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| | == Exegesis == | | == Exegesis == |
| − | ===The structure of the revelation===
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| − | More so than most of the revelations in the D&C, this section is a pieced-together series of tangents or excurses that, in the end, can only be confessed to be woven together so beautifully that they form a single, even flawless story. The danger, however, of introducing such a broad reading of the complex structure of this revelation is that one immediately sets oneself to the task of deciding where one excursus begins and where another ends, to what one tangent attaches and what it implies as it closes, etc. In other words, reading this revelation as a series of patched-together pieces seems inevitably to point to text-critical studies rather than a hermeneutical approach. However, interpretation, in this case, probably cannot be done without some responsible textual criticism. Brought together, these two approaches open up one of the richest texts in the Doctrine and Covenants.
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| − | A preliminary reading of the structure of this revelation, then:
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| − | '''No. Verses Textual Status Theme'''
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| − | 1 1-5 Main argument Location of Zion
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| − | 2 6a Tangent to (1) Sons of Moses
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| − | 3 6b-16 Tangent to (2) Priesthood lineage
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| − | 4 17-28 Tangent to (3) Aaronic vs. Melchizedek Priesthoods
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| − | 5 29-30 Tangent to (4) Appendage offices
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| − | 6 31-32 Return to (2) Sacrifice in Zion
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| − | 7 33-38 Tangent to (2)/(6) Becoming sons of Moses/Aaron
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| − | 8 39-42 Tangent to (7) The oath and covenant
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| − | 9 43 Return to (1) Commandment to heed the Word
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| − | 10 44-48 Tangent to (9) The Word of the Lord
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| − | 11 49-53 Tangent to (10) The status of the world
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| − | 12 54-56 Another tangent to (10) The status of the saints
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| − | 13 57 Return to (10) Repentance of the saints
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| − | 14 58-61 Return to (1)/(9) A new commandment
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| − | 15 62-95 Tangent to (14) Expounding the new commandment
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| − | 16 96-102 Tangent to (15) Results of missionary effort
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| − | 17 103-108 Return to (14) Details and specifics
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| − | 18 109-110 Tangent to (17) Unity of the body
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| − | 19 111-116 Return to (17) Details and specifics again
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| − | 20 117-120 Return to (14) Final commission
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| − | Following this all-too-briefly considered parsing of this section, the main argument of the section is confined to verses 1-5, 43, 58-61, 103-108, and 111-120. The main argument, extracted from the remainder of the text, is quite simple: Zion has been located, and so the saints must be open to new revelation; and the new revelation that is issued immediately is a commandment to send forth missionaries to gather the people to Zion. Everything in this revelation should be read according to this underlying theme.
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| | == Related links == | | == Related links == |
