D&C 18 Ep 309 Show Notes

D&C 18 is given June 1829 in Fayette, New York.

As promised by John the Baptist, the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored to the earth by the ancient apostles Peter, James, and John. This occurred sometime after the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood on 15 May 1829, and the first part of June 1829, when this revelation was given. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were with the Prophet when the revelation was received. When the higher priesthood was restored, Joseph and Oliver were given “the keys of the kingdom,” meaning the authority to preside over the Church, and the keys of “the dispensation of the fulness of times” (D&C 27:13; 128:20).^[1]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants and Other Modern Revelations, Deseret Book, 2000, p. 135.

In preparation for the organization of the Church, the Prophet had directed Oliver Cowdery to prepare a foundational document for that purpose. Frustrated in his efforts to do so, Oliver asked the Prophet to inquire of the Lord for direction on that matter. This section came in response to that request.^[2]Ibid.

Describing these events, Joseph Smith said, “We had for some time made this matter a subject of humble prayer, and at length we got together in the chamber of Mr. Whitmer’s house, in order more particularly to seek of the Lord what we now so earnestly desired; and here, to our unspeakable satisfaction, did we realize the truth of the Savior’s promise—’Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you’—for we had not long been engaged in solemn and fervent prayer, when the word of the Lord came unto us in the chamber, commanding us that I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ; and that he also should ordain me to the same office; and then to ordain others, as it should be made known unto us from time to time. We were, however, commanded to defer this our ordination until such times as it should be practicable to have our brethren, who had been and who should be baptized, assembled together, when we must have their sanction to our thus proceeding to ordain each other, and have them decide by vote whether they were willing to accept us as spiritual teachers or not; when also we were commanded to bless bread and break it with them, and to take wine, bless it, and drink it with them; afterward proceed to ordain each other according to commandment; then call out such men as the Spirit should dictate, and ordain them; and then attend to the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, upon all those whom we had previously baptized, doing all things in the name of the Lord.”^[3]History of the Church, 1:60-61.

As a result of the directions put forth in this revelation, the document known as the “Articles and Covenants of the Church” (D&C 20), which led to the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was written.

Instructions on Building Up the Church of Christ

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 18:1-9

18.2 The things which you have written are true. These words constitute a testimony by the God of heaven that the Book of Mormon is true. To say that the book is true means that it is a reliable representation of the truths of salvation. No equivalent statement from the God of heaven exists relative to either the Old or New Testaments or any of the books within them. The Lord testifies of the truth of this book also in D&C 17.6 saying, “as your Lord and your God liveth it is true” and again in D&C 6.17 saying to Oliver, “the words or the work which thou hast been writing are true.” Speaking of D&C 17.6 Elder McConkie said, “This is God’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity himself has laid his godhood on the line. Either the book is true or God ceases to be God.”^[4]Conference Report, April 1982, 50.

18.3 Rely upon the things which are written. Oliver is instructed to rely upon the truths concerning the building up of the Church of Christ as they are written in the Book of Mormon. The inspired document that resulted is now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 20. It is apparent that the Lord inspired Oliver’s mind as he searched the Book of Mormon manuscript for information regarding the foundational document of the Church and that the Prophet Joseph Smith received revelation in refining that document.

18.4 Concerning the foundation of my church. Of necessity the Church was to be founded on correct principles, principles distinctive to the restoration, not principles borrowed from some other source. Oliver Cowdery produced a document he called “Articles of the Church of Christ” in preparation for the organization of the Church. Much of this document was either a direct quotation or a close paraphrase from the Book of Mormon manuscript. Like the Nephite church, this new church would have priests and teachers. It would also have disciples, or elders.^[5]Jeffrey G. Cannon, Revelations in Context, “Build Up My Church,” D&C 18, 20, 21, 22. The June 1829 revelation also appointed Cowdery, along with David Whitmer, to select twelve who would serve as the Apostles sent out to spread the new church’s message – see D&C 18.37-38.

