In receiving the endowment, most fail to comprehend  the deep symbolic meanings of much that is presented.  This short essay will endeavor to focus on the symbolic meaning of the apron worn as part of the ceremonial clothing.   This essay is not meant to be authoritative, but has the purpose of providing much necessary food for thought by which an individual might seek and find answers directly from the Lord.

     To fully understand the symbolic meanings of any part of the endowment, it is necessary to first speak of some of the underlying meanings of other parts of the ceremony, so that a full understanding might be realized.  Therefore, before speaking of the symbolic meaning of the apron, it is first necessary to have a well grounded understanding of what the temple clothing represents.  It is also necessary to understand some basic concepts surrounding the creation parable that is presented during the ceremony.

    What is the meaning of being naked?  Preparatory to receiving the endowment, a person first receives the ordinances of washing and anointing.  To do this, one removes all of his/her street clothing and symbolically receives the ordinance as one that is naked.  Although a person receiving the ordinance wears a loose fitting poncho for practical purposes of modesty, he/she should be considered entirely naked for symbolic purposes.  Being naked is how Adam and Eve found themselves after eating of the Tree of Knowledge in the garden and being naked is symbolic of being without understanding.  In this sense, nakedness represents a lack of knowledge and being clothed represents being clothed in knowledge.

     Naked is how we find ourselves upon entering the temple.  That is, we are there to be clothed with knowledge from God.   Symbolically, we are as Adam and Eve, finding ourselves naked after eating of the Tree of Knowledge.  The removal of ones street clothing upon entering the temple is symbolic of removing worldly knowledge preparatory to being clothed in heavenly knowledge from God.   The washing and anointing ordinances pertain to the preparatory steps to receiving this knowledge.   This essay will not attempt to go into the meaning of the washing and anointing ordinances because explanations are to be found in other writings.

     For practical purposes, washing and anointing ordinances are done separate from the main portion of the endowment, but in reality should be considered as an intregral part of it.   It is common today, in doing work for the dead, for one person to carry out the washings and anointing and another the main portion of the endowment.  In the latter case, one usually dresses in "whites" on entering the temple, which consists of a garment and white clothing worn for modesty.  However, the person does not symbolically receive the garment or any other clothing from the Lord until well after the ceremony begins.  Thus, at the beginning of the main endowment ceremony, the person is considered to be without the garment or any other clothing.  Like Adam and Eve, the person receiving the endowment is considered naked until the garment is placed upon them by God.  They are reminded of this at the appropriate time in the ceremony with the words "….You must consider yourselves as if you were respectively Adam and Eve….(and)…. the garment that was placed upon you in the washing room is to cover your nakedness and represents the coat of skins spoken of."

     Many levels of understanding.  The endowment story is a parable in which there are many levels of understanding.  The lowest level of understanding is at the PROFANE level.  Those who understand things at this low level are told all the things they want to hear.   Thus, profane individuals will hear such things as they will be crowned Kings and Queens or that they will pass by the angels and enter the celestial world.   However, understanding the endowment at the profane level does not bring salvation, but damnation.  Profane understanding brings pride instead of humility.  To understand the meaning of the apron, it is necessary to realize that there is a profane level of understanding and that there are many deeper, spiritual levels of understanding.   Hopefully, this will become evident as this essay progresses.

     The tests.  The endowment is a series of lessons and tests.   Man is given knowledge from God and then he is tested to see whether he has learned and if he is in fellowship with God.  The most effective test is always one where the candidate never knows he is being tested.  Such is the handshake, which is a major theme of the endowment story.  It was common in the past to see a carving or other representation of two hands fully clasped in a handshake as a motif decorating the temple.   Today, the handshake remains as a common way of greeting friends.   Anciently,  the handshake was considered a test to see if a person held a weapon in his hand.  A true friend would never have a reason to hold a weapon in the presence of another trusted friend.  So, the handshake is a mutual way of showing that there is no weapon.  The phrase "the hand of fellowship" is meant to connote this principle.

     But, many do not realize that the handshake is a test.  Once they realize that it is a test, they should also be led to ask "what other tests are there of which I may yet be unaware?"   Considering this, perhaps one might ask "is the wearing of the apron itself a test of which I am unaware?"

