“We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church. The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all—men,women, and children.
A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room,but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.”
“All of the ordinances invite us to increase our faith in Jesus Christ and to make and keep covenants with God. As we keep these sacred covenants,we receive priesthood power and blessings.” [Power in the Priesthood By Elder Neil L. Andersen Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
μονογενής (monogenēs)
Strong: G3439
GK: G3666
only-begotten,only-born, Luke 7:12; 8:42;9:38;Hebrew 11:17;only-begotten in respect of peculiar generation,unique,John 1:14,18;3:16,18;1 John 4:9
The reference to Jesus as the “first-born”—and hence the justification for our calling him our “Elder Brother”—cannot refer to any relationship that he established in his earth life,since as to the flesh he is not our “Elder Brother,” any more than he is the “first-born” in the flesh. There were many born as to the flesh,before he was, and older brothers to us in the flesh than he. The relationship of “Elder Brother” cannot have reference to that estate where all were self-existent,uncreated and unbegotten,eternal intelligences,for that estate admits of no such relation as “elder” or “younger.” For as to the succession in time—the fact on which “younger” or “elder” depends—the intelligences are equal,that is, equal as to their eternity. Therefore, since the relationship of “Elder Brother” was not established by any possible fact in that estate where all were self-existing intelligences,it must have been established in the spirit life where Jesus,with reference to the hosts of intelligences designed to our earth,was the “first-born spirit,” and by that fact became our “Elder Brother,” the “first-born of every creature,” “the beginning of the creations of God,” as pertaining to our order of existence. [B. H. Roberts,The Truth, the Way,the Life:An Elementary Treatise on Theology,ed. John W. Welch,2d ed. (Provo,Utah: BYU Studies,1996),250.]
