Church History
Joseph Smith’s Revelations, Doctrine and Covenants 27

“Doctrine and Covenants 27,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers (2020)

“Doctrine and Covenants 27,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers

Doctrine and Covenants 27

[The revelation in this section first appeared in 1830. A significantly revised version of the revelation was published in 1835. Both versions of the text appear here.]

Revelation, circa August 1830

Source Note

Revelation, Harmony Township, Susquehanna Co., PA, [ca. Aug.] 1830. Featured version, titled “28th. Commandment AD 1830,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 35–36; handwriting of John Whitmer; CHL. Includes redactions. For more information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1 on the Joseph Smith Papers website.

Historical Introduction

This revelation announced guidelines for what members of the Church of Christ should use in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper to represent the blood of Christ. JS’s history explained that he dictated the revelation during a visit from Newel and Sally Knight to his home in Harmony in August 1830: “As neither his wife nor mine had been as yet confirmed, it was proposed that we should confirm them, and partake together of the sacrament, before he and his wife should leave us.— In order to prepare for this; I set out to go to procure some wine for the occasion, but had gone only a short distance when I was met by a heavenly messenger, and received the following revelation.”1 The revelation told JS to use only new wine made by members of the church.2

Both the dating and the text of this revelation present challenges. The earliest extant copy, in Revelation Book 1 (the version featured here), dated it broadly to the year 1830, and John Whitmer placed it between revelations dated July and September 1830.3 Despite Whitmer’s placement, however, the versions published in 1833 in The Evening and the Morning Star and the Book of Commandments specified 4 September 1830 as the date.4 The versions published in the 1835 Evening and Morning Star reprint and in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants included two additional paragraphs and dated the entire revelation to September 1830, removing the precise date mentioned in the earlier publications.5 In his later history, however, JS said that the first paragraph of the 1835 text “was written at this time [early August 1830], and the remainder in the September following.”6 JS, then, affirmed that the first part should be dated August 1830 and the remainder September 1830, in which case the date of 4 September 1830 found in the earlier printed versions may have reflected the date of dictation of the second portion.

Early manuscripts, including the copy featured here, contain only the first portion of the combined revelation as published in 1835. Although an earlier manuscript may have existed for the September portion, the earliest extant text for the expanded version of the revelation is the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. For the annotated treatment of the expanded version, see the volume of the Documents series that covers 1835.

28th. Commandment AD 1830

A Revelation to the Church given at Harmony susquehannh County State of Pennsylvania given to Joseph the Seer at a time that he went to purchase wine it for Sacrament & he was stoped by an Angel & he he spok to him as follows Saying7

[1]Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ your Lord your God & your Redeemer whose word is quick & powerful [2]for Behold I say unto you it mattereth not what ye <shall> eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory Remembering unto the father my Body which [was] laid down for you & my blood which was shed for you the Remission of your sins8 [3]Wherefore a commandment I give unto you that ye shall not Purchase Wine neither strong drink of your enemies [4]Wherefore ye shall partake none except it is made new among you yea in this my Fathers Kingdom which shall be built up on the earth [5]Behold this is wisdom in me [p. 35] Wherefore marvel not for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the Vine with you on the Earth9 [14]& with you all those whom my father hath given me out of the world [15]Wherefore lift up your hearts & rejoice & Gird up your loins [18]& be faitful faithful untill I come even so amen

Revelation, circa August 1835

Source Note

Revelation, Harmony Township, Susquehanna Co., PA, Sept. 1830; substantial revisions, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH, ca. Aug. 1835. Featured version typeset ca. Aug. 1835; in Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., 179–181. For more information see the source note for the Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 edition, on the Joseph Smith Papers website.

