Section 55 (Modern D&C 33)
Overview
Given in October 1830, this revelation (Section 55 in the 1835 edition, Section 33 in modern editions) addresses two early converts, Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet. Speaking in the first-person voice of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith issues a dual mandate: to declare the restored gospel and to gather the elect. The text is foundational to early Mormon missiology, asserting that the existing Christian world ('the vineyard') is 'corrupted every whit' due to 'priestcrafts,' necessitating a total restoration rather than reformation. It establishes the Book of Mormon and the 'church articles and covenants' (D&C 20) as equal in authority to the Bible. The revelation utilizes apocalyptic imagery ('eleventh hour,' 'coming of the Bridegroom') to instill urgency. It defines the path to salvation through a specific sequence: faith, repentance, water baptism, and the subsequent 'baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost' administered by the restored priesthood, explicitly linking spiritual safety to adherence to the new church's covenants.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ (The Speaker)
- Ezra Thayre
- Northrop Sweet
- Nephi (Book of Mormon figure)
- Joseph Smith (The Revelator)
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Total Apostasy
Assertion
The entire Christian world ('vineyard') is 'corrupted every whit' and does no good due to 'priestcrafts.'
Evidence from Text
And my vineyard has become corrupted every whit: and there is none which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances, because of priestcrafts
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelicalism holds that while the visible church may err, the invisible Church (the body of true believers) has never been extinguished, per Matthew 16:18. This text asserts a total, universal corruption ('every whit') of Christianity prior to 1830, necessitating a restoration rather than reformation. It labels traditional Christian ministry as 'priestcraft,' a derogatory term in Mormon theology implying ministry for gain.
Open Canon
Assertion
The Book of Mormon and D&C revelations are scripture alongside the Bible.
Evidence from Text
And the book of Mormon, and the holy scriptures, are given of me for your instruction
Evangelical Comparison
The text places the 'Book of Mormon' and 'church articles and covenants' (early D&C sections) on par with 'the holy scriptures' (Bible). For Evangelicals, the canon is closed (Jude 1:3, Rev 22:18). This text establishes a tripartite canon (Bible, Book of Mormon, D&C) as the standard for instruction.
Conditional Security
Assertion
Salvation and the church's stability are contingent on continuing in the specific covenants of the LDS church.
Evidence from Text
yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you
Evangelical Comparison
The text introduces a conditional clause ('if ye continue') to the promise of the gates of hell not prevailing. In Evangelical theology, the security of the believer and the Church rests on Christ's finished work (John 10:28). Here, security is linked to adherence to 'church articles and covenants.'
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap
The fundamental gap lies in the doctrine of the Church and Salvation. The text claims the 'vineyard' (Christianity) is 'corrupted every whit,' denying the efficacy of all previous Christian history, theology, and sacraments. It redefines the Gospel not as the finished work of Christ received by faith, but as a covenantal system requiring specific priesthood authority, water baptism, and confirmation to receive the Holy Ghost. This creates a 'Restorationist' exclusivity that renders Evangelical faith insufficient for full salvation.
Friction Points
Ecclesiology / Universal Church
Claims the universal church was totally apostate ('corrupted every whit') until 1830.
Sola Gratia / Sola Fide
Salvation/Remission of sins is tied to water baptism and obedience to 'articles and covenants.'
Sola Scriptura
Elevates Book of Mormon and D&C to the status of 'holy scriptures.'
Assurance of Salvation
Security is conditional upon 'continuing' in specific church covenants.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Gospel"
In This Text
A system of laws and ordinances (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, enduring) administered by the LDS Church.
In Evangelicalism
The 'Good News' of Christ's finished work of atonement, received by grace through faith (1 Cor 15:1-4).
"Priestcraft"
In This Text
Any preaching or ministry done by paid clergy or those outside the LDS authority structure.
In Evangelicalism
Often associated with using religion for abuse or gain, but not applied categorically to paid ministry (1 Tim 5:18).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Remission of sins leading to the gift of the Holy Ghost, contingent on joining the specific restored church.
How Attained: Faith -> Repentance -> Water Baptism (by authority) -> Confirmation -> Keeping Covenants.
Basis of Assurance: Conditional: 'If ye continue' and 'remember the church articles.'
Comparison to Sola Fide: Explicitly rejects faith alone by adding ritual requirements ('repent and be baptized... and then cometh the baptism of fire'). In Evangelicalism, the Spirit is received by hearing with faith (Galatians 3:2), not by ritual confirmation.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Open ye your ears and hearken
- Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump
- Thrust in your sickles and reap
- Repent and be baptized
- Remember the church articles and covenants
- Confirm in my church by the laying on of hands
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith's voice as the voice of God
- Reject all other Christian denominations as 'corrupt'
- Study the Book of Mormon as scripture
Ritual Requirements
- Water Baptism (for remission of sins)
- Confirmation (Laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- The text says the vineyard (Christianity) was 'corrupted every whit' before 1830. Do you believe that great reformers like Luther, Calvin, or Wesley were 'corrupt' and doing no good?
- Verse 2 commands you to be like 'Nephi of old.' How important is it to your faith that Nephi was a real historical person versus a symbolic character?
- The text promises the gates of hell won't prevail 'if ye continue.' How do you know if you have done enough to ensure they won't prevail against you personally?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Eleventh Hour
Just as the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20) received a full wage despite working one hour, God's grace is available to the latecomer. We don't work to earn the wage, but because the Master is generous.
The Word as a Sword
The Bible is sufficient to pierce the heart and reveal truth without needing additional books. It is the ultimate authority.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is forced to view all other Christians as 'corrupt' and 'erring,' creating a deep spiritual isolation and a sense of superiority that cuts them off from the broader body of Christ.
The condition 'if ye continue' combined with the command to 'reap with all your might' creates a pressure cooker where salvation and standing are maintained by constant exertion.
Must accept the Book of Mormon as equal to the Bible and Nephi as historical fact, despite lack of evidence, creating tension between faith and reason.
+ Epistemology
Knowledge Source: Prophetic Revelation (Joseph Smith speaking as God).
Verification Method: Internal spiritual witness and obedience to the prophetic command.
Evangelical Contrast: Evangelical epistemology subjects all prophecy to the test of Scripture (Acts 17:11). This text demands obedience to the new revelation as the primary source of truth, validating itself through its own claim of power ('quick and powerful').
+ Textual Criticism
Dating: October 1830
Authorship: Joseph Smith (dictated)
Textual Issues: This text (Section 55 in 1835) was re-numbered to Section 33 in later editions. The 1835 edition canonized it.