18.4-5, 17-19 My gospel, and my rock, Faith, Hope and Charity – Early Temple Allusions in the Doctrine and Covenants

Reference is to the first principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which are faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 11:31-39). The rock upon which the Church is to be built is the revealed testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Helaman 5:12; D&C 33:12-13).^[6]McConkie, Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 137. It is also noteworthy to identify early temple concepts in this short revelation to these two men who are to seek out the Twelve. Note the parallels to much of what we have discussed in earlier podcasts about this topic: you have πίστις – pistis= faith, a word that is associated with trust, all in connection to the ministry of prophets in the Ulam, the outer court, calling the children of God to come to the temple. The image you could think of would be Moses crying out to all of Israel to be gathered in from Egypt, a symbol for the ocean of chaos and the world. In fact, Ulam is a pun on the word Olam, or world or created order.^[7]ʿOlam (עוֹלָם‎), a Hebrew word which means “world” or “eon”, and which is used in the following Jewish phrases: Adon Olam, meaning “Master of the World,” one of the names of God … Continue readingWe spent some time discussing these ideas in an earlier podcast here.

After exercising faith, one reaches the second room, or the Hekal, the big house as it is called. In this room the followers of Christ achieve ἐλπίς – elpis= hope, or attain unto a status whereby they are experiencing the miracles of the gospel in their lives. They are out of the world, covenanting to live a higher order so that they may approach the Lord’s presence through the veil in The First Israelite Temple, a piece of material that the Apostle Paul said could be symbolic of the flesh of Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 10.20). Just in front of this piece of material was the altar of incense, something that John says in Revelation 8.4 represents the prayers of the Saints, that which has the potential to unlock or open the veil.

Finally, as the Saints progressed, they attained ἀγάπη- agape =charity. This is the ability to see as God sees, to feel what he feels, the capacity to enter into a state of union with God, to “obtain the mind of God.” This is the final ascent of the three zones of holiness associated with the temple in the ancient world. All three of these ideas or attributes are discussed right here in this text.

The rock is found in D&C 18.4-5, and verse 17. These verses describe how the church should be built upon “my rock” (verse 5) and the association with “all things written concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock” (verse 4). All of these could be associated with a matrix of ideas that are directly related to the Holy of Holies in the ancient Israelite temple.^[8]On Mt. Moriah, the present-day Temple Mount in Jerusalem the exposed bedrock under the Dome of the Rock is known as “the Foundation Stone” in Hebrew Even ha-Shetiyah. Although the Jewish … Continue reading Indeed, John Lundquist writes, “Just as the navel is found at the center of a human being, so the land of Israel is found at the center of the world. Jerusalem is at the center of the land of Israel, and the Temple is at the center of Jerusalem, the Holy of Holies is at the center of the Temple, the Ark is at the center of the Holy of Holies, and the Foundation Stone is in front of the Ark, which spot is the foundation of the world.”^[9]John Lundquist, The Common Temple Ideology of the Ancient Near East, as found in Madsen, Temple in Antiquity: Ancient Records and Modern Perspectives, Bookcraft, 1984. Lundquist is quoting a … Continue reading

The rock is another way to speak of the foundation of the Holy of Holies in the ancient Israelite temple. These ideas are associated with 1 Nephi 21.13 which says, “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.” This scripture is different on the Brass Plates than in our current edition of Isaiah as contained in the King James Version, which has the phrase “for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established” omitted from the text (see Isaiah 49.13). I assert that this phrase was removed from Isaiah after the exile when the Jews returned and rebuilt their temple, due to the fact that they were not allowed to have kings after the exile. As one scholar noted, “It is apparent that since the post-exilic Jews could no longer implement that promise, the phrase in Isaiah became an awkward reminder of the blessings of the past. That awkwardness was removed when the phrase was simply edited out of the passage. In contrast, modern revelation uses the phrase in the context of eternal priesthood and kingship: Who hath appointed Michael your prince, and established his feet, and set him upon high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel and direction of the Holy One, who is without beginning of days or end of life (D&C 78:16).”^[10]LeGrand Baker and Stephen Ricks, Who Shall Ascend to the Hill of the Lord?: The Psalms in Israel’s Temple Worship in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon, Eborn Books, 2011, p. 414.

