Doctrine and Covenants 8
Historical Context
In his history Joseph Smith records, “Whilst continuing the work of translation during the month of April; Oliver Cowdery became exceedingly anxious to have the power to translate bestowed upon him.” Earlier, the Lord told Oliver in revelation that “I grant unto you a gift, if thou desire of me, to translate, even as my servant Joseph” (D&C 6:25). Seeing Oliver’s desire to translate, Joseph inquired of the Lord and received the revelation recorded in section 8. This revelation and Doctrine and Covenants 6, 7, and 9 were all received around the same time. While in every published version of the Doctrine and Covenants the revelation in section 8 has been placed after the revelation about John the Beloved, there is some question of when it was received. In the earliest compilation, John Whitmer, the first Church historian, placed this revelation before Doctrine and Covenants 7. Regardless of when it was received, Doctrine and Covenants 8 is another crucial stepping-stone in Oliver’s introduction to the process of receiving revelation from God.
See Historical Introduction, “Revelation, April 1829–B [D&C 8],” p. 12, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed September 24, 2020, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-april-1829-b-dc-8/1
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Doctrine and Covenants 8:1-5
1 Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which has been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit.
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
4 Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it, and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies, when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction.
5 Oh, remember these words, and keep my commandments. Remember, this is your gift.
In verses 1–5, the Lord outlines the basic requirements for a person to receive a revelation, specifically faith, an honest heart, and belief that the Lord will answer. In the revelation recorded in section 8, he declares several gifts given to Oliver, the first being the gift of revelation. Revelation can come in a number of ways, and by telling Oliver he will receive it in his mind and his heart, the Lord suggests two of the major avenues of revelation—through the intellect and through the emotions. Joseph Smith once described revelation as “pure Intelligence flowing unto you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas that by noticing it you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon.”
While revelation can come as a flow of ideas, it may also be experienced through feelings, such as the peace Oliver felt when he received his first witness (D&C 6:23). At the same time, we should recognize that the Lord is not seeking to limit our conception of revelation to merely ideas or emotions. Rather, He is seeking to help us understand that revelation comes in a number of different ways. It can manifest itself through the still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), through the words of inspired leaders, through uplifting art, or through edifying conversations with trusted friends. Revelation can bring unconventional solutions to problems, such as when Moses was inspired to lead the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. In a later revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord compares the flow of revelation to the Missouri River, one of the largest and most majestic waterways in North America (D&C 121:33). Revelation from God is ever flowing; the key for us is simply learning to recognize it when it comes.
Doctrine and Covenants 8:6-12
6 Now this is not all thy gift; for you have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things;
7 Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
8 Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work of God.
9 And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.
10 Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.
11 Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up, that are sacred; and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
12 Behold, it is I that have spoken it; and I am the same that spake unto you from the beginning. Amen.
In the earliest version of the revelation, Oliver is told that his second gift is “working with the sprout.” As the revelation was prepared for publication, “the sprout” was changed to “the rod” and was eventually published in the Book of Commandments as the “rod of nature.” Scholars have speculated that Oliver may have used divining rods to locate water or minerals. Like Joseph’s use of seer stones, using divining rods was a common practice in the culture that both men grew up in. The revelation confirmed that this gift was from God and used it as an example of Oliver’s potential to be a receptacle for divine revelation.
When the Doctrine and Covenants was published in 1835, the phrase the “rod of nature” was changed to the “gift of Aaron” and has remained in this form ever since. This change in wording is another example of the Lord’s teaching that He speaks to His “servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding” (D&C 1:24). In this case, the Lord spoke to Joseph and Oliver, giving them revelations through the world of folk magic in which they were raised, gradually and gently leading them to a more universal world of religious experience.
The Lord’s promise to Oliver of the “gift of Aaron” was fulfilled in multiple ways in the following years. Oliver was present at critical points, such as the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, the organization of the Church, and the visitation of Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple. Acting as a spokesperson for the Church, Oliver delivered the first public discourse for the Church on April 11, 1830, to a large number of people. Oliver also acted as spokesperson in delivering the charge to the original Quorum of the Twelve.
Footnotes
