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The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “The fundamental principles of our religion is the testimony of the apostles and prophets concerning Jesus Christ, ‘that he died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended up into heaven;’ and all other things are only appendages to these, which pertain to our religion.”[1] In this key statement Joseph declared that the death of Christ was one of the “fundamental principles” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This essay will show that Joseph Smith’s visions clearly demonstrate the saving significance of Christ’s Crucifixion.

Teachings from the Church’s standard works also emphasize the vital importance of Christ’s death.[2] For example, at least twenty-one New Testament references relate the death of Christ to his atoning for our sins.[3] The Apostle Paul wrote that Christ brings us to God “through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).[4] Peter told the early Saints that Jesus bore “our sins in his own body on the tree [cross], that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

Restoration scripture similarly emphasizes the salvific importance of Christ’s death. At least eighteen Book of Mormon passages associate Christ’s death with our salvation.[5] For example, Abinadi proclaimed, “These are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions” (Mosiah 15:12). Samuel the Lamanite declared, “[Christ] surely must die, that salvation may come. . . . This death . . . redeemeth all mankind” (Helaman 14:15, 16).

Per page, the Doctrine and Covenants emphasizes this truth even more than the Book of Mormon; at least twelve passages directly connect our redemption with Christ’s death.[6] Sample references include the following: “The Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh . . . that all men might repent and come unto him” (18:11) and “Jesus was crucified . . . for the sins of the world, yea, for the remission of sins” (21:9).

In Joseph Smith’s personal writings and sermons, he referred to Christ’s death more than thirty times, at least nine of which specifically referred to its saving nature.[7] For example, he spoke of “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was crucified for the sins of the world.”[8] On another occasion, he declared, “I believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and that he died for the sins of all men.”[9]

The Crucifixion by Harry Anderson. Courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

This principle continues to be frequently taught in the Church. Across the corpus of talks in the Journal of Discourses and general conferences through 2019, more than 330 Church leaders have collectively referenced the Savior’s death more than three thousand times.[10] For example, in 1860 President Brigham Young taught, “Jesus was appointed, from the beginning, to die for our redemption, and he suffered an excruciating death on the cross.”[11] President John Taylor said Christ was “crucified . . . to open up the way of life and salvation, that man might attain to exaltation.”[12] Recent Church leaders have continued this emphasis. President Gordon B. Hinckley stated that through “the offering of His life on Calvary’s Hill, [Christ] expiated the sins of mankind, relieving us from the burden of sin if we will forsake evil and follow Him.”[13] President Thomas S. Monson said Jesus “died upon the cross to redeem all mankind.”[14] President Russell M. Nelson exhorted, “Remember the Savior upon the cross suffering from the sins of the world.”[15] These quotations illustrate the focus Church leaders have consistently placed on the saving value of Christ’s death.

The foregoing statements indicate that, as Joseph Smith taught, Christ’s Crucifixion is a fundamental principle of the Church. Although some Church members shy away from crucifixion imagery,[16] both the scriptures and Church leaders make it clear that the Savior’s Crucifixion is of vital salvific import. It is interesting to note that there are “two pieces of art that serve as backdrops for the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in their sacred weekly temple meetings each Thursday in Salt Lake City. These portrayals serve as constant reminders to [them] of the price that was paid and the victory that was won by Him whose servants [they] are.”[17]

In this essay I expand our understanding of the importance of Christ’s Crucifixion by identifying heavenly visions of it that were either received or translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Three of the six visions discussed herein were direct manifestations, one was received through the Urim and Thummim, and two were brought forth through Joseph’s translation efforts. I present the four visions received by Joseph Smith in chronological order and then describe the two additional visions in the order in which he translated them.

