“Lesson 107—Doctrine and Covenants 93:1–22: Grow in Your Knowledge of Jesus Christ,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 93:1–22,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
On May 6, 1833, the Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 93 . In it, the Savior revealed important truths about Himself to help us better understand who He is. This lesson can help students deepen their understanding of some of the roles and characteristics of Jesus Christ.
Possible Learning Activities
Consider beginning the lesson by displaying a picture of a well-known person your students will recognize, and ask them if they know the person’s name. Invite the students to discuss why that person is so well known and why it might be important for someone to know who the person is.
Then display a picture of Jesus Christ and invite students to discuss the following questions:
Consider inviting students to silently think about how they have been impacted personally because of what they know about Jesus Christ. As they study, encourage them to look for truths that can help them better understand who Jesus Christ is and what He can do for them.
“See my face and know that I am”
The Savior shared many important truths about Himself in Doctrine and Covenants 93 . He explained that one of His purposes for revealing these truths was to help us know who we worship (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:19 ).
Read Doctrine and Covenants 93:1 , looking for how the Savior began this revelation.
To help students keep track of the Savior’s invitations in this verse, consider inviting them to number each one in their scriptures. Students could also be invited to list these invitations in their study journals or write them on the board.
Students may have questions about the Savior’s promise that those who follow His invitations in verse 1 shall see His face. You may want to emphasize that this blessing will come in the Lord’s “own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:68 ).
Characteristics of the Savior
As the Savior continued His teachings in this revelation, He shared many different characteristics and attributes about Himself. Learning about these characteristics and attributes can help you understand some of the ways the Savior can help you in your life.
Consider displaying the following chart and inviting students to copy it in their study journals. They could work in pairs or small groups to study each of the passages on the chart. Alternatively, you could write the verses on small pieces of paper and put the papers in a container. Students could choose one or more pieces of paper from the container and study the verses they selected.
Help learners deepen their appreciation and love for Jesus Christ . For more practice with this, see the training titled “Teach about the titles, roles, and attributes of Jesus Christ ” found in Teacher Development Skills: Focus on Jesus Christ . Consider practicing the skill by creating search questions to help students identify roles, titles, symbols, attributes, and characteristics of Jesus Christ.
Invite the students as they study to think about how what they are learning about the Savior could help them in their lives.
Invite the students to share what they learned about Jesus Christ from the verses they studied. If you displayed the chart on the board, various students could complete it by writing truths they learned next to the verses they studied.
Some truths that students may discuss or share are Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (see verses 2, 9 ); Jesus Christ is the messenger of salvation (see verse 8 ); Jesus Christ grew from grace to grace until He received a fulness of the Father (see verses 12–14 ); and Jesus Christ is the firstborn of all the spirit children of Heavenly Father (see verse 21 ).
To help students discuss their findings and insights about the Savior, consider asking questions such as the following:
Which of the truths you studied about Jesus Christ stood out to you the most? Why?
What did the cross-references you studied add to your understanding about the truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 93 ?
How can knowing these truths about the Savior impact your relationship with Him?
Encourage students to seek to know Jesus Christ more fully as they strive to continue their personal scripture study. If time permits, consider using the statement by Elder David A. Bednar in “Additional Resources” to help students understand additional ways they can come to know the Savior better. This may be a good time to invite them to share feelings about the Savior and to testify of the blessings that come from growing in our knowledge of Him.
You may want to conclude by reading John 17:3 and inviting class members to look for the most significant blessing we can receive by growing closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
Four essential steps that can help us come to know the Lord are exercising faith in Him, following Him, serving Him, and believing Him.
Exercising faith in Him
… We begin to come to know the Savior as we arouse our spiritual faculties and experiment upon His teachings, even until we can give place in our souls for a portion of His words. …
Following Him …
The Savior has admonished us to become as He is. Thus, following the Lord includes emulating Him. We continue to come to know the Lord as we seek through the power of His Atonement to become like Him. …
Serving Him …
We more fully come to know the Lord as we serve Him and labor in His kingdom. As we do so, He generously blesses us with heavenly help, spiritual gifts, and increased capacity. …
Believing Him …
… We come to know the Lord as we not only believe in Him but also believe Him and His assurances.
(David A. Bednar, “If Ye Had Known Me ,” Ensign or Liahona , Nov. 2016, 103, 104)
“Although the members of the Godhead are distinct beings with distinct roles, they are one in purpose and doctrine. They are perfectly united in bringing to pass Heavenly Father’s divine plan of salvation” (Topics and Questions, “Godhead ,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org ).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
John the Baptist [was] destined to write … the gospel of that Lord whose witness he is, but his account, perhaps because it contains truths and concepts that the saints and the world are not yet prepared to receive, has so far not been given to men. On May 6, 1833, however, the Lord did reveal to Joseph Smith eleven verses of the Baptist’s writings, and promised that ‘the fulness of the record of John’ would be revealed when the faith of men entitled them to receive it. (D&C 93:6–18 .)
John the Apostle had before him the writings of John the Baptist when he wrote his Gospel. (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary [1979], 1:426–27)
Students may benefit from a further discussion about Jesus Christ progressing “from grace to grace” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:13 ). After studying Doctrine and Covenants 93:12–17 , consider discussing the following questions:
To help students better understand the “from grace to grace” process, refer students to Luke 2:40, 52 and 2 Nephi 28:30 . You could also share the following statement by President Joseph Fielding Smith:
Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world, and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before. But as far as this life is concerned it appears that he had to start just as all other children do and gain his knowledge line upon line. …
Without doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us—he forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to grace. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith [2013], 314–15 )
Then analyze the following questions as a class:
How was the Savior’s progression from grace to grace similar to the process of learning and progressing that we can experience?
What can you do to continue from grace to grace and become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
To help students know more about who Jesus Christ is, you can show the video “Who Is Jesus Christ? A 60-Second Overview ” and then help them analyze the following questions:
What names, roles, or attributes of Jesus Christ stand out most to you? Why?
What do you feel inspired to do to better know Jesus Christ?
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