Who is this Savior, this man that we worship? We rather localize him and think of him as more or less belonging to us, that he is our Savior and perhaps not known very much.
I want to read you just a few words to begin with. I am going to read from the Book of Moses, from the first chapter, and I am going to begin with the 32nd verse. The speaker declared he was the “Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name . . . And by the word of my power, have I created them. . . .”
He was showing Moses, as they stood and conversed “face to face,” the creation which the Father had made.
“And by the word of my power have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
“And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. . . .
“. . . For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power [which is his Only Begotten Son]. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. . . .
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.” (Moses 1:2–3, 32–33, 35, 37–38.)
It was not a novice, not an amateur, not a Being making a first trial, that came down in the beginning, after the Great Council, with other Gods, and searched out and found the place where there was “space” (for so the record tells us in Abraham) and taking of the materials which they found in this “space” they made this world.
I want to suggest two or three things to you. I hope I will not confuse you too much. But we in this galaxy—and the heavens which we see are the galaxy to which we belong—we from this point where we stand or float, can see one billion light-years* all around us. A light-year is the distance which light, traveling at the rate of 186,000 miles a second, will travel in one year. The astronomers tell us that we now can peer out into space one billion light-years, we in the center.
Where we are moving, how we are moving, how rapidly we go, we do not know. As you look into the heavens you do not see the heavens as they are today. You see them as they were the number of light-years ago when the light therefrom began to come from them to us. If it is a hundred million light-years away, it was a hundred million years ago.
It is said that there are one hundred million galaxies* within this radius that are the same as ours. (*Note: Since President Clark wrote this article, astronomy has greatly expanded its knowledge. The radius of the known universe is now believed to be sixteen billion light years across, and astronomers believe there are at least ten billion galaxies. See, for example, Herbert Friedman, The Amazing Universe [Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1975], p. 32.) They say that this galaxy in which we live, in which we float and have our existence, is one hundred thousand light-years in diameter. They say that it is shaped lenticular, as if two glass watch crystals were put together, ten thousand light-years through the thickest part, and I repeat, a hundred thousand light-years through.
Astronomers now yield what they did not formerly yield, that there may have been many, and probably were, many worlds like ours. Some say there were in this galaxy perhaps from its beginning, one million worlds like unto this one.
“Worlds without number have I created,” through “mine Only Begotten Son.” I repeat, our Lord is not a novice, he is not an amateur; he has been over this course time and time and time again.
And if you think of this galaxy of ours having within it from the beginning perhaps until now, one million worlds, and multiply that by the number of millions of galaxies, one hundred million galaxies, that surround us, you will then get some view of who this Man we worship is.
He was a member of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. He participated in the Great Council of Heaven which decided that they should build a world, a world to which we might come as mortal beings and work out our salvation. I cannot but think that the same purpose had been present untold numbers of times for our Savior then to work out his world-creative work as he did for us. “Worlds without number have I created,” through “mine Only Begotten Son.”
There was in Palestine a couple, Joseph and Mary. They lived in Nazareth. They had traveled, evidently, from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to pay a tax that had been decreed by the Roman Emperor. That was the ostensible purpose. She, heavy with child, traveled all that distance on mule-back, guarded and protected as one about to give birth to a half-Deity. No other man in the history of this world of ours has ever had such an ancestry—God the Father on the one hand and Mary the Virgin on the other.
When they had reached Bethlehem, they could get no place, you remember, in the inn. Everything was taken. So they were forced to go into a stable, and the new-born infant, fresh from the throne of God, had to be laid in a manger, “descending below all things that he might rise above all things.” I have great sympathy for poor Joseph. He was the husband of Mary, but not the father of the Son she was to bear. Years afterwards the Jews twitted him on that fact. . . .
He came into a chaotic condition. Palestine was not a place of peace and love and brotherhood. It was the habitation of some of the most terrible passions that were loose in the world at that time. They were the constant companions of those who were around the Savior.
You remember his trip when he was twelve years old, when he apparently first indicated, at least, so far as Mary understood, who he was—where, after three days of search, they finally found him talking to the learned men of the nation and she reprovingly said to him: “Thy father and I . . .” (she meaning Joseph, which indicates that in the household of Joseph and Mary, he was true to his relationship, presumed, to Joseph and to Mary)—she said to him, “Thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” And he replied in that great disclosure, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”
But he went back to Nazareth and dwelt with them, a carpenter, a carpenter’s son, until he took on his mission. Thereafter, when they found him doing wonderful things and displaying wonderful information and great knowledge, they said, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? . . . Is not this the carpenter?” He lived in a lowly home, the only man born to this earth half-Divine and half-mortal. He dwelt among the most lowly, taught among them, did his works among them.
He went on through life, I repeat, followed day by day by enmity that would have exterminated him, but escaping all because of the great mission which he had to perform.
I can understand, in a way at least, the difficulty which the Jews had. They recognized in his miracles the same sort of miracle that had been done by their prophets all down through their history. He violated the laws of gravity by walking on the water; Elisha had caused an iron axe to float on the water. He raised them from the dead; so had Elisha of old. He fed them the loaves and the fishes; and so had the Prophet Elijah fed a hundred with little and supplied the widow with oil. They had seen all of these great principles manifested, they knew them, and they had hard work recognizing that there was something way and beyond that in Jesus.
I have thought of some of those miracles in the sense of their being the miracle of a Creator, demonstrating his creative power, particularly some that I call creative miracles: the turning of water into wine, how simple that must have been to a Deity who made universes; the feeding of the five thousand, how simple that was.
And I hope none of you will be disturbed by the pygmy-rationalizing which suggests that the multitude was fed on lunches which they brought with them. This Creator of the universe, out of five loaves and two fishes, made food that fed them all. Perhaps, in order to silence the criticism which might be made, or the explanation, that he just hypnotized them and they were all just hypnotized, the record says, “and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.” Of equal importance and stature was the feeding of the four thousand at a later time.
Other miracles prove he had control of the elements: I am thinking of the night when he was sleeping in the prow of the boat and a great storm arose. The Apostles were terrified. They awakened him. He calmed the storm. And after this feeding of the five thousand, when he journeyed across the water, walking upon it, I recall how frightened were the Apostles in the boat, thinking he was a spirit.
