Latter-day Light and Truth

  Joseph baptizes Oliver Cowdery, by Del Parson Recently, I shared a brief note regarding how the church described in Ignatius’s epistles and Joseph Smith’s revelations align. I would like to share one more. In Ignatius’s epistle to the Smyrnaeans, he teaches, “It is not permissible either to baptize or to hold a love feast without the bishop.” [1] The “love feast” Ignatius here refers to was an ancient practice mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 and is also typically referred to in English as an “ agape feast.” Essentially, when early Saints partook of the Sacrament, they would typically accompany it with a sort-of potluck, allowing them to renew covenants and fellowship and be reconciled with one another. This was also probably done to mirror the Last Supper more precisely. [2] (Keep that in mind the next time you are invited to a linger longer after Church!)