This rock or stone is associated with kingship, God’s throne, and the Holy of Holies, all of which are tied very closely together in antiquity. One author wrote:

If participants are really moving deeper into the temple, shouldn’t they end at the throne? But in fact, there is a large stone on the temple mount, which is believed to have been inside the Debir. Moreover, this stone is believed to have acted as the platform in Solomon’s temple upon which the Ark rested (the Ark being God’s throne), making it a stand-in or a double for the Ark and throne itself. The rock of Matthew 7 is no ordinary boulder; it can only be the eben shetiyah, the “Foundation Stone” or “Pierced Stone,” and its location here at this end of the Sermon on the Mount ordinance, while at first glance surprising, is ultimately perfect.^[11]The Dome of the Rock is an ocatagonal martyria, a Byzantine style of polygonal shrine designed to commemorate an event or sacred place. Its dome is 20 meters in diameter, and rises above the … Continue reading

Its placement here should also tell us to look closely at 1 Nephi 1:6, which records a vision apparently distinct from Lehi’s vision of the throne a few verses later. The pillar of fire reminds us of the fiery throne in Daniel 7 and 1 Enoch 14, and we now know that the ‘rock’ was a temple symbol, a stone in the Holy of Holies upon which rested the throne of God.^[12]Butler, Plain and Precious Things, p. 106. See 1 Enoch 14.15-25 where it reads, “And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire … Continue reading These temple images found in this early section of the Doctrine and Covenants attest to the fact that Joseph Smith is restoring something ancient: the religion of a select group of believers in Christ from long ago. Remnants of what they believed have made it through the several editorial processes of scribes and authorities who (sometimes) sought to water down many of these truths. But enough of these ideas exist in the Bible today to point us in the right direction. To me, The Book of Mormon is an excellent lens with which to study the Bible, and the revelations of the Restoration, in concert with the ordinances of the temple in our dispensation, unlock more of these ideas.

18.8 And his name is Joseph

Thousands of years ago, Joseph of Egypt had prophesied that the choice seer of the last days destined to restore the gospel and gather Israel would bear his name (JST Genesis 50:33; 2 Nephi 3:15). The etymology of the name Joseph is usually given as “the Lord addeth,” “may [God] add,” or “increaser.” Though appropriate, such renderings have veiled a richer meaning associated with the name. In Genesis 30:23 at the birth of her son Joseph, Rachel proclaims, “God hath taken away my reproach.” It has been suggested that Joseph is derived from the Hebrew word for reproach, Asaph, which carries the meaning of “he who gathers,” or “he who causes to return.” Thus the great prophet of the Restoration was given the name that most appropriately describes his divine calling.^[13]Revelations of the Restoration, p. 137.

18.9 As unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling

An apostle, as understood today, is an office of the priesthood within the Church of Jesus Christ. There was no Quorum of the Twelve at the time of this revelation. Indeed, there was not even an elder since none had been or would be ordained to offices in the priesthood until the members of the soon-to-be-organized Church could vote on or sustain such action. This reference to Oliver and David as apostles could only mean that they were special witnesses of events associated with the Restoration but not to an office in the priesthood. Emphasizing this distinction, the Lord referred to Joseph, as well as Oliver, as “an apostle of Jesus Christ” and as “an elder of the church” (D&C 20:2, 3; 21:1). Both Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were called as special witnesses. This witness was given them when the voice of God declared to them that the Book of Mormon was translated by his power as they gazed upon the plates and the Lord’s messenger (D&C 17). However, neither of these men ever served as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In like manner, to a group of faithful high priests, the Lord said, “And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends” (D&C 84:63).^[14]Ibid., p. 137.

The Worth of Souls Is Great in the Sight of God

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 18.10-16

18.10 The worth of souls is great

There is no means of measurement that can adequately place a value on a human soul. As created by God they are immortal; as redeemed by the blood of Christ they can become as God is. That which is eternal denies measurement.

Save life itself, nothing in all eternity is of greater worth than the atonement of Christ. Thus it follows that the greatest work in which anyone could be involved is that labor that brings souls to Christ, that they might receive in full measure the blessings that come only because of his sacrifice and only to those who are obedient to the laws and ordinances of his gospel.^[15]Ibid., p. 137.

While we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind [see Moses 1:38–39]. In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.

This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.^[16]Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 20.

C.S. Lewis shared this insight regarding the worth of souls:

It may be possible for each to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor. The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship…It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit.^[17]C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, 39.

