Appendix: Priesthood Definitions and Phrases

“Important Priesthood Definitions and Clarifications” (pages 97-101) is my way of organizing the multiple and sometimes confusing definitions of the word “priesthood”, and the many ways that that same word and phrases associated with it are used in our Church jargon. This is a summary of Chapters nine through thirteen. Mark this page as a reference page. It is a doctrinal motherlode. 

First and vitally, the same word “priesthood” is used in at least two different ways. (1)  Both are sourced identically-- through God the Father.  But one has reference to God’s total power, and the other to a portion of that power delegated to Jesus Christ to do the work of the salvation of man through ordinances. (2) 

#1) “God the Father’s TOTAL Priesthood Power and Authority” (3) (Chapter One)

•         The Source of ALL power (4)
•         Fueled by the Father’s perfect character and attributes. (5)
•          Access for men and women made possible for ALL through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and ordinances. (6) (Chapter Two)
•          Access is ferried to ALL men and women through the Holy Ghost (Gifts of the Spirit, Spiritual Gifts), magnifying humankind to be able to do what God can do. (7) (Chapter Three)

 #2) “The Holy Priesthood, After the Order of the Son of God” or “Melchizedek Priesthood” (Chapters Ten, Eleven, and Twelve)

•          Delegated Power and Authority from God the Father to Jesus Christ. (8) (Chapter Eleven)
•          Just a portion of God the Father’s Total Priesthood Power and Authority (9)
•          Made possible because of the successful completion of Christ’s mission and Atonement. (10)

·         “Rockets” the Atonement “payload” to humankind— the “payload” is the blessing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ through saving ordinances. And the “rocket” is this priesthood, which makes that opportunity possible through chains of proper authority and the organization of the Church. Men ride in the “rocket.” (11)

•          Alternately named “Melchizedek Priesthood”, to avoid using Christ’s name repeatedly. (12)
•          Ordination of righteous men comes directly, through legal administrators, from Jesus Christ Himself. (13)
•          Through ordination, men on earth direct, govern, and protect conferral and use. These men are called “Melchizedek Priesthood Key Holders”. (14)
•          The use of priesthood benefits men and women equally. (15) (See phrase definitions below)

·        Priesthood does not benefit the holder uniquely.  It is used to benefit others.  The priesthood holder, himself, is not vaunted by ordination, but instead obligated to a life of service-- bringing ordinances to humankind.

 

Used DIRECTLY through ordination and/or being set apart (Chapter Ten and Eleven) 

• By key holders in the rights of the presidency, authorization, and oversight of the Church, repentance, and ordinances. (16)
• By Melchizedek Priesthood holding fathers to preside in their homes and give father’s blessings, and blessings of comfort and healing. (17)
• By Melchizedek Priesthood holders who give blessings of comfort and healing.

Used INDIRECTLY or “Under the Direction of a Key Holder” (Chapters Eleven and Twelve)

•          By Melchizedek Priesthood holders who have been ordained, are worthy and are authorized by a key holder to perform ordinances, patriarchal blessings, grave dedications, etc. They do so under the direction of a Key Holder. (18)
•       By ALL men and women who serve in callings in the Church, who have been called and set apart, and serve under the direction of a key holder. (19)
•          By women by permission from a key holder, BUT this is the case ONLY in the temple under the direction of a temple president. (20) 

We also use the word “priesthood” in phrases that have several distinct meanings.  This causes confusion, and sometimes misunderstanding. This explanatory chapter offers some clarifications. The word “priesthood” is also used in several phrases, but they mean different things. They describe the benefits, blessings, and rights.           

I have also included instances where I believe the word “priesthood” is confusing or even used incorrectly.  Each one of these bullets come from the #2 definition of “The Holy Priesthood, After the Order of the Son of God” or “Melchizedek Priesthood”, which is ultimately sourced in definition #1, “God’s Total Priesthood Power and Authority”: 

“The Blessing of the Priesthood” for the World (Chapter Nine)

·         An exclamation describing the wonderful gift and benefit that it is to have legal administrators of the ordinances on the earth, and to have Jesus Christ’s Church on the earth. 

“The Blessings of the Priesthood” for Individuals (Chapter Nine)

•       The power, sanctification, and righteousness that comes into the lives of individuals (men and women) through faithful performance of the ordinances, and then in keeping the promises and covenants associated with them: Baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Sacrament, and the ordinances of the Temple, etc. (21)           

“The Fullness of the Priesthood” for Couples (Chapter Six)

•  The Power of Godliness and Exaltation (22)
•  Available to men and women who have entered in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage and then that marriage has been ratified by the Holy Spirit of Promise (23)
•  All blessings, benefits, and inheritances of this definition of priesthood are shared by men and women. (24) 

“A Priesthood Holder in the Home”, BUT better named the godly term, “Father”, or “Priesthood Rites Associated with Fatherhood” (Chapter Eight)

·         A man who has been ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood has rites in his home associated with that ordination when coupled with righteousness. (25) 

·         Authorized to preside in the home in a role of spiritual, servant leadership (26) 

·         Authorized to give Father’s Blessings, and blessings of comfort and healing WITHOUT permission from a Key Holder. (27) 

·         Authorized to perform ordinances WITH permission from a Key Holder. (28)

·         The Church is set to fill a portion of this gap in the home where a father doesn’t exist or is not functioning as a Godly Father. (29) 

“Priesthood Service” is a phrase that is a little confusing (Chapters Twelve and Thirteen)

·        “Priesthood Service” means to be faithful and obedient to the laws of God and to magnify the callings which come to us. (30)

·         Priesthood ordination includes delivering ordinances to mankind. A man’s service efforts with that purpose in mind could be called “priesthood service”.

