As I read through this lesson, the topic of revelation and learning line upon line (or from grace to grace) as is mentioned in the lesson, popped out to me. There is revelation to the shepherds, revelation to Mary, revelation to Joseph, revelation to Anna and Simeon, revelation to the wise men, and other revelations to Joseph to keep Jesus safe.
Elder Oaks wrote a talk called "Eight Reasons for Revelation" and here are the reasons:
1. to testify
2. to prophecy
3. to give comfort
4. to uplift
5. to inform
6. to restrain us from doing something
7. to confirm that a decision or conclusion is right
8. impels a person to action.
As we read through the revelations to each of the above named people, I tried to match up the purposes of each revelation according to Elder Oaks revelations reasons. Also this excerpt of the Bible Dictionary definition of revelation is helpful:
BD Revelation: The English word revelation is translated from a Greek word apocalypse, meaning to make known or uncover. The principle of gaining knowledge by revelation is the principle of salvation. It is the making known of divine truth by communication with the heavens.
The thing that made the most impact on me though, was the time period that we do not know much about: Jesus' childhood. Here's what intrigued me. At the end of Luke 2, Jesus stays behind in Jerusalem to teach at the temple (at the age of twelve when, in Jewish custom, you are now considered a man, but not old enough to begin a trade - which happens to be 30 years old - when Jesus begins his ministry). Mary and Joseph lost him and went back to Jerusalem, and when they found him asked why he worried his father so, and Jesus responded that he was about his Father's business (Heavenly Father). But then he left with Mary and Joseph:
51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and wasasubject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in herbheart.
He was subject to them. Meaning, he still had some growing to do. He knew full well his purpose, but still needed to be subject to his earthly parents for proper human growth and perhaps more self-mastery. In fact in the JST Matt 3:24-26, it says that he "waxed strong and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come." Within that time the Doctrine and Covenants says:
READ D&C 93:12-14 “And I, John, saw that he received not of the fullness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fullness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fullness at the first.”
Again some definitions from the Bible Dictionary and a quote about grace:
BD Revelation: Divine revelation is one of the grandest concepts and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for without it, man could not know of the things of God and could not be saved with any degree of salvation in the eternities.
BD Grace: The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.
Bruce R. McConkie: “Grace is an attribute of perfection possessed by Deity and Christ himself “received grace for grace: until finally he gained the fullness of the Father.”
I have learned that the grace offered to us through Jesus comes because he grew from grace to grace. He understands what grace (or experience or doctrine) we need next because he experienced that grace himself. Grace isn't just mercy, it's an attribute of perfection that has came through the same process that Christ went through. Although his process what a lot more speedy that mine. He probably knew what I know at human age 1. What a comfort it is to know that he exhibited self-mastery to be subject to his earthly parents and to his Heavenly Father, so that he could experience what we need to know.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is great!
Thanks, Lisa. It gives me great hope in my own parenting to know that even Christ, as a perfect being, needed His imperfect parents and was able to grow in wisdom under their care.
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