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 give ear to hearken unto my voice and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure unto me above all peoples; for all the earth is mine.
But on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot and two tenth deals of flour mingled with oil, for a present, with the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of the sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
Then Jesus said unto him, See thou tell no one; but go, show thyself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless?
And those that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
and said unto him, See thou say nothing to any man, but go, show thyself to 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 Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
And it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
And he charged him to tell no one. But go and show thyself to the priest and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
When he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified in the truth.
Then Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much.
Then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the spirit; and the young men came in and found her dead and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the prince of the priests asked them,
Then the prince of the priests said, Are these things so?
Then the prince of the priests said, Are these things so?
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things that are therein,
And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
by whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and glory in hope of the glory of the sons of God.
Therefore, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies in living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing unto God, which is your rational worship.
and to reconcile both with God by the cross in one body, having slain the enmity thereby;
In whom we have security and access with confidence by the faith of him.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest is taken from among men, constituted on behalf of men in things relating to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,
And by reason of this he ought, as for the people so also for himself, to offer for sins.
And by reason of this he ought, as for the people so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no one takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
As he said also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
As he said also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal saving health unto all those that hearken unto him, named by God high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
where our precursor, Jesus, has entered for us and is made high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron?
And the others, truly, were many priests because they were not able to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continues forever, has the intransmissible priesthood. read more. Therefore he is able also to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.
(who serve as an example and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed unto thee in the mount);
Nevertheless the first had its justifications of worship and its worldly sanctuary.
But Christ being now come, high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the sanctuary designed for eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of the Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from the works of death to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, so that death intervening for the redemption of the rebellions that took place under the first testament, those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity intervene the death of the testator.
For Christ is not entered into the sanctuary made with hands (which is a figure of the true), but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us,
For Christ is not entered into the sanctuary made with hands (which is a figure of the true), but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us, nor yet that he should offer himself many times (as the high priest enters into the sanctuary each year with blood that is not his own);
so also the Christ is offered once to take away the sins of many; and unto those that wait for him without sin he shall appear the second time unto saving health.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never make perfect those who come by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year continually.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never make perfect those who come by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year continually.
For by one offering he has perfected for ever those that are sanctified.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having that great priest over the house of God,
and having that great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water;
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water;
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips confessing his name. Do not forget to do good and to fellowship; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, well pleasing to God by Jesus, the Christ.
ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, well pleasing to God by Jesus, the Christ.
But ye are the chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that ye should show forth the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the breasts 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 at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense of the prayers of all the saints, that he should offer upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.