New Testament Blog Post #14 - Peter

For this post, I was asked to review a talk given by President Kimball about the Apostle Peter and to write an essay about what I learned while reading the talk.

            President Kimball began his talk by saying that he was listening to a minister speak badly of Peter, which offended him, as he felt some kinship with him. He said that there is a prevailing attitude about Peter that belittles and condemns him. To be honest, this was the first thing I learned from the essay. The idea that Peter was not up to snuff is new to me. There are certainly moments during the course of his being taught by and following Christ in which he wavers, but don’t we all waver? There are moments in which he sins in ignorance, but don’t we all do the same? There is a moment when Peter denies knowing Christ personally, but haven’t we all made mistakes? I agree with President Kimball that Peter isn’t worthy of condemnation. He was a good man with good intentions, and he did a lot of good things.

            There was a lot of discussion in the talk particularly on Peter’s denial of Christ. I think that this is where people get hung up the most when it comes to Peter. They feel that he did something very wrong and cowardly. But in my recent readings of the New Testament, I think it’s possible that Peter was not acting in cowardice, but in obedience. This isn’t discussed in the talk, but some people have speculated that when Christ tells Peter about denying him, he is commanding him to deny him. There is also a scripture in one of the gospels near where Christ is taken from the garden of Gethsemane in which Christ asks the mob to take him, but to leave his disciples alone, that a prophecy might be fulfilled that says that Christ will not lose one of them which his Father gave him. Maybe it was Christ’s intention to keep all his disciples form the fate of death so that they could perform their ministry after he died. Certainly it was important for them to be alive and free if they were going to spread his message. I just thought that might be something worthy of mentioning. I don’t know if it’s true or not—it may indeed be that Peter sinned in his denial of Christ—but I think it’s also possible that he was obeying a command.

            Peter, although some disregard him as being sinful or imperfect, did have some very positive traits. He had conviction when it came to his relationship with Christ. He told Christ that he was willing to follow him to prison and to death.” And when Christ was about to be taken from the garden of Gethsemane to the Sanhedrin, Peter fought for him, drawing a sword and smiting off the ear of one of the guards that was there. As Spencer W. Kimball pointed out, that is by no means cowardice. That is bravery and disregard for self. So certainly that is one of his positive qualities. President Kimball also mentioned that Peter was a miracle worker, and that even by being in his presence people were healed. However, he also pointed out that Peter was quick to give all credit for these miracles to God, recognizing that he didn’t perform them in his own power. I think these two facts show that Peter is full of both spiritual understanding and humility. Though it can’t be corroborated by anything we consider in the Church to be canonical, according to tradition, Peter was martyred by crucifixion, and at his request, the crucifixion was performed upside-down, because he felt he was not worthy to die in the same way that Christ did. That is a very deep type of humility. I think some of Peter’s other positive qualities include a willingness to be obedient to the Lord. Even when his objections seemed righteous, like when he told the Lord that he would not be crucified, when he was corrected, he made changes.

            One of the other requirements for this assignment was that I pick one of Peter’s positive traits that I would like to develop and outline what I will do to gain it. I think the most important trait he had was his closeness to the Savior. As we live in a world with a lot of temptation and confusion, and as most of us have not seen the Savior, belief in Christ can get a little hard sometimes. But I think that a knowledge of the existence and characteristics of Christ are among the most, if not the most, valuable pieces of knowledge a person can have. If you know that Christ lives, and you know that he is omnipotent and omniscient, and you have a relationship with the Holy Ghost, then there’s no reason to ever disobey the Lord’s commands through the Holy Ghost. You can respond to temptation with conviction, knowing that your cause is just and your effort is worthwhile. The question, however, becomes “How can I know Christ,” considering I did not, like Peter, have the advantage of being physical with him and hearing him speak and watching him perform miracles. I suppose the best way to get closer to him is to try to communicate with him and let him communicate with me, by praying, fasting, and reading the scriptures. I can also ask him for a testimony of himself. And I think that’s what I will do. Tomorrow is fast Sunday. I will fast that I might know for a surety that he lives, and I will continue to perform other acts of diligence to help myself come closer to him.

New Testament Blog Post 13 – Gethsemane

I had a number of tasks to do concerning the Atonement, and the results are as follows:

A list of words that describe the Savior’s suffering:

Sorrowful, heavy, exceeding sorrowful—even unto death, distressed, troubled, deeply grieved, agony, blood, sweat

Additional insights about the Savior’s suffering from additional resources:

He suffered temptations, pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue. His suffering was more than man can suffer unless man suffers so much that he dies. He had so much anguish for the wickedness and abominations of his people that blood came from every pore. He suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind. It was prophesied that would take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people. He took upon himself death. He took upon himself our infirmities. He did this so that his bowels could be filled with mercy according to the flesh and so that he could know how to succor his people according to their infirmities. The Spirit knows all things, so he could have known what he needed to do by the spirit, but he suffered to blot out our transgressions. He suffered what he did for everyone, bearing the sins of all men. Christ’s suffering caused him to tremble because of pain and bleed at every pore and wish that he would not suffer it. If we do not repent, we must suffer even as Christ suffered. The Savior was alone in his suffering, the Father having withdrawn the support of his immediate presence. The Savior said, “It is finished,” knowing his atoning sacrifice had been accepted by the Father. The Savior provides an example for us because even when his agony increased, he prayed with increased faith. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” The weight of the Atonement was the weight and agony of ages and generations. He suffered the consequences of an eternal law of God broken by men. His pain was in submission to “the requirements of an inexorable law. Powers of darkness were let loosed upon him during the course of his Atonement. We cannot understand the intensity or the cause of the pain Christ felt (in other words, we don’t know where that pain came from or how it meant that we could be conditionally freed from the consequences of sin). He felt physical pain and mental anguish as well as “a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing.” Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan could inflict.

