Chapter 2
Jesus gave the twelve
Nephite disciples power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. About
A.D. 401–21.
One of the first things that happened when Christ began his
ministry among the Nephites, was to select twelve Nephite apostles. “And now it
came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve
whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken.
For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people.
Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the
life more than meat, and the body than raiment” (3 Nephi 13:25).
He laid His hands on their head and told them, Ye shall call
on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye
shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give
the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles”
(Moroni 2:2).
“[T]he text recorded by Moroni is faithfully dependent upon
the earlier account. In both instances, the twelve are called the ‘disciples …
whom he had chosen’; the manner of ordination by the laying on of hands is
specified; the operative words bestowing ‘power’ to ‘give the Holy Ghost’ are
the same; and the certification that the ‘multitude heard it not’ is
consciously repeated. These words add further evidence of the high degree to
which the Nephites venerated the words that Jesus spoke while he was with them.
Presumably these leaders used these words of Jesus as they, in turn, conveyed
to their successors the same priesthood power and authority that Jesus had
given them.”[1]
Moroni concludes by informing us Christ spoke thee words
during His first appearance. He was speaking only to the twelve. The multitude
did not hear these words.
Chapter 3
Elders ordain priests
and teachers by the laying on of hands. About A.D. 401–21.
In chapter 3, Moroni gives us direction dealing with priests
and teachers in the church.
Alma2 followed this process. “And now it came to
pass that after Alma had made an end of speaking unto the people of the church,
which was established in the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders,
by laying on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch over
the church” (Alma 6:1).
“After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of
Christ, they laid their hands upon them” (Moroni 3:2).
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ [GR
having left behind the beginning of the doctrine], let us go on unto
perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and
of faith toward God,
“Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and
of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:1-2).
“From the same comes the administering of ordinances and
blessings upon the church, by the laying on of the hands” (D&C 107:67).
After they have layed their hands upon the person’s head,
they pray, “In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest (or if he
be a teacher, I ordain you to be a teacher) to preach repentance and remission
of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end.
Amen” (Moroni 3:3).
“And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers,
according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by
the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them” (Moroni 3:4).
“Notably, the procedures utilized here again follow the
instructions given by the resurrected Lord. First, the elders ‘prayed unto the
Father in the name of Christ,’ just as Jesus had originally told the disciples
to do: ‘Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer’ (Moroni 2:2).
Second, they began the ordination by stating that it was performed ‘in the name
of Jesus Christ,’ just as he had instructed: ‘in my name shall ye give it’
(Moroni 2:2). Third, they laid their hands upon those whom they ordained, just
as the Savior had done as he had ordained the twelve disciples. And fourth, the
Nephite elders ordained priests and teachers ‘by the power of the Holy Ghost,
which was in them,’ the power that was bestowed upon them by Jesus himself.
Thus, again, we can see the extent to which the Nephites followed the
instructions and example of the Lord and did as he had instructed them.” [2]
[1] From
Presence to Practice: Jesus, the Sacrament Prayers, the Priesthood, and Church
Discipline in 3 Nephi 18 and Moroni 2–6, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute
website.
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