KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
In June 2008 Sister Robinson and I visited a small cathedral
in Copenhagen, Denmark. We went there to
see the famous statues created by Bertel Thorvaldsen, of Jesus Christ and the
twelve Apostles. In these 13 separate sculptures,
Peter holds a large key in his hand. This
statue depicts the keys of the kingdom that Christ promised to give to Peter
before his death and resurrection. This
is the same cathedral that President Kimball with other church leaders visited
years ago when President Kimball testified to the caretaker of the cathedral
about the real keys on earth today. See
April 2008 Conference – Elder Boyd K. Packer.
My wife and I found the statues elegant and the experience very
worthwhile. The statue of Christ at that
cathedral is the original Christus which is copied in the Salt Lake Temple
Visitors Center and at other church centers.
The promised keys were given during one of the most
significant events in the New Testament on the mount of transfiguration when
Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John. It was then that they received from Jesus,
Moses and Elijah the priesthood keys they would need to govern the Church after
the Savior’s death.
The account of the transfiguration in Matt. 17:1-5 is not
greatly detailed. Modern day prophets
have taught that during the transfiguration Peter, James and John also saw a
vision of the transfiguration of the earth at the Savior’s Second Coming. (DC
63:20-21) They were also taught about
the Savior’s death and resurrection. These
events would strengthen each of them in the eventful days and years ahead.
The name Elias is used in different ways in the
scriptures. In Matt. 17:3-4 it is the
Greek name for Elijah. It other places
it is a title to describe someone who is a forerunner or preparer.
This event is particularly interesting to us as we serve
missions because many people frequently do not understand the need for priesthood
keys and priesthood power with its line of authority. They do not understand the difference between
the keys and the priesthood. But, keys
and priesthood are a necessity today to administer to the affairs of the church
and receive revelation in the church to know how the church should respond to
current events. Without priesthood keys
this would not occur.
About a week before the transfiguration, Peter was promised,
“And I will give unto
thee the keys of
the kingdom of
heaven…”, after Christ declared that his church will be built on the rock of
revelation. (Matt. 16:16-19)
In 1836, one of the most significant events of the
restoration occurred. Moses and Elijah
returned again to the earth in the recently completed Kirkland Temple and laid
their hands on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to restore the same keys given
to Peter, James, and John. (DC110:11-13) These keys are used today under the direction
of the President of the Church. Thus,
Joseph Smith and all his successors have been or are now in possession of all
the keys from the previous dispensations for the kingdom of heaven on earth in
the last days. Through the ages various
prophets have held keys for their dispensations and labors. Joseph Smith stated all these prophets from
Michael (Adam) down to the present time including John the Baptist, Peter,
James and John who had keys from Christ, divers angels and Raphael, whose
mortal identity has not been revealed, and others have come and restored their
keys:
21 … all
declaring their dispensation,
their rights, their keys,
their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood… (DC
128:21)
Simply stated, the priesthood is the authority to act
in behalf of God for the salvation of God’s children. The power of directing these labors constitutes
the keys of the Priesthood. Thus, a
bishop or stake president for example does not have increased priesthood by
this special appointment. A Mission
President does not have more priesthood than a missionary who labors under his
direction. But, the Mission President
holds the power to direct the official priesthood labors performed in the
mission. That power of presiding over and
directing the work is the “keys”.
All keys are held by each member of the Quorum of
Twelve Apostles. All keys are exercised
by only one person at a time, the presiding officer of the church – which keys
give him the power to govern and direct the administration of the church on
earth. This is normally the prophet and
president of the church and only he can exercise them fully.
“The keys of the kingdom,…belong
always unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood” (DC 81:2)
At the death of the President of the Church, dissolution of
the first presidency automatically occurs so the senior member of the Quorum of
Twelve, as the presiding officer of the Quorum, then exercises these keys in
their fullness. Thus, at the time of
their ordination as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, each Apostle receives
by ordination and blessing all of the keys of the priesthood which are currently
available to man on the earth and which lay dormant until he is the senior
member of the Quorum. The presiding
officer may delegate a portion of these keys to others in which case that
person holds the keys of that particular labor for the duration of his calling.
Mc Conkie, in Mormon
Doctrine, states that when the Lord comes to reign personally upon the
earth during the millennial era, he will take back the keys. And, eventually in the celestial day, “the
keys of the kingdom shall be delivered up again unto the Father” (JST Luke 3:8)
Who can doubt that the transfiguration was an event that
happened for a significant reason? That
is part of the Biblical record because it was not just an odd, irrelevant thing
that happened and that has no bearing on anything. The Savior took part in the transfiguration
for a reason. It mattered because the
keys are important. Who can question the
reason for a similar event in the Kirkland Temple in 1836 with the early
restored church? That mattered because
the keys are important.
President Robinson
As missionaries we can learn a lesson from the mount of
transfiguration. It is a pattern we can
follow. Christ sought communion with his
Father to support him in the coming hours.
He took Peter, James and John to help fortify them and strengthen their
faith. They were taught of the Savior’s
coming death and resurrection, teachings which would strengthen each of them in
the days to come. We can likewise be
strengthened when we need spiritual strength by fervent prayer and study of the
doctrines of the gospel. The Savior will
strengthen us as he did Peter, James and John.
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