On the name “Gethsemane”:

Gethsemane means, “oil press.” This has evident symbolic significance—Christ’s pain and agony are also described as a weight. Weight is, of course, used to press and flatten and grind things. If the purpose of a press is to extract oil, it crushes something like an olive and collects the liquid that comes from it. Christ’s agony was such that he bled at every pore. So one could say that he was pressed upon with a great weight, and that that weight was so great that it pushed his blood out of him. The idea of being crushed by a gigantic rock lends understanding to what Christ might have felt in those moments. Perhaps he felt trapped or alone or in despair or in such pain that death would be mercy. Perhaps he felt all of those things. That is a possible interpretation of the metaphorical significance of the name, “Gethsemane.”

Answer the following questions:

What were the Savior’s disciples doing while He was praying?

At first, they were probably watching, as he had told them, but by the time he had returned, they were sleeping.

What had the Lord taught the Apostles in Matthew 26:41?

Two things: that watching and praying can keep one from entering into temptation and that there can be a difference between physical ability and willingness to do something.

What does His example teach about how to be obedient even when “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak?”

Well, he obeyed the Father, even when he asked him to take the cup of the Atonement away from him. So he showed us that even if we do want something, in the end we must display obedience and submit to the will of the Father, understanding that he understands the significance of our actions better than we do.

How does Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 apply to this verse?

It teaches that continual prayer can lead to our conquering over Satan and escaping the hands of his servants. So it sort of teaches the same thing that the verse in Matthew does.

Read Mosiah 15:7; 3 Nephi 11:11; Doctrine and Covenants 19:19. Write the phrases from these verses that describe what motivated the Savior to “drink the bitter cup.”

He wanted to follow the will of the Father and to give glory to the Father.

Write your thoughts about the Savior’s use of the word nevertheless in Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42.

He expresses his own will, but then allows his will to be negated and submits to the will of his Father, basically saying, “This is what I want, but I will do what you ask me to.”

In each of these accounts, what did the Savior initially ask for?

That the cup be removed from him—in other words, that he not have to perform the Atonement.

What did He say next, using the word nevertheless?

“Not as I will, but as thou wilt,” or by other accounts, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”

What does it require to submit one’s will to the Father in this way, no matter how painful or difficult the outcome might be?

I think it requires an understanding that the Father knows everything (far, far, far more than we do), loves us perfectly, and wants the best for us. If you know those three things for sure, and you are keeping them in mind when you are being given direction by the Spirit, then it will not make sense for you to do anything but follow its directions—those directions will lead you to happiness and satisfaction. That being said, when you’re faced with something very difficult and frightening, it’s hard to summon the willingness to obey.

When have you followed the “nevertheless” pattern the Savior exemplified in these verses by submitting to Heavenly Father’s will even though it was very difficult?

I think there have been little moments in my life where I’ve felt like I wanted to one thing, but knew it was the right thing to do something else. I don’t know that I’ve had to do anything huge yet.

According to Luke 22:44, as the Savior’s agony became more intense, how did His prayer change?

He prayed more earnestly.

Do you feel more like praying or less like praying when you are suffering?

I think it depends on the suffering. If I’ve caused myself a small amount of physical pain, I don’t pray about it. I just kind of deal with it. But maybe I should pray about it. Anyway, if I’m feeling spiritual or mental hurt or extreme physical pain, I think that’s when I start turning toward prayer. But if mental pain is mingled with anger at the Lord, then I think I’m less likely to pray.

When has it made a difference in your suffering to have turned to the Lord with more earnest prayer?

I remember one point in my life where I was in a little jam and not feeling very well and I pleaded in prayer to be let out of it, and I was. I’d prefer not to go into details, because I feel like it’s nothing huge and I might get sort of ridiculed, but my prayer was answered.

Reflect on what you have learned about the Savior’s suffering in Gethsemane. Write a paragraph about lessons you can apply to your own life from the example of the Savior in Gethsemane.

I think that I can learn to rely more upon the Atonement and remember that someone else has suffered the very hardest things that I have suffered and ask him for help with that pain. Because the Savior suffered for everyone. I can also be inclusive to people, remembering that there is room for every person in the Atonement. I think another thing I can do is consider that the Savior was willing to do the hardest thing anyone has ever done because he trusted in the Father’s will, and I can try to receive that trust—I can pray for it and ask that it be given me, and I can try to obtain it myself.

New Testament Blog Post #12 - The Holy Ghost

As you study the following verses, make a list of what the Savior taught about (1) what the Holy Ghost does, and (2) what disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost.

