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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And Jesus says to him, See that you may tell no one; but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Have you not read in the law, that the priests in the temple do profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?
Taking Jesus they led Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the chief priests and elders were assembled together.
and says to him, See that you may speak nothing to any one: but go, show thyself unto the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Ahijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
And it came to pass, while he was officiating in the order of his course before God,
And He commanded him to tell no one: but having gone away, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
And seeing, He said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priest. And it came to pass while they were going, they were cleansed:
and I sanctify myself in their behalf, in order that they may also be sanctified through the truth.
And Peter responded to her, Tell me if you sold the place for so much? And she said; Yes, for so much.
And immediately she fell at his feet, and breathed out her soul; and the young men having come in found her dead, and having carried her out, buried her with her husband.
And leading them, they placed them in the council, and the chief priests asked them, saying,
And the high priests said; Are these things so?
And the high priests said; Are these things so?
Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of like suffering with you, preaching the gospel to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, who created the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things which are in them:
And the high priest Ananias commanded those standing near him to smite him in the mouth.
through whom we also have access by faith unto this grace in which we stand, and let us rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
I exhort you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service:
and that he may reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity on in.
For we have not a high priest who is not able to be touched with our infirmities; but one having been tempted as to all things like unto us, apart from sin.
For we have not a high priest who is not able to be touched with our infirmities; but one having been tempted as to all things like unto us, apart from sin. Therefore let us draw nigh with confidence to a throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace in every opportune need.
For every high priest, being received from men, presides over men in the things appertaining to God, in order that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins:
and on this account he has need, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
and on this account he has need, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no one takes this honor to himself, but the one called of God, as indeed Aaron was.
as also he says in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
as also he says in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
and having been made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey him; having been ordained of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
whither Jesus the forerunner has entered in our behalf, having been made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
For this Melchizedek, the king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, the one having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him,
Then indeed if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for unto it the people have been tithed, what need is there still that another priest shall rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
And indeed many have been made priests, because they were prohibited by death from continuing: but he, because he abides forever, has an unchangeable priesthood: read more. wherefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those coming unto God through him, ever living to intercede for them.
whosoever serve the pattern and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses about to complete the tabernacle was commanded: for, he says, See that you shall make all things after the pattern which was shown to you in the mount:
Then indeed the first tabernacle also, had ordinances of service, and a sanctuary for this world.
But Christ being a high priest of good things to come, through a greater and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this world; neither through the blood of goats and bullocks, but through his own blood, came once into the holies, having found eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctifies unto the purification of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself without spot to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And on this account he is mediator of the new covenant, since there being death, unto the redemption of the transgressions unto the first covenant, those having been called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where there is a covenant, it is necessary to bear the death of the covenanter;
For Christ did not come into the sanctuaries made with hands, the pattern of the true; but into heaven itself, now to be made manifest unto the face of God in our behalf:
For Christ did not come into the sanctuaries made with hands, the pattern of the true; but into heaven itself, now to be made manifest unto the face of God in our behalf: neither in order that he may frequently offer up himself, as the high priest goes into the holies once a year with the blood of another;
so also Christ, having once been offered up to bear away the sins of many, will appear the second time apart from sin unto salvation to those expecting him.
For the law having the shadow of good things to come, not the real image of the things, annually with the same sacrifices which they offer continually, is by no means able to make perfect those coming to it:
For the law having the shadow of good things to come, not the real image of the things, annually with the same sacrifices which they offer continually, is by no means able to make perfect those coming to it:
For by one offering he has forever perfected the sanctified.
But where there is removal of these, there is no more offering for sin. Then, brethren, having boldness unto the entering in of the holies through the blood of Jesus,
Then, brethren, having boldness unto the entering in of the holies through the blood of Jesus, by which he has opened unto us a new and living way, through the veil, that is, of his flesh,
by which he has opened unto us a new and living way, through the veil, that is, of his flesh, and having a great high priest over the house of God;
and having a great high priest over the house of God; let us draw nigh with a true heart in a full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled as to our hearts from an evil conscience,
let us draw nigh with a true heart in a full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled as to our hearts from an evil conscience,
Therefore let us offer to God a sacrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing to his name. But do not forget benefaction and fellowship: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
and you, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, into a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ.
and you, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, into a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ.
But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people unto conquest; in order that you may proclaim the virtues of the one having called you out of darkness unto his own marvelous light:
and He made us a kingdom, priests unto God even his Father; to him be glory and dominion unto the ages of the ages; amen.
and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to his feet, and girded about the breast with a golden girdle.
and didst make them a kingdom and priests unto our God: and they shall reign on the earth.
And another angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he shall offer with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne.
Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection: over these the second death has no authority, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.