Scripture Study

While reading and pondering the Doctrine and Covenants, looking for literary structure, I found a beautiful example in Section 25, and discovered a wonderful surprise that revealed to me clearly how righteous LDS women are empowered.

What grabs our attention as we read Doctrine and Covenants 25? First of all, it is the only section of the Doctrine and Covenants given directly to a woman.

We can explore the answer to the question by noticing how it is referenced in Conference talks. It has been cited 116 times since Journal of Discourses days.[1] The top four contenders are verses 12 (“the song of the heart” 30 times), 10 (“lay aside the things of this world” 16 times), 2 (“if thou are faithful” 11 times), and 13 (“cleave unto the covenants” 11 times). Women speakers have cited verse 13 nine times, 10 eight times, and 2 six times. They have not mentioned 12.

As we search this revelation for further understanding, we need to recognize that it is extended to all women. President Gordon B. Hinckley put it this way in 1991.

“I remind you of a great and remarkable revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to his wife Emma and applicable to every woman in the Church, for the Lord said in concluding this revelation ‘that this is my voice unto all.’ (D&C 25:16.)

“In the first verse of this revelation the Lord states that ‘all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.’ (D&C 25:1)

“Great and true are these words of divine promise. The revelation which follows these opening words is rich in counsel, in praise, in instruction, and in promise to Emma Smith, and to every other woman who heeds the word of the Lord as set forth therein.”[2]

He made a similar comment seven years earlier, introducing a detailed discussion of this revelation.

“As I have wondered and prayed about what I might say on this occasion, I have been led again to read the twenty-fifth section of the Doctrine and Covenants. This, as you know, is a revelation given through Joseph the Prophet to his wife Emma. It was given at Harmony, Pennsylvania, in July of 1830, only a short time after the Church was organized. Insofar as I know, this is the only revelation given specifically to a woman, and in concluding it the Lord said, ‘This is my voice unto all.’ (D&C 25:16) Therefore, the counsel given by the Lord on this occasion is applicable to each of you. It includes you girls of ten and eleven years of age.”[3]

I find it intriguing that D&C 25:16 has been largely ignored in Conference talks. There are only 1

four citations since Journal of Discourses days. Besides these two by President Hinckley, Barbara Thompson[4] cites Joseph Smith’s comment that this was for all women, and Richard G. Scott[5] noted it in passing, without a specific reference to women.

In 1988 I discovered the chiastic arrangement of themes in Doctrine and Covenants 25, and I reformatted this Section into the conventional chevron shape of chiasmus.[6]

In chiasmus, a series of words, phrases, or ideas is followed by a similar list, but in reverse order. This is referred to as inverted parallelism. Paired elements are typically presented at equal indentations, often with guide letters or numbers, in a chevron configuration. For instance,

While this simple case is based on exact word matches, the concept can be extended readily to ideas, where there are few, if any, word matches. Paired elements can be similar, opposite, or in other ways related. One may elaborate upon or explain the other.

The result of reformatting to show parallelism is what I call the visual scriptures. It is essentially an artistic rendition of the text, a picture, if you will. Reading is enhanced. Meaning almost springs to the eye. Insights may be revealed by comparing paired elements that are difficult or impossible to see in the conventional printed format. And the central element is usually a point of emphasis, and sometimes a surprising point of emphasis that is missed in the usual format.

Here is how I see Section 25, in outline form. The detailed reformatted version can be viewed on my web site, kindly hosted by Kurt Neumiller.[7]

John Breck proposes what he calls a spiral reading of a chiasm.[8] A chiasm of the form ABCDCBA can be read AABBCCD. The center of the spiral is the point of emphasis of the chiasm. This is consistent with the well recognized idea that the central element of a chiasm usually is the point of emphasis of the chiasm. In a spiral reading, it is the bottom line.

Here is the spiral reading of Section 25. I have made two changes in punctuation and three in capitalization, but have not added, deleted, or rearranged any words.

Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom. And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. (A’s, verses 1 &16)

A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion. Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come. (B’s, verses 2 & 15)

Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made. Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him. (C’s, verses 3a & 13-14 )

And thou art an elect lady, whom I have called. And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church. For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. (D’s, verses 3b & 11-12)

Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come. And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better. (E’s, verses 4 & 10)

And the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., thy husband, in his afflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness. And thou needest not fear, for thy husband shall support thee in the church; for unto them is his calling, that all things might be revealed unto them, whatsoever I will, according to their faith. (F’s, verses 5 & 9)

And thou shalt go with him at the time of his going, and be unto him for a scribe, while there is no one to be a scribe for him, that I may send my servant, Oliver Cowdery, whithersoever I will. And thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much. (G’s, verses 6 & 8b )

And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit. For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost (H, verses 7 & 8a) (emphasis added.)

The H element is in the form of a classic Hebrew poem.

And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church,
according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.
For he shall lay his hands upon thee,
and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost,

This is clearly the point of emphasis of the revelation, and we would fail to find it so in a straight reading. (Verse 7 is cited 4 times in Conference talks, none mentioning “ordained.” Verse 8 is cited once.) It tells us that Emma, and all women, will function in the power of the Holy Ghost. This power is conferred by the laying on of hands, both at confirmation after baptism, and in settings apart to various callings. As Sheri Dew points out, women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do many things that require ordination in other Christian churches.[9]

This spiral reading reveals some associations that are invisible in the straight reading. The B’s clearly work together. The C’s make perfect sense together—she is to lift up her head and rejoice because her sins are forgiven her. In the E’s she is told to lay aside the worldly desire to behold the plates.

I have discovered many hundreds of chevrons in all four Standard Works. While Breck’s spiral reading works much of the time, only a few can be read as a spiral without changing a word, and make perfect sense. Section 25 is the most beautiful of these.

One stands in awe at the skill required to write in such a way that the text can be read straight through, and also from the ends to the middle, in this fashion, and have both make sense, and have the latter reveal associations that enhance the information content of the text. I can only conclude that the text was dictated from on high, and not composed by Emma’s relatively unlearned young husband.

What power is granted to women? The answer is found in H, verses 7-8a, the point of emphasis of the chevron. It is the power of the Holy Ghost.

Moses 6:61 describes characteristics of the Holy Ghost, which all receive when they are baptized and confirmed.

“Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.” (emphasis added)

This truly is tremendous power.

The Holy Ghost warns, comforts, and testifies.[10] The Holy Ghost “ shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26) “The Spirit not only comforts you, but He is also the agent by which the Atonement works a change in your very nature. Then weak things become strong.”[11]

The power of the Holy Ghost goes beyond these things. The creation (D&C 29:30-33), the conception of Jesus (Alma 7:10, Matthew 1:18), and the resurrection of Jesus (2 Nephi 2:8, 1 Peter 3:18) were by the power of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit.

By the power of the Holy Ghost, meetings are conducted (Moroni 6:9), testimonies are borne (Moroni 7:44), conversion takes place (2 Nephi 33:1, Moroni 7:32), cleansing occurs (Moroni 6:4, 2 Nephi 31:17), ordination (and settings apart) takes place (Moroni 3:4, D&C 18:32, 20:60), angels speak (2 Nephi 32:3, 33:1), and scripture is spoken (D&C 68:4).

And this power is bestowed upon women (and men) by the laying on of hands, as stated in H (verse 8). And those who obey the injunction to receive the Holy Ghost upon confirmation have access to that power, given the conditions stated in Moses 6:61, “according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.” By the way, it is understood that “ordain” in verse 7 is “to set apart for an office.”[12]

There is only one power, and that is the power of God. He delegates that power to women and to men through the Holy Ghost, and women and men can exercise and call down that power in their work in the kingdom, especially in their own families. When ordinances are administered, we refer to that power as priesthood, and both women and men invoke that power in the temple. And women are no less endowed with power from on high than men are in the holy temple. See D&C 38:32, 38; 43:16; 105:11. Although “men” and “elders” are used in these passages, those who have received their endowment will recognize that women receive the same endowment as men, including aspects of priesthood.

