Gospel Principles
Unit 5: The Church of Jesus Christ
Chapter 14: Priesthood Organization
Concept 4: The Offices and Duties of the Melchizedek Priesthood
"The offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood are elder, high priest, patriarch, seventy, and Apostle.
ELDER
Elders are called to teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the Church (D&C 20:42). All Melchizedek Priesthood holders are elders. They have the authority to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by laying on of the hands (D&C 20:43 "And to confirm the church by the laying on of the hands, and the giving of the Holy Ghost;"). Elders should conduct meetings of the Church as they are led by the Holy Ghost (D&C 20:45 "The elders are to conduct the meetings as they are led by the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and revelations of God."
D&C 46:2 "But notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit."). Elders may administer to the sick (D&C 42:44 "And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be called, and shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name; and if they die they shall die unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me."). They are commanded to bless little children (D&C 20:70 "Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name.). Elders may preside over Church meetings when there is no high priest present (D&C 107:11 "An elder has a right to officiate in his stead when the high priest is not present.").
HIGH PRIEST
A high priest may be given the authority to officiate in the Church and be in charge of spiritual things (D&C 107:10."High priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a right to officiate in their own standing, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, priest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member.", D&C 107:12."The high priest and elder are to administer in spiritual things, agreeable to the covenants and commandments of the church; and they have a right to officiate in all these offices of the church when there are no higher authorities present."). He may also officiate in all lesser offices (D&C 68:19 "But, as a high priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provided he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power, under the hands of the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood."). Stake presidents, mission presidents, high councilors, bishoprics, and other leaders of the Church are ordained high priests.
PATRIARCH
Patriarchs are ordained by General Authorities, or by stake presidents when they are authorized by the Council of the Twelve, to give special patriarchal blessings to members of the Church. These blessings give us some understanding of our callings on earth. They are the word of the Lord personally to us. Patriarchs are also ordained high priests (D&C 107:39-56 "39 It is the duty of the Twelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation
40 The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
41 This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner:
42 From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of sixty-nine years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam's) death, and received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end of the earth;
43 Because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his likeness was the express likeness of his father, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age.
44 Enos was ordained at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and four months, by the hand of Adam.
45 God called upon Cainan in the wilderness in the fortieth year of his age; and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was eighty-seven years old when he received his ordination.
46 Mahalaleel was four hundred and ninety-six years and seven days old when he was ordained by the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
47 Jared was two hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
48 Enoch was twenty-five years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam; and he was sixty-five and Adam blessed him.
49 And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he walked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, making him four hundred and thirty years old when he was translated.
50 Methuselah was one hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam.
51 Lamech was thirty-two years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth.
52 Noah was ten years old when he was ordained under the hand of Methuselah.
53 Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.
54 And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel.
55 And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.
56 And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation.").
SEVENTY
Seventies are special witness of Jesus Christ to the world and assist in building up and regulating the Church (D&C 107:25 "The Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.";
D&C 107:34,38. "34 The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve or the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the Jews;
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38 It is the duty of the traveling high council to call upon the Seventy, when they need assistance, to fill the several calls for preaching and administering the gospel, instead of any others.";
D&C 107:93-97 "93 And it is according to the vision showing the order of the Seventy, that they should have seven presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the seventy;
94 And the seventh president of these presidents is to preside over the six;
95 And these seven presidents are to choose other seventy besides the first seventy to whom they belong, and are to preside over them;
96 And also other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it.
97 And these seventy are to be traveling ministers, unto the Gentiles first and also unto the Jews.")
APOSTLE
An Apostle is a special witness of Jesus Christ in all the world (D&C 107:23 "Thetwelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling."). The Apostles administer the affairs of the Church throughout the world. Those who are ordained to the office of Apostle in the Melchizedek Priesthood are usually set apart as members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Each one is given all the keys of the kingdom of God on earth, but only the senior Apostle, who is President of the Church, actively exercises all the keys. The others act under his direction.
Discuss the duties of elder, high priest, patriarch, seventy, and Apostle."