Posted on 05/04/2008 11:36:24 PM PDT by sevenbak
There are several uses of this word in the scriptures.
It is the N.T. (Greek) form of Elijah (Hebrew), as in Luke 4: 25-26, James 5: 17, and Matt. 17: 1-4. Elias in these instances can only be the ancient prophet Elijah whose ministry is recorded in 1 and 2 Kings. The curious wording of JST Mark 9: 3 does not imply that the Elias at the Transfiguration was John the Baptist, but that in addition to Elijah the prophet, John the Baptist was present.
Elias is also a title for one who is a forerunner, for example, John the Baptist, as in JST Matt. 11: 13-14, JST Matt. 17: 10-13, and JST John 1: 19-28. These passages are sufficiently clarified to show that anciently two Eliases were spoken of, one as a preparer and the other a restorer. John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, Jesus himself being the Restorer who brought back the gospel and the Melchizedek Priesthood to the Jews in his day (see JST John 1: 20-28, in the Appendix). In this particular instance there is reflected also the comparative functions of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.
The title Elias has also been applied to many others for specific missions or restorative functions that they are to fulfill, for example, John the Revelator (D&C 77: 14); and Noah or Gabriel (D&C 27: 6-7, cf. Luke 1: 11-20).
A man called Elias apparently lived in mortality in the days of Abraham, who committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland (Ohio) Temple on April 3, 1836 (D&C 110: 12). We have no specific information as to the details of his mortal life or ministry.
Thus the word Elias has many applications and has been placed upon many persons as a title pertaining to both preparatory and restorative functions. It is evident from the questions they asked that both the Jewish leaders and the disciples of Jesus knew something about the doctrine of Elias, but the fragmentary information in our current Bibles is not sufficient to give an adequate understanding of what was involved in use of the term. Only by divine revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith is this topic brought into focus for us who live in the last days.
Elijah
Jehovah is my God.
Called the Tishbite, but the meaning of this name is quite uncertain, no place being known from which it could be derived. He was “of the inhabitants of Gilead,” the wild and beautiful hill country east of Jordan. The nature of the district and the lonely life which men lived there produced its full effect on the character of the prophet. Nothing is known of his parentage. The northern kingdom was the scene of his work, at a time when, owing to the influence of Ahab and Jezebel, the people had almost entirely forsaken the worship of Jehovah, and had become worshippers of the Phoenician god Baal (1 Kgs. 16: 32; 1 Kgs. 18: 19). An account of Elijah’s life is found in 1 Kgs. 17 - 2 Kgs. 2, and 2 Chr. 21: 12-15; there are also the following references to him in the N.T.: Matt. 16: 14; Matt. 17: 3; Matt. 27: 47-49; Mark 6: 14-15; Mark 9: 4; Mark 15: 35-36; Luke 4: 25-26; Luke 9: 30; James 5: 17.
The deep impression Elijah made upon the life of the Israelites is indicated in the fixed belief that prevails that he will return, as spoken of in Mal. 4: 5. The foregoing references from the N.T. show that many mistook Jesus for Elijah returned. Among the Jews he is still an invited guest at the passover, for whom a vacant seat is reserved and the door is opened.
His recorded words are few but forceful, and his deeds are explicit evidences of his strength of will, force of character, and personal courage. He was an example of solid faith in the Lord. With his ministry are associated such colorful events as his pronouncements upon the life and death of Ahab and Jezebel (and their subsequent fulfillment); calling down fire from heaven; sealing the heavens with no rain for three and one-half years; blessing the widow’s meal and oil; and raising a boy from the dead. His life closed dramatically; “there appeared a chariot of fire, . . . and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven,” (2 Kgs. 2: 11-12) and thus was he translated. As a result of Elijah’s ministry, Baal worship was greatly reduced as a threat to Israel. At his translation Elijah’s mantle (shawl) fell on Elisha, his successor; the term “mantle of the prophet” has become a phrase indicative of prophetic succession.
We learn from latter-day revelation that Elijah held the sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood and was the last prophet to do so before the time of Jesus Christ. He appeared on the Mount in company with Moses (also translated) and conferred the keys of the priesthood on Peter, James, and John (Matt. 17: 3). He appeared again, in company with Moses and others, on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland (Ohio) Temple and conferred the same keys upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. All of this was in preparation for the coming of the Lord, as spoken of in Mal. 4: 5-6 (D&C 110: 13-16). As demonstrated by his miraculous deeds, the power of Elijah is the sealing power of the priesthood by which things bound or loosed on earth are bound or loosed in heaven. Thus the keys of this power are once again operative on the earth and are used in performing all the ordinances of the gospel for the living and the dead.
