Reference: Priest
Hastings
Priest' (Gr. hiereus) is employed in the NT to denote anyone whose function it is to offer a religious sacrifice. 1. It is used of a Gentile priesthood in Ac 14:15 ('the priest of Jupiter'), and also in Heb. as applied to the 'order of Melchizedek' (Ac 5:8,10; 7:1 ff.), for Melchizedek, it is evident, was not merely a pre-Aaronic but a Gentile priest.
2. It is constantly employed to denote the members of the Jewish priesthood in their various ranks and functions. The ordinary officiating priests of the Temple come before us discharging the same offices of which we read in the OT. They burn incense (Lu 1:5,8), present the sacrificial offerings (Mt 12:5, cf. Nu 28:9-10), effect the ceremonial cleansing of the leper (Mt 8:4 = Mr 1:44 = Lu 5:14; cf. Lu 17:14). The high priest (archiereus) appears as president of the Sanhedrin (Mt 26:57; Ac 5:27; 7:1; 23:2 etc.), and as entering every year on the Day of Atonement into the Most Holy Place with his offering of blood (Heb 9:25). Most frequently of all the word occurs in the plural form 'chief priests' (archiereis), an expression that probably designates a high-priestly party consisting of the high priest proper, the ex-high priests, and the members of those privileged families from which the high priests were drawn.
3. In the Ep. to the Hebrews Christ is described as both priest and high priest, but the fact that Melchizedek (wh. see), the chosen type of His eternal priesthood, is also described by the same two terms (cf. Heb 5:6 with Heb 5:10; 6:20 with Heb 7:1) shows that no distinction in principle is to be thought of, and that Christ is called a high priest simply to bring out the dignity of His priesthood. This conception of Christ as a priest is clearly stated in no other book of the NT, though suggestions of it appear elsewhere, and esp. in the Johannine writings (e.g. Joh 17:19; Re 1:13). In Heb. it is the regulating idea in the contrast that the author works out with such elaboration between the Old and the New Covenants. He thinks of a mediating priest as essential to a religion, and his purpose is to show the immense superiority in this respect of the new religion over the old. He finds certain points of contact between the priesthood of Aaron and that of Christ. This, indeed, was essential to his whole conception of the Law as having a shadow of the good things to come (Heb 10:1), and of the priests who offer gifts according to the Law as serving 'that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things' (Heb 8:5). Christ, e.g., was Divinely called and commissioned, even as Aaron was (Heb 5:4,6). He too was taken from among men, was tempted like His fellows, learned obedience through suffering, and so was qualified by His own human sympathies to be the High Priest of the human race (Heb 4:15 ff., Heb 5:1 ff.). But it is pre-eminently by way of antithesis and not of likeness that the Aaronic priesthood is used to illustrate the priesthood of Christ. The priests of the Jewish faith were sinful men (Heb 5:3), while Jesus was absolutely sinless (Heb 4:15). They were mortal creatures, 'many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing' (Heb 7:23), while Jesus 'abideth for ever,' and so 'hath his priesthood unchangeable' (Heb 7:24). The sacrifices of the Jewish Law were imperfect (Heb 10:1 ff.); but Christ 'by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are being sanctified' (Heb 10:14). The sanctuary of the old religion was a worldly structure (Heb 9:1), and so liable to destruction or decay; but Christ enters 'into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us' (Heb 9:24).
And this contrast between the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Christ is brought to a head when Jesus is declared to be a priest
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Now therefore if ye will hear my voice and keep mine covenant: ye shall be mine own above all nations, for all the earth is mine.
And on the Sabbath day, two lambs of a year old apiece and without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereto. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the daily burnt offering and his drink offering.
And Jesus said unto him, "See thou tell no man; but go, and show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, to be offered in witness to them."
Or have ye not read in the law, how that the priests in the temple break the Sabbath day, and yet are blameless?
And they took Jesus and led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
and said unto him, "See that thou say nothing to any man, but get thee hence and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimonial unto them."
In the time of Herod, the king of Jewry, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron: And her name was Elizabeth.
And it came to pass, as he executed the priest's office before God as his course came,
And he warned him, that he should tell no man: but that he should go and show himself to the priest, and offer for his cleansing according as Moses commandment was, for a witness unto them.
When he saw them, he said unto them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And it chanced, as they went, they were cleansed.
