Handclasps and Arm Gestures in Historical Christian Art

“Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.” (Isaiah 13: 2)


Information on the significance of the handclasp in early Christianity is given by Todd Compton in, The Handclasp and Embrace as Tokens of Recognition, in By Study and Also by Faith. He tells us:

“The handclasp continued in early Christian ritual, both gnostic and "orthodox." According to Galatians 2:9, "the right hand of fellowship" (dexias koinoas didonai tini) is given "as a sign of friendship and trust," though this does not necessarily suggest ritual practice….The handclasp as marriage rite, however, continued in Christian surroundings. The salvific handclasp is nearly the trademark of the iconography of Christ's postcrucifixion descent into Hades. One of the most frequent scenes in this tradition is that of Christ grasping the hands of Adam and Eve to lift them up out of hell and to resurrect them. While sometimes he grasps their wrists, . . . in other depictions he lifts them with a true dextrarum iunctio. The fifth-century Gospel of Nicodemus describes a true handclasp: "And the Lord . . . took the right hand of Adam and went up out of hell (tenens dexteram Adae ascendit ab inferis), and all the saints followed him. . . . He went therefore into paradise holding our forefather by the hand, and delivered him, and all the righteous, unto Michael the archangel." Here the [handclasp] starts the ascent, continues it, and ends it on the threshold of paradise. A similar handclasp is used in the apocalyptic 1 Enoch: "And the angel Michael, . . . seizing me by my right hand and lifting me up, led me out into all the secrets of mercy; and he showed me all the secrets of righteousness."

"Then they (the angels) took me by the hand and led me to the curtain before the throne of the father." (Testament of Isaac 6:4)


Handclasps as Tokens of Recognition and Fellowship

“And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” (Galatians 2:9).

As stated it is the custom to extend the right hand as a gesture or in token of recognition, agreement, reconciliation and fellowship from which the handshake expresses. It was also used by the early Christians to recognize other fellow believers.
Epiphanius explains: "The hand is held out, in greeting, of course, and a tickling stroke is made in the palm of the hand, so as to indicate secretly that the visitor is of the same religion as they."
(Epiphanius of Salamis, Against Heresies XXVI, 4, 2)

Also See:
The handclasp and Embrace as Tokens of Recognition by Todd M. Compton (Gospelink.com – subscription required)


Handclasps in Agreement to Oaths and Covenants


In some translations of Isaiah: "Thy Lord said to Christ,"my Lord, whose right hand I have holden," (Codex Sinaitius, Latin Text has, "he has taken hold"), "that the nations should yield obedience before Him; and I will break in pieces the strength of kings." (The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pp.144-45, The Epistle of Barnabas, chapters 11, & 12; The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 3: pp.157-8; Isaiah 5:1-3, Isaiah 42:6-7, mentions a "rites passage" hand grip that is part of a covenant).Handclasps are a part of the ritual motif of the “Secret Teachings” taught by Christ and the oaths and covenants made during those rites.The early Christians were charged by Anti-Christians of being a mystery religion because they had secret ceremonies and borrowed elements from pagan mystery religions. Handclasps were seen as part of those elements borrowed by the Ancient Christians yet there are clear examples of elements in conjunction to oath and covenant making in the Bible. Christian artworks were a visual means to remind the saints of not only the different stories in the Bible but the oath or covenants they made during their scared rites. The reoccurring handclasps as well as arm gestures were scattered throughout historical Christian art. Many of the handclasps in historical Christian art show Christ or angels pulling others up and lifting them to higher realms. We also learn about handclasps from the Church Fathers as well as from extra-biblical ancient texts, many of them found in the last hundred years.

The Handclasp Stone is located directly below the Alpha and Omega Scroll on both east and west central towers of the Salt Lake Temple. Mentioned earlier in Galatians 2:9, these are the "Right Hands of fellowship. Jeremiah 31:32 compares the hand clasp to entering into a covenant with God. Both are appropriate symbols for the temple because of the covenants made therein.


