Pearl of Great Price—Abraham

309 Pages·2015·13.21 MB·English

E. Leroy Gunnell
Doctrinal Studies
Volume 12
Pearl of Great Price—
Abraham
Table of Contents
Volume 12
Pearl of Great Price—
Abraham
Abraham 1 .................................................................................. 3
Abraham 2 ................................................................................ 41
Abraham 3 ................................................................................ 79
Joseph Smith—Matthew ....................................................... 141
Joseph Smith Overview—History ....................................... 176
Joseph Smith History 1:1-17 ................................................ 208
Joseph Smith History 1:18-25 .............................................. 255
Joseph Smith History 1:27-41 .............................................. 273
Abraham 1
PEARL OF GREAT PRICE - ABRAHAM 1- EARLY LIFE OF ABRAHAM
INTRODUCTORY THOUGHT: f§LlQIiI- DRAPER, BROWN, RHODES, 237-38, 246)
I. THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM - WHERE DID IT COME FROM? - HOW DID THE
CHURCH OBTAIN IT? WHAT ARE ITS CONTRIBUTIONS?
([)
A. HQ 2:235-36; 348-51 (Headnote of Book of Abraham) (Attached)
1. Peterson, pp. 40-41 (Attached)
"-?
2. Draper, Brown, Rhodes, 239-41 (Reader's Digest V.) (attached)
3. How do we account for the writings of Abraham being in Egypt?
4. First three installments of book of Abraham were published:
a. Abra. 1: 1 - 2: 18; in Times and Seasons, 1 Mar 1842
b. Abra.2:19 - 5:21," " " " , 16 Mar 1842
c. Facsimile 3 - "" " , 16 May 1842
John Taylor, who succeeded Joseph Smith as the editor of the
Times and Seasons said: "We had the promise of Br. Joseph to
furnish us with further extracts from the Book of Abraham."
(Peterson, 44-45).
5. Contributions of Book of Abraham: (S LID E - Peterson, 45-46)
IN~~SPECIFICALL
II. WHY DO WE FIND ABRAHAM Y UR OF THE
CHALDEES?
A. v. 1. Born and raised in Ur of the Chaldea - see maps, Stud. Man. &
Peterson, 260
B. Where is the location of lOUr of the Chaldees"? (see Draper, Brown, &
Rhodes,247 "Most biblical scholars assume this to be the ancient
Sumerian city of Ur in southern Mesopotamia. However, Paul
Hoskisson has convincingly argued for a location in northwestern
Syria or south-central Turkey.
D
C. Noah and his family appear to have migrated south from Mt. Ararat and
settled in Mesopotamia: two of the major cities were: Babylon and UrI
Approx. 200 years after the Flood, the people started to build the Tower
of Babel and the Lord confused their language - Ether 1 :3-5. 33.
Look at the major scatterings: Egyptus to Egypt and along the Medi
terrian coastline; Japheth's descendants to Greece, Balkans, and steps
of Russian and a few to China or east Asia; Shem stayed in Babylonia.
1. Mark E. Petersen, Abraham. Friend of God, p. 37; Peterson, 232
2. Joseph Fielding Smith, Man: His Origin and Destiny, Peterson,233r ::t
3. Obviously the book of Abra was' en by Abraham after his
name was changed fro bram to brah ecause this is the
a.
only form he uses throughou. (the eans Father).1o:t/it
TI1~QQ~_~~s \Nritten in Egypt, probably 50 years after the ".M 'A .
(similar to Nephi when he wrote his record)
D. v. 1. "Needful that I obtain another place of residence." Why? (see vs. 5,
7).
III. ABRAHAM SEEKS THE BLESSINGS OF THE FATHERS (GOSPEL &
PRIESTHOOD)
A v. 2-4. "finding there was greater happiness and peace for me. Where
n
did Abraham find that knowledge? Given the Idolatrous back
r ground Abraham was raised in, what motivates him toward
righteousness? (Abra. 1 :28, 31) Abraham recognized that the
blessings of the gospel and the priesthood gave happiness, peace, and
rest both in this life and in the world to come and, hence, in spite of the
apostasy of his father(s), he earnestly sought to obtain these blessings
through righteous living."
1. "sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I
should be ordained to administer the same." (gospel & priesthood)
2. "desiring. .. to possess greater knowledge ... to be a father of many
nations. .. and to receive instructions." These are all clear refer
ences to elements of the sacred temple endowment and eternal
marriage. (see D & C 43:16-17; 105:11-12; 124:39; 132:19)
Abraham earnestly desired these blessings which his immediate
forefathers had lost through apostasy (1 :5). All who enter into this
new and everlasting covenant also receive the same promises of
exaltation and eternal life that Abraham received.
