Doctrine and Covenants 93
“Receive of His Fulness”
August 25 - August 31
scripture
commentaries
Grace
<p>In this revelation, the Prophet Joseph Smith learned that in antiquity Jesus “received grace for grace ... [and] continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness” (D&C 93:12–13). He also learned, “If ... you shall receive of his fullness, ... you shall receive grace for grace” (D&C 93:20).</p> <p>What is the definition of <em>grace</em> that was revealed to the Prophet Joseph? In the simplest of terms, grace is a gift from our Heavenly Father given through the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. It is by grace that all who have lived will be resurrected, where spirits will again reunite with bodies, never to be separated. It is through grace that all who repent can be forgiven of their trespasses and sins.</p> <p>In the scriptures, the word <em>grace</em> is often used in conjunction with the spiritual healing offered through the mercy of Jesus Christ. The Lord has promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith, His grace will help us overcome personal weaknesses and give us needed strength to do good works (see Ether 12:27). Such grace enables men and women to lay hold on eternal life.</p> <p>Elder Jose L. Alonso, in his October 2017 general conference address, shared a story of a father named Ted that shows the importance of the grace offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. Ted recalled that—</p> <blockquote> <p>August 21, 2008, was the first day of school, and Cooper’s three older brothers, Ivan, Garrett, and Logan, were all at the bus stop waiting to board buses. Cooper, who was four years old, was on his bike; my wife, Sharon, had walked.</p> <p>My wife was across the street and motioned to Cooper to cross. At the same time, a car very slowly made a left turn and rolled over Cooper.</p> <p>I received a phone call from a neighbor telling me Cooper had been hit by a car. I quickly drove down to the bus stop to see him. Cooper was lying on the grass, struggling to breathe, but had no visible injuries.</p> <p>I knelt down by Cooper and said encouraging things like “It’s going to be OK. Hang on.” At that moment my high priests group leader, Nathan, appeared with his wife. She suggested we give Cooper a priesthood blessing. We laid our hands on Cooper’s head. I can’t remember what I said in the blessing, but I clearly remember the presence of others around us, and it was at that moment I knew Cooper was going to pass away.</p> <p>Cooper was flown by helicopter to the hospital but did, in fact, pass away. I felt Heavenly Father was telling me that my earthly stewardship had ended and that Cooper was now in His care.</p> <p>We were able to spend some time with Cooper at the hospital. The workers there prepared him so we could hold him and say our goodbyes and allowed us to spend as much time with him, holding him, as we desired.</p> <p>On the way home, my grief-stricken wife and I looked at each other and started talking about the boy who was driving the car. We didn’t know him, even though he lived just one street over and was within our ward boundaries.</p> <p>The next day was very difficult for us as we were all completely overwhelmed with grief. I fell to my knees and prayed the most sincere prayer I had ever offered. I asked Heavenly Father in the name of my Savior to take away my overwhelming grief. He did so.</p> <p>Later that day one of the counselors in our stake presidency arranged for us to meet with the young man—the driver of the car—and his parents at the counselor’s home. Sharon and I waited for the boy and his parents to arrive. When the door opened, we met them for the first time. My bishop whispered in my ear, “Go to him.” Sharon and I embraced him in a big group hug. We wept together for what seemed to be a long time. We told him we knew that what had happened was the definition of an accident.</p> <p>It was miraculous to Sharon and me, both that we felt the way we did and that we still do. By God’s grace, we were able to take the big path, the obvious path, the only path, and love this good young man.</p> <p>We have become very close to him and his family over the years. He has shared his most precious milestone moments with us. We even went to the temple with him as he prepared for his mission.<a id="_ftnref1" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftn1">[1]</a></p> </blockquote> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn1" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Jose L. Alonso, “Love One Another as He Has Loved Us,” <em>Ensign</em>, November 2017.</p> </div>
Insights and Stories of the Doctrine and Covenants by Susan Easton Black
Commentary on D&C 93:6–11
