John 7 - 10

Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery, drawing by Rembrandt 

SOURCES

Faulconer, James. The New Testament Made Harder. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=mi

Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel. “The Family of Jesus.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

Huntsman, Eric D. ”The Gospel of John," in New Testament History, Culture, and Society: A Background to the Texts of the New Testament, ed. Lincoln H. Blumell (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019), 204-321.

https://rsc.byu.edu/new-testament-history-culture-society/gospel-john

Lane, Jennifer C. “From Opposition to Hostility.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

Olson, Camille Fronk. Women of the New Testament. pg. 167.

Strathearn, Gaye. "Johannine Christology through the Lens of Three of Its Dialogues" in Thou Art the Christ: The Son of the Living God, The Person and Work of Jesus in the New Testament, ed. Eric D. Huntsman, Lincoln H. Blumell, and Tyler J. Griffin (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2018), 153–174.

https://rsc.byu.edu/thou-art-christ-son-living-god/johannine-christology-through-lens-three-its-dialogues

Van Dyke, Blair G. ”Miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John" Religious Educator 9, no. 3 (2008): 15–30  https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-9-no-3-2008/miracles-jesus-gospel-john

Wayment, Thomas A. “The Woman Taken in Adultery and the History of the New Testament Canon.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: : From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

Welch, Rosalynde Fransden. Ether: A Brief Theological Introduction.

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“. . . we should view as a gift, not a liability, scripture’s high-maintenance demand that we grapple for its meaning over and over. There is paradoxical value in scripture aging out of its original language and context. It is only in the wrestle to clothe an ancient text in a different language, to reframe its potential meanings for a new time or place, that the book grabs hold of the reader and gets under the skin. That our religious community’s interpretation of scripture changes over time is a sign of spiritual vitality, not decline. That we trudge through the same books of scripture on a never-ending four-year curriculum cycle should be, paradoxically, an opportunity for new vision, not tedium. Among the several channels of continuing revelation streaming between God and his people, we should include scripture itself—not as a glassed-in repository of original truth, but as a hands-on site of emergent intention. Our interpretive practice should attend to “translations” both conceptual and linguistic, as well as to originals. Scripture’s center of gravity lies in the present, not in the past.” Rosalynde Welch, Ether: A Brief Theological Introduction, pg. 67.

Gospel of John

Wayment - Structure/organization - suggested “that it is a two-part work divided nearly equally into a “book of signs” (1:1-12:50) and a “book of glory” (13:1-20:31)

John 7:1-5

Q: In verse 1, what is John referring to with the phrase “these things”? 

John 7 "Joseph Smith Translation does not provide any additional insights about Jesus’ family.” Holzapfel pg. 368

Q: Why do they want him to go to Judea? What are the brothers asking Jesus to do? Does verse 5 shed any light on their advice? How do the brothers understand Jesus’s work? 

One of the brothers, James, will later not only become a Christian but will be the head of the Church in Jerusalem and is the James of James 1:5. 

John 8:1-11

“ . . . the story was not originally part of the Gospel of John and was likely not written by the author of the Gospel of John.” Wayment. pg. 374

“ . . the story was introduced into the canon because it had always been part of the oral traditions about Jesus’ life but had never been recorded by any of the evangelists.” Wayment pg. 383

Q: What are your thoughts about the story of the woman taken in adultery? 

“When Jewish leaders brought to stand before Jesus a woman won they had found in the very act of adultery, their plan was to test Jesus with the hope of framing a charge against him. That they used the woman merely as a prop by which to advance their scheme highlights the second-class status of women and, in particular, of women accused of breaking the law of Moses in their society. No one even spoke to the woman, let alone asked her for an explanation. In fact, she appears in the story as a silent, helpless victim of whatever ruling men chose to inflict on her. The story is told to showcase the wisdom and mercy of Jesus in contrast to the vindictive and hypocritical attitudes of the men who concocted the trap. Considered an example of the application of Christ’s teachings for sinners generally, further analysis renders unforgettable the story of this unnamed woman and its message of hope for all.”Dr. Camille Fronk Olson

Q: What is the trap? 

“The members of the Sanhedrin were the only Jews who held the legal right to make decisions regarding the law; and in many instances, their powers to make decisions and carry out sentences were limited because they were subject to Roman rule. In this instance, Jesus’ opponents asked Him to make a decision that He could not legally make according to Jewish law. Moreover, the tension of the situation was compounded because it took place within the walls of the temple—where a directive to stone someone by one who has no authority to make such a decision could be viewed as treasonous.” 

