Cash reward for priesthood
Hello, my name is Danny and I was active LDS for 60 years.
I titled this video Cash reward for priesthood for a very good reason, which I’ll explain.
Of all those religions in the world who consider themselves Christians, there are only two or three that can claim a direct line of priesthood authority from God. The Catholic Church that claims papal authority directly from the apostle Peter, when Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” According to AI, “The Catholic Church traces its authority directly to Jesus Christ, who commissioned the Apostles to continue His mission. This authority is maintained through Apostolic Succession, an unbroken chain of leadership passing from the original Apostles down to the current Pope and bishops.” The Catholic Church claims to have the ministerial priesthood through ordained clergy.
Does the Catholic Church claim to have the Melchizedek priesthood? AI, “Yes, the Catholic Church teaches that its ordained priests share in the single, eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek.” “The Catholic Teaching on the Order is a shared Priesthood: Catholics believe Jesus is the ultimate High Priest "forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 7:17), and ordained Catholic priests participate in this exact eternal priesthood.” “Unlike The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Catholic Church does not view the "Melchizedek Priesthood" as a distinct, tiered organizational office (like elder or high priest) given to laymen, but rather as the spiritual lineage of Christ's ministerial priesthood received through Holy Orders.”
Do Protestant Churches claim to have the Melchizedek priesthood? AI, “No. Instead, mainstream Protestantism rejects a specialized earthly hierarchical priesthood.” In Protestantism, the Priesthood is “the Priesthood of all believers: Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is the final, eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Because of Christ, every individual believer has direct access to God and functions as a spiritual priest without needing an earthly mediator. There is no separate ministerial class: Traditional offices like pastors, ministers, or elders are seen as roles of leadership, preaching, and service, not as special hierarchical priests holding a distinct ontological power.”
So, there’s the difference between Catholicism that claims to be an unbroken direct extension of Peter’s authority given to him by Jesus Christ – And Protestantism that is a break off from Catholicism, severing the direct link through papal authority - and doesn’t claim to have an earthly priesthood but a spiritual priesthood.
Now, we are left with Mormonism, which claims to be a restoration theology. It teaches that Jesus called and ordained His apostles by laying on hands and conferring a priesthood authority which is defined as “the power to act in the name of God.” That specific priesthood is what Mormonism calls – the Melchizedek priesthood. Mormonism teaches that when Jesus’s apostles were killed or died off – that priesthood was not passed on in time to other apostles. Consequently, the priesthood was lost from the earth for 1800 years – before God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet. Smith claims that around 1829 or 1830, Peter, James, and John appeared to him and by the laying on of hands – conferred the Melchizedek priesthood. Thus, “restoring” back on earth the power and authority to act in God’s.
With that restoration of priesthood authority - God tells Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 that the Mormon Church is “the only true and living church on the face of the whole earth.” Their Mormon Melchizedek priesthood is given to LDS young men as early as 18 years old. And today, there are tens of thousands of Mormon men called high priests. I was one myself for 30 years.
So, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Mormonism are the basic choices of religious groups - who all claim to have the proper biblical authority from God in one form or another.
My “cash reward” question is this: Where in the Bible did Jesus give a “priesthood” by the laying on of hands to His apostles? I need a specific verse in the New Testament that states Jesus gave “priesthood” to his disciples. If you can show me that verse – using the term “priesthood” in it – you can claim the reward.
To help you out – here are your best references to start and end with. All four Gospels have an account of Jesus calling His disciples. He said to them in Matthew 10:1 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Mark 3:13-15 “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.” Luke 9:1-2 “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you.” They were called, ordained, and given power – without a priesthood.
The word “ordain” in Greek means “appoint” or “authorize.” No where does Jesus lay hands on His disciples and given them a priesthood as depicted in LDS paintings. The apostles operated under the power of the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and cast out devils in His name - not through a priesthood they held. In fact, Jesus never even discussed priesthood power with His disciples. If it was that crucial to them, that they have a priesthood - don’t you think Jesus would have mentioned it? It is never brought up by either the apostles or by any of the other disciples. Even His enemies the Pharisees and Scribes didn’t mention priesthood when they confronted Jesus in Matthew 21:23,27 “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” “And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” Luke 20:2,8 “And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?” “And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” His authority came not from man, but from His Father in Heaven.
Surely, Apostle Paul would have something to say about priesthood in his writings. Where did Paul ever say he got a priesthood by the laying on of hands to perform the teaching of the gospel, let alone to perform the ordinances of salvation? He never claimed this from Jesus. Paul believed that seeing the resurrected Lord was enough. Also, he never claimed his fellow apostles in Jerusalem gave him a priesthood when they met in a conference. In fact, Paul wrote in Galatians 2:6 “But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepted no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me.” Paul already had everything he needed to be the tremendous missionary that he was - without receiving a priesthood from anyone else.
In conclusion: My offer stands firm - Cash reward for anyone who can locate the term “priesthood” given by Christ to His disciples.
No church on earth during the first century Christian era, held a Melchizedek priesthood. And no church today holds a Melchizedek priesthood. Christ’s priesthood is after the order or pattern of Melchizedek, and it is non-transferrable to any human being. It clearly states in Hebrews 7:21-24 “(For those priests (old Covenant priests) were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, (now speaking of Jesus) Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests (Levitical high priests), because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death (when one died another took his place): But this man (Jesus Christ), because he continueth ever (will never die), hath an unchangeable (or non-transferrable) priesthood.” It remains permanently with Him, only.
So, there you go – I humbly invite you to prove me right!
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God Bless!