You have a canned answer for just about everything, don’t you?
The LDS Bible dictionary, you might find this helpful. Elias was used in different places with different meanings. The references are there, I won’t post them again, but here’s the dictionary.
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/contents
*****The LDS Bible dictionary....*****
LOL!
Nave Bible Dictionary:
Elias
See ELIJAH
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:
Elias
e-li’-as.
See ELIJAH.
Hitchcock’s Bible Names:
Elias
God the Lord, the strong Lord
(same as Elijah)
That's what happens when you don't know Greek or Hebrew.
(And LDS have kept that "grand" tradition...instead of training bishops to know anything of the sort, their bishops occupy great seats of heart judgment upon their members...seeking to find out if they are "temple worthy.")
Don't you just love the song and dance that the LDS Bible Dictionary gives in explanation of that obvious error by none other than Jesus Christ.
If there was ever a passage of Mormon Scripture that has within it direct and incontrovertible proof of fraud it is D&C 27.
Thanks for posting that sevenbak.
1. Why is this thread in “News/Activism” vice “Religion?”
2. You have the absolute Constitutional Right to practice the religion you wish to practice, as long as you don’t interfere with mine. You wish to be a member of a religion that preaches the earth is flat and the moon is made of green cheese? Go for it.
Can't have something like the Trinity, huh?
It's just the mormon way, donchaknow? Why bother with the meaning of the sacrament of our Lord, just substitute their "natural man" ways instead. Besides they save a few pennies on the cost of the "fruit of the vine".
That’s a choice the mods have made. This was posted to the religion forum and moved.
Our Old Testament does not contain the prophecies of these Eliases, but they were known to the Jews of Jesus’ day. The priests and Levites specifically asked John the Baptist if he was the restorational Elias saying, “Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” (John 1:21) Peter knew of this doctrine as well, and he looked forward to “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21)
DC 27:7 John…should be filled with the spirit of Elias
The term Elias can also be used referring to a preparatory work. Of all preparatory Eliases, John the Baptist is the prototype.
Joseph Smith
The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias even from the early ages of the world. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 335-336)
DC 27:9 Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts…
Joseph Smith
The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth; and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven.
…What is this office and work of Elijah? It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has revealed. He should send Elijah to seal the children to the fathers, and the fathers to the children. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 337.)
I’l repeat what I said to you on the other thread. This was moved from the religion forum to the news forum by the mods. If you have a problem with that, take it up with them.
Delightsome? Hardly.
In my experience “Wonder Bread” is neither.
Just for additional info:
Leaven in Scripture usually (there are a couple of exceptions, like Mat. 13:33) represents sin, i.e., Luke 12:1, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy,” and 1Co 5:8, “Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Why? Several reasons. The first is that leaven corrupts by puffing up, and begins the process of decay in the bread it inhabits. Second, because we desire it—as those of us who participate in the Feast of Matzah are doubly aware. Third, because leaven is passed from loaf to loaf, just as sin is passed from generation to generation.
The fourth reason has to do with the Exodus; the reason Israel made matzah (unleavened bread) for their journey is that they would have had to wait for the dough to rise otherwise, lingering in Egypt after they had been redeemed and freed. In the same way, the definition of sin for we who are redeemed is to linger in bondage to the ways of the world.
Matzah, of course, is made without leaven. In fact, great pains are taken to make sure the bread doesn’t have a chance to begin rising. Ergo, matzah is symbolically without sin, just as our Lord is without sin. In addition, matzah is pierced (in order to keep it from bubbling off the griddle) just as Yeshua was pierced. It has the appearance of being striped and bruised by the fire, just as He was striped and bruised for our sakes. It is broken when eaten, as He was broken on the tree.
Even before I was Messianic, I ended up leaving a congregation over the issue of using leavened bread for the Communion. It amounts to saying that He sinned.
If one is going to partake of a ritual, one needs to make sure that one isn’t altering it in such a way that it symbolizes heresy instead of truth.
Shalom!
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