Principles in the Pearl of Great Price

At first glance the Pearl of Great Price appears to be a collection of independent, unrelated accounts and is unlike the Book of Mormon which follows a story from beginning to end.  The books of Moses, Abraham, Joseph Smith Matthew, Joseph Smith History, and the Articles of Faith are joined together as a somewhat eclectic group of sacred texts, having in common mainly the fact that they were given to us by the Prophet Joseph Smith. And yet, despite the fact that these different parts of the Pearl of Great Price came at different times with each one being unique in its own right, there are certainly some common themes that run throughout all parts of the Pearl of Great Price.  The book teaches powerful gospel principles through the stories and teachings of the prophets from whom we have these words.  There is value in seeing the book as one complete whole that truly is a pearl of great price worthy to be bought for “all” that one has (Matthew 13:46). 

One of the most important messages that we find throughout the text is that God hears and answers our prayers.  In the first chapter we see Moses have an incredible encounter with the Lord, and the prophet was answered when he “called upon God” in great earnest.  His experience led him to vow, “I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him” (Moses 1:18, 21).  Abraham likewise received answers to prayer as he “prayed unto the Lord” and “the Lord appeared unto [him]” (Abraham 2:6).  And the prophet Joseph Smith exerted “all [his] powers to call upon God” and received the First Vision (JSH 1:16).  These stories show not only that God answers prayers but that we are His children and he knows us intimately.  He said to Moses, “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son,” showing both that He knew Moses by name and that Moses was indeed his son (Moses 1:6).  Similarly, in the First Vision we see that calling Joseph by name was the first thing God did, and Joseph too (JSH 1:17).  God told Abraham that He had known him for a very long time: “Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born” (Abraham 3:23).       

               Another thing that we learn in several places in the Pearl of Great Price is the reality of Satan and his active work to destroy us.  We see him in Moses 1 trying to convince Moses that he was not a son of God and should not serve Him: “Moses, son of man, worship me” (Moses 1:12).  Moses 4 teaches us “how Satan became the devil” and shows his active work in the Garden of Eden to try, unsuccessfully, to thwart the plan of God as he tempted Adam and Eve.  Abraham told us of Lucifer’s actions in the premortal realm when the Father chose Christ instead of him and he “was angry, and kept not his first estate” (Abraham 3:28).  We see him again of course in the story of the First Vision at work trying to stop the beginning of the Restoration.  Joseph wrote, “I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction” (JSH 1:15).  Surely we can’t accept the truthfulness of the Pearl of Great Price without accepting that Satan and his opposition is real.

               These are just a few examples of truths that tie together these different parts of the Pearl of Great Price and testify of the principles of the gospel in powerful way.