18.12 On conditions of repentance 

There is nothing in all the eternities—both the love and grace of Christ included—to which conditions are not attached. Even the concept of grace in Greece before the Christian movement associated χάρις – charis or grace with reciprocity, something that Augustine was unaware.^[18]Brent Schmidt writes, Augustine wrote about charis (grace) according to the best of his human ability. It is doubtful he understood the ancient Greek nuances of charis. However, he was influential … Continue reading Augustine, not having mastered the Greek language, came to view grace not as something reciprocal, rather as fruit from God that sprung up from God’s choosing an individual for salvation.^[19]Brent J. Schmidt, Relational Faith the Transformation and Restoration of Pistis as Knowledge, Trust, Confidence, and Covenantal Faithfulness, BYU Studies, 2023. Brent Schmidt explains: Augustine … Continue reading That which is without conditions is without existence. So it is that we understand that Christ came to save us from our sins not in them (Helaman 5:11). Through his atonement, Christ brings “salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption” (Alma 34:15-16). Repentance is the condition on which the receipt of all blessings is predicated (D&C 138:19). All of the blessings of the gospel are based upon a reciprocal relationship with God that we cultivate as we walk along the straight and narrow path back to him as typified in Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life (see 1 Nephi 8-11).

The Church and the Saints Bear the Name of Christ

Doctrine and Covenants 18.17-25

18.18 Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient

Christ promised the Nephites that they would receive whatever they asked of the Father “which is right” (3 Nephi 18:20). In like manner, we have the promise that the Comforter will teach us “all things that are expedient” (D&C 75:10), and we have been cautioned that if we ask for that which “is not expedient” that it will turn unto our “condemnation” (D&C 88:65).^[20]McConkie & Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 139.

18.20 Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith explained, “When we are commanded to ‘contend against no church save it be the church of the devil,’ we must understand that this is instruction to us to contend against all evil, that which is opposed to righteousness and truth. James declares, that ‘every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,’ and the scriptures also teach, ‘for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil.’ (Omni 25.) All who go forth to teach should do so in wisdom and not contend with the churches or engage in profitless debates, but teach in the spirit of kindness and try to persuade people to receive the truth.”^[21]Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:83.

One definition of contend is “to assert or to maintain in argument.” The word contend as used here has reference to our making earnest efforts to teaching and persuading as opposed to quarrelling. In the Book of Mormon, contention invariably carries this latter meaning of struggling or fighting, equating it with Webster’s definition, “violent effort or struggle to obtain, resist or compete.” What is it that causes contention to always be used in this negative manner? The Lord incorporates into contention an added ingredient when he indicates that the devil “stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another” (3 Nephi 11:29). Contention, then, as used in the Book of Mormon, is not just a matter of asserting or defending a position, but of doing so with anger as the added element. The Saints may honestly and forthrightly differ in opinion on ideas, insights, or approaches while still remaining calm; but it is when hostile feelings are added that disagreement turns into contention. Thus, while it is possible to disagree without anger, contention, as used in the Book of Mormon, means disagreeing in anger.^[22]Byron R. Merrill, There was No Contention, as cited in The Book of Mormon: Fourth Nephi Through Moroni, From Zion to Destruction, Charles Tate and Monte Nyman editors, Religious Studies … Continue reading

Energetic Church Service

Occasionally we find some who become so energetic in their Church service that their lives become unbalanced. They start believing that the programs they administer are more important than the people they serve. They complicate their service with needless frills and embellishments that occupy too much time, cost too much money, and sap too much energy…One of the most important things we do through the gospel of Jesus Christ is to build people. Properly serving others requires effort to understand them as individuals—their personalities, their strengths, their concerns, their hopes and dreams—so that the correct help and support can be provided. Frankly, it’s much easier to just manage programs than it is to understand and truly serve people…Our goal should always be to use the programs of the Church as a means to lift, encourage, assist, teach, love, and perfect people…Programs are tools. Their management and staffing must not take priority over the needs of the people they are designed to bless and to serve.^[23]M. Russell Ballard, “O Be Wise,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 17-18.

18.24 For in that name shall they be called at the last day

If it is Christ’s church, it must of necessity bear his name. Teaching this principle to the Nephites, Christ said, “And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day. Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake. And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel. Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you; And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it” (3 Nephi 27:6-10).^[24]Revelations of the Restoration, p. 139-140.

Use the Scriptures to Help Heavenly Father’s Children

There is a difference in knowing the scriptures so that you can prove points of doctrine as opposed to knowing the scriptures so you can help people find eternal life. Now it may be about doctrine but it seems to me it is a different thing — a capacity to use the scriptures to solve problems. Now some of us have had the blessing of working with people…who could do that. I think it is quite rare in the Church. I’ve served under and with some great men and not very many of them were very good at it. They would use the scriptures from time to time to make a nice little point, but the number of men that I have ever known who would sit with you and problem solve with the scriptures, even of the great servants in the Church, is less than it should be.^[25]Henry B. Eyring, “A 10/10 Teacher,” Address to Religious Educators, 1985, 7.