The First Vision and Christ’s Crucifixion

In approximately 1832, Joseph recorded his first account of the First Vision. He described how between the ages of twelve and fifteen he extensively pondered the scriptures in light of the sectarian divisions of his day. Recalling this experience, he wrote, “I became convicted of my sins, and by searching the scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but that they had apostatized from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament, and I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world.”[18]

As Joseph continued to ponder his personal circumstances and belief in God, he was led to directly call upon the Lord for mercy. In response to his plea, Joseph received a heavenly manifestation. He wrote, “The Lord opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord, and he spake unto me, saying, ‘Joseph, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Go thy way, walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments. Behold, I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world, that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life.’�ĝ[19] Thus in his earliest written account of the First Vision, Joseph Smith shared the important detail that Christ introduced himself as one who offers redemption because of his Crucifixion.

Notably, this statement is similar to other instances in scripture where the Savior introduced himself by referencing his Crucifixion. In the New Testament, when Christ appeared to his disciples after his Resurrection, he said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). Christ is referencing the signs of his Crucifixion as an important identifier of who he is. Central to his identity is his Crucifixion.

Jesus likewise emphasized his Crucifixion when he appeared to his disciples in the New World, saying, “Come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (3 Nephi 11:14). Across several other passages of scripture, Jesus Christ invokes his death when identifying himself (e.g., 3 Nephi 9:21–22; Doctrine and Covenants 35:2; 45:52; 53:2). Given this consistency, it is not surprising that Jesus referenced his Crucifixion when introducing himself to Joseph in the First Vision.

It is also noteworthy that in Christ’s introduction to Joseph he first expressed to Joseph forgiveness for sins, exhorted him to keep the commandments, and then stated, “I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world, that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life.” Thus, one could argue that one of the very first doctrines revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith concerned the saving power of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Such preeminence reinforces Joseph’s later statement about Christ’s death being a fundamental principle of the Latter-day Saint faith and invites its adherents to more carefully ponder Christ’s death on the cross.

The Urim and Thummim and Christ’s Crucifixion

Several years after Joseph Smith’s First Vision, on April 5, 1829, Oliver Cowdery arrived at Joseph and Emma Smith’s residence in Harmony, Pennsylvania, after hearing about him through Smith family members in New York. Two days later, Joseph and Oliver commenced working together to translate the Book of Mormon. Sometime within the first few weeks of meeting Oliver Cowdery, Joseph “enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim”[20] and obtained the revelation known today as Doctrine and Covenants 6.

While the historical record is insufficient to tell us specific details about what Joseph saw in the Urim and Thummim, it is clear that the revelation itself came directly from Jesus Christ. The Savior explicitly identified himself, saying, “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto my own and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.”[21]

Toward the end of the revelation, it appears that Joseph may have seen an actual vision of Jesus Christ. Again speaking in the first person, the Savior said, “Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not: behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet.”[22] In this revelation, Jesus invited Joseph to behold, or fix his eyes upon,[23] the Savior’s crucifixion wounds. For Christ to tell Joseph Smith to focus on his side, his hands, and his feet suggests that Joseph saw Jesus and was told to carefully look at the remnants of what the Savior experienced on Calvary.

Such instruction is consistent with additional scripture. In both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, the Savior directed his followers to focus on his crucifixion wounds (John 20:27; 3 Nephi 11:14–15). In addition, Book of Mormon prophets encouraged people to look at or ponder the Savior’s death. Toward the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Jacob wrote, “We would to God that we could persuade all men [to] . . . believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross” (Jacob 1:8). Similarly, near the end of the book, Mormon wrote to his son Moroni, “May [Christ’s] sufferings and death . . . rest in your mind forever” (Moroni 9:25).

Although for some the image of Christ’s death may evoke feelings of sorrow, Joseph Smith’s vision through the Urim and Thummim suggests that fixing our eyes upon Christ’s crucifixion wounds can help us to “doubt not, fear not,” “look unto him in every thought,” “be faithful; keep [Christ’s] commandments, and . . . inherit the kingdom of heaven.”[24] Pondering the Savior’s death can invite confidence in “the triumph and the glory of the Lamb who was slain.”[25] As Jennifer Lane has noted, “Working on my dissertation . . . I looked at hundreds of images of Christ bleeding profusely. The wounds in his side, hands, and feet were all a source of great attention and love. . . . There may have been a time when this devotional art was startling to me, but through my study, I could see the love that people felt for Christ reflected in these images.”[26] Indeed, in this revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 6:37) the living Christ has invited us to fix our eyes on his crucifixion wounds so that we will not be afraid.