Handclasp Part of the Baptismal Rite

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:3-6)


The rich symbolism of the ordinance of baptism invites candidates and observers to reflect on its meanings. Burial in the water and arising out of the water symbolize the candidate's faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the future resurrection of all people. It also represents the candidate's new birth to a life in Christ, being born of God, thus born again of the water and of the spirit (Mosiah 18:13-14; Moses 6:59-60; D&C 128:12-13)

When a person enters into baptism, he or she makes a covenant with God. Baptism is a "sign…that we will do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved" (TPJS, p. 198). This rite involves handclasps and an arm gesture that signifies authority. It is done in the name of Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

The majority of historical Christian art depicting baptism fits more with the rite of the "Chrism" which is described by the early Church Fathers as the second baptism or even the third. The "Chrism" appears to be what the LDS call the initiatory ordinances in the Temples of "washings and anointings." It is believed by some Christians that baptism at the time of Christ was done by immersion. And it is thought by some scholars that "there could have been some merging of ritual practices over time."

Also See:
Baptism or Temple Initiation? Part I by David Larsen
Part II, Part III
The Antiquity of Baptism
Temple Themes in Christian Worship (book) by Margaret Barker (Methodist biblical and temple study scholar)
Washings and Anointings


Handclasp and the Creation of Adam and Eve


The creation drama was a feature of the ancient Jewish temple ritual as well as the Christian initiation ritual. William J. Hamblin in Aspects of an Early Christian Initiation Ritual explains how in the early Christian Church,

“there was good evidence that Clement of Alexandria viewed initiation into the mysteries of God as a fundamental part of Christianity. As described by G. Bornkamm, Clement saw the truths of the Christian religion as mysteries. Led by Christ the Mystagogue (Stromata IV, 162, 3ff.) the Gnostic [in this sense, simply "knower"] receives initiation and perfection (Protrepticon XII, 120, 1) by going through the stages from the little mysteries (e.g., the doctrine of creation) to the great mysteries, in which the mystical initiation takes place (Stromata IV, 3, 1; Protrepticon XII). The supreme mysteries, to be protected against profanation, must be passed on only in veiled form (Stromata V, 57, 2).” (G. Bornkamm, "Mysterion," in G. Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1967), 4:825.)

In non-canonical ancient texts called the "Pseudepigrapha," there are accounts of the creation drama in which Adam and Eve are visited and instructed by three angels and the pre-incarnate Christ who promises to one day rescue them from hell and guide them back to their former state of glory from which they came from. Adam and Eve make covenants, are taught different aspects of the mysteries, including anointing, garments, handclasps, prayer gestures, and the way back to heaven. (Edited by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr., Assistant Editor J. Alden Brett, The Forgotten Books of Eden, The First Book of Adam & Eve, pp.8-10, 12--13, 33, 37-42, 68-74.)

 
Marriage Vows and the Handclasp

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery." (Ephesians 5:31–32)


Not only did Paul refer to marriage as a “great mystery” but it has been described as the “bridal chamber” in the Gospel of Phillip:
"The Lord [performed] everything in a mystery, a "baptism" and a "chrism" and a "eucharist" and a "redemption" and a "bridal chamber." (Gospel of Phillip 67.27–30)

The Christian world uses the handclasp in marriage rites/ordinance even today. The marriage handclasp represents love, unity, equality and oath/vow between husband and wife as the marriage begins. There are many examples in art which depicts a husband and wife with their right hands joined in the dextrarum iunctio handclasp. It is the symbol of a marriage that transcends and grave and is often depicted on gravestones and sarcophagus.

Stephen D. Ricks explains this particular handclasp called in Latin, dextrarum iunctio,

The depiction of the dextrarum iunctio was highly popular in Roman art. In the Roman world, the right hand was sacred to Fides, the deity of fidelity. The clasping of the right hand was a solemn gesture of mutual fidelity and loyalty at the conclusion of an agreement or contract, the taking of an oath of allegiance, or reception in the mysteries, whose initiates were referred to as syndexioi (”joined by the right hand”).
Though mostly restricted to sarcophagi, scenes of dextrarum iunctio are also found in early Christian mosaics. Why were early Christians in the Roman world depicted performing the dextrarum iunctio? They did so in part because they agreed with the non-Christian Romans that “fidelity and harmony are demanded in the longest-lasting and most intimate human relationship, marriage.” But they also did so because they accepted, perhaps, the ancient Israelite view that marriage was a sacred covenant and, further, because they understood “marriage,” in the words of the Protestant scholar Philip Schaff, “as a spiritual union of two souls for time and eternity.” A sacred handclasp-the dextrarum iunctio-was a fitting symbol for the most sacred act and moment in human life. (Stephen D. Ricks; Dexiosis and Dextrarum Iunctio: The Sacred Handclasp in the Classical and Early Christian World)