Search the Scriptures

Only by searching the scriptures, not using them occasionally as quote books, can we begin to understand the implications as well as the declarations of the gospel.^[26]Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, May 1986, 34.

There is an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find.^[27]Neil L. Andersen, “Trial of Your Faith,” Oct 2012; repeated by President Dallin H. Oaks, Oct. 2019, “Trust in the Lord.”

Joseph Smith on his view of the Bible

Q1—Do you believe the Bible? A—If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do.
Q2—Wherein do you differ from other sects? A—In that we believe the Bible, and all other sects profess to believe their interpretations of the Bible, and their creeds.^[28]Joseph Smith, HC, 3:28; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 119; May 8, 1838.

This understanding of “The Name” is also associated with the First Israelite Temple.

Receiving the name of the God enabled one to be associated with the power of that God.^[29]Indeed, as one scholar concluded, “One of the first references in the Old Testament to ritual renaming comes in Isaiah 56:5. In this passage, the Lord speaks of foreigners and eunuchs—people who … Continue reading Indeed, names were thought to be a central part of existence.^[30]Ibid. Douglas writes, See, for example, the beginning of the Babylonian creation myth Enuma Elish, which describes the world before creation thus: When skies above were not yet named Nor … Continue reading

When a man received his name, he was considered complete, since he was deemed to be “constituted of body and soul and name.”^[31]Hans Bietenhard, “Onoma,” in Gerhard F. Kittel, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, 10 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1967), 5:243. As found … Continue reading By mentioning the importance of the name in this section (see D&C 18.21, 23, 25, 27-28), Jesus is tying the Restoration into the ancient Israelite temple.  Anciently kings received new names at the time of their enthronement. The king of Egypt assumed at the time of his accession a titulary that consisted of five “great names.”^[32]Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar, 71; cf. Alan H. Gardiner, Egypt of the Pharaohs, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961, 51; Henri Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods (Chicago: University of Chicago … Continue reading Typically the king of Egypt would have his name enclosed in a cartouche, a device by which Egyptian pharaohs enclosed their titles in writing them down.^[33]What is a Cartouche? A cartouche is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic name plate. It’s shaped like an oval with a horizontal bar at the base of the oval and a king’s name written inside of … Continue reading Similarly, Sumerian, Hittite, and Iranian kings were all given new names at the time of their coronation or accession.^[34]Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods, p. 246-284. He writes, “In Egypt, where the king was born to the purple, the throne name, together with the rest of the titulary, could be made known … Continue reading

In the Book of Mormon, all kings were to be called “Nephi,” giving honor both to the original Nephi as well as to the new king (Jacob 1:11). One of the best known public examples of a name change in the modern Western world is that which occurs at the time the Roman Catholic pontiff takes office. The pope not only receives a new name but also, as part of the enthronement ceremony, dons the new robes of his office and calling.^[35]Porter and Ricks, Names in Antiquity. See also: Edwin O. James, Christian Myth and Ritual. London: Murray, 1937, 90; Lord Raglan, Death and Rebirth. London: Watts, 1945, 62. The receipt of a throne name is, of course, a regular feature of modern as well as ancient and medieval, royal accession rites.^[36]Ibid Porter and Ricks. See also: Arthur M. Hocart, “Initiation,” Folk-Lore 35 (1924): 312. The receipt of a new name by the monarch at the time of enthronement is a nearly … Continue reading

These specific verses in section 18 all deal with the idea of taking Jesus’ name (v. 21-24, 27-28) and “knowing” the name (v. 25). This matrix of ideas of taking and knowing the name are also utilized by Jesus in his Intercessory prayer where he says:

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be bone, as we are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled…

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17.1-12, 26)

