Doctrine and Covenants 107 consists of several different
revelations woven together that was received in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
The first revelation was received on November 11, 1831, most likely in Hiram,
Ohio. This portion of section 107 consists of verses 59-100. Joseph Smith
revised this revelation prior to its publication in the 1835 Doctrine and
Covenants, adding verses 61, 70, 73, 76-77, 88, 90, and 93-98. While as a whole,
verses 59-100 address the needs of the Saints in Missouri, these verses also
represent an important milestone in the development of the Saints’ understanding
of the priesthood, particularly the Melchizedek, or higher, Priesthood. At a
conference held around the time this revelation was received, Joseph Smith
taught “that the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given
them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.” He added that “it was the
privilege of every Elder present to be ordained to the High priesthood.”
Another part of section 107 was received on December 18,
1833, when Joseph Smith gave a blessing to his father and mother. Parts of this
blessing are found in verses 53-55. This revelation speaks about the office of
evangelist, or patriarchs links the practice of patriarchal blessings to the
first patriarch, Adam; and reveals that Jesus Christ appeared in
Adam-ondi-Ahman three years prior to the death of Adam. In the fall of 1835 J0seph
added to the original blessing that he gave his parents before he included it
in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
. . .
Verse 58 in Doctrine and Covenants 107 marks the
beginning of an additional revelation that Joseph originally received in Hiram,
Ohio, on November 11, 1831. Parts of this revelation—specifically verses 61,
70, 73, 76-77, 88, 90, 93, and 98—were published in a separate section in the
1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Most of the content of this additional
revelation concerns the role of a bishop and its relationship to the lineal
descendants of Aaron . . . Verses 58-67 establish the basic principle of that
quorums of the priesthood are generally presided over by those who hold the
same office as the members of a particular quorum—elders over elders, deacons
over deacons, and so forth. (Casey Paul Griffiths, Scripture Central
Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, 4 vols. [Springville, Utah: CFI,
2014], 3:333-34, 348)
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