Authority and Power in the Priesthood

In my three previous writings, various aspects of the Priesthood of God or the Melchizedek Priesthood have been explored, and the subject of priesthood authority has been a central theme in them. In conclusion, it would be fair to say that all priesthood is Melchizedek given that the Aaronic Priesthood as well as “all other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:5 & 14).

What has not been discussed in these previous writings is a subject that the Prophet Nephi brings to our attention because of his having been shown a vision of our day. “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). Nephi’s words are a motivation to consider some thoughts concerning priesthood power.

For more than thirty years, I taught courses in political science with particular emphasis on international relations. I believe it is safe to say that there is no subject more central to the study of political science than the role power plays in human relationships. Early in my studies, I came across A. F. K. Organski’s definition of power which I adopted as my starting point each quarter. “Power,” writes Organski, “is the ability to determine [control] the behavior of others.” Examples of such control of one human being’s behavior by another range from the most fleeting of instances to those of blatant oppression.

In the secular world, unequal positions of authority do not necessarily endow their holders with opportunities to exercise commensurate power. For example, it is not difficult to imagine individuals serving in government in apparently unequal positions of authority who in fact exercise power in some inverse proportion to their authority levels. A member of the National House of Representatives elected to the House for the first time last November and who will take office in January of 2011 will enjoy a position of authority apparently greater than that of a mid-level bureaucrat in one of the agencies within the jurisdiction of the executive branch. However, it does not take long when studying the power attendant in the federal bureaucracy to realize that a well placed bureaucrat may easily exercise more real power per Professor Organski’s definition than an elected representative, particularly a novice.

I use this illustration because the Melchizedek Priesthood is the authority and power by which the universe is governed, and its potential is far, far in excess of anything our puny intellects may conceive. However, as holders of that Priesthood, we ought never to lose sight of the fact that having such authority does not in and of itself give us power in that Priesthood. Once we have had authority conferred upon us, we are responsible to magnify our callings and our other opportunities to exercise the priesthood thus enabling us to be granted the power to bless ourselves and those about us in light of the gospel and the purposes of our mortal probation. How sorrowful the Lord must be when He looks upon most of us and understands how little of our true potential for priesthood power we have realized.

Obedience is the law of heaven, and obedience to the laws of heaven is the only means by which we may exercise power in the priesthood. “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson--That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness” (D&C 121:34-36).

Daniel while interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream prophesied that a stone cut out of the mountain without hands would roll forth destroying the “terrible” image that had so troubled the king and would eventually fill the whole earth. We understand this stone to be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is our prophetic future, and it will be fulfilled in all of its particulars. Even now, this Church is well on its way to covering the earth. The growth of the Kingdom of God is like an unstoppable tide. Its mission is to prepare the earth for the triumphant return of its King. At the second coming of the Savior, the secular and religious kingdoms that are not His will be destroyed or at the very least come under His authority. It is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by which and through which He will govern the earth during the Millennium. The fulfillment of the Church’s mission will only be possible to the extent that individual members exercise appropriate power in the priesthood as they seek to fulfill their respective callings in priesthood and auxiliary organizations consistent with the instructions found in Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants namely, “that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.”

The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

While the Aaronic Priesthood is received absent a covenant being made with God, the Melchizedek Priesthood is received in conjunction with an oath and covenant. For my personal purposes, I have long thought of and compared the process of covenant making with the procedures followed in the making of a civil contract. There must be at least two parties involved in a contract if the agreement is to be valid. One of these parties is responsible for initiating the process by making an “offer” to the other party. In uncomplicated circumstances, the party making the offer is the party with the power to define the terms of the contract. “Acceptance” or rejection of the proposed terms is the prerogative of the other party.

When referring to the “offer” and the “acceptance” elements of a covenant between Deity and one or more of His mortal spirit offspring, we may speak of them as being the “oath” and the “covenant.” In these last days, God alone is able to initiate an oath and define its terms and conditions. This was not always the case. Under the Law of Moses, oaths taken or made by individuals were an integral part of Israel’s worship. However, in the meridian of time, the Lord made clear the initiating of oaths was then and for the future alone the prerogative of God. To the Nephites, He said, “And again it is written, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair black or white; But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil” (3 Nephi 12:33-37).

