Gramps,

The Priesthood? We had a lesson in Elders Quorum on the Priesthood and my question is with the priesthood before Joseph Smith. It was stated you received the Priesthood through your lineage. What came to my mind was Christ came to earth, was born and baptized, lived and died and filled all the commandments, but priesthood was given through His lineage not like today where you receive it by the laying on of hands by someone with the priesthood? Was it the apostasy that caused this change due to their _____? Or was no true lineage left for the priesthood to go through?

Flynn

Dear Flynn,

The statement that you receive the priesthood through your lineage was a comment probably taken out of context. The patriarchal priesthood is an order by lineage. In exaltation in the celestial kingdom the patriarchal order of priesthood will obtain. Exalted beings will be under the priesthood direction of their fathers. If the fathers are not worthy, others will be adopted into the priesthood line, so that there will be an unbroken chain of priesthood authority from Father Adam down to the latest generation. However, in mortality, priesthood ordinations are determined by the bishop for the Aaronic priesthood and by the stake president for the Melchizedek priesthood. If the fathers of the recipients are worthy they are generally, but not always, appointed to confer the priesthood.

Gramps