Book of Mormon Commentary - Moroni 2

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 2 Jesus gave the Nephite apostles power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]	Jesus Christ gave the Nephite the power and manner of baptism in 3 Nephi 11:25 and here in Moroni 2, Moroni speaks of them also having the power and manner of bestowing the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Between about A.D. 416-421]
1 THE words of Christ, which he spake unto his ^adisciples, the twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them^a— 2 And he called them by name^a, saying: Ye shall ^acall on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have ^bpower that to him upon whom ye shall lay your ^chands, ^dye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles. 3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on as many as they ^alaid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost. Priesthood Order While the New Testament record does not give such 'Priesthood Order' to the ordinances as Moroni does give in his short book in the Book of Mormon, there is adequate evidence in the New Testament record that such 'ordinances' were both performed and required such as baptism, the giving of the Holy Ghost and the ordaining of apostles, etc. Now Moroni does not give a complete 'handbook' on the performance of all priesthood ordinances, but it does seem significant that he gives just enough of an account that beyond the account of the New Testament, we begin to see a 'particular order' about these authorized 'priesthood ordiances'. In truth, if one did not have either the New Testament or the Book of Mormon, one could be given what this order of ordinances is by revelation from God. But the 'witnesses' of the New Testament and the Book of Mormon are provided precisely for that purpose, that in the mouth of two or three witness is the order and the word of the Lord confirmed. From the confirming testaments of the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, beyond modern revelation, we have these acient witnesses which testify that the same priesthood ordinances which were performed in the time of Christ both in the old and new worlds, were perform in the same manner and after the same manner in which we do perform them today.	1^a as he laid his hands upon them "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you." This was according to the gospel records concerning the call of the twelve apostles. It was a matter of ordination. While the full contents of that ordinational prayer is not given in the New Testament, a particular selected immediately applicable portion of the ordination of apostles by the Lord is given by Moroni concerning their power to confer the Holy Ghost upon members of Christ's church. 2^a And he called them by name The proper order of a priesthood ordination commonly begins by calling the person upon whom one's hands have been laid by their name. Moroni obviously does not give a complete word by word account of the entire ordination of each of the Nephite 12 apostles, but from the combination of the 'laying on of hands' and the 'calling each by name', it becomes quite obvious to anyone who is familiar with the order of an ordination that the words which Moroni is here recording is a part of the apostle's ordinational blessing as given by Jesus Christ upon each of them.	1^a 3 Ne. 13:25; 3 Ne. 15:11 2^a Gen. 4:26; Ether 4:15 ^b Matt. 10:1; TG Priesthood, Melchizedek ^c TG Hands, Laying on of ^d 3 Ne. 18:37 3^a Acts 19:6

Previous BM Chapter

Next BM Chapter

Commentary Page