 18, John Taylor, Chapter 13, Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 4, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 16, Heber J. Grant, Chapter 11, David O. McKay, Chapter 12, and Harold B. Lee, Chapter 10. Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page. Following are some ideas on “What is the Priesthood?” from these sources:

Joseph Smith explained the eternal nature of the priesthood:

The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years [see Joseph Smith Translation, Hebrews 7:3]. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 105)

Brigham Young also elucidated the duration of priesthood:

When the faithful Elders, holding this Priesthood, go into the spirit world they carry with them the same power and Priesthood that they had while in the mortal tabernacle. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 126)

Joseph F. Smith detailed the Godliness of the priesthood:

…when a man who holds the Priesthood does that which is righteous, God is bound to acknowledge it as though He had done it Himself. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 139

David O. McKay enlightened the source of the priesthood:

Priesthood is inherent in the Godhead. It is authority and power which has its source only in the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 115)

As Joseph Smith taught concerning the concept of receiving revelation:

One great privilege of the Priesthood is to obtain revelations of the mind and will of God. It is also the privilege of the Melchizedek Priesthood to reprove, rebuke, and admonish, as well as to receive revelation. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 109)

Why do we need the Priesthood on the Earth?

John Taylor discussed some of the reasons we need priesthood on earth:

The priesthood is placed in the church for this purpose, to dig, to plant, to nourish, to teach correct principles, and to develop the order of the kingdom of God, to fight the devils, and maintain and support the authorities of the church of Christ upon the earth. It is our duty all to act together to form one great unit—one great united phalanx [or organized body], having sworn allegiance to the kingdom of God; then everything will move on quietly, peaceably, and easily, and then there will be very little trouble. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 123)

President Harold B. Lee tells a wonderful story about how encompassing is the priesthood:

I had a lesson years ago as to the greatness of priesthood. It had to do with the call of the First Presidency for me to come to their office on a day that I shall never forget—April 20, 1935. I was city commissioner in Salt Lake City. I was a stake president.
We had been wrestling with this question of welfare. There were few government work programs; the finances of the Church were low; we were told that there wasn’t much that could be done so far as the finances of the Church were concerned. And here we were with 4,800 of our 7,300 people who were wholly or partially dependent. We had only one place to go, and that was to apply the Lord’s program as set forth in the revelations.
It was from our humble efforts that the First Presidency, knowing that we had had some experience, called me one morning asking if I would come to their office. It was Saturday morning; there were no calls on their calendar, and for hours in that forenoon they talked with me and told me that they wanted me to resign from the city commission, and they would release me from being stake president; that they wished me now to head up the welfare movement to turn the tide from government relief, direct relief, and help to put the Church in a position where it could take care of its own needy.
After that morning I rode in my car (spring was just breaking) up to the head of City Creek Canyon into what was then called Rotary Park; and there, all by myself, I offered one of the most humble prayers of my life.
There I was, just a young man in my thirties. My experience had been limited. I was born in a little country town in Idaho. I had hardly been outside the boundaries of the states of Utah and Idaho. And now to put me in a position where I was to reach out to the entire membership of the Church, worldwide, was one of the most staggering contemplations that I could imagine. How could I do it with my limited understanding?
As I kneeled down, my petition was, “What kind of an organization should be set up in order to accomplish what the Presidency has assigned?” And there came to me on that glorious morning one of the most heavenly realizations of the power of the priesthood of God. It was as though something were saying to me, “There is no new organization necessary to take care of the needs of this people. All that is necessary is to put the priesthood of God to work. There is nothing else that you need as a substitute.” (Ensign, Jan 1973, 104)

What President Lee found out for himself was what President John Taylor had stated many years before:

What is priesthood? … it is the government of God, whether on the earth or in the heavens, for it is by that power, agency, or principle that all things are governed on the earth and in the heavens, and by that power that all things are upheld and sustained. It governs all things—it directs all things—it sustains all things (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 119)

Harold B. Lee focuses on a main purpose of the priesthood:

In all our priesthood callings we must never forget that the business of the church and kingdom of God is to save souls, and that all over whom we preside are our Father’s children, and He will aid us in our endeavors to save every one. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 91)

How Do Men Receive the Priesthood?

In this section there is a story from the New Testament about Simon and money and priesthood. President Harold B. Lee taught a powerful lesson utilizing another New Testament story concerning money and priesthood:

There is a classic example of how our Lord would have us minister to those who need our aid. When Peter and John, as recorded in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, approached a man who had never walked and who was at the gates of the temple begging alms, instead of giving him money, the apostle Peter, you will remember, said to him, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)
Then followed a significant statement in the record of that incident. Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up. [See Acts 3:7] Remember that it wasn’t enough for Peter to command him to walk; he then took him by the hand and lifted him up.
So must we, in dealing with our faltering saints, not be merely priesthood holders who criticize, scold, and condemn. We must, like the apostle Peter, take them by the arm, encourage them, and give them a sense of security and respect for themselves until they can rise above their difficulties and can stand on their own feet.
That is the way the priesthood of God can bring salvation and fellowship to those who are weak, that they may become strong.
Our success … will be measured in part by our capacity to love those whom we seek to lead and to serve. When we truly love others it can eliminate the bad motives that often prevail in human relationships. When we truly love others we will act in their eternal interests and not to meet our own ego needs. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 91-2)

How Do Men Properly Use the Priesthood?

The first paragraph of this section refers to D&C 121:36 and states:

“…the power of the priesthood cannot be controlled except in righteousness” 9p. 70)

Concerning this, President Gordon B. Hinckley emphatically pronounced:

Any man in this Church who abuses his wife, who demeans her, who insults her, who exercises unrighteous dominion over her is unworthy to hold the priesthood. Though he may have been ordained, the heavens will withdraw, the Spirit of the Lord will be grieved, and it will be amen to the authority of the priesthood of that man. (Ensign, May 2002, 52)

Brigham Young also encouraged:

Men who are vessels of the holy Priesthood, who are charged with words of eternal life to the world, should strive continually in their words and actions and daily deportment to do honor to the great dignity of their calling and office as ministers and representatives of the Most High. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 125)

David O. McKay expanded on this idea:

No member of this Church, no husband or father, has the right to utter an oath in his home, or ever to express a cross word to his wife or to his children. By your ordination and your responsibility, you cannot do it as a man who holds the priesthood and be true to the spirit within you. You contribute to an ideal home by your character, controlling your passion, your temper, guarding your speech, because those things will make your home what it is, and what it will radiate to the neighborhood. You do what you can to produce peace and harmony, no matter what you may suffer. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 119)

Two talks in the past April conference beautifully dealt with this section concerning the giving of priesthood blessings. The first was by President Boyd K. Packer entitled, “The Power of the Priesthood” (especially concerning fathers), Saturday morning, and the second by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Healing the Sick,” Priesthood session. Another terrific resource is Elder John H. Groberg, “Priesthood Power” in Ensign, May 2001, 43. This story was portrayed in the film, Other Side of Heaven.

