As with many
denominations within the broad Christian spectrum (e.g. Catholics; Eastern
Orthodox), Latter-day Saints believe in an ordained priesthood, something I
have discussed previously on this blog. One of the more distinctive teachings
of the LDS Church is that the Aaroninc Priesthood is operational in this dispensation
(alongside the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood). Latter-day Saints believe
that the Aaronic Priesthood was restored, through Joseph Smith, by John the
Baptist in May 1829. Joseph would later record the words of John the Baptist at
this monumental event, which one can find in D&C 13, which also succinctly lists
the duties and roles of this Priesthood:
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 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 and offering unto
the Lord in righteousness.
Opponents of LDS
theology often point to Heb 7:12 as “proof” that Christ’s atoning sacrifice and
resurrection resulted in the cessation of the Aaronic Priesthood. However, it
this the case? The verse reads:
For the Priesthood
being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
In the KJV, the term “change(d)”
appears twice, but the underlying Greek words are different. The term μεταθεσις is used with respect to the change of the law. This term means “to
change.” However, with respect to the Priesthood, the Greek term is μεταθιτημι, which often means “to transfer” (e.g. in the sense of transposition).
Note the other instances of this term in the New Testament where it has this
meaning:
And [the bodies of Jacob et al.] were carried over (μεταθιτημι) into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum
of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. (Acts 7:16)
By faith Enoch was translated (μεταθιτημι) that he should not
see death; and was not found, because God had translated (μεταθιτημι) him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased
God. (Heb 11:5)
There is no exegetical
warrant to the claim that Heb 7:12 means the Aaronic Priesthood was abrogated.
Koine Greek has several words the author of Hebrews (IMO, the author of
Luke-Acts) could have used if he wished to convey this meaning, but he didn’t.
That the Aaronic
Priesthood was understood to be “eternal” and not just temporal to the time of
the Law of Moses can be seen in texts such as Exo 40:15:
And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they
may minister unto me in the priest's office; for their anointing shall surely
be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
The Hebrew term
translated in the KJV as "eternal" is
עוֹלָ֖ם; the LXX uses αιων. This is coupled with the phrase, "throughout their generations," offering
strong evidence of the perpetual, not temporal, nature of the Aaronic
Priesthood. A priesthood that was annulled in AD 30 is hardly "eternal." Furthermore, do note that, unlike circumcision and the dietary food laws which were revealed to be annulled (e.g., Acts 10 and 15), such is never said of the Aaronic Priesthood.
Of course, Latter-day
Saints have explicit Scriptural warrant for their theology of the Aaronic
Priesthood from modern revelation (e.g. D&C 107), but there is good
exegetical warrant from the Bible for this, too.