Thomas Wayment

pg. 386

“This is not in any sense a pardon, nor is our Lord condoning an adulterous act. He does not say, ‘Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee.’ He merely declines to act as a magistrate, judge, witness, or participant of any kind in a case that legally and properly should come before an official tribunal of which he is not a member.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie.

Q: What purpose did it serve for Jesus to stoop down in the exchange with the Pharisees and scribes?

Q: What may be a similar posture today and when might taking such a stance prove wise?

 Verse 10 - “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” 

He stands up - a sign of respect - Woman with a capital W is a term of endearment. 

Q: What would these two actions mean to her? (Standing up and calling her Woman)

JST: John 8:11 “And the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name.”

Q: What is important about this dialogue between this woman and Jesus Christ?

John 9:1-7; 8-12; 13-17; 18-23; 24-27, 39-41 

“The emphasis in the story might be on the necessity of anointing rather than on the making of clay from spittle. Compare Moses 6:35-36, where Enoch anoints his own eyes with clay, washes them, and subsequently sees spiritual things.” Wayment footnote pg. 184

Moses 6:35-36, footnote in 35 “clay” to look at reference back to John 9.

Q: What do you think about the emphasis on anointing rather than on the making of clay? Why might it be a necessity?

Neighbors: John 9: 8-12

Pharisees: John 9:13-17

Parents: John 9:18-23 - missed opportunity to testify 

“I do not typically engage in conversations about sensitive topics like politics and religion.  I listened as some of the moms shared that they went to church as children, but did not really believe in organized religion, and did not plan to raise their children with any specific beliefs. They didn't know if anyone still deeply believed in God or Jesus once they became an adult, beyond perhaps what they were taught as a child. I did not interject, but listened intently, wondering if I had the courage to speak up about my beliefs. After all, I had another two days to spend with the group, and it would have been easier to let it lie. 

As I sensed the conversation was about to go in a different direction, my heart began to race and I felt an overwhelming urge to say something about my faith. Even though I was not sure how my comments would be received, I blurted out, "I believe in Jesus Christ." I went on to describe how I was raising my children in the Catholic Church, as I had been, that I regularly attended Mass and my faith was important to me. As I waited for a response, I tried to evaluate their expressions to get some sense as to what they might say. Fortunately, the women kindly said they respected my opinion and perspective, and we continued on to the next topic. Nothing more was said that weekend about the subject, but I felt relieved that I had made this integral part of my identity known to the group. 

 

I will never forget the feeling that overcame me at that moment when I could have easily let the opportunity pass to share my faith in Jesus Christ with others. Though small, this experience gave me the courage to speak up more about my faith, despite the fear of rejection or confrontation. My faith has only grown deeper since then, and I have become more confident and comfortable in discussing the "taboo" topic of religion. I hope and pray that speaking up, even among a small group of new friends, had a positive impact and shared the message of Jesus Christ.”

Kathleen Lochridge 

Questioning: John 9:24-27

“As annoying as all these questions must have been, they served a purpose because they apparently caused the man to move beyond the sensory overload that the miracle must have stimulated and forced him to reflect more deeply on what had happened to him. Their unrelenting questioning had, I think, triggered an unintended consequence. Not only had the man now acknowledged that Jesus was a prophet, their questioning had enabled him to recognize that Jesus could not be the sinner that the Pharisees had categorized him as. He was beginning to raise his sights and see differently from the other “earthly” people who peppered him with questions. He was now using the light that only Jesus could provide to illuminate his path, and so he said, “Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind? If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” This increasing spiritual sight that he was gaining resulted in the Pharisees casting him out, but it also opened a door.” 

Gaye Strathearn

Q: What door do you think it opened?

The blind man was cast out - who else was cast out?

Jesus and the healed man: John 9:35-38

Q: How can being cast out ever be a good thing?

Jesus and the Pharisees: John 9:39-41

“The miracle that John wants his readers to understand in this story is not limited to the man receiving his physical sight, as impressive as that miracle was. The Pharisees had always had their physical sight, yet they could not “see” who Jesus was. The real miracle was that the man received his spiritual sight, which enabled him to break free from his earthly shackles and “see” who Jesus really was: not just a man, or even a prophet, but his God.”