In this text, it could be suggested that Jesus is referring to his close associates as having received a name which would enable them to partake of the power of the Savior in the next life to live again. These ideas could certainly be connected to early Christian beliefs about the resurrection. In early Christianity, following the apostasy, temple initiation eventually merged with the baptismal initiation, which included both washing and anointing with oil, along with donning of white clothing and sometimes the reception of a new name.^[37]John A. Tvedtnes, Early Christian and Jewish Rituals Related to Temple Practices. See also: William J. Hamblin, “Aspects of an Early Christian Initiation Ritual,” in John M. Lundquist and … Continue reading According to Philo of Alexandria (25 BCE- 50 CE), the name “is like a shadow which accompanies the body.”^[38]Philo, De Decalogo 82. Similarly, Origen (184-253 CE) viewed the name as the designation of the individual’s essence.^[39]Origen, Contra Celsum I, 24, in PG 11:701-3; cf. also Contra Celsum V, 45 in PG 11:1249-53. The phenomenon and religious significance of naming, as well as the practices of renaming and of giving secret or hidden names, are richly attested in the extant sources among the peoples of the ancient Near East, particularly in Israel and Egypt; but they are also found in chronologically and geographically contiguous societies in the ancient world.^[40]Bruce Porter and Stephen Ricks, Names in Antiquity: Old, New, and Hidden. As found in By Study and also by Fatih, Volume 1.

This idea of receiving the name of God was associated with what scholars call today “sacral kingship.”^[41]The king may be the recipient of a direct revelation of the will of a god. Thus, in Egypt the pharaoh received a divine oracle through dreams in the temple (a practice known as incubation). In … Continue reading The Egyptians viewed the name of a being as its avatar. Preservation of the name was essential for continued existence, and knowledge of the name gave the knower a measure of control over its owner.^[42]James P. Allen, The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, Society of Biblical Literature, 2005, p. 437. The idea that the name was used as a key to permit the initiate to enter into the true fold of God is also attested in the Egyptian sources. Entrance in the “Hall of the Two Truths” in order to see the face of “every God” was dependent on a knowledge of names and formulas. This is clearly evident from the 125th chapter of the Book of the Dead in which, after the deceased approaches the Hall of the Two Truths, he is told, “Let him come.” Thereafter he is asked, “Who art thou?” The deceased replies with his name and then answers other questions the gatekeepers ask. Upon answering the questions correctly, the guards say, “Come, enter this gate of the Broad Hall of the Two Truths — thou knowest us.” The initiate is then stopped by the jambs of the gate, and afterwards the beams, the rails, and the floor. All make the same demand, “We will not let thee enter past us . . . unless thou tellest our name.”^[43]Porter and Ricks, Names in Antiquity.Oftentimes in the ancient world, the receiving of a new name represented something of great personal significance to the individual, reflecting that person’s perception of the relationship with the god he/she worships, or of the religious heritage with which he/she wishes to identify.^[44]G.H.R. Horsley, Name Change as an Indication of Religious Conversion in Antiquity, Numen, June 1987, Vol. 34, p. 13.

The Mission of the Twelve

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 18.26-33

18.26 Called to declare my gospel, both unto Gentile and unto Jew

Later the Quorum of the Twelve would be given “the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews” (D&C 107:35).

18.29 Baptize in my name

In all dispensations the Lord has commanded his disciples to baptize in his name. Beginning with Adam, the Lord said, “If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you” (Moses 6:52). This instruction takes on added meaning when it is remembered that it was quoted by Enoch to his people, that it was preserved by Moses, and given anew to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith. From Adam to Enoch and from Enoch to Moses and from Moses to Joseph Smith, who restored the text to us, the principle has been the same.

To baptize in the Lord’s name, or to perform any ordinance in his name, is to do that work by his authority or priesthood. After Peter and John healed a lame man, the Pharisees, in an attempt to ascertain the source of the miracle, questioned Peter, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (Acts 4:7). Peter declared, “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth . . . doth this man stand here before you whole. . . . Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10, 12). Thus, the name of Jesus Christ is equated with the priesthood authority to perform ordinances for the salvation of men (Abraham 1:18).^[45]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 140-141.

