President Russell M. Nelson instructed, “Wearing the temple garment has deep symbolic significance. It represents a continuing commitment. Just as the Savior exemplified the need to endure to the end, we wear the garment faithfully as part of the enduring armor of God. Thus we demonstrate our faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us.”117 President Boyd K. Packer explained, “Members who have received their temple ordinances thereafter wear the special garment or underclothing. . . . The garment represents sacred covenants. It fosters modesty and becomes a shield and protection to the wearer.”118
The temple garment has an antecedent in the Old Testament. During the period of the law of Moses, both high priests and priests wore special linen breeches, which some scholars identify as undergarments.119 “Thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach . . . it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him” (Ex. 28:42–43). These linen breeches, together with all other sacred vestments, were “holy garments” (Ex. 28:2; see also v. 40). According to Exodus 28, Aaron and his sons were required to wear the linen breeches when they entered the tabernacle lest they “bear . . . iniquity, and die” (v. 43).
Biblical scholar Deborah Rooke has written about the ancient priestly undergarments and compared them to our temple garments. She writes that “the obvious point of similarity between the ancient and the modern forms of underwear is that they are both invisible to the outward observer and yet both are a required part of correct sacred clothing in their respective contexts. It therefore seems reasonable to suggest that there may be some correspondence in function between the two.”120
The undergarments of the high priest were distinctive because of their woven patterns (see Ex. 28:39); according to one Hebrew lexicon, the rare verb in Exodus 28:39 (Hebrew: shibbatz) means “to weave patterns.”121 Scholars can only guess at the design of the patterns. Elder Carlos E. Asay reveals also the distinctiveness of our temple garments: “Garments bear several simple marks of orientation toward the gospel principles of obedience, truth, life, and discipleship in Christ.”122
On October 10, 1988, the First Presidency, Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, explained in a letter: “Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their lives. . . . The promise of protection and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulness in keeping the covenant. . . . Endowed members of the Church wear the garment as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”123
Spencer W. Kimball explains that the garment provides several categories of protection for us: “Temple garments afford protection. . . . Though generally I think our protection is a mental, spiritual, moral one, yet I am convinced that there could be and undoubtedly have been many cases where there has been, through faith, an actual physical protection.”124
An important discourse on the temple garment was written by Elder Carlos E. Asay (mentioned above). Among other teachings, he explained that “the piece of armor called the temple garment . . . strengthens the wearer to resist temptation, fend off evil influences, and stand firmly for the right. . . . And, to the degree it is honored, [it is] a token of what Paul regarded as taking upon one the whole armor of God.”125