Thus under the terms of the oath and covenant of the Melchizedek Priesthood, God sets forth the terms of the covenant, and we signify our acceptance of those terms through our accepting the conferral of the Melchizedek Priesthood by the laying on of hands by those possessing proper authority. The terms of this covenant are to be found in verses 33 through 41 of Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants. By accepting the Melchizedek Priesthood, the individual agrees to be a faithful bearer of the priesthood. As such, he agrees to “magnify” any calling he receives through proper priesthood authority. He likewise agrees to sustain the Lord’s anointed in their various callings. For by sustaining and receiving the Lord’s servants, he receives or accepts the Lord, and in turn, he submits himself to the will of our Heavenly Father as well as that of His Son, Jesus Christ. For His part, God promises a worthy priesthood holder that he will be sanctified, forgiven of his sins, and receive additional physical strength and mental ability to assist him in the fulfilling of his priesthood callings. If he earnestly seeks to fulfill his God-given potential here on earth by accepting all of the covenant opportunities available to him and proves to be faithful to the end, the priesthood bearer will inherit eternal life. This is nothing more or less than the net effect of the Covenant that God made with Abraham centuries ago. Thus as we read, the faithful “become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.”

The parties to civil contracts normally understand all too well that the other party or parties to the contract may, contrary to the law, breach their contractual obligations. Recourse for damages suffered by the innocent party or parties in such situations is in reality iffy. However, the situation is quite different when we consider the roles of the parties bound by a gospel covenant. If there is a breach of a covenant, the failure will be alone on the part of the human participant(s). God is God. Moroni taught that God “changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles” (Mormon 9:19). To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” D&C 82:10). In this existence of ever changing conditions and circumstances in which we find ourselves seeking to work out our individual salvation, how reassuring it is to know that the Lord’s will, His gospel, and his love for us “changeth not.”

The Orders of Priesthood

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught on August 27, 1843 that “there are three grand orders of priesthood.” “The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right from the eternal God, and not by descent from father and mother; and that priesthood is as eternal as God Himself, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. The 2nd Priesthood is Patriarchal authority. Go to and finish the temple, and God will fill it with power, and you will then receive more knowledge concerning this priesthood. The 3rd is what is called the Levitical Priesthood, consisting of priests to administer in outward ordinance[sic], made without an oath; but the Priesthood of Melchizedek is by an oath and covenant” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 322-323). The purpose of this writing is to expand upon the subject of the Second Order of Priesthood, that of “Patriarchal authority.” The term patriarchal order may also be used in this context.

From the days of Adam until the time of at least Noah, the Melchizedek Priesthood was passed from father to son in a patriarchal or lineal order. It would appear that until at least Noah’s day the presiding officer of the Lord’s Church was a direct descendant of Adam in the male line. Following the flood, this patriarchal order continued with some variations as exhibited in the cases of Abraham who received the Priesthood from Melchizedek and Moses who received the Priesthood from his father-in-law, Jethro.

In the covenant that God made with Abraham, Abraham and his descendants were promised that all future generations until the end of the earth would receive and enjoy the blessings of the priesthood through Abraham’s linage. From the meridian of time until at least the triumphal return of the Savior in the last days, the Melchizedek Priesthood is disseminated without concern for a patriarchal order although those who enter the Lord’s Kingdom “become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham” by adoption if necessary (Doctrine and Covenants 84:34).

In the Celestial Kingdom, those who inherit the blessings of eternal life will find themselves in and governed by a patriarchal order. They alone are those who will have the opportunity for eternal increase (D&C 131:4). Consider again what the Prophet said concerning this order of Priesthood: “Go to and finish the temple, and God will fill it with power, and you will then receive more knowledge concerning this priesthood.” The ordinances performed in the temples of the Lord have but one purpose in the final analysis namely, to provide God’s spirit children with the opportunity to live as their Father in Heaven lives, to have eternal life. Thus it is in the temple, as Joseph Smith said, that we learn of the opportunities and the blessings of Patriarchal authority.

