Part 14

There was a time--and that not so very long ago--when it was thought impossible that a man should ever be able to speak clearly and distinctly to a friend a {265} hundred miles away, and hear in return, as clearly and as distinctly, the voice of his friend. Certain men, however, who were prying into the secrets of nature discovered some things about sound. They learned that sound travels through some medium, like the air, by means of waves--waves of alternate condensation and rarefaction of the air, for example. Then these men studied the human ear, and they learned that as these sound waves struck the ear, the drum of the ear was made to vibrate back and forth as a condensed part of the air or a rarefied part of the air struck it. The men became interested; further study revealed the fact that almost any disk, like the drum of the ear, could be made to vibrate to sound waves. It was found that these sound waves could be transmitted through string, or wire. It was discovered that a small current of electricity flowing through a wire aided in the conducting of the sound wave. Little by little science progressed, until by and by there appeared a telephone. It was crude, and it reproduced the human voice with a terrible roar. But the men of science worked at it; they perfected first one part of it, then another, as they learned better to understand the laws governing the reproduction of sound. Finally came the perfect telephone. Today it is possible to telephone--not a hundred miles merely--but from New York to San Francisco, clear across a continent, a distance of several thousand miles. Such an achievement, if it had been shown suddenly, would have been considered a miracle. It would have been in violation of all the known laws of nature. But now we know that this {266} miracle has been accomplished through the harnessing of natural laws not known to our forefathers. The achievement is the result of neither violation of law, nor co-operation with Beelzebub.

[Sidenote: Other miracles of science.]

The story of the achievements of science is full of wonders like that of the telephone. Any one of them, if it had been revealed suddenly, would have seemed as unusual, as extraordinary, certainly in violation of natural law, as the turning of water into wine, or as any of the miracles of healing performed by Jesus. Think of the achievement of the telegraph which covers with a network of wires every land area in the world; think of the huge cable slung undersea tying together the nations; think of the Marconigraph making it possible to send messages the world over without the medium of wires; think of the X-ray and the wonderful photography made possible by it; think of the innumerable achievements of modern medicine, relieving pain, effecting cures of ills that were once thought incurable, correcting deformities, restoring sight and hearing, almost giving new life to the dead. These and countless other wonders of modern life should teach us what a miracle is. Man performs every day wonders that may almost be called miracles only--since he possesses very limited power--it takes him a long time to get his results. Jesus, acting with divine power, called into play the laws of life, and accomplished in a moment what it would take the man of science an indefinite period to do. In other words, just as the wonderful achievements of science have been made possible through the discovering and the harnessing of the laws of the {267} universe, so a miracle such as Jesus performed is made possible through the rapid assembly and harnessing of the natural laws that govern the case in hand.

[Sidenote: The power of the Priesthood.]

But by what power did Jesus marshal the laws of nature, and direct them to His own desires? By the power of the priesthood of God. No man can hope to perform miracles who does not possess the authority of that priesthood. Jesus Himself was the Son of God, and held the authority of His own priesthood. And any man upon whom Jesus has conferred that priesthood may go forth likewise, and heal the sick and do other mighty works in His name. Men holding the priesthood of the Son of God need only to go out in the strength of their manhood, in the cleanness and purity of their lives, and in the fearlessness of their convictions. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and in the power of their priesthood, they, too, may command the higher, yet unknown laws of the universe, and effect cures and restorations as marvelous as those recorded in the ministry of Jesus and the first apostles. "I came unto my own," said Jesus to the Prophet of the dispensation of the Fulness of Times, "and my own received me not; but unto as many as received me, gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God, and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life."

[Sidenote: The purpose of miracles.]

