D&C 107

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Home > Doctrine & Covenants > Section 107

Subpages: Verses 107:1-20  •  107:21-32  •  107:33-39  •  107:40-57  •  107:58-100

Previous section to D&C 107b: D&C 133                         Next section after D&C 107b: D&C 69
Previous section to D&C 107a: D&C 106                         Next section after D&C 107a: D&C 134


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Summary[edit]

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1-20 - Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods 21-32 - Presiding quorums 33-39 - Councils of twelve 40-57 - Patriarchal order 58-100 - Previous revelation

Historical setting[edit]

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D&C 107 likely consists of at least two parts received several years apart.

Verses 59-100

  • Received: late September 1828 at Harmony, Pennsylvania
  • Prior section in chronological order: D&C 133
  • Next section in chronological order: D&C 69

The immediate setting of verses 59-100 was

Verses 1-58

  • Received: late May 1829 at Harmony, Pennsylvania
  • Prior section in chronological order: D&C 106
  • Next section in chronological order: D&C 134

The immediate setting of verses 1-58 was

For a brief overview of D&C 107 in historical relation to the rest of the Doctrine & Covenants, see Historical Overview of the Restoration Scriptures. For lengthier discussions of the historical setting of verses 59-100, see Historical Context of the Doctrine & Covenants, chapter 9 or Church History in the Fulness of Times, chapter 10. For a lengthier discussion of the historical setting of verses 1-58, see Church History in the Fulness of Times, chapter 13.

Discussion[edit]

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D&C 107: On the two halves of this section[edit]

As noted in the section heading, "various parts [of this revelation] were received at sundry times, some as early as November 1831." As a matter of fact, it is the later portion of the revelation that was received earlier: the first 58 verses appear to have been received on March 28, 1835, while most of the remainder of the section can be found in the Kirtland Revelations Book under the date of November 1831 (some additions were made to the earlier text when it was included in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants). The "various parts" would seem to have been united eventually on the ground that they treat the same subject: nominally, "ON PRIESTHOOD," as the heading read in the 1835 D&C. But reading the first 58 verses of this section in isolation from the remainder of the text can yield insight.

Reading the revelation in this way perhaps diffuses an overly taxonomic reading: rather than being obsessed with hierarchical divisions of the church's labor, the revelation might be read as concerning itself primarily with sorting out the meaning of the ancient priesthood and the way this ancient meaning is to be translated into the modern situation (especially in terms of the Kirtland House of the Lord). The theme of the ancient priesthood runs right through the whole revelation: not only is there an explanation, from the very first verses, about the provenance of the name of the high priesthood, but the revelation comes to its climax in an exploration of the ancient Adam-ondi-Ahman experience and how it bears on the meaning and place of the priesthood. It is apparently in light of these details that this revelation is best interpreted.

Given that overall heading ("ON PRIESTHOOD") the Lord deliberately instructs on the nature of Priesthood power by juxtaposing an assertion of "two priesthoods" with three names "Melchizedek," "Aaronic," and "Levitical" in verse one. This introductory remark to versus 1-58 suggests a desire to transgress the boundaries that a more superficial, hierarchical approach to priesthood might impose on a reader, while recognizing the instructive power of a range of descriptive modifiers for priesthood power. Significantly, the Patriarchal priesthood is not specifically mentioned in this verse, although it may arguably appear obliquely in verse three where the "Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God" adds to the three names of verse one. In approaching this revelation from such a backdrop, the ensuing discussion of "grand heads," "offices," "power and authority," "keys" and "offices" seems to manifest a voice of instruction focusing not on an organizational flow chart, but rather on priesthood genealogy and the relational significance attached to the "priesthoods."

Complete outline and page map[edit]

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Unanswered questions[edit]

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Prompts for life application[edit]

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Prompts for further study[edit]

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Resources[edit]

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Previous editions.

  • The oldest surviving copy of D&C 107 is __.
  • D&C 107 was first published in __.
  • D&C 107 was first included in the Doctrine & Covenants in the 18__ edition.
  • Changes to the text of D&C 107:

Related passages that interpret or shed light on D&C 107.

Doctrinal references cited on this page.

Historical references cited on this page.

Other resources.

Notes[edit]

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Subpages: Verses 107:1-20  •  107:21-32  •  107:33-39  •  107:40-57  •  107:58-100

Previous section to D&C 107b: D&C 133                         Next section after D&C 107b: D&C 69
Previous section to D&C 107a: D&C 106                         Next section after D&C 107a: D&C 134