Priesthood
Without the priesthoods you could not have had the restoration of both Christ’s Church and the Fullness of the gospel, and without it The Church would fall into apostasy, as it had.
The Aaronic Priesthood
The Aaronic Priesthood is the continuation of the Levitical Priesthood, a lesser priesthood to the Melchizedek Priesthood (which was taken away from the Israelites to practice carnal commandments until John the Baptist is born, D&C 84:25-27) , as given to Aaron in Exodus 28:1-3:
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.
2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Israel was to be a nation of priests – that being expertly versed in doctrine, scripture and the gospel and maintaining a close connection with the Lord and minister is word on Earth. Exodus 19:6, Leviticus 11:44.
Exodus 19:6:
6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Leviticus 11:44:
44 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground
We see here the foundations for the role of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood, the role of a devout, closely connected and holy priesthood – in this case the current lay ministry of the Church.
John the Baptist is key in this, as he restored the gospel to JS and OC and also paved the way for Israel to await and worship the Son of God. Luke 1:15-17 and D&C 84:28.
Luke 1:15-17:
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither awine nor strong drink; and he shall be bfilled with the cHoly Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of aElias, to turn the hearts of the bfathers to the children, and the cdisobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people dprepared for the Lord.
Note: “the spirit and power of Elias” refers to individuals who are forerunners in the gospel of Jesus Christ, I think, and refers to the preparatory power for greater revelations from God.
The Aaronic Priesthood was restored to Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, for it to be restored it had to first be lost.
John the Baptist baptised Christ, after which Christ called and ordained his apostles (John 15:16), then conferred the keys to the Kingdom of God and the Priesthood to his apostles – The Mount of Transfiguration.
The Mount of Transfiguration:
- Christ conferred with Moses and Elijah, made three tabernacles for Christ, Moses and Elijah (Tabernacles, meaning the priesthood on Earth?) Matthew 17:3-4.
- The apostles were temporarily transfigured (exalted, spiritually changed etc.) during this experience (D&C 63:20-21), and saw a vision of resurrection and transfiguration.
- The apostles received the priesthood keys to the Kingdom of God and used them in their mortal ministry. After this they, Moses and Elijah, restored the Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 110:11-16).
- Christ’s transfiguration before James, Peter and John allowed them to be “eyewitnesses of his majesty”, 2 Peter 1:16. Furthermore, the temporary transfiguration of the apostles allowed them to hear the voice of the Father and the transfigured state of Christ – this was a vision iirc – similar to Moses’ transfiguration (Moses 1:11).
- Christ’s ministry on Earth involved giving the apostles the keys to the Priesthood, restoring the Priesthood in full to the apostles, after the Melchizedek Priesthood was removed from the Israelites, and Christ authorised them to operate under his direction (Mark 3:14-15). Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven and the rock of the Church if Christ departed (Matthew 16:18-20).
- As well, Moses and Elijah appeared to the apostles to bestow the priesthood keys to the apostles, by the laying on of hands which made it possible to preach the gospel around the world (Matthew 18:19-20) and give ordinances/baptise the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
The authority and bestowed power of the priesthood was lost due to the Great Apostasy, great corruption in teachings and lack of divine authority on Church dealings (infection of Pagan or Hellenistic thought etc.), as such the keys to the priesthood had to be and were restored through the restored gospel.
D&C 27:12:
12 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have aordained you and confirmed you to be bapostles, and especial cwitnesses of my dname, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;
D&C 128:20:
20 And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from aCumorah! bMoroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the cbook to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to dbear record of the book! The voice of eMichael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the fdevil when he appeared as an angel of glight! The voice of hPeter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the ikeys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!
Moses, Elijah and Elias also came before JS and OC to restore the keys to the priesthood, where the role of the priesthood is set forth, D&C 84:27. Elias also committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to the pair (D&C 110:12).
Melchizedek Priesthood
The Melchizedek priesthood was named after a King & Priest in the Book of Genesis, it meant “King of Righteousness” – a fitting name for a priest and the higher priesthood don’t you think?, he was also the brother of Noah/related to Noah/Shem the son of Noah or Shem was his nephew – yes the ark Noah, he was also the first person in the bible to be given the title Priest, The Psalm 110.