For what purpose are miracles wrought? In all generations there have been people who have sought signs, by which they might be converted. But miracles are not given for the {268} purpose of converting the unbelieving. The scribes and the Pharisees came to Jesus, saying, "Master, we would have a sign from Thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign." What then is the purpose of miracles? Miracles come as the result of faith; they do not come to create faith. In His own country, Jesus even could perform no mighty work because the people had not faith in Him. Miracles are a kind of reward of faith, and serve to strengthen faith already born. "It shall come to pass," said Jesus in modern times, "that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed; he who hath faith to see shall see; he who hath faith to hear shall hear; the lame who hath faith to leap shall leap." All these good things come by faith to increase our faith.

[Sidenote: The privilege of the sick.]

So, in the providence of God, it is given to the authority of the priesthood, through faith, to do mighty works--to command forces of nature not yet understood by man, and thereby to perform miracles, for the increasing of faith and the perfecting of the saints. Said James the apostle, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

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THE REFERENCES

Mark 3:22-26. Matt. 12:38, 39.

Doc. and Cov. 45:8. Doc. and Cov. 42:48-52.

James 5:14, 15.

THE QUESTIONS

1. What questions are aroused by the reading of the miracles performed by Jesus?

2. How did the scribes explain Jesus's miracle-working power?

3. What was the answer of Jesus?

4. How can it be shown that the universe is ruled by law?

5. Explain the miracle of the telephone?

6. What other miraculous achievements have been made by science?

7. How does a miracle differ from one of these achievements of science?

8. Show that it is no more difficult to believe in one of the miracles than in one of the achievements of science.

9. By what power are miracles performed?

10. What is the purpose of miracles?

11. What privilege does everyone of us enjoy when he is sick?

{270} PICTURE: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE, Hofmann

{271}

XXXV

AN ATONING SACRIFICE

[Sidenote: An incredible thought.]

As He went about His Father's business teaching the means of eternal life, Jesus presented many principles that it was difficult for His followers to understand, but you may readily imagine that He presented no other thought so hard for them to comprehend as the thought that He must lay down His own life. To His disciples, Jesus was the Mighty King come to establish His reign on earth. They thought that He would establish an earthly kingdom; that He would overthrow the dominion of Rome in Palestine; that He would restore the independence of the Jewish nation. It did not occur to them that His was more largely a spiritual kingdom, than a material kingdom. The thought that He should lose His life seemed impossible to them; indeed, it was abhorrent to them. Many of them did not learn to understand Jesus's sayings about His death until after He was actually laid away in the tomb.

[Sidenote: Jesus's foreknowledge of His death.]

But the knowledge of His approaching and inevitable death, seems to have been always present with Jesus Himself. Very early in His ministry, Jesus foreshadowed the coming end. "The days will come," He declared to those assembling about Him, "when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days." Somewhat later. He spoke of His death as a "baptism," and asserted that it would become a kind of test to determine, who was for him and who was against Him." "I am come to send fire on the earth," declared He; "and what {272} will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you Nay; but rather division; for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." The division in the family would be caused, of course, because some members would accept Jesus, whereas others would reject Him; some would find in His sinless death reason for worship, whereas others would find in His sufferings sufficient reason for rejection.

After Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," at Caesarea Phillipi, Jesus began more definitely to proclaim a violent death. Immediately, "He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He spake that saying openly," we read. "And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him." Or, as Matthew expresses it, Peter rebuked Him, saying, "Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee." It is evident then that even though Peter was inspired to know that Jesus was the Christ, he had not yet received an understanding of the fact that Jesus must suffer death at the hands of His enemies in order to fulfill His great mission to the earth. And if Peter did not understand this truth, you may easily believe, that the thought of it {273} was intolerable to the rest of the disciples. They could not conceive of their divine leader's failing to establish the kingdom of God as an earthly dominion. Then further to impress upon His disciples the fact that His death was required by the law of sacrifice, He told them that they must themselves not expect to profit in a worldly or political way through their association with Him; but rather must they expect to suffer persecution and to sacrifice themselves. For sacrifice and service are demanded in the kingdom of God. "Whosoever will come after me," said Jesus to the awe-stricken disciples, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

[Sidenote: The significance of the death of Jesus.]

It is not necessary here to quote further in detail the sayings of Jesus which indicate that He foreknew the violent death which He was destined to suffer. He assured James and John, when they sought places of honor and power in His Kingdom, that they were not able to drink the cup that He had to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which He was to be baptized. And at the last supper, when He instituted the ordinance we call now the sacrament. He said of the broken bread, "Take, eat; this is my body;" and of the cup, "Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." From these statements, it is apparent that certain facts were clearly understood by Jesus, and that He endeavored as clearly to teach them to His disciples. These points are four, and you should try to remember them. First, Jesus foreknew and {274} proclaimed that the hatred of His enemies--the scribes and the Pharisees and the rulers in general--would finally bring about His death. Then, He knew equally well, and asserted with the same assurance, that His death was divinely appointed. Again, He assured His disciples that if they would gain places of honor in His kingdom, they too must be prepared to practice self-denial, to humble themselves and render service, and even, if necessary, to lay down their own lives for the Gospel's sake. Finally, Jesus announced that, through His death, mankind would be redeemed from sin, and that His death was therefore not a defeat but a glorious victory.

[Sidenote: Worldly views of how Jesus's death can save.]

These teachings are certainly inspiring and hopeful. The last one is particularly consoling. But, of course, it is only natural to ask, From what does the death of Christ actually deliver us? How can His death deliver us from sin? These questions have been asked by men ever since the crucifixion. It is almost amusing what strange notions people have held--and do still hold--in answer to these questions. Thus, some people believe that the death of Jesus represented the price paid to Satan to prevail upon him to release man from his power. Others believe that when Jesus gave His life for many, it was to protect them, or deliver them, from the fear of death. Still others hold that through His death Jesus broke the bonds that held His disciples to the belief and understanding that God's kingdom, was an earthly and temporal kingdom, and that the salvation which Jesus taught was earthly. Of course, no one of these theories--nor any one of several others not here mentioned--satisfies the conditions of the sacrifice made by Jesus. It does not really reveal from what {275} His death rescues us, nor how it is possible for His death to rescue us at all.

[Sidenote: The real significance of the death of Jesus.]

It is strange that there should be so much confusion about the nature and purpose of Jesus's atoning sacrifice. It is well known that through the sin of Adam, death came into the world. That death was not only physical but spiritual; for man was driven out from the presence of God. Adam broke a divine law. Necessarily, punishment, came to him. Now, in accordance with the law of justice, Adam and his children could be redeemed from death, and restored to the presence of God, only by satisfying in some way the broken law. How could that be done? We have learned, you remember, that there was a council in heaven before the earth was formed. There the whole plan of salvation was revealed. Jesus was appointed to become the Christ. His mission was to teach men to know God, that they might be prepared to return to Him, and through His own death to satisfy the demands of justice and thus to break the bands of physical death. This may, perhaps, be a little difficult to understand, but it is certainly what Jesus taught; for the learned Paul wrote, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." This, too, is the testimony of John the Baptizer, who exclaimed when he saw Jesus approaching from the distance, "Behold {276} the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world;" and also of John the Beloved, who wrote in his Book of Revelation, "All that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

[Sidenote: The Nephite explanation.]

To the Nephites, the nature and purpose of the atoning sacrifice was made particularly plain. We read thus: "Now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen; but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created, must have remained in the same state which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore, they would have remained in a state of innocence; having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy.

"And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that He may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall, they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves, and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given."

[Sidenote: Why Jesus submitted to His enemies.]

It was, then, in fulfillment of the divine plan that Jesus allowed Himself to be taken prisoner in the garden of Gethsemane; that He endured trial before His enemies; and that He suffered untold agony on the cross. With His death, {277} the world itself became canvulsed. The heavens became shrouded in darkness; and the earth was torn, and shaken and distressed. But at that awful moment, the bands of death were broken; the original sin was expiated; and the way was opened whereby man might return to his Maker.

