Describing this book has turned out to be a more difficult task than the writing of it. The subtitle of my book Atonement Essays and Gospel Insights describes generally the contents. This book quotes a statement by Joseph Smith showing that the Savior accomplished two purposes when suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is doubtful that this quote has been used in previous writings. We understand the first purpose was to suffer for our individual sins. Accomplishing the second purpose provides answers to several different questions.

This writing was not started with the purpose of publishing it. It was started to help me to crystallize my understanding of the atonement by documenting it from the scriptures. One issue that puzzled me was the statement by the Savior, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent” (D & C 19:16). It seemed to me that the scriptures showed that those who do not repent became subject to Satan in hell and that the Savior would by his own statement have suffered from Satan in the Garden. The focus of speakers, others and also myself was on the Savior “taking upon him” the sins of his people and how he did that. If he suffered only for his people, how did he suffer “for all” as the Savior stated in Section 19?

Later, by using a software tool, LDS Gospel Library 2006, which contained copies of the History of the Church and other writings of early Church leaders, I was able to search for concepts relating to the atonement. My focus centered on the writings occurring in 1843 and 1844, which identified significant quotes giving answers to my questions. As time progressed the writing was updated with these quotes and other answers to gospel questions until I felt that it contained valuable insights and pursued printing.

One gospel question deals with the first temple cleansing at the beginning of his ministry as recorded in John. It is not quoted in Matthew, Mark or Luke. John quotes the Savior as saying to the Jewish leadership “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19) This statement is a challenge to kill him and in three (3) days he would be resurrected. WHY would the Savior challenge the religious leaders to kill him at the beginning of his ministry and deal with the expected retribution when he still had his full mission to complete. The full reasons and how the actual cleansing occurred are discussed in this book.