·         But we have a tendency to extend the term to include any service that a man does.  It becomes “priesthood service” just by nature of gender. A man’s individual efforts at being Christ-like might be better described as just “discipleship” or “ministering” or “service” or “acts of kindness”.

·         In the most basic sense, men (and women) have covenanted to serve, bear others’ burdens, minister, and be a disciple of Christ bearing His name via their Baptismal covenants.  (31) Baptism is where the obligation to serve our fellow man began.

·         There is some confusion over what to call the collective efforts of men.  Generally we attribute that to “the Priesthood”, too.  A better term for the combined efforts of men might be to use the name of the service organization that they belong to-- “the Quorum” or “the Priesthood Quorum”. That is the correct companion-word to “Relief Society, which describes the united efforts of women. (Chapter Thirteen) 

Incorrect Use, or at least very confusing

“The Priesthood” to describe anything that a man, or men, do, or any way that he or they serve.

·         Any use of priesthood as a title, role, position, elevation, or the term for collective men is at least confusing.  Men are NOT “the priesthood” (32)

Here are a few important definitions, some are repeated for emphasis:           

God’s Total Priesthood Power and Authority- Referring to God the Father’s power and authority, that comes because of the perfection in His person, character, and attributes see chapter one.  Shared with men and women through the Holy Ghost.  (33) 

“The Holy Priesthood, After the Order of the Son of God” or “Melchizedek Priesthood”-  A “portion” of God the Father’s total priesthood given to Jesus Christ and having to do with saving mankind through ordinances and covenant-keeping. (34) 

Priesthood Keys #1- ( For example: “Keys of the Gathering of Israel”, “Keys of Resurrection”, “Keys of Creation”, “Keys of Sealing”, “Keys of the Redemption of the Dead”, etc.) God’s total power and authority. These are given to mankind as needed for the specific work of the specific dispensation. There are many keys that have NOT been given to man on earth at this time, ie resurrection and creation. (35)           

Melchizedek Priesthood Keys #2-  (“Priesthood Keys”, “The Keys of the Priesthood”, “Keys of the Kingdom”, “Keys of this Dispensation”) Authority and power held by Jesus Christ and conferred on a Melchizedek Priesthood holders via a Church administrative calling that is conferred via setting apart. These keys empower men to organize, preside over, govern, protect, guard, and regulate the kingdom of God on earth. These kinds of keys are in the hands of the very few: ie prophet, apostles, Stake Presidents, Bishops, etc. This is the most common usage of the term “keys”. (36)           

Melchizedek Priesthood Keys #3- (Example: “keys for use as fathers”) Some places in Church manuals use the word “keys” to describe the “authority” that a man who holds priesthood has in the home. And seems to mean “authority to preside” as a righteous, spiritual leader in the home.  These are the functions of “Father”—to preside, and to give father’s blessings and blessings of comfort and healing. To avoid confusion, I will call the scope of this Melchizedek priesthood holder, “priesthood rights associated with his fatherhood”. This is a term used in the Church’s Duties of the Priesthood manual and I believe, is more accurate. (37)            

Keys #4- (For example: “the keys of the ministering of angels” promised to Aaronic Priesthood holders in D&C 13)  This definition represents the authority, through the Holy Ghost,  to unlock and make available certain specific and blessings to help a man or boy in his priesthood responsibilities. For example, Aaronic priesthood holders can call upon divine power for protection, for guidance, for comfort, for strength: ie “the ministering of angels”. (38)           

Keys #5- (For example: “the keys of the ministering of angels” promised to ALL partakers of the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood D&C 13) This is subtle, but important. Another use of the word “keys” describes the opportunities that the ordinances performed by Priesthood holders can offer to men and women.  This definition seems to mean, “opening up to opportunity” or “the key to” or “the item that unlocks”. For example, receiving the ordinance of Baptism and the Sacrament as administered through the Aaronic Priesthood, makes available to mankind the remission of sin and the promise that we will have His Spirit to be with us. (39)           

The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood- This means that Heavenly Father gives His oath (or guarantee) that a man can have the power and blessings of the priesthood if they covenant (or promise) with Him to do certain things. That includes living by principles of righteousness and doing his duty. (40)           

Power- Is the enhancement of self by God the Father through the Holy Ghost to be able to do and see and know things that are beyond normal human ability.  ALL power (capacity and magnification), including priesthood power, comes to mankind from God and through the Holy Ghost.  Power is conditional upon righteousness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and is not available to the unrighteous.           

Authority- Authorization, either by ordination or by being called and set apart.           

Ordinances- An ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by a man or woman, and administered by the authority of the priesthood. Ordinances are a step by step way to learn the Gospel and to learn God’s expectations for exaltation.           

Covenants- A covenant is a sacred agreement between God and a person or group of people. God sets specific conditions, and He promises to bless us in specific ways as we obey those conditions.  All the saving ordinances of the priesthood are accompanied by covenants. (41)           

Spiritual Blessings- The Church of Jesus Christ brings us access to the Atonement of Christ and to the spiritual blessings that flow from it.  When we accept the conditions of the ordinances of the gospel, the heavens open to us.  Mysteries are revealed. Requirements are met.  We associate with other believers. We have the privilege of the companionship of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.   (42)