[Sidenote: The new testimony of Jesus.]

"Behold," said Jesus to our own Prophet, "I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent, but if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit: and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink--Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men."

Truly, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

THE REFERENCES

Mark 2:20. 1 Cor. 15:19-23.

Luke 12:49-53. John 1:29.

Mark 8:31-35. Rev. 13:8.

Mark 10:38-41. 2 Nephi 2:22-26.

Matt. 16:28. Doc. and Cov. 19:16-19.

{278} THE QUESTIONS

1. Why could not the disciples think that Jesus would be killed?

2. Show how Jesus foreknew His death.

3. How was Jesus's death necessary to satisfy the law of sacrifice?

4. What was the real significance of the death of Jesus?

5. From what does the death of Jesus save the world?

6. How does the death of Jesus save?

7. Discuss the explanation given in 2nd Nephi.

8. Explain the attitude of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and after.

9. How did Jesus describe His sufferings to the Prophet Joseph Smith?

10. What do we owe to Jesus?

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{280} PICTURE: TOUCH ME NOT, Plockhorst

{281}

XXXVI

THE PLACE CALLED PARADISE

[Sidenote: A well-established fact.]

Of all the many well-attested incidents in the life of Jesus, there is none more firmly established than the fact that Jesus rose from death to a newness of life. His resurrection was an actual uprising of the physical body which He had laid down, and a renewal of all the life forces. Jesus had plainly foretold that He would rise from the tomb on the third day after His death; but such a performance was so foreign to the experience of His disciples, that they failed to grasp the full significance of His sayings. You can appreciate yourselves how difficult it would be for you, even with your present knowledge, to get the full meaning of such a saying as this: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." But it is never safe to question a fact merely because we have not experienced it ourselves. We walk by faith, and by faith is accomplished all the world's work. Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus is doubly assured by our faith in the testimonies of those who knew Him and saw Him.

[Sidenote: The first five appearances of the risen Christ.]

Ten separate and distinct appearances of the risen Redeemer are recorded in the New Testament. First, on the morning of the resurrection, He appeared to Mary Magdalene, who had come early in the morning with Mary, the mother of Jesus, Salome and Joanna to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. When Mary recognized Him, she said to Him in Hebrew, {282} "Rabboni." Jesus answered, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God." Soon thereafter, Jesus appeared to the other three women and called to them, "All hail. And they came and took hold of His feet, and worshipped Him." Then, in the afternoon of the resurrection day, Jesus appeared to Cleopas and another of the disciples as they were journeying to Emmaus, and interpreted to them the scriptures concerning Himself. The fourth appearance of the risen Christ was to Peter; but when or where we do not know. At the fifth appearance, Jesus appeared suddenly to ten of His disciples, and said, "Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when He had thus spoken. He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them. Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them."

[Sidenote: Five more appearances of the Christ and the ascension.]

When Jesus appeared thus suddenly and partook of the broiled fish, Thomas was not present. Eight days later, when the disciples were again behind closed doors, Jesus stood again suddenly amongst them and said, "Peace be unto you." This time Thomas was present. Jesus said to him, "Reach hither thy finger, and {283} behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." When next Jesus appeared, there were only seven of the apostles present. They were at the sea of Tiberias, and had gone fishing. Jesus appeared before them, and directed them where to cast their nets. Then the apostles recognized Him. It was at this appearance that Jesus charged Peter as the leader of His apostles to feed His sheep. At the next appearance, Jesus showed Himself to the eleven apostles and probably more than five hundred brethren, who had assembled on a mount in Galilee appointed by Jesus. Here Jesus commissioned His apostles to preach the Gospel to all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. The ninth appearance was to James, the Lord's brother. Of this we know only the recorded fact. At the last appearance, Jesus came to the eleven apostles somewhere in Jerusalem. After He had instructed them at some length, He led them out of Jerusalem toward Bethany. Then, "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

[Sidenote: The value of the testimonies.]