Saying his “priesthood” shall live on after his order shows to me another proof of the Church’s layout if you will.
You could also make the point that unlike the Aaronic covenant, which is passed ancestrally through Kohan/Kohanim of the Levites, the Melchizedek is passed through God, as in “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou are a priest forever after the order Melchizedek”.
He was also in the Book of Mormon as a preacher of Repentance & peace to a people in a wicked city.
(alma 13:18)
The Melchizedek Priesthood was also prevalent in Genesis, the priest of the King of Salem who blessed Abram, Genesis 14:18-20:
8 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Whilst technically a pagan priest at this time, it could be argued that the traditional sacrament has been laid out before the time of Christ – it’s part of God’s Plan of Salvation.
It’s said, in the Jewish tradition – still relevant and interesting – that Melchizedek was a priest responsible for passing down the traditions/religious traditions of Adam to his descendents. If true, or related to the restored priesthood, provides us a link to the ancient tradition.
It’s clear that the Melchizedek Priesthood has been divinely restored as through the Priesthood (D&C 84:20-21):
20 Therefore, in the aordinances thereof, the power of bgodliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the aauthority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is bnot manifest unto men in the flesh;
We see that through the priesthood, the ordinances and the power of godliness can once again manifest itself in our mortal lives, without this the powers of godliness are not available unto men in the flesh – in our mortal lives.
The specific role of the Melchizedek Priesthood is seen in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Doctrine and Covenants 107:8-12
8 The aMelchizedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power and bauthority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things.
9 The aPresidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, have a right to officiate in all the offices in the church.
10 aHigh priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a bright to officiate in their own cstanding, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, dpriest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member.
11 An elder has a right to officiate in his stead when the high priest is not present.
12 The high priest and aelder are to administer in spiritual things, agreeable to the covenants and commandments of the church; and they have a right to officiate in all these offices of the church when there are no higher authorities present.
D&C 107:18-20
18 The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the akeys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—
19 To have the privilege of receiving the amysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the bheavens opened unto them, to commune with the cgeneral assembly and church of the dFirstborn, and to enjoy the communion and epresence of God the Father, and Jesus the fmediator of the new covenant.
20 The apower and authority of the lesser, or bAaronic Priesthood, is to hold the ckeys of the ministering of angels, and to dadminister in outward eordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the fremission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments.
The offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood are Apostle, Seventy, patriarch, high priest, and elder. The President of the High Priesthood is the President of the Church (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:64–66).
Men in the Church must be worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders in order to receive the temple endowment and be sealed to their families for eternity. They have the authority to administer to the sick and give special blessings to family members and others. With the authorization of presiding priesthood leaders, they can bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost and ordain other worthy men to offices in the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.
When a man receives the Melchizedek Priesthood, he enters into the oath and covenant of the priesthood. He covenants to be faithful, magnify his calling, “give diligent heed to the words of eternal life,” and “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.” Those who keep this covenant will be sanctified by the Spirit and receive “all that [the] Father hath.” (See Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–44.)
The restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood
The Apostles Peter, James & John appeared to The Prophet Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery, this was necessary as when John The Baptist appeared to them earlier to confer the Aaronic priesthood he stated they did not yet have “the power of laying on of hands, for the gift of the Holy Ghost” this makes Matt 3:11 Make complete sense
That the Laying of Hands (which comes after) is by a more powerful person (Holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood), cowdery spoke of this in Letters however the only Scriptural account from Joseph is in D&C 128
D&C 128:20
“Why no women?”
To become more like their heavenly mother, and for men to become more like their heavenly father as they will be united in the Celestial. It comes as additional duties and responsibilities for men in the home, righteously so to perfect them additionally, a teacher and servant of God in the home. This is what the responsibilities and duties of both are for.
It is a rather beautiful thing.
The Priesthood throughout the Scriptures is clearly something necessary for the Ordinances of the Gospel; Including Baptism (Jesus Christ went to Levitical/Aaronic Priestholder John “The Baptist”) just as we go to Christ’s true authority, not just a man with little real claim.