Gaye Strathearn

Q: What door do you think it opened?

The blind man was cast out - who else was cast out?

Jesus and the healed man: John 9:35-38

Q: How can being cast out ever be a good thing?

Jesus and the Pharisees: John 9:39-41

“The miracle that John wants his readers to understand in this story is not limited to the man receiving his physical sight, as impressive as that miracle was. The Pharisees had always had their physical sight, yet they could not “see” who Jesus was. The real miracle was that the man received his spiritual sight, which enabled him to break free from his earthly shackles and “see” who Jesus really was: not just a man, or even a prophet, but his God.”

Gaye Strathearn

Q: What are some truths we learn from his story? 

“In the case of the man born blind, it seems reasonable to conclude that a new creation was essential. The miracle likely necessitated the creation of cells, tissues, and nerves that were either present but had never functioned or were altogether absent due to birth defects.

It is also significant that Jesus commanded the man to go to the pool of Siloam to wash the clay from his eyes. The word Siloam in Hebrew is rendered Shiloh and is one of the ancient titles of Jehovah. The word means “a messenger sent forth with authority.” In the end, the blind man was able to see only after he submitted his will to Christ, the authorized messenger sent from the presence of God.” 

Blair Van Dyke

John 10 - Jesus is the Good Shepherd 

John 10:10

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” 

“In his Discourse on the Good Shepherd, Jesus had testified, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (10:10). Meaning “to an extent remarkable or extraordinary,” abundantly refers to a richer, deeper life such as that suggested by the good wine of Cana, the living water of Samaria, or the flowing rivers promised by Jesus. It suggests a spiritual quality of life here on the earth that anticipates the everlasting life promised by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In John, Jesus stresses that such life is available here and now, a concept called realized eschatology. Eschatology is literally the “study of the end,” and usually eschatology is future, referring to the blessed state that will accompany the end of the world and the advent of God’s kingdom. Yet Jesus at times speaks of our future state as if it can be realized now.”

Eric Huntsman

Q: In what ways do these stories teach us about living abundantly?

Q: How will we respond to the dialogue that Jesus seeks to have with us? 

Q: How will we allow Jesus to stretch our minds, and take us out of our comfort zones so that we can at least begin to see and understand heavenly things?

Matthew 18; Luke 10

INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW 18

“Just prior to this, we had the Transfiguration. We also had Peter's confession that he believed Jesus was the Christ, he was the Messiah, and so His messiahship has been acknowledged. He has told them that they are on their way to Jerusalem and what's going to happen there, that He is going to suffer and be killed and be resurrected, which they sort of struggled with.

A lot of what Jesus is going to say in this chapter and in Luke 10 is to really show the people that the Messiah that they thought He was going to be based on the Old Testament and the law of Moses is a little bit different. He's told them He's not going to be there much longer. Matthew 18 is really His trying to set up the church or what He calls the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven so that it can continue on after He's gone, after He leaves the people. He talks a lot about this is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Kingdom of God, the king is here and this is how we're going to organize the church, this is how we're going to treat each other in the church, this is expected behavior.”

Dr. Krystal V.L. Pierce, Follow Him Podcast

THE SAVING GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

“In this series of leadership instructions, the heart is turned to the one; receiving the one in the name of and on behalf of Jesus Christ; not offending or damaging the faith of any one; not thinking poorly of any one. But even more than this is required. More than welcoming, strengthening, and admiring, one must also be prepared to leave home, go out into the wilds, to search high and low, to find, and to rescue.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 97

GOING AFTER THE LOST SHEEP

“Going into the treacherous mountain in the dark presents serious risk for the shepherd, yet he willingly incurs that risk, having shouldered the responsibility that ‘not one should perish.’ It is a sobering thought that the Savior has already numbered us His, accepted our burdens as His own, and agreed to be with us wherever the journey leads.

These gentle words of Jesus also reveal how He feels about the daunting challenge: He takes joy, even greater joy at the rescue of that which was lost, seeing it as a triumph. As he returns the lost sheep to the fold, His gracious acts of amazing grace reestablishes the relationship between Him and His sheep. It also reassures and reconnects all of the bonds of love among all the shepherd’s fold.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 98

FORGIVENSS

“The principle of forgiveness is vital to our eternal well-being. Eternal lives are at stake, and without forgiveness and tolerance, no celestial sociality is even imaginable. Nothing less than the second great commandment is involved here. How can we love our neighbors as ourselves if we do not forgive one another? Are we not commanded to love one another, not just as we love ourselves, but as Jesus loves us? As we would desperately want to be forgiven in our hour of existential debt crisis, so we also should reciprocally forgive in meaningful amounts and at crucially needed times.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 115

MARY AND MARTHA

Footnote in NIV of 10:42—Jesus prioritizes the spiritual over the domestic responsibility. Too often in church history, God’s people have inverted this priority for women.

