One of the most persistent critiques of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the claim that Joseph Smith borrowed from Freemasonry when instituting temple ordinances. The similarities in symbolic handshakes, clothing, and ceremonial gestures between Latter-day Saint temples and Masonic lodges have led some critics to dismiss the temple as a fabrication.

But what if using and transforming cultural forms is not only legitimate—but biblically grounded? In fact, Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated this very principle in His use of bread, wine, parables, and temple imagery—redeeming and reorienting familiar religious and cultural symbols for divine purposes. Early Christians did the same with the fish and the cross. Joseph Smith, in his own time and context, followed a similar pattern.

Jesus and the Religious Symbols of His Day

Jesus lived in first-century Judea, under Roman rule and steeped in Jewish religious life. He taught as a Jew, worshiped in the temple, and revered the Law and Prophets. But He also drew on cultural symbols and imagery that went beyond Jewish tradition:

• The “Kingdom of God” carried both Jewish messianic and Roman imperial overtones.
• Parables drew on everyday realities—debt, banquets, sowing, labor—familiar to Jews and Gentiles alike.
• Bread and wine were central to Israelite worship (Passover, temple offerings), yet also appeared in pagan feasts. At the Last Supper, Jesus took these elements and declared, “This is my body…This is my blood” (Mark 14:22–24). He was not imitating pagans but reclaiming and fulfilling Israel’s covenant symbols while reversing corrupted pagan echoes.

Even the temple system was not discarded, but fulfilled. Jesus taught in the temple, honored its rituals, and drew from its architecture and symbolism to reveal deeper realities of covenant, purity, and God’s presence.

Early Christians and Redeemed Symbols

The pattern didn’t stop with Jesus. The earliest Christians also transformed cultural and contested symbols:

• The fish (ichthys) was a common pagan and everyday symbol, but believers infused it with a hidden confession: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”
• The cross was Rome’s tool of shame and execution, yet Christians adopted it as the central sign of redemption and victory through Christ’s Atonement.

These examples show that Christianity has always thrived by taking what was familiar—even despised—and filling it with divine power.

Joseph Smith and Masonic Symbolism in the Temple

In 19th-century America, Freemasonry was a respected institution that used symbolic gestures, ritual progression, and moral oaths. Joseph Smith became a Mason in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1842, and shortly thereafter introduced the full temple endowment.

Critics point to similarities between Masonic and Latter-day Saint ceremonies:

• Handshakes or tokens
• Ceremonial robes, aprons, and headwear
• Ritual progression, moral instruction, and covenant oaths

To some, this suggests plagiarism. But from a Latter-day Saint perspective, these similarities do not undermine the temple’s divine origin—they affirm a biblical pattern. Just as Jesus and the early Christians reoriented cultural symbols toward eternal truths, Joseph Smith repurposed Masonic forms to restore lost temple knowledge and priesthood ordinances.

Temple Attire: Continuity Across Dispensations

Sacred clothing is one of the clearest signs of continuity.

• In the Old Testament, God commanded Aaron and his sons to wear holy garments—robes, sashes, turbans, and the jeweled breastplate—while ministering in the tabernacle (Exodus 28). These represented purity, consecration, and priesthood authority.
• In modern temples, Latter-day Saints wear simple white robes, sashes, head coverings, and aprons. These symbolize equality, purity, and covenantal progression, preparing individuals to enter God’s presence.

While simpler than ancient priestly attire, temple clothing serves the same sacred purpose: to mark consecration and holiness before God.

A Shared Pattern: Sacred Transformation

Both Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith acted within symbol-rich cultural contexts—and in both cases, God used the familiar to reveal the eternal.

God Works Through Culture

From Eden to Sinai, from Jerusalem’s temple to modern temples, God has consistently worked through the cultures of His people—not in spite of them. He speaks in symbols, patterns, and rituals His children can understand, elevating the familiar to reveal the divine.

Joseph Smith’s use of Masonic elements does not disqualify his prophetic role—it follows a scriptural precedent. Just as Jesus transformed bread and wine, and early Christians redeemed the fish and the cross, Joseph Smith transformed ritual forms into ordinances of covenant, instruction, and spiritual ascent.

Conclusion: Restoration, Not Imitation

The resemblance between LDS temple worship and other religious forms is not a sign of fraud—it is a sign of divine continuity. God does not always create new symbols; He restores meaning to what already exists.

Symbols are not sacred because they are original—they are sacred because God fills them with power.

If Jesus could take bread and wine—used by Jews and pagans alike—and declare them holy, and if early Christians could turn the cross of shame into the symbol of triumph, then we should not be surprised if a modern prophet could take existing forms and, by revelation, reveal eternal truths once more.