Historical Introduction

In August and September 1830, JS dictated a revelation providing guidelines about the food and drink that were to be used in the administration of the sacrament.10 The revelation was recorded in Revelation Book 1, likely in 1831,11 and published, with minor edits, in the March 1833 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star and the 1833 Book of Commandments.12 The revelation was published again in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. The 1835 version, featured here, contains information not present in the earlier versions; in fact, less than one third of the 1835 text appears in the 1831 or 1833 texts. The additional information contains considerable detail about Jesus Christ one day partaking of sacramental wine with JS and various prophets and apostles from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Also included is material emphasizing the transmission of priesthood keys—or the authority to govern and lead the church—to JS by biblical prophets, apostles, and patriarchs. In particular, the revelation outlines specific keys held by Elias and Elijah and references a visit by Peter, James, and John to ordain JS and Oliver Cowdery as apostles. This is the first clear documentary reference to angelic visitations by Peter, James, and John and the first clear reference to their conferral of priesthood keys.13

The historical record is silent as to when or how the additional information in the 1835 version was originally recorded, though JS was undoubtedly involved. The absence of the content in the extant 1831 or 1833 versions suggests the extra information may have originated sometime thereafter. In addition, the 1835 version of the revelation identifies the archangel Michael as Adam and equates Adam with the ancient of days referred to in the Book of Daniel. Not until at least 1833 did church members appear to have identified Adam with Michael and the ancient of days.14 However, it is possible that JS dictated all of this information in 1830. JS’s history indicates that the “first paragraph” of the revelation, which represents most of the original revelation, was written down immediately in early August 1830 and the “remainder in the September following.”15 But if all of what appears in the 1835 version was originally dictated in 1830, it is unclear why the additional material was not included in the extant 1831 and 1833 versions.16

As published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the revelation contains much information about the conferral of keys, or authority, upon JS. Although some 1829 and 1830 revelations spoke of JS holding keys, they referred specifically to the keys to bring forth the Book of Mormon and other ancient records.17 In 1831 and 1832, revelations referred frequently to JS and others holding keys that allowed them to administer the church. For example, revelations indicated that JS held “the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom”18 and “the keys of the kingdom of God,” similar to “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” held by Peter in the New Testament.19 This 1835 version of the revelation expands on these concepts, specifying what keys had been given to JS and others, who had provided those keys, and, by inference, why the keys were necessary.

The additions published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants consist of three intertextual insertions to the second paragraph of the original text. The locations of the insertions are indicated herein.20

SECTION L.
Revelation given September, 1830.21

[1]1 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful. [2]For [p. 179] behold I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory; remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins:22 [3]wherefore a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine, neither strong drink of your enemies: [4]wherefore you shall partake of none, except it is made new among you,23 yea, in this my Father’s kingdom which shall be built up on the earth.

[5]2 Behold this is wisdom in me: wherefore marvel not for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth,24 25and with Moroni,26 whom I have sent unto you to reveal the book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel; to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim;27 [6]and also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things, or the restorer of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days: [7]and also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias; [8]which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, jr. and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first priesthood which you have received,28 that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron:29 [9]and also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse:30 [10]and also, with Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham your fathers; by whom the promises remain;31 [11]and also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days:

[12]3 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles and especial witnesses of my name,32 and bear the keys of your ministry:33 and of the same things which I revealed unto them: [13]unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things both which are in heaven and which are on earth: [14]and also34 with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world: [15]wherefore lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, 35and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all ye may be able to stand. [16]Stand, therefore, having [p. 180] your loins girt about with truth; having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you, [17]taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; [18]and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit,36 which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, 37and ye shall be caught up that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.

Notes

  1. JS History, vol. A-1, 51, in JSP, H1:428 (Draft 2).

  2. In 1833, John Murdock and members of the church in New York where he was preaching made their own wine for this purpose. He recalled that “by my advice the Sisters gathered currents & made wine for our communion.” (Murdock, Autobiography, 34.)

  3. See Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25], herein; and Revelation, Sept. 1830–A [D&C 29], herein.

  4. “A Commandment Given, September 4, 1830,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6]; Book of Commandments 28.

  5. “Revelation Given September, 1830,” Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1833 (May 1836), 155; Doctrine and Covenants 50, 1835 ed.