Footnote in Wayment 10:40—Martha was busy serving, an action described as diakonia, or in the capacity of a deacon or deaconess. Such a description indicated that she was likely preparing or serving food. The actions of a deacon or deaconess became the model for service among Christians.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

How is the plan of salvation portrayed in this story?

What observations can we make about the characters in this story and why they acted as they did?

What questions does the story answer?

What does the Savior expect of His followers? What are the risks associated with doing as he asks? Did the characters in the story take any risks? Who and how?

What injuries does the man suffer? Are there others besides the obvious physical ones? How do you see yourself in this story?

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

“Because of our mortal limitations, God speaks to us in similitudes. Symbols draw our finite minds to the sacred truths embedded in the incomparable gospel. As a type and shadow of the plan of salvation, the parable of the good Samaritan places deeds of neighborly kindness within the eternal context of where we have come from, how we have fallen info our present plight, and how the binding ordinances and healing love of the promised Redeemer and the nurture of His Church can rescue us from our present situation.

Seeing the parable in this light invites readers to identify with virtually every character in the story. At one level, people can and should see themselves as good Samaritans, acting as physical rescuers and as saviors on Mount Zion, personally and directly aiding in the rescue of lost souls and all people in need. By doing as the Samaritan, we join with the Savior in helping bring to pass the salvation and eternal life of man.

We all need to receive help even from people we might otherwise think of as being outside our social circles. And we all need to be saved by the merciful Christ, the most exemplary Neighbor.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 39-40

Matthew 15–17; Mark 7–9

Painting: Jesus exorcising the Canaanite Woman's daughter from Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, 15th century. Public domain. 

SOURCES

Ball, Terry B. “‘Whom Say Ye That I Am?’: Peter’s Witness of Christ,” in The Ministry of Peter, the Chief Apostle, ed. Frank F. Judd Jr., Eric D. Huntsman, and Shon D. Hopkin. 13–26.https://rsc.byu.edu/ministry-peter-chief-apostle/whom-say-ye-i-am-peters-witness-christ

Brown, S. Kent. “Peter’s Keys (Matthew 16:1819)”https://www.byunewtestamentcommentary.com/peters-keys-matthew-1618-19/

Brown, S. Kent. “The Testimony of Luke.” (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2015), 478–482.

Brown, S. Kent. “The Twelve.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel. “The Transfiguration.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

Hopkin, Shon D. “Peter, Stones, and Seers,” in The Ministry of Peter, the Chief Apostle, ed. Frank F. Judd Jr., Eric D. Huntsman, and Shon D. Hopkin (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2014), 103–25. https://rsc.byu.edu/ministry-peter-chief-apostle/peter-stones-seers

Strathearn, Gaye. “Jesus and the Gentiles.” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: From the Transfiguration Through the Triumphal Entry. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas Wayment.

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“Commentaries are useful to make us think and not as the last word—when we are talking about symbolic scripture, there is no last word.” - Julie Smith

“Mark identifies the woman as “a Greek, a Syrophenician by birth” (Mark 7:26). Matthew’s use of “Canaanite” is significant: there were no Canaanites during Jesus’ time. This is an anachronistic term (belonging to a period other than that being portrayed) to link the woman to people whom Joshua and the Israelites were supposed to destroy when they entered the promised land and who were a constant source of pagan worship for the Israelites. The identification serves to highlight the significance of what this woman does." (Footnote).

Gaye Strathearn. 

“The Greek word for “worshiped” is prosekunoe, the same word used by Matthew to describe the action of the Wise Men when they came into Jesus’ presence. It conveys a position of worship through prostration. The imperfect tense of the verb suggests that this worship is not confined to a single act but is a repeated one.” 

“The table itself represents the eschatological banquet, concerning which Jesus had already told another Gentile, the centurion, that “many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob” (Matthew 8:11). This woman wanted to be one of those many coming from the west.”  Gaye Strathearn.