I was asked to study some verses in John 14, 15, and 16, to make a list of things the Savior taught about what the Holy Ghost does and what disciples must do to receive it. Then I was asked to add to that list from other resources from the Church. The list I created is as follows:

The Holy Ghost is a comforter, and can abide in us forever.

He can teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance that we have been taught by the Savior.

He can give us peace.

He can testify of Christ.

He can reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

He can guide us into all truth.

He can show us things to come.

He can glorify Christ, and be a vessel for the Savior to give things (truth, I would presume) to us.

It can “quicken all the intellectual faculties.”

It “increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use.”

“It inspires, develops, cultivates, and measures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature.”

“It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity.”

“It develops beauty of person, form and features.”

“It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling.”

“It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man.”

“It strengthens, and gives tone to the nerves.”

“It is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.”

He instructs and enlightens “the minds of those who, through their faithfulness, have obeyed the commandments of the Father and the Son.”

“He bears witness of the truth.”

“He quickens the minds of those who have made covenants and reveals to them the mysteries of the kingdom of God.”

He carries out the will of the Father and the Son, and is a special messenger from them.

He is manifested to men in two forms, as the power of the Holy Ghost and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The power of the Holy Ghost can come before baptism and provide witness of the truthfulness of the gospel. Consequently, it can provide people with testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel.

The gift of the Holy Ghost comes after proper and authorized baptism. It acts as a cleansing agent to purify and sanctify those who receive it from sin.

The manifestation of the gift of the Holy Ghost came on the Twelve Apostles to prepare them for their ministries to the world.

Words spoken by the power of the Holy Ghost can carry a conviction of the truth to the hearts of those who hear.

The Holy Ghost can lead a person to know of future events.

Then I was asked to write responses to the following tasks:

Describe how the Holy Ghost helped the Apostles fulfill their missions after the Savior’s death and resurrection.

Well, from looking at the list, there are a lot of ways the Holy Ghost could potentially help the Apostles in their mission. I would sort of have to look at each of their ministries to know for sure. But I think that the power of the Holy Ghost would be helpful in helping their words touch the hearts of those they preached to. The Holy Ghost’s ability to testify of Christ would do the same,  as would a number of its other abilities, including glorifying Christ and bearing witness of the truth. Certainly the gift of the Holy Ghost would be a comfort to the Apostles and give them peace in those situations when they were in mortal danger or imprisoned, and I would guess the Holy Ghost’s ability to quicken the intellect would help them if they ever got into a public contention with someone, like how Abinadi contended with the priests of Noah and the Savior contended with the Pharisees. The Holy Ghost probably also cleansed and purified the Apostles, like it is meant to do to all of us. And possibly, it helped the Apostles to know about important future events.

Write a paragraph about a time when the Holy Ghost blessed you in one of the ways you listed above. Give an example of how the Holy Ghost has inspired you.

I think the most significant and memorable moments like this in my life have been about the Holy Ghost testifying of truth. If you’re reading this post, and you do not share my beliefs, you’re may be scoffing right now at the audacious suggestion that anyone could presume to know anything by way of such a nebulous idea as “the Holy Ghost.” And I know where you’re coming from. It’s been hard for me to reach the point that I could believe that there’s something that I cannot see or hear, but that I can feel, that testifies of truth. I haven’t ever seen an angel or a deceased religious figure as a spirit or anything like that, and I haven’t had the experience of hearing a voice. But I have on occasion felt something good as people have given testimony of principles of the gospel. And that feeling appears to me to be pretty consistent in each experience. For instance, when I was working on a tech crew at the Nauvoo Pageant (a play put on by my Church in Nauvoo, IL that reenacts some of the experiences of the Church’s early founders there), I worked in a light tower, using a spotlight. I remember particularly one night that I heard a few lines being delivered near the end of the pageant,

“So on a night like this, when moonlight streams in through your open window—”

“Or you hear the whistle of a riverboat, far, far away—”

“You feel—you know—that there’s more to life than what we see.”
“…and someplace yet to go.”
“…beyond where we have been.”
Those last two lines struck me deeply, and I felt something inside me sort of swell, like a part of me knew that those words were true—that there is a life after this one. And I have had similar experiences with other teachings of the gospel. And those experiences match Alma’s description of the word being like a seed in The Book of Mormon, which leads me to believe that what I am experiencing in those moments is true and real.

New Testament Blog Post #11 - Sacrament

What was the relationship between the Passover and the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

During the Passover, at least the original Passover, the children of God in Egypt were told to sacrifice a lamb, dip a brush in its blood, and cover the doorposts and lintels of the entrances of their homes with that blood, because that night, the destroying angel was going to come to Egypt and kill every person and animal that was the firstborn—but if that symbol was on the door, the angel would not enter it.

In a way, this is an analogy for our circumstances in mortality. We are surrounded by influences that have the potential to be spiritually hazardous to us. There are “destroyers” all around. But Christ has performed the Atonement so that we can be safe from these things. He chose to be the sacrificial lamb in this situation, and our use of his Atonement is sort of like marking the lintel and doorposts with his blood. When we use the Savior’s Atonement to repent of our past sins—when we use it to constant effect in an effort to improve ourselves and become more like Christ, we become more and more protected from the influences around us that would harm us spiritually. That’s my take on the relationship between these two events, anyway.

