Moroni 2:1 The words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples
See 3 Nephi 18:36-38.
Jeffrey R. Holland
“What
Moroni first recorded in the book carrying his own name were vignettes—a brief
catalog, if you will—of things he felt needed to be recorded before he died and
the Book of Mormon saga ended. These included the words of Christ to his twelve
disciples when they were commissioned to bestow the Holy Ghost by the laying on
of hands, the prayer by which priests and teachers were ordained, the sacramental
prayers, and instructions as to how those who were baptized were to be received
into the ‘church of Christ’ and numbered
among the ‘people of Christ.’” (Christ And
The New Covenant, p. 332 – 333)
Moroni 2:2 after ye have done this ye shall have power
This instance of Christ
conferring the priesthood is interesting because it is so similar to the
current pattern: he gave them the Melchizedek Priesthood through the laying on
of hands and commissioned them to give the gift of the Holy Ghost to the multitude.
But what may be more interesting is how this ordinance differs from the current
practice. The Savior instructed the twelve to pray to the Father before they
would receive this power. What is the significance of this instruction?
The message seems to be that
while the priesthood can be conferred by an ordinance, the power of the
priesthood cannot be obtained without the exercise of faith. This is according
to the ancient pattern, for the patriarchs received the priesthood through
faith, Behold it was by faith that they of old were
called after the holy order of God (Ether 12:10). Furthermore, we are
reminded of the other Twelve, who had failed to cast out a certain devil
because their faith was lacking. They were told, this
kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matt 17:21). Apparently,
the fact that they had the priesthood was not enough. They needed to exercise
more faith in order to use God’s power. While we know that, The powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only
upon the principles of righteousness (DC 121:36), we need to remember
that faith is one of the most important of these principles.
Moroni 2:2 for thus do mine apostles
The language of the Book of
Mormon is careful to always refer to the twelve in the New World as disciples
and not Apostles. However, it is apparent from this verse that the calling of
these twelve was identical to that of the Old World Apostles. Furthermore,
Joseph Smith referred to these twelve as Apostles in an 1842 letter (History
of the Church, 4:538). Therefore, whether they are called “Apostles” or
“disciples” is a semantic argument of little significance, for they were both
disciples and Apostles.
Joseph Fielding Smith
“While
in every instance the Nephite twelve are spoken of as disciples, the fact remains
that they had been endowed with divine authority to be special witnesses for
Christ among their own people. Therefore, they were virtually apostles to the
Nephite race, although their jurisdiction was, as revealed to Nephi, eventually
to be subject to the authority and jurisdiction of Peter and the twelve chosen
in Palestine (see Mormon 3:18-19). According to the definition prevailing in
the world an apostle is a witness for Christ, or one who evangelizes a certain
nation or people. ‘A zealous advocate of a doctrine or cause.’ Therefore the
Nephite twelve became apostles, as special witnesses, just as did Joseph Smith
and Oliver Cowdery in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.” (Answer to
Gospel Questions, 1:122 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of
Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 510-11)