Heber J. Grant related the following about a priesthood blessing:

“I shall never forget the occasion,” said President Heber J. Grant, “when a friend appealed to me, upon learning that the doctor had announced that his daughter, stricken with diphtheria, would die before morning. He asked me to pray for that daughter, and after leaving his office I prayed with all the earnestness of my soul that God would heal that girl. While praying, the inspiration came to me: ‘The power of the living God is here on the earth. The Priesthood is here. Hurry! Hurry! … Go and rebuke the power of the destroyer, and the girl shall live.’
“The doctor waiting upon that girl, said she could not live till morning; but when morning came he explained that he could not comprehend it, and that he believed the girl was going to get well. He could not refrain from expressing his surprise at the change in the girl’s condition over night. The power of the living God rebuked the destroyer.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 101)

To prepare for giving such blessings, Harold B. Lee counseled:

Brethren, in your hands is given a sacred trust not only to have the authority to act in the name of the Lord, but to so prepare yourselves as clean and pure vessels so that the power of Almighty God may be manifested through you as you officiate in the sacred ordinances of the priesthood. Never take your priesthood into places where you would be ashamed to have the President of the Church see you. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 95)
Elder Thomas S. Monson beautifully illustrated the principle of service by the priesthood:

At a nursing home in our valley, two young men prepared the sacrament. While doing so, an elderly patient in a wheelchair spoke aloud the words, “I’m cold.” Without a moment’s hesitation, one of the young men walked over to her, removed his own jacket, placed it about the patient’s shoulders, gave her a loving pat on the arm, and then returned to the sacrament table. The sacred emblems were then blessed and passed to the assembled patients.
Following the meeting, I said to the young man, “What you did here today I shall long remember.”
He replied, “I worried that without my jacket I would not be properly dressed to bless the sacrament.”
I responded, “Never was one more properly dressed for such an occasion than were you.” (Ensign, May 1983, 55)

President Thomas S. Monson also expressed:

The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others. (Ensign, May 2006, 54)

What Blessings Come When We Use the Priesthood Properly?

There is a wonderful story about a priesthood blessing which miraculously restored David O. McKay’s face after an accident in Ogden Canyon in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, pp. 114-115.

Brigham Young discussed a powerful blessing of properly ministered priesthood:

The Priesthood of the Son of God, which we have in our midst, is a perfect order and system of government, and this alone can deliver the human family from all the evils which now afflict its members, and insure them happiness and felicity hereafter. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 125)

Wilford Woodruff also explained extended the time of priesthood blessings:

When an apostle or president, bishop or any man holding the priesthood officiates, he administers by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ; then that priesthood has effect, and all the blessings that a servant of God bestows upon the children of men, will take effect both in this life and in that which is to come. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 42-3)

Wilford Woodruff taught God’s goals for priesthood:

[after quoting D&C 84:33-40] Now, I sometimes ask myself the question, Do we comprehend these things? Do we comprehend that if we abide the laws of the Priesthood we shall become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ? (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 43)

Joseph F. Smith taught a powerful principle of men and women and the priesthood:

Whatever honors, privileges, or glory are attained by the man through the Priesthood, are those shared with and enjoyed by the wife. She being one with him in Christ, all his honors are her honors, his blessings are her blessings, his glory is her glory, for they are one—inseparably. … As Paul said, “The man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord.” [See 1 Corinthians 11:11] In other words, the man cannot attain to glory, honor or exaltation without the woman, nor the woman without the man. They are but two complements of one whole. … The Priesthood of the Son of God is bestowed upon the man, that attaining to the same eminence and perfection, he may act as Christ and God act. … While man … is the direct object on whom the power and honor of the Priesthood are bestowed, and he is the active medium of its operations, she partakes of its benefits, its blessings, its powers, its rights and privileges, with him as the complement of himself. … The power is not given to the woman to act independent of the man, nor is it given to the man to act independent of Christ.
Furthermore, when we speak of the men, we speak of the women, too, for the women are included with the men and are an inseparable part of mankind. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 140)

David O. McKay declared wonderful blessings of priesthood:

We can conceive of the power of the priesthood as being potentially existent as an impounded reservoir of water. Such power becomes dynamic and productive of good only when the liberated force becomes active in valleys, fields, gardens, and happy homes. So the priesthood, as related to humanity, is a principle of power only as it becomes active in the lives of men, turning their hearts and desires toward God and prompting service to their fellowmen.
Our lives are wrapped up with the lives of others. We are happiest as we contribute to the lives of others. I say that because the priesthood you hold means that you are to serve others. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 120)

Chapter 12: The Atonement

The Atonement is Necessary for Our Salvation

Tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Brigham Young, chapter 5, John Taylor, Chapter 5, Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 7, Joseph F. Smith, Chapters 10 and 11, Spencer W. Kimball, Chapter 3, and Harold B. Lee, Chapter 3. Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page.

As with most lessons, there is a wonderful resource for this lesson, Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Student Manual (found at “institute.lds.org), Chapter 9. As an example from this manual, concerning the importance of the Atonement, Joseph Smith proclaimed:

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. (p. 22)

Elder Boyd K. Packer, in the same conference talk in which he gave the parable quoted in this lesson (pp. 63-65), stated at the end of that parable:

This truth [Jesus was the Mediator of the Atonement] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them. (Ensign, May 1977, 54)

Elder James E. Talmage explains concerning the word Atonement:

The structure of the word in its present form is suggestive of the true meaning; it is literally at-one-ment, denoting reconciliation, or the bringing into agreement of those who have been estranged. (Articles of Faith, 75)

The faithful LDS scholar, Dr. Hugh Nibley stated:

The law [Atonement] leads us back home; the at-one-ment takes place when we get there. (The Infinite Atonement, by Elder Tad R. Callister, Deseret Book, 24)

President Harold B. Lee made clear the connection between the Fall and the Atonement:

How vital … it is to understand the Fall, making necessary the Atonement—hence the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 18)

So the Fall of Adam and Eve took us away from God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides us with the opportunity to return to God.

So now, a very crucial sentence in this section of the lesson is:

“The Fall of Adam brought two kinds of death into the world: physical death and spiritual death.” (p. 59)

President Spencer W. Kimball elucidated:

When Adam intentionally and wisely partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, he brought upon all of us, his descendants, two deaths—the physical or “mortal death,” and the spiritual death or the banishment from the presence of the Lord. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 26)

It is then important for us to understand first the Fall, which brought two kinds of death into the world and second the Atonement, which brought about a way to overcome these two deaths.

So, either for review or as a resource to be used in teaching these ideas for the first time, copied below are some selections from this blog, Chapter 6, “The Fall of Adam and Eve”:

Adam and Eve, and as a result, all of mankind, actually died in two ways.

The first death Adam and Eve experienced was “spiritual death,” which happened immediately when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and out of God’s presence.

President Joseph F. Smith avowed that this is the more serious death:

I want to speak a word or two in relation to another death, which is a more terrible death than that of the body. When Adam, our first parent, partook of the forbidden fruit, transgressed the law of God, and became subject unto Satan, he was banished from the presence of God. … This was the first death. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 96)

The second death experienced by Adam and Eve was “physical death,” which was the consequence given by the Lord for partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Remember, in this consequence, God gave a time table for their “death”:

…for in the day (“time” in Abraham) thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17, Moses 3:17, and Abraham 5:13)

Interestingly, there is an important addition in Abraham 5:13, which was translated by Joseph Smith later than was Moses:

…for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning.

The location of where this promise was first given is apparently important. Joseph Fielding Smith explained:

When this earth was created, it was not according to our present time, but it was created according to Kolob’s time, for the Lord has said it was created on celestial time which is Kolob’s time. (The Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, 41)

The definition of time given in 2 Peter 3:8 may help a bit:

…one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

So the day/time God referred to for when the physical death of Adam and Eve was to take place was later in mortality and maybe within 1,000 years after the Garden. Adam did die at the age of 930 (Genesis 5:5) - - well within the “day/time” limit.

Now another very important question is asked at the very beginning of this section:

“Why is the Atonement necessary for our salvation?” (p. 59)

Simply stated, The Father (and we) needed a Savior to complete the Atonement because of the two deaths brought about because of the Fall.

For us, the first death (“spiritual death”) is caused by our own sins. Mortals who are accountable apparently have no control over spiritual death.