“The Vision” and Christ’s Crucifixion

On February 16, 1832, while in the midst of translating the New Testament, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon had a series of revelatory experiences that collectively became known as “the Vision”[27] and today are published as Doctrine and Covenants 76. Joseph and Sidney recorded, “The Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about. And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness. . . . We saw him [Christ], even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father” (vv. 19–20, 23).

In this instance, Joseph and Sidney not only saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, they also heard a heavenly voice testifying of Jesus Christ. Later they heard a “voice out of the heavens” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:40) testify “that he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; that through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him” (vv. 41–42).

While the identity of the heavenly voice is not readily apparent, it is clear that in conjunction with a vision of Jesus Christ, Joseph and Sidney received a message that Jesus came to earth “to be crucified for the world.” This is consonant with previous revelations received by Joseph Smith. On one occasion the Savior directly said to him, “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 35:2). In another revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided a list of spiritual gifts. The very first gift listed was “to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world” (46:13). Both the heavenly voice and additional revelations given to Joseph Smith confirm the global significance of the Savior’s Crucifixion.

Because Christ died on the cross, no tragedy is irreparable. As President Howard W. Hunter taught, “If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right.”[28]

The Kirtland Temple and Christ’s Crucifixion

At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph had prayed, “We ask thee, O Lord, to accept of this house, the workmanship of the hands of us, thy servants, which thou didst command us to build.”[29] A fourth visionary experience regarding the Crucifixion occurred on April 3, 1836, when the Lord personally appeared to answer this prayer.

While in the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery “saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit before them. And under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber: his eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of his head was like the pure snow, his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters.”[30]

Joseph and Oliver then heard “the voice of Jehovah, saying, ‘I am the first and the last. I am he who liveth. I am he who was slain. I am your advocate with the Father. Behold your sins are forgiven you.’�ĝ[31] As with Joseph’s First Vision, Jesus Christ in a direct vision related his death to the forgiveness of sins. In this case he also connected his death to the fact that he is our advocate—“one who pleads the cause of another before any tribunal or judicial court.”[32]

Six years previously, Joseph Smith had received a separate revelation wherein Jesus specified that he uses his death as a key piece of advocacy to the Father on our behalf. On March 7, 1831, the Lord said to Joseph, “Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him, saying, ‘Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin. . . . Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.’�ĝ[33]

A key message from the Savior’s appearance in the Kirtland Temple is that although Christ was crucified, he lives. Because he was slain on our behalf, he pleads our case before Heavenly Father. As the Apostle John taught, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2). Understanding that Christ’s Crucifixion is a principal piece of evidence he will use to advocate on our behalf can motivate us to more carefully focus on Calvary and help us feel more gratitude for his atoning sacrifice as we see it directly connected to our receiving forgiveness for sin.

Nephi’s Vision and Christ’s Crucifixion

In addition to his own visions, Joseph Smith was instrumental in translating two visionary experiences that relate to Christ’s Crucifixion. The first of these concerns a revelation received by the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi.

After Nephi heard his father Lehi speak about his vision of the tree of life, as well as Christ’s death, Nephi felt a strong desire to learn more about the things his father had seen and taught (1 Nephi 8:10; 10:11, 17). Nephi recorded, “As I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot” (11:1).

The Spirit of the Lord asked Nephi what he wanted. After Nephi explained his desire to understand the things his father had seen, he was shown a tree that was “exceeding of all beauty” (v. 8). When Nephi asked to know the interpretation of the tree, he saw “the city of Nazareth” (v. 13) and “a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” (v. 15).

Nephi was told by the attendant angel, “The virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh” (v. 18). In vision, Nephi saw the woman carrying a child in her arms and was told, “Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father” (v. 21).

