Holy Men Ye Know Not Of
May 25th, 2025 by G.
Wherefore, I will that all men shall repent, for all are under sin, except those which I have reserved unto myself, holy men that ye know not of.
-thus D&C 49:8
I don’t know what this means and I wish I did. There is no context to speak of.
There are two references I could find. One from Spencer W. Kimball which doesn’t address the holy men part. The other was added by a later editor in a footnote in the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, to a statement by Joseph Smith saying that God had reserved Enoch unto Himself.
Zen
May 26, 2025
I always supposed it meant certain translated beings, like the Three Nephites.
But I wonder if we do ourselves a disservice in oversimplifying the Plan of Salvation. There may be more of these than we suppose.
That line from Hamlet is always appropriate, “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
E.C.
May 26, 2025
You know, there’s a delightful Jewish legend of the Tzadikim Nistarim – 36 righteous or just people upon whom the continued existence of the world depends. Much like the Three Nephites and John the Revelator, they go about doing good.
However, they are generally considered to be mortal and are replaced as they die. Perhaps there really are such saints in the world?
G.
May 27, 2025
I knew you guys would come through with something.