What is the relationship between the Sacrament and the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

The bread and the water are symbols for the body and blood of Christ, which were given during the Atonement. He gave his body, letting the mob take his life, so that he could then take it up again and be resurrected, breaking the bonds of death and opening the way for all of God’s children to be resurrected. And earlier, he sweat as it were great drops of blood while he took upon him the sins and pains of the world. In other words, he gave his blood.
There are at least two purposes of the Atonement, if we consider the Atonement to begin at the Garden of Gethsemane and to end with Christ’s resurrection. They are parallel: to help everyone to overcome physical, temporal death (through resurrection), and to help everyone overcome spiritual death. I would submit that the Sacrament pertains most directly to that second purpose. We do not, I think, any of us, understand how it worked, but we do understand that it did. Christ experienced all the suffering from sin and pain that anyone has ever felt, and by doing so, allowed us to become clean through repentance. He also told us, “Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect,” and that is the goal of the Atonement and of our repentance. Therein lies the relation, in my mind, to the Sacrament. Through baptism, we have promised to take upon us Christ’s name and keep his commandments and always remember him. The Sacrament is meant to renew those covenants when we make mistakes.

How do John 4:13-14 and John 6:48-53 add to an understanding of the symbolism of bread and water?

The Savior elaborates on the symbolism in the Sacrament by saying that he is the bread of life and that the water he gives, once drunk by someone, becomes a well in them, springing up unto everlasting life. Each symbol is related to life in those verses, and that is what the Atonement gives: spiritual life.

Considering the Savior’s instructions in Luke 22:19 and 3 Nephi 18:7, why do you think we are commanded to partake of the Sacrament weekly? How does Mosiah 5:13 apply to this idea?

We are meant to partake of the Sacrament in remembrance of the Savior, according to these verses. To me, that's important, because as mortal people, we are prone to forgetfulness. And it’s particularly hard for us to focus on something continually. So it’s nice to have a reminder every week. That relates to the verse in Mosiah because it suggests that we cannot know Christ unless we keep him present in our minds.

Carefully look at the additions and corrections in the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 26:26, 28 (see Matthew 26:26 footnote b, and Matthew 26:28 footnote a). Write responses to the following questions and tasks:

What important truths do we gain from these verses of the Joseph Smith Translation?

That Christ brake the bread first, then blessed it, which is how we perform the ordinance in the Church.
That the bread and water are symbols only—they are not literally the body and blood of Christ.

That Christ gave his body as a ransom.
That Christ’s blood was shed for as many as will believe on his name (it has infinite potential—there is no limit to how many people it can cover)

That Christ commanded us to do as he did, and to bear record of him “to the end.”

What does ransom mean? How does properly participating in the ordinance of the Sacrament ransom us? (See JST, Matthew 26:26)

A ransom is a price that is paid for a captive. When we take the Sacrament, we uphold our end of the bargain, aiming to become like Christ and believe on his name so that his Atonement can apply to us.

Make a list of what you want to remember about the Savior the next time you partake of the Sacrament?

His Atonement applies to all.
He ransoms us, meaning we are captive.

We are to take upon us his name, which could be interpreted as meaning that we are to bear record of him, and that commandment is one that we are meant to observe until the ends of our lives.

New Testament Blog Post #10 - The Second Coming

1.     Review Mark 13:5, 9, 23, 33, 35, 37 and identify the words “take heed” and “watch” in each verse. List at least three things from this chapter that believers could watch for in order to be prepared to meet the Lord.
a. Believers can be wary of deception.
b. Believers can pay attention to prophecy (I have foretold you all things)
c. Believers can watch for the Lord to come.

2.     Explain in writing any other additional truths that are taught in the following references about how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants 87:8
We can stand in holy places and be not moved. I think this can be interpreted as a physical thing and as a spiritual thing. The Lord wants us to be places that are holy, like the temple and our chapels—he wants us to be in places that are unspotted from the world where we can commune with him. So we can even make some places holy, like our living spaces and our working spaces, by not allowing things offensive to the spirit to enter. But in a spiritual sense, we can behave in righteous ways, making ourselves holy.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:32
We can watch for the destruction of Jerusalem, which was prophesied by Daniel.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:37
We can treasure up the word of the Lord. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that includes the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the words of modern prophets.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:46-50
We can watch for the Lord’s coming and be diligent in doing his work.

Doctrine and Covenants 33:17
We can be faithful and pray always.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:56-57
We can be wise, receive the truth, take the Holy Spirit for our guide and avoid deception.

New Testament Blog Post #9 - Concerning the Widow's Mite

The Savior taught in Mark 12:28-30 that the first great commandment was to love God “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” The widow who cast two mites into the treasury as a tithe personifies this commandment. The Savior says that she gave all her living in that sacrifice, and the first commandment is to love God with “all thy strength.” In my opinion, “strength” could easily be interpreted as “ability” or “what you can do.” The Lord gives us commandments to perform certain actions or abstain from certain other actions. If, as the Savior taught in John 14:15, keeping God’s commandments is a part of loving him, then part of the commandment to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths is to keep his commandments in that same fashion. The widow’s choice to give all she had in the way of tithing, or to give all she was able to give, was obedience to this commandment.

