“His Holy Order… the Order of His Son”

Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet
There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood. (D&C 107:1-4.) The Book of Mormon designates what in this dispensation we have been instructed to call the Melchizedek Priesthood as “the holy order,” “the holy order of God,” “the order of his Son,” or in some instances just “the order.”

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3

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