The Lord has not revealed why He has delegated priesthood authority to men only outside the temple. James E. Talmage explained this well. He said,

“In the restored Church of Jesus Christ, the Holy Priesthood is conferred, as an individual bestowal, upon men only, and this in accordance with Divine requirement. It is not given to woman to exercise the authority of the Priesthood independently; nevertheless, in the sacred endowments associated with the ordinances pertaining to the House of the Lord, woman shares with man the blessings of the Priesthood. When the frailities and imperfections of mortality are left behind, in the glorified state of the blessed hereafter, husband and wife will administer in their respective stations, seeing and understanding alike, and co-operating to the full in the government of their family kingdom. Then shall woman be recompensed in rich measure for all the injustice that womanhood has endured in mortality. Then shall woman reign by Divine right, a queen in the resplendent realm of her glorified state, even as exalted man shall stand, priest and king unto the Most High God. Mortal eye cannot see nor mind comprehend the beauty, glory, and majesty of a righteous woman made perfect in the celestial kingdom of God.”[13]

Joseph Fielding Smith said,

“While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority. … A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord. They have authority given unto them to do some great and wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and binding just as thoroughly as are the blessings that are given by the men who hold the Priesthood.”[14]

We read in the Doctrine and Covenants, “In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.” (D&C 131:1-3) (emphasis added) This is the Father’s order of priesthood. Bruce R. McConkie said,

“But we do know one great and eternal principle. We know that the Lord operates through families. He himself lives in the family unit; it is his eternal system of government in heaven and on earth, and he always offers as much of his own system to men as they are willing to receive.”[15]

This is the patriarchal order.[16] This is priest and priestess, king and queen, equal in power and authority, working together in their eternal kingdom. And on earth, we have the patriarchal order in embryo, husband and wife.

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”[17]

After all is said and done, Section 25 presents a dozen and a half injunctions, most of which are applicable to men and women alike, and five promises [I will preserve thy life (2), you shall receive an inheritance in Zion (2), your sins are forgiven (3), you need not fear (9), you shall receive a crown of righteousness (15)], given to all the faithful. As the Lord said, “this is my voice unto all.” It is my hope that we all can more fully appreciate, and function in, the tremendous power offered in the gift of the Holy Ghost. _________________

Notes

1. https://scriptures.byu.edu/#::
2. “Daughters of God,” Gordon B. Hinckley, October 1991 Conference. (Emphasis added.)
3. “If Thou Art Faithful,” Gordon B. Hinckley, October 1984 Conference (Emphasis added.)
4. “Now Let Us Rejoice,” Barbara Thompson, October 2008 Conference.
5. “He Lives,” Richard G. Scott, October 1999 Conference.
6. Some experts in the field would not classify this as a chiasm, so to obviate arguments on this issue I will simply refer to it as a chevron.
7. ldsgospeldoctrine.net/dlj/visualscriptures.html
8. John Breck, “The Shape of Biblical Language; Chiasmus in the Scriptures and Beyond,” St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, NY 10707, KALOROS PRESS, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, 2008.
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EZYlEpBbIk
10. Gary E. Stevenson, “How Does the Holy Ghost Help You?” Ensign, May 2017, pp 117-120.
11. Henry B. Eyring, “My Peace I Leave with You,” Ensign, May 2017, p. 16.
12. American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, definition 4.
13. James E. Talmage, “The Eternity of Sex,” Young Woman’s Journal, 25, (October 1914), pp. 602-3.
14. Joseph Fielding Smith, “Relief Society—an Aid to the Priesthood,” Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1959, 4.
15. Bruce R. McConkie, “A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,” pp.35-36.
16. The word patriarch derives from two Greek words, patria and archo. Patria is similar to the word for father, but has a feminine ending. It appears three times in the Greek New Testament. It is translated in the King James Bible as lineage (Luke 2:4), and kindreds (Acts 3:25), and families (Ephesians 3:15). Archo means head. Thus patriarch is literally family head. I am convinced it is a position shared by husband and wife.
17. “The Family, A Proclamation to the World,” LDS.ORG. (Emphasis added.)