Scripture Chains

The footnotes at the bottom of the pages of our scriptures are incredibly useful and can give us many added insights into the meaning of the scriptures we are studying, but they are by no means all-inclusive.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "I received a letter from a seminary teacher in which he criticized our new scriptural publications because they had footnotes, cross references, and teaching aids.  He argued that these were crutches which kept people from that intensive study in which they would make their own cross references.

"Well, I for one need these crutches and recommend them to you.  They include the Joseph Smith translation items, the chapter headings, Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, footnotes, the gazetteer, and the maps.

"None of these are perfect; they do not of themselves determine doctrine; there have been and undoubtedly now are mistakes in them,  Cross references, for instance, do not establish and never were intended to prove the parallel passages so much as pertain to the same subject."  (BYU Symposium, August 17, 1984, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, The Bible -- A Sealed Book)

This is why I think Scripture Chains are important.  One, they are very useful in the flow of doctrine and guidance from the scriptures.  And, two, they are of our own making, which shows how WE, individually, receive doctrine and guidance from the scriptures.

Here is an example of one of the Scripture Chains I have in my scriptures about receiving personal revelation.

Here is another Scripture Chain explaining the concept of "cross yourself":

Matthew 16:24-26 (and especially the Joseph Smith translation) --> Alma 39:9 --> Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, McConkie & Millet, pg. 292: Alma 39:9 --> 3 Nephi 12:30

(Important tip: at the end of the chain, always make a notation that states which is the originating scripture, that way you know where you started.)

The significant part is that these chains are a representation of YOUR personal study and understanding of the scriptures.