The Aaronic and Levitical Priesthoods

The Aaronic and the Levitical Priesthoods were introduced into the world while Israel was wandering in the wilderness subsequent to their fleeing Egyptian captivity. Subsequent to Israel’s migration into the vicinity of Mount Sinai, the Lord commanded Moses to come up onto the mount that he might be instructed as to His will concerning His chosen people. The commandments and ordinances Moses received at that time were based upon the exercise of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which priesthood was held by at least Moses and Aaron at that moment. When Moses returned to his people and found them worshipping a golden calf, he dashed the tablets containing God’s instructions to the ground breaking them in pieces. Moses returned to the presence of the Lord and was given what became known as the Law of Moses, a law of carnal or outward commandments and ordinances, a lesser gospel and priesthood, whereby Israel would live and be schooled in the ways of the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 84:26-27).

This priesthood of lesser authority was conferred upon Aaron and has been known since that time as the Aaronic Priesthood. In some writings, this priesthood is referred to as being the Levitical Priesthood. This may create some confusion. These two priesthoods are not exactly the same, as they may be distinguished from one another in their duties and offices. Male members of the tribe of Levi could have the Levitical Priesthood conferred upon them. However, only the literal descendants of Aaron could receive the Aaronic Priesthood. The right to hold either of these priesthoods was according to lineage i.e., by birthright. This is in contrast to the Melchizedek Priesthood that is not lineal in its dissemination. The bearers of the Aaronic Priesthood could hold the office of a priest; while only the firstborn of Aaron’s posterity could serve as the high priest or the president of the priests. It was the priests who were responsible for performing the sacrifices within the temple setting. The holders of the Levitical Priesthood were assigned lesser duties about the temple necessary for good order and the smooth operation of the temple functions.

It followed logically, that since the Levites were the only bearers of the priesthood, the members of that tribe must be scattered among the other tribes of Israel in order that all might benefit from the exercise of the priesthood. It being necessary in God’s wisdom that Israel be composed of twelve tribes, the tribe of Joseph was divided according to his sons, and so the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh brought Israel back to full numbers.

This dispensation of Moses ended with the ministries of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ, the latter coming to fulfill the Law of Moses. While Israel during Moses’ dispensation lived by and benefitted from the exercise of the Aaronic Priesthood, the bearers of the Melchizedek Priesthood were still in control of the Lord’s work upon the earth. The prophets in Israel were holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood and on occasion were the heads of minor dispensations. The prophet Lehi is the most obvious example. Given that we have no record of a Levite being numbered among his group and with no references to Aaronic Priesthood offices or activities in the Book of Mormon, we are left to assume that the only priesthood operational in what we might refer to as Lehi’s dispensation was the Melchizedek Priesthood.

While translating the Book of Mormon from the golden plates, references to the ordinance of baptism initiated questioning discussions between the Prophet Joseph Smith and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery. On May 15, 1829, Joseph and Oliver retired to the woods in their vicinity to ask God for enlightenment on this subject. In response to their petitions, John the Baptist appeared and conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood using the following words: “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness” (D&C 13).

This being the dispensation of the fulness of times, it is necessary that all that was done by way of ordinances in previous generations be restored to the earth and practiced in this one. In light of this truth, the Aaronic Priesthood was restored to the earth in 1829. Within a few weeks, Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon these same two young men. This was a necessary prelude to the restoration of Christ’s only true Church in the spring of 1830.

While the Lord, himself, refers to the Aaronic Priesthood as being a lesser priesthood, by no means are we to assume that the bearers of this priesthood are unable to exercise much priesthood authority. The experiences of President Wilford Woodruff are instructive here. Looking back on his time as a missionary, President Woodruff reported: “I went out as a priest, and my companion as an elder, and we traveled thousands of miles, and had many things manifested to us. I desire to impress upon you the fact that it does not make any difference whether a man is a priest or an apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A priest holds the key of the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as an apostle, as a seventy, or as an elder, have I ever had more of the protection of the Lord than while holding the office as a priest. The Lord revealed to me by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy Spirit, many things that lay before me” (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, 300).

