Is the priesthood anywhere in the Bible?

the bible is clear that the conferral and proper transfer of authority/the ability to give (required to act in God's name) is of key importance in both the OT and NT. priesthood authority from designated sources was a common theme.

baptism is an ordinance of the gospel. for the LDS - when we are baptized we agree to come into the fold of God. to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. to support one another. to stand as witnesses of God. to serve God and keep his commandments.

The Priesthood of Levitical and Araon were not sufficient - Hebrews 7:11-28

11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron

Hebrews 7:26-28

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Jesus holds the Melchizedek priesthood! Why Mormon men think they are as righteous as Jesus, is beyond me.

Found in the bible...yes and no.

The Mormons have two levels of 'priesthood' -- the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood. Aaron was a priest in the OT, and Melchizedek was a high priest of Salem in the OT. The structure the Mormons have is not from the bible, but they don't claim it is. By the way, those are not mentioned at all in the book of Mormon.

We can learn a great deal about the priesthood from the Bible, but not everything. The Book of Mormon as we have it today says very little about the priesthood, although there was more in the portion that was lost. What we know about the priesthood came from modern revelation.

Peter, James and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The Bible only mentions Jesus as having this authority, along with presumably Melchizedek, but never explains or tells us much about it. Nor does it explicitly state that the apostles didn't have it. We know from latter day revelation that it is a royal priesthood - authority that comes through a king. Melchizedek was a king. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi was a king, and through him the Nephites had the Melchizedek Priesthood. Even when they stopped using kings, there was a high priest who retained this kingly authority, and passed it on to future generations. Jesus too was a king, although he wasn't officially coronated. His kingly authority, like Nephi's of old, came from God. Priesthood authority is meaningless unless it is recognized by God.

In Hebrews, Chapter 7, verse 11, we learn that the Levitical priesthood was after the order of Aaron, while the Melchizedek Priesthood was after the order of Melchizedek. Order implies that they each had their own rules and authority. Although we know a great deal about the rules and authority of the Order of Aaron, the Bible tells is almost nothing about the rules and authority of the Order of Melchizedek, although it infers that it is a greater or superceding priesthood. In verses 16 and 17, Paul makes it clear that Jesus today retains that kingly authority, since he is still alive. This infers that any church who claims to have this authority must be run by revelation - directly by Jesus Christ, since he is the king by which this authority has power. In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter teaches that the church also has the Holy Priesthood, being "as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

In Acts 19:3-5, we learn that the apostles had to rebaptize someone who only had the baptism of John. The baptism of John, called the baptism of repentance, was not the same baptism that the apostles offered. The apostles also administered the Holy Ghost, through the laying on of hands, something else that John the Baptist could not offer.

In Mark, chapter 11, we are told explicitly that Jesus had authority, although he would not tell the Jews at that time, from whence it came. In Luke 9:1, we are told that he gave the apostles authority "over all devils, and to cure diseases". Paul boasts of this authority in 2 Corinthians 10:8. In Acts 14:23, we are told that the apostles ordained Elders in every church. It seems obvious that the apostles had special authority beyond that of the Aaronic order, to set in place all the offices of the church. If this isn't the Melchizedek Priesthood, then what is it? It is clear to me that it was. By this same authority, the apostles ordained new apostles as well (Acts 1:26). According to 1 Timothy 3:1, Bishop is also an office of the priesthood, presumably one of the "Elders" that were ordained in every church by the apostles.

I can only conclude that the apostles had authority that was lost, authority that was above and beyond that of the other ordained offices, or of the members in general, and that the church lost something precious with the death of the apostles. I see no reason at all that the claims of the latter day prophets of the Mormon church couldn't be completely true, in regard to the priesthood.

Sectarian Protestant critics claim that Christians do not need a mediating priesthood since it has been "fulfilled in Christ.

This criticism usually comes from Protestant circles and usually involves an argument for some form of "the priesthood of all believers."

The critics' theological need to dispense with priesthood authority—since Protestantism cannot claim authority from either a restoration (which they deny) or a continuation (having broken with Catholicism)—leads them to ignore the clear evidence from the early Church.

Why, if Christ has removed all need for human priesthood authority, did Christ order the lepers he healed to go to the Jewish priests for purification (Mark 1:44, Luke 17:14)? Apparently Christ believed that his miraculous powers of healing did not negate or supercede the priesthood authority of the Jewish priests. Possibly Protestants could argue that Christ had not yet ascended into heaven and replaced the Jewish High Priest. If so, why does Peter speak of a post ascension "holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2:5) and "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9) among Christians? Likewise John in Revelation speaks of the saints as "priests to his [Christ's] God and Father" (Revelation 1:6), and "priests to our God" (Revelation 5:10); in the resurrection there "shall be priests of God and of Christ" (Revelation 20:6). What odd statements for an infallible book to make if [the critics'] understanding of priesthood is correct.

