Doctrine & Covenants 58 — Section Outline
Overview
Date: August 1, 1831
Location: Independence, Jackson County, Missouri
Recipient: The elders of the Church (including Joseph Smith, Edward Partridge, Martin Harris, William W. Phelps, and others newly arrived in Zion)
Revelation Context: Given shortly after the arrival of Joseph Smith and other Saints in Missouri. Section 58 responds to the Saints’ disappointment and confusion upon arriving in Zion and finding an untamed frontier rather than a flourishing city. It provides both chastisement and reassurance, outlining the expectations for building Zion and preparing the Saints to act with faith and initiative.
Timeframe & Setting
After the Lord designated Independence, Missouri, as the center place of Zion (D&C 57), members of the Colesville Branch and other Church leaders arrived in waves. Many were discouraged by the rough conditions and unmet expectations. Conflicts arose—particularly involving Bishop Edward Partridge, who questioned Joseph’s land choices. This revelation was received as Saints assembled in the new land seeking divine direction.
Key Circumstances
The Saints had been commanded to gather to Missouri, expecting to find a prepared city.
Instead, they found few converts, difficult frontier conditions, and uncertainty.
Bishop Partridge and others were struggling with doubts and misunderstandings about how Zion would be built.
Some leaders, including Edward Partridge and William W. Phelps, needed correction and encouragement.
Purpose of the Revelation
To correct false expectations and prepare Saints to endure tribulation.
To clarify the foundational role of this group in establishing Zion.
To call individuals to repentance and consecrated service.
To teach principles of initiative, agency, and obedience.
To initiate organizational structure for acquiring land and gathering Saints.
Significance
Introduces the concept of being “anxiously engaged in a good cause.”
Sets the foundation for Zion-building with both practical and prophetic instruction.
Reinforces the need for repentance, humility, and long-term vision.
Prepares the Saints for the millennial feast and the global spread of the gospel.
Provides a contrast between faithful discipleship (Edward Partridge’s eventual humility) and disillusionment (Ezra Booth’s departure).
Verse & Theme | Summary & Resources |
1–5 Enduring Tribulation & Future Glory | Saints are blessed if faithful, even amid trials. They are promised future glory. Echoes the stephanos (victory wreath), Revelation 2:10 (“be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”) as well as 2 Timothy 4:8. See also: Romans 8:17–18, 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, Mosiah 23:21–22, Doctrine and Covenants 122:7 |
6–12 Purpose of Gathering | The Lord explains why He has sent the Saints to Zion at this early stage, even though its glory is not yet visible. He identifies five key reasons: (1) to teach obedience, (2) to honor them as foundation-layers, (3) to bear record of the land, (4) to help prepare the millennial “feast of fat things,” and (5) to invite all nations to the marriage supper of the Lamb. This section links Zion-building to the eschatological (end-time) vision of Isaiah and Revelation.
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13–18 Bishop's Role | The Lord affirms Bishop Edward Partridge’s divine calling to help organize and judge the distribution of inheritances in Zion. This section references ancient Israelite patterns of tribal land allotments and calls Bishop Partridge to act as a “judge in Israel.” He is warned that unbelief and spiritual blindness may cause him to fall unless he repents. The Lord reminds all leaders that they are to judge by the testimony of the just and in harmony with divine law revealed through prophets.
“Judge in Israel” – A restoration of ancient tribal and priestly roles. (Deuteronomy 16:18-20, 2 Chronicles 19:5–7, Doctrine and Covenants 41:9–11)
“Divide the lands… unto his children” – Echoes camp and land allotments among the tribes of Israel. (Numbers 34:16–29: camp, land)
“The laws of the kingdom… given by the prophets of God” – Establishes theocratic governance rooted in revelation. (Mosiah 29:11–12) |
19–23 Obeying Laws | The Lord establishes the expectation that the Saints in Zion are to keep both His law and the laws of the land. Though Zion is to be governed by divine principles, until Christ reigns personally, members of the Church are commanded to be subject to earthly governments. This lays a doctrinal foundation for the Church’s lawful conduct even amid corrupt or inconsistent civic systems—particularly relevant in Missouri, a slaveholding frontier state.
