The Priesthood is the authority of God delegated to man to act for Him in saving or in the salvation of men. It is a principal of power, of intelligence through which divine work and purposes are achieved. The Priesthood is not just for use on the earth but the Priesthood is an everlasting principal and it existed with God from all eternity. It is without beginning of days or end of years. (Teaching of J.S. p. 157) No man taketh this honor (Priesthood) unto himself (Heb. 5:4-6). In Third Nephi the Lord speaking to the priesthood stated; “For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people.” The Priesthood precedes the church. The Priesthood was bestowed upon those who were to establish the church on both continents.
The history of the church and the priesthood, after the death of the original apostles, is sketchy. Bishops were appointed over branches and churches by the Apostles after the crucifixion of Christ. There are no records as to how they were appointed after the Apostles were killed. Apparently, they appointed their own replacements or they were appointed by common consent. There was no confederacy as each church was independent of the others until the second century, when Bishops of large cities took to themselves distinguishing titles and assumed power over other smaller church units. Synods or church councils became customary. At some point the Bishop of Rome claimed supremacy and a title of Pope. Succession or successors were first elected by the people, then by clergy and later by cardinals. The Pope strove for temporal as well as spiritual control – He and the cardinals were the Lords of the universe. He claimed the right to direct kings and rulers. Jesus stated that His “kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36) but the Pope had different ideas because his kingdom would own the whole world. “The Pope in Rome, had to have been, the greatest salesman of all time, why? (being facetious) He had the ability to sell two milking machines to a farmer who had only one cow, and then take the cow as a down payment.” During the 4th generation any infraction of church regulations by the people was subject to punishment, torture and even death. Of course there could be an annulment of sin, as arranged for those who could pay with money by those who supposedly had authority. The church became filthy rich by that means. Annulment procedures eventually led to the selling of indulgences (You could buy a sin). The merits of so-called saints were sold to others. That practice of course was a fulfillment of prophecy. And the church became even richer. “Let no man deceive you…who exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God,…”(Thes 2:3-4). But a man did deceive them, all of them. At one time, between Rome and Constantinople there were actually three Popes. Even though the Catholic’s today claim there was no interruption in the succession of the papacy. Today, the Church of England, the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church claim priesthood through the early bishops of the church. The protestants today, believe in the universal priesthood of all believers, but nobody that we are aware of is willing, as a believer to claim that as his right. Many scriptures tell of a falling away, a great apostasy from the true church established by Jesus Christ. A few of those scriptures are found here; Isa 29:9-13, Jer. 11 -13, Amos 8: 11-12, II Thess. 2:1-12, II Thess. 4:3-4. A restoration of the church was also prophesied, Matt 17:11, Acts 3:19, Rev. 14:6-7 + others. Before the Church of Jesus Christ was restored in the 1830’s, the Priesthood had to be returned (revealed) to the earth through Peter, James and John. Paul teaching the saints at Ephesus stated; “You are no more strangers…but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:19-20). The offices in the priesthood as described in Ephesians were restored and the following instructions were given, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith and a knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:13). The Priesthood is Eternal it is without beginning of days or end of years. It is the power and authority by which the church is governed. Only through the priesthood can the sons and daughters of God regain His presence. The very earth and heavenly bodies exist and are governed by the Priesthood. All work in the church is carried out under the direction of the Priesthood. Functions of the Priesthood are to: receive revelation, to proclaim/teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to preside over and administer the affairs of the church, to administer the ordinances, to exercise the spiritual gifts, and to serve and bless mankind in every way possible under the influence of the spirit. The Priesthood is unrelated to economic status, family name or academic achievements. Mark 8:34-35, suggests that the spirit of the priesthood should be a willingness to take up the cross by denying oneself, by serving with humility, love, mercy, and tolerance.
Since the priesthood is given to man that he might use it in service, it ought to be given him only if he is willing to serve in his home, at church and everywhere else he might go. A man should always be aware of the Priesthood he bears. There is also a warning to Priesthood bearers: “…many are 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 the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.” D&C 121:34-36.