Women and the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

President Nelson told the women of the Church in the last general conference, “I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107.”  Section 84 was designated by the Prophet Joseph Smith as “a revelation on priesthood” and contains what is known as the “oath and covenant of the priesthood.”  This is in particular this promise from the Lord: “For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.”  Those who “receive this priesthood” will ultimately receive the Father and Jesus promises, “Therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood” (v33-40).  The Father covenants His greatest blessings to those who faithfully receive this priesthood.

             I have always thought of this promise as pertaining narrowly to those men who are ordained to the priesthood and are faithful in their callings, but I believe that President Nelson’s invitation for the women to study this section suggests that we should view it much more broadly.  As I understand it, verses 33-34 pertain specifically to those men who “obtain” the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood, meaning that it is conferred on them through ordination, something that doesn’t happen for women.  After describing how these men become the sons of Moses, verse 35 begins this way: “And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord.”  We could interpret the word also here as meaning these men also receive the Father in addition to receiving the priesthood, or we could perhaps take it to mean other people (besides this set of men who obtain the priesthood) also can receive the priesthood and the blessings that follow.  Certainly women can receive the priesthood in the same sense that they receive the prophet and hear his words or accept the ordinances of the priesthood through baptism and the temple.  I think the next verses are consistent with this interpretation: “For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (v36-38).  Yes, the pronouns he and him are masculine, but I don’t believe that necessarily means this was meant as promises exclusively for the male gender—in the 18^th century the default pronoun used was the masculine.  Surely women, just as much as men, can receive the Lord’s servants and receive the Savior and ultimately receive all the blessings that the Father has.  For example, the Lord used the word receive multiple times in His revelation to Emma Smith directly, “Verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom…. if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion…. Thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost…. A crown of righteousness thou shalt receive” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:1,2,8,15).  She was promised that if she would receive the gospel, she would receive the great blessings of the gospel to become a daughter in His kingdom, to receive the Holy Ghost, to ultimately receive a crown of righteousness.  Women, just as much as men, receive the blessings of the priesthood and can through its ordinances and their faithfulness receive all that the Father hath, for, as the Book of Mormon declares, “all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33).