This led Nephi to understand that the meaning of the tree his father saw was “the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men” (v. 22), and he realized that “the tree of life was a representation of the love of God” (v. 25).

As the vision continued, Nephi saw the Savior’s ministry, including his baptism, the twelve disciples, and Christ teaching and healing many people. Nephi next saw “the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world” (v. 32). Nephi then “beheld the Lamb of God, . . . that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (vv. 32–33). Nephi’s vision, much like two of Joseph Smith’s visions, clearly manifested the saving import of Christ’s Crucifixion. It is notable that Christ on the cross is the act of atonement that Nephi both saw in vision and recorded for latter-day readers to remember.

Nephi saw Christ crucified and learned that “the tree of life was a representation of the love of God” (1 Nephi 11:25). Consider how these teachings connect with passages from both the New Testament and Book of Mormon that likewise relate love and the death of Jesus Christ:

• “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)
• “So must the Son of man be lifted up. . . . For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:14, 16)
• “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16)
• “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)
• “[Christ] loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life” (2 Nephi 26:24)
• “[Christ hath] loved the world, even unto the laying down of [his] life for the world” (Ether 12:33)

A repeated theme in scripture is that the love of God is manifested by Jesus Christ’s having laid down his life. The Savior himself taught that his greatest act of love was his death (John 15:13). Shortly after Nephi came to understand that the tree Lehi saw represented the love of God, he saw in vision Jesus Christ “lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 11:33). Collectively, these statements help us see that Christ’s Crucifixion is one key meaning of the tree Nephi saw in vision. The atoning act of Christ’s death manifests God’s love.[34] The Savior is both a living and a loving Christ.

Enoch’s Vision and Christ’s Crucifixion

The second vision of Christ’s Crucifixion that was revealed by Joseph Smith came as part of his inspired translation of the book of Genesis, which eventually became the Book of Moses. Moses 6–7, brought forth in December of 1830 concerns the ancient prophet Enoch. Early in Enoch’s ministry, the Lord instructed Enoch to anoint his eyes with clay; after doing so, Enoch “beheld the spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land: A seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people” (Moses 6:36).

Enoch used his gift of seership to bring people to Jesus Christ. He traveled extensively, inviting people to repent and be baptized. While he had success with those in his own city, many other people rejected his message (Moses 7:20, 24–26). In a vision, Enoch learned that God would cause a flood to come upon the earth because people had become so evil. When Enoch “looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, [he] wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned” (Moses 7:41).

Enoch “had bitterness of soul” and said, “I will refuse to be comforted” (Moses 7:44). In anguish, “Enoch . . . cried unto the Lord, saying: . . . When shall the blood of the Righteous be shed, that all they that mourn may be sanctified and have eternal life?” (Moses 7:45).

In response to this question, “Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain” (Moses 7:47). The title “the Righteous” refers to Jesus Christ, and “lifted up” refers to the Savior’s Crucifixion (compare 3 Nephi 27:14). This is made clear in Moses 7:55, where Enoch sees “the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, after the manner of men.”

In Enoch’s vision we learn a poignant lesson. Enoch experienced extreme suffering because of the poor choices of others and found comfort in Christ’s Crucifixion. The solace Enoch found in the scene of Calvary can be ours as we contemplate Christ’s experiences on Calvary. The following modern account of finding solace through contemplating Christ’s death touches my heart:

Ugly tears coursed down my cheeks. Why? How could this have happened? The betrayal hit me like a gut punch. I wanted to scream it all away, or at the very least tear someone apart with my bare fingernails. But even that wouldn’t make it better, wouldn’t erase what I was going through. I felt so alone.

. . . Talking to a counselor brought temporary relief but no real solutions. Blocking it out and staying as busy as possible only worked for so long.

Then came Jesus. In the darkness, in the depths of my pain, I realized: He knew. . . .

He’d experienced the worst pain, the deepest betrayal, the hardest suffering—none of it deserved. . . . And it hurt Him—so very, very badly.

