Journal of Discourses 2:30 “Because the house which the Father had commanded to be built for his reception, although 
completed, had become polluted, and hence the saying, “My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves,” and he made a scourge of cords, and drove the moneychangers, and dove sellers, and faro gamblers, all out of his house, and overthrew their tables; but that did not purify the house, so that he could not sleep in it, for an holy thing dwelleth not in an unholy Temple.
If Jesus could not lay his head in an unholy, polluted temple, how can the Latter-day Saints expect that the Holy Spirit will take and abide its residence with them, in their tabernacles and temples of clay, unless they keep themselves pure, spotless, and undefiled?” — Brigham Young, Delivered on the Southeast Corner Stone of the Temple at Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1853.
Today we’re looking at part of a sermon delivered by Brigham Young. The small portion we’ve listed here is what I’d call a mash-up of numerous bible verses Brigham used to create a sermon. Unfortunately, none of the verses he used were from the same biblical events, even though he portrayed them as such.
We haven’t posted the majority of Young’s speech for the sake of space, and time. However, Young told his audience the temple he was referring to was Solomon’s temple. He’s very wrong in this! The temple during Jesus’ time was the 2nd temple, known as Herod’s Temple. You can read the whole sermon in the link provided above.
Below are the bible passages he referred to, and our comments.
Luke 9:57–58 “And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
Matthew 21:13 “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Acts 7:48 “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet”.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
1.Jesus didn’t use the temple as a crash pad. It was a house of prayer.
2.Jesus is/was not ‘an holy thing’.
3.God’s Holy Spirit is/was not an ‘it’.
4.The phrase ‘lay His head’ comes from when the young rich man told Jesus he’d follow Him, but became remorseful when he realized he’d have to be homeless, and poor. This account is also in Matthew 19:20-21.
5.God did not command a temple to be built for His reception in the manner Mr. Young has implied. The God of the Bible is Spirit, the god of Mormonism is an exalted man. God traveled with the Israelites at all times, negating the need for any ‘reception’.
6.The Holy Ghost of Mormonism isn’t omnipresent, thereby negating the idea he’d be able to reside with everyone. Furthermore, their Holy Ghost can’t reside inside anyone – D&C 130:22-23.
Although Brigham delivered this talk 167 yrs. ago, the false info he spread is still being used by the Church today. The adjectives he used to describe God was/is reprehensible, and sadly it’s how members today see Him.
When you have the opportunity, share with the Mormon you know what Jesus said to the rich man. The cost of having His Spirit with us entails total allegiance to the God of the Bible, not a god who isn’t omnipotent.
With Love in Christ;
Michelle
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