You can almost hear him call to them: “It is I; be not afraid.” Peter asked, “Bid me come unto thee on the water.” Jesus answered: “Come.” Peter stepped out upon the water and started to walk, but his heart and his faith failed him at the sight of the boisterous waves. He started to sink. Jesus stretched forth his hand and saved him, reproving him thus: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Jesus had control of the animal kingdom. You remember the miraculous draft of fishes, when he first called Peter and James and John. They had been out fishing all night, but had caught nothing. He asked to get into their boat that he might speak to the multitude; he shoved out from the shore, so that the multitude could not press too much around him.
When he finished speaking he said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” They replied they had been fishing all night, and had caught nothing. Nevertheless, at his word they cast their net and it was filled with fish, so much so that the net brake and they had to call for James and John to come out in another boat. Peter, that great Peter, bowed before the Savior. “Depart from me,” said he, “for I am a sinful man.”
And later, a similar experience, on the shores of the same Galilee, after the resurrection, when Peter and the rest had gone fishing, not understanding there was work in the Lord’s service for them to do. They had fished all night and caught nothing. In the early light of the morning they saw a man on the shore; there was a little fire. A voice came from the shore: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They did, and it was filled. John, perhaps recollecting the earlier experience, said, “It is the Lord.” Peter, wrapping his cloak about him, for he was naked (he did not want to appear before the Lord nude), cast himself into the sea and waded to the shore. And there they ate, apparently the Savior eating with them. It was there that Peter got his command, “Feed my sheep.”
The lowly Jesus thus had control of the animal life.
Finally, the vegetable kingdom came under his dominion, also, for he cursed the barren fig tree as he went by. Some scholars have a great deal of difficulty in understanding that miracle. It looks rather simple to me, maybe too simple. But I get from this miracle the principle that he who does not do the things which his Creator fitted him to do, stands in danger of a reprimand. You cannot be barren with the intelligence, the talents, which God has given to you.
How great to mortals are these and the other miracles of Jesus, but how incomparably simple to the Maker and Destroyer of universes. Shall we further doubt the power of Jesus to do the service he performed on earth?
He began very early in his mission to indicate who he was. As he went north after the first Passover, he saw Nicodemus and to Nicodemus he indicated that he was the Christ. Nicodemus did not understand.
He journeyed north until he came to Samaria, and there he stopped at Jacob’s Well and saw the woman of Samaria. He told her who he was. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews and the Jews were hated by the Samaritans, and this, I think, was the first time he indicated in his mission, that he came for all men and not for the chosen tribes alone. Thereafter from time to time he indicated that he was the Messiah.
On one occasion when he was attending the Feast of the Tabernacles in the temple at Jerusalem, he was being twitted regarding his ancestry. They were talking about their ancestry; they were the children of Abraham! There came a point in their discussion where they said, he having said he knew Abraham, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou see Abraham?” And his reply to them was: “Before Abraham was, I am.” So he declared his Messiahship.
And so on down through his long course of life, day after day proclaiming his truths.
He had a great mission to perform. He had to break down, to fulfil, as he told us, the Law of Moses. If you want to know how far he had to go from the laws which had been given to ancient Israel, read the Sermon on the Mount, read the Sermon on the Plain, read the sermon at the second Passover, and see how he had to drive and drive and drive for the new law.
One illustration—he said:
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matt. 5:27–28.)
That was the new law.
And so with thousands of other things. Those documents to which I have referred, and a few others, are the greatest revolutionary documents in the whole history of the world. They mark the turning away from, the fulfillment of, the Mosaic Law and the introduction and operation of the law of the Gospel he restored.
Finally, at the last trial, having been before Annas, he was taken to Caiaphas, the [son]-in-law of Annas. Caiaphas was the high priest installed by the Roman government. Annas was the man who, under the law of Moses, should have been the chief priest. At the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas said: “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” And Mark records that he said unto him, “I am.”
But they took him the next day and tried him before Pilate. Poor Pilate, torn because of his belief in the innocence of this Man, sought to release him, but without avail! They insisted on the death of the Christ. And so he was finally condemned and turned over to them.
Then he was taken out on Calvary, and he, a God, one of the Holy Trinity, he was crucified on a false charge of treason, between two common thieves. One of the Fatherhood, one of those belonging to the Godhead, come to earth, cradled in a manger, fresh from the throne of God, was crucified like a common criminal between two thieves!
Resurrected on the morning of the third day, seen by many, touched by many, he lived here for forty days as if loath to leave those among whom he had worked so long. Then, and even before then, he went back to the Holy Trinity, resumed his seat alongside the Father, sat again a member of the Godhead.
That is the Man we worship. That is the Man who gave us the law that will enable us to fulfill our destiny declared from the very beginning. That is the Man who sacrificed himself. “Behold the Lamb of God,” it was declared anciently, “slain from the foundation of the world.” He died to atone for the sins of Adam.
None of us has been born more lowly; none of us has died more ignominiously than he. But this he did for you and for me, that we, when we have finished our careers here, might be able, after going into the tomb and paying there whatever penalty there is for us to pay, we, too, may be resurrected and go back into the presence of him who sent us, good and bad alike.
That is the Man we worship—not a man of high degree, world-wise; not a man of power, and yet he said on one occasion: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels”; never invoking his divine powers merely for his own selfish good, always for the benefit of others, for all humanity, always sacrificing, always trying to obey the will of the Father, telling us over and over again that he did nothing that he had not seen his Father do, that he taught nothing that he had not heard his Father teach.
The mystery of it all is beyond me. I can only take the record as it stands, and that record tells me that if I obey his commandments, if I live as he would have me live, then I shall fulfil and reach the destiny which he prescribed for me, a destiny of eternal progression, a destiny of a life in his presence, so far as my work there will permit, a destiny that knows no limit to the power which I may receive if I live for it.