As President Wilford Woodruff explained:

All the children of men who [have arrived] at the years of accountability are guilty of sin… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 72)

The scriptures teach clearly that all of us are subject to sin:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

…yea, even all of you have sinned… (D&C 82:2)

…as all men sin… (D&C 109:34)

The scriptures are also clear that sins would keep us from God’s presence:

…the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. (Alma 45:16)

For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; (D&C 1:31)

Even one sin, of which all members of the Church who are accountable have in plurality, would then forever keep us from the presence of God - - which is the definition of spiritual death.

For us, the second death (“physical death”) is inevitable. Mortals also have no control over physical death, as President Joseph F. Smith acknowledged:

Death came upon us without the exercise of our agency; we had no hand in bringing it originally upon ourselves; it came because of the transgression of our first parents. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 89)

As Elder Bruce R. McConkie was quoted in an Ensign article:

Man cannot resurrect himself… (Ensign, Jul 1989, 59)

This is also implied in two of the phrases in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22:

For since by man came death…For as in Adam all die…

We need the Atonement because we mortals are helpless, by our selves, to return to Our Father in Heaven.

Indeed, as Brigham Young stated, Jesus is the only way back:

Joseph [Smith] told us that Jesus was the Christ—the Mediator between God and man—and the Savior of the world. He told us that there was no other name in the heavens nor under the heavens, neither could there be, by which mankind could be saved in the presence of the Father, but by and through the name and ministry of Jesus Christ, and the atonement he made on Mount Calvary. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 37)

John Taylor taught:

If it were not for the atonement of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice he made, all the human family would have to lie in the grave throughout eternity without any hope. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 42)

By the way, concerning “hope” see President Monson’s conference talk on Sunday morning, April 2010.

How the Atonement brought about a way to overcome these two deaths will be discussed in sections 4 and 5 of this lesson.

Jesus Christ Was the Only One Who Could Atone for Our Sins

As the title indicates, this section deals with why Jesus Christ was the only one ever born who could complete the Atonement. So, either for review or for resource in teaching these ideas for the first time, copied below is a selection from this blog, Chapter 3, “Jesus Christ Our Chosen Leader & Savior”:

It seems that there are at least three reasons why God the Father could not have performed the Atonement.

ONE: The Father could not die. He was a resurrected being over whom death had no power (Romans 6:9, Alma 11:45)

TWO: The Father could not be tempted (James 1:13)

THREE: The Father could not suffer physical pain.

Joseph Smith explained: “…the great Eloheem will deliver you & if not before the resurrection will set you eternally free from all these things from pain sorrow & death.” (The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph, 197-198)

President Wilford Woodruff taught, “When the resurrection comes, we shall come forth clothed with immortal bodies; and the persecutions, suffering, sorrow, pain and death, incident to mortality, will be done away forever.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 81)

ALL THREE of these were crucial to the completion of the Atonement. Jesus Christ (or Son of Man as He is called 33 times in Matthew alone) could do ALL THREE of these things only because He was born the son of mortal Mary.

But the only way Jesus Christ could possibly complete the Atonement was because of what He inherited from His immortal Father in Heaven in ALL THREE of these areas.

ONE: He did not have to die, but gave his life (John 10:11).

TWO: He overcame temptation (Hebrews 4:15, 2 Nephi 17:16 or Isaiah 7:16).

THREE: He suffered every kind of physical (and every other kind of) pain (Mosiah 3:7, Alma 7:11, D&C 19:18-19).

Alma 7:10 indicates both aspects of Christ’s birth:

And behold, he shall be born of Mary…she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed…and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

President Joseph F. Smith affirmed:

He came into the world … clothed with double power—power to die, which He derived from His mother; and power to resist death, if He had so willed it, which He had inherited from His Father. Thus He had power both to live forever and also power to pass through the ordeal of death… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 90)

To summarize, Jesus was born of a mortal mother, as were all of us. Because of His mortal mother, Mary, He could die, could be tempted and could suffer physical pain. All of these things were necessary to complete the Atonement. However, all of us could do these things as well.

What qualified Jesus as the “only one who could atone” (title of this section) was that He was the Only Begotten of the Father. This means that Jesus was the only one to be born into mortality of a Father from whom He had genetic help with immortality (He did not have to die), resistance of unfathomable temptation and the ability to suffer incomprehensibly immense physical pain. Only because God the Father was the Father of His earthly body, could He complete what was necessary for the Atonement.

As Jesus Himself exclaimed:

Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. (D&C 19:19)

In addition, or at least in conjunction with the above, the Atonement was infinite, something beyond mankind. In Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, the chapter on the Atonement is appropriately entitled “The Infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

Although we cannot really understand an infinite Atonement, President Gordon B. Hinckley gives us good counsel about it in the following two quotes:

I can’t comprehend the full meaning of the Atonement, but I know that through His sacrifice He has made it possible for you and for me to live eternal lives of growth and knowledge and understanding and work… (Ensign, Aug 1996, 60)

I sense in a measure the meaning of his atonement. I cannot comprehend it all. It is so vast in its reach and yet so intimate in its effect that it defies comprehension. (Ensign, Feb. 1995, 77)

President Ezra Taft Benson made the following important point:

We may never understand nor comprehend in mortality how He accomplished what He did, but we must not fail to understand why He did what He did. All that He did was prompted by His unselfish infinite love for us. (Teachings of President Ezra Taft Benson, 15)

Christ Suffered and Died to Atone for Our Sins

This section would seem incomplete without a good discussion about the suffering the Savior did as described in Isaiah 53:3-5, Luke 22:39-46, 2 Nephi 9:21-22, Alma 7:11-12, and D&C 19:15-20.

President Harold B. Lee proclaimed:

I think there is no place where we have a finer discussion of the plan of the Atonement than in the writings of Jacob, as found in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi, the 9th chapter. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 22)

Elder Marion G. Romney explained:

The suffering he undertook to endure, and which he did endure, equaled the combined suffering of all men. (Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Student Manual, 25)

An insight by Elder Neal A. Maxwell helps us better understand Christ’s suffering:

Have you ever thought that there was no way that Jesus could know the suffering which we undergo as a result of our stupidity and sin (because he was sinless) except he bear those sins of ours in what I call the awful arithmetic of the Atonement? And according to this prophet, Jesus now knows, according to the flesh, how to succor us and how to help us as a result of that suffering, which knowledge could have come in no other way. (Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Student Manual, 25)

Elder Jeffery R. Holland helps us understand “succor” in the following:

Elder Talmage used the word succor. Do you know its meaning? It is used often in the scriptures to describe Christ’s care for and attention to us. It means literally “to run to.” What a magnificent way to describe the Savior’s urgent effort in our behalf! Even as he calls us to come to him and follow him, he is unfailingly running to help us. (Ensign, Apr 1998, 16)

Perhaps the most difficult trial Jesus Christ suffered was the following as described by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in conference:

Now I speak very carefully, even reverently, of what may have been the most difficult moment in all of this solitary journey to Atonement. I speak of those final moments for which Jesus must have been prepared intellectually and physically but which He may not have fully anticipated emotionally and spiritually—that concluding descent into the paralyzing despair of divine withdrawal when He cries in ultimate loneliness, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 14:26)
The loss of mortal support He had anticipated, but apparently He had not comprehended this. Had He not said to His disciples, “Behold, the hour … is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” and “The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him”? (John 16:32; 8:29)
With all the conviction of my soul I testify that He did please His Father perfectly and that a perfect Father did not forsake His Son in that hour. Indeed, it is my personal belief that in all of Christ’s mortal ministry the Father may never have been closer to His Son than in these agonizing final moments of suffering. Nevertheless, that the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone. (Ensign, May 2009, 86–88)

As President Gordon B. Hinckley testified:

The suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary, just a few hundred meters from Gethsemane, included both physical and spiritual “temptations, … pain, … hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer,” said King Benjamin, “except it be unto death” (Mosiah 3:7). (Ensign, Mar 2008, 4)

The Atonement and Resurrection Bring Resurrection to All

This section deals with how the Atonement provides a way to overcome physical death, the second of the two deaths brought into the world by the Fall.