3. "Prince of Peace." like Christ who was the Prince of :P eace.
(see Isa. 9:6; Alma 13:18)
4. I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right
belonging to the fathers;
It was conferred upon me from the fathers;
It came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time;
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Even the right of the firstborn ... unto me.
tItM~ ~ rb,!
B. Who are the fathers? @ARTJ 4A
Priest~
C. vS.3-4. Abraham received his ordination to the a High" .•\ .. k.. · .·."\
Priest by Melchizedek (D & C 84:14-16;) ~~J:!.,
--.;~~ tAl J/cJ 16 IJII~L(};/J ZeJ>eK-< - '
1. TPJS: 166-67. (attached) "Abraham says to Melchizedek, I
believe all that thou hast taught me concerning the priesthood and
the coming of the Son of Man; so Melchizedek ordained Abraham
and sent him away. Abraham rejoiced, saying, Now I have a
priesthood." TPJS 322-23; as cited in Peterson, 233 (attached)
4:I i' .1.'"' ,
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2.
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and
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D. ATTEMPTED SACRIFICE OF ABRAHAM - WHEN DID IDOLATRY
SHOW UP IN THE PATRIARCHAL LINE?
1. (C"""HARD-ShOW genealogy of Abraham back to Noah; somewhere
along this line the fathers (at least Terah & perhaps more) of
Abraham turned to idolatry and human sacrifice. (Joshua 24: 1-2,
14-15)
2. v. 3. "Right of the firstborn or the first man, who was Adam." Adam
,w as firstborn child on this earth and had been ordained to the
Melchizedek Priesthood before the foundation of this earth. (A!ma
13:3).
E. vs. 5-8. Apostate forces are always at work from the days of Adam and
Eve's first children and especially Cain. Abraham's father had become
apostate. Apparently sometime during this apostasy Abraham found the
true gospel because he attempted to reclaim his relations but without
success. (see v. 27)
1. John A. Widtsoe, Evigences and ReconCiliations, 398; or as cited
.. ..
;
in Peterson, 238-239. (attached) '.
'--L.
F. vs.9-11. "Potipher's Hill" This was a common Egyptian name. We see
that name as the one who hired Joseph to oversee his posseSSions and
whose wife tried to seduce him. Also a variant of Joseph's father in law
(Gen. 41 :45).
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1. "These virgins were offered up because of their virtue." Ritual
prostitution was practiced by several of the nations and peoples of
ancient Near East. These virgin daughters of Onitah probably
refused to participate in this immoral practice and were therefore
sacrificed. "Marvelous models ... of trusting God ... some day the
faithful will get to meet them." Neal Maxwell. StUd. Man. 31)
2. Encyclopedia Britannica. 1952 ed., 18:596 or as quoted in W.
Cleon Skousen, The First 2000 Years, 362.or Peterson 241.
(attached) ,IL r. I n
G. vs. 12-14. see facsimile #1, figures 4-9. Examples of idolatrous gods ~ ~
1.
.if 4
bow down and worship the gods of wood and stone which the
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apostates of the day had devised. Evidently for this reason he
also was singled out as a victim for their sacrificial altar. #.l~
H. vs.15-17. 'The angel of his presence. Probably an angel (not Jehovah) ~
n
acting by divine investiture of authority. (see Rev. 22:6~ 9)·f~.?-1 :?ol;~3 ~
1. Even though the Israelites of Moses' time didn't know the name of
God, it was in reality known by all of the prophets from Adam down
(see Exo. 6:3, JST fn.) :fu;ep/J-~
'fAvl1ut ~t rt1f
2. "Abraham my Son. " Same as lvloses, 1 :4. This exalted doctrine
that man and woman are sons and daughters-the literal offspring
of God, is a truly significant doctrine not known to Christianity as a
whole. Our potential is to become like our parents.
3. Sacrifice of all things. Lon F 6:5-10; as cited in Stud. Man. 31
(attached)
vs. 18-19. "/ will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the
priesthood of thy father." For a man to receive the priesthood is to have
the name of God put upon him. It is the power to act in God's name.
