Difference between revisions of "D&C 4:1-7"

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=== Verse 5 ===
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* Why does this verse speak of both charity and love? In other scriptures, don’t the two mean the same? Are they distinct things here, or is the Lord repeating the same thing in different ways to emphasize it? What does it mean to have one’s eye single to the glory of God? When is my eye not single to his glory? Compare this qualification with the promise made in [[D&C 88:67 | Doctrine and Covenants 88:67]]. What does the word “single” mean in this context? Compare this to [[Matt 6:22 | Matthew 6:22]] ([[Luke 11:34]]), where the Lord says that if our eye is single, then our whole body will be filled with light. Does “single” mean the same in both cases? The Greek word translated “single” in the New Testament could also be translated either “healthy” or “pure,” but it is difficult to understand what “pure to the glory of God” or “healthy to the glory of God” might mean. Does that mean that the passage in Matthew is irrelevant to explaining the meaning of this verse? Does [[Morm 8:15 | Mormon 8:15]] give us a definition of what “eye single to the glory of God” means, or does it give us an example of what it means?
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=== Verse 6 ===
 
=== Verse 6 ===

Revision as of 01:33, 11 February 2010

Doctrine & Covenants > Section 4

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Questions

Verse 6

  • Why do you think the Doctrine and Covenants implicitly refers to these verses in 2 Peter 1:5-9 so often? Look at this comparison of the two lists:
2 Peter D&C 4
faith faith
virtue virtue
knowledge knowledge
temperance temperance
patience patience
godliness brotherly kindness
charity charity
humility
diligence

What does that comparison tell us about the qualifications for the work and about the goal of the work? Do you see any significance in the change of order ("brotherly kindness” and “godliness” are reversed)? Why might “humility” and “diligence” have been added in the Doctrine and Covenants revelation?

Here are some alternate translations of the Greek words of 2 Peter:

virtue = excellence
knowledge = knowledge of what really is
temperance = self-discipline
patience = steadfastness, endurance
brotherly kindness = brotherly love
charity = love, good will.

Are any of these meanings also helpful in understanding the admonition of the Doctrine and Covenants?

Verse 7

  • How do you square this verse with the fact that all of us have had the experience of asking and not receiving what we asked for? What does it mean to knock and to have “it” opened? In other words, what is promised and how do we obtain that promise? The word “amen” means something like “so let it be” and signifies agreement. Why does a revelation from the Lord end with that word?

Lexical notes

Verse 4

  • The phrase "white already to harvest" is a reference to the same phrase in John 4:35. As noted in the lexical note there, the meaning of this phrase is "already white for harvest."

Exegesis

Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis


Related links

Verse 3

  • Elder Ballard's talk "The Greatest Generation of Missionaries" in Oct. 2002 explains the bar for missionary service has been raised. Thus having a desire may not be sufficient in light of past transgression to be called as a full-time missionary.
"Please understand this: the bar that is the standard for missionary service is being raised. The day of the “repent and go” missionary is over. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you, my young brothers? Some young men have the mistaken idea that they can be involved in sinful behavior and then repent when they’re 18 1/2 so they can go on their mission at 19. While it is true that you can repent of sins, you may or you may not qualify to serve."
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