            In Mark’s account, the Savior also said that the widow gave more than all the men who were there giving to the treasury because they gave OF their abundance, but the widow, in her want, gave “all that she had, even all her living.” If the Lord has asked us to love him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, then by extension, he has asked us to keep his commandments with everything that we can give or do or be. If he approves of the widow giving all she has in this scenario, and he is only satisfied with full obedience of the commandment (as would be suggested by the fact that he gives it), then the only acceptable offerings to the Lord are those offerings that involve giving all. 2 Nephi 25:23 says that “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” One prerequisite for reaching salvation and eternal life is keeping the commandments of God. So while we often interpret this verse to mean that we do everything we can to reach our salvation and Christ does the rest, it may really just be an re-emphasis of this commandment to love God and of the fact that salvation comes through obedience to the commandments of God.

            The difficult thing about this particular commandment is that it requires us to give everything that we can in order to obey the other commandments. And I think that one of the commandments that the Lord gives involves becoming more than we are. In 3 Nephi 27:27, he says, “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” So really, full obedience to God requires that you give everything that it is in your power to give in order to become like he is. And I think that can mean two things: reaching exaltation—we have been taught that Gods plan for us is to, eventually, become like him, and that we’re on Earth to gain a body and to be tested so that we can reach that goal—and possessing Christ’s traits. In other words, to be obedient to the commandment to give all, we must behave as Christ did. We must be obedient to the other commandments of God. We must forgive. We must be kind. We must bless those who are not as privileged as we are. And, cyclically, we must be willing to give even our lives (in other words, all we have) to do his will.
            So, on the topic of becoming more, I will say that there are several things I can do myself to become more like Christ. One commandment in which I could be more obedient is to study the word of God. Christ himself was very knowledgeable concerning what was written in the scriptures, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been asked by our Church leaders to study the scriptures (that includes the Old and New Testament, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Book of Mormon) daily. I am not great at doing that. I tend to put it off. So my goal in this following week is to do part of my reading assignment for this New Testament course every day.

New Testament Blog Post #8 - Parables

My assignment was to study the following parables and accounts, along with the accompanying commentary from the Institute student manual, and to describe in writing what I feel is the major principle the Lord wants us to understand from each of the parables.

Luke 16:1-12, the Parable of the Unjust Steward

I was confused y this parable, so reading the institute manual was good for me, because it cleared up some questions I had. Evidently, one interpretation of this parable is that you should use your riches to secure a future for yourself. The idea is that even those who are obsessed with riches have this kind of foresight, and it’s the kind of foresight you should have when it comes to your eternal destination. You should prepare so that you can secure eternal life for yourself.

Luke 16:19-31, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Initially, my feeling about this parable was that it had several lessons to teach: give to those who are not as fortunate as you, and listen to the words of the prophets. However, the manual points out that one of the most significant lessons in the parable concerns the gulf Abraham mentions that lies between paradise and hell in the spirit world. Before Christ atoned for our sins and died, there was no way to bridge that gap. But through Christ’s atonement, after his death and before his resurrection, he made it possible that people might be able to pass across that gulf to paradise or to hell. In other words, he opened the door for missionary work and repentance in the spirit world. People could from that point be sent from paradise to hell to preach to those who had not accepted the gospel in their former lives. Joseph Smith has explained that both destinations, which used to be separate, are now one as a result of Christ’s atonement.

Luke 17:11-19, the Ten Lepers

The manual points out that the fact that a Samaritan was the first and only one to return to the Lord to show thanks for his healing was sort of a breakage of the barrier between the Jews, who were considered God’s chosen people, and everyone else. The gospel was soon to be preached to everyone in the Earth, and the Samaritan’s returning to praise and thank the Savior was sort of a representation of that. In a way, the Savior points that out when he says, “Where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. Arise: go thy way. Thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Luke 18:1-8, the Parable of the Unjust Judge

This parable, as the manual points out, is not intended to show that the Lord will respond in exactly the same way the judge did if you weary him with your prayers, but it is meant to show that if an evil judge will yield to supplication, even if that yielding only comes after a while, so will the Lord. It’s kind of like where Jesus says, “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” The parable is not so much a comparison between like and like as it is a comparison between something that is bad and something that is great, or between something that is good and something that is best.

Luke 18:9-14, the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican

The manual points out that this parable was meant to be addressed to everyone, not to the Pharisee or the publican specifically. It may have even been intended for some or all of the members of the Twelve. The parable is for those who trust in their own righteousness, as verse 9 says. The only question I have about this parable is whether the Lord is endorsing self-deprecation through it. Because I myself have, in the past, tended toward focusing on the bad things about myself and saying and believing that I have a lot of negative traits. And that has never in itself made me feel happy at all. That just makes me depressed. So it’s hard for me to believe that the Lord would want us to focus on how inferior we are. It’s certainly not a bad thing to recognize that we have room for improvement, but I don’t like the idea that we’re supposed to look at ourselves and say, “I am a grievous sinner.” Saying things like that doesn’t really motivate me to make changes and improve. It just makes me feel sad.