1. The phrase "to put upon," also suggests God's putting a garment
on Abraham. Perhaps this is when Abraham received his
endowment. ~ ~ lIJiflUl.I1/7'-- SlJ-telJlf
2. "as it was with Noah. so shall it be with thee." God makes the
same covenant with Abraham that he made with Noah: which is
the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel with the
priesthood. Which is restored to each ne. w dispensation head andrg
dklZ.
which makes it possible for men and women to be exalted in the
celestial kingdom. (Gen. 9:8-9; see fn.; ~ST Gen 9:15r~J _
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J. v.20. "When the scripture says that the Lord broke down the altars of the ~
gods of the land, it must have had broad repercussions because it
brought great mourning in Chaldea and also in the court of Pharaoh. ~
Pharaoh and his court were in Egypt. Only a most unusual event could
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have caused such extensive and distant reactions." Abraham's brief
account obviously does not tell the whole story." (Mark E. Petersen, .
Abraham. Friend of God, 48-49; as cited in StUd. Man. 32.)
1. The name "pharaoh" was not a personal name but simply
designated the Egyptian king or "king by royal blood."
K. vs. 21-27. Gives the founding of Egypt and how Pharaoh became king of
Egypt.
,-¥
1. McConkie's comments: NWforAofF,660 (attached) \ ( ~"
(fd"fn.-..-Jld51;"~
2. vs.21-22. What is the "Blood of the Canaanites?"
3. v.23. What does Egypt mean?
4. v.23. Why does it mean forbidden?
5. v. 23. Why did Ham marry someone with the blood of the
IcJfo,di/
Canaanites? ~4 ~~~~
--;:
6. v.25. What was the first government of Egypt?
7. v. 26. What kind of man was the first Pharaoh?
8. vs. 26-27. Read Official Declaration # 2
L. vs. 28-31. Famine and hunger mark the 3rd seal or 3rd 1000 years.
0),¥
1. McConkie, DNTC 3:479-80; as cited in Peterson, 247-48 (attachd)
2. Records. Moses 6:5; I Ne. 3:19-20; How these records came
into Abraham's hands, since his immediate fathers were apostate,
we don't know. Noah must have had them or they wouldn't have
survived the flood. Ifs logical to believe that Shem had them from
Noah and eventually they came into the hands of Melchizedek.
r _.. L Could Melchizedek have taught the gospel to Abraham, ordained
~
~ I.LJ (JIWJV him a high priesltand left the records with him? Right now that
~ d _ ;1 • ..1 " seems like the 6est possible scenario.
~. #I~ WNt..,~1 •
3. v. 31. "a knowledge of the beginning of the creation, and also of
the planets, and of the stars. Abraham indicates that his
II
----_ _--. --------------------------
....
description of the Creation and the stars and planets found in
chapters 3-5 derive, at least in part, from these "records of the
fathers." Joseph Smith's Alphabet & Grammar indicate that both
Methuselah and Abraham were well acquainted with the planetary
1-
system. A1~ i~~ (~bdle'v~.
.........
,
IV. THE DIVINE PATRIARCHAL ORDER OF THE PRIESTHOOD? (see Andrus, \ ~\
DC on the Pof GP, 351-383) , _L,'
QUESTION: What is the divine patriarchal order of the Priesthood?
ANSWER: It is the government of God: The Celestial kingdom consists of a
divine family order that is patriarchal in its organization. Andrus, 351-52
QUESTION: What is the basis and concept for such a system?
ANSWER: "According to Joseph Smith this celestial order is "a kingdom of
priests and kings to God and the Lamb, forever." Andrus, DoC! Com on";\
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the P of GP, 351-2 Ji3 Attached) \_r-'l!
QUESTION: How will this patriarchal priesthood effect us in eternity?
ANSWER: There will be a patriarchal chain back to Adam, Christ, & God
ivi'
McConkie, Morm Doct. 558-59 Attached) (.
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QUESTION: What is the justification for this system?
ANSWER: McConkie, Morm Doct., 87-88
A. Christ is the firstborn and so he received this priesthood first and the
priesthood was named after him - The Holy Priesthood after the order
of the Son of God D&C 107:1-4.
B. Adam was the firstborn, or first man, on earth and therefore had the right
and keys to administer the spiritual blessings to all his children:
ADAM
PHYSICAL FAMILY DIVINE FAMILY (D&C 78:16)
(Father of physical endowments (Can become the sons of God -
of life) Christ- being born of water &
Spirit)
Most of the children of Adam & Eve Melchizedek Pr. and Patriarchal
rejected the gospel and became Pr. belongs to firstborn in lineal
the "sons of men" - carnal, sen descent - Abra. 1 :3)
sual, and devilish