Latter-day Saints believe that in 1829 St. John the Baptist, and then St. Peter, St. James, and St. John, restored God's priesthood to the earth. Today their young men may receive the Aaronic Priesthood beginning in the year they turn 12. Is this the priesthood of the Bible?
Short answer: Catholics and Latter-day Saints agree that no one may take priestly authority for himself. But the Latter-day Saint claim rests on two ideas Scripture does not support: that the apostles' authority vanished and was restored by heavenly messengers, and that the Church holds two priesthoods, Aaronic and Melchizedek. In the Bible, Aaron's priesthood belonged to his descendants and was changed in Christ, the Melchizedek priesthood is Christ's own, and the apostles handed on their authority without a break.
Key verses on priesthood authority
- "No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was." (Hebrews 5:4)
- "But you will appoint only Aaron and his descendants to exercise the priesthood." (Numbers 3:10)
- "When there is a change of priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well." (Hebrews 7:12)
- "but he, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away." (Hebrews 7:24)
- "And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well." (2 Timothy 2:2)
Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
What Catholics Actually Teach
First, the Latter-day Saint view. Priesthood authority "was lost because of apostasy after the death of Jesus Christ and His Apostles in the first century AD," then "restored by the Lord to Joseph Smith through heavenly messengers" ("Priesthood," Gospel Topics). There are "two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic" (Doctrine and Covenants 107:1). Aaronic offices are "deacon, teacher, priest, and bishop" ("Aaronic Priesthood"); faithful men may receive the Melchizedek Priesthood "beginning at age 18" ("Melchizedek Priesthood").
The Catholic Church teaches that Christ is "the unique 'high priest after the order of Melchizedek'" (CCC 1544). His one priesthood "is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood: 'Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers'" (CCC 1545). That ministry comes from the apostles, who "left bishops as their successors" (CCC 77).
What Catholics do not teach:
- That anyone may appoint himself. We agree with the fifth Article of Faith: a man must be called "by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority."
- That ordained priests replace Christ. They are "only his ministers" (CCC 1545).
- That Latter-day Saint priesthood holders are insincere. Many serve with real generosity.
The Biblical Case
1. Authority is given, then handed on
No one takes this honor "but only when called by God, just as Aaron was" (Hebrews 5:4). Christ gave it to the apostles: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21). They laid hands on others (Acts 6:6) and "appointed presbyters for them in each church" (Acts 14:23). St. Timothy received his gift "through the imposition of my hands" (2 Timothy 1:6) and was told to pass it on to people "who will have the ability to teach others as well" (2 Timothy 2:2). Four generations in one verse: a living, public chain.
2. The chain was promised not to break
Jesus promised the apostolic mission, "I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). When Judas's place fell empty, the apostles filled it: "May another take his office" (Acts 1:20). Offices in Christ's Church are filled, not abandoned for centuries. And St. Paul says the ministries Christ gave, "apostles," "prophets," "pastors and teachers," are for "building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith" (Ephesians 4:11–13). Until the Church reaches its goal, the ministry continues. (See Was There a Great Apostasy?)
3. Aaron's priesthood belonged to Aaron's family
God told Moses to "appoint only Aaron and his descendants to exercise the priesthood" (Numbers 3:10). King Uzziah was told, "It is not for you, Uzziah ... but for the priests, the sons of Aaron" (2 Chronicles 26:18). Latter-day Saint scripture agrees it "was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations," and says, "No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant of Aaron" (Doctrine and Covenants 107:13, 16). Yet today it is conferred on worthy males of any family.
4. Hebrews says that priesthood was changed in Christ
Why would "another priest" arise "according to the order of Melchizedek, and not reckoned according to the order of Aaron" (Hebrews 7:11)? Because "When there is a change of priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well" (7:12). Our Lord "arose from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests" (7:14). The NABRE note says Jesus "abolishes forever both the levitical priesthood and the law it serves." Restoring Aaron's priesthood turns the clock back.
5. The Melchizedek priesthood is Christ's own
Jesus is "high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:20). Other priests "were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but he, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away" (Hebrews 7:23–24). Hebrews never calls apostles or elders holders of the Melchizedek priesthood. It gives that order to Jesus alone. His ministers share His one priesthood, as St. Paul did in "performing the priestly service of the gospel of God" (Romans 15:16).
Objections Answered
(a) "The authority was lost and had to be restored from heaven."
At its strongest: "After His Crucifixion and the death of His Apostles, priesthood authority and the fulness of the gospel were taken from the earth because of wickedness and a rejection of the truth" ("Restoration of the Priesthood"). If so, only heaven could restore it. Joseph Smith reported that St. John the Baptist ordained him and Oliver Cowdery, acting "under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek" (Joseph Smith—History 1:72).
Answer: Everything rests on the premise, and the premise contradicts Christ's promise (Matthew 28:20). We do not doubt the sincerity of Latter-day Saints who trust this account. But St. Paul gave a test for any heavenly messenger: "even if we or an angel from heaven should preach [to you] a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!" (Galatians 1:8). The ancient churches pointed to a public record instead. Tertullian challenged rival groups to "unfold the roll of their bishops, running down in due succession from the beginning" (Prescription Against Heretics 32). See also What Is Apostolic Succession?
(b) "Today's Aaronic Priesthood is preparatory, restored by John the Baptist, a son of Aaron."