Also See:
The Valentinian Bridal Chamber in the Gospel of Phillip
Stephen Ricks On The Ancient Sacred Marital Handclasp


Handclasps and Arm Gestures as Types of Christ’s Suffering

“Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.” (Psalms 89: 13)


During a post-resurrection appearances to some of the apostles, Christ had his followers feel the nail mark wounds and the wound in his side. Christ went on to show them the mysteries or ordinances with its rites of passage with hand grips that were types of the wounds he had received from the nails while on the cross, and plus other gestures which were types of his suffering. After, Christ opened the scriptures and helped them to understand what had happened. And after He had departed from them, they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem and "were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:13-53; Acts 1:3). Thomas became a witness of the risen Lord and touched Christ's wounds, not believing at first. (John 20:24-31). See, Infallible Proofs.

See a 12th century mural of 'Thomas and Christ' at Hamblin of Jerusalum.

Historical Christian art depict Thomas' arm being grasped by Christ, while he feels the wound in Christ's side. The majority of the “Doubting Thomas” artwork show Christ with his right arm lifted in an oath or blessing gesture and/or also seems to be revealing at the same time his wounds while he has Thomas feel the spear wound in his side. In some ways these different types of hand and wrist grips were based on the nail mark wounds, plus other wounds which Christ received when he was crucified. (Christ Lore, Hackwood, op. cit., p. 172).

Another aspect of the symbolism used in these motifs has to do with how these rites were in a sense an imitation of Christ's suffering. The 4th century Christian Fathers talked about the ritualistic types of Christ's suffering which the Christians passed through while going through the Christian mysteries. Compare Paul's concept of "Dying and rising with Christ." (Romans 6:5; Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 4:10-11; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 6:17; Philippians 3:10-11; cf also 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:13; Matthew 16:24-25):

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem said, "...we did not really die, we were not really buried, we were not really crucified and raised again; but our imitation was but in a figure, while our salvation is in reality. Christ was actually crucified, and actually buried, and truly rose again; and all these things have been vouchsafed to us, that we, by imitation communicating in His sufferings, might gain salvation in reality.... Christ received the nails in His undefiled hand and feet, and endured anguish; while to me without suffering or toll, by fellowship of His pain He vouchsafes salvation." (Library of Fathers, Vol. II, pp. 260-66, Lec. XIX-XX, Cyril on the Mysteries, Pub. by John Henry Parker, Oxford, London, MDCCCXXXIX).

An early Christian apocryphal work of John says that the Lord secretly showed John the torment, the piercing, the blood, and the wounding of the logos, "then you shall know the Lord; and thirdly the man, and what he has suffered...[thus] the Lord had performed everything as a symbol and a dispensation for the conversion and salvation of man." (The Other Bible, pp. 419-21, Revelation of the Mystery of the Cross, from Christian Apocrypha, The Acts of John, Ed. By Willis Barnstone, CR 1984, Pub. by Harper & Row, San Francisco, Calif.)

Also See:
Orants in Historical Christian Art (Slide Show)
Uplifted Hands in Prayer a Symbol of the Crucified Lord
Dexiosis and Dextrarum Iunctio: The Sacred Handclasp in the Classical and Early Christian World


Handclasps as a Type of Faith and Personal Progression

The Lord said through Isaiah: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea. I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).


Another post-resurrection appearance of Christ was when some of the disciples were fishing at the sea of Tiberius. Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to cast their net in a certain area, and when they started to bring in the net, it was full of fish. It was then that they knew that it was the risen Lord. Peter jumped in the water naked and swam towards Christ (John 21:1-14). In historical Christian art, Christ raises Peter from the water by taking a hold of his hand and drawing him to him with a hand or wrist grasp and sometimes with a blessing or oath gesture with his other hand.

"Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them." (Psalms 17:4-7)

Todd Compton explains the significance of the handclasps between Peter and Christ and how they are different from other types in form and meaning. He says, “the destiny of the soul, which, with the help of heavenly powers, reaches the abode of the blessed....While the handclasp, often expresses complete equality (as in the marriage handclasp....and as in the handclasp used for treaty), here it expresses salvation, the saving and the saved. It is diagonal, not level; Peter reaches up to be saved from a watery grave, Christ reaches down. The god will draw the mortal up into heaven." (Todd M. Compton; The Handclasp and Embrace as Tokens of Recognition)


Handclasp as Motif of Resurrection and Redemption of the Dead

"I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." (Psalms 16:8-10)


The depictions of Christ "harrowing of hell" clearly show the handclasp by Christ is a major part of this motif. Some of these depictions of Christ's descent into limbo, show the handclasp made with right hands with the thumb resting on the middle of the hand as though the redeemed was feeling the nail mark in Christ's hand, and as though Christ was showing the wounds which had brought about salvation. Others handclasps are Christ clasping the other by the wrist in a secure clasp and leading them out of danger and into heaven. These different clasps were rites of passage hand grips which are seen in art depictions that show different souls passing in and out of the different realms of existence. These depictions of descent and even the ascent may have been considered a type for baptism. Even the creation of man and motifs of the resurrection there is also the theme of being “born again,” going from one existence to another, pulled forth and upward to a new life. The symbolism is both figurative and literal.

Irenaeus, [A.D. 120-202], says that after Christ had descended to the place of the dead in the lower parts of the earth to preach the gospel there, Christ then afterwords rose up "in the flesh, so that He even shewed the print of the nails to His disciples, He thus ascended to the Father." (Monumental Christianity, Lundy, 1882, op. cit., pp. 264-5, note 1 Lib. v. c. 31, iii c. 20, of Har. Also, Harvey's Creeds, Vol. I. pp. 333-4).

About A.D. 170, the descent of Christ into hades, and the hand clasp was mentioned towards the end of a sermon ascribed to Melito, [A.D. 160-170-177], bishop of Sardis. He said that Christ arose from the dead and cries to us saying, among other things: "I lead you up to the heights of heaven, I will show you the Father who is from the ages, I will raise you up by my right hand."( Robert M. Grant in collaboration with David Noel Freedman, The Secret Sayings Of Jesus, (Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co., 1960), p. 118; The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8, pp. 750, 756-8.)

In The Gospel of Nicodemus, (6th century?), Christ shows Adam the sign of the cross, and a hand grip by which he may enter into paradise when he and the others ascend up to the angel who guards the door leading to paradise.

“The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.” (Psalms 118: 16-21)


Handclasp in Ascension and Deification Motifs

“Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalms 73:23-24)


The handclasp became a symbol of deification; in that God the Father, or Christ, or in other cases an angel would clasp the hand of the person ascending up into heaven were they would be received by a handclasp into glory. In other artworks and biblical illustrations, Christ's, saints', or prophets' ascension into heaven, depict the hand of God extended down through a cloud, veil or curtain to clasp those ascending.

The symbolism of the Ascension cannot just be thought of in terms of just the afterlife and at the time of the resurrection but also has to do with each person’s “spiritual progression.” We can see how the Lord is there guiding, teaching and giving strength “with his strong arm” as he draws the saint up to him in a diagonal handclasp.

David seems to hint to this in the words: "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory." (Psalm 73:23-24).

"Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand." (Psalms 20:6)

Many of the early Christian writers and the historical artworks present a journey of the soul through different realms of existence through a drama of ritualistic types of that journey. These artworks helped the person going through “the mysteries,” understand the ritualistic types of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, victory march throughout the world, and ascension into heaven! They were types of this. These types included different types of hand and wrist clasps in being raised up out of the lower realms, (hades, limbo, purgatory, the pit, abyss, underworld, grave, tomb, etc, etc). Plus, an ascension into the higher after life realms, where the hand of God, Christ, or angels grips the hands or wrists of those ascending.