     Lucifer is a father of lies.  Prior to getting to the meaning of the apron, it is necessary to understand an important concept that should be plain to most, but does not always appear to be so.  This concept is that Satan is a master of deception and is CONTINUALLY attempting to lead men astray.  He never leads towards Christ, otherwise his house would be divided against itself and it could not stand.   However, many who enter the temple somehow mistakenly get the idea that Satan is also a great teller of truths.  Some profane individuals even think that Satan leads towards God.  In the church today, one may hear a statement to the effect that "Satan will tell nine truths and then slip in one lie".   However this is a false teaching.  One might ask what is wrong with this picture:  "Satan, a bearer of truths!"   Some will even argue the point by pointing out that Lucifer tells truths in the temple ceremony.  If one truly believes this, then they have been taken in by his deceptions.  Recognizing this simple concept of Satan (Lucifer)  as a master of deception will help in answering certain deeper questions about what is truly meant in many of the conversations occurring between Satan and Adam, Eve, Eloheim, or Peter.

      To briefly illustrate briefly how Satan (Lucifer) attempts to deceive, we will look at a small portion of the creation story as an example.   It is also necessary to understand this particular portion of the endowment in order to understand what is meant by eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the true meaning of the word ‘knowledge’ instead of how Lucifer uses it.

    When Eve first encounters Lucifer, he says  "Eve, here is some of the fruit of that tree. It will make you wise. It is delicious to the taste and very desirable."  Having failed at enticing Adam, Lucifer attempts to get Eve to partake of the fruit that the Lord commanded them not to eat.  Lucifer is well aware of this commandment not to partake, but he is trying to lead men astray.

    Eve replies with  "Who are you?", to which Lucifer replies "I am your brother."  Here Satan continues his lies with telling Eve that he is her brother.  In doing this, he implies that he is her friend and has her best interests at heart.  The truth is that he is NOT her brother.  Eve is a daughter of God, but Lucifer is not a son of God.   He was cast out of heaven for rebellion and became Perdition.

    Upon hearing Lucifer’s claim to be her brother, Eve responds with "You, my brother, and come here to persuade me to disobey Father?" to which Lucifer  immediately retorts  "I have said nothing about Father."  Here he is again lying, for in the previous statement did he not say that he is Eve’s brother?   The fact that a person is brother and sister automatically says that they have a common mother and father.   Moreover,  Eve’s response shows that she clearly understands this.  But Lucifer is acting like a lawyer, saying that he did not literally say anything about Father, so it did not happen.  Language is a form of communication where words are symbols.  The implied meaning of language means nothing to Lucifer in his argument that he said nothing about Father.  Moreover, Lucifer desires to take the conversation away from  Eve’s  question about disobeying Father, for he knows that Adam and Eve have been commanded by the Father not to partake of the Tree of Knowledge.  Lucifer desires to move the conversation to territory that suits his purposes.

    So, Lucifer skillfully directs the conversation back to his original request, that of getting Eve to partake of the Tree of Knowledge.  Lucifer continues "I want you to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that your eyes may be opened, for that is the way Father gained his knowledge. You must eat of this fruit so as to comprehend that everything has its opposite: good and evil, virtue and vice, light and darkness, health and sickness, pleasure and pain--thus your eyes will be opened and you will have knowledge."  In this part of his statement, Lucifer freely invokes the Father because it suits his purposes, even though his first words in this series was to deny the Father.

    Furthermore, Lucifer is back to his deception when he claims "that is the way Father gained his knowledge."  In reality, God did NOT gain his knowledge by eating of the fruit of that tree.  To understand this, it is necessary to comprehend what knowledge is.  But first, it is necessary to realize that Lucifer is telling Eve that she can become like God by eating of the Tree of Knowledge.  He repeats this later on.  However, this is a total lie.  If it were true, all who have eaten of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge would be like God now.  But, we see that this is not so.   After Adam and Eve partake of the fruit, they instead must be shown a way to return to God.  They must be shown a way to recover what they lost in the first place.  Eating of the Tree of Knowledge in reality brings death instead of life and blindness instead of opened eyes.

     Lucifer also implies that God sees things in opposites and that is what Eve is to gain by eating of the Tree of Knowledge.  This is also a lie.  However, this particular topic will not be discussed in this essay  because it does not directly pertain to the topic at hand (the symbolic meaning of the apron).

     The meaning of knowledge.   It is not the purpose of this essay to go through and discuss all of the deceptions of Lucifer and how they relate to us.  So, at this point it is more productive to enter into a brief definition of knowledge.  The Lord uses this word one way and Lucifer uses it in another.

     According to the Hebrew Kabbalah, knowledge is reconciling principle between ‘wisdom’ and ‘understanding’.  Wisdom is the female principle and understanding is the male principle.  These are represented by our hearts and our minds.  Women have a tendency to live by intuition, or what they feel in their heart (wisdom).  Men have a tendency to live in their minds, using the power of reason (understanding).   God joins men and women together and commands that they become ‘one flesh’.   Also, God gives both wisdom and understanding and commands that they become one (knowledge).

