The Bible in D&C 1

In the Lord’s preface to the Doctrine and Covenants He said, “These commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding” (D&C 1:24).  I wonder if at least part of what He meant by “their language” was the fact that in many instances the wording and phrases of the Doctrine and Covenants are the same as or very similar to the wording of the King James Bible.  That was the “language” that Joseph Smith and his contemporaries were familiar with and would readily understand, and so it makes sense that the Lord would use that same phraseology to speak to them.  The Doctrine and Covenants is intricately tied to the Bible, and we can see that just in examining the first section alone. 

                Here are the parallels that I found between the verses of D&C 1 and language in the King James Bible.  From Genesis to Isaiah to Acts we see bits of Biblical language in this section, and to me the fact that the Lord would choose to quote these passages serves as another witness of the truthfulness and importance of the Bible itself. 

·         “And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed” (D&C 1:3).  The idea that the secret sins of the wicked would be revealed on the housetops was taught by the Savior during His mortal ministry: “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:3).

·         “And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious” (D&C 1:8).  That the Lord would give modern day servants the keys to seal on earth in heaven of course reminds us of the Savior’s words to Peter: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19).

·         “Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man” (D&C 1:10).  This verse is very similar to what the Savior taught in the Sermon on the Mount: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matt. 7:2).

·         “And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth….  [The Lord] shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world” (D&C 1:13, 36).  This language is clearly from Isaiah: “For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment” (Isaiah 34:5).

·         “The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones” (D&C 1:19).  Paul said something very similar to the Corinthians: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

·         “I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons” (D&C 1:34-35).  Peter learned this lesson as he received his revelation that the gospel was to go to the Gentiles: “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).

·         “For my Spirit shall not always strive with man” (D&C 1:33).  During the wicked time before the ark the Lord taught the same thing to Noah: “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Genesis 6:3).

To me these complex and carefully interwoven Biblical references in the Lord’s revelation show not a plagiarism of the Bible but are rather an illustration of how the Savior in our day has “expounded all the scriptures in one” (3 Nephi 23:14).  We really shouldn’t see the books of scriptures as independent but rather very much intertwined with each supporting the others.  And the Doctrine and Covenants itself stands as a testimony of the validity and relevance of ancient scripture.