Talk:D&C 84:60-120

81-85: Thoughts on taking no thought

Mjberkey, I think there's a danger in reading any verse as being completely universalizable and absolutely applicable to ourselves, just as I think there is a danger in not thinking about how we should apply scriptures to ourselves (or apply ourselves to the scriptures, as Joe would maintain). I think this is the very issue we must consider with any passage of scripture: we must open ourselves absolutely to the passage, but not read the passage in such a way that tries to force it into a universal or totalizing claim). That is, I think there's a danger in trying to look behind the text rather than engaging the text as it is. Here, I think we see an exhortation to particular missionaries at a particular time that advocates preaching by the Spirit, without taking thought beforehand as to what they would say. In studying this section, and the context of this admonition, I think our own perspectives and the way we live and teach will necessarily change.

I'm actually a huge fan of teaching without planning out ahead of time what we will say, I'm just nervous about the hermeneutic your question seems to suggest. That is, I don't think we should simply say that because this admonition was given in one context, then we can conclude that it applies in all contexts. But, I do think that in studying this admonition as it's given in this context will make us much more open to the Spirit imbuing us with desire to reenact this form of spiritual preaching and teaching when we have the opportunity to do so.

Hmmm, I'm obviously wrestling with an idea here that I'm not articulating very well (and probably has much more to do with my own efforts to sort out how we should read scripture than your actual question!). --RobertC 14:06, 18 October 2007 (CEST)

Robert, I definitely understand the reluctance to universalize particular scriptures for application to ourselves. To use this scripture to prove that the only way to teach is without anything prepared at all... well that's not what I want to do. Elder Cook (I found this scripture by listening to a talk by him) himself suggests that it may be appropriate to prepare a lesson plan or a talk. Yet he has never done it, except when he was required to for general conference, since the first time he really taught by the Spirit (which is an awesome story, but I'm sure you've heard it).

As for this scripture, I think it applies to more than just missionaries. V. 86 says, "...this commandment is unto all the faithful who are called of God in the church unto the ministry, from this hour take purse or scrip, that goeth forth to proclaim this gospel of the kingdom." I think that includes those who are preaching the gospel within the church. I wish more people would take this scripture seriously. --Mjberkey 18:01, 18 October 2007 (CEST)

Good point, Mike, about the universal language in verse 80--and it's interesting how the "consider the lilies" passage is brought in here, which I think also pushes the admonition in a universalizing direction (though this also makes me wonder if verse 86 on not taking purse or script should be read in this same universal register, and if not, where does the "you/ye" change from the general to the particular?). Also, I actually haven't heard Elder Cook's story yet.... --RobertC 20:37, 18 October 2007 (CEST)