Temple Ritual in the Early Christian Church

I  became interested in Early Christianity Ritual and its relation to present-day Temple Ordinances because of two events: 1) we viewed an Israel Museum exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and 2) our Denver Temple president (Dennis Brown) had done some research on Early Christian Temple Rituals, and wrote a book (Evidences of the True Church).  Hugh Nibley had previously written several articles on these topics.  Then I was guided to a book  Restoring the Ancient Church, by Barry Bickmore

 Baptism:

Early Christian churches, practiced baptism of youth (not infants) by immersion by the father of the family. Afterwards, the youth was dressed in a white robe, and anointed with oil and given a new name. This ritual was sacred and not open to non-family members to view. The local congregation had a lay ministry. An early Christian Church has been re-constructed at the Israel Museum, and the above can be verified. http://www.imj.org.il/eng/exhibitions/2000/christianity/ancientchurch/structure/index.html

Baptism for Deceased Ancestors is referenced in 1 Corinthians 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" Baptism for deceased ancestors was practiced by Marcionites, an early Christian group, Orthodox Christian groups; Coptics (who even practice it today on occasion); Ethiopian Christians, called Abyssinians; and early Roman Catholics, as reported by Augustine and others.
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) continues baptism and a lay ministry as taught by Jesus’ Apostles.

·         Sacred Ordinances

Early Christians were persecuted for keeping their esoteric practices sacred and prohibiting non-Christians from witnessing them.

Hippolytus (ca. A.D. 200) made a statement “But if there is any other matter which ought to be told, let the bishop impart it secretly to those who are communicated.  He shall not tell this to any but the faithful and only after they have first been communicated.  This is the white stone of which John said that there is a new name written upon it which no man knows except him who receives.[i]”

Clement of Alexandria claimed to possess a secret tradition of knowledge (Greek gnosis) handed down from the Savior to the Apostles and on to Clement himself by way of certain of his teachers.  “Clement represents this secret discipline to which he gives the title of gnosis, or gift of knowledge, as having been conferred by our Lord, after his resurrection, on James the Just, John, and Peter, by whom it was communicated to the other Apostles; and that by these the treasure was committed to the seventy disciples, of whom Barnabas was one. . . the secret discipline thus instituted by Christ was familiar to those who had been his masters and preceptors,”[ii]

“The multitude professing Christianity were therefore divided by them into the “profane,” or those who were not yet admitted to the mysteries, and the “initiated,” or faithful and perfect. . . and as none were permitted to be present at these “mysteries,” as they were termed, save those whose admission into the fellowship of the church was perfect and complete, so likewise was it expected that, as a matter of duty, the most sacred silence should be observed in regard to everything connected with the celebration of them, and nothing whatever relating thereto to be committed to the ears of the profane.”[iii]

·         40 Days Between Christ’s  Crucifixion  and Ascension

In Sophia Jesu Christi:  “After He had risen from the dead, when they came, the twelve disciples and seven women who had followed him as disciples, into Galilee. .. where they were now at a loss in regard to the true nature of the universe, the Plan of Salvation, the Holy Providence, the excellency of the Powers, about all that the Redeemer did with them, the secrets of the Holy Plan of Salvation, then there appeared to them the Redeemer. “ [iv]

·         Instruction to Adam

In the Apocalypse of Adam, it is related that mystical instruction was given by three heavenly messengers to Adam.  Jesuit scholar George MacRae summarizes:’ Father Adam explains how in the Fall he and Eve lost their glory and knowledge.  Through the revelation imparted to Adam by three heavenly visitors, however, this knowledge is passed on to Seth and his seed.”

An Egyptian Christian book, the First Book of Adam and Eve describes their posture in prayer: “Then Adam and Eve raised their hands unto God, praying and entreating Him to drive Satan away from them”

·         Preliminary Ordinances

Cyril of Jerusalem gave the most complete description of Preliminary Ordinances (Initiatory Rites) (translated into English in 1951[v]).  [Even though Cyril was a Bishop in the Roman Church about 350 A.D., his views on the Trinity and original sin are similar to LDS’ today.]  He wrote five catechetical (kat-i-ket-i-kuhl) lectures for the newly baptized.  “As soon, then, as ye entered, ye put off your tunic; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds.  . . ye were naked; in this also imitating Christ, who was naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness put off from Himself the principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree. . .   truly ye bore the likeness of the first-formed Adam,  in the garden, and was not ashamed.  Then, , ye were anointed with exorcised oil, from the very hairs of your head to your feet, and were made partakers of the good olive-tree, Jesus Christ.[vi]”

“The ointment is symbolically applied to thy forehead and thy other senses, and while thy body is anointed with the visible ointment, thy soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit.  And ye were first anointed on the forehead . . . Then on your ears: that ye might receive the ears which are quick to hear the Divine Mysteries. . .  Then on the nostrils. . Afterwards on your breast,; that having put on the breast-plate of righteousness, ye may stand against the wiles of the devil. . .[vii]  (see http://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/207/2070037.htm )

“The initiate received a new name after the clothing.[viii]

·         The Endowment

Male initiates wore mitre or priestly cap “much as though a sphere were to be divided through the centre, and one half thereof to be put upon the head…  It has no peak at the top, nor does it cover the whole head as far as the hair extends, but leaves about a third of the front part of the head uncovered.  It is attached by a band,.” [ix]

“Sacred vestments include a girdle or sash and a robe worn over the shoulders.  The robe is worn on different shoulders, depending on the degree within the priesthood.”[x]

“All those who were admitted to the inner sights of the mysteries had a formula or pass-word. . [xi]

“Come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers spread; but make thy left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King.  And having hollowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ” [xii]  (Eucharist and baptism were part of esoteric ordinances in 2^nd  & 3^rd Century Christianity.)

