Gospel Doctrine: Three Degrees of Glory

Three Degrees of Glory
By John Tvedtnes

[Supplement to Gospel Doctrine New Testament lesson 34]

From the vision in D&C 76, Joseph Smith understood that there were three kingdoms of glory, called the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. In his revision of the Bible, he reworded 1 Corinthians 15:40 to reflect all three, noting that there were “also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another” (JST 1 Corinthians 15:40).

Critics have contended that Paul had reference only to heavenly (celestial) and earthly (terrestrial) bodies and reject the concept of a “telestial” order, despite the fact that it reflects Greek etymology. ¹ Joseph Smith's interpretation of Paul's discussion of the resurrection is identical to that of the second-century Christian theologian, Origen.

In order to understand his teachings on this subject, we must examine 1 Corinthians 15:39-44:

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. ²

Of this passage, Origen (A.D. 185-232) wrote that “certain beings are said to be super-celestial, i.e., placed in happier abodes, and clothed with heavenly and resplendent bodies; and among these many distinctions are shown to exist, the apostle, e.g., saying, ‘That one is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory'” ( De Principiis 2.9.3). ³ After citing 1 Corinthians 15:39-42, he declared:

Our understanding of the passage indeed is, that the apostle, wishing to describe the great difference among those who rise again in glory, i.e., of the saints, borrowed a comparison from the heavenly bodies, saying, ‘One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars.' And wishing again to teach us the differences among those who shall come to the resurrection, without having purged themselves in this life, i.e., sinners, he borrowed an illustration from earthly things, saying, ‘There is one flesh of birds, another of fishes.' For heavenly things are worthily compared to the saints, and earthly things to sinners. These statements are made in reply to those who deny the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the resurrection of our bodies. (De Principiis 2.10.2) ⁴

Clement of Alexandria (died A.D. 217), referring to Paul's comment about differing glories in 1 Corinthians 15:41, compared three priesthood offices to the glory found in the resurrection: “Since, according to my opinion, the grades here in the Church, of bishops, presbyters, deacons, are imitations of the angelic glory, and of that economy which, the Scriptures say, awaits those who, following the footsteps of the apostles, have lived in perfection of righteousness according to the Gospel. For these taken up in the clouds, the apostle writes, will first minister [as deacons], then be classed in the presbyterate, ⁵ by promotion in glory (for glory differs from glory) till they grow into a ‘perfect man'” ( Stromata 6.13). ⁶

Tertullian (ca. A.D. 160-230), commenting on Paul's description of the three glories, noted that there are different levels of reward that God will give to men. He wrote:

Or how will there be many mansions in our Father's house, ⁷ if not to accord with a diversity of deserts? ⁸ How will one star also differ from another star in glory, unless in virtue of disparity in their rays? But further, if, on that account, some increase of brightness also was appropriate to loftiness of faith, that gain ought to have been of some such sort as would cost great effort, poignant suffering, torture, death. (Scorpiace 8) ⁹

John Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) had a similar understanding of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15. After discussing verses 38-41, he wrote, “And having said this, he ascends again to the heaven, saying, ‘There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon.' For as in the earthly bodies there is a difference, so also in the heavenly; and that difference no ordinary one, but reaching even to the uttermost: there being not only a difference between sun and moon, and stars, but also between stars and stars. For what though they be all in the heaven? yet some have a larger, others a less share of glory. What do we learn from hence? That although they be all in God's kingdom, all shall not enjoy the same reward; and though all sinners be in hell, all shall not endure the same punishment. Wherefore he added, Vers. 42. ‘So also is the resurrection of the dead'” (Homilies on First Corinthians 41). ¹⁰

The fourth-century A.D. Christian historian Eusebius also commented on 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, comparing the three levels (sun, moon, stars) to the three members of the Godhead, ranking them in that order (Preparation for the Gospel 7:15). ¹¹ His analysis reminds us that D&C 76 indicates that those who are worthy of the celestial kingdom enjoy the presence of the Father, while those who inherit the terrestrial kingdom receive the presence of the Son but not the Father and those who are assigned to the telestial kingdom have neither the Father nor the Son, but the Holy Ghost only (see verses 62, 77, and 86).

The Three “Heavens”

The apostle Paul is our only biblical source for the existence of three heavens. In 2 Corinthians 12:2, he referred to being taken to the third heaven. Commenting on this passage, Joseph Smith said:

Paul ascended into the third heavens, and he could understand the three principal rounds of Jacob's ladder — the telestial, the terrestrial, and the celestial glories or kingdoms, where Paul saw and heard things which were not lawful for him to utter. I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them (History of the Church 5:402).