May the Lord grant that to each of and every one of us may come a determination to serve him and to keep his commandments. May the Lord give us a little better view of him, of who he was, of his great wisdom and experience and knowledge. Said he, “I am the way, the life, the light, and the truth.” Over and over and over again he said that. They did not believe him then, the world at large does not believe him now. But it is our right, our duty, our prerogative to know these truths and make them part of our lives. (Behold the Lamb of God, pp. 15–25.)
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Matthew |
Mark |
Luke |
John |
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Luke’s Preface |
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John’s Testimony |
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Jesus was chosen from before the foundations of the world to be the Christ, the Anointed One, and his coming was heralded by all the prophets from the beginning.
INTRODUCTIONJesus was the firstborn of the Father from the beginning. In a statement issued in 1916, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve said: “Among the spirit children of Elohim the firstborn was and is . . . Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors.” (Clark, Messages of the First Presidency [Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose], 5:33.) He was the birthright son, and he retained that birthright by his strict obedience. Through the aeons and ages of premortality, he advanced and progressed until, as Abraham described, he stood as one “like unto God.” (Abr. 3:24.) “Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world,” wrote President Joseph Fielding Smith, “and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:32.) In that premortal estate, Jesus was, under the Father, the Creator and Redeemer of the Father’s worlds. This lesson has been prepared to help you gain a greater vision of the all-inclusive mission of the Savior. Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references in the reading block. |
“. . . the Father operated in the work of creation through the Son, who thus became the executive through whom the will, commandment, or word of the Father was put into effect. It is with incisive appropriateness therefore, that the Son, Jesus Christ, is designated by the apostle John as the Word; or as declared by the Father ‘the word of my power.’ (Moses 1:32.)” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 33.)
“After stating that the mission of the Baptist was to bear witness of the Light, John continues his testimony of Jesus: ‘That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
“‘He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
“‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not.’ (John 1:9–11.)
“Why was it at that time or why is it now that some will not receive him? No doubt they had expected something entirely different. They were looking for a leader in political and social reform and they had little interest in spiritual things. ‘The world was made by him, and the world knew him not.’ There are those today who pass him by without recognizing him.” (Howard W. Hunter in CR, Oct. 1968, p. 141.)
“The Father of Jesus [in the spirit] is our Father also. Jesus Himself taught this truth, when He instructed His disciples how to pray: ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’ etc. Jesus, however, is the firstborn among all the sons of God—the first begotten in the spirit and the only begotten in the flesh. He is our elder brother, and we, like Him, are in the image of God. All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity.” (First Presidency [Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund], Messages of the First Presidency, 4:203.)
“Under the direction of his Father, Jesus Christ created this earth. No doubt others helped him, but it was Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who, under the direction of his Father, came down and organized matter and made this planet, so that it might be inhabited by the children of God.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:74.)
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Note the following scriptures and relate them to the role of Christ before he came to earth: Moses 1:31–33. How much experience as a creator has Jesus had? 3 Nephi 15:2–9. Who is it that spoke to the prophets of old? Who is the God of ancient Israel? (See also 3 Nephi 11:13, 14.) |
“. . . we believe that Jesus Christ is our elder brother—that he is actually the Son of our Father and that he is the Savior of the world, and was appointed to this before the foundations of this earth were laid.” (Brigham Young in JD, 13:235–36. Italics added.)
“At the first organization in heaven we were all present, and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 181. Italics added.)
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I was there! The Prophet Joseph said I was there on that glorious day when the Father called all of his children into the great council. What a vast throng that must have been. The memory of that day is gone, obscured by the veil. But surely it must have been a time of great rejoicing, of overwhelming emotion. How did I feel, I wonder, when I watched Lucifer, son of the morning, step forward. “Here am I,” he said. “Send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind.” Everyone? Could that be possible? “One soul shall not be lost,” he boasted; then he added the condition for such a feat. “Surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.” (See Moses 4:1.) What my reaction was to such terrible audacity I cannot help but wonder. And what thoughts filled my heart when our Eldest Brother stepped forward with marked contrast in attitude and bearing. “Father, thy will be done,” he said. And the condition for this? “The glory be thine forever.” (See Moses 4:2.) I was there and saw it all; and, according to the Prophet, I sanctioned it. I sanctioned the choosing and appointing of Jehovah as our Savior. When the rebellion erupted under Lucifer’s urging, how valiant was I in my stand? Did I sanction the Savior with heart as well as voice? The apostle John says the battle was won by the blood of the Lamb (i.e., the gospel plan which called for the sacrifice of the Son of God) and the word of their (the followers of Christ) testimony. (See Revelation 12:11.) Was my own testimony a weapon of power? Oh, how I long to remember, to pierce the veil and see myself in those premortal days. But wait. I stand now in the present. What of this day? Do I sanction my Savior here? The war is not yet over but merely moved to mortal battlegrounds. What of the weapon of testimony here? Do I wield it with power in His cause? Of what worth is previous valiance if I falter here? He is God, the Son of God. I sanctioned his appointment then. What of now? |
In solemn council sat the Gods; . . .
Silence self-spelled; the hour was one
When thought doth most avail;
Of worlds unborn the destiny
Hung trembling in the scale.
Silence o’er all, and there arose,
Those kings and priests among,
A Power sublime; than whom appeared
None nobler ’mid the throng.
A stature mingling strength with grace,
Of meek though Godlike mien,
The love-revealing countenance
Lustrous as lightning sheen;
Whiter his hair than ocean spray,
Or frost of alpine hill.
He spake;—attention grew more grave,
The stillness e’en more still.
‘Father!’—the voice like music fell,
Clear as the murmuring flow
Of mountain streamlet trickling down
From heights of virgin snow.
‘Father,’ it said, ‘since one must die,
Thy children to redeem,
Whilst earth, as yet unformed and void,
With pulsing life shall teem;
‘And thou, great Michael, foremost fall,
That mortal man may be,
And chosen Saviour ye must send,
Lo, here am I—send me!
I ask, I seek no recompense,
Save that which then were mine;
Mine by the willing sacrifice,
The endless glory, Thine!’ . . .
Silence once more. Then sudden rose
Aloft a towering form,
Proudly erect as lowering peak
’Lumed by the gathering storm;
A presence bright and beautiful,
With eye of flashing fire,
A lip whose haughty curl bespoke
A sense of inward ire.
