Chapter 5 - The Priesthood

In organizing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith claims that he received the priesthood of God through the administration of celestial beings.  This priesthood of God was divided into two different priesthoods called the Melchizedec Priesthood and the Aaronic Priesthood. 

The first visit was by John the Baptist who, as a celestial being, gave to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood.  Joseph Smith called this the “Lesser Priesthood.”  This is Joseph Smith’s account:

Joseph Smith History 1:68-72 – Summarized

A heavenly messenger descended, laid hands upon them, and conferred the Priesthood of Aaron, granting authority to preach repentance and perform baptism by immersion. However, this priesthood did not include the authority to bestow the Holy Ghost, which would be given later. The messenger identified himself as John the Baptist and stated he acted under the direction of Peter, James, and John, who held the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Later, Joseph Smith claimed that Peter, James, and John themselves appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon him, granting apostolic authority.

D&C 27:12,13

12. And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and special witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

13. Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fullness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;

In order to substantiate the division between the two priesthoods, the Aaronic and the Melchizedek, the Bible must acknowledge both priesthoods. It must also indicate that there was one priesthood that was higher than the other priesthood.

The Aaronic Priesthood. 

The Aaronic (or Levitical) Priesthood is clearly found in the Old Testament. It was given to Aaron and his descendants for service in the tabernacle and temple.

Key passages include:

Numbers 3:3,8-10

3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

8. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 

9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they re wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 

10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Numbers 18:1,7,8

1. And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 

7. Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

8. And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

Joshua 18:7

But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.

These verses establich that the priesthood of Aaron was:

• An official office in the Jewish faith

• Centered on temple service

• For the Levites, the priesthood was hereditary

The Melchizedek Priesthood. 

The Melchizedek or Greater Priesthood is mentioned in the following passages.  Melchizedek was a king in Salem (or Jerusalem) and a priest.

Genesis 14:18

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

As taught by Joseph Smith, the writings in Psalms and the apostle Paul also confirm that an office of the priesthood was named after Melchizedek.

Psalms 110:4

The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:6

As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek.

Hebrews 5:10

Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedek.

These last verses support the fact that there was the “order of the Melchisedek” priesthood. Here, it was Christ who was “an high priest,” not the only “high priest!”

The Greater and the Lesser Priesthood. 

Now, having biblical support for the two priesthoods, the Aaronic and the Melchisedek, there must also be a reference to one being the lesser priesthood and the other being a higher priesthood.  Joseph Smith organized the priesthood offices into the following categories with their major assigned duties.

The Aaronic Priesthood (or the Lesser Priesthood, or the Levitical Priesthood).

• Deacons – Passes the sacrament.

• Teachers – Prepares the sacrament, visits families.

• Priests – Blesses the sacrament, baptizes.

·       The Melchisedek Priesthood (or the Greater Priesthood).

• Elders – Baptizes, confirms the Holy Ghost, heals the sick.

• Seventies – Same as Elders and responsible for missionary work.

• High Priests – Same as all others plus the administering to all the members, all of the ordinances of the temple and leading the congregations.

One of the first indications in the division of the two priesthoods is found in 2nd Kings.

2 Kings 23:4

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el.

The apostle Paul elaborates on the two priesthoods in his letter to the Hebrews.  Paul explains how great was the man Melchizedek.  Demonstrating how great this man was, Abraham paid his tenth part of all his increases to Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:1,2,4

1. For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 

2. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

4.  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Paul continues to tell of the differences of the two priesthoods.

Hebrews 7:11,12

11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 

12. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

Noting that there was a change in the law for the two priesthoods, Paul told of the priesthood that Jesus Christ received, and the office.

Hebrews 5:5,6

5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 

6. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Paul continued telling about Christ and His mission and then repeated the same office that Christ received.

Hebrews 5:8-10 – 8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;  10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

The Power and Authority of the Priesthood.

Joseph Smith claimed that the proper priesthood is the only power in which one could return to the kingdom of God.  Any other semblance or claim to the priesthood of God would not be accepted in the eyes of God.  Joseph Smith taught that with the apostasy from the original church God withdrew His priesthood from the earth until it was given back to Joseph Smith by Peter, James, and John.  Joseph Smith teaches that the Bible supports this doctrine.

The first passage is one that is well known among most religions. It is the one about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost being a requirement to enter into God’s kingdom.

John 3:5-7

5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

7.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Many religions dispute the interpretation of this statement and many religions do not even emphasize the ordinance of baptism as necessary. 

Some of these religions accept the previous baptisms of other churches. 

Joseph Smith brings to light a passage in Acts that demonstrates the need for the correct baptism. 

This is when the apostles re-baptized some people who thought they were already baptized.

Acts 19:1-6

1. And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 

2. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?  And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized?  And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 

4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

This raises an important question:

If the proper authority were not necessary for baptism, why would Paul re-baptize these people, who, having faith in Jesus Christ, did get baptized?