A medieval Jewish text, Zohar Exodus 30b, also compares the different heavens to “rungs of a ladder.” ¹²Zohar Numbers 159a-b notes that God is enshrouded in three worlds, ¹³ then adds:

Similarly man has three worlds. The first is the one which is called “the world of separation,” in which man both is and is not; as we look at him he departs and vanishes. The second is the world which is linked with the higher world, being the terrestrial Garden of Eden, while the third is a hidden recondite and unknowable world. Now the first world is a stepping-stone to the others, and did not man sin he would not have a taste of death when he is about to enter those other worlds and when the spirit is divested of the body.” ¹⁴

The fourth-century bishop St. Basil asked, “Are there two heavens?” then went on to write, “As for myself, far from not believing in a second, I seek for the third whereon the blessed Paul was found worthy to gaze [2 Corinthians 12:2]. And does not the Psalmist in saying ‘heaven of heavens' [Psalm 147:4] give us an idea of their plurality?” (Hexaemeron 3.3). ¹⁵ In another of his works, he wrote,

For who is so ignorant of the good things prepared by God for them that are worthy, as not to know that the crown of the righteous is the grace of the Spirit, bestowed in more abundant and perfect measure in that day, when spiritual glory shall be distributed to each in proportion as he shall have nobly played the man? For among the glories of the saints are “many mansions” in the Father's house, that is differences of dignities: for as “star differeth from star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead.”

They, then, that were sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption, and preserve pure and undiminished the first fruits which they received of the Spirit, are they that shall hear the words “well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.” (On the Spirit , xvi [40], citing John 14:2, 1 Corinthians 15:41-42, and Matthew 25:21) ¹⁶

The Syriac version of Apocalypse of Paul 11 indicates that Paul was carried by the spirit to the third heaven; the Greek versions says simply that he was carried to heaven. His visit to the third heaven is mentioned in Apocalypse of Paul 3, and his visit to the second and third heavens is in Apocalypse of Paul 21. ¹⁷ Sedrach, too, is said to have been taken by an angel to the third heaven to appear before God (Apocalypse of Sedrach 2:1-5). ¹⁸

A medieval Gaelic (Irish) text has God telling the angel Michael ¹⁹ “‘Do not be remiss in taking great care of the soul of Adam, which has placed itself here in Paradise. Take with the hosts the bright pure soul of noble Adam, and place it in the peaceful gathering in the third royal section of Paradise.' God said: In tertio caelo [“the third heaven”], which is called Ficconicia, there let him be, without sign of pain, until the time of the resurrection” (Death of Adam 44-46).²⁰The Apocalypse of Moses also places Paradise in the third heaven (The Apocalypse of Moses 37:5; 40:1). ²¹

The Christian Arabic Book of the Rolls f.91b acknowledges the existence of three heavens and notes that the top two are full of light and fire, making it impossible for mortals to look on them. ²² This parallels Joseph Smith's observation that these are kingdoms of “glory,” differing in glory as the sun, moon, and stars differed (D&C 76; cf. 88:29-32). He noted that even “the glory of the telestial world ... surpasses all understanding” and that it is excelled in turn by the glory of the terrestrial and celestial worlds (D&C 76:91-92).

A Mandean text, The World of Light , mentions “the Lord of all the upper, middle, and lower worlds of Light.” ²³ An early Gnostic Christian document known as Pistis Sophia describes Jesus' ascent into the various heavens, called “the first sphere,” “the second sphere,” and “the aeons,” each of which is forty-nine times brighter than the previous level (Pistis Sophia I.12). ²⁴ It further notes that, during his ascent, there were three different types of light that surrounded him. ²⁵

Testament of Levi 2:8-10 has Levi being shown the three heavens and declaring that the second heaven was “much brighter and more lustrous” than the first and that the third was even “more lustrous and beyond compare.” ²⁶ The lowest, he noted, was dark because it sees the wickedness of men on the earth ( Testament of Levi 3:1). This correlates well with the description of the telestial kingdom as the abode of the most sinful of human beings (D&C 76:98-106).