But for some reason, I’d never before understood this. Growing up, I’d been taught Jesus died on the cross, but His suffering seemed abstract. In paintings depicting the crucifixion, the holes from the nails had a bit of blood, and Jesus was frowning beneath His crown of thorns, but it was all rather contained—a PG version of what He’d really been through. Then His suffering was over and, whoosh! Our Savior was dressed in head-to-toe white with a glowing golden halo, smiling like He’d never been gasping for His last breath or sobbing from the pain of being sold for thirty pieces of silver by one of His twelve best friends.

But when I encountered Jesus in my sorrow, it wasn’t the Sunday school, family-friendly version kneeling beside me as I collapsed before Him in a darkened room with my prayer of surrender. It was the scarred-up Jesus, the One who remembered the ragged bloodstained holes from where they’d driven the nails in, who didn’t wince as they beat Him but cried out in agony, who didn’t just quietly and stoically accept that Judas let Him down but ached over the treachery.

This Jesus understood. And when I realized that, and I allowed him to meet me in my suffering, I was no longer alone.[35]

Conclusion

In this essay I have reviewed six visions connected to both Joseph Smith and the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Three of these visions were direct manifestations received by Joseph Smith, one came through the Urim and Thummim, and Joseph Smith translated two visions of Christ’s Crucifixion (one from Nephi, and another from Enoch). These visions teach important lessons about Jesus Christ that are corroborated by additional scripture.

Collectively these visions provide valuable insight into why Christ’s death is one of the “fundamental principles of our religion.” Two of them (the First Vision and Nephi’s vision) explicitly teach that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins,[36] with two additional visions (“the Vision” and Christ’s appearance in the Kirtland Temple) also connecting Christ’s death with our forgiveness. These visions help us see the saving significance of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. Joseph and Oliver’s vision in the Kirtland Temple also helps us see the importance of Christ’s death in his personal advocacy for each of us. The vision Joseph received through the Urim and Thummim (Doctrine and Covenants 6) can assist us in overcoming a cultural tendency to avoid depictions of Christ’s Crucifixion as we recognize that the Savior himself commanded Joseph to fix his eyes upon his crucifixion wounds. Enoch’s vision of Jesus on the cross shows that we can find peace amid anguish because of what Christ accomplished on Calvary.

Jesus Christ is “the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:69).[37] In his teachings in the Old World, New World, and our world, the Savior has focused on the saving power of his Crucifixion. This same principle is true in visions received by and through the Prophet Joseph Smith. These visions—and this consistent emphasis from Jesus Christ can inspire us to give greater attention to the events of Calvary and by doing so feel the Savior’s love in greater abundance.

Notes

[1] Elders’ Journal, July 1838, 44, www.josephsmithpapers.org; emphasis added.

[2] See John Hilton III, “Teaching the Scriptural Emphasis on the Crucifixion,” Religious Educator 20, no. 3 (2019): 132–53.

[3] John 3:14–15; 12:32; Romans 5:6, 8, 10; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20, 21–22; 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Hebrews 9:15, 26; 10:10, 12; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; Revelation 5:8–9.

[4] All emphasis in scripture citations has been added by the author.

[5] 1 Nephi 11:33; 2 Nephi 2:7–8; 9:5; 26:24; Mosiah 14:12; 15:7–9, 12; 18:2; Alma 21:9; 22:14; 30:26; 33:22; 34:15; Helaman 14:15–16; 3 Nephi 9:21–22; 11:14; 27:14; Ether 12:33.

[6] Doctrine and Covenants 18:11; 20:23–25; 21:9; 35:2; 45:2–5; 46:13; 53:2; 54:1; 76:41; 138:2, 35, 57.

[7] See John Hilton III, “Joseph Smith, Gethsemane, and the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ,” in How and What We Worship: Christology and Praxis in the Revelations of Joseph Smith, ed. Rachel Cope, Carter Charles, and Jordan Watkins (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2020).

[8] Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5–6 December 1834, 19, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[9] History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 (2 November 1838–31 July 1842), p. 6 February 1840, www.josephsmithpapers.org; emphasis added. Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been modernized in all JSP quotations to promote readability except as otherwise noted.