“The Apostle Peter is beloved by believers—perhaps because he seems so authentic and approachable to us. We can understand him. We can empathize with him. We admire his courage as he forsook all, “straightway” leaving his nets as the Master beckoned, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” We understand his confusion over the meaning and message of parables. We feel the desperation in his cry, “Lord, save me,” as his feet and faith faltered on the turbulent waters that night on the Sea of Galilee. We appreciate his awe at the Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1–13; Mark 9:2–9; Luke 9:28–36). We weep with him for the shame of his thrice-made denial, grieve with him at Gethsemane, and join in his joy and wonder at the empty tomb.” Terry B. Ball

“Jesus’ rebuke of Peter immediately following this commandment serves to further highlight that the designation of Peter as the rock was in some senses a prophetic call rather than a statement of current fact (see Matthew 16:21–23).” Hopkin

“Peter’s declaration and his subsequent experience on the Mount of Transfiguration allow for the culmination of this growing awareness of the disciples, albeit still without a full understanding of the necessary suffering and death that will be required of their Messiah.” Hopkin

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“When Jesus promises to entrust keys to Peter, part of the promise is that “the gates of hell 

shall not prevail against it [the church].” (The grammar of this sentence tells us that “it” means “the church” because “the church” is the closest referent and the Greek pronoun translated “it” and the Greek noun “church” are both feminine in gender.) The term translated “hell” in this passage is the word hadēs, Hades in English. In the Septuagint, the Greek word hadēs generally means a permanent, dark underworld where departed spirits are confined (see LXX Job 7:9–10; 10:21–22). The New Testament adjusts this view. Here, hadēs is a temporary abode where the spirits of the dead await the resurrection and judgment (see Acts 2:27, 31; Revelation 20:13; also Alma 40:14) and where Jesus preaches during the time his body lies in the tomb (see 1 Peter 3:19–20; 4:6).

But Hades has another more personal meaning. In some passages, Hades is a name or title held by an individual in the underworld who is in charge of the spirit prison. The Risen Savior hints at this meaning when he affirms: “I am he that liveth, and was dead . . . and have the keys of hell and death” (Revelation 1:18). By implication, he has taken possession of those keys and now holds them in his hand. How so? The notion is that, when Jesus descends into the world of spirits after his death on the cross, he faces closed gates that keep the departed spirits inside a prison. Meeting resistance from those who hold the keys, who are death and hell (see Revelation 6:8; 20:13–14; 2 Nephi 9:12), he takes control of the keys from them and opens the closed gates. In the language of Isaiah, after this confrontation, he opens “the prison to them that are bound” and proclaims “liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1; also Luke 4:18, where Jesus applies Isaiah’s words to his ministry without distinguishing between his mortal and post-mortal work).

The idea of gates points directly at the keys required to open them. Jesus holds the keys of “the gates of hell,” not Peter. Instead, to Peter are entrusted “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Interest in the next world, of course, is plainly present in this latter expression. In addition, possession of these keys does not mean that the holder is a mere doorkeeper, a person who checks the identity of those entering and leaving. By being entrusted with keys, Peter stands as Jesus’ fully authorized representative. This dimension appears in the expression “I will give.” Moreover, these keys establish Peter’s authority over earthly church matters, a fact firmly present in Jesus’ words “bind on earth” and “loose on earth.” In a word, Jesus is handing to Peter the chief responsibility for leading his Church. But Peter does not carry this duty by himself. The keys will be held jointly among the Twelve, as Jesus later indicates: “Verily I say unto you [Twelve], Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). Terry B. Ball.

“ . . the story of the Transfiguration in Matthew is preceded, and therefore introduced, by Peter’s confession (Matthew 16:16) and Jesus’ own prophecy about His fate in the Holy City (Matthew 16:21).”

“Matthew, however, preserves Jesus’ promise to give “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19) to Peter, a story not found in the other Gospel. Demonstrating that Peter’s confession (identifying Jesus as both “Christ [Messiah]” and the “Son of the living God”) was accurate, adequate, and more important, appropriate.” Richard Holzapfel. 

“. . . the fact that Moses and Elijah appeared visibly to the Savior in the presence of the three stands as evidence that the Apostles were to grasp in a most concrete way that the long-past era of the Old Testament was tied to their own day. In this connection, we notice that Moses and Elijah still possessed their bodies, in a translated state, so that they did not die, thus allowing them to perform physical acts, such as the laying on of hands, to transmit their keys and authority.”

