Abr 2:11-15
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Pearl of Great Price > The Book of Abraham > Chapter 2
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[edit] Questions
[edit] Verse 11
- "Thy Priesthood." Why is the parenthetical statement "that is, (in) thy Priesthood" used twice here? Substituting these parentheticals for the words they seem to modify seems to make for a confusing statement: "and in thy Priesthood and (in) thy Priesthood . . . shall all the families of the earth be blessed . . . ." Might this be read as the Priesthood dissolving the distinction between Abraham and his seed? What else might this mean?
- "Literal seed." Why does Abraham specify that he means "literal seed, or seed of the body"? (Or might this be an editorial comment by Joseph?) What is the difference between the meaning of seed in a figurative vs. literal sense?
[edit] Verse 12
- After the Lord had withdrawn." Why does Abraham say what he says in his heart only "after the Lord had withdrawn." Was Abraham "speechless" in the presence of the Lord, to caught up in what the Lord was saying to be able to form his own words, even if only said to his heart?
[edit] Lexical notes
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes
[edit] Exegesis
Verse 11 - Reading this verse in terms of previous verses in Abraham may shed some light:
And I will bless them that bless thee (bless Abraham as their father, perhaps? see verse 10)
and curse them that curse thee;
and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) (This is about to explain how Abraham and his seed will bless all families of the earth. It seems that the way "Abraham" himself can bless them is in his Priesthood, by giving others the blessings of the gospel. See verse 9 and the end of verse 11)
and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), (see verse 9 again: his seed will have the Priesthood and bear it and this ministry to all nations. The word "Priesthood" can also be thought about as a group of priests, just like a neighborhood is a group of neighbors. Abraham's "group" happens to be his family)
for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, (This is the promise Abraham sought for in Abr 1:2! He sought for the Priesthood, to be a "rightful heir," to be one who inherited the blessings that Adam himself had.)
and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) (Abr. 1:4. He also sought for the "right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same" and the "appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed." The purpose of the parenthesis seems to be to emphasize that yes, as verse 10 says, anyone who receives the gospel will be "counted" as his seed as so have the blessings and rights promised, but the promise is first to his literal seed. It seems that if there are others who will be "counted" as his seed, there needs to actually be a "literal seed" to grouped into. In addition, there is a promise mentioned in D&C 107 of having one's literal seed alive throughout history and alive at the second coming. The purpose of this promise, it may be, is that there will be one line alive who has the right to the priesthood, and thus all others can be blessed by that line and also counted up into it. A "welding link," like that in D&C 128, as it were?)
shall all the families of the earth be blessed, (Note again verse 9, that his seed which has the Priesthood can carry this ministry and to all nations. Therefore, "families of the earth" could here be understood in two different but overlapping ways: "Families" could mean nations or peoples, but also to individual families with their own children. As mentioned above, it appears that one way all the families of the earth are blessed is by becoming part of Abraham's line. When parents are counted as Abraham's seed, and teach their children to receive the blessings of the Priesthood, then this right to the Priesthood begins to continue in their own literal seed as well. Others can become like Abraham, parallel fathers blessing their own families, by being counted as Abraham's seed.)
even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
[edit] Related links
[edit] Verse 11
- Craig A. Cardon, "Moving Closer to Him," Ensign, Nov 2006, pp. 94–96. Elder Cardon states: "The crowning temple ordinance is available only to a man and a woman when they are sealed together, forming an eternal family unit. It is by virtue of this and all other priesthood ordinances that 'the families of the earth [shall] be blessed'... No other doctrine in all of religion better confirms God's commensurate love for both His sons and His daughters."
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