The Greek Term for Telestial

Latter-day Saint readers of the Bible are familiar with the passage in 1 Corinthians 15:40 that discusses two of the three degrees of glory:

There are also celestial (ἐπουράνια) bodies, and bodies terrestrial (ἐπίγεια): but the glory of the celestial (τῶν ἐπουρανίων) is one, and the glory of the terrestrial (τῶν ἐπιγείων) is another. (1 Corinthians 15:40)

From this passage we know the Greek terms for celestial and terrestrial. But what about telestial. We would need to have the two terms along with a third one. As it happens, there is a passage in the New Testament that provides it:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven (ἐπουρανίων), and things in earth (ἐπιγείων), and things under the earth (καταχθονίων);

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10–11)

This passage in Philippians provides us with the Greek term for telestial. The term καταχθονίος means under the earth. and provides the third counterpoint to the terms celestial (of the heavens) and terrestrial (of the earth). It also provides us with the etymology of telestial. The two companion terms come from Latin caelum "heaven" and terra "earth". With a knowledge of the Greek term, it should have some meaning of something under the earth. The best option is Latin tellus "soil, ground."

Lest this seem far-fetched, it should be remembered that the visions of the three degrees of glory ends with an allusion to the passage in Philippians:

109 But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;

110 And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever; (Doctrine and Covenants 76:109–111)

Public Relations in the Scriptures

Those who have read the last two day's posts in the blog might be ready to complain that the Church has an office of Public Affairs. This is true, and there is a scriptural mandate for it. That mandate is found in Doctrine and Covenants 123. This was an extract of a letter written by Joseph Smith when he was imprisoned in Liberty Jail after having been betrayed by those he had supposed to be his friends. While he was in prison, they were engaged in telling lies about him to the public. In the letter he outlined the public relations that should be followed by the Church

We would suggest for your consideration the propriety of all the saints gathering up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses put upon them . . . And also the names of all persons that have had a hand in their oppressions, as far as they can get hold of them and find them out. And perhaps a committee can be appointed to find out these things, and to take statements and affidavits; and also to gather up the libelous publications that are afloat; And all that are in the magazines, and in the encyclopedias, and all the libelous histories that are published, and are writing, and by whom, and present the whole concatenation of diabolical rascality and nefarious and murderous impositions that have been practised upon this people—That we may not only publish to all the world, but present them to the heads of government in all their dark and hellish hue. (Doctrine and Covenants 123:1–6).

So the saints in general, and Public Affairs in particular, has the unenviable task of gathering all the misstatements and both publishing them and pointing out how they are false. Joseph Smith also warned those who were inclined to neglect or minimize this particular duty:

Therefore it is an imperative duty that we owe, not only to our own wives and children, but to the widows and fatherless, whose husbands and fathers have been murdered under its iron hand. . . . And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart—For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—These should then be attended to with great earnestness. Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things. (Doctrine and Covenants 123:9–15)

I note that Church Public Affairs has a section on their website that deals precisely with this kind of thing.

This sort of public relations we need more of.

It Becometh Every Man that Hath Been Warned

Though I took a number of classes from Hugh Nibley, I never attended his gospel doctrine class. Hugh Nibley's gospel doctrine classes were legendary. All kinds of people would show up at his chapel just for his Sunday School class. They would fill the room and bring their tape recorders hanging on his every word. (I do not approve of that sort of thing. You attend the ward to which you are assigned, and you try to sustain your own teacher by attending to the extent of your ability, which is hard to do if you are in Primary.) I never had a reason to attend that ward and thus never had a reason to attend his Sunday School class. My brother did live in his ward for a time and so did other friends. I cannot remember where I heard this interpretation of his concerning the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants but I think it was from my parents who were visiting my brother.

The relevant scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 1:4-5:

4 And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
5 And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.

Nibley pointed out that the scripture means that we are to serve as a voice of warning and the only thing stopping us is ourselves.

We usually are pretty effective at stopping ourselves. We might stumble because of the placing of our words (Ether 12:25). We might be worried because of the mocking and the pointing of fingers from the great and spacious building. We can come up with all sorts of excuses for not providing a warning voice.

Of all people, Jeremiah had plenty of reasons not to issue that voice of warning. He was mocked and imprisoned and physically abused and at one point was ready to give it up:

7 O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.
8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.
9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. (Jeremiah 20:7–10)

When we have the truth as a burning fire shut up in our bones, we cannot stay it, and none can stay us.

Where Much is Given

Latter-day Saints are familiar with the scriptural passage "of him to whom much is given much is required" (D&C 82:3). We expect more from those who are blessed with greater talents, greater abilities, or greater advantages. Those who have greater advantages who do not produce are said to be burying their talents (see Matthew 25:24-29).

A few years ago I attended a conference where one of the presenters showed off a project he had been working on for a decade and was now complete and online. It was and still is extremely useful. It is in fact more useful than the multimillion-dollar government-subsidized project of a famous university that after forty years, millions of tax-payer dollars, and dozens of paid assistants is still not finished several years after the other one was. The finished project was done by one person in his spare time at a fraction of the cost.

I do not want to minimize the enormous difference in the design of the two projects that makes the big difference in the utility, but I suspect the biggest difference in the completion rates is that the solitary worker knew how to work. It certainly made one wonder what the other project had been doing all those years with all that money.