[10] John Hilton III, Emily Hyde, and McKenna Trussel, “The Use of ‘Crucifixion’ by Church Leaders: 1852–2018,” BYU Studies 59, no. 1 (2020): 49–80.

[11] Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses (London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1861), 8:115.

[12] John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses, 16:307.

[13] Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (general conference talk, October 1986), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[14] Thomas S. Monson, “Mrs. Patton—the Story Continues” (general conference talk, October 2007), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[15] Russell M. Nelson, “Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women” (general conference talk, April 1999), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[16] Latter-day Saint scholar Terryl Givens notes that Church members “shun virtually all representations of the cross and, by extension, the passion, in both art and sculpture” (Terryl L. Givens, People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture [New York: Oxford University Press, 2007], 114). Michael Reed points to a de-emphasis of the cross in the mid-twentieth century, demonstrating that while in the early years of the Church there was some support for the use of the cross as a visual symbol, it became less acceptable over time (Michael G. Reed, Banishing the Cross: The Emergence of a Mormon Taboo [Independence, MO: John Whitmer Books, 2012]). See John Hilton III, Anthony Sweat, and Josh Stratford, “Latter-day Saints and Images of Christ’s Crucifixion,” BYU Studies, 60, no. 2 (2021): 49–79.

[17] Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lifted Up upon the Cross” (general conference talk, October 2022), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[18] History, circa Summer 1832, 2, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[19] History, circa Summer 1832, 3, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[20] History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 (23 December 1805–30 August 1834), p. 13, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[21] Revelation, April 1829–A (D&C 6), p. 17, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[22] Revelation, April 1829–A (D&C 6), p. 17, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[23] See Webster’s Dictionary 1828, s.v. “behold,” https://webstersdictionary1828.com.

[24] Revelation, April 1829–A (D&C 6), p. 17, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[25] Vision, 16 February 1832 (D&C 76), www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[26] Jennifer C. Lane, Finding Christ in the Covenant Path: Ancient Insights for Modern Life (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2020), 87

[27] Michael Hicks, “Joseph Smith, W. W. Phelps, and the Poetic Paraphrase of ‘The Vision,’” Journal of Mormon History, vol. 20, no. 2 (Fall 1994): 63.

[28] Howard W. Hunter, “Fear Not, Little Flock” (Brigham Young University devotional, 1989), https://speeches.byu.edu.

[29] Prayer of Dedication, 27 March 1836 (D&C 109), 1, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[30] Visions, 3 April 1836 (D&C 110), p. 192, www.josephsmithpapers.org. Shortly after this statement, the Savior directly responded to the petition offered at the dedication, saying, “I have accepted this house.”

[31] Visions, 3 April 1836 (D&C 110), p. 192, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[32] Webster’s Dictionary 1828, s.v. “advocate,” http://webstersdictionary1828.com.

[33] Revelation, circa 7 March 1831 (D&C 45), p. 71, www.josephsmithpapers.org; emphasis added.

[34] In addition, when Christ defined his gospel, his Crucifixion was front and center: “This is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—and for this cause have I been lifted up (3 Nephi 27:13–15).

[35] Jessica Brodie, “Finding Jesus in the Center of My Pain,” WhollyLoved (blog), July 15, 2019, https://whollyloved.com/2019/07/15/finding-jesus-in-the-center-of-my-pain/.

[36] This is also taught in a modern-day vision received by President Joseph F. Smith: “Redemption had been wrought through the sacrifice of the Son of God upon the cross” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:35).

[37] It is clear from scripture that the phrase “shedding of blood” refers to death. See Genesis 37:20–22; Deuteronomy 21:6–7; Matthew 23:35; Acts 22:20; 1 Nephi 4:10; Mosiah 17:10; Alma 1:13; 20:19; 39:5; Doctrine and Covenants 132:19, 26; 136:36; Moses 7:45, 47. See also John Hilton III and Ryder Seamons, "Remembering Christ's Blood Which Was Shed," Religious Educator 23, no. 3 (2022): 108–25.