What Is Priesthood?
The Priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God that He used to create the earth (Moses 1:29-33) and uses to govern the heavens and earth (see here; Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 4:20). God gives some authority to men on earth to exercise this power—but only to men who are willing to live by the laws of God—so they can act in His name and carry out His work. The apostle Paul said to the Hebrews, “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Hebrews 5:4)
Some examples of how the Priesthood is used on the earth can be found in the scriptures. In Old Testament times, high priests (men with the Priesthood) were responsible for participating in rituals—such as offering animal sacrifices (see here), being anointed with oil (Exodus 40:15; Leviticus 21:10), and wearing special clothing (Exodus 40:12-14; 39:27-29; 28:35-38; 29:4-9). The rituals had to be performed in certain ways, according to laws that were given by God through the prophets. Importantly, the rituals had symbolism behind them—they were references to something greater.
The New Testament mentions another way the Priesthood is used on the earth—to perform ordinances such as baptism. An ordinance is a type of ritual that is an outward expression of a person’s commitment to God. Ordinances must be done in a certain way and must be performed in the name of Jesus Christ, because He is the intermediary between us and God. When a person desires “to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people” (Mosiah 8:18), he or she comes to a priest and asks to be baptized. If the person has repented of past sins and is committed to living a pure life, the priest (and witnesses) go to a pool of water (or river or ocean, etc.); the priest says a prayer using specific words, and he immerses the person completely under water. This is a symbol of death and rebirth (Romans 6). Baptism is just one of several ordinances that God invites his people to accept throughout their lives.
Jesus Christ also was baptized. He was baptized by John the Baptist, because he was one who had authority from God to baptize.
The Priesthood is needed on the earth to do God’s work in our day, just as it was in olden times. However, in order for man to possess this authority, it needed to be passed on from someone who had it previously. In 1829 Joseph Smith was visited by John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John, who were resurrected (reference). They gave him the priesthood, and Joseph Smith then ordained other men to share in this responsibility. Joseph Smith also used that authority to organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This authority has been passed on over the years to other men who have used it to carry forward the work of God.
The New Testament mentions another way the Priesthood can be used: to anoint and bless the sick (see James 5:14-15). Anyone (whether they have the Priesthood or not) can pray for someone who is sick, and the Lord promises that faithful prayers will be answered (Matthew 21:22), though not always in the way we expect. A Priesthood blessing, given by someone who is acting under God’s authority, may be used to heal a sick person, as Jesus Christ did during His ministry. Jesus healed the sick and cured "all manner of disease" (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:15). The apostles and others with authority from God also healed the sick: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick….” (James 5:14-15) If you ask most Mormons, they can probably tell you of experiences they have had where a Priesthood holder gave them (or someone they love) a blessing of healing, and they felt a miracle happened as a result.
The Priesthood usually operates within a hierarchical structure of leadership. The men at the top of this structure share their responsibilities with people "below" them in the hierarchy. This helps to maintain order so that Priesthood holders can communicate God’s will to everyone within the church. This hierarchy is often is useful in very practical ways. For example, consider the scenario of a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake occurring. A few men who hold the Priesthood would be responsible for helping all people in that geographical area as much as possible. A few leaders at the top of the hierarchy would coordinate with leaders lower in the hierarchy to make sure every church member were accounted for and helped and that non-Mormons also were helped. This happens often (see here and here).
This is a very basic overview. More detail can be found here and here. However, below are several more points about the Priesthood:
- Even though the Priesthood is organized in a hierarchy, men don’t choose their positions or campaign for a higher position. They are called of God (through Priesthood holders above them in the hierarchy who pray to know what is best), and they must choose whether to accept.
- Priesthood holders are not compensated with money for their efforts. And they often sacrifice long hours to fulfill their responsibilities.
- Having Priesthood authority doesn’t make one man better than another. It just means that man has accepted responsibilities that others haven’t.
- Women are not given Priesthood authority but rather play a supporting role. While this may seem limiting to some, all women in the Church that I know are comfortable with this. Here you can read more about the roles women play in the Church.
- Priesthood holders must be men of God. They must be compassionate (Hebrews 5:2), virtuous, loving, patient, kind, humble, and diligent (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5-6) or else this power will have no effect for them (Doctrine and Covenants 121:36-42).
- The Priesthood is not hereditary. One can only receive it if they are worthy. The Priesthood is available to all men who fulfill the necessary requirements, regardless of race, wealth, social status, etc.
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