Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Prophets and Scribes

We're reading Between the Testaments for New Testament class, and I came across something interesting in the chapter on Pharisees and Scribes. It says that after the prophets disappeared, there was no one representing God on earth to teach His word. The priests in the temple also became lax in their duty to teach the Law to the people, so there was a void to be filled. This void was filled by the scribes. They didn't actually have any priesthood authority, so they weren't able to officiate any ordinances, but anyone could study the Law and give his interpretation.

This new class of scribes ended up evolving into groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. This desire to come to know the Law and share that knowledge with others definitely wasn't a bad thing. If not for the scribes, perhaps Jerusalem would have been in an even worse state in Jesus day. They taught the people the Law of Moses, and taught them the importance of obedience. However, sometimes interpreting too much could cause spiritual blindness, as mentioned in the scriptures: "they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand" (Matt 13:13) This can be seen in the scribes' interactions with Jesus (John 9:41). Because of this spiritual blindness these scribes persecuted and killed many of God's chosen servants (John the Baptist, Simon, and even Christ).

Interestingly, we see a similar parallel in our day. After Christ and the apostles were killed the world entered a state of apostasy similar to that between the Old and New Testament periods. There were no prophets upon the earth to lead the people (because the people had rejected and killed them all), so man was once again left to his own devices. Eventually, when the time was right God again restored the fullness of His Gospel through one of his chosen servants: the Prophet Joseph Smith. However, when young Joseph shared his experiences with the people he met opposition from the scribes of our day:

Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.
I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me. (JS-H 1:21-22, emphasis added)

I'm grateful that we live in a day where living prophets again walk the earth. I'm grateful that we have the word of God, and that we are permitted to read it and interpret it for ourselves. However, I'm also grateful that the Lord has sent His servants to be guideposts in leading us back to Him. Otherwise it's just the blind leading the blind.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

He has Carried our Sorrows

The crowning event of the entire Plan of Salvation—our purpose for being here on earth—and the most important part of the Messiah's mission was his Atoning Sacrifice. Considering how monumental this event was in the history of the universe, it's interesting to see how little detail we have about it in the Gospels. In the Gospel of Mark, the most descriptive phrase of Christ's suffering is when he says, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch" (Mark 14:34). This makes me so grateful for the abundance of scripture that we have!

How could we ever comprehend the full meaning of the Atonement if all we had was the Gospel of Mark, and no other scripture? As I partake of the sacrament each week to renew my covenants to follow Him, I like to read one of Isaiah's descriptions of the mission of the Messiah: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 54:4-5).

As we read the accounts given in the Gospels of Christ's suffering and death, we cannot help but think back on the many Messianic prophecies found all throughout the scriptures. These beautiful descriptions of our Saviors love for us and His willingness to suffer for our sins enhance our reading of the passion narrative so much!

I am so grateful to know that we have a loving Savior who suffered and died for us. I'm so glad to know that he has borne my afflictions and carried my sorrows. I know that He knows all of the pain and sorrow we feel through His own experience, so He knows how best to succor us. For this I am eternally grateful.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Sealing Power

This last week I had the opportunity go attend the Draper temple open house with my girlfriend. She's not endowed yet, so it was really neat to be with her the first time that she saw the interior of the temple (other than a baptistery). These houses of the Lord in our day, modeled after those in days of old, are truly holy sanctums, and I know the ordinances performed therein bring us closer to our Father in Heaven and help us return to His presence.

After seeing the baptismal font, the dressing rooms (the bride's dressing room is so nice!), and the various rooms representing the degrees of glory, we finally ended in a sealing room. We sat in front of one of the mirrors on the wall, and we could see our reflections going back and forth forever—into eternity. There was an older couple in the room, and after a couple of other people came in and sat down, the couple closed the door and started talking to us about the various things we had seen in the temple and what this very special room was for.

This good brother cited the words of Christ to Peter in the New Testament about the power to seal on earth as well as in heaven: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt 16:19). We believe that these same priesthood keys have been restored in this dispensation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that in the Holy Temple families can be sealed together not just for this life, but for all of eternity. This is such a beautiful idea to me—but my words can't express it. I'll just end with the words of Parly P. Pratt on this topic:

"It was Joseph Smith who taught me how to prize the endearing relationships of father and mother, husband and wife; of brother and sister, son and daughter. It was from him that I learned that the wife of my bosom might be secured to me for time and all eternity; and that the refined sympathies and affections which endeared us to each other emanated from the fountain of divine eternal love. It was from him that I learned that we might cultivate these affections, and grow and increase in the same to all eternity; while the result of our endless union would be an offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, or the sands of the sea shore. … I had loved before, but I knew not why. But now I loved—with a pureness—an intensity of elevated, exalted feeling, which would lift my soul from the transitory things of this groveling sphere and expand it as the ocean. … In short, I could now love with the spirit and with the understanding also" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Ch. 42).

Sunday, February 1, 2009

The Christ We Need

In class this week we discussed the passion narrative as told by Mark, which of course includes the scandal of Judas betraying Jesus into the hands of His enemies. During the discussion one of my classmates posed a question which I have pondered myself many times: why? Judas Iscariot was one of the chosen Twelve. He had been with Jesus through much of his ministry, and had personally witnessed Jesus healing and working other miracles among the people. How could he not know that Jesus was the Christ? How could he possibly betray Him? To my surprise, our professor suggested a possible answer.

The Jews in Jesus' day were not awaiting a Messiah to suffer, die, and deliver them from sin, but rather a Warrior Messiah to lead, battle, and deliver them from their Roman captors. When the people saw Jesus working miracles they wanted to make Him their king (which would have been considered as rebellion to the Romans, as seen in Jesus' trail by Pilot). So, when Jesus would not conform to the expectations that his disciples had for Him, many abandoned Him. Rather than accepting the Good News, the people chose to reject it because it was not the news they wanted to hear.

What if Judas was subject to this same error? There is no doubt that Judas had witnessed Jesus' power and authority. He must have known that Jesus had the power to deliver Himself from the scheming priests and their Roman oppressors. What if Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand? If he were to force the Christ into a corner, then he would have to show forth His power and begin the conflict that would result in a Jewish rebellion. The force that came to arrest Jesus most likely contained a large number of Roman soldiers (the multitude with swords), so if the Christ were to use His power to resist capture then he would essentially start a military conflict with the Romans. However, Jesus did not resist arrest. He did not use His power to save Himself. He surrendered Himself, was tried and died for His people.

All throughout the scriptures we see examples of man trying to conform Christ to his wants. In 2 Nephi 28:7-8 we see a desire for a Savior who will save us in sin rather than from sin. In Mormon 8:26-28 we see a people who create a God who can't speak, and a God who cannot work miracles. Judas and many of the Jews wanted a warrior king. However, Jesus isn't always the Christ we want—but He is the Christ we need. After all, "what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)