243. Andrew Malone on Biblical Priesthood

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Andrew S. Malone to discuss his book God’s Mediators: A Biblical Theology of Priesthood. What is the Priesthood, according to the Bible? Moreover, what is a priest – and how do we understand their “two-way role”? Even in the era of Moses, how do we understand Exodus 19:6 relative to the Aaronic Priesthood being introduced later in Exodus 28? What was the Aaronic Priesthood – and how does it relate and overlap with the Levites? What was their origins – and what are some thoughts on the distinctive nature of Israelite priesthood, as well as the how we better understand the change in what we see of priestly activity across the Old Testament? Who was the High Priest, what was his relation to Moses, his distinctive attire – and his unique role and responsibility in the cult of Israel? Listen in as Dr. Malone takes us into this, and more as we hear about how we should balance the significant continuity and discontinuity across the Bible. Was Jesus of Nazareth a (High) Priest, and how should we understand that relative to his authority as presented in the New Testament? Taking us into the rich theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews, we ask Dr. Malone how to best understand the parallel and substantive connection of the relationship of the Aaronic Priest and corporate Israel – as well as Christ Jesus and the church, both aiding us in seeing the identity and work of Christ our Priest, as well as better understanding the priesthood of all believers in regard to both the church, and the world.

Book: God’s Mediators: A Biblical Theology of Priesthood

Some other resources by Dr. Malone:

- To Walk and To Please God: A Theology of 1 and 2 Thessalonians

- Knowing Jesus in the Old Testament?: A Fresh Look At Christophanies

- “John Owen and Old Testament Christophanies” (Reformed Theological Review)

- “God The Illeist: Third-Person Self-References and Trinitarian Hints in the Old Testament” (Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society)

- “Drawing Near to God: Spatial Metaphors for Salvation” (Southern Baptist Journal of Theology)

- “Acceptable Anachronism in Biblical Studies” (The Bible Translator)

Other resources:

“Roman Catholic Theology and Practice of the Priesthood Contrasted with Protestant Theology and Practice of the Priesthood” by Rachel Ciano and and Gregg Allison

The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology; “You are a Priest Forever: Psalm 110 and the Melchizedekian Priesthood of Christ” by Matthew Emadi

Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus; “The Levitical Priesthood” by L. Michael Morales

Jesus The Priest by Nicholas Perrin

The Temple and the Church’s Mission; Colossians (BECNT) by G.K. Beale

“A Critical Examination of the Roman Catholic Definitions of Dulia and Latria” by Lauren Montenegro

LDS resources:

D&C 20; 42; 68; 84; 107; 121; 124; 132; Articles of Faith 1.5

True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference

Gospel Principles

A Rational Theology; Evidences and Reconciliations; Priesthood and Church Government by Elder John A. Widtsoe

The Words of Joseph Smith:

- At one place, Smith distinguishes between Melchizedek and the “Aaronic or Levitical” priesthoods (p. 38-39). Yet, at other places, Smith distinguishes between “Aaron, Abraham, and Melchizedek” – Levitical, Abraham’s “patriarchal power”, and the “three grand orders of priesthood” as “the King of Shalom”, “patriarchal authority”, and Levitical. (pp. 244-246) – (also here, here, here); “King Follett Discourse”; “Sermon in the Grove” (also here, here)

“Priesthood is the means to exaltation. The priesthood is the power and authority of God delegated to man on earth to act in all things pertaining to the salvation of men. It is the means whereby the Lord acts through men to save souls. Without this priesthood power, men are lost. Only through this power does man ‘hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church,’ enabling him to receive ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened’ unto him (see D&C 107:18-19), enabling him to enter the new and everlasting covenant of marriage and to have his wife and children bound to him in an everlasting tie, enabling him to become a patriarch to his posterity forever, and enabling him to receive a fullness of the blessings of the Lord.” - President Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.494; “Our Great Potential” (also here)

President Brigham Young: JD 2.179-191; 3.191-196; 4:77; 7.201-206; 9:86-93, 279-281; 12.56-64; 16.185-189; 17.113-115, 19.45-50

President John Taylor: JD 2.40-41; 19.51-57; 21.358-372; 22.193-204 (also here – as well as The Goverment of God)

Gospel Doctrine by President Joseph F. Smith

The Way to Perfection; Doctrines of Salvation (3 vol.’s) by President Joseph Fielding Smith

“The Cornerstone of Our Faith” by President Gordon B. Hinckley

“Honoring the Priesthood”; “The Price of Priesthood Power” by President Russell M. Nelson (also here)

Elder Parley P. Pratt: JD 1:256-263

Elder Orson Hyde: JD 8.19-26

Elder Orson Pratt: JD 20:144-145

Elder George Q. Cannon: JD 25.288-295; 25.295-298; 26. 241-253

Elder Erastus Snow: JD 19:278-279

“What Every Elder Should Know – and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government” by Elder Boyd K. Packer

“Blessings of the Priesthood” by Elder Robert D. Hales

“Honor the Priesthood and Use it Well” by Elder Richard G. Scott

The Truth, The Way, the Life by (Seventy) B. H. Roberts

Priesthood Blessings; Priests of the Most High God by Donald Goff

Lost Legacy: The Mormon Office of Presiding Patriarch by Irene M. Bates and E. Gary Smith; also check out my interview with Bradley Campbell on the LDS Presiding Patriarch

“Gospel Trilogy” – “Meaning of the Atonement” (or here) by Cleon Skuosen

Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn

The Refiner’s Fire by John Brooke

The Power of Godliness by Jonathan Stapley

Also check out the coverage by Dr. Kyle Beshears in ch.’s 18 and 19 of 40 Questions About Mormonism