New Testament Blog Post #7 - Seventy

The following was my assignment for this week:

 

1.     Review Luke 10:1-24. Based on these verses, write a summary of the Lord’s counsel and instructions he gave the seventy.
He sent them two by two before his face into every city and place he went.
He told them to pray to the Lord that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
He told them they were lambs among wolves.
He told them to carry no purse or scrip or shoes, and to salute no man in their journey (presumably this means that he told them not to dawdle or waste time).
He told them that before they enter a house, they should say “Peace be to this house,” and that the peace should rest upon the house if the son of peace was there, but it should turn to them again if he were not.
He told them to accept the gifts of food and drink from those whose houses and cities they were received in, “for the labourer is worthy of his hire.”
He told them to heal the sick and tell them “The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
He told them to wipe the dust off their feet at the cities they entered who would not receive them, and to let those in the city know that the kingdom of God is come.
He told them that what was done unto them and thought of them was, by extension, done unto and thought of himself and the father.
He gave them power to “tread on serpents and scorpions, and all over the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you,” but not to rejoice because the spirits are subject unto them but because their names are written in heaven.
He told them that they were blessed to see and hear the things that they saw and heard, for the same things were desired by kings and prophets, but those men had not seen nor heard such things.

2.     Articles of Faith 1:6 states, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church.” Using the principles taught from Luke 10:1-2, 8-9, 17-20, write a paragraph that supports this Article of Faith.
There are several similarities that a person can find between these verses and modern Church organization and practice. Our Church has a quorum of seventy, and sends missionaries (labourers) two by two into the world to preach. A common practice among our Church is to invite the servants of the Lord to eat in our homes. Giving priesthood blessings to the sick is also a common practice in our Church. There are also witnesses of missionaries or other servants of the Lord casting out devils in the name of the Lord, and thus having power over them.

3.     Go to the Church’s scripture website and read the topic of “Seventy” in the Guide to the Scriptures. Describe in one or two sentences how the scriptures show the existence of this office in the priesthood.
Luke 10:1 is the only explicit reference to the Seventy in the Bible, but in it the Lord commands that the men he has appointed go before his face everywhere he went. Inclusive in his direction is the commandment that they should heal others and the information that they have the power to cast out devils. The Doctrine and Covenants has more frequent references to the Seventy, and says they are called to preach the gospel and be special witnesses of Christ (D&C 107:25-26) and bear record of his name in all the world (D&C 124:138-139).

New Testament Blog Post #6 - The Mount of Transfiguration

I was asked to study several scriptures and supplemental materials and compile a list of important events that occurred on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Jesus was transfigured before his disciples (Matthew 17:2), in the same pattern in which the Earth will be transfigured eventually (Doctrine and Covenants 63:21).

Moses and Elias appeared, talking with Jesus (Matthew 17:3). They talked about his death and resurrection at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31, JST footnote).

A bright cloud overshadowed the Apostles, and a voice said out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). According to Peter’s testimony, Jesus received honor and glory from the Father at this time (2 Peter 1:17).

Jesus told his disciples that he would be risen again from the dead. (Matthew 17:9)

Moses and Elijah gave Peter, James, and John the keys of the gathering of Israel and leading the ten tribes from the North and the keys of the sealing power. (Institute Manual)

Then I was asked to answer the following question:

In what ways might this experience have prepared Peter, James, and John for the responsibilities they would soon have as leaders of the Church?

Well, it obviously gave them the power of the priesthood, but I think you could also argue that it gave them a more sure witness of God’s existence and of his approval, which I would say is an invaluable blessing. It also confirmed to them that Christ was the true son of God, as God told them that himself. In other words, I think it helped them by developing their knowledge of God and of Christ and it gave them an opportunity to receive power from God.

New Testament Blog Post #5

Read the following scriptures and respond in writing to the corresponding questions and tasks:

·      What miraculous event had taken place the day before the Savior preached the sermon on the bread of life? (See John 6:1–14)

     He took 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes, gave thanks to God for them, and fed them to a multitude of 5,000 until that multitude was filled. After they were, he had his Apostles gather the remaining bread, and it filled 12 baskets.

·      According to John 6:22–26, why were many people seeking out the Savior at this time?

     Because they “did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” I would say that this is a metaphor for the Lord’s word, but it could be that it’s meant to be literal.

·      What motivates you to “seek” the Lord today?

To be honest, often fear. Sometimes it’s hope for a better life. And I think it would be good for me to get to the point where I don’t give that first answer anymore.

·      What did the Savior teach in response to these people in John 6:27–51?

     That they should labor for the “meat which endureth unto everlasting life,” which, again, I think was a metaphor for the word.

     That they should believe on “him whom God hath sent” (presumably Christ in this situation, but I would contend that that is a principle that can be applied elsewhere—that God respects and appreciates when we believe in the words of his servants. But most of all, I think it is important to him that we place our faith in Christ.

     That God, not Moses, gave the Israelites manna in the wilderness, and that Christ himself is the true bread from Heaven sent by the father—the bread of life—and that “he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst,” and “shall live for ever.”

     That he will not turn away those who come unto him.

     That he came from Heaven to do the will of the father.

     That the father’s will was for him to be resurrected, and for those who saw Christ and believed on him to have everlasting life and be raised up at the last day.