  6. JS History, vol. A-1, 51, in JSP, H1:428 (Draft 2).

  7. John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.

  8. See Matthew 26:26–28.

  9. See Matthew 26:29. From this point, the expansion of this text found in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants reads as follows: “and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel; to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim; and also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things, or the restorer of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days: and also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias; which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, jr. and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron: and also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse: and also, with Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham your fathers; by whom the promises remain; and also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days:
    “And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry: and of the same things which I revealed unto them: unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things both which are in heaven and which are on earth: and also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world: wherefore lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all ye may be able to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you, taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:2–3, 1835 ed. [D&C 27:5–18].)

  10. See Historical Introduction to Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830 [D&C 27].

  11. Although the original revelation was dictated by JS in 1830, the earliest extant version is the 1831 copy in Revelation Book 1. For additional information concerning this version, see Source Note and Historical Introduction to Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830 [D&C 27].

  12. The minor edits included spelling, grammatical, and case changes. The most significant deviation between the 1831 manuscript version and the 1833 published version is the elimination of the contextual introduction from the latter. The preamble in the manuscript version, likely added by John Whitmer when copying the text into Revelation Book 1, reads, “A Revelation to the Church given at Harmony susquehann[a]h County State of Pennsylvania given to Joseph the Seer at a time that he went to purchase wine for Sacrament & he was stop[p]ed by an Angel & he spok[e] to him as follows Saying.” Two other versions were produced in 1831 but contain no significant changes from the version in Revelation Book 1. (Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Revelation Book 1, p. 35, in JSP, MRB:41; “A Commandment Given, September 4, 1830,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6]; Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Book of Commandments 28 [D&C 27:1–5]; Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Partridge, Copies of Revelations; “The Mormon Creed,” Painesville [OH] Telegraph, 19 Apr. 1831, [4].)

  13. The date of Peter, James, and John’s visit is unknown, but sources indicate it occurred sometime after John the Baptist’s May 1829 visit to confer the lesser priesthood on JS and Oliver Cowdery. A later JS history indicates that John the Baptist acted under the direction of Peter, James, and John and promised they would later provide a higher, or additional, authority. In the preface to his 1832 history, JS indicated his intention to record his “reception” of both “the holy Priesthood” and “the high Priesthood,” neither of which the unfinished 1832 history addressed. Cowdery also noted receiving the Melchizedek, or “high and holy,” Priesthood in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, but the featured text predates that entry by a month. (JS History, vol. A-1, 18, 27, in JSP, H1:294, 326–328 [Draft 2]; JS History, ca. Summer 1832, 1, in JSP, H1:10; Patriarchal Blessings, 1:9; see also “Joseph Smith Documents Dating through June 1831,” in JSP, D1:xxxviii–xxxix.)

  14. In January 1834, Cowdery wrote a letter to John Whitmer in which he said that since coming to Kirtland, Ohio, in summer 1833, he had learned “that the Angel Michael is no less than our father Adam.” Sometime around spring 1835, JS prepared an Instruction on Priesthood that also contained information about Adam being “Michael, the Prince, the Archangel.” Similarly, in June 1835, William W. Phelps wrote in a letter to Cowdery that he understood that “Michael, the prince” was “our great father Adam,” something that he considered to be “new light.” Around September 1835, Cowdery recorded a December 1833 blessing that JS gave to Joseph Smith Sr. and also referred to Adam as “Michael, the Prince, the Arch angel,” and “the Ancient of Days,” language that was not used in the original version of the blessing as recorded in JS’s journal in 1833. (Oliver Cowdery, Kirtland, OH, to John Whitmer, 1 Jan. 1834, in Cowdery, Letterbook, 15; Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:54], herein; “Letter No. 8,” Messenger and Advocate, June 1835, 1:130; Blessing for Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between ca. 15 and 28 Sept. 1835, in JSP, D1:488.)

  15. JS History, vol. A-1, 51, in JSP, H1:428 (Draft 2).

  16. For additional treatments of the 1831 and 1833 versions, see Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830 [D&C 27]; Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Book of Commandments 28 [D&C 27:1–5]; and JSP, R2:277–279.