‘Give me to go!’ thus boldly cried,
With scarce concealed disdain;
‘And hence shall none, from heaven to earth,
That shall not rise again.
My saving plan exception scorns;
Man’s agency unknown;
As recompense, I claim the right
To sit on yonder throne!’
Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hush
Resumed and denser grew.
All eyes were turned; the general gaze
One common magnet drew.
A moment there was solemn pause;
Then, like the thunder-burst,
Rolled forth from lips omnipotent—
From Him both last and first:
‘Immanuel! thou my Messenger,
Till time’s probation end.
And one shall go thy face before,
While twelve thy steps attend.
And many more, on that far shore,
The pathway shall prepare,
That I, the First, the last may come,
And earth my glory share.’ . . .
’T was done. From congregation vast
Tumultuous murmurs rose;
Waves of conflicting sound, as when
Two meeting seas oppose.
’T was finished. But the heavens wept;
And still their annals tell
How one was choice of Elohim,
O’er one who fighting fell.
(Orson F. Whitney, “Elect of Elohim,” Elias: An Epic of the Ages, pp. 30–34.)
Study the following scriptures in relationship to the event just described:
Abraham 3:24, 27. What seems to be the key reason why Jesus was selected of the Father?
Moses 4:1–4. What caused the war in heaven?
Jesus was the given name of our Savior. As we spell it, the name is of Greek derivation. Its Hebrew equivalent was Yehoshua or Jeshua, or as we render it in English, Joshua. In its original form, the name literally meant “Help of Jehovah,” “Savior-Deliverer,” or “Jehovah Is Salvation.” The name was made known to Joseph by the angel who appeared to him. (See Matthew 1:21.)
“Christ is a sacred title, and not an ordinary appellation or common name; it is of Greek derivation, and in meaning is identical with its Hebrew equivalent Messiah or Messias, signifying the Anointed One. Other titles, each possessing a definitive meaning, such as Emmanuel, Savior, Redeemer, Only Begotten Son, Lord, Son of God, Son of Man, and many more, are of scriptural occurrence; the fact of main present importance to us is that these several titles are expressive of our Lord’s divine origin and Godship. As seen, the essential names or titles of Jesus the Christ were made known before His birth, and were revealed to prophets who preceded Him in the mortal state.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 35–36.)
The name Jehovah means the “Self-Existent One” or “The Eternal.” It is written in our Old Testament as Lord in capital letters. According to ancient Jewish practice, the name Jehovah or I Am (the Self-Existent One) was not to be spoken for fear of incurring divine wrath.
“Jesus, when once assailed with question and criticism from certain Jews who regarded their Abrahamic lineage as an assurance of divine preferment, met their abusive words with the declaration: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.’ The true significance of this saying would be more plainly expressed were the sentence punctuated and pointed as follows: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham, was I Am’; which means the same as had He said—Before Abraham, was I, Jehovah. The captious Jews were so offended at hearing Him use a name which, through an erroneous rendering of an earlier scripture, they held was not to be uttered on pain of death, that they immediately took up stones with the intent of killing Him.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 37.)
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Who followed ancient Israel in the wilderness? (1 Corinthians 10:4.) What do we learn from D&C 110:1–4? |
Jesus is unique on many counts. For example, explicit details of his life were given to the world in public documents centuries before his appearance. One would think that anyone familiar with the scriptures would have recognized him for what he was: the promised Messiah.
Each of the gospel writers in the New Testament, but particularly Matthew, loved to point out how literally Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning himself. The same is true of Book of Mormon prophets.
“And everything that has been given in the gospel and everything that has been in any way connected with it has been designed for the express purpose of bearing record of Christ and certifying as to his divine mission. . . .
“. . . In fact, as Jacob says:
“‘. . . all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.’ (II Nephi 11:4.)
“Every prophet that there has been in the world has borne record that he is the Son of God, because in its very nature that is the chief calling of a prophet. The testimony of Jesus is synonymous with the spirit of prophecy.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1948, p. 24.)
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Below are two columns of scripture. The left-hand column contains Old Testament prophecies, and the right-hand column contains the New Testament fulfillment. In addition are some of the more prominent Book of Mormon prophecies concerning the Savior’s life.
Read each column and compare the prophecies found there. What difference does it make to know that Jehovah, God of the Old Testament and Book of Mormon peoples, is Jesus, God of the New Testament? Did it make any difference in the way he was received among the Jews? Although they had a hope in their hearts that he would come as promised, why did they err? We, likewise, have a hope in our hearts that he will come again. Does it make any difference to see him as more than just our Savior—to see him as our Creator and our God? Ponder John 17:3. |
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BIRTH AND YOUTH OF THE MESSIAH |
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It is important that we know that Jesus Christ is literally the Son of the Eternal Father and that he had to overcome the trials and vicissitudes of mortal life.
INTRODUCTIONJesus is Jehovah. He was the God of the Old Testament. He was born as a spirit son in premortality, the first so born. He grew in grace and power there until he stood as one “like unto God.” (Abraham 3:24.) He sustained the Father’s will and defended the Father’s plan. He was and is the Word, the Messenger of salvation, who was with God before the foundations of this world were laid (John 1:1, 14; D&C 93:7–9), and who was foreordained there to be the Lamb, the great and last sacrifice, the Redeemer and Savior of men. Jehovah, Jesus, the Lamb appointed to atone before the foundation of the world (see Smith, Teachings, p. 181), was born into the world. He descended from his “throne divine” to walk among men. And his life among men began in a stable in an obscure Palestinian village, about two thousand years ago. The story of Christ’s birth and youth includes references to many events. The references in the following reading block and the lesson material will enable you to inquire deeply into the divine sonship of Christ, and his early years. Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references in the reading block. |
Rome ruled much of the Mediterranean world at the time of Christ’s birth. Augustus was a capable and energetic ruler, and he spent his reign (31 B.C. to A.D. 14) establishing a certain tradition of lawfulness and honesty in the Roman bureaucracy, reorganizing the provincial governments and working at financial reform. His reign was marked by a degree of order.