The Falasha or “Black Jews” of Ethiopia ²⁷ have preserved ancient texts that provide support for the concept of three heavens likened to the sun, moon, and stars. One of these, 5 Baruch (borrowed from the Christian Ethiopians, who also have the book), speaks of three trumpet blasts by the archangel Michael, ²⁸ at the third of which “all the dead will be resurrected in the twinkling of an eye. The glory of some of them will be greater than the sun, others will stand up in honor, still others in misery. Then the King of Heaven and Earth will come and will reward all men according to their deeds” ²⁹

In the same text, an angel shows Baruch the heavenly Jerusalem, containing

a golden column on which was engraved an inscription in a thin writing (brighter) than the sun, the moon, and the stars of the sky. I asked him: “What is this golden column and what is this writing on it (that has) the likeness of the sun, the moon, and the shining stars?” He answered me: “The names of the just are written for eternal life on this golden column, where they wax not old or corrupt.” ... Then he took me to the west. There I saw a column of fire on which was writing by a pen of fire. The writing was thin and compact [and the column of fire] was greater than the column of gold. I asked him: “What is that written [on the column of fire?]” He said to me: “The names of the sinners.” ³⁰

Another Falasha text, Te'ezezat Sanbat , suggests three levels of reward after this life:

God said to Michael: “Go and bring the souls of the just into the garden, at the ninth hour on Friday!” Michael went as God commanded him. He gathered the souls of the just and brought them before God. God said: “Be blessed,” and the Lord of Heaven and earth blessed them, gave them favor and grace, dressed them in garments of life, and brought them into the Heavenly Kingdom. And as for those of the just who had committed no sins when their souls left the body, God gathers them each according to His justice; He appears to them in His glory while their faces shine seven times brighter than the sun. Those who turned to God and repented of their sins have the appearance of the stars, of Orion, and of the lightning. ³¹

Though sometimes discounted by critics, Joseph Smith's teachings about the three kingdoms of glory has firm support among early Christian writers, who understood the meaning of Paul's comments in 1 Corinthians 15 in the same way Joseph Smith did. ³² The Falasha texts, possibly borrowed from the Christians of Ethiopia, provide additional support. This strongly suggests that the prophet restored ancient beliefs about the subject. ³³

For further reading:

Larry E. Dahl, “The Vision of the Glories,” in Kent Jackson and Robert Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture: The Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: Randall, 1984), 1:279-308

Larry E. Dahl, “Degrees of Glory,” in Daniel H. Ludlow, gen. ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism (New York: Macmillan, 1992)

Notes

¹ Most Latter-day Saint scholars who have dealt with the topic consider that telestial derives from the Greek telos , “last.” In a private communication, John Gee has noted that, while the terms rendered celestial (“heavenly”) and terrestrial (“earthly”) are often paired in the New Testament, only in Philippians 2:10 do they form a trio of terms. The third term used in that passage is katachthonios , literally “under the ground.” Since the terms “celestial” and “terrestrial” derive from Latin rather than Greek (caelum , “heaven,” and terra , “earth”), Gee suggests that a Latin term may lie behind “telestial” as well. He proposes the Latin word tellus , “earth, globe, land, ground.” In light of this, it is interesting to note that the earth was a terrestrial sphere prior to the fall, that it will regain its terrestrial state during the millennium (Articles of Faith 10), and that in the meanwhile it is a sphere of the telestial order (see the description in D&C 76:98-103).

² An early Coptic document, Pistis Sophia , thought by some scholars to have been translated from an original Greek text dating as early as the second or third century A.D., reflects Paul's idea of different types of bodies rising in the resurrection according to one's merits. Speaking of the soul of a deceased person, it says, “And the Virgin of Light sealeth that soul and handeth it over to one of her receivers and will have it cast into a body which is suitable to the sins which it hath committed.” Pistis Sophia 111, in G. R. S. Mead, Pistis Sophia (London: John M. Watkins, 1955 [orig. 1896]), 238.

³Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., Ante-Nicene Fathers (reprint, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994, 4:290. Origen had his detractors, of whom he wrote, “There are numerous individuals . . . who object to us, that it cannot consist with the justice of God in creating the world to assign to some of His creatures an abode in the heavens, and not only to give such a better habitation, but also to grant them a higher and more honourable position; to favour others with the grant of principalities; to best powers upon some, dominions on others; to confer upon some the most honourable seats in the celestial tribunals; to enable some to shine with more resplendent glory, and to glitter with a starry splendour; to give to some the glory of the sun, to others the glory of the moon, to others the glory of the stars; to cause one star to differ from another star in glory. And, to speak once for all, and briefly, if the Creator God wants neither the will to undertake nor the power to complete a good and perfect work, what reason can there be that, in the creation of rational natures, i.e., of beings of whose existence He Himself is the cause, He should make some of higher rank, and others of second, or third, or of many lower and inferior degrees?” (De Principiis 2.9.5, ibid., 4:291).