  17. Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:28], herein; Revelation, Sept. 1830–B [D&C 28:7], herein; Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35:17–18], herein.

  18. Revelation, 11 Sept. 1831 [D&C 64:5], herein.

  19. Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831 [D&C 65:2–6], herein; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832 [D&C 81:1–2], herein; Matthew 16:19. In March 1833, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, JS’s counselors in the presidency of the high priesthood, were made “equal in holding the keys of the Kingdom” with JS. (Minutes, 18 Mar. 1833, in JSP, D3:40; see also Revelation, 8 Mar. 1833 [D&C 90:1–6], herein.)

  20. For a visual, side-by-side comparison of the 1833 The Evening and the Morning Star with the 1836 reprint of the same, which closely follows the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants publication, see JSP, R2:277–279.

  21. There is some uncertainty in the dating of this revelation. Revelation Book 1 offers only “AD 1830,” though JS’s manuscript history dates it to August 1830. In the 1833 version published in The Evening and the Morning Star and the Book of Commandments, the date was amended to 4 September 1830. It is possible that JS finished recording or dictating the revelation on 4 September 1830. (Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Revelation Book 1, p. 35, in JSP, MRB:41 [D&C 27]; JS History, vol. A-1, 51, in JSP, H1:428 [Draft 2]; “A Commandment Given, September 4, 1830,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6]; Revelation, ca. Aug. 1830, in Book of Commandments 28 [D&C 27:1–5].)

  22. See Matthew 26:26–28.

  23. It is difficult to ascertain how closely this prohibition on purchased wine was followed. Wine continued to be used for the sacrament for years, and existing records indicate the Saints both made it and purchased it. (Murdock, Autobiography, 34; JS History, vol. B-1, addenda, 4nM.)

  24. See Matthew 26:29.

  25. The first insertion begins here and continues unbroken a third of the way into the third paragraph.

  26. Moroni is the last prophet featured in the Book of Mormon. JS stated that an angelic Moroni appeared to him in 1823 and later directed him to the location where the Book of Mormon records and artifacts were buried. For different accounts of Moroni’s visitations to JS, see JS, Journal, 9–11 Nov. 1835, in JSP, J1:88–89; JS History, 1834–1836, 121–122; JS History, vol. A-1, 4–7, in JSP, H1:220–234 (Draft 2); JS, “Church History,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:707, in JSP, H1:494–495; and JS, “Latter Day Saints,” in Rupp, He Pasa Ekklesia, 405.

  27. Early Saints understood a biblical prophecy concerning “the stick of Ephraim” to be a reference to the Book of Mormon. This wording comes from Ezekiel 37:16–17, which is referred to in 2 Nephi, chapter 3, in the Book of Mormon. (See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 66–68 [2 Nephi chap. 3]; and “The Book of Mormon,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Jan. 1833, [1].)

  28. In a later history, JS recorded that John the Baptist ordained him and Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood on 15 May 1829. (JS History, vol. A-1, 17–18, in JSP, H1:292–294 [Draft 2].)

  29. See Leviticus chap. 8.

  30. See Malachi 4:5–6.

  31. See, for example, Genesis chap. 17; 22:15–18; chap. 24; 26:1–4; 28:14; 35:9–13; 48:34; Psalm 105:9; Galatians 3:16; and “The Book of Abraham,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:705–706 [Abraham 2:6–11].

  32. The Instruction on Priesthood, prepared by JS and probably Oliver Cowdery in early 1835, explained that apostles were “special witnesses of the name of Christ, in all the world: thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.” (Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:23], herein.)

  33. See Account of John, Apr. 1829–C [D&C 7:7], herein. Beginning with the version of this revelation in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, a phrase was added indicating that Peter, James, and John were given the “power and the keys of this ministry until” Christ came again. The original iterations of this account, as recorded in Revelation Book 1 (1831) and the Book of Commandments (1833), do not contain the statement about keys.

  34. The first insertion ends here.

  35. The second insertion begins here and continues through the phrase “as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and.”

  36. See Ephesians 6:11–17.

  37. The third insertion begins here and continues to the end of the sentence.