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
And Jesus said to him, See that you tell no man, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a testimony to them.
Or have you not read in the law, that the priests profane the sabbath in the temple, and are blameless?
And having taken Jesus, they led him away to Caiaphas, the chief priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled.
and said to him, See that you say nothing to any one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
In the days of Herod the king of Judea, there was a certain priest by the name of Zachariah, of the class of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
And when he was performing the priest's office in the order of his class before God, it fell to his lot,
And he charged him to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and present an offering for your purification, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
And seeing them, he said, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they were going they were cleansed.
and I sanctify myself for them, that they also may be sanctified by truth.
And Peter answered her, Tell me whether you sold the field for so much? And she said, Yes; for so much.
And she fell down immediately at his feet, and expired; and the young men coming in found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband.
and having brought them they placed them before the Sanhedrim. And the chief priest asked them,
And the chief priest said, Are these things then so?
And the chief priest said, Are these things then so?
and saying, Men, why do you do these things? We are also men subject to like sufferings with you, preaching that you should turn from these vain [services] to the living God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things in them,
And the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by to strike him on the mouth.
through whom also we have been introduced into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
I EXHORT you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, well pleasing to God, your reasonable service;
and reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having destroyed the enmity by it.
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him.
For we have not a chief priest who cannot sympathise with our infirmities, but one tried in all respects as we are, without sin.
For we have not a chief priest who cannot sympathise with our infirmities, but one tried in all respects as we are, without sin. Let us therefore approach with boldness the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace for timely aid.
For every chief priest taken from men is appointed in behalf of men over things relating to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins,
and as for the people, so also for himself, he is obliged to present offerings for sins.
and as for the people, so also for himself, he is obliged to present offerings for sins. And no one takes the honor on himself but he that is called by God, even as Aaron also was.
as also in another place he says, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
as also in another place he says, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
and being made perfect became to all who obey him an author of eternal salvation, being called by God a chief priest after the order of Melchisedec.
where our forerunner Jesus entered, made after the order of Melchisedec a chief priest forever.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
If therefore there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood,??or the people received the law under it,??hat need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec and not to be called after the order of Aaron?
And they indeed were made many priests, on account of being forbidden by death to continue; but he, on account of his continuing for ever, has a priesthood which passes not away, read more. whence also he is able to save forever those who come to God through him, always living to intercede for them.
who serve for a symbol and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when about to make the tabernacle; for see, he says, that you make all things after the pattern shown you in the Mount;
The first covenant then had ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary.
But Christ having come, a chief priest of the good times that were to come, with a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, not with blood of goats and bullocks, but with his own blood, entered once into the sanctuary having found eternal redemption. read more. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sanctifies to the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who with an eternal spirit offered himself without fault to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant, that death having been for a redemption of transgressions [transgressors] under the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a covenant, there must follow the death of the covenant-maker.
For Christ did not enter into the sanctuary made with hands, a type of the true, but into heaven itself, and already has appeared before God for us,
For Christ did not enter into the sanctuary made with hands, a type of the true, but into heaven itself, and already has appeared before God for us, not that he may often present himself, as the chief priest enters into the sanctuary once a year with the blood of another [being];
so also Christ having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time without sin, to those who look for him for salvation.
For the law having a shadow of the good things that were to come, not the very likeness of the things, could not by the sacrifices which they offered continually every year perfect the offerers;
For the law having a shadow of the good things that were to come, not the very likeness of the things, could not by the sacrifices which they offered continually every year perfect the offerers;
For by one offering he has perfected forever the sanctified.
But where there is a forgiveness of these, an offering for sin is no longer required. HAVING therefore, brothers, confidence in respect to the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,
HAVING therefore, brothers, confidence in respect to the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, which [entrance] he consecrated for us a new and living way through the vail, that is his flesh,
which [entrance] he consecrated for us a new and living way through the vail, that is his flesh, and [having] a great priest over the house of God,
and [having] a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in a full assurance of faith, sprinkled in heart from an evil conscience, and washed in body with pure water,
let us approach with a true heart in a full assurance of faith, sprinkled in heart from an evil conscience, and washed in body with pure water,
Through him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing his name. And forget not beneficence and liberality; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
do you also yourselves be built up living stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices well pleasing to God through Jesus Christ,
do you also yourselves be built up living stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices well pleasing to God through Jesus Christ,
But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should declare the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his glorious light;
and made us a kingdom, priests to God even his Father, to him be the glory and the power forever; amen.
and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a robe extending down to his feet, girded about the breasts with a golden girdle;
and hast made them a kingdom and priests, and they shall reign on the earth.
And another angel came and stood by the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given him much incense to present with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.
Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and reign with him a thousand years.