Within this dispensation and in due course of the Father’s will, Israel will be restored. In those days, the priesthood bearers of the tribe of Levi will exercise the Aaronic and Levitical Priesthoods for the benefit of Israel and in fulfillment of the prophesies of God in that the ordinance of blood sacrifice will again be practiced upon the earth. In addition, the Lord will reveal the name of the high priest who is to administer in the office of a bishop or the president of the priests of Aaron (D&C 107:13-17).

The Boy Scouts of America

I received in the mail not too long ago a donation request from the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, we have been regular contributors to this organization. On an evening more recently while sitting at my desk my mind wandered back about sixty years, and I relived particular experiences from my years of activity in the Boy Scouts. Our immediate family members are well aware of my ties to scouting as they have and still do labor under my repeated admonitions to apply the Scout Motto whenever it seems appropriate namely, “Be Prepared.” There is no getting around it, my years as an active scout taught me skills and provided me with experiences that impact my life to this very day.

By the decade of the 1950s, Troop 192 of the Edgehill Ward of the Hillside Stake in Salt Lake City was honored to have seen more of its members over the years achieve the rank of Eagle than was the case for any other troop in the United States. It should be noted that this was the era in which the swimming and the life saving merit badges were absolute requirements to obtain the Eagle rank. There were no exceptions as far as I know. An uncle of mine had one of his legs amputated above the knee while still very young because of polio. As a teenager, he earned the Eagle rank having complied with all of the requirements including these two most difficult merit badges. Although as a younger boy I was afraid of the water as a result of an early swimming experience, I was determined when I was still too young to be a scout that I would someday earn that coveted rank. So many Eagle badges were awarded to the boys in our ward that periodically the entire Sacrament Meeting program was an Eagle Court of Honor in which the latest qualifiers numbering as many as five or six received this honor.

We lived next door to a general contractor who was also the ward scout master. For years before I was old enough to join them, I watched Brother Menlove on summer evenings load his large, open truck with scouts going to their weekly swimming activity at Wasatch Springs just northwest of the city. By this means, boys in our ward were encouraged and taught the skills necessary to pass both the swimming and the life saving merit badges. In time the months and years passed, and I was able to join these weekly swimming sessions.

One of the important lessons I learned from Boy Scouts was the ability to set long-range goals that could be achieved only by setting and accomplishing an entire series of short- and intermediate-range goals consistent with my major aspirations. My scouting experience gave me the opportunity to learn handyman and other skills in addition to outdoor hiking and camping skills that otherwise I most likely would not have learned. I was made more aware of the world about me concerning law, government, and citizenship as they apply to the local, state, national, and international levels. I learned about professions that are important to the well-being of society even though one of them would most likely never be mine.

I also learned what it means to work as a team member. Our troop was large enough that sub-units called patrols were organized for the benefit and training of their members. These patrols were boy run and organized. They met once a week in a member’s home. In these meetings, we helped one another organize the necessary processes whereby each boy might further prepare himself for rank advancement or the achievement of needed merit badges. We also organized our participation in activities involving the entire troop. By this means and at this level, we learned what it means to properly “Be Prepared.”

Of course, television broadcasting was in its infancy when I was a teenager, so we were not distracted by electronic devices of any type. Church activities including competitive sports and scouting were our social life external to our homes. The world now some sixty years later is much changed. The many modern-day distractions and debasing temptations with which the boys in our wards must deal are extreme when compared to the conditions that existed when I was their age. However, today there are boys living in our communities whether they be LDS or not who share the same enthusiasm as boys of earlier generations for learning and doing that which will make them better rounded in their understanding of the world and of the means by which they may play a constructive role in their society's betterment. These boys deserve our encouragement and material support.