- The High Priest tradition is far older than Judaism, dating all the way back to Adam.
- The Judaism we know today is a revised version of an older form of Judaism, formed in reaction to Christianity and also in reaction to the loss of the temple.
- Hebrew culture was fragmented even by the time of Lehi, with various groups condemning other groups as apostate from the true, ancient, covenant-and-temple-based religion.
- The Old Testament as we know it was most likely written and edited by Jews who espoused a tradition which had long since rejected the original purpose of the Law of Moses. They intentionally left out much of the High Priestly tradition.
- In order to have written the Book of Mormon (which clearly outlines this older, High Priestly tradition), Joseph Smith would have needed to have organized this complex and historically plausible theology by 1829, inserted in subtly into the text, and then stayed pretty quiet about it for a few years until he received revelations outlining the modern day restoration of these ancient practices, including the priesthood, the temple, eternal families, etc.
"...not only we had a hope of his glory...but also all the holy prophets which were before us."
Writing on the small plates, Jacob laments that "whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates..." (Jacob 4:2).
Knowing he could only write a few things down, he follows up with these words:
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. (Jacob 4)
A relatively unique feature of Latter-day Saint theology is that prophets long before Jesus preached of Jesus, all the way back to Adam. We believe that Adam was baptized, preached repentance, and prophesied of Christ. (See Moses 6:48-Moses 7:1).
40 The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
41 This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage... (D&C 107)
In the context of upstate New York circa 1820, it seems that the prevailing opinion of Adam and Eve was negative -- had they not been duped by the serpent, we'd all be in a much better place. The Book of Mormon teaches something very different:
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2)
One of the points made by Margaret Barker in Temple Theology is that "Adam was remembered as the first high priest." The context in which she makes this claim is really important. I'll get into that context in the next post, when I outline my second and third points above.
For now, I think it is important and foundational to appreciate that as early as 1829, Joseph's Smith's restored theology very clearly taught that Adam's transgression was a necessary part of the plan of salvation.