Paul answers this question himself in his letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:3-5

3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling:

5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Question:  “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”— Can it be much clearer than what Joseph Smith taught?

Priesthood Power.

Joseph Smith taught that this authority is “the power” of God to do Christ’s work here on earth.  The following are examples from the Bible that demonstrate the power and authority of the priesthood. 

While on earth even Jesus Christ at one time did not have “the power.”  He stated himself that “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”  This “power” was given to Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

If Christ needed to be given the power to do His Father’s will, then it is logical that man also must be given this power to do God’s will.  It is reinforced by Paul’s teachings that “the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.”

1 Corinthians 4:20

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

A few examples of Christ giving “the power” to His apostles and other priesthood holders are:

Matthew 10:1

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Christ gave the disciples the power to overcome unclean spirits, tread on serpents, and heal the sick.  Joseph Smith taught that this power was in the greater or Melchizedek Priesthood. 

Stephen, full of this “faith and power,” was able to do great wonders and miracles.

Acts 6:8

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

The Sadducees, leaders of one sect of the Jewish religion recognized the need for the power of God to act in His name.  Having received the offices of High Priests and Priests since ancient times, they asked Peter and John by what “power” were they acting under.

Acts 4:7

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

Another important lesson on receiving the proper “power” was the example of Simon, who, seeing the apostles gave the gift of the Holy Ghost to the newly baptized members, offered money to obtain this power.

Acts 8:18-22

18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19. Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 

21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 

22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

As is written here, the apostles greatly chastised Simon for thinking he could buy his way into the priesthood.  They quickly called Simon to repentance. 

It is the teachings of Joseph Smith that nobody can choose to be in the leadership of the Mormon Church or buy their way in. 

Joseph Smith taught that one does not go to college to become one of the ministers or Bishops of the Mormon Church.  These positions, to include the priesthood office of a high priest, is a calling that comes from inspired church leaders who themselves have been called by another church leader who has been called by a prophet.

Calling by God

In the original church the apostle Paul was very clear about the way to become a high priest.  Paul taught:

Hebrews 5:1&4

1. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

It is very clear that Paul taught that no man should take this honour of being a high priest, or leader of a church congregation, unless he “is called of God, as was Aaron.” 

How was Aaron called of God?

Exodus 28:1

And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

Exodus 40:12-15

And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. 

13. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 

14. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 

15. And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 

16. Thus did Moses: according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.

This was God telling Moses, who was a prophet, to call Aaron to the office of priest.  This is a strong example of Aaron not choosing the way he wanted to serve God.  This is an example of God calling people to the offices that He wants them in, using His servants, the prophets!  Moses then went and did as the Lord commanded.

The apostle Paul also taught that these priesthood positions were a divine calling and given through prophecy.

1 Timothy 4:14

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

This establishes a pattern:

God calls individuals through His chosen servants.

The Restoration of All Things.

Returning to the central theme of the restoration of the fullness of the original Church of Jesus Christ, Christ himself said:

Matthew 17:11

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

After having studied the Bible in what it teaches about the two different priesthoods that have been on the earth in the past (Bible times), one must ask him/herself the following questions:

If Jesus Christ was to “restore all things” would it not have to include His priesthood authority?

Would it include both priesthoods that are found in the scriptures—the Aaronic and the Melchisedec priesthoods?

Was Joseph Smith inspired when he instituted the two different levels of priesthood?

The Biblical Support Chart. 

Joseph Smith taught that it is critical to one’s salvation that he or she have the proper priesthood power and authority to perform the saving ordinances of salvation, the first being baptism.  In addition to this, Joseph Smith also complicated the doctrine of priesthood by dividing the priesthood up and naming them the Aaronic and the Melchisedek Priesthoods.  Having reviewed the two divisions of the priesthood in the Bible, the answers to the Biblical Support Chart are as follows:

Is the following topic supported in the Bible? Yes or No

1. Does the Bible support the existence of the Aaronic Priesthood? Yes

(Num 3:3,8-10; 18:1,7,8; Joshua 18:7)

2. Does the Bible support the existence of the Melchisedek Priesthood? Yes

(Gen 14:18; Psalms 110:4; Heb 5:6; 5:10)

3. Does the Bible support the division of the two priesthoods as one being a lesser than the other? Yes

(2 Kings 23:4; Heb 7:1,2,4; 7:11,12; 5:5,6; 5:8-10)

4. Does the Bible support Joseph Smith’s claim that one needs to have the “power” given to him to be a church leader? Yes

(John 3:5-7; Acts 19:1-6; Matt 28:18; 1 Cor 4:20; Matt 10:1; Luke 10:19; Acts 6:8; Heb 5:1,4; Exo 28:1; 40:12-15)

5. Does the Bible support Joseph Smith’s teaching that one must be baptized in order to enter into the kingdom of God? Yes

(John 3:5-7)