1 Cor. 15:21-22 is cited (p. 62) but not quoted. It may be important to read and discuss this wonderful scripture:

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The “For teachers” note at the bottom of page 62 suggests a hand & glove demonstration of death. This comes from a conference talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer wherein he addressed little children. Here are some excerpts from this talk:

Pretend, my little friends, that my hand represents your spirit. It is alive. It can move by itself. Suppose that this glove represents your mortal body. It cannot move. When the spirit enters into your mortal body, then it can move and act and live. Now you are a person—a spirit with a body, living on the earth.
Someday, because of old age, or perhaps a disease, or an accident, the spirit and the body will be separated. We then say a person has died. Death is a separation. All of this was according to a plan.
Remember my hand represents your spirit and the glove represents your body. While you are alive the spirit inside the body can cause it to work and to act and to live.
When I separate them, the glove, which represents your body, is taken away from your spirit; it cannot move anymore. It just falls down and is dead. But your spirit is still alive.
It is important that you get in your mind what death is. Death is a separation. (Ensign, Jul 1973, 51)

The Atonement Makes It Possible for Those Who Have Faith in Christ to Be Saved from Their Sins

This section deals with how the Atonement provides a way to overcome spiritual death, the first of the two deaths brought into the world by the Fall.

Since the title contains the word “saved” and there are many misunderstandings of just what “saved” means, it may be beneficial to review a terrific resource on the subject. It is a conference talk by Dallin H. Oaks entitled, “Have You Been Saved?” and is found in Ensign, May 1998, p. 55.

The second paragraph in this section can also be summarized by Article of Faith # 4. There is one addition which the Savior gave when He delivered what He called “my gospel” in 3 Nephi 27:13-21. Verses 13 thru 15 are a wonderful summary of the Atonement. One thing Jesus Christ added, however, was the principle of “endurance” (verses 16 and 17).

There is a beautiful video of the parable by President Boyd K. Packer found on pages 63 to 65. It is called “The Mediator” and is found in Book of Mormon DVD Presentations 1-19 (number 15). It is available at Distribution Center for $4.50.

I really like what Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained about the Savior’s acceptance of the Atonement:

In that premortal council wherein Jesus meekly volunteered to aid the Father’s plan, He said, “Here am I, send me.” (Abr. 3:27) It was one of those special moments when a few words are preferred to many. Never has one individual offered, in so few words, to do so much for so many, as did Jesus… (Ensign, Mar 1983, 70)

President Spencer W. Kimball declared:

This is the message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the most important message in the world today. Jesus Christ is the son of God. He was chosen by the Father as the Savior of this world. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 26)

There is a great message for this lesson found in 2 Nephi 22:3 (Isaiah 12:3):

Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Chapter 11: The Life of Christ

THE LIFE OF CHRIST WAS LONG PREDICTED BEFORE HIS BIRTH

Of course, the first scriptural account “predicting” about the Savior would have to be from premortal times. Moses 4:2

…my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning…

Also from Abraham 3:27

And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.

This section mentions Nephi and his knowledge of the Savior’s birth thru vision. Another great scripture for discussion is 2 Nephi 25:1.

For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

There is an important issue that could be dealt with concerning the prophecies about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ mentioned in this section. The prophecies from the Old Testament include the First Coming of Christ as well as the Second Coming. I do not have an extensive list of all prophecies, but there are many, perhaps hundreds. Some think that there are about as many which refer to the First as there are that pertain to the Second Coming. The Jews may have not known about the Second Coming and became disenchanted with Christ, since He did not fulfill all in mortality.

This may help explain the great change that occurred in the last week of Jesus’ mortal life. Matthew records that “…a very great multitude…” (Matthew 21:8) welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem on Sunday (now celebrated as Palm Sunday because of the palm leaves they laid down) for his Triumphal Entry on Sunday. The Jews thought He really was the anxiously awaited Messiah because of what He had done.

By Friday of that week, due mostly to the cries of the chief priests for Christ’s crucifixion, Matthew records that “…all the people…said, His blood be on us, and on our children” (Matthew 27:25) in agreement with the chief priests’ clamor for His crucifixion. It appears that the Jews had now abandoned hope that Christ was the promised Messiah

It is true that Jehovah, creator of “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33), told Enoch that, “…among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren” (Moses 7:36). And Nephi was shown in vision that:

[Christ]…should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God. (2 Nephi 10:3)

However, it may also be that the Jews were expecting the Second Coming prophesies to also be fulfilled while Jesus was on earth the first time. The Jews are still His Chosen people and will be gathered to Him in the last days.

The last sentence of this section asks the question:

“What are some ancient prophecies about Jesus Christ?”

This really is a great question to have class members discuss. A wonderful resource from which to glean some additional ideas to add to this discussion appears in an article by D. Kelly Ogden and R. Val Johnson, “All the Prophets Prophesied of Christ,” Ensign, Jan 1994, 31. These prophecies are all concerning the First Coming of Jesus Christ.

HE WAS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER

This section deals with tremendously crucial doctrine that:

Jesus is the only person on earth to be born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father. That is why He is called the Only Begotten Son. He inherited divine powers from His Father. From His mother He inherited mortality and was subject to hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, and death. No one could take the Savior’s life from Him unless He willed it. He had power to lay it down and power to take up His body again after dying (See John 10:17-18). (p. 53)

For those who have not read Chapter 3 of this blog or for classes in which that material may have not been presented, or perhaps as a good review, I have copied as follows a section from Chapter 3 of this blog:

In our dispensation, D&C 20:21 pronounces:

Wherefore, the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him.

In New Testament times, John 3:16 proclaims:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Because of our knowledge of the nature of God as restored to the prophet Joseph Smith, we know that this verse in John speaks of two gifts. One was given by God the Father, that of His Son. The second gift was given by Jesus Christ that we might “not perish, but have everlasting life.” The “Trinity” concept robs one of these two gifts. If one accepts the “Trinity,” this scripture could be vastly shortened to”

“For God so loved the world, that he came…”

As I once pondered that idea, a second question can came. “Why DID God the Father send His Son to do something as excruciatingly difficult as was the Atonement?” If it were at all possible, any good parent would rather do something deathly dangerous him/her self rather than ask his/her own child to do it.

It seems that there are at least three reasons why God the Father could not have performed the Atonement.

ONE: The Father could not die. He was a resurrected being over whom death had no power (Romans 6:9, Alma 11:45)

TWO: The Father could not be tempted (James 1:13)

THREE: The Father could not suffer physical pain.

President Wilford Woodruff taught, “When the resurrection comes, we shall come forth clothed with immortal bodies; and the persecutions, suffering, sorrow, pain and death, incident to mortality, will be done away forever.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 81)

ALL THREE of these were crucial to the completion of the Atonement. Jesus Christ (or Son of Man as He is called 33 times in Matthew alone) could do ALL THREE of these things only because He was born the son of mortal Mary.

But the only way Jesus Christ could possibly complete the Atonement was because of what He inherited from His immortal Father in Heaven in ALL THREE of these areas.

ONE: He did not have to die, but gave his life (John 10:11).

TWO: He overcame temptation (Hebrews 4:15, 2 Nephi 17:16 or Isaiah 7:16).

THREE: He suffered every kind of physical (and every other kind of) pain (Mosiah 3:7, Alma 7:11, D&C 19:18-19).

The concept of “Trinity” cannot explain these three areas. Simply put, there could have been no Atonement without Jesus being the Son of an immortal Father and a mortal Mary. We are eternally grateful that Jesus Christ answered the call “Whom shall I send?” (p. 13).

