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 said to him, take care not to tell any man, but go thy way, shew thy self to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, that it may be a testimony against them.
or have ye not observed in the law, what a work the priests made in the temple on the sabbath-day, without being blamed?
And they that had apprehended Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Scribes and the senators were assembled.
said he, how you take the least notice of this to any man: but go, show your self to the priest, and offer for your cure what Moses commanded, that this may serve as a testimony against them.
In the time of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zacharias, of the family of Abia, whose wife; nam'd Elizabeth, was of the race of Aaron:
now Zachary was to officiate in divine service, in the order of his family,
and he charg'd him not to tell any man: but go, said he, present your self to the priest, and offer what the law requires for your purification, that it may be an evidence to them.
as soon as he perceiv'd them, he said to them, go shew yourselves to the priests. and on the way they found themselves cured.
and for their sakes I consecrate myself, that they also might be consecrated by the truth.
when Peter addressing himself to her, tell me, said he, have you sold the land for such a price? yes, said she, for so much.
in the instant she fell down dead at his feet: and the young men came in, found her dead, carried her out, and buried her by her husband.
when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Then said the high priest, are these things so?
Then said the high priest, are these things so?
cry'd out, "sirs, what are you going to do? we are but men as well as you, and we exhort you to renounce these vanities, and turn to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth and the sea, and all that they contain:
at which the high priest Ananias order'd those that were near him to strike him on the face:
who has given us access by faith to that degree of favour, we are in, by which we triumph in the hopes of divine glory.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to you, that you present your bodies a living victim, holy, acceptable unto God, as the service of a rational being.
that he might reconcile both in one body unto God by the cross, wherefore he destroyed the enmity that was between them:
by whom we have freedom of access to God, with confidence, by faith in him.
not an high priest who is incapable of compassionating our miseries; since he was exposed to the same trials as we are, sin only excepted. let
not an high priest who is incapable of compassionating our miseries; since he was exposed to the same trials as we are, sin only excepted. let us therefore approach with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain the seasonable assistance of divine mercy and favour.
For every high priest is appointed to officiate for men in religious matters, offering gifts and sacrifices for their sins: being chosen from among the people. that as he himself is surrounded with infirmities,
he is obliged to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people. besides, no man can assume
he is obliged to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people. besides, no man can assume to himself the honour of the priesthood: he must be called thereto by God, as Aaron was.
as he saith too in another place, "thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
as he saith too in another place, "thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
and by a perfect obedience he procured eternal salvation for all that obey him; God having declared him an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
where Jesus is gone to usher us in, having been made an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.
For this Melchisedec was both king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God; 'twas he who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:
If therefore the Levitical priesthood, concerning which the people received a law, could have given perfection, what further need was there that another priest should rise, to be named after the order of Melchisedec, and not after the order of Aaron?
besides, the priesthood then devolv'd to many, death depriving them of a lasting possession. but he, by virtue of his immortal state, hath a priesthood that does not pass by succession. read more. so that he has an uninterrupted power to save those, that come to God by him, because he ever lives to make intercession for them.
and officiate in the sanctuary, which was a gross representation of that in heaven, agreeable to the order given by God to Moses, when he projected the tabernacle, "be very exact, said he, in following the model which was laid before thee in the mount."
The first alliance then had rites of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
but Christ, the high priest of a better dispensation that was to come, having appeared, is enter'd into the holy of holys by a nobler and more perfect tabernacle, not the effect of human art, but of a higher nature; nor with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he enter'd once for all into the holy of holys, after having obtained for us an eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of goats and of bulls, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkled on the unclean, can cleanse them from external impurities; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the holy spirit offered himself a spotless victim to God, purify our souls from deadly sins, to serve the living God? and for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that, the transgressions that were unexpiated by the first testament, being expiated by his death, they who are called might receive the eternal inheritance, which was promised. For where a testament is, there the death of the testator is necessarily pre-suppos'd.
for Christ is not entred into a sanctuary made by human art, such as is only representative of the true one, but into heaven itself, to appear from henceforth in the presence of God on our behalf:
for Christ is not entred into a sanctuary made by human art, such as is only representative of the true one, but into heaven itself, to appear from henceforth in the presence of God on our behalf: nor to make a frequent offering of himself, as the high priest every year enters into the holy of holies with other blood than his own.
so Christ being once offered up to take away the sins of many; he shall appear the second time, without making any further expiation to save those who expect him.
For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.
For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.
for by one single oblation he has purified for ever those that are sanctified.
now where they are remitted, there is no need of any further oblation for sin. Wherefore, my brethren, since by virtue of the blood of Jesus we have the liberty of entring into the holy of holies,
Wherefore, my brethren, since by virtue of the blood of Jesus we have the liberty of entring into the holy of holies, by a new and living way which he has first open'd for us, thro' the veil, that is, thro' his flesh;
by a new and living way which he has first open'd for us, thro' the veil, that is, thro' his flesh; and having an high priest, who is established over the house of God,
and having an high priest, who is established over the house of God, let us draw near with sincerity, in full assurance of faith, having our consciences purified from guilt, and our bodies washed with pure water.
let us draw near with sincerity, in full assurance of faith, having our consciences purified from guilt, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let our sacrifice then, which we are to offer to God by Jesus Christ, be that of incessant praises, the offering of our lips, which celebrate his name: but don't forget to be beneficent to the community; for such sacrifice is acceptable to God.
you your selves are as so many living stones, you are the edifice, the spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, agreeable to God by Jesus Christ.
you your selves are as so many living stones, you are the edifice, the spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, agreeable to God by Jesus Christ.
and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out
who hath made us kings and priests to his God and father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one who resembled the son of man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt below the breast with a girdle of gold.
and hast made us kings and priests unto our God: and we shall reign on the earth."
and another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.
happy and holy are they that have part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.