     A person that lives totally by intuition is only a half a person, just as a person who lives by reasoning is half a person.  This is the same as being without marriage where an individual woman or individual man could be considered half a person.

    An artist might be an example of a person who lives and  seeks truth  by what is felt.  A scientist could be considered an example of one who lives and seeks truth by reasoning.  Neither arrives at truth as well as they would if they work together.

     Again, knowledge is the reconciling principle between wisdom and understanding, or the heart and the mind.  Sometimes wisdom is referred to as the principle of the mind and understanding is the heart.  That is, sometimes they are reversed.  But, usually these come as a pair.

    This principle of  getting wisdom AND understanding is reflected in the scriptures.  There are many examples of this, but following are just a few:
    "But where shall WISDOM be found?  and where is the place of  UNDERSTANDING?  Man KNOWETH not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living." (Job 28:12-13)  (capitalization used for emphasis)
    "The Lord by WISDOM hath founded the earth; by UNDERSTANDING hath he established the heavens.  By his KNOWLEDGE the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew."  (Proverbs 3:19-20)
    "My son, attend unto my WISDOM, and bow thine ear to my UNDERSTANDING:   That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep KNOWLEDGE."  (Proverbs 5:1-2)
     "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of KNOWLEDGE and of the fear of the Lord;"  (Isaiah 11:2)
    "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the KNOWLEDGE  of his will in all WISDOM and spiritual UNDERSTANDING;"   (Colossians  1:9)
      "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of  KNOWLEDGE and of the fear of the Lord;" (2Nephi 21:2)

     As mentioned, wisdom and understanding are principles of the heart and the mind which ultimately should become one, just as male and female are united in marriage to become one flesh.  Following are a few examples of how these terms are used in the scriptures:
    "And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine HEART and in my MIND: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever."  (1Samuel 2:35)
     "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect HEART and with a willing MIND: for the Lord searcheth all HEARTS, and UNDERSTANDETH all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."  (1Chronicles 28:9)
    "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your MIND and in your HEART, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart."   (D&C 8:2)
    "And with one HEART and with one MIND, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you."  (D&C 45:65)
     "And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one HEART and one MIND, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."   (Moses 7:18)

     With the idea that we should let our hearts and minds (wisdom and understanding) become one (knowledge), let us return to what is said in the creation parable presented in the endowment.  When Lucifer tempts Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of  Good and Evil, which the Lord commanded them not to partake, he tells them that doing so will make them "wise".  In repeating his statement, he also says "for that is the way the Father gained his knowledge….thus, your eyes will be opened and you will have knowledge."  Again, this is a lie, for by eating of that tree, they do not get wisdom or knowledge, but instead confusion and darkness.

     One might ask, where do we get knowledge?  Knowledge comes from God.  Also, so does wisdom.  This is why the Holy Ghost dwells in your heart.   Men may receive a measure of understanding (supposedly) by their own efforts.   This is what the world seeks through scientific endeavors.  But these intellectual pursuits never lead men to a KNOWLEDGE of the TRUTH.  Thus, men are "Ever learning (understanding), and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."   (2Timothy 3:7)

     What the temple clothing represents.   The temple clothing represents knowledge received from God.  Again, a person enters the temple and removes his worldly (street) clothing and is washed and anointed preparatory to being clothed in the temple clothing.  This is symbolic of casting off your worldly knowledge and being clothed in knowledge from God.

     The garment is the first piece of clothing that God places upon Adam and Eve.  It is symbolically made of animal skins and is to cover their nakedness (lack of knowledge).   Eloheim commands as follows:   "Jehovah, inasmuch as Adam and Eve have discovered their nakedness, make coats of skins as a covering for them."   These ‘coats of skins’ are given to Adam and Eve after they make promises to follow Gods law, which law they broke by listening to Lucifer and eating from the Tree of Knowledge.  The Lord sets his hand to recover His people.  He is continually doing the same for all of us.

     The fact that the garment is made of skins of animals also has a number of meanings.  One concerns the level of knowledge with which Adam and Eve are being clothed.  It is a level of a lower nature, similar to that of animals.  For example, animals are clothed with a certain type of knowledge that we refer to as ‘instinct’.  So-called modern science is unable to fathom where animals obtain this knowledge.   In the present case, man becomes endowed with a lower level of knowledge that will allow him to survive in the ‘lone and dreary world’, but this level of knowledge alone will not exalt him in the heavens any more than that of animals will exalt them.  This is what is meant by "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (D&C 131:6)

     It is also important to realize what happens to this garment as the endowment progresses.  As Adam and Eve progress, they are given additional knowledge from God.  Of course, this is represented by the additional clothing with which He (God) clothes them.  The robes of the Holy  Priesthood completely cover the garment.  Moreover, these robes  are placed on over the garment.  This is representative of the further ‘light and knowledge’ which the Lord bestows on Adam as being placed above that which is represented by the garment of skins.  That is, this new knowledge covers the old.  Adam and Eve find themselves clothed in ‘light and knowledge’, which hides their ‘nakedness’.

