Church History
Joseph Smith’s Revelations, Doctrine and Covenants 86

“Doctrine and Covenants 86,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers (2020)

“Doctrine and Covenants 86,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers

Doctrine and Covenants 86

Revelation, 6 December 1832

Source Note

Revelation, Kirtland Township, OH, 6 Dec. 1832. Featured version, titled “A Revelation explaining the parable of the wheet & the Tears,” copied [between 22 Jan. and ca. 27 Feb. 1833] in Revelation Book 2, pp. 31–32; handwriting of Frederick G. Williams; CHL. Includes redactions. For more information, see the source note for Revelation Book 2 on the Joseph Smith Papers website.

Historical Introduction

JS wrote in his journal that on 6 December 1832, he spent part of the day “translating,” or working on his revision of the Bible. It is not known whether he was working that day on the New Testament revision or the Old Testament revision. But on that same day, he “received a Revelation explaining the Parable [of] the wheat and the tears [tares],” found in Matthew 13, suggesting that he may have been working on the New Testament.1 When JS worked on that parable more than a year earlier while revising the New Testament,2 he made few significant changes.3 Between late July 1832 and early February 1833, however, he apparently spent time reviewing his revisions to the New Testament.4 At some point, JS and Sidney Rigdon changed the text of Matthew 13:30 (which JS had originally left intact) from “I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares” to “gather ye together first the wheat into my barn, and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned.”5 This inverted order followed the eschatological sequence of events outlined in a November 1831 revelation: the righteous were to “flee unto Zion” and Jerusalem, leaving the wicked nations behind.6 This 6 December revelation, which has the Lord telling the angels to “first gather out the wheat,” goes in the same direction as that revision, changing the wording slightly regarding the disposition of the tares. Whether the revelation was dictated before or after the revision was made is unclear, as the revision could have been made anywhere within a roughly six-month window of time.7

It is also possible that the “translating” JS mentioned in his 6 December journal entry referred not to his review of his earlier New Testament revisions but to his work of revising the Old Testament, which he was engaged in at the same time. Between July 1832, when Frederick G. Williams became the principal scribe for JS’s revision of the Old Testament, and July 1833, when JS and Williams completed that work, Rigdon filled in as scribe only once—for the revision of Jeremiah 18–24.8 Since an extant copy of the 6 December revelation attests that Rigdon wrote the revelation as JS dictated it, Rigdon may have helped JS with the Bible revision that day, in which case JS may have been revising those chapters in Jeremiah on 6 December. The chapters include passages on the scattering and gathering of Israel, including verses explaining that the Lord would “gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them” and “set up shepherds over them which shall feed them.”9

The revelation on the wheat and the tares emphasizes the gathering of the righteous in the last days. It incorporates elements of the book of Revelation to recast the parable as a history of Christianity from the days of the apostles to the world’s end. The description of a second sowing in the last days clearly depicts the Church of Christ as a restoration of primitive Christianity. Likewise, the end of the revelation expounds on the idea of priesthood, addressing those in “whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers.” The revelation seems to indicate that those ordained to the priesthood are essential to the gathering of Israel, as it counsels them to be a “light unto the Gentiles” and a “savior” to Israel. The priesthood component of the revelation was apparently perceived as its key aspect: upon its publication in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the revelation bore the heading “On Priesthood.”10

The original manuscript of this revelation is no longer extant. Frederick G. Williams copied it into Revelation Book 2, probably between late January and late February 1833.11

A Revelation explaining the parable of the wheet & <the> Tears [tares]12

[1]Verily thus saith the Lord unto you my servants concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tears,13 [2]Behold verily I say that the field was the world and the Apostles were the sowers of the seed [2]and after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the Church the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations <to> drunk drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy even Satan sitteth to reign,14 behold he soweth the tears, wherefore the tears choke the wheet15 and drive the church in to the wilderness,16 [4]but behold in the last days, even now while the Lord is begining to bring forth his <the> word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender, [5]behold verily I say unto you the angels are crying unto the Lord, day and night who are ready, and waiting to be sent forth [p. 31] to reap down the fields.17 [6]but the Lord saith unto them pluck not up the tears while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak) least you distroy the wheat also, [7]therefore let the wheat and the tears grow together untill the harvest is fully ripe then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tears and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo the tears are bound in bund[l]es, and the field remaineth to be burned18 [8]therefore thus saith the Lord unto you with whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers, [9]for ye are lawful heirs according to the flesh19 and have been hid from the world with christ in God20 [10]therefore your life, and the Priesthood hath remained and must needs remain through you and your lineage untill the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began,21 [11]therefore blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles22 and th[r]ough this Priesthood a saviour23 unto my people Israel the Lord hath said it

Kirtland December 6th. A[D] 1832 given by Joseph the seer and writen by Sidney [Rigdon] the scribe an[d] Councellor,24 & Transcribed by Frederick [G. Williams] assistent scribe and counceller——

Notes

  1. JS, Journal, 6 Dec. 1832; see also JS History, vol. A-1, 243.

  2. JS originally worked on Matthew 13 sometime between 7 April and 19 June 1831. (New Testament Revision 1, pp. 21, 63 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 9:1; 26:63–71]; see also New Testament Revision 1, pp. 34–35 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:15–46].)

  3. See New Testament Revision 1, p. 35 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:31–46]; New Testament Revision 2, part 1, p. 26 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:31–50]; and Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 65.

