Hebrews and the Scriptures of the Restoration

The book of Hebrews contains several passages with language that is very similar to passages in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.  For example, Hebrews 12 contains several such phrases.  Paul invited the Saints, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (v1).  Alma invited the people of Gideon in these words, “Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction” (Alma 7:15).  He referred to Jesus as “the author and finisher of our faith” just as Moroni spoke of “the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith” (v2, Moroni 6:4).  We read that “for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” just as the Savior taught us in this dispensation: “Whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven” (v6, Doctrine and Covenants 95:1).  Paul also wrote to them in this chapter about “an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” (v22-24).  This language is very similar to this passage in the revelation on the degrees of glory: “These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:67-69).  These passages in the scriptures of the Restoration work to confirm many of the messages of Paul to the Hebrews. 

               Several other passages from Hebrews are similarly found in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.  Paul declared, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever” (Hebrews 12:8).  The Book of Mormon repeats this truth several times, such as when Moroni declared, “And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Moroni 10:19).  Paul wrote about “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,” and Alma’s words to Corianton contain very similar language: “a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them” (Hebrews 10:27, Alma 40:14).  To the Hebrews Paul spoke of “Mechisedec, king of Salem” and described how “Abraham gave a tenth part of all” (Hebrews 7:1-2).  Alma similarly referred to Melchizedek as “a king over the land of Salem” and how “Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed” (Alma 13:15, 17).  Paul wrote of the “hope we have as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast,” language that certainly reminds us of Moroni’s statement, “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God” (Ether 12:4).  Another passage in Hebrews declares, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  This is common language in the Doctrine and Covenants, such as in this passage: “Hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, whose word is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, soul and spirit; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 33:1).  These scriptures of the Restoration help to confirm the great truths taught by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews.