Melchizedek Bible Study

Note: This study is a condensation from the presentation Ever-Living Intercessor.

1. Mormons assert that their church alone is valid because their church alone has the real, true blue, authentic, fully restored Melchizedek priesthood. They propose that this preisthood was first taken from the earth and then through Joseph Smith restored to the earth with the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 16, 1830. The Melchizedek priesthood that they have organized contains many mortal individuals all at the same time and exists today on the earth.
2. It is we think, correct to say that God's true church on the earth today does have the Melchizedek priesthood. But this priesthood is carefully described in the Bible. Mormon claims must be compared with the tstimony of the Bible.
3. For example, in contrast to LDS teaching, this priesthood has one, single individual in it.
4. If Jesus were on earth, He would not be able to serve as our Melchizedek high Priest.
5. Jesus is our Melchizedek high Priest. Melchizedek means "King of Righteousness." Because he will never die, Jesus has an unchangeable priesthood.
6. The So-called JST "Translation" of the Bible includes things that Mormons claim have been taken out of the Bible. At certain places this is especially important to them. Hebrews seven for example, in the JST, refers to the Melchizedek order as "the order of the Son of God" and makes room for many earthly members of this priestly order. However, if we add into Hebrews chapter seven all the changes the Joseph Smith says belong there, the chapter contradicts itself. If we leave it as it appears in the Greek manuscripts and in our standard translations today, it harmonizes completely with itself. Since Joseph Smith claims to have corrected the chapter, it ought to harmonize fully with itself if this is so.

   Since the JST includes changes to verses toward both the beginning and the end of the chapter, it appears that Smith was able to correct in the chapter all the parts where there had been text removed or mistranslated. In other words, if we accept the Mormon theory at face value and give it a fair opportunity, we should have a very sound and harmonious repaired Hebrews chapter seven. If the chapter compared with itself harmonizes better without the changes introduced by Joseph Smith, we'll see sound reasons to affirm the reality of the text of the KJV and the story it tells of the Melchizedek priesthood without the Smith revision.

7. A Bible study on the Melchizedek priesthood:
   

   Q: What requirements are necessary for one to belong to the Aaronic priesthood?

   A: One must be on earth (Hebrews 8:4-5), and descend genetically from the tribe of Levi (Hebrews 7:14; Numbers 18:7).

   Q: What requirements are ncessary in order for one to belong to the Melchizedek priesthood?

   A: One must have within himself "the power of an endless life" (Hebrews 7:16), and not be present on earth during the time of one's priestly service (Hebrews 8:4).

   Q: What is different about the current Melchizedek priesthood?

   A: An individual other than a descendent of the tribe of Levi may serve as high priest (Hebrews 7:14, 17, 21).

   Q: Does "priest" in Hebrews seven actually mean "priesthood?"

   A: The LDS missionary has been taught that this is so, but it is not. These are two separate words. "Priest," a third declension, masculine, singular noun, occurs in verses 1, 3, 11, 15, 17, 21, 26. The same word, but in the plural form appears and is translated as such in verses 21, 23, 27, 28. The word "priesthood" is another, different word and occurs in verses 5, 11, 12, 14, 24 and is translated as such. The words are distinct from each other. The singular references to "priest" can not be taken legitimately to mean "priesthood" in a general sense. They mean rather a single individual priest.

   Q: There are two different "orders" of priesthood: the Aaronic and the Melchizedek. Does the fact that there are two orders necessarily mean or imply that each order would have numerous priests at the same time?

   A: No. The many priests of the Aaronic order "were not suffered to continue by reason of death." Jesus, however, now as the Melchizedek Priest, is made such according to the fact that He has endless life (Hebrews 7:17). That is, having within oneself' "the power of an endless life" is a requirement for one to serve in the order of the Melchizedek priesthood.

   Q: But the original Melchizedek was a mere man, not God and not possessing in himself the power of an endless life.

   A: Correct. However, consider this. His priesthood is never called a "high priesthood." The time during which he served on earth as "priest of the most high God" was many centuries before heaven instituted the Levitical priesthood. The priesthood was changed after Christ had died from the Levitical to the Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:12). The law of the priesthood was also changed so that one not of the tribe of Levi could serve as "high priest" (Hebrews 7:12-16). Finally, do not miss the point that just as the Levitical priesthood on earth was a type or shadow or symbol of the true priesthood of Christ that would come in heaven, so the original service of the individual named Melchizedek on earth was a type or shadow or symbol of the true priesthood of Christ that would come in heaven. Hebrews 7:15 says that it is "after the similitude of Melchizedek that "there ariseth another priest."

   Q: Why could Jesus not be a priest while on earth (Hebrews 8:4)?

   A: Because the Levitical priests served only "unto the example and shadow of heavenly things" (Hebrews 8:5). But Jesus serves today in "a more excellent ministry" (Hebrews 8:6), "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24). Jesus is the antitype , the true, to which the types, the earthly priesthood in all its shadows pointed. Since He is the true, were He to serve on earth in the shadow priesthood He would blur the careful distinction between the symbol and the reality.

   Because the seventh chapter of Hebrews has been "restored" through Joseph Smith's specially revealed translation, and argues with itself, while the same chapter as it stands in our standard Bibles harmonizes fully with itself, we are justified in accepting the regular translation and rejecting the JST. Nor can anyone say that the JST is superior, because it argues with itself (proposing an earthly priesthood of mortal, Melchizedek priests) while Jesus who has not yet vacated the priesthood cannot have been replaced by another high priest.