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
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, as an evidence to them."
"Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?
Then all his disciples forsook him and fled; but those who had apprehended Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.
"See you say nothing to any one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your purification what Moses commanded for a testimony to them."
In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zachariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife named Elizabeth,
Now while Zachariah was acting as priest before God in the due course of his class, it fell to his lot, according to the custom of priesthood,
And instantly the leprosy left him. Jesus ordered him to tell no one, "But be off," he said, "show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."
Perceiving this he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priest." And as they went they were made clean.
And for their sakes I dedicate myself, that they also may be thoroughly dedicated in the truth.
and Peter said to her, "Tell me if you got so much for the land." "Yes," she said, "so much."
Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired, and when the young men came in they found her dead, and carried her out and buried her husband.
So they brought them, and stood them before the Sanhedrin. Then the high priest questioned them.
And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"
And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"
"Men, why are you doing all this? We also are men, with natures like your own! We are bringing you good tidings, that you are to turn from these empty things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is.
Then the High Priest Ananias ordered those who stood near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
Through him also we have had our access into this grace in which we have taken our stand, and are exulting in hope of the glory of God.
I entreat you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This is your reasonable service of worship.
Thus he reconciled us both in one body to God by his cross, on which he slew our enmity.
In him we have this fearless confidence and boldness of access through our faith in him.
For every high priest chosen from time to time from among men is appointed on behalf of men, in matters relating to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins.
and because of this weakness he is bound to offer sin-offerings not only for the people, but also for himself.
and because of this weakness he is bound to offer sin-offerings not only for the people, but also for himself. Again no one takes this honorable office for himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was.
and again, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
and again, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
and by being thus made perfect, he became the source of enduring salvation to all who obey him, while God himself pronounced him High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
whither Jesus himself is entered as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
It was this Melchizedek, King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him;
Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood, (and it was under it that the people received the Law) why was it still necessary for another kind of priest to arise, after the order of Melchizedek, instead of being reckoned according to the order of Aaron?
And they indeed have been made priests, many in number, because they have been prevented by death from continuing; but he, because of his abiding forever, holds his priesthood inviolable. read more. Hence also he is able to continue saving to the uttermost those who are ever drawing near to God through him, seeing that he is ever living to intercede for them.
Now even the first covenant had its ordinances of public worship, and its sanctuary, a material one.
But when Christ came, a High Priest of good things to come, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is to say, not of this material creation, not taking the blood of goats and oxen, but his own blood, and entered once for all into the Holy Place, obtaining for us an eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through his eternal spirit offered himself free from blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works unto the service of an ever-living God! And because of this he is the Mediator of a new testament, in order that, since a death has taken place to atone for offenses committed under the first testament, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also be brought forward in evidence the death of the testator.
For it was not into a Sanctuary made by hands, a mere type of the reality, that Christ entered, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf.
For it was not into a Sanctuary made by hands, a mere type of the reality, that Christ entered, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf. Nor did he enter to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest entered into the sanctuary, year after year, with blood that was not his own;
so also the Christ, after being once for all offered to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who wait for him for salvation.
For the Law, being only a shadow of the good things to come, and not their very substance, its priests cannot with the same sacrifice which year after year they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.
For the Law, being only a shadow of the good things to come, and not their very substance, its priests cannot with the same sacrifice which year after year they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.
For by one single offering he has perfected forever those whom he is sanctifying.
But when these have been remitted, there is no more any offering for sin. Since, then, we have a cheerful confidence, brothers, to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Since, then, we have a cheerful confidence, brothers, to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, that new and living way, through the veil (that is, his flesh);
by the way which he dedicated for us, that new and living way, through the veil (that is, his flesh); and since we have a great High Priest over the house of God;
and since we have a great High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled from and evil conscience, and our bodies bathed in pure water.
let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled from and evil conscience, and our bodies bathed in pure water.
In his name, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that confess his name. And forget not to be kind and liberal; for with that sort of sacrifice God is well pleased.
And yourselves like living stones be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Christ Jesus.
And yourselves like living stones be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Christ Jesus.
But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that you may show forth the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light??10 you who once were not a people, but now are the people of God; who were once without mercy, but now you have found mercy.
and has made us to be a kingdom of priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.
and in the midst of the candlesticks One like to a son of man, clothed with a robe down to the feet, and with a golden girdle round his breast.
Thou hast made them kings and priests unto our God, And they shall reign on earth."
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and a great quantity of incense was given him to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.
Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no power, but they will be God's priests, and Christ's; and will reign with him for a thousand years.