Augustus ordered a general taxing of the Roman Empire in 1 B.C. This “taxing” was actually a registering of persons, as Elder James E. Talmage has explained:
“The taxing herein referred to may properly be understood as an enrollment, or a registration, whereby a census of Roman subjects would be secured, upon which as a basis the taxation of the different peoples would be determined. This particular census was the second of three such general registrations recorded by historians as occurring at intervals of about twenty years. Had the census been taken by the usual Roman method, each person would have been enrolled at the town of his residence; but the Jewish custom, for which the Roman law had respect, necessitated registration at the cities or towns claimed by the respective families as their ancestral homes.” (Jesus the Christ, pp. 91–92.)
There are two genealogies in the four Gospels. Matthew’s account lists the legal successors to David’s throne. It is not necessarily a genealogical list in a strict father-to-son sense, for, as is true in many kingly histories, the eldest surviving heir may be a grandson, a great-grandson, or even a nephew or other relative of the reigning monarch. Luke’s record, however, is a father-to-son listing linking Joseph to King David. Of course, Jesus was not Joseph’s son, but Joseph’s genealogy is essentially Mary’s genealogy, for they were cousins; Jesus inherited from his mother, Mary, the blood of David and therefore the right to David’s throne. Jesus was born in the royal line, and as Elder James E. Talmage has explained, “Had Judah been a free and independent nation, ruled by her rightful sovereign, Joseph the carpenter would have been her crowned king; and his lawful successor to the throne would have been Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 87; see also pp. 83–86, 89–90; McConkie, DNTC, 1:94–95.)
Mary was espoused to Joseph. They were not married but were promised to each other under the strictest terms. Mary was virtually regarded as the wife of Joseph, and unfaithfulness on her part during the espousal period was punishable by death (Deuteronomy 22:23, 24). During the espousal period, the bride-elect lived with her family or friends, and all communication between herself and her promised husband was carried on through a friend. When Joseph learned of Mary’s prospective maternity and knew he was not the father, he had two alternatives: (1) he could demand that Mary submit to a public trial and judgment, which even at that late point in Jewish history may have resulted in Mary’s death; or (2) he could privately sever the espousal contract before witnesses. Joseph obviously chose the most merciful of the two alternatives. He could have reacted selfishly and with bitterness when he learned that Mary was expecting, and it is a profound witness to Joseph’s character that he chose to annul the espousal privately. Of this, Elder James E. Talmage has written:
“Joseph was a just man, a strict observer of the law, yet no harsh extremist; moreover he loved Mary and would save her all unnecessary humiliation, whatever might be his own sorrow and suffering. For Mary’s sake he dreaded the thought of publicity; and therefore determined to have the espousal annulled with such privacy as the law allowed.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 84.) It may be that the Lord designed such an experience to test Joseph, and if that be the case, Joseph proved faithful. After Joseph had made his decision, then the angel visited him and directed that he should proceed and take Mary as his wife. Mary’s high station was known before she was born (Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10; 1 Nephi 11:15, 18–21; Isaiah 7:14), and Joseph no doubt was foreordained to the honored station that he held, for the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was.” (Teachings, p. 365. Italics added.) Surely Joseph was a noble soul in premortality to be blessed with the signal honor of coming to earth and acting as the legal guardian of the Son of the Eternal Father in the flesh.
Joseph and Mary did not live in Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth. Rather, they lived in Nazareth (see map). But obedient to the dictum of prophecy, circumstances transpired that brought them to Bethlehem for the birth of Christ. (See Micah 5:2.)
After summarizing the opinions of various scholars in the matter of Christ’s birthday, Elder James E. Talmage compares their conclusions with modern revelation and then affirms: “We believe that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, April 6, B.C. 1.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 104.) Of this President Harold B. Lee declared:
“This is the annual conference of the Church. April 6, 1973, is a particularly significant date because it commemorates not only the anniversary of the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation, but also the anniversary of the birth of the Savior, our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. [Quoted D&C 20:1]” (CR, Apr. 1973, p. 4.)
The following chart, which is based on our present calendar, may be helpful in understanding the birthday of the Lord.
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The wise men, familiar with the prophecies that foretold the birth of Christ, and recognizing the signs that had been given, came into Jerusalem saying: “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1, 2.) Herod, thinking that the promised Messiah would be a threat to his kingdom, sent soldiers to destroy every child two years old and under in Bethlehem. But an angel had warned Joseph and he had taken Mary and the child Jesus to Egypt.
The wise men arrived in Jerusalem when Jesus was a young child. They were directed by Herod’s court to Bethlehem. “And when they were come into the house [Jesus was no longer in a stable], they saw the young child [no longer a babe] . . . and fell down, and worshipped him.” (Matthew 2:11.) Then the wise men, because an angel warned them not to return to Herod, departed into their own country by another way. When Herod saw that the wise men did not return, he sent his soldiers to kill every child “two years old and under.” (Matthew 2:7, 16.)
John the Baptist was a small child, just six months older than Jesus, who also lived with his parents in the vicinity of Bethlehem when Herod gave out the order to murder the babies. John escaped murder by the selfless courage of his father, Zacharias. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:
“When Herod’s edict went forth to destroy the young children, John was about six months older than Jesus, and came under this hellish edict, and Zacharias caused his mother to take him into the mountains, where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When his father refused to disclose his hiding place, and being the officiating high priest at the Temple that year, was slain by Herod’s order, between the porch and the altar, as Jesus said.” (Teachings, p. 261. Compare Matthew 23:35.)
Zacharias died, then, to save his son; he died a noble martyr, perhaps the first of the Christian era.