     That no man can come to Christ unless he is guided by the Father, and that every man that has heard and learned of the Father comes to Christ.

     That he which is of God hath seen the Father (perhaps Christ is referring to himself here).

     That he that believeth on Christ has everlasting life.

·      In John 6:27, the Savior spoke of “the meat which perisheth” and “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” Read Matthew 6:19–21, and identify another way the Savior described the difference between that which perishes and that which endures. In what ways do people today labor for “the meat which perisheth” or “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life”?

     He used the metaphor of treasure to describe things that perish and things that last. Things that perish are “treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal,” and things that last are “treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”
To answer the second question, people often say things like “you can’t take it with you,” referring to the physical things that you have when you are alive and how you won’t have them when you die. I suppose money and status and cars and houses and other physical things are “all the meat which perisheth,” but things like obedience to the gospel and kindness and service are treasures that come with you or at least things for which you are rewarded in Heaven. We members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also believe that knowledge and relationships are things you can take with you. I want to stress, however, that the “meat which perisheth” is, to some extent, necessary for survival on the Earth. You have to eat. Money helps you get things like property so you can more easily and safely support a family. But perhaps we ought to remember that these things are a means to an end, and they don't last forever.

·      After the Savior taught the bread of life sermon, what was the response of many of the people described in John 6:60, 66?

     They left him. They didn’t want to follow him anymore.

·      From John 6:67–69, what was the response of the Apostles?

     Simon Peter told Christ that they wouldn't leave him because he had what was most important—the words of eternal life. Why should they leave him when he could give them the most valuable thing they could ever want?

·      According to verse 69, what enabled Peter and the other Apostles to respond in this way?

     They believed and were sure that Jesus was the Christ, the son of God.

·      What examples can you think of (in the scriptures, Church history, or the lives of people you know) where someone responded to a “hard saying” with faith like Peter?

     I think that anyone who was commanded to leave the home they had built for themselves during Church history or who was told that their persecution would benefit them and did not leave the Church or stop listening to God, but were obedient, is a good example of this. Joseph receiving revelation in Liberty Jail heard from Heavenly Father that “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” He could have easily just rejected that idea and not acknowledged that anything good would come from the suffering of the saints, but he didn’t. The members of the Church in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, were told at one point in time that they had to leave behind everything they had built, including their beloved temples, and go somewhere else. Many of them did, following Joseph Smith to Nauvoo and then Brigham Young to the West. Others did not.

·      Explain what John 6 teaches you about following Jesus Christ even when it’s not convenient.

That it’s important, and that it would be wise for us not to allow superficial obstacles to get in the way of our following Christ, because he has the words of everlasting life. He has the greatest gift of all, and although life—and following the commandments—can be incredibly difficult, it would be shortsighted to consider the difficulty we experience more worthy of our avoidance than the prize we will receive at judgment worthy of our strivings for it.

New Testament blog post #4 - Parables

1. Define parables in your own words

A parable is a story or a fable that is used to teach or obscure truth by using characters and objects that carry a hidden, symbolic meaning. Parables have only one true interpretation—the interpretation intended at the time that they were given—but can have broad application to a number of life’s situations and problems.

2. From a group of parables, match the appropriate parable to the question about the Church

What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? (parable of the mustard seed – Matthew 13:31-32)

Why does the Church send out so many missionaries? (parable of the tares – Matthew 13:24-30)

How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier? (parable of the leaven – Matthew 13:33)

Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church? (parables of the treasure and of the pearl of great price – Matthew 13:44-46)

Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? (I can only guess that the author intended for the answer to be the parable of the fishing net, but I don’t really see the connection – Matthew 13:47-50)

***quick commentary—I think that the reader of these questions and answers would be wise to consider that they are an application of the parables Christ gave, but not necessarily the interpretation of those parables (see part 1). We have no record of which I am aware of the Savior saying that his parables had the meanings that are being assigned to them here. If anyone knows of such a record, feel free to let me know. I just wanted to make clear that in my opinion, these questions and answers should be viewed initially as a possible application, not a hard-and-fast interpretation. What the reader believes as to the parables’ accuracy is their prerogative.***

3. Answer the following questions:

Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price, what sacrifices would you be willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel? I think the answer to this question depends on the understanding of the gospel the person being asked has. If you understand how much the gospel can do and has done for you, I think you would give anything and everything to have it, but the less you have learned when it comes to that question, the less important it is to you. I think I am still not fully sure about how much I value the gospel, but I know that the best answer is that I would give anything and everything for it. I hope I can reach a spiritual understanding and have a spiritual witness of the truth of the gospel such that I can say that wholeheartedly and with conviction.

What sacrifices have you or those you know already made for the gospel?

I grew up as a member of the Church, so I haven’t had to make any more sacrifice than anyone else (paying my tithing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, etc.), and I can’t think of anyone I know personally who has had to sacrifice a lot for the gospel (I also grew up in Rexburg, which is a town dominated by Mormon culture.

What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea?

The scriptures say it represents the kingdom of Heaven.

What does it mean to be gathered into the net?

I suppose it means to be a part of the kingdom of Heaven. If that’s something we can do on Earth, I think that would imply being informed of the truthfulness of the gospel and following its teachings. Those things are often accompanied by membership in an organization that recommends (and in some cases, requires for membership) adherence to those principles.

