Review: Ronald O. Barney. Joseph Smith: History, Methods, and Memory. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2020. & Michael Hubbard MacKay. Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2020.

Authors

John G. Turner

Keywords

Jesus, authority, baptism of John

Abstract

“By what authority doest thou these things?” Jerusalem’s religious leaders ask Jesus. “And who gave thee this authority to do these things?” What are this man’s credentials? Who has authorized him to teach and preach, heal on the Sabbath, cast out money-changers from the temple, curse fig trees, and forgive sins? Jesus answers their question with a question of his own. “The baptism of John,” he asks, “was it from heaven, or of men?” They are afraid to answer, because the masses believe that John—another uncredentialed, rustic man—was a prophet. So they tell him they do not know. “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things,” Jesus responds (Mark 11:28–33). Hearers and readers of the gospels would have gotten the message. Jesus did not need any human credential or investiture; his authority came directly from God.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Turner, John G. (2023) "Review: Ronald O. Barney. Joseph Smith: History, Methods, and Memory. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2020. & Michael Hubbard MacKay. Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2020.," Mormon Studies Review: Vol. 10: No. 1, Article 19.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr2/vol10/iss1/19