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Now that you have considered the circumstances surrounding His birth, take a moment to reflect deeply on these questions which Jesus asked the Pharisees: “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?” (Matthew 22:42.) And as you reflect on these questions, remember Jesus’ own counsel to those who seek an answer: “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3.) And as the Prophet Joseph Smith stated: “If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of being he is,—if he will search diligently his own heart—if the declaration of Jesus and the apostles be true, he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle.” (Teachings, p. 344.) |
When Gabriel came to Mary with the announcement that she would be the mother of the Lord, Mary was troubled. She had not as yet consummated her marriage to Joseph. She was sure of her virgin condition, and her question to Gabriel was as if she had said: “How can I be the mother of a son when I am yet unmarried?” The angel’s explanation to Mary is the clearest explanation of the fatherhood of God and the divine sonship of Christ available in holy writ. Gabriel declares: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35.) This statement, clear enough as it stands, does not say Jesus was the son of the Holy Ghost, but he was the Son of God the Father. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie has explained, Jesus was the “‘Son of the Highest’ (Luke 1:32), and ‘the Highest’ is the first member of the godhead, not the third.” (DNTC, 1:83.)
Because Christ was the son of an immortal Father and a mortal mother, he had the capacity to live eternally if he chose, but also the ability to die. Elder James E. Talmage has written:
“That Child to be born of Mary was begotten of Elohim, the Eternal Father, not in violation of natural law but in accordance with a higher manifestation thereof; and, the offspring from that association of supreme sanctity, celestial Sireship, and pure though mortal maternity, was of right to be called the ‘Son of the Highest.’ In His nature would be combined the powers of Godhood with the capacity and possibilities of mortality; and this through the ordinary operation of the fundamental law of heredity declared of God, demonstrated by science, and admitted by philosophy, that living beings shall propagate—after their kind. The Child Jesus was to inherit the physical, mental and spiritual traits, tendencies, and powers that characterized His parents—one immortal and glorified—God, the other human—woman.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 81.)
Jesus, then, had the powers of life and the ability to die. He had greater power than any man. (See Smith, Teachings, 181.) To further understand the significance of the divine sonship, complete the following exercise:
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Recount some of the testimonies that demonstrate that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God, the Father, in the flesh. Note these verses: Luke 1:30–35; 1 Nephi 11:18–21; and Mosiah 3:8. Who was the father of Jesus? What did Jesus inherit from his Father that he could not have inherited from his legal guardian, Joseph? You may have heard people try to justify their own weaknesses by saying, “Of course Jesus could live a perfect life because his Father was God. Look at the advantages he had that I don’t have.” Those who rationalize like this seem to forget that wherever there is a greater blessing there is a greater trial. The greatest Spirit in the premortal world could be tested only by submitting to greater trial. |
When Jesus was born, “the veil of forgetfulness common to all who are born to earth, by which the remembrance of primeval existence is shut off” was cast over him. (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 111.) In the premortal world, Jesus had stood as “one like unto God” (Abraham 3:24), “more intelligent than they all” (Abraham 3:19), meaning all the other created spirits. But although his capacity was greater than that of any other, and he was designated to become the Only Begotten Son, still he was meek and humble; and he condescended to have a veil cast over him and to have the knowledge of his glory and power in premortality blocked from his mind at birth.
President Joseph Fielding Smith further explained:
“Without a doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us—he forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to grace. His forgetting, or having his former knowledge taken away, would be requisite just as it is in the case of each of us, to complete the present temporal existence.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:33. Italics added.)
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Can you see that although Jesus was the greatest spirit to come to the earth, he also had greater trials than anyone in the earth? It is improper to suppose that Jesus was not tested and tempted equal to his great capacity. The fact that he was sinless and that he resisted every temptation does not make it any less a fact that he was subject to temptations. He knows how difficult temptations are, because he experienced bitter temptations; but he resisted them all. Read what King Benjamin taught in Mosiah 3:7. Jesus suffered temptations far beyond what men could endure; he confronted the powers of evil and won. But because he had to resist temptations, he understands the effort man must make to resist temptation. Again, as Paul said: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15.) Jesus was perfectly obedient, and because he was, “he received all power, both in heaven and on earth.” (D&C 93:17. Emphasis added.) But Jesus did not receive this great power and glory all at once. He received it piecemeal, step by step, degree by degree, “line upon line, precept upon precept” (D&C 128:21) until he received a fulness of the glory of the Father (see D&C 93:11–17). |
In the Inspired Version, the Prophet added the following verses to the recorded account of the Savior’s youth.
“And it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come.
“And he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him.
“And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew nigh.” (Matthew 3:24–26, Inspired Version.)
Although the word father in this passage perhaps refers to Joseph, yet the content of the passage certainly shows that Jesus was taught by his real father, God the Father.
It is, however, possible that Jesus attended the Jewish synagogues and was taught in the learning of the Jews by the rabbis. If so, much of what Jesus heard would have been a perversion of truth, for Judaism was in a state of apostasy. His most significant education, therefore, came through the Spirit from his Heavenly Father. Jesus testified of himself: “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28.) And again: “The Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” (John 12:49.) Who taught Jesus what he knew? His Father, God the Father, taught him. That he was taught by wiser than mortal men is evident, and that he learned his lessons well, for the Prophet Joseph Smith said of him:
“When still a boy, He had all the intelligence necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the kingdom of the Jews, and could reason with the wisest and most profound doctors of law and divinity, and make their theories and practice to appear like folly compared with the wisdom He possessed; but He was a boy only, and lacked physical strength even to defend His own person; and was subject to cold, to hunger, and to death.” (Teachings, p. 392.)
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What must you do to acquire power and glory? The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace . . . until you . . . are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” (Teachings, pp. 346–47.) To get a degree or level of glory, or grace, a man must obey the laws upon which that particular level of glory is predicated, and if he is more diligent and obedient than another, he will have that much more advantage in the world to come. (See D&C 130:18–21.) President Harold B. Lee explained: “The most important of all the commandments of God is that one that you’re having the most difficulty keeping today. If it’s one of dishonesty, if it’s one of unchastity, if it’s one of falsifying, not telling the truth, today is the day for you to work on that until you’ve been able to conquer that weakness. Then you start on the next one that’s most difficult for you to keep.” (Church News, 5 May 1973, p. 3.) Thus, a man must take his temptations in their turn and conquer them. This is what Jesus did, step by step, degree to greater degree, grace by grace, and this is what Jesus would have you do. Now what difference will it make for you? Could you, if you were called to stand before him now, testify as did Peter of old? “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16.) You can know that he is the Son of God if you do his will. (See John 7:17.) As Jesus himself said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life. . . .” (John 10:27, 28.) |
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OPENING EVENTS IN JESUS’ MINISTRY |
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John the Baptist held the keys of Elias as the forerunner of the Lord and was a witness to His faithfulness to the Father in all things.
