Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Speculation on The Angel visiting Christ in the Garden of Gethsemene (Luke 22:43-44)


From the LDS Scriptures Bible Dictionary: Sacrifice"the Lord gave them the law of sacrifices, which included offering the firstlings of their flocks in a similitude of the sacrifice that would be made of the Only Begotten Son of God" (BD Sacrifice).

In all the animal sacrifices of the Mosaic Law there were five important acts:
1. The presentation of the sacrifice at the sanctuary door by the sacrificer himself, as his personal act.
2. The laying on of hands (cf. Lev. 16: 21; Num. 27: 18, 20; Deut. 34: 9) dedicated the animal to God and made it the sacrificer’s representative and substitute (Num. 8: 10; Lev. 1: 4).
3. The slaughtering of the animal. The sacrificer himself slew his sacrifice (at the north side of the altar), and thus carried out actually the dedication to God that he had ceremonially expressed by the laying on of hands. A later custom was for the Levites or priests to slaughter the victims.
4.  The pouring out or sprinkling of the blood. The priest collected the blood of the animal in a vessel, and applied it in various ways and places to make an atonement (Ex. 30: 10; Lev. 8: 15; Lev. 16: 18; Lev. 17: 11).
5.  Burning the sacrifice on the altar. After the priest had properly prepared the sacrificial victim he offered it (the whole or the fat only) upon the altar of burnt offering. This act symbolized the consecration of the worshipper to Jehovah. (BD Sacrifice).

From the LDS scriptures, there is this scripture concerning "laying on of hands":
Lev. 16: 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

I wondered if sacrifices were "similitude of the sacrifice that would be made of the Only Begotten Son of God", then when Christ was actually sacrificed, how much of his sacrifice would have to be performed per the Mosaic law? Would Christ literally be sacrificed per the mosaic law?  When I read about Aaron laying his hand on the head of the animal and all of the sins of the children of Israel, I wondered if Christ had a priesthood authority lay their hands on his head along with all the sins of the world?

My speculation is in Luke 22:43-44. I am speculating that the angel (43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.) was the ancient of days Adam that was performing the priesthood action of laying on the hands and putting the sins of the world on the head of Christ!

Immediately, thereafter Luke states "being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Hence, Christ began his suffering the sins of the world in Gethsemane.  I have no evidence on this speculation other than my impression. I believe that Christ would have needed this ordinance to fulfill the law. I am guessing that the angel had the authority.

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