Greek: “Subject” – ὑποτάσσω (hupotassō) – To subordinate, submit, or place under. Used in Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers…”
Missouri’s context (1831): Independence was a culturally and legally hostile environment. This instruction taught Saints to build Zion through lawful, peaceful means rather than rebellion or flight.
“He whose right it is to reign” echoes Ezekiel 21:27: “Until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.”
Cross-References
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24–29 Agency & Initiative | Summary Saints are to act freely in righteousness. God will not command in all things. The Lord addresses the Saints’ practical responsibilities in Zion. Leaders such as Edward Partridge and Sidney Gilbert are instructed to relocate their families and make decisions through prayerful counsel, not waiting for specific revelation in every matter. The Lord teaches that He will not command in all things and condemns slothfulness disguised as obedience. Saints are expected to act as agents unto themselves—freely and faithfully doing good.
Key Phrases
Language & Cultural Insights
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Comparison: עֶבֶד (ʿeved) vs. שָׂר (sar) – While ʿeved means servant or slave, a sar is a prince or leader. Though D&C 58:26–27 uses “servant,” the Lord’s actual counsel reflects a higher calling. His followers are not ʿavadim (passive servants waiting to be told everything), but closer in role to sarim—spiritually empowered leaders who act with wisdom and vision within the Lord’s framework. This passage implies that disciples are not passive servants but responsible actors—princes of purpose. — D&C 58:26–27 Greek:
Cross-References
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30–33 Rejecting Commandments | The Lord rebukes those who reject His commandments and then question His faithfulness when the promised blessings do not materialize. He explains that if a commandment is revoked due to disobedience, the accompanying blessings are also revoked. Yet some presume to judge God by the absence of results, not realizing that it is their own failure to obey that has disrupted the covenantal pattern. This passage directly confronts spiritual entitlement and underscores that divine promises are conditional upon obedience.
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34–43 Personal Correction | In this segment, the Lord gives personalized instructions and corrections to key individuals: Martin Harris and William W. Phelps are called to repentance for pride and worldliness. The Lord also lays down a concise doctrinal definition of repentance: it requires both confession and forsaking of sin. This section demonstrates that Zion will only succeed if its builders are humble, sanctified, and personally accountable.
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44–48 Instructions to Elders | The Lord explains that while the full inheritance of Zion will not come for many years, those who desire it through faith may still receive it according to His will. In the meantime, the Saints are to gather and preach with diligence. Those not appointed to settle permanently in Missouri should preach in the surrounding areas and then return to their homes, continuing to bear testimony “by the way.” This instruction preserves momentum in the Lord’s work even during times of partial fulfillment.
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49–56 Governance & Order | In these verses, the Lord outlines an organized plan to purchase land in Zion. He instructs the Saints to appoint an agent in Ohio to collect funds, commands Sidney Rigdon to write an epistle and inspired description of Zion, and emphasizes the need for orderly gathering—not hasty migration. The Lord reveals that purchasing land is a sacred task tied to inheritance, agency, and sacrifice. Haphazard movement will only jeopardize the long-term vision of Zion.
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57–59 Dedication & Departure | These verses mark a pivotal spiritual moment: the land of Zion—and specifically the temple site—is to be dedicated to the Lord. Sidney Rigdon is called to consecrate the land, and a conference of the Saints is to be held, confirming sacred purpose and unity. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery are then commanded to return to Ohio to continue the work. Importantly, the Lord commands that no one should return without bearing testimony “by the way” of what they have experienced and come to believe. Zion is not merely a destination—it’s a mission.
“Bear record by the way, of that which he knows and most assuredly believes” – Integrates witness into daily journeying.
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60–65 Chastisement & Commission | The Lord commands disciplinary action against Ziba Peterson, not in excommunication, but in labor and humility, due to his unconfessed sins. Meanwhile, the Saints are called to hold a conference under the bishop’s direction and continue preaching “by the way.” Their mission is global: to take the gospel to “every creature,” preparing the world for the return of the Son of Man. The final words of the section reaffirm the eschatological momentum that has underscored the entire revelation.
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