|
DIRECTORY
Home
General LDS Information
Basic LDS Beliefs
LDS Videos
Critics' Questions
Submitted Questions
Scriptures/LDS Literature
Genealogy/Family
LDS Temples
Missionary
Music and Arts
LDS Online Stores
Priesthood, Humor, Miscel.
Site Map
Suggest a Site
Now accepting banner ads!
|
|
JON - As I understand it: Jesus could not start his ministry until he received the
authority and baptism from John the Baptist? Then when the Holy Ghost rested upon him, Jesus had full authority and
John retained the lesser priesthood?
JOEL - No, Jesus is the source of all authority; He did not get it from John. The only reason he was baptised was
to fulfill all rightousness (JST Matt 3:43) and be an example to the world about the necessity of baptism.
You could say He started His ministry as a young boy as he spoke with the doctors in the temple (Luke 2:46).
JON - Johns authority came from an angel at 8 days old? Do we know who the Angel was? Then we can
assume he was tutored by the same angle before his ministry?
JOEL - John's authority to baptize came to him automatically being a direct descendant of Aaron. At 8 days old
John was circumcised according to the Law of Moses and his father Zacharias gave him a blessing.
An angel also gave him a blessing and ordained to do more than baptize:
"For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he
was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of
the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given
all power." (D&C 84: 28)
We can probably assume that it was his father, Zacharias, who baptized John. The angel Gabriel (also known
as Noah) revealed to Zacharias that he would have a son(Luke 1: 13-18). We are not told who the angel was
who ordained John, but we might speculate that it was the same angel Gabriel, who performed it. No
information is given about John being tutored by an angel, but since his parents were quite old when he was
born, he must have learned it all from someone as he was growing up, if not his parents, but we don't know who.
JON - Was John Commissioned to go and if so where is that and how is it
worded? The authority came at 8 days old right. But there must have been a time in his life when he was
ready (what age?) and commissioned to go out and preach, baptize, as instructed (The Biblical way). Was
that inferred or did he actually, when the time came, commissioned to start?
JOEL - The D&C 84 scripture above tells us that John was commissioned and given authority to perform his work at 8
days old. Scholars have guessed that he started his ministry about a year before Jesus came on the scene,
but there is no specific evidence about when or how he actually started.
JON - Then when Jesus came, received all authority (while human) he then Authorized the Apostles and
commissioned them to go out, but to baptize in the Authority Given Them by Jesus Christ?
JOEL - "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach," (Mark 3:14)
"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)
Although Jesus called and named the Twelve “apostles” as described in the above scriptures, He did not
formally give them “power and authority” to act until He commissioned them and “sent them” on their first
mission
"And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over
unclean spirits;(Mark 6:7)
"Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to
cure diseases.
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." (Luke 9:1–2).
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)
According to Bruce R McConkie they held the Melchizedek priesthood:
"They were called of God by prophecy; power from on high was imparted by the laying on of hands; they all
held the holy Melchizedek Priesthood; and each was ordained to the office of an apostle therein. "Ye have
not chosen me"—men do not call themselves to the ministry!—"but I have chosen you, and ordained you," Jesus
said. (John 15:16.) Of their call Mark, reflecting Peter's teaching, said: "He ordained twelve, that they
should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and
to cast out devils." (Mortal Messiah)
|
|
|