Footnote: On the physical nature of Moses and Elijah, consult Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols. Kent Brown.

“Our Synoptic authors make brief mention of-in reality it is scarcely more than an allusion to what happened on the [Mount of Transfiguration] when they and Jesus spent a sacred night enwrapped in the visions of eternity. This blessed night was one of those seeric periods when the mysteries of the kingdom, ‘which surpass all understanding,’ are shown forth to souls who are in tune with the Infinite. So marvelous are such revealed truths that it is ‘not lawful for man to utter’ them, ‘Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ They are reserved by the Lord for those prophets and seers who, ‘while in the flesh,’ are yet able ‘to bear his presence in the world of glory.’ (D&C 76: 114-18.)

In the providence of the Lord, the saints know some things that the world does not know about the spiritual outpouring of divine grace that fell on the Mountain of Transfiguration. But even Latter-day Revelation does not set forth the full account. And until men and women attain a higher state of spiritual understanding than they now enjoy, they will continue to see through a glass darkly and know only in part the visionary experiences of the presiding officers of the Meridian Church. That which is known, however, singles out this night as one of the most important and glorious in the lives who saw within the veil and who heard the voices of the heavenly participants. 

Bruce R. McConkie - The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary

https://www.ldsscriptureteachings.org/2018/10/matthew-17-the-mount-of-transfiguration/

EASTER 2023

Bennett, Richard E. “‘It Is Finished’: The Divine Accomplishment of the Crucifixion.” Celebrating Easter: The 2006 BYU Easter Conference, ed. Thomas A. Wayment and Keith J. Wilson (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, Religious Studies Center, 2006), 177–99.https://rsc.byu.edu/celebrating-easter/it-finished-divine-accomplishment-crucifixion

Johnson, Camille N. "Jesus Christ Is Relief." General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. April 2, 2023.

Ogden, D. Kelly. “Our Savior’s Love Manifest in Resurrection.” Our Savior’s Love: Hope & Healing in Christ, ed. Alonzo L. Gaskill and Stanley A. Johnson (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center; Salt Lake City, 2015), 77–101.

Olson, Camille Fronk. “They Ministered unto Him of Their Substance: Women and the Savior.” To Save the Lost. ed. Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Kent P. Jackson (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2009), 61–80.

Seely, Jo Ann H. “From Bethany to Gethsemane.” From the Last Supper Through the Resurrection. Ed. Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas A. Wayment. 

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“. . . in the walk from the Mount of Transfiguration through Gethsemane and finally to Golgotha, Christ left nothing to chance. He was careful to prepare His disciples for that which must occur. He was careful to fulfill all prophecy. He was careful in allowing evil men to work their wrath upon Him. And He was careful that His death came as a sacrifice. In all this, He accomplished all that His Heavenly Father desired of Him.” Richard E. Bennett.

“Martha’s four statements to Jesus teach what the disciples needed to learn to be prepared for the Passion week. First, the Lord has power: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (11:21), acknowledging that the Lord can heal us and that He is able to protect us from harm or even death. Second, the Father will bless Him in whatever He asks: “I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee” (11:22). Her plea suggests that she wanted Jesus to bring her brother back to life. When challenged by Jesus that her brother would rise again, she made her their response, that there will be a resurrection: “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (11:24). And finally, when taught by the Lord that He is the resurrection and the life, that “whosoever liveth and believers in [Him] shall never die,” Martha responded to His question “Believes thou this?” with these words: “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (11:26-27). 

If those present had understood the full import of Martha’s four declarations, the confusion and pain they experienced during Jesus’ final hours would have been greatly reduced. The disciples, in particular, would have known that Jesus did have the power to save Himself from all that came upon Him; that if asked, the Father could indeed have removed the bitter cup; that although Jesus was dead, He would rise again in three days; and that He was the very son of God, the promised Messiah.” Jo Ann H. Seely.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that Mary anointed Jesus in preparation for His being proclaimed king:

“Mary of Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, as guided by the Spirit, poured costly spikenard from her alabaster box upon the head of Jesus, and also anointed His feet, so that, the next day, the ten thousands of Israel might acclaim him King and shout Hosanna to His name. We see Jesus thus anointed and acclaimed, heading a triumphal procession into the Holy City.”

