Bible Study for Mormons
Mormon pioneer and writer, David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the golden plates of The Book of Mormon, makes the point that the office of priest is not to be found in Christ's church following the cross.
"High Priests were only in the church before Christ; and to have this office in the 'Church of Christ' is not according to the teachings of Christ....I will tell you one thing, which alone should settle this matter in your minds; it is this: you cannot find in the New Testament part of the Bible...where one single High Priest was ever in the Church of Christ. The office of Elder is spoken of in many places, but not one word about a High Priest being in the church. This alone should convince anyone, and will convince anyone who is without prejudice, that the office of High Priest was established in the [LDS] church almost two years after its beginning....You must admit that the church which was to be established in this dispensation, must be 'like unto the church which was taught by Christ's disciples of old'....The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is unlike the Church of Christ of old because you have the office of High Priest in the church....
"It is a grievous sin to have such an office in the church....High Priests are spoken of in Hebrews iv to ix, but only to explain that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. It speaks of High Priests that offered up sacrifices...showing that Christ himself was after that order, but not once does it speak of the office of High Priest continuing after Christ, except only Christ himself; He being 'the Apostle and High Priest of our profession;...our great High Priest that has passed into the heavens;...a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.' 'Seeing then that we have a great High Priest...let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, etc.' This being the fulfillment of the old order of High Priests which was a type of Christ's order. Before Christ, the people came to the High Priest for mercy and forgiveness, through him offering up sacrifices for their sins; but now the people have the great High Priest, even Jesus Christ, to go to 'that we may obtain a sacrifice for the sins of the world. 'And having an High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full a assurance of faith' etc. This matter is plainly set forth in Hebrews, iv chapter....
"This matter of 'priesthood,' since the days of Sydney Rigdon, has been the great hobby and stumbling block of the Latter Day Saints. Priesthood means authority....Authority is the word we used for the first two years in the Church--until Sydney Rigdon's days in Ohio. This matter of the two orders of priesthood in the church, all originated in the mind of Sydney Rigdon. He explained these things to Brother Joseph in his way, out of the old Scriptures, and got Brother Joseph to inquire, etc. He would inquire, and as mouthpiece speak out the revelations just as they had it fixed up in their hearts. As I have siad before, according to the desires of the heart, the inspiration comes, but it may be the spirit of man that gives it...This is the way the High Priests and the 'priesthood' as you have it, was intorduced into the Church of Christ [the LDS Church] almost two years after its beginning--and after we had baptized and confirmed about two thousand souls into the church.
"When the Church of Christ [the LDS Church] was establised...upon this continent...in 1829, the officers which were to be in the church were made known at its beginning, and not two years afterwards.
"In Kirtland, Ohio, in June, 1831, at a conference of the church, the first High Priests were ordained....
Prejudiced persons are blind and do not want to see and understand except in their own preconceived way. There is none so blind as those who will not see.
The written word of God mentions all the church officers in many places and says nothing about a single High Priest....I must take the Scriptures for my authority.
"I cannot understand how any person can claim that an important office like High Priests should be, or was, in the Church of Christ when nothing is said in the Scriptures about it. The Scriptures were given by inspiration of God; and do you suppose that God would leave out of his word the great office of a High Priest if they were to be in the Church of Christ? Of course not. It is charging God foolishly to believe that he would leave out of his word this office, or any other office that he intended should be in his church.
"Some of the brethren have referred to 1 Peter ii:5-9 and Rev. i:6 to prove that there were High Priests in the Church of Christ, but the word 'High Priest' is not mentioned in either passage. These two passages are all they have referred to in the whole of the New Teatament, and no passage can be found in the New Testament part to refer to, because High Priests are not even mentioned therein. In the above two passages there is no reference whatever to this office. In 1 Peter ii:5, 9 Peter is addressing the whole church, and says, 'Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrificies, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ....Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, etc.' How can any person pretend to claim that this passage refers to the office of High Priest, is more than I can understand. If it does, then every member of the church holds this office, because Peter is addressing the whole church as you can see from the first of his epistle. Of course, there is no reference made here to this office.
"Rev. i:6 reads as follows: 'Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.' This has no reference to the office of a High Priest....
"Christ came into the world...claimed his own holy order or priesthood...doing away with all types and shadows...himself alone being our great and last High Priest unto whom we can go to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Elder Leon Cornforth, Meeting the Mormon Challenge With Love, pp. 156-158.
Original source: An Address to All Believers in Christ
By A Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon
David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri 1887 [http://www.angelfire.com/az2/arizonadry/whitmer.html]