  4. Frederick G. Williams served as scribe as JS finished his revisions to the book of Revelation between 20 and 31 July 1832. On 2 February 1833, Williams wrote that JS finished the “translation and the reviewing of the New testament.” (See Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 70; Frederick G. Williams, Statement, no date, Frederick G. Williams Papers, CHL; Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832, in JSP, D2:267; and Minute Book 1, 2 Feb. 1833.)

  5. New Testament Revision 1, p. 34 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:30]; New Testament Revision 2, part 1, p. 25 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:30]. An August 1831 revelation maintained the original order, with the tares first being gathered and then the wheat. That revelation explained that the wicked would be plucked out when Christ returned, implying that the righteous would remain. (Revelation, 30 Aug. 1831 [D&C 63:54], herein.)

  6. Revelation, 3 Nov. 1831 [D&C 133:12–14], herein.

  7. See New Testament Revision 2, part 1, pp. 25–26 [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:30–50].

  8. Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832; see also Old Testament Revision 2, p. 119 [Joseph Smith Translation, Malachi]; Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 70–72; and Old Testament Revision 2, pp. 111–112 [Joseph Smith Translation, Jeremiah 18:18–24].)

  9. Jeremiah 23:3–4.

  10. Doctrine and Covenants 6, 1835 ed.

  11. Williams noted on the Revelation Book 2 copy that he was JS’s “assistant scribe and councellor”; he was designated as a counselor and scribe to JS in a 5 January 1833 revelation, so this 6 December 1832 revelation may have been copied as early as 5 January.a However, it is uncertain when Williams was formally appointed to his office. Such formal appointments usually occurred in a conference. Williams had apparently been appointed by 22 January because he is listed as “assistant scribe and counselor” in the minutes of a conference held that day.b In Revelation Book 2, Williams signed two of the three revelations immediately following the one dated 6 December 1832—revelations of 27–28 December 1832 and 3 January 1833—in the same way.c The five items that immediately follow Revelation, 3 January 1833, appear to have been copied soon after the dates they bear. The first is dated 27 February, suggesting that the previous revelations had been copied by around this time.d However, the December 1832 and January 1833 revelations in Revelation Book 2 could have been copied anytime up to 18 March 1833, when Williams was ordained “to be equal with him [JS] in holding the Keys of the Kingdom and also to the Presidency of the high Priesthood.”e At some point—probably while preparing revelations for the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants—JS wrote “To go into the covenants” at the head of the copy in Revelation Book 2. (a. Revelation Book 2, p. 32, in JSP, MRB:477; Revelation, 5 Jan. 1833, in JSP, D2:361. b. Minute Book 1, 22–23 Jan. 1833. c. Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 [D&C 88:1–126], herein; Revelation, 3 Jan. 1833, in JSP, D2:346 [D&C 88:127–137], herein. d. See Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 2, in JSP, MRB:409.  e. Minute Book 1, 18 Mar. 1833.)

  12. This heading may have been part of the original inscription. John Whitmer’s copy of the revelation in Revelation Book 1 contains a similar heading: “Revelation given December 6, 1832 Kirtland Ohio explaining the parable of the Wheat & Tears.” (Revelation, 6 Dec. 1832 [D&C 86].)

  13. See Matthew 13:36–43.

  14. See Revelation 17:1–6; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 28–29, 33 [1 Nephi 13:5–9; 14:10].

  15. See Matthew 13:7, 22; Mark 4:7, 19; and Luke 8:7, 14.

  16. Revelation 12:1–6 recounts John’s vision of a woman crowned with twelve stars who “fled into the wilderness” because she was persecuted by the dragon. JS’s revision of that passage stated that “the woman … was the church of God.” An October 1830 revelation used the same imagery of the church being in the wilderness. (New Testament Revision 2, part 2, p. 152 [Joseph Smith Translation, Revelation 12:7]; Revelation, Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:5], herein.)

  17. See Revelation 14:15–20. In 1830, JS explained that this passage meant that “the wicked must soon be destroyed from off the face of the earth, for the Lord hath spoken it.” Similarly, a January 1831 revelation warned that “the Angels are waiting the great command to Reap down the Earth to gether the tears [tares] that they may be burned.” (Letter to Newel Knight and the Church in Colesville, 28 Aug. 1830, in JSP, D1:176; Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:12], herein.)

  18. Speaking of the time when Christ would return to the earth, JS’s 30 August 1831 revelation explained that “at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous & the wicked & in that day will I send mine angels & pluck out the wicked & cast into unquenchable fire.” (Revelation, 30 Aug. 1831 [D&C 63:54], herein.)

  19. The revelation of 22–23 September 1832 explained that anciently the priesthood had been transmitted from individual to individual “through the linage of thare fathers.” This same revelation also declared that those who were “faithful unto the attaining” of the priesthood became “the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham.” (Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:14–15, 31–34], herein.)

  20. See Colossians 3:3.

  21. See Acts 3:21.

  22. See Acts 13:47.

  23. In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, “saviour” reads “savor.” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:4, 1835 ed.)

  24. JS appointed Rigdon as one of his counselors on 8 March 1832. Rigdon had been serving as a scribe since late 1830. John Whitmer referred to Rigdon as “Sidney the Scribe.” (Note, 8 Mar. 1832, in JSP, D2:204; see Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 63; and Whitmer, History, 37, in JSP, H2:49.)