The above should help us understand the last sentence in this section:

He [the Savior] had power to lay it down [because of His mortal mother] and power to take up His body again after dying [because of His immortal Father]. (p. 53)

Concerning the parents of Jesus Christ, Elder Erastus Snow, an apostle, taught:

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, the Scriptures tell us; and she bare record of it, and there were many witnesses of this fact, and the record teaches us that he was begotten by the power of God, and not of man, and that she had no intercourse with mortal man in the flesh until after she gave birth to the Savior, who is called the Son of God. (Journal of Discourses 19:271b)

HE LED A PERFECT LIFE

Along with Luke 2:40, which is quoted in this section, I also really like verse 52 of that same chapter.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

It may be beneficial to discuss the idea that this single verse pretty well covers all aspects of a balanced life as well as how we can emulate the Savior as we plan our days to grow in each of these areas as well.

Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 2:46 is quoted in this section (p. 53). It may be interesting to point out how different this scripture is in the King James Version:

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)

As Joseph Smith corrected this situation, the teaching was totally from Jesus to the doctors, not the other way around. The learned doctors had nothing to offer the Son of God. President Monson explains:

We marvel at the mature wisdom of the boy who, leaving Joseph and Mary, was found in the temple, “sitting in the midst of the doctors,” (Luke 2:46) teaching them the gospel. When Mary and Joseph expressed their concern about His absence, He asked of them the penetrating question: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). (Ensign, Nov 1997, 17)

It may be important to discuss the following scriptures which help us understand that God teaches us in the same manner:

For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more… (2 Nephi 28:30)

For he [God] will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept… (D&C 98:12)

I like Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s counsel for us concerning this process:

Brothers and sisters, the scriptures are like a developmental display window through which we can see gradual growth—along with this vital lesson: it is direction first, then velocity!
Jesus “received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace” (D&C 93:12). (Ensign, Nov 1976, 12)

This section also discusses that Jesus did only the will of the Father. We can indeed become “even as” Christ (3 Nephi 27:27 (quoted on p. 57). And we have a wonderful gift given us to help us do that, the Gift of the Holy Ghost (Chapter 21). It may be helpful to discuss the concept that since we are connected to the Holy Ghost by a Priesthood ordination, if we pay attention to the Holy Ghost, we will become like Him, just as Jesus became like the Father by paying attention to Him.

This section quotes Matthew 3:17 (p. 54), one of four times the Father introduced His Son in the scriptures. President Kimball explains:

It was He, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who was introduced to surprised listeners at Jordan (see Matt. 3:13-17), at the holy Mount of Transfiguration ( see Matt. 17:1-9), at the temple of the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 11-26), and in the grove at Palmyra, New York (see JS—H 1:17-25); and the introducing person was none other than his actual Father, the holy Elohim, in whose image he was and whose will he carried out. (Ensign, Nov 1977, 73)

HE TAUGHT US HOW TO LOVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER

This section discusses the “two great commandments” found in Matthew 22:36-39 (p. 54). Perhaps there is a parable here. Two commandments are clearly that we love God and our neighbor. But we are commanded to love our neighbor, as the manual states, “as we love ourselves” (p. 54). Thus we are thirdly commanded to love ourselves. Now there are great counterfeits to this principle in the world, such as “I’m number one” and “me first” in which Satan influences to actions which cause us and others much pain. In a conference talk, with the following quote coming under the heading “Self-esteem, Well Deserved” Elder Russell M. Nelson explains:

The next prerequisite to joy is to feel good about yourself. The second of our Lord’s two great commandments carries a double charge: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:39). Therefore, love of companion is governed, in part, by esteem of self, and so is joy in the morning.
Each individual should understand the nature of his or her own soul. Profound insight is provided by this revelation:
“For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
“And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:33-34).
Therefore, spiritual and physical elements each must be nurtured if we are to earn proper self-esteem.
Spiritual self-esteem begins with the realization that each new morning is a gift from God. Even the air we breathe is a loving loan from him. He preserves us from day to day and supports us from one moment to another (see Mosiah 2:21). (Ensign, Nov 1986, 67)

Here is wonderful counsel from two prophets on how to avoid the false counterfeits from Satan concerning this true principle. First from David O. McKay:

[after quoting Mt. 22:39] Analyze that and you will find that it means that instead of centering your thoughts on self, that God becomes the center of your existence; your thought is what you are going to do for him. You will pray to him at night. You will pray to him when you have some heavy task to perform. In your school work, pray. I know, you may not hear his voice always, and you may feel that he did not answer your question in your prayer, but in youth, keep praying, holding to the assurance that God is near you to help you. (Conference Report, October 1953, pp. 87-90)

Next from Howard W. Hunter:

[after quoting Mt. 22:36-40] As man's thoughts turn to God and the things that pertain to God, man undergoes a spiritual transformation. It lifts him from the commonplace and gives to him a noble and Godlike character. If we have faith in God, we are using one of the great laws of life. The most powerful force in human nature is the spiritual power of faith. (Conference Report, April 1960, pp. 124-126)

HE ORGAINIZED THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH

A great scripture for discussion of the concept of Christ’s Church found in this section is Ephesians 2:19 - 20:

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

In a conference talk, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland commented on Christ’s role in the Church:

[after quoting Ephesians 2:19-20] These Brethren and the other officers of the Church would serve under the direction of the resurrected Christ. (Ensign, Nov 2004, 6)

HE REDEEMED US FROM OUR SINS AND SAVED US FROM DEATH

For this section, it would be wise to follow the counsel given in the first sentence of this section:

As you study this section, take time to ponder the events of the Atonement. (p. 55)

Be sure to focus on the “events of the Atonement” rather than the Atonement itself, leaving that for Chapter 12.

There were five times the Savior’s blood was shed during His great Atonement:

1. Gethsemane

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44).

From The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles Institute Student Manual, Elder James E. Talmage described:

Christ’s agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The thought that He suffered through fear of death is untenable. Death to Him was preliminary to resurrection and triumphal return to the Father from whom He had come, and to a state of glory even beyond what He had before possessed; and, moreover, it is within His power to lay down His life voluntarily. He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict. The frightful struggle incident to the temptations immediately following the Lord’s baptism was surpassed and overshadowed by this supreme contest with the powers of evil.
In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. (25-8)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained:

[after quoting Luke 22:44] The Savior’s spiritual suffering and the shedding of his innocent blood, so lovingly and freely given, paid the debt for what the scriptures call the “original guilt” of Adam’s transgression (Moses 6:54). Furthermore, Christ suffered for the sins and sorrows and pains of all the rest of the human family, providing remission for all of our sins as well, upon conditions of obedience to the principles and ordinances of the gospel he taught (see 2 Ne. 9:21-23). As the Apostle Paul wrote, we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). What an expensive price and what a merciful purchase! (Ensign, Nov 1995, 67)

2. Scourging

THEN Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him (John 19:1).

