Teachings Concerning Priesthood Offices _____________________ Part One: Priesthood Offices in General: What is an Office in the Priesthood? Priesthood could perform any priestly function he was appointed to do by the one holding the keys of the Church Handbook of Instructions kingdom. Normally a priesthood bearer works in the Priesthood offices are divisions of authority with particular segment of the priesthood circle in which his different rights and responsibilities of service. (Book primary responsibility lies. (Mormon Doctrine, p.595) Two, p. 161 [Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1998]) Boyd K. Packer The priesthood is not divisible. An elder holds as Bruce R. McConkie much priesthood as an Apostle. (See D&C 20:38.) Each office is an ordained calling or assignment to When a man receives the priesthood, he receives all of it. serve, on a basis of primary responsibility, in a specified However, there are offices within the field of priestly responsibility. priesthood—divisions of authority and responsibility. The priesthood is greater than any of its offices. No One may exercise his priesthood according to the rights office adds any power, dignity, or authority to the of the office to which he is ordained or set apart. (“What priesthood. All offices derive their rights, prerogatives, Every Elder Should Know—and Every Sister as Well: A graces, and powers from the priesthood. This principle Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government,” may be diagramed by dividing a circle into segments. Ensign, Feb. 1993, p. 8) The priesthood is the circle; the segments of the circle are the callings or offices in the priesthood. Anyone who serves in a segment of the circle must possess the power What are the Offices of the Priesthood? of the whole circle. No one can hold an office in the priesthood with out first holding the priesthood. Church Handbook of Instructions Thus it is that priesthood is conferred upon worthy Offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood are elder, individuals, and they are then ordained to offices in the high priest, patriarch, Seventy, and Apostles. priesthood; and thus it is that all offices in the priesthood Offices in the Aaronic Priesthood are deacon, and in the Church are specifically designated as teacher, priest, and bishop. (Book Two, pp. 161, 175 appendages to the priesthood; that is, they grow out of [Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day the priesthood, they are supplemental to it, they are less Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1998]) than the priesthood in importance. (D. & C. 84:29-30; 107:5.) It follows that it is greater and more important to Boyd K. Packer hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, for instance, than it is to hold any office in that priesthood. It is greater, The Ordained Offices in the Aaronic Priesthood accordingly, to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood than to The ordained offices in the Aaronic Priesthood hold the office of elder or of an apostle, though, of are: course, no one could be either an elder or an apostle without first possessing the higher priesthood. Deacon Further, there is no advancement from one office to Teacher another within the Melchizedek Priesthood. Every elder Priest holds as much priesthood as an apostle or as the President of the Church, though these latter officers hold The bishop is the president of the Aaronic greater administrative assignments in the kingdom. It Priesthood. He has the keys conferred upon him at follows, also, that any holder of the Melchizedek the time of his ordination. He delegates responsibility to his counselors. The three of them heavenly Father! If we could contemplate the exaltation, form the bishopric, which is a presidency. (See D&C the glory, the happiness that awaits the righteous, the 107:15–17.) pure and the virtuous of those that fear God, even the Saints of the Most High! If we could comprehend the The Ordained Offices in the Melchizedek great blessings that God has in store for those people that Priesthood fear Him and observe His laws and keep His commandments, we should feel very different from what The ordained offices in the higher priesthood we do. But then, we do not. The Lord has brought us are: from among the different nations, that we may be educated in the things of the kingdom of God. He has Elder conferred the Holy Priesthood for that purpose. And the High Priest very organizations that we have, of Stakes and Wards, Patriarch with their Presidency and Bishops, High Councils, High Seventy Priests, Seventies, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Apostle Deacons, etc., are placed in the Church by the Almighty to educate and elevate us. We are organized with apostles and prophets: with presidents and their counselors, with bishops and their What Are the Purposes of counselors, with elders, priests, teachers and deacons. We are organized according to the order of God, and Priesthood Offices? these very principles that look small to us emanate from God. We have seventies and high priests, and all these John Taylor men hold certain positions which it is expected of them The Lord has placed in his church apostles and that they will fulfil and magnify, here in the flesh, in the prophets, high priests, seventies, elders, etc. What for? interests of truth and righteousness; in the interests of the For the perfecting of the Saints. [See Ephesians 4:11-12.] kingdom of God and in the establishment of correct Are we all perfect to begin with? No. These various principles among the Saints of the most High. We are officers are for perfecting of the Saints. What else? For here to cooperate with God in the salvation of the living, the work of the ministry, that men might be qualified and in the redemption of the dead, in the blessings of our informed and be full of intelligence, wisdom, and light, ancestors, in the pouring out blessings upon our children; and learn to proclaim the principles of eternal truth and we are here for the purpose of redeeming and to bring out from the treasury of God things new and old, regenerating the earth on which we live, and God has things calculated to promote the welfare of the people. placed his authority and his counsels here upon the earth Now, then, these offices having been placed in the for that purpose, that men may learn to do the will of church, every man ought to be respected in his office. God on the earth as it is done in heaven. This is the God has communicated to the Latter-day Saints object of our existence. And it is for us to comprehend principles that the world are ignorant of, and being the position. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: ignorant of them they know not how to appreciate our John Taylor [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ feelings. They call good evil, light darkness, error truth, of Latter-day Saints, 2001] pp. 131-132) and truth error, because they have not the means of seeing the difference between one and the other. “But you are a chosen people, a royal generation, a holy priesthood,” [see 1 Peter 2:9] separate and set apart by Priesthood Conferral the Almighty for the accomplishment of his purposes. and Ordained Offices God has ordained among you presidents, apostles, prophets, high priests, seventies, bishops and other Boyd K. Packer authorities; they are of his appointment, empowered and The priesthood is greater than any of its offices. directed by him, under his influence, teaching his law, When someone first receives the Aaronic or unfolding the principles of life, and are organized and Melchizedek Priesthood, it is conferred upon them by the ordained expressly to lead the people in the path of laying on of hands. After the priesthood has been exaltation and eternal glory. conferred upon him, he is ordained to an office in the Oh, if we could comprehend the glory, the priesthood. All offices derive their authority from the intelligence, the power, the majesty and dominion of our priesthood. (“What Every Elder Should Know—and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of (“The Aaronic Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, pp. 31, Priesthood Government,” Ensign, Feb. 1993, p. 8) 32) Bruce R. McConkie Those upon whom the Melchizedek Priesthood is conferred receive that priesthood in its entirety. They First Presidency Has are then ordained to offices in the priesthood and assume Right to Officiate in All Offices thus the responsibility to perform the particular ministerial service inherent in their designated office. (A D&C 107:9 New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.353) The Presidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, have a right to officiate in all the offices in the church. Higher and Lower Offices? Joseph Fielding Smith Boyd K. Packer I have the right to bless. I hold the keys of the While all who have had the Melchizedek Priesthood Melchizedek Priesthood and of the officer and power of conferred upon them receive the full priesthood, patriarch. It is my right to bless; for all the keys and sometimes one office is spoken of as being “higher than” authority and power pertaining to the government of the or “lower than” another office. Rather than “higher” or Church and to the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood “lower,” offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood represent are centered in the presiding officer of the Church. different areas of service. There is no business nor office, within the Church, that There are different rights, privileges, and authorities the President of the Church may not fill, and may not do, which expand with each succeeding office.