·         The Prayer Circle

“A prayer is offered by the [officiator] in behalf of those in the circle and the others attending which included the giving of thanks, petition for blessing to be pronounced upon the Eucharist, and petition ‘for the common peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world, for kings, for soldiers and allies; for the sick, for the afflicted, and in a word, for all who stand in need of succor[xiii]”

“The names of those to be prayed for were written on parchments, which from being folded twice, were called diptychs”[xiv]

In the Stromata, Clement of Alexandria, in describing the prayer circle,  says  “So also we raise the head and lift the hands to heaven. ”   The First Century Odes of Solomon explains that this posture was adopted in imitation of the Savior on Calvary: “I stretched forth my hands and sanctified my Lord:  For the extension of my hands in His sign;  And my expansion is the upright tree.”

3^rd Nephi Ch 19 Jesus appeared to his 12 disciples and the multitude in the form of a prayer circle.  [xv] - -

·         The Veil

In the Gospel of Philip,  the Savior gave various “seals” and passwords necessary to ascend to the highest heaven: “Here at the veil are imparted the secret “seals” and “pass-words”, which allow free passage through each of their spheres”[xvi]

“In one narrative, the Primeval Man is drawn up to heaven by celestial messengers:  .. The Living Spirit extended his right hand to Primeval Man.  The latter seized it and thus was drawn up out of the depths of the world of darkness.  . . He was returned to the paradise of light, his Celestial home, where his kin awaited him.”[xvii]

·         Celestial Marriage

Egyptian Christians considered Celestial marriage to be their most holy mystery.  The Gospel of Philip states that “those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated”[xviii]   “One receives them [the male and female powers] from the mirrored bridal chamber.”[xix]  “if anyone becomes a son of the bridal chamber, he will receive the light.” [xx]  “The heavenly man has many more sons than the earthly man.  If the sons of Adam are many, although they die, how much more the sons of the perfect man, they who do not die but are always begotten.”[xxi]

“Clement (of Alexandria) believed that marriage and procreation are an intrinsic and positive part of God’s plan for the human race.  In this way, the human being becomes the image of God, by cooperating in the creation of another human being.  The married man who must devote himself to the administration of a household is a more faithful reflection of God’s own providential care.” [xxii]

Clement felt that marriage “was good practice for life as a god”[xxiii]

The Gospel of Philip taught that the existence of the world depends on the mystery of marriage:  “Great is the mystery of marriage!  For without it the world would not have existed.  How the existence of the world depends on man, and the existence of man on marriage.[xxiv]

·         Rejection of Esoteric Ordinances (part of the Apostasy) ^xxv

Various reasons for the rejection of Esoteric Ordinances during the Fourth Century:

- Nicene Creed became antithetical to Theosis and Divinization

- Emperor Constantine [xxv]couldn’t condone secrecy which might organize against state’s authority.

-2^nd Century fragmentation of Christian authority

-Hellenism – Greek thought based on Socrates’ rationalism

-Roman (intellectual) fight against Gnosticism (esoteric) resulted in the Roman Church’s burning of the Apocrypha

-Rejection of Jewish esoteric traditions ^xxv

·         Conclusion

Writings from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Codices show that for two centuries after Jesus Christ, certain religious groups practiced rituals that included anointing patrons and the receiving of celestial robes.  Teaching about the use of secret names and tokens took place along with passing through the temple veil into the presence of God.  Revelations of the secrets of creation and the exaltation and deification of individuals were presented.  Ascension into various levels of heaven representing different degrees of glory was a part of the ceremony.   The need for moral purity was taught, and Eternal Marriages were performed.

If Joseph Smith taught a number of esoteric doctrines that were unknown to have existed in the early church during his time, but which research and uncovered documents (during the 1950 to 1970 period) now show were part of early Christianity, one has to conclude that he was inspired of God.  Yale literary scholar Harold Bloom,   wrote a book called The American Religion, in which he writes of Joseph Smith: "I can only attribute to his genius or heavenly intervention his uncanny recovery of many elements in ancient Jewish theurgy [xxvi] that had ceased to be available either to Judaism or to Christianity, and that had survived only in esoteric traditions unlikely to have touched Smith directly."   The Church which Joseph Smith restored is the original Church of Christ, as revealed in the many documents of the first three centuries after Christ .

Tags: Temple Ritual Esoteric First Century

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