From The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles Institute Student Manual:

This brutal practice, a preliminary to crucifixion, consisted of stripping the victim of clothes, strapping him to a pillar or frame, and beating him with a scourge made of leather straps weighted with sharp pieces of lead and bone. It left the tortured sufferer bleeding, weak, and sometimes dead. (26-9)

3. Crown of thorns

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head… (John 19:2)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie portrayed:

Blood ran down his face as a crown of thorns pierced his trembling brow. (Ensign, May 1985, 9)

4. Nails

Again, from The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles Institute Student Manual:

The cross consisted of two parts, a strong stake or pole 8 or 9 ft. high, which was fixed in the ground, and a movable cross-piece (patibulum), which was carried by the criminal to the place of execution. Sometimes the patibulum was a single beam of wood, but more often it consisted of two parallel beams fastened together, between which the neck of the criminal was inserted. Before him went a herald bearing a tablet on which the offense was inscribed, or the criminal himself bore it suspended by a cord round his neck. At the place of execution the criminal was stripped and laid on his back, and his hands were nailed to the patibulum; The patibulum, with the criminal hanging from it, was then hoisted into position and fastened by nails or ropes to the upright pole. The victim’s body was supported not only by the nails through the hands, but by a small piece of wood projecting at right angles (sedile), on which he sat as on a saddle. Sometimes there was also a support for the feet, to which the feet were nailed. The protracted agony of crucifixion sometimes lasted for days, death being caused by pain, hunger, and thirst. (26-10)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie depicts:

With great mallets they drove spikes of iron through his feet and hands and wrists. Truly he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. (Ensign, May 1985, 9)

5. Spear

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water (John 19:34).

The Savior’s ministry to the spirit world is discussed in this section. The two references of 1 Peter 3:18-20 and D&C 138 differ and the reason is revelation to a latter-day prophet.

1 Peter 3:19 states:

,,,he [Christ] went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Whereas in D&C 138:29-30, President Joseph F. Smith was shown in vision that:

…the Lord went not in person among the wicked and the disobedient who had rejected the truth, to teach them;
But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.

HIS SACRIFICE SHOWED HIS LOVE FOR HIS FATHER AND FOR US

Something that may be productive if you are teaching this lesson is obtain a copy of “The Living Christ” for every member of the class (free from Distribution Center - - pick up or mail - - postage is even free). A great discussion on many of the points of this lesson could be done using this powerful document, having each student with one in hand.

When this lesson is taught/learned well, we should be able to join our testimonies to those of the Prophets and Apostles who gave us that “The Living Christ” document, wherein is included:

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— (D&C 76:22 - 23).

By the way, many of the above quotes in this blog from conference talks were found by using the “scriptures.byu.edu” website.

Chapter 10: Scriptures

THE SCRIPTURES ARE AVAILABLE TO US TODAY
Again, tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Brigham Young, Chapter 17, Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 12, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 5, Spencer W. Kimball, Chapter 6, and Harold B. Lee, Chapter 7. Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page.

This section (after a suggested question) begins:

When the Lord’s servants speak or write under the influence of the Holy Ghost, their words become scripture (see D&C 68:4). (p. 45)

While this is how scriptures come to be, it is also true for any time a prophet speaks, in conference or any where else. However, technically, something else is required for a prophet’s words to become scripture. Here is what the Encyclopedia of Mormonism declares:

In principle and in fact, additions…are made to the standard works in the dual process of presentation through living leaders and, in accord with the law of common consent, acceptance by members of the Church. In this way, Latter-day Saints bind themselves by covenant to uphold them as scriptures. (p. 1278)

This is called “canonization” of scripture and is the process by which the Prophet proposes document(s) for the sustaining vote of the Church which then become scripture. The Bible and Book of Mormon were sustained as scripture at the organization of the Church on April 6, 1830. The Doctrine and Covenants (first known as the Book of Commandments) was sustained first in 1835 and several times later as sections were added. The Pearl of Great Price was sustained on October 10, 1880. Other canonizations, which are now in the Doctrine and Covenants, were Official Declaration—1 on October 6, 1890 and Official Declaration—2 on September 30, 1978, as well as two in the event next described.

Some of you more mature in age will remember, as do Sister Bair and I, a terrifically historical time in 1976 at the end of the sustaining of Church officers when President N. Eldon Tanner proclaimed:

President Kimball has asked me to read a very important resolution for your sustaining vote. At a meeting of the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve held in the Salt Lake Temple on March 25, 1976, approval was given to add to the Pearl of Great Price the two following revelations:
First, a vision of the celestial kingdom given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, in the Kirtland Temple, on January 21, 1836, which deals with the salvation of those who die without a knowledge of the gospel; and second, a vision given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3, 1918, showing the visit of the Lord Jesus Christ in the spirit world and setting forth the doctrine of the redemption of the dead.
It is proposed that we sustain and approve this action and adopt these revelations as part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
All in favor manifest it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign. Thank you. President Kimball, the voting seems to be unanimous in the affirmative.

These two “revelations” are now sections 137 and 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Indeed, Joseph Smith had many “revelations” which have not been canonized. That we are a Church of continuing revelation is born out by the following statement by President Harold B. Lee:

Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Council of the Twelve once told of a discussion he had with a group of stake officers. In the course of the discussion someone said to him, “Brother Widtsoe, how long has it been since the Church received a revelation?” Brother Widtsoe rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said in reply, “Oh, probably since last Thursday.” Brother Widtsoe undoubtedly referred to the meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve that is held on each Thursday. (Tambuli - - the international equivalent of the Ensign which is sent to the Philippines - - Feb 1980, 38)

D&C 68:4 is used most often in conference talks, as it is in this section, in reference to prophets. To verify this, check out “scriptures.byu,edu” and click on D&C 68:4, then open the references there (the first one being (06—O,27,RDH) - - a talk in 2006, p. 27 by Elder Richard D. Hales).

However, this scripture also has a wider application. As D&C 68:2 states, it is for “…all those who were ordained unto this priesthood…”

This is how Elder Dallin H. Oaks used D&C 68:4 in a conference talk concerning worthy Priesthood holders:

It is a very sacred responsibility for a Melchizedek Priesthood holder to speak for the Lord in giving a priesthood blessing. As the Lord has told us in modern revelation, “My word … shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). If a servant of the Lord speaks as he is moved upon by the Holy Ghost, his words are “the will of the Lord, … the mind of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … [and] the voice of the Lord” (D&C 68:4).
But if the words of a blessing only represent the priesthood holder’s own desires and opinions, uninspired by the Holy Ghost, then the blessing is conditioned on whether it represents the will of the Lord. (Ensign, May 1987, 36

This section discusses the “standard works.” Elder Russell M. Nelson explains:

We call that guide the standard works, so named because they—the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—constitute the standard by which we should live. They serve as a standard of reference, as are standards of time, weights, and measures that are kept in national bureaus of standards. (Ensign, Nov 2000, 16)

President Harold B. Lee, in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, pleads with the Saints about the Standard Works:

It is the business of those who are to teach His children to teach the principles of the gospel. We are not set apart to teach notions or guesses at truth. We are not set apart to teach philosophies or sciences of the world. We are set apart to teach the principles of the gospel as found in the four standard works—the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. (p. 65)

If you are interested in wonderful information about the coming forth of any of the Standard Works, you can go the particular Institute Student Manual for whatever book you want. Just go to “institute.lds.org” then “Institute Courses and Manuals” then click on the manual you want.

BIBLE
It interesting that according to the rules of grammar, the Bible is not italicized, along with other sacred books of world religions. The same is true for chapters in those books. So it is only appropriate then, that neither do we italicize the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price or their chapter titles.

That Brigham Young was not too worried about mistakes in the Bible is evident from his statement:

The Bible is true. It may not all have been translated aright, and many precious things may have been rejected in the compilation and translation of the Bible [see 1 Nephi 13:24-27]; but we understand, from the writings of one of the Apostles, that if all the sayings and doings of the Savior had been written, the world could not contain them [see John 21:25]. I will say that the world could not understand them. They do not understand what we have on record, nor the character of the Savior, as delineated in the Scriptures; and yet it is one of the simplest things in the world, and the Bible, when it is understood, is one of the simplest books in the world, for, as far as it is translated correctly [see Articles of Faith 1:8], it is nothing but truth, and in truth there is no mystery save to the ignorant. The revelations of the Lord to his creatures are adapted to the lowest capacity, and they bring life and salvation to all who are willing to receive them. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 121)

If you desire a truly wonderful resource on “How the Bible Came to Be” you will want to read the articles by that name from Lenet Read, who basically put the terrific research she did in her entire book into an eight part series printed in the 1982 Ensign from January to October (missed May, conference issue). January (part 1) and July (part 6) are especially good. You will never be the same if you read them. At least I am so glad I did.