INTRODUCTIONWhen the time arrived for Jesus to come to earth in the flesh, it was also time for the birth of one of the greatest prophets who ever lived—John the Baptist. Who can determine the importance and eternal significance of John’s mission in preparing the way for the Son of God? His task was not easy, for the covenant people of the Lord were in a state of apostasy. Little wonder he was described as a “voice . . . crying in the wilderness.” (Luke 3:4.) But John fulfilled his mission in a manner that would cause Jesus to say of him, “Among those that are born of woman there is not a greater prophet. . . .” (Luke 7:28.) Truly John is an example to us of what a witness of Christ should be. To John, the forerunner, came Jesus, the Son of God, to be baptized. Of this occasion, Jesus said, “For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15.) This lesson will consider this important event and also the subsequent temptations which Satan used in an effort to thwart the mission of the Savior. Before proceeding, read all the scriptural references in the reading block. |
“Few prophets rank with John the Baptist. Among other things, his ministry was foretold by Lehi (1 Ne. 10:7–10), Nephi (1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:4–18), and Isaiah (Isa. 40:3); Gabriel came down from the courts of glory to announce John’s coming birth (Luke 1:5–44); he was the last legal administrator, holding keys and authority under the Mosaic dispensation (D. & C. 84:26–28); his mission was to prepare the way before, baptize, and acclaim the divine Sonship of Christ (John 1); and in modern times, on the 15th of May, 1829, he returned to earth as a resurrected being to confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. ([Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75]; D. & C. 13.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 393.)
When the angel came to Zacharias in the temple to foretell the birth of John, a promise was given, that he would prepare the way of the Lord “. . . in the spirit and power of Elias. . . .” (Luke 1:17.)
Though John was not actually named Elias, his mission was accomplished through the “spirit and power of Elias.” Joseph Smith explained it as follows:
“. . . for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist. He came crying through the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ And they were informed, if they could receive it, it was the spirit of Elias; and John was very particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
“He told the people that his mission was to preach repentance and baptize with water; but it was He that should come after him that should baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost.
“If he had been an impostor, he might have gone to work beyond his bounds, and undertook to have performed ordinances which did not belong to that office and calling, under the spirit of Elias.
“The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world.
“John’s mission was limited to preaching and baptizing; but what he did was legal; and when Jesus Christ came to any of John’s disciples, He baptized them with fire and the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings, pp. 335–36.)
Though John’s mission was short and his message was simple, the unselfish, fearless manner in which he carried out his work as an “Elias” brought from Jesus the solemn expression that there had not been “a greater prophet than John the Baptist.” (Luke 7:28. Italics added.)
“. . . Judaism held that the posterity of Abraham had an assured place in the kingdom of the expected Messiah, and that no proselyte from among the Gentiles could possibly attain the rank and distinction of which the ‘children’ were sure. John’s forceful assertion that God could raise up, from the stones on the river bank, children to Abraham, meant to those who heard that even the lowest of the human family might be preferred before themselves unless they repented and reformed.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 123.)
“All four gospel authors record that the Spirit descended ‘like a dove’; Luke adds that he also came in ‘bodily shape’; and the Book of Mormon accounts say he came ‘in the form of a dove.’ (1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:8.) Joseph Smith said that John ‘led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in witness of that administration.’
“Then the Prophet gives this explanation: ‘The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 275–76. Italics added.) It thus appears that John witnessed the sign of the dove, that he saw the Holy Ghost descend in the ‘bodily shape’ of the personage that he is, and that the descent was ‘like a dove.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:123–24.)
Compare the Inspired Version account of these verses with the King James.
“Then Jesus was led up of the spirit, into the wilderness, to be with God.
“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, and had communed with God, he was afterwards an hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (Matthew 4:1, 2, Inspired Version. Italics added.)
“Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation. He went ‘to be with God.’ Probably he was visited by the Father; without question he received transcendent spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he ‘had communed with God,’ ‘after forty days.’ The same was true in the case of Moses. He communed with God, saw the visions of eternity, and was then left unto himself to be tempted of the devil. After resisting temptation he again communed with Deity, gaining further light and revelation.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:128; see also Mosiah 3:7.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith adds this insight:
“Then Jesus was taken up into the holy city, and the Spirit setteth him on the pinnacle of the temple.
“Then the devil came unto him and said, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
“And again, Jesus was in the Spirit, and it taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.
“And the devil came unto him again, and said, All these things will I give unto thee, If thou wilt fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:5, 6, 7, 9, Inspired Version. Italics added.)
Of course there have been prophets who beheld Deity. Joseph Smith taught, however, that the Father manifests himself only in order to bear record of Jesus:
“And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son; for except it is through him no man can be saved.” (John 1:19, Inspired Version.)
Notice also how John further clarifies his own statement in John 6:46.
Christ told Simon he would be called Cephas, or Peter, meaning a stone.
“Destined to stand as President of the Church of Jesus Christ and to exercise the keys of the kingdom in their fulness, Peter was to be a prophet, seer, and revelator. (D&C 81:2.) Foreshadowing this later call, Jesus here confers a new name upon his chief disciple, the name Cephas which means a seer or a stone.
“Added significance will soon be given this designation when, in promising him the keys of the kingdom, our Lord will tell Peter that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the rock of revelation, or in other words against seership. (Matt. 16:18.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:132–33.)
“Jesus here exercises his powers of seership. From the fragmentary account preserved in the scripture it is apparent that Nathanael had undergone some surpassing spiritual experience while praying, or meditating, or worshiping under a fig tree. The Lord and giver of all things spiritual, though absent in body, had been present with Nathanael in spirit; and the guileless Israelite, seeing this manifestation of seership, was led to accept Jesus as the Messiah.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:134.)