     The origin of the apron.   Even though the garment is the first clothing which God bestows on Adam and Eve, it is not the only clothing which Adam and Eve find themselves wearing

     After eating of the Tree of Knowledge,  Adam and Eve hear the voice of Eloheim.  They are sent into a panic by Lucifer who tells them "See, you are naked. Take some fig leaves and make you aprons.  Father will see your nakedness.  Quick!  Hide!"  Lucifer is successful at instilling a fear of God in Adam and Eve.  This is illustrated by Adam’s remarks to Eve "Come, let us hide."  Later, in conversing with Eloheim, Adam remarks "I heard thy voice and hid myself, because I was naked."

     It may be important at this time to notice some of the prior conversation between Lucifer and Adam in order to consider this topic further.  Of course, it is Adam and Eve themselves, not God, who clothe themselves with the apron.  Moreover, it is done at the suggestion of Lucifer, who is the master of deception.  After partaking of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam notices that Lucifer wears an apron and asks him "What is that apron you have on?"  Lucifer replies with  "It is an emblem of my power and Priesthoods."  Of course, Lucifer has no ‘power or priesthoods’, but he likes to think so.  In reality, Lucifer has no power except that which man chooses to give him.  Likewise, he had no power in the Garden over Adam and Eve.  But, they chose to give him their attention.  This is the same with all men and women.  Lucifer only has power over those whom choose to give it to him.  Thus, this power is of mans own creation, not that of Lucifer.  Lucifer’s power lies in deception.  When men and women learn the truth (knowledge), then they are free of him.  When this happens, Lucifer is left without power and is said to be bound.

     The composition,  color, and wearing of the apron.   Not only is it important to notice the origin of the apron, but it is also important to notice its composition, color, and how it is worn.  The apron does a poor job of covering Adam’s nakedness in a literal sense.  This is symbolic of it failing to cover nakedness (lack of knowledge) well in a symbolic sense.   It is made of fig leaves, which wilt very quickly.   Unlike God’s ‘knowledge’, man’s ‘knowledge’ does not endure, but eventually wilts and passes away.

     Also, not only is the apron the only article of temple clothing that does not come from God, but it is  the only article of the temple clothing which is not white.  The apron is green.   Green represents several things.  Green traditionally represents jealously, and perhaps represents the jealousy of Lucifer towards the position of the Father.  But, perhaps a deeper meaning comes from green representing ‘nature’.  Perhaps it is helpful to consider the words of King Benjamin.  "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."   (Mosiah 3:19)

     It will become important later in this essay to go back and carefully consider the words of  King Benjamin that for man to yield to God that he must ‘put off the natural man’.  But, those who go through the endowment ceremony  don’t do this.  The clothing (knowledge) by which Adam clothes himself (apron) which represents ‘natural understanding’ (natural man) is worn throughout the endowment, including in the celestial room.

     It is also important for the purpose of this discussion to notice how the apron is worn.  It is worn on the outside of the garment, not underneath.  Moreover, when God bestows on Adam the robes of the Priesthood, the apron is removed and placed OUTSIDE the robes.  This is symbolic of how men place their worldly knowledge above the knowledge given by God.

     It is also important to mention briefly that an apron is an article of clothing normally worn by those who are servants.  But, there are two kinds of servants:  Those who perform service willingly and those who expect to get paid for the service.  Profane individuals  are those who expect payment for their services.  A son or daughter of God expects no payment for service rendered in their own household, for this service is performed out of love.  To expect payment  for such services would be equivalent to a mother charging a beloved daughter for raising her.    Such things are done out of pure love.   There is a major difference in attitude between those who serve the Lord because they expect a reward and those who do so because they love Him.  Profane individuals expect that entering heaven is a just payment for their good works.  But, this is not true.  To these profane individuals, Jesus responds   "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils?  and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  (Matthew 7:22-23)

    Moroni’s apparel.  Prior to concluding this essay, it may be helpful to consider the clothing worn by Moroni when he appeared to Joseph Smith.  Joseph records this as follows.   "He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness.  It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant.  His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles.  His head and neck were also bare.  I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom."   (Joseph Smith History  1:31)

    It is clear from this statement that Moroni, when he appeared to Joseph Smith, did not wear an apron.  Moreover, it appears that he did not wear a garment either.  It is difficult to tell whether the robes spoken of are analogous to the robes used in the endowment.  However, the point is that Moroni was not wearing the full complement of endowment robes for one reason or another.  Either it was because the apron and the garment are not worn in heaven, or it is because he did not need to wear them on this occasion in his visit to Joseph Smith.  The significance of this point will perhaps be understood more fully after reading this entire essay.