Leo the Great saw in the mysteries a number of types of Christ, for their own ascension into heaven was patterned after Christ's ascension. Citing the apostle Peter, Leo says that "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that ye should follow His steps." Further on he mentioned how Christ had appeared to his Apostles and opened the secrets of the Holy Scriptures and showed them his wounds. He also suggested that in their mysteries, there were imitations or types of Christ's suffering, resurrection and ascension, for "the Lord's Resurrection and Ascension did not pass by in uneventful leisture, by great mysteries (Sacramenta--mysteria) were ratified in them, deep truths revealed." (See: The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. XII, pp. 163-69, & 176, 179. 182-3, 188, & 190, Leo the Great).

Mystery religions had handclasps as part of their rites. This must have been one of the reasons why early anti-Christians charged that the early Christians had secret ceremonies, and was a mystery religion that borrowed from pagan mystery religions.



Avraham Gileadi give us the vision of the Temple in Isaiah 56:

For thus says the Lord:
As for the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths
and choose to do what I will—
holding fast to my covenant—
to them I will give a handclasp and a name
within the walls of my house
that is better than sons and daughters;
I will endow them with an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
And the foreigners who adhere to the Lord
to serve him,
who love the name of the Lord,
that they may be his servants—
all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it,
holding fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and gladden in my house of prayer.
Their offerings and sacrifices
shall be accepted on my altar,
for my house shall be known
as a house of prayer for all nations.
Thus says my Lord the Lord,
who gathers up the outcasts of Israel:
I will gather others to those already gathered.

(Avraham Gileadi, tr., The Apocalyptic Book of Isaiah, 142. Compare King James Version.)

In the New Advent, the Catholic Encyclopedia online, under the entry, Discipline of the Secret it has this to say about art and the mysteries of the early Christians:
"The monuments of the earliest centuries afford interesting examples of the principle of the "Discipline of the Secret." Monuments which could be seen by all could only speak of the mysteries of religion under veiled symbols."
This shows that historical Christian art not only taught Bible stories to those who were illiterate but also preserved secret teachings passed down from the early Church. Stone monuments, ivory carvings, frescos, mosaics, icons, manuscript illustrations, paintings…etc. all “speak of the mysteries of religion under veiled symbols.”

 Also See:
Power in the Right Hand
The Origin of the Common Handshake
The Right Hand Gospelink (subscription required)
The Image of the Hand of God in the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
The Temple
Disciplina arcane
Secret Tradition in Basil of Caesarea and its Antecedents non-LDS
Rites and Ordinances: What is the Difference?


Arm Gestures Are Also Apart of Oath and Covenant Making

Oaths and Covenants made in LDS Temples are with God... while Mormons do not repeat them in public specifically, there is no hesitate to describe them in general... for instance... in Boyd K. Packer's "The Holy Temple" page 162, he quotes Elder James E. Talmadge in regard to temple oaths and covenants:

"The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and uplifting of the race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her king -- the Lord Jesus Christ.

No jot, iota, or tittle of the temple rites is otherwise than uplifting and sanctifying. In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devotion to truth, patriotism to nation, and allegiance to God."

Swearing Oaths

Swearing oaths on the bible to "tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," seem to date back to, and have their roots in earlier historic Christian political-religious settings. The constitutional oaths that U.S. presidents make are derived from these earlier Christian oath taking ceremonies. In the article, The Catholic Liturgy and the Mormon Temple, by Marcus von Wellnitz, it mentions how some early wedding oaths or vows were performed by placing one hand on the Bible or a holy book. Other possible oath gesture in historical Christian art show the left hand raised up, right hand by chest.


Symbolism - Signs of Kingship

Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr. cited the "fulness of the priesthood", as the ordinance was sometimes called, as one of the reasons for building the Nauvoo Temple (DC 124:28). In this ordinance, a participant is anointed as a "priest and king" as to the husband or a "priestess and queen" as to his wife, and is sealed to the highest degree of salvation available in Mormon theology. Christ was was the first fruits of theosis as a priest king and the kingship symbols are connected to these temple ordinances. The "first anointing" in LDS temples refers to the washing and anointing part of the Endowment ceremony, in which a person is anointed to become a king and priest or a queen and priestess "unto the Most High God." In the second anointing, on the other hand, participants are anointed as a king and priest, or queen and priestess. When the anointing is given, according to Brigham Young, the participant "will then have received the fulness of the Priesthood, all that can be given on earth." (Journal of Heber C. Kimball, 26 Dec. 1845 (quoting Brigham Young).)