<p>Because of the similarities between the first chapter of the Gospel of John and the opening of Doctrine and Covenants 93, it is easy to assume that the record referred to in verse 6 is the Gospel written by John. However, a close examination of the text shows that the record referred to here is a record kept and recorded by John the Baptist (see verse 15). Several prominent Latter-day Saint scriptural commentators, including Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Sidney B. Sperry, and Bruce R. McConkie, have interpreted this verse in a similar way.<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1" title="" class="see-footnote">[1]</a> Bruce R. McConkie urged his readers to carefully compare these verses with Matthew 3:16–17 to identify the writer of this passage. </p> <p>Identifying John the Baptist as the author of this passage connects well with the Savior’s tribute to him: “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). What made John the Baptist truly great was his role as a testator of Jesus Christ. In the Baptist’s words recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 93 and in his words recorded in the New Testament, John was first and foremost a witness of Jesus Christ. John was given the singular honor of performing the baptism of the Savior of the world. But John never cared to shine a light on himself. Instead, he wisely noted the true source of light, the Messiah (D&C 93:9). To his own devoted band of followers, John testified, “I am not the Christ, but I am sent before him . . . he must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:28–30). These unselfish acts of devotion to Jesus Christ and his unfailing witness of Jesus Christ to the day of his martyrdom set John the Baptist apart as one of the greatest among all the prophets who ever lived. </p> <p>John’s work as a witness of Jesus Christ continues into our time. He was among the first angels to appear in this dispensation to restore “the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins.”<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2" title="" class="see-footnote">[2]</a> We look forward to the time when we can receive the fulness of the record written by John the Baptist (D&C 93:18).</p> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1" title="" class="footnote-label">[1]</a> <em>Journal of Discourses</em>,16:58; John Taylor, <em>Mediation and Atonement</em>,1950, 55; Sidney B. Sperry, <em>Doctrine and Covenants Compendium</em>,1960, 472–473; Bruce R. McConkie, <em>Doctrinal New Testament Commentary</em>,1973, 1:70–71. </p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2" title="" class="footnote-label">[2]</a> “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” April 2020. </p> </div>
Doctrine and Covenants Minute by Casey Paul Griffiths
Commentary on D&C 93:12–18
<p>One of the most frustrating aspects of the records of the Savior’s mortal ministry is that they share relatively little about it. The time from the Savior’s baptism to His resurrection is recorded in detail in the four New Testament Gospels, but there is little information about His life before that time. Matthew and Luke provide the most information, yet even they remain closely fixated on the story of Mary and Joseph and the nativity of the Savior (Matthew 1–2, Luke 1, 2:1–41). Luke provides a brief glimpse into the childhood of Christ when he tells the story of Jesus being found in the temple sitting with a group of wise men, who were “hearing him [Jesus] and asking him questions” (Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 2:46). Luke then summarizes the rest of the Savior’s childhood by simply recording, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). </p> <p>Because we lack knowledge about the early life of Jesus Christ, a number of folk legends have arisen surrounding what He was like as a child. One beloved Christian hymn speaks of the night of his birth, saying, “The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.”<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1" title="" class="see-footnote">[1]</a> In reality, the Savior probably cried the night he was born. While we may not know many of the details about the Savior’s youth, the record of John the Baptist provides some doctrinal background that the Savior “received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace” (D&C 93:12). The underlying lesson here is clear. The Savior came to earth and passed through the veil, losing all the knowledge and power He had previously held as Jehovah, God of the Old Testament. Paul taught, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5–8). </p> <p>Jesus never asked any man or woman to do anything He was not willing to do. Because all men and women lose the memory of their premortal stature when they come to earth, so did He. Lorenzo Snow taught: </p> <blockquote> <p>When Jesus lay in the manger, a helpless infant, He knew not that He was the Son of God, and that formerly He created the earth. When the edict of Herod was issued, He knew nothing of it; He had not power to save Himself; and His father and mother had to take Him and fly into Egypt to preserve Him from the effects of that edict. Well, He grew up to manhood, and during His progress it was revealed unto Him who He was, and for what purpose He was in the world. The glory and power He possessed before He came into the world was made known unto Him.<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2" title="" class="see-footnote">[2]</a> </p> </blockquote> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1" title="" class="footnote-label">[1]</a> “Away in a Manger,” <em>Hymns</em>, no. 206. </p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2" title="" class="footnote-label">[2]</a> Lorenzo Snow, Conference Report, April 1901, 3.</p> </div>
Doctrine and Covenants Minute by Casey Paul Griffiths
