In my reading of the Book of Mormon I have noticed on
several occasions an interesting phrase in place of where I would expect to
find the term Priesthood or a related term. The phrase is the, “power of the
Holy Ghost”
We talk about the influence of the Holy Ghost, the gift pf
the Holy Ghost, and we mention the Power of the Holy Ghost, but how is it
related to priesthood?
Just out of curiosity, I searched for the word Priesthood in
the book of Mormon and found that it is only used in two chapters of Alma by
Alma the younger. Since the measure of the word of God is two or three
witnesses, I wondered where the other witnesses were to the people of the Book
of Mormon?
The offices of the Church are mentioned other places, but
not the priesthood, authority, or power thereof in the Book of Mormon. For
example, when Moroni gives his explanation in Moroni 3 about:
1 The manner which the disciples, who
were called the elders of the church, ordained priests and teachers—
He states how this was done.
4 And after this manner did they ordain
priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and
they ordained them by the power of the
Holy Ghost, which was in them.
In the next two chapters he lays out the sacramental prayers
but, unlike ordinances specific to the Melchizedek priesthood only, no mention
of priesthood authority is made. Another interesting point in this regard is
that it says that Elders and priests administer of the sacrament with no
mention of Deacons or Teachers being involved. Deacons were not included in the
instructions on ordination, but Teachers were; so it is interesting that
Teachers are left out of this discussion of sacramental administration.
Another phrase that Alma uses much more frequently for the
Priesthood is, “Holy order.” Of the 18 occurrences of, “Holy order” found in
the Bok of Mormon all but two are used by Alma the younger. Focusing on the two
remaining occurrence we see something interesting. Jacob uses the phrase in 2
Nephi 6:2
2 Behold, my beloved
brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of
his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye
look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know
that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
Here Jacob indicates he was ordained and consecrated by
Nephi, because Nephi being thought of as a King and protector held this right. Just
as Mosiah the younger held this role prior to the commencement of the reign of
the Judges. We don’t consecrate priests or teachers or any other priesthood
office except for what occurs in the Temple during the washing and anointing
and since the setting for Jacobs comments is the Temple this comment makes sense
in this regard. Alma the younger was made chief Judge and there being no longer
a King was given this responsibility of High Priest. Yet he gives up the role
of Chief Judge to preach full time which could have been seen as him giving up his
right to the position of High Priest and the general elimination of that role,
as we see the people of Ammonihah seam to make that claime in Alma 8:12
12 And now we know that because we are not of thy church we
know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the
judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.
The other occurrence outside of Alma in the book of Mormon
is found in the Book of Ether but are actually from Moroni in chapter 12 verse
10
10 Behold it was by faith
that they of old were called after the holy order of God.
Called by faith to the Priesthood, not laying of hands, not
by those in authority, not by keys, but by faith?
I first thought this was just because Alma was the head of
the Church, yet Alma the elder never talks about priesthood. When Christ comes
to the Americas and establishes his church he never talks about the priesthood
either. If the priesthood is so important to the restoration of the gospel, why
is it missing from the Book of Mormon.
The occurrences in Alma are cryptic and seam more of a way
to tie Alma back to the great king and High priests of old, Melchizedek to
justify his claim of being called of God.
Perhaps the ‘Keys’ of the Priesthood is the proper term to
search, yet it yields only one occurrence in the book of Mormon. That reference
is to Zoram the servant of Laban holding the keys to the treasure where the
brass plates are and has no reference to the Priesthood.
The priesthood seams only connected with the Church and its
authority and the Book of Mormon by itself seems to question the use of the
terms keys and priesthood.
It turns out the best term to find the priesthood in the
Book of Mormon is the word ‘authority’.
Authority is the word Christ uses in teaching how to baptize
in 3 Nephi 11.
25 Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Authority is the word used by Alma the elder when he
baptized in the waters of Mormon in Mosiah 18.
13 And when he had said these words, the
Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having
authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a
covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the
Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal
life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the
foundation of the world.
It is interesting to me that both
these examples of Baptism indicate that it is done by Authority, and the modern
day language is as follows as found in D&C 20
73 The person who is called of God and has
authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the
person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling
him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Today we are commissioned by
Christ by being Called of God and having authority of Jesus Christ to baptize.
Authority is
what Alma the elder uses when talking about Confirmation:
17 And they were called the church of God,
or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that
whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his
church.
Authority is
what Alma the elder uses when talking about Ordination:
18 And it came to pass that Alma, having
authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their
number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Authority is
what Alma the elder uses to teach about how Priests are to teach:
26 And the priests were not to depend upon
the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the
grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of
God, that they might teach with power and authority from God.
Note that they will
have power and authority by being strong in the Spirit, which seems to tie us
back to Moroni and how priest and teacher are ordained by the power of the Holy
Ghost. Alma the Elder often couples Authority with the word Power.
Moroni makes an interesting challenge regarding the three
witnesses and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in Either 5:
3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God;
wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.
4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be
established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be
shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony
against the world at the last day.
5 And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father
in the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the kingdom of God.
6 And now, if I have no authority for these things, judge ye;
for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see me, and we shall
stand before God at the last day. Amen.
This is often viewed only as a prophecy of the three witness
to the book of Mormon, Oliver Cowdery,
Martin Harris, and David Whitmer, and it is a prophecy of that. I believe it is
more than just that, as the scriptures regularly exist in layers of meaning.
There are two sets of three witnesses spoken of here. The three previously
mentioned and the three that make up what we know today as the God Head.