And for their sakes sanctify I myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
And Peter said unto her, "Tell me, gave ye the land for so much?" And she said, "Yea, for so much."
Then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carried her out and buried her by her husband.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the chief priest asked them,
Then said the chief priest, "Is it even so?"
Then said the chief priest, "Is it even so?"
and saying, "Sirs, why do ye this? We are mortal men like unto you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is,
The high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.
by whom we have a way in, through faith, unto this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the praise that shall be given of God.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercifulness of God, that ye make your bodies a living sacrifice: holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable serving of God.
And to reconcile both unto God in one body through his cross, and slew hatred thereby:
by whom we are bold to draw nigh in that trust, which we have by faith on him.
For we have not a high priest, which cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but was in all points tempted, as we are: but yet without sin.
For we have not a high priest, which cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but was in all points tempted, as we are: but yet without sin. Let us therefore go boldly unto the seat of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest that is taken from among men is ordained for men, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins:
For the which infirmities sake, he is bound to offer for sins, as well for his own part, as for the peoples.
For the which infirmities sake, he is bound to offer for sins, as well for his own part, as for the peoples. And no man taketh honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
As he also in another place speaketh, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
As he also in another place speaketh, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
and was made perfect, and the cause of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him: and is called of God a high priest, after the order of Melchizedek.
whither the forerunner is for us entered in, I mean Jesus that is made a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
This Melchizedek, king of Salem - which being priest of the most high God, met Abraham, as he returned again from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:
If now therefore perfection came by the priesthood of the Levites - for under that priesthood the people received the law - what needed it furthermore that another priest should rise, after the order of Melchizedek, and not after the order of Aaron?
And among them, many were made priests, because they were not suffered to endure by the reason of death. But this man, because he endureth ever, hath an everlasting priesthood: read more. Wherefore he is able also ever to save them that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth, to make intercession for us.
which priests serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things: even as the answer of God was given unto Moses when he was about to finish the tabernacle: "For take heed," said he, "that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount."
That first tabernacle verily had ordinances and servings of God, and worldly holiness.
But Christ being a high priest of good things to come, came by a greater, and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands: that is to say, not of this manner building, neither by the blood of goats, and calves: but by his own blood, we entered once for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of oxen, and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, when it was sprinkled, purified the unclean, as touching the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ - which through the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God - purge your consciences from dead works, for to serve the living God? And for this cause is he the mediator of the new testament, that through death which chanced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the first testament, they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For wheresoever is a testament, there must also be the death of him that maketh the testament.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places, that are made with hands, which are but similitudes of true things: but is entered into very heaven, for to appear now in the sight of God for us.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places, that are made with hands, which are but similitudes of true things: but is entered into very heaven, for to appear now in the sight of God for us. Not to offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with strange blood:
even so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many, and unto them that look for him, shall he appear again, without sin, unto their salvation.
For the law - which hath but the shadow of good things to come, and not the things in their own fashion - can never with the sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For the law - which hath but the shadow of good things to come, and not the things in their own fashion - can never with the sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For with one offering hath he made perfect forever them that are sanctified.
And where remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sin. Seeing, brethren, that by the means of the blood of Jesus, we may be bold to enter into that holy place,
Seeing, brethren, that by the means of the blood of Jesus, we may be bold to enter into that holy place, by the new and living way, which he hath prepared for us, through the veil, that is to say by his flesh.
by the new and living way, which he hath prepared for us, through the veil, that is to say by his flesh. And seeing also that we have a high priest which is ruler over the house of God,
And seeing also that we have a high priest which is ruler over the house of God, let us draw nigh with a true heart in a full faith sprinkled in our hearts, from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water,
let us draw nigh with a true heart in a full faith sprinkled in our hearts, from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water,
For by him offer we the sacrifice of praise always to God: that is to say, the fruit of those lips, which confess his name. To do good, and to distribute, forget not: for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
and ye, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
and ye, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, that ye should show the virtues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,
and made us kings and priests unto God his father, be glory, and dominion for evermore amen.
And in the midst of the candlesticks, one like unto the son of man clothed with a linen garment down to the ground, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle.
and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth."
And another angel came and stood before the altar having a golden censer, and much of odours was given unto him, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which was before the seat.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. For on such shall the second death have no power, for they shall be the priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.