18.31 My Grace is Sufficient

The Twelve are able to fulfill their calling as they rely on the Savior. Under the direction of the Twelve, the gospel has gone forth and the Church of Christ has been built up, attended by the divine help of the Lord Jesus Christ among “every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith” (2 Nephi 26:13). Iron curtains have crumbled, despots and tyrants have fled their seats of government, and in it all the hand of the Lord has not been shortened. As Nephi testified, the Lord will “prepare a way for them that they [the Twelve] may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).^[46]Ibid., Revelations, p. 141

Reading the Scriptures by the Spirit

Doctrine and Covenants 18.34-36

18.35 It is my voice which speaketh… unto you

To hear the quiet whisperings of the Spirit is to hear the voice of the Lord. Reading the words of scripture in company with the Spirit is also to hear that voice (D&C 18:35; 84:60). It can also be our privilege to hear the audible voice of the Lord (D&C 130:14-15; Helaman 5:29-33; 3 Nephi 11:3-7). There are many ways the the Holy Ghost is manifest in our lives, from general impressions to the heart as well as specific impression to the mind.^[47]See the lists of how the Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts and minds – D&C 6-9 Quotes and Notes.

18.36 You can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words

This revelation was given in June 1829; the Twelve were not called until February 1835. Nevertheless, the Twelve are told that if they will read this revelation (and for that matter any revelation) under the direction or influence of the Holy Ghost, they will be able to testify that they have heard the voice of the Lord. The principle applies to all who read the word of the Lord under the direction of the Spirit. To read under the direction of the Spirit is to hear that voice. This principle is repeated in Doctrine and Covenants 84, in which the Lord says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you who now hear my words, which are my voice, blessed are ye inasmuch as you receive these things” (v. 60; emphasis added).^[48]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 141.

Searching Out the Twelve

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 18:37-47

18.37 You shall search out the Twelve. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were given the charge to “search out” or find those worthy and capable of holding the office of an apostle. As one of the Three Witnesses, Martin Harris would share in this responsibility. Following the experiences of Zions Camp, the time for choosing arrived. In Kirtland on 14 February 1835, Joseph paid tribute to those who had marched with Zion’s Camp and then proposed that the time had come to ordain twelve men to the office of an apostle. “President Joseph Smith, Jun., said that the first business of the meeting was, for the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, to pray, each one, and then proceed to choose twelve men from the Church, as Apostles, to go to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

“The Three Witnesses, viz., Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, united in prayer.

“These three witnesses were then blessed by the laying on of the hands of the [First] Presidency.

“The Witnesses then, according to a former commandment [the present revelation], proceeded to make choice of the Twelve. Their names are as follows:

“1. Lyman E. Johnson
“2. Brigham Young
“3. Heber C. Kimball
“4. Orson Hyde
“5. David W. Patten
“6. Luke S. Johnson
“7. William E. M’Lellin
“8. John F. Boynton
“9. Orson Pratt
“10. William Smith
“11. Thomas B. Marsh
“12. Parley P. Pratt”

These men were ordained in the quorum according to age, from oldest to youngest.^[49]Smith, History of the Church, 2:186-87. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was formed in February 1835, nearly six years after the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 18 was received. … Continue reading

Who left the Quorum during the trials of 1837/8 and 1840’s?

Those who left during the early years of the Church include:

1. Lyman Johnson – Kirtland bank, leaves 1837. Dies sledding/ice/drowning 1856 at the age of 45.
2. Orson Hyde – leaves and comes back (1838-1839) – reinstated Q12. Dies 1878.
3. Luke Johnson – leaves 1838, comes back 1846, dies in 1861 in Utah.
4. William McClellin – leaves 1837. Bitter critic of the church. Dies 1883.
5. John F. Boynton – leaves 1837. Kirtland bank, critic of Joseph. Dies 1890.
6. Orson Pratt – leaves 1842, polygamy. Comes back in 1843 – reinstated Q12. Dies 1881.
7. William Smith – leaves 1845, associated w/splinter groups. Dies 1893.
8. TB Marsh – leaves 1838. Returns 1857, dies in Utah 1866.

So 5 of the Q12 leave the church in either the Kirtland apostasy or the Missouri War period – 1837-1838. Here are the men who replace these 5 brethren:

1. John Taylor (ordained December 19, 1838 – 30 yrs old) → Replaced John F. Boynton
2. John E. Page (ordained December 19, 1838 – 39 yrs old) → Replaced William E. McLellin
3. Wilford Woodruff (ordained April 26, 1839- 32 yrs old) → Replaced Lyman Johnson
4. George A. Smith (ordained April 26, 1839 – 22 yrs old!) → Replaced Luke Johnson
5. Willard Richards (ordained April 14, 1840 – 36 yrs old) → Eventually replaced Thomas B. Marsh, though initially, he was not immediately replaced.