“It was a private setting in which the anointing of the Savior took place, in contrast to the public entrance that He would make into Jerusalem on Sunday. Mary took precious spikenard ointment, anointed Jesus, and reverently wiped His feet with her hair while the aroma of the costly ointment filled the air. This was more than an act of worship by a beloved friend of the Lord; it was symbolic of His death and burial that would take place in just a week’s time. 

Significantly, the anointing of Jesus took place while Jesus was alive, focusing on the richer meaning inherent in this act. The title Christ, or Messiah in Hebrew, means “anointed one,” and Jesus came in fulfillment of the messianic prophecies.”

Jo Ann H. Seely

“Among the women who approached the tomb that glorious morning were Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of James the Younger and Joses (Joseph); Salome, the mother of Apostles James and John; and Joanna, wife of Chuza, steward of Herod Antipas (see Luke 8:3; 24:10). We also cannot help but wonder whether the two beloved sisters from Bethany, Martha and Mary, along with some of the Apostles’ wives, were also present.

Among the women disciples who followed Jesus, Mary Magdalene seems to have served in a leadership capacity. She is mentioned first in several listings of female followers (see, for example, Matthew 27:56; Luke 24:10), and she was first to see the resurrected Lord (see John 20:1–18). Mary of Magdala appears to have had a preeminent relationship with Jesus of Nazareth.” D. Kelly Ogden

"What is relief? It is the removal or lightening of something painful, troubling, or burdensome, or the strength to endure it. It refers to a person who takes the place of another. It is the legal correction of a wrong. The Anglo-French word comes from Old French, the word relever, or “to raise up,” and from the Latin relevare, or “raise again.”

Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is relief. I testify that He did rise again on the third day and, having fulfilled the loving and infinite Atonement, stands with open arms, offering to us the opportunity to rise again, be saved, and be exalted and become like Him. The relief He offers us is everlasting.

Like the women visited by the angel on that first Easter morning, I wish to “go quickly” and with “great joy” to bring the word that He is risen. President Camille N. Johnson - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/42johnson?lang=eng

Matthew 14; Mark6; John 5-6

JOHN THE BAPTIST

“There is something uniquely sinister about murdering primarily for the sake of an oath—without some deeper emotional interest in the act. The use of the phrase in conjunction wit Herod Antipas recalls Cain and his descendants who bound themselves by oath to Satan. The execution of John the Baptist becomes thereby a death of epic status, like one of the earliest known murders among the fallen race of men.”

“John is the last representative of the pre-Christian relationship between God and man and of the order of the priesthood that administered it. His death symbolizes the end and the ultimate insufficient nature of that order and of that relationship.

This is not to undervalue the mission and greatness of John the Baptist, the ‘outstanding bearer of the Aaronic priesthood in all of history and the one entrusted with its most noble mission,’ of who Jesus said, ‘Among them that are born of women there hath not risen one greater than John the Baptist.’ John did not, after all, chose the nature of his death, nor did he himself intend it as a mock feast. His fate was imposed upon him by sinful men and women. But his death, like his birth and his life, prepared the way for the one foretold, and that death informs the reader to whom one must finally look for salvation— namely to the Christ of God that ‘giveth life unto the world.’”

Cecilia M. Peek, The Death of John the Baptist, The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, pg. 225

 HEALING AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA

“The Pool of Bethesda was a multilevel in-ground pool, banked by broad landings and stairs that led into the water. Four column-lined covered walkways surrounded the rectangular enclosure, and one divided the upper tank from the lower, giving the pool five colonnades. During Jesus’s time, a large crowd of disabled people would regularly gather at the pool and wait for the opportunity to be healed. They believed that at certain seasons an angel would come down and ‘stir’ the water, giving it healing properties. Legend had it that healing was available to anyone who was able to enter the pool first after an angel stirred the water (John 5:4, KJV).

Before this massive structure became known as a place of healing, the pool was simply used as a rainwater reservoir for ritual cleansing.

Located just outside Jerusalem’s walls near the Sheep Gate, the pool provided a perfect venue for purification. After the ceremonial sheep were thoroughly washed in the pool, they were taken through the Sheep Gate to the Temple for sacrifice. Some biblical experts believe the pool was also as a Mikveh, a bath for Jewish worshipers to achieve ritual purity.”

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/did-the-waters-at-the-pool-of-bethesda-heal-or-does-jesus.html