Perhaps 2 Nephi 29:4-6 would be worth discussing concerning the gratitude Jehovah demands of us concerning the Bible:

But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?
O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.
Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

This section discusses the “Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible” (p. 46). Joseph began this important work in June 1830, only two months after the organization of the Church. He completed it, for the most part, three years later in July of 1833. Some great insights as to why Joseph made this translation come from not only his personal study of the Bible, but most importantly, his reception of the Lord’s inspiration. He stated:

I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most [nearly] correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years. (Ensign, Apr 1971, 13)

And another time:

I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible. I will make a comment on the very first sentence of the history of creation in the Bible--Berosheit. I want to analyze the word. Baith--in, by, through, and everything else. Rosh--the head. Sheit--grammatical termination.
When the inspired man wrote it, he did not put the Baith there. An old Jew, without any authority, added the word. He thought it too bad to begin to talk about the head!
It read first, "The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods." That is the true meaning of the words... Thus, the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council. (History of the Church, 6:307)

Joseph Smith also gave three reasons why the Bible is not “translated correctly” (Articles of Faith 1:8):

I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors. (History of the Church, 6:57)

There is a truly great resource for more information on one of the most powerful yet generally unknown histories of the Church - - that of the coming forth of the Joseph Smith Translation. It is told very well by one of the key players in the whole drama, Robert J. Matthews, in “Joseph Smith’s Inspired Translation of the Bible,” found in Ensign, Dec 1972, p. 61. He there relates that in translating the Bible, Joseph would first formulate a question. Second he would take that question to the Lord. Third he would receive an answer that later became a section of the Doctrine and Covenants. In this article he concludes:

It appears that the work was to be a revelatory experience, through which Joseph would come to an understanding of things that he had not previously known.
In a similar manner many of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received, and these revelations came forth out of a background gained from the Prophet’s translation of the Bible…
It is significant that most of the doctrinal revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received during the three years the Prophet was working with the Bible. It is possible that the greatest value of the new translation has come in this manner rather than from the corrections within the pages of the Bible.

What Joseph, by revelation, did was change over 4,000 verses in the Bible, mostly in Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Romans and 1 Corinthians. He changed almost 50% of the Gospels and 56% of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).

But perhaps the single chapter most changed by Joseph was Matthew 24, which is now Joseph Smith-Matthew in the Pearl of Great Price. Therein he increased the wording by 50%, adding only one new verse (verse 55 - - a powerful summation of the beginning and end of the millennium). But he first showed us that Jesus taught His apostles about the Second Coming (verses 1-4) and then rearranged nine verses as they appeared in Matthew 24 to nicely separate First Coming events (verses 5-19) from Second Coming events (verses 20-55). I have often said if the only thing Joseph Smith ever did was translate this chapter, it would be enough for me to know that He was a prophet of God.

BOOK OF MORMON

This section teaches that the Book of Mormon “contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” and gives references for that from the D&C (p. 46).

Some have wondered about this quote since the Book of Mormon contains little to nothing about baptisms for the dead, temple endowments, temple marriage, sealing of families, three degrees of glory, church and priesthood organization - - doctrines seemingly essential in the Church of Jesus Christ. President Ezra Taft Benson explained this in a First Presidency Message appropriately entitled “The Keystone of Our Religion”:

That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even children can learn the ways of salvation and exaltation. The Book of Mormon offers so much that broadens our understandings of the doctrines of salvation. Without it, much of what is taught in other scriptures would not be nearly so plain and precious. (Ensign, Jan 1992, 2)

In another talk, President Benson taught:

In the Doctrine and Covenants we learn of temple work, eternal families, the degrees of glory, Church organization, and many other great truths of the Restoration. (Ensign, May 1987, 83)

That President Wilford Woodruff was apparently not bothered by such questions concerning this issue is shown in this quote:

These two records [the Bible and the Book of Mormon] were also to be made use of in order to preach the fulness of the everlasting gospel to both Jew and Gentile; and they will stand in judgment against the generation living on the earth when they come forth. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 119)

In this section is also a statement made by Joseph Smith that the Book of Mormon is “the most correct of any book on earth” (p. 46)

Those who oppose the Church have tried to refute this claim by pointing out that there were about 4,000 corrections made from the first edition. What I have never seen them include is the fact that Joseph was well aware of these errors, mostly spelling and grammatical, and made over 1,000 corrections himself for the second edition. He clarified this issue when he explained:

I never told you I was perfect, but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 368)

At “lds.org/newsroom” the following is released to the press explaining the nature and process of correcting these errors:

Almost 4,000 editing corrections have been made to the Book of Mormon since the first publication in 1830. For example: the word which has been changed to who 891 times; was has been changed to were 162 times; and the word that has been deleted 188 times. Other examples involve mistakes in the transcription process. While Joseph Smith and a scribe were translating in the book of Alma, for instance, the scribe misheard Joseph and wrote the word whether instead of wither. This mistake, which was included in the first edition, changed the complexion of the sentence and caused confusion among readers. Each correction that has been made has aimed at aligning the text with the original translation. (25 August 2008)

This section also has a terrific quote from President Benson about “how the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.” (p. 46) From this talk which is quoted in the talk, he preceded the quote with the following explanation of a keystone:

A keystone is the central stone in an arch. (Ensign, Jan 1992, 2)

In the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith is a wonderful chapter titled “The Book of Mormon: Keystone of our Religion” (Chapter 4).

But the real bottom line, as the last section of this lesson will teach, is that by far the most important thing to do with the Book of Mormon is to read it. There are very few more powerful promises than was given by our past President Hinckley when he pleaded with us to read the Book of Mormon and proclaimed:

Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God. (Ensign, Aug 2005, 2)

I bear testimony that those promises still hold.

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS

Here is an interesting statement by President Ezra Taft Benson from an article entitled “The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants” (the whole article is great):

The Doctrine and Covenants is the binding link between the Book of Mormon and the continuing work of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors. (Ensign, May 1987, 83)

As LDS, we believe in open canon, which means literally that revelation which will lead to sustaining of further scripture has not stopped. Elder Boyd K. Packer said:

…the Doctrine and Covenants, the book that will never be closed. (Ensign May 1990, 36)

In the great talk already mentioned by President Benson, he pleads:

God bless us all to use all the scriptures, but in particular the instrument He designed to bring us to Christ—the Book of Mormon…along with…the Doctrine and Covenants, the instrument to bring us to Christ’s kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Ensign, May 1987, 83)

Further elaboration concerning the “keystone” statement in the earlier section, President Ezra Taft Benson also stated:

The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone. (Ensign, May 1987, 83)

The above helps us understand a little better what Joseph Smith stated about the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants:

Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none… (History of the Church, 2:52)

Important discussion/reading activities are paragraphs # 3 and # 8 of the “Explanatory Introduction” of the Doctrine and Covenants (second page - - after the title page). Paragraph # 3 is wonderful in explaining how the Doctrine and Covenants works “in concert” with the Bible and Book of Mormon. Paragraph # 8 is a powerful summary of the best themes of the Doctrine and Covenants.

President Heber J. Grant felt the same way as Paragraph # 3 details:

The Book of Mormon is in absolute harmony from start to finish with other sacred scriptures. There is not a doctrine taught in it that does not harmonize with the teachings of Jesus Christ. . . . There is not a thing in it but what is for the benefit and uplift of mankind. It is in every way a true witness for God, and it sustains the Bible and is in harmony with the Bible. (Presidents of the Church Institute Teachers Manual, Chapter 7)

If you are further intrigued, (or a glutton for details), two articles, “The Story of the Doctrine and Covenants” and “How the Revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received and Compiled” are found in Ensign Dec. (p. 32) and Jan. (p. 27). Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual is shorter (Intro).

PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
The Pearl of Great Price has a most fascinating historical background. In 1851, as a newly-called apostle, Elder Franklin D. Richards was mission president of Great Britain. He decided to print a mission pamphlet since half of the church members there had been members for less than two years. He named it “Pearl of Great Price” after Matthew 13:45-46. He included most of what is now Moses, from Joseph Smith’s translation of the Genesis, which had been printed in the Evening and Morning Star newspaper in Kirtland, Ohio. Next came what is now Abraham, which had been printed in the Times and Seasons newspaper in Nauvoo. Then came what is now Joseph Smith-Matthew, which had been printed as a broadside (kind of a poster) in Kirtland. Then in between some sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, some printed in newspapers and some not yet published, came some of what is now Joseph Smith-History, also printed in the Times and Seasons newspaper in Nauvoo. Next was Articles of Faith, also printed in the Times and Seasons newspaper in Nauvoo. Last was a poem by a recent British convert John Jacques, entitled “Truth” (now the lyrics to Hymn #272, “Oh Say, What is Truth?”).

A copy of this pamphlet was sent to Brigham Young, who placed it in the Salt Lake Temple vault in 1856. An American edition (minus the D&C sections and the poem) was printed in 1877 along with what is now D&C 132, which had never been published. In 1880 President John Taylor called on the Church to sustain the new Pearl of Great Price (minus D&C 132) along with a new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (with section 132 added)

Something important about the Pearl of Great Price is that the books of Moses and Abraham are invaluable means to prepare one for going to the temple for the first time.

President Gordon B. Hinckley also stated:

The Pearl of Great Price supplies fascinating details missing from the book of Genesis in the Old Testament and from Matthew 24 in the New Testament. [Matt. 24] It also contains the remarkable and moving account of early events in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. (Ensign, Jan 1989, 2)

WORDS OF OUR LIVING PROPHETS

One of the very best resources for this section is Teachings of the Living Prophets Institute Manual, chapter 4. You can find it online at “institute.lds.org” then “Institute Courses and Manuals.” Following are some of my favorite quotes from that chapter:

Elder Harold B. Lee:

That which a living prophet tells us will always be in harmony with the standard works, but this is not to say he is limited by them. Although a prophet speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost will never contradict principles found in the standard works, he will expand, or even go beyond them. A prophet may also give or take away principles or programs, according to the spiritual readiness of the people. (4-3)

President Ezra Taft Benson said that the “living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.”
“The most important prophet, so far as we are concerned, is the one who is living in our day and age. This is the prophet who has today’s instructions from God to us today. God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the ark. Every generation has need of the ancient scripture plus the current scripture from the living prophet. Therefore, the most crucial reading and pondering which you should do is of the latest inspired words from the Lord’s mouthpiece. That is why it is essential that you have access to and carefully read his words in current Church publications.” (4-4)

STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES

In Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, President Smith gives us excellent reason to continue with study of the scriptures:

I have found very often in my experience in reading over passages of Scripture that the Spirit has brought to my mind new light, and has shown up to my understanding thoughts and views which seemed to be new to me, notwithstanding I had been familiar with those Scriptures and had read them over and over again. In fact, there is a peculiarity which I have found accompanies the reading of the word of God, that whenever read it is calculated to refresh the soul, to revive the spirit of man, and to draw him nearer, if possible, to the fountain of light, truth, wisdom, love and knowledge. (p. 44)

President Harold B. Lee, in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, gives wonderful counsel for this section:

Just as water was and is today essential to the physical life … , just so is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ essential to the spiritual life of God’s children. That analogy is suggested by the words of the Savior to the woman at the well in Samaria, when He said: “… whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14). (p. 59)

In Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, there is a wonderful title to the chapter on the Scriptures titled “Discovering the Scriptures for Ourselves.” Here President Kimball tells about being moved to read the Bible at age 14 when Susa Young Gates (Brigham Young’ amazing daughter) gave a “rousing talk” and asking “How many of you have read the Bible through?” It took him a year, but he did it. (p. 59)

President Kimball likewise gives wise counsel about scripture study in the same chapter:

The years have taught me that if we will energetically pursue this worthy personal goal [to study the scriptures] in a determined and conscientious manner, we shall indeed find answers to our problems and peace in our hearts. We shall experience the Holy Ghost broadening our understanding, find new insights, witness an unfolding pattern of all scripture; and the doctrines of the Lord shall come to have more meaning to us than we ever thought possible. As a consequence, we shall have greater wisdom with which to guide ourselves and our families. (p. 66)

President Kimball then requests of us:

I ask all to begin now to study the scriptures in earnest, if you have not already done so. (p. 66)

A powerful lesson about not having scripture study (because of no scriptures) is found in Omni 1:17 where Mosiah discovered the Mulekites, who had left Jerusalem about the same time as had the Nephites, somewhat over 200 years before. It may be good to discuss the two things that happened because they “brought no records [scriptures] with them”:

“…and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator…”


A NOTE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT “ADDING TO THE BIBLE” IS WRONG


The most-used “evidence that the Bible is the only “word of God” is a scripture in the book of Revelation. This is what John wrote:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written is this book.

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book Revelation 22:18).

Because these verses appear at the very end of the last book of the Bible, some have assumed this God’s warning against any future revelation. Before we examine this scripture more closely, it is important to note that a similar warning appears in the last book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament which were written by Moses) which states:

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you (Deuteronomy 4:2).

John issued the same type of a warning as Moses had earlier done. This warning must have applied only to that which he had written—not to others= writings. If not, and Moses intended what some think John intended, this would argue from the Bible that we should all be Jews, since everything written after Deuteronomy would be false. If this argument were valid, not only the rest of the Old Testament, but also the New Testament would be false.

As mentioned, the placement of the warning in Revelation allows some to consider it to be a warning about adding to the Bible. In fact, there was no Bible in John=s day. The translation and selection of the books to be included into what is now known as the Bible would occur almost three hundred years later. In addition, Bible scholars are aware that Revelation was most likely not the last bible book written. The authors of The Oxford Companion to the Bible (Oxford Press, NY, 1993, pp. 8, 341, 375, 380, 472, 587, 653) list two ranges of estimates as to when scholars think the Book of Revelation may have been written. According to the latest range of the estimates, the books of 2 Peter, Jude and John (the Gospel by the same author of Revelation) may have been written later. According to the earliest range of estimates, the above books as well as Luke, Acts, James, and 1, 2, and 3 John (also written by the same author of the book of Revelation) may have been written later. Either way, John surely would not have violated his own warning if it really meant that there were to be no additions to the Bible.

As stated, the reference in Revelation is the one most used to present the case that the Bible is the only and final end of the revealed word of God, therefore the Book of Mormon is false.

The argument of “only the Bible” was also prevalent in Joseph Smith’s day. In the Elders’ Journal, published in Kirtland, Ohio in 1838, Joseph answered some questions. In answering questions 18 and 19, Joseph stated:

Eighteenth -- "Is there anything in the Bible which licenses you to believe in revelation now-a-days?"

Is there anything that does not authorize us to believe so? If there is, we have, as yet, not been able to find it.

Nineteenth -- "Is not the canon of the Scriptures full?"

If it is, there is a great defect in the book, or else it would have said so. (History of the Church, 3:28)


The fact is—nowhere in the Bible is there found a statement that God would only reveal truths to His children exclusively in that book. In fact, Amos 3:7 states:

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.