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelations 1: 5-6)

"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelations 5: 10)

"And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things." (D&C 76: 53-60)

Art showing the sign of kingship/authority is detailed in two basic ways and through time there are variations on the theme. Each depiction of Christ, apostle, or king have an orb (or globe) which is usually cupped in the left hand; as a symbol of kingship. It symbolizes the territory, the country, or the ground of the kingdom. Here are examples of the orb cupped in the left hand while the right hand is raised in blessing:

Other works show the right hand raised either to the square as an oath, raised in a blessing gesture or holding a sceptre or sword. The raised right hand symbolizes power and authority to act. The sceptre symbolizes the same as well as the jurisdiction of the kingdom. The sword is a symbol of the defense of the country or kingdom and brings to mind and double-edged Sword of Justice.

Note that often a person in this ritual pose dons a robe or coronation cloak, sometimes a crown as well. There are numerous examples of this pose on stained glass windows, coins, paintings, royal cloaks, seals of kings, tarot keys, cards, etc., as well as descriptions of it.



"Therefore become sons to him since he is a father to you. Remember that he has prepared thrones and crowns for you in heaven, saying, "Everyone who will obey me will receive thrones and crowns among those who are mine." The Lord said, "I will write my name upon their forehead and I will seal their right hand..." (Apocalypse of Elijah 1:7-11)

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (LDS Scholar) tells in his article, "The False and the True "Keeper of the Gate" that "in British coronation ceremonies, the sword is meant to be held in the right hand so that it may be used "to stop the growth of iniquity, protect the Holy Church of God and defend widows and orphans." (B. Nichols, Coronation, p. 15.)

"The association of swords with royal symbolism is found in many different cultural traditions. Swords are used in various cultures as symbols of investiture. The sword and the rod, for which it is a substitute, is also used as a mark of religious authority" (B. M. Wheeler, Mecca, p. 43).

Bradshaw further explains how, "The Orb-a late replacement for the original symbolism of the incense offering of temple priests in Israel-is to be held in the left hand in order to signify "the domination of Christ over the whole world." (L. M. Hilton, Hand. The garments and emblems of European kings resembled those of the Israelite high priest until the fashion of military dress eventually became the style (E. Tóth et al., Holy Crown, p. 63). Though they are often pictured with an orb in their cupped hand, "no such ensign as an orb existed until the 11th century," previous depictions having been entirely "symbolic" (E. Tóth et al., Holy Crown, p. 57). B. Nichols, Coronation, p. 15. In another part of the coronation ceremony, the new monarch will hold the Scepter with the Cross in the right hand as an "ensign of power and justice" and the Rod with the Dove in the left as a "symbol of equity and mercy" (B. Nichols, Coronation, p. 18). Prior to all these ceremonies, the monarch is "divested of. robes" and "screen[ed]. from the general view" in order to be "imbued with grace" through the Archbishop's anointing with holy oil "on hand, breast and forehead" (B. Nichols, Coronation, p. 14). About ablutions and anointing of kings in other cultures, see S. D. Ricks et al., King, pp. 241-244, 254-255. See also J. M. Bradshaw, God's Image, pp. 661-662.)

See:
U.K. Coronation Cermony as an Endowment
Geological Evidence for the British Throne of David?
Palm up/Palm down in Middle Ages & Renaissance Christian Art
Consecrate = “A Filled Hand” in Hebrew

King, Coronation, and Temple: Enthronement Ceremonies in History (Stephen D. Ricks and John J. Sroka) in Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism by Donald W. Parry)

"In Mormonism, these ritual symbols of kingship are found in several places not the least of which is the temple ritual. It is also found in the Book of Mormon, where the Liahona, the Sword of Laban, and the plates themselves (are) handed down through a specific royal lineage." -- Joe Steve Swick III