Some of the earliest Christians also explicitly disagree with White's claims. The author of the Didache, (one of the earliest post-New Testament Christian documents, late first to early second century), states explicitly that "the prophets ... are your high priests" (13.1). Note the plural here: the prophets (profetais) are the Christians' high priests (archiereis). So, early post-New Testament Christians had prophets (a thing [James] White believes Christians shouldn't have) who were high priests (a thing [James] White believes Christians shouldn't have); and there were apparently simultaneously more than one high priest.

I endorse Rrosskopf's answer. By faith also has a pretty good answer.

"No man taketh this honor unto himself accept he be called of God, as was Aaron." This is one of the prime verses on priesthood authority found in the Bible. It is to be conferred by the laying on of hands by those who are already in authority to hold that priesthood. All of the Patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament held the Melchizedek Priesthood. All of the Apostles under Christ held that priesthood. The Aaronic Priesthood is an appendage of the higher priesthood in that they function under the aegis of the higher priesthood. This is the way it was in the days of Moses. Aaron and the Levites functioned under the higher authority held by Moses. Likewise John functioned under the higher authority held by Jesus. Thus, the Aaronic priesthood holders today also function under the higher authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood holders today. It is no longer necessary to be a Levite in order to hold the Aaronic Priesthood since the gospel was given to the gentile nations in the days of Peter and the apostles. That portion of the Mosaic Law was fulfilled. However, that being said, if a worthy son of Aaron is found, that person would have the right to the bishopric, which is the presiding authority within the Aaronic Priesthood.

Most of those details are found in modern revelation but all of the foundation for them are spelled out in the Bible.

There are three priesthoods spoken of in the Bible. (1) Melchizedek (Ge. 14:18-10). (2) Aaron (Ex. 28-29). (3) Priesthood of the believers in the N.T. dispensation (1 Pe. 2:5,9; Re. 1:5,6). In the church there is to be no special group of priests. The O.T. priesthood was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus Christ is our High Priest, and every believer is a priest to offer the sacrifice of praise to God through Jesus Christ.

There is a mysterious aspect to Melchizedek, because the Bible says he had no beginning of days nor end of life (He. 7:3). This reminds us that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. Roman Catholic priests are ordained after the order of Melchizedek, but this is blasphemy because no man other than Jesus Christ can rightfully be a priest after this the order. Six times in the Bible God says Jesus Christ is of the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; He. 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:17,21).

The older son of Amram and Jochabed, of the tribe of Levi. He was born during the captivity in Egypt (Ex. 6:16-27). His younger brother was Moses; his sister, Miriam (Nu. 26:59). Aaron was appointed by God to be the spokesman for Moses (Ex. 4:14-16; 7:19; 17:9-13). While Moses was on Mt. Sinai, Aaron made a golden calf for the people to worship (Ex. 32:2-5). Later he was made the first high priest of the nation Israel and served in that office until he died at the age of 123, after his priestly robes and office were given to his son Eleazar (Nu.20:23-28; 33:39).

Mormon teaching.

In the sixth Article of Faith of the LDS Church we read:

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, viz., apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. (Pearl of Great Price).

The LDS Church has two divisions of priesthood, Aaronic and Melchizedek. The LDS manual Gospel Principles states:

The greater priesthood is the Melchizedek Priesthood. . . . The lesser [Aaronic] priesthood is an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood (p. 79).

Further on the manual explains:

The offices in the Aaronic Priesthood are deacon, teacher, priest, and bishop (p. 81).

The offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood are elder, seventy, high priest, patriarch, and apostle (p. 82).

Since the Mormon Church makes the specific claim that their priesthood is the same as the New Testament church we need to compare their offices with those mentioned in the Bible.

Aaronic Priesthood

The Aaronic priesthood of the Old Testament was restricted to Aaron's descendants, who were of the tribe of Levi (Numbers 3:1-10, 8:5-22; Exodus 38:21). Mormons do not claim to be descended from Aaron. Many of them believe they are from the tribe of Ephraim but this would not make them eligible for the Aaronic priesthood.

Even Jesus could not hold the Aaronic priesthood because he descended from the tribe of Judah. Hebrews 7:14 explains: "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."

The priesthood of the Old Testament was brought to an end with the death of Christ. In Hebrews 7:11-12 we read:

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

concerning us now . Romans 15 ;14-21 . minister is another title . the priest hood is also given to the tribe of Levi also Aaron.

You're right, the authority, offices, structure and ordinances of the Aaronic and Melchizedec priesthoods are critical in Mormon theology. That's why Jesus taught about it so much during His ministry and why His apostles also taught about it so much.

Oh wait...

Well then surely Jesus and His Native American apostles taught about it extensively in the Book of Mormon, to clarify this "plain and precious" truth that has been removed from the Bible.

No?

Hmmm... That's weird.

Jesus ordained His apostles to the Priesthood so that they could perform His service with His authority:

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I

have chosen you, and ordained

you, that ye should go and bring

forth fruit, and that your fruit

should remain: that whatsoever ye

shall ask of the Father in my name,

he may give it you.

(John 15:16)

19 And I will give unto thee the

keys of the kingdom of heaven:

and whatsoever thou shalt bind on

earth shall be bound in heaven: and

whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth

shall be loosed in heaven.

(Matthew 16:19)