At its strongest: It has "power in administering outward ordinances" (Doctrine and Covenants 107:14), not animal sacrifice. St. John the Baptist came from priestly parents (Luke 1:5). And verse 17 lets a Melchizedek high priest serve as bishop "when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found."
Answer: St. Luke presents St. John's priestly lineage as a matter of birth, which confirms that Aaron's priesthood ran in a family. And D&C 107:17 concedes the point: a man who is not Aaron's descendant holds that office only by exception. The New Testament makes no such exception, because it does not continue the office at all. And St. John's baptism was not Christian baptism. Disciples baptized "With the baptism of John" were then "baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:3–5). The authority to baptize came from the risen Christ to the apostles (Matthew 28:18–19), not from Aaron's line. The New Testament never places the Church's deacons or presbyters in an Aaronic priesthood.
(c) "Catholics claim a priesthood too. Isn't it the same claim?"
At its strongest: Catholics also ordain bishops, priests, and deacons by the laying on of hands. The Catechism even sees in Aaron's priesthood "a prefiguring of the ordained ministry of the New Covenant" (CCC 1541).
Answer: The shape is similar; the foundation is not. Catholics claim no gap and no restoration. Our claim can be checked: Hegesippus, visiting Rome in the second century, recorded the succession of its bishops, "Anicetus was succeeded by Soter, and he by Eleutherus" (Eusebius, Church History IV.22; newadvent.org). It is historical and public: the early churches kept lists of their bishops, as St. Irenaeus and Tertullian show. Nor do Catholic priests claim Aaron's priesthood or a second order of their own: "the priest of the old law was a figure of Christ, and the priest of the new law acts in the person of Christ" (CCC 1548).
The Early Church Agrees
- Pope St. Clement I (St. Clement of Rome) (Letter to the Corinthians 42, 44, c. AD 96, approximate): "Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ." They appointed their first converts, "having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe." Knowing "there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate," they "afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry." St. Clement wrote this about the apostles' own arrangements, within living memory of them: the apostles themselves provided for succession. (newadvent.org)
- St. Ignatius of Antioch (Letter to the Trallians 3, c. AD 107): "let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ ... Apart from these, there is no Church." (newadvent.org)
- St. Irenaeus (Against Heresies IV.26.2, c. AD 180): obey the presbyters, "those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from the apostles," who "have received the certain gift of truth." (newadvent.org)
Not one of these witnesses speaks of an Aaronic and a Melchizedek priesthood held by Church members, and not one expects authority to lapse. They speak of bishops, presbyters and deacons in an unbroken line from the apostles, exactly what 2 Timothy 2:2 describes.
Conclusion
Latter-day Saints rightly want authority that comes from God. Hebrews 5:4 is common ground. The question is where that authority has been all along.
If you are a Latter-day Saint, read Hebrews 7 and 2 Timothy 2:2 slowly. Christ holds the eternal priesthood, and He shares it through a chain of ordinations that reaches back to the apostles. That chain is still here, and you are welcome to examine it.
Come home. The priesthood Christ shares through the laying on of hands, from the apostles to today, is exercised at every altar of the Catholic Church. Christ promised, "upon this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18), and His Church never fell away or disappeared. It is the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of St. Peter and the bishops in communion with him. "It is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained" (CCC 816). We invite you to come and see the Church Christ founded, and to enter her.
Your next step: Come to Mass this Sunday at your local Catholic church. You can find one near you at MassTimes.org. Everyone is welcome; if you're not yet Catholic, pray with us but don't receive Communion yet. When you're ready to become Catholic, call the parish office and ask about OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. They will walk you through every step. Read our guide: How Do I Become Catholic? Not ready yet? Get our free pocket guide below and keep learning.
FAQ
When do Latter-day Saints say the priesthood was restored? The Aaronic Priesthood on May 15, 1829, by St. John the Baptist; the Melchizedek Priesthood some time after, by St. Peter, St. James, and St. John ("Restoration of the Priesthood").
Do Catholics believe all Christians are priests? Yes, in one sense. All the baptized share the "common priesthood," which differs "essentially" from the ministerial priesthood of bishops and priests (CCC 1547).
What does Hebrews 7:24 mean? Christ's priesthood "does not pass away"; the NABRE note calls it "eternal and unchangeable." He needs no replacement, because He lives forever (Hebrews 7:25).
Sources
Scripture (NABRE, bible.usccb.org): Numbers 3:10; 2 Chronicles 26:18; Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:18–20; Luke 1:5; John 20:21; Acts 1:20; Acts 6:6; Acts 14:23; Acts 19:3–5; Romans 15:16; Galatians 1:8; Ephesians 4:11–13; 2 Timothy 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 5:4; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:11–14, 23–25 (with NABRE notes).
Catechism of the Catholic Church (vatican.va): 77; 816; 1541; 1544; 1545; 1547; 1548.
Church Fathers (newadvent.org): Pope St. Clement I, Letter to the Corinthians 42, 44; Eusebius, Church History IV.22 (quoting Hegesippus); St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Trallians 3; St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies IV.26.2; Tertullian, Prescription Against Heretics 32.
Latter-day Saint sources (churchofjesuschrist.org): "Priesthood," Gospel Topics; "Aaronic Priesthood"; "Melchizedek Priesthood"; "Restoration of the Priesthood"; Articles of Faith 5; Doctrine and Covenants 107:1, 13–17; Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72.