What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away?

I’m not sure. It’s my personal opinion, though, that people generally tend to filter themselves into groups that match their interests. If someone doesn’t like the gospel or Christ or religion, then they don’t participate in any of those things. I guess only God has the right to say who is bad and who isn’t as far as who falls into which group.

New Testament blog post #3 - Apostles

I was asked to review some scriptures and find the names of the Twelve Apostles

Names of the Apostles:

Simon (surnamed Peter)

Andrew

James the son of Zebedee (surnamed Boanerges)

John the son of Zebedee (surnamed Boanerges)

Philip

Bartholemew

Thomas

Matthew

James (son of Alphæus)

Lebbæus Thaddæus

Simon the Canaanite

Judas Iscariot

I was then supposed to choose three of the Apostles, look up their entries in the Bible Dictionary, and write a sentence about each of them. I decided to pick Apostles I was least familiar with. The problem with a few of them however, is that we don’t have very much information about them. Still, that is informative in its own way.

Bartholemew – All that we know about him is that he was one of the Twelve Apostles and that he was associated, for some reason, with one of Jesus’ disciples, named Nathanael.

Lebbæus Thaddæus – Again, all that we know about him is that he was an Apostle.

Simon the Canaanite – A member of the Twelve, he was also known as “Simon Zelotes,” or “The Zealot.” According to the Bible Dictionary, “Zealots were a party among the Jews who were determined to resist Roman or any foreign authority in Palestine.”

Since I chose Apostles on which the information we have is very limited, I feel like I should compensate somehow in the assignment by writing some insights. It is interesting to me that only some of the Apostles, like Simon Peter and John the Beloved and even Judas Iscariot, get a large amount of recognition. It makes me wonder whether the other Apostles, the ones I chose for this assignment just displayed obedience to the Savior or never spoke much or never did anything out of turn. Some of the attention that goes to specific Apostles (in fact, much of it) seems to go to them when they do something wrong. Thomas doubts that the Savior appeared to the other Apostles; Peter denies Christ three times, cuts off someone’s ear, and prompts Christ to say “get thee behind me, Satan”; some of the Apostles argue about which one of them is most favored; and Judas Iscariot is highlighted because of his betrayal. The only instances I can think of in which a specific Apostle is cast in a positive light is when Peter answers one of Jesus’s questions with “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God,” because he is called blessed after that point, and when he walks on water to greet the Savior—and even then, Jesus asks him why he doubted when he begins to sink. It makes me wonder whether the Apostles who are less recognized never did anything wrong or just never really did anything out of the ordinary.
Anyway, moving on.

Write the definition of an Apostle, according to the Bible Dictionary, D&C 107:23, and Acts 4:33:

The Twelve Apostles gave witness of the resurrection of Christ, and the past and current Apostles are special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world. The word “Apostle” means “one sent forth,” according to the Bible Dictionary. Christ chose and ordained certain men to be his closest disciples during his ministry, and they were given the title of Apostle.
The Twelve Apostles constitute an administrative council in the work of ministering the gospel. The title of apostle was also given to people who, though they were not members of the twelve, were called as special witnesses of the Lord by the Lord.
Jesus is also referred to as an apostle, and in that case, the title means He is the personal and select representative of the Father.

Describe in writing how the Savior’s teachings to his Apostles in Matthew 10:5-42 prepared them to go and proclaim the gospel.

If I could boil down in one phrase what I see as the most important part of the Savior’s teaching and preparation of his Apostles in these verses, it would be “Give all.” Give all to others, and give all in the doing of the work. I think that is the most important thing to remember when we are preaching the gospel and spreading the word. I think that too often we come to preach and we only ask things of people. We tell them the things they have to give up and the things they can no longer do and give them new responsibilities that they must fulfill in order to be worthy of heaven. But Jesus taught his disciples to heal the sick and the afflicted, and he didn’t give a caveat to that commandment. I think one of the best ways to do missionary work is just to be kind to people and help them, and so that was, I think, one of the best ways to prepare the Apostles for their ministry. Some of the other things Christ tells them is that they should be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves,” because he sends them “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” I think a good servant of God is trusting and kind, and like a child in many ways, but not naïve‑there are many instances in which the Apostles, as Christ, confound those who try to catch them in their words. Christ also tells his Apostles not to worry about worldly things, but to worry only about the work. These were, to me, the most significant things I found in these verses when it comes to preparing the Apostles for the work.

Read Luke 5:1-11. Explain in writing what you learn from the responses made by Peter, James, and John to the Savior’s call. How could you apply their actions and examples in your own life?

First, they recognize a miracle when they see it and attribute its success to the Lord. This is a quality that I think can be difficult in our day. We have so much knowledge and expertise at our disposal that what might have been considered a miracle in a previous time, like causing the deaf to hear, can be accomplished with technology now. But I think there is still room for miracles, large and small, in each of our lives. I feel I experienced a small one just this week. The second admirable way they responded is to “straightway leave their nets” and follow Christ. Sometimes we hum and haw, unsure of whether we should follow the Savior, but we know what the right thing is to do. What’s left is to pluck up the courage to do it.