⁴ Ibid., 4:294.

⁵ The Greek term presbyteros (whence the name of the Presbyterian Church) means “elder” and is so translated in the New Testament.

⁶ Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Fathers , 2:505. Paul uses the term “perfect man” in Ephesians 4:13 and Colossians 1:28; cf. 2 Timothy 3:17 and James 3:2. Clement's discussion of other New Testament evidence for three heavens in the next section (Stromata 6.14) was discussed in chapter 37, Three Levels of Reward.

⁷ This is an allusion to Jesus' words in John 14:2.

⁸ The word “desert” here refers to what one deserves (whence dessert) and not to sand dunes and lack of water.

⁹ Ibid., 3:639.

¹⁰ Philip Schaff, ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers , first series (reprint Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994), 12:251.

¹¹ E. H. Gifford, trans., Preparation for the Gospel (Oxford: Clarendon, 1903), 351-2.

¹² In this Jewish text, there are seven heavens rather than three. The passage reads: “There are on high seven firmaments, and seven zones of earth. Correspondingly, in the lower world there are seven graded firmaments and seven zones of earth. These, as the Companions have expounded, are arranged like the rungs of a ladder, rising one above the other, and each zone has ten divisions, so that there are seventy in all. Each of these is presided over by a Chieftain, and these seventy Chieftains have under their charge the seventy nations of the earth.” Harry Sperling et al., The Zohar (New York: The Rebecca Bennett Publications Inc., 1958), 3:99.

¹³The three heavens may be suggested in Zohar Numbers 196b, referring to the sparrows of Psalms 84:4: “This does not mean all souls, but the souls of the righteous whose abode is there with Him. We have learnt that there are three walls to the Garden of Eden, and between each pair many souls and spirits walk about and enjoy the perfumes from within, though they are not permitted to enter . . . The ‘sparrows' are the holy spirits that are privileged to enter and then come out again, and these ‘find a house,' each one its appropriate chamber.” Harry Sperling et al., The Zohar , 5:281.

¹⁴ Ibid., 5:226.

¹⁵ Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers , 8:66.

¹⁶ Ibid., 8:25.

¹⁷ Montague Rhodes James, The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1955), 526, 529, 536.

¹⁸ James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha , 1:610.

¹⁹ In early Christian literature, Michael and Adam are not identical.

20 Máire Herbert and Martin McNamara, eds., Irish Biblical Apocrypha: Selected Texts in Translation (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1989), 15-16.

²¹ James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha , 2:291.

²² Margaret Dunlop Gibson, Apocrypha Arabica (Studia Sinaitica No. VIII; London: C. J. Clay and Sons; Cambridge Univ. Warehouse, 1901), chapter on “Kitâb al Magâll, or The Book of the Rolls,” 4.

²³ E. S. Drower, The Secret Adam: A Study of Na § oraean Gnosis (Oxford: Clarendon, 1960), 12; also cited in Werner Foerster, Gnosis: A Selection of Gnostic Texts , translated by R. McL. Wilson (Oxford: Clarendon, 1974) 2:148. The Mandaeans, who live in parts of Iraq and Iran, claim to be descendants of the disciples of John the Baptist.

²⁴ Carl Schmidt and Violet MacDermot, Pistis Sophia , 43-47.

²⁵Pistis Sophia I.4, in ibid., 7.

²⁶ James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha , 1:788. Fragments of the text were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, though the full text was already known to scholars prior to the discovery of these scrolls.

²⁷ This people is known as Falasha by Christian Ethiopians, but they call themselves Children of Israel.

²⁸ Christians traditionally hold that Gabriel will blow the trump that announces the last day, but most ancient texts agree with D&C 29:26-27 and D&C 88:112 that it is Michael who will blow the trump announcing the resurrection.

²⁹ Wolf Leslau, Falasha Anthology (New Haven: Yale, 1951), 76.

³⁰ Ibid., 68-70.

³¹ Ibid., 18.

³² Twentieth-century Protestants were divided on the issue of multiple degrees of glory. For arguments in favorr, see Elizabeth Disley, “Degrees of Glory: Protestant Doctrine and the Concept of Rewards Hereafter,” Journal of Theological Studies 24 (1991): 77-105. For arguments against Disley, see Craig L. Blomberg, “Degrees of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 35 (1992):159-72.

³³ Much more could be said about ancient Jewish and Christian texts that describe multiple heavens or three levels of reward after the resurrection, but this would detract from our study of Paul's teachings about the three degrees of glory.