Shulem wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:47 pm
Enos received two MARKERS to indicate ordination age. The following excerpt is taken from the original manuscript taken from the bottom of the page and with that we might expect to have similar results as with Seth’s MARKERS:
Old Testament Revision 1 wrote:
Enos and the residue of the People of God came out from the Land which was called Shulon & dwelt in a Land of Promise which he called after his own son whom <whom he begat when he was 90 years old> he had named Cainan & Enos lived after he begat his son Cainan 815 850 years & begat many sons & daughters & all the days of Enos were 905 940 years & he died
(Please note that the insertion
“<whom he begat when he was 90 years old>” was penned in after the fact by what seems the same handwriting as the MARKERS and other corrections but the Joseph Smith Papers make no mention of this in the transcription or in the commentary; however the additional phrase is included at the beginning of Moses 6:17.)
“Old Testament Revision 1”
Now apply the formula to determine the age of ordination:
850 - 815 = 35
940 - 905 = 35
Compare that to what is actually given in D&C 107:
verse 44 wrote:Enos was ordained at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and four months, by the hand of Adam.
“Houston, we have a problem.”
Let’s address the discrepancy or what seems like numbers going amuck with the year in which Enos was ordained and what follows is little rhyme or reason because there seems to be confusion when it comes to the ages in which future patriarchs were ordained. Why wasn’t the 35 year MARKER adopted into the revelation that rolled off the press in D&C 107? Why was it 134 years instead of 35 which was the original intent? What follows is Enos (the 3rd patriarch in succession) being slated to become ordained at the young age of 35 ends up being cancelled by Smith himself and put off until he reaches age 134, a very long delay of 99 years! When Enos was born, his father Seth had held the patriarchal priesthood for 36 years (105 – 69 = 36) and it’s reasonable to think he would be anxious to see his son ordained earlier rather than later. So, the line of patriarchal priesthood was on hold and Seth too, would have to wait for his son’s ordination. BUT ordination to
*what*? That is the key!
A close look at D&C 107 and the ordinations of the patriarchs leads me to believe that Smith was developing his understanding and theology of priesthood organization and moreover the type of ordination referenced by the patriarchs under the hand of Adam. Smith’s narrative makes it clear that revelation is an essential ingredient to
“ordain evangelical ministers” (107:39) and that
“the order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed.” (107:40) It now becomes clear that we are talking about an
*office* within the priesthood itself or the office of
Patriarchal Priesthood which is evangelical priesthood of the patriarchal order. Therefore, Smith developed the concept that this priesthood in which was given to Seth, Enos, and so on, is reference to the office of
*Patriarch* within the priesthood which is after the Order of the Son of God. So, the ordinations given are not referencing when they were first ordained to the priesthood per se, but when they were ordained to the office of Patriarch. Hence,
“This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner.” (107:41)
It stands to reason that Smith opted to not use the young age of 35 in this particular instance and in these circumstances but require Enos to faithfully wait it out until such time as he was ready to be called to head the line of succession through the patriarchal order and become the 3rd grand Patriarch of the family of Adam. Similarly, recall that
“God called upon Cainan in the wilderness in the fortieth year of his age; and he met Adam”, but it wasn’t until 47 years later that he was actually ordained, meaning ordained to the office of Patriarch within the priesthood he undoubtedly already held. So, when Cainain was 87 he too received all the rights and privileges of the Evangelical Order under the direct ministry of Adam.
Finally, what about the anomaly of Enos receiving his patriarchal ordination not just when he was 134 years old but 134 years
“AND FOUR MONTHS”? This is the only time month’s are ever mentioned with regard to the age of the patriarchs. Why is four months even mentioned? What difference does it make? This break with convention seems to suggest that Smith’s mind was wondering about and attempting to create a different backdrop for his story other than what he originally planned. Perhaps Smith called to mind what Jesus said:
“There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest.” By the time Enos was ordained the field was white already to harvest and he became an evangelical head!