     Further light and knowledge.   One of the great mysteries of the endowment is revealed at several places in the ceremony, but becomes most obvious when the candidate is presented at the veil.  The purpose of the endowment is to show the path that a person must take to enter back into the presence of God.  This trek back is necessary as a result of being cast out of God’s presence for following Lucifer and eating of the Tree of Knowledge.

     The presentation at the veil is a short summary of all that has happened to Adam on his path back into God’s presence.  Prior to passing through the veil, a series of tests are given.  It is important to realize that NONE of the answers given in response to the questions asked  are successful in allowing a passage through the veil.  That is, all but one.

     When Adam is presented at the veil, the worker responds to the Lord on the other side of the veil with "Adam, having been true and faithful in all things, desires further light and knowledge, by conversing with the Lord, through the Veil."   Notice that Adam is requesting FURTHER light and knowledge.  What he has already received is represented by the temple clothing.

    Another response by the worker is given prior to Adam passing through the veil.  "Adam, having conversed with the Lord through the Veil, desires now to enter his presence."  Only then is Adam allowed to pass through the veil.  The mystery is that nothing allows Adam to pass through the veil until he has CONVERSED WITH THE LORD THROUGH THE VEIL and received the FURTHER LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE that the Lord has promised.  This is the only thing that allows Adam to pass.  Nothing else done at the veil is successful in doing this.

     Instructions on how to converse with the Lord through the veil is given in other parts of the endowment, but will not be discussed here because it is not the topic of this essay.   However, it is important to realize that PERSONAL REVELATION is the key to entering back into God’s presence.

     But there is also another key mystery.  This mystery is the mystery of the tests that Adam is continually given.  Many who attend the temple do not have a fundamental understanding that a simple handshake is a test.   Upon passing through the veil, they enter the celestial room where their instruction ceases.   They pass into this area wearing the apron prominently as a part of their clothing.  When they get tired of being in the celestial room, they go to the dressing room, put back on their street clothes, and return to the world from whence they came.  Most are no further along in knowledge than they were prior to entering the temple because they fail to comprehend the deeper meaning.  These are said to be PROFANE and they are the ones walking in darkness at noonday.  These wear the apron as a prominent part of their clothing and thus fail to pass one of the tests.  These are the natural men and women!  These are they who will not endure meat, so must continue on milk.

     Summary and closing comments.    This essay has attempted to focus on explaining the symbolic meaning of the apron worn as a part of the ceremonial clothing of the endowment.  It was not the purpose of this essay to cover other deeper doctrines that are taught in the endowment.  Only those that were considered necessary to uncover the meaning of the apron were discussed.  The reader is asked to prayerfully consider the meaning and truthfulness of the contents of this essay as well as to prayerfully seek knowledge of the deeper meanings of other portions of the endowment.

     The apron is the only piece of endowment clothing that is not white and, with the exception of that which is worn for practical purpose of modesty, it is the only clothing not bestowed by God.  Nakedness is symbolic of being without knowledge.  This is how Adam found himself in the Garden  after eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  This is how we find ourselves prior to obtaining the endowment.  Being clothed with the temple clothing represents being clothed with knowledge by God.  Placing of the apron over the clothing which God bestows is symbolic of placing ones own knowledge above that which God has given.  Again, this is what many of us find ourselves doing in this life, despite the clear instructions we have been given.  This is walking in darkness at noonday.  This is why MANY are called, but FEW are chosen:  "But behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called but few of them are chosen.  They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day." D&C (95:5-6)

    When a true son or daughter of God understands that they have  been profane and have placed their own knowledge above that given by the Lord, then they will rise up and cast their aprons far from them.  Then they will no longer carry their own false knowledge as a burden that keeps them from progressing.  Then they will be prepared to claim their royal birthright as true sons and daughters of God and will be prepared to inherit ‘all that the Father hath’ instead of receiving the servants wages.  Then they will be prepared to receive the further instructions through the veil that will exalt them as sons and daughters of God.  Then they will be prepared to truly enter God’s presence instead of returning to the world from whence they came.  Then they will  be truly endowed instead of falsely so.