“Jesus said unto her, Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet come.” (John 2:4, Inspired Version. Italics added.)
“. . . The noun of address, ‘Woman,’ as applied by a son to his mother may sound to our ears somewhat harsh, if not disrespectful; but its use was really an expression of opposite import. To every son the mother ought to be preeminently the woman of women; she is the one woman in the world to whom the son owes his earthly existence; and though the title ‘Mother’ belongs to every woman who has earned the honors of maternity, yet to no child is there more than one woman whom by natural right he can address by that title of respectful acknowledgment. When, in the last dread scenes of His mortal existence, Christ hung in dying agony upon the cross, He looked down upon the weeping Mary, His mother, and commended her to the care of the beloved apostle John, with the words: ‘Woman, behold thy son!’ Can it be thought that in this supreme moment, our Lord’s concern for the mother from whom He was about to be separated by death was associated with any emotion other than that of honor, tenderness and love?” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 144–45.)
A firkin is about nine gallons. Thus each of the six water-pots contained around 18 to 27 gallons of water, with the result that Jesus then created between 100 to 150 gallons of wine—a miracle showing that the wedding celebration was quite large.
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Jesus Christ is a perfect example of what your attitude should be toward the commandments of our Heavenly Father. Consider for a moment the baptism of Jesus. Why was Jesus baptized when he was without sin? Read 2 Nephi 31:5–10. What does this teach you about Jesus? What symbolic significance do you see in Jesus’ baptism with regard to his burial and resurrection? What significance does this have for you? |
“Now, nearly every temptation that comes to you and me comes in one of those forms. Classify them, and you will find that under one of those three nearly every given temptation that makes you and me spotted, ever so little maybe, comes to us as (1) a temptation of the appetite; (2) a yielding to the pride and fashion and vanity of those alienated from the things of God; or (3) a gratifying of the passion, or a desire for the riches of the world, or power among men.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1911, p. 59.)
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It was after the Savior had made his special covenants with the Father through baptism that the tempter confronted him. But why should such strong temptations beset the Lord after his baptism? And if the Lord received his most severe trials after he was firmly committed to the kingdom of God, what about other men of greatness? Did their trials also increase? Why would this be allowed to happen? For an answer, consider what took place as the Lord prepared for his ministry. First, there was a deep sense of his sacred responsibility. Secondly, he received revelation and instruction from his Father. Thirdly, he was challenged by trials and temptations and through them proved his loyalty. Finally, because of them he developed strength to overcome all obstacles and proceeded in his ministry with increased light and revelation. Now consider some of the experiences which befell the Prophet Joseph Smith. As you read keep in mind the four points listed above. Read Joseph Smith—History 1:8–19. If the Savior and the Prophet went through trials and temptations after they were firmly committed to the Church, what about you? Read thoughtfully President Lee’s statement in reading 4-14. |
“As I have labored among the brethren here and have studied the history of past dispensations, I have become aware that the Lord has given tests all down through time as to this matter of loyalty to the leadership of the Church. I go back into the scriptures and follow along in such stories as David’s loyalty when the king was trying to take his life. He wouldn’t defile the anointed of the Lord even when he could have taken his life. I have listened to the classic stories in this dispensation about how Brigham Young was tested, how Heber C. Kimball was tested, John Taylor and Willard Richards in Carthage Jail, Zion’s Camp that received a great test, and from that number were chosen the first General Authorities in this dispensation. There were others who didn’t pass the test of loyalty, and they fell from their places.
“I have been in a position since I came into the Council of the Twelve to observe some things among my brethren, and I want to say to you: Every man my junior in the Council of the Twelve, I have seen submitted as though by Providence, to these same tests of loyalty, and I wondered sometimes whether they were going to pass the tests. The reason they are here today is because they did, and our Father has honored them. . . .
“And so God has honored them, and it is my conviction that every man who will be called to a high place in this Church will have to pass these tests not devised by human hands, by which our Father numbers them as a united group of leaders willing to follow the prophets of the Living God and be loyal and true as witnesses and exemplars of the truths they teach.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr. 1950, p. 101. Italics added.)
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Does this mean that there will be tests, trials, and temptations in your future? Yes! But do not fear. What was the result of overcoming the trials and temptations for the Savior and for the Prophet? Can you see that not only did they prove loyal to their stewardship but also they grew in spiritual power, light, and closeness to God? Can you see that as you become committed to the kingdom, you will have the opportunity to grow also, into a brilliant, scintillating child of God? Further, do you understand that through your covenant you will be supported by the Spirit in your trials? Look at the reassurance Alma gives in Alma 36:3–5, 27. Do not look for temptation and trials, for they will come on their own, but determine to resist and overcome them as they do, that you may receive of the joy of the Lord. |
“The importance of not accommodating temptation in the least degree is underlined by the Savior’s example. Did not he recognize the danger when he was on the mountain with his fallen brother, Lucifer, being sorely tempted by that master tempter? He could have opened the door and flirted with danger by saying, ‘All right, Satan, I’ll listen to your proposition. I need not succumb, I need not yield, I need not accept—but I’ll listen.’
“Christ did not so rationalize. He positively and promptly closed the discussion, and commanded: ‘Get thee hence, Satan,’ meaning, likely, ‘Get out of my sight—get out of my presence—I will not listen—I will have nothing to do with you.’ Then, we read, ‘the devil leaveth him.’” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 216.)
AM I WILLING “TO DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER”?
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There is no way to account for the way Jesus kept his covenants except through that grand purpose which he expresses in the touching passages below.Read and cross-reference the following scriptures:
Jesus loved his Father. His devotion was unlimited. His poise, majesty, and flawless actions among men arose from his total submissiveness to the will of his Father. The mighty Shepherd among men was also the willing Lamb of God. Though we can perhaps only begin to fathom the feelings that Jesus had for his Father, we should remember that his Father is also our Father in heaven. We can make the grand purpose of our lives the same as our Savior’s grand purpose. Each of us can resolve “to do the will of my Father.” You may want to react to the following questions: What do I see in the way Jesus approached his relationship with his Father that can help me? What specific things could I do to better keep my covenants and improve my relationship with my Father? |