Topical Encyclopedia
The High Priest in ancient Israel held the most significant religious office, serving as the chief religious leader and the primary mediator between God and the people. The role of the High Priest is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, with its origins in the Mosaic Law, and it carries profound theological significance throughout the Scriptures.
Biblical Origins and DutiesThe office of the High Priest was established by God through Moses, with Aaron, the brother of Moses, being appointed as the first High Priest (
Exodus 28:1). The High Priest's primary responsibilities included overseeing the tabernacle (and later the temple) worship, offering sacrifices, and performing rituals to atone for the sins of the people. The High Priest was the only one permitted to enter the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, and this was done only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to make atonement for himself and for the people (
Leviticus 16:2-34).
The High Priest wore distinctive garments, as described in
Exodus 28, which included the ephod, breastplate, robe, tunic, turban, and a sash. These garments symbolized the High Priest's sacred duties and his role as a representative of the people before God.
Significance in the Old TestamentThe High Priest served as a vital link between God and Israel, ensuring that the covenant relationship was maintained through the sacrificial system. The High Priest's role was not only religious but also carried a significant social and political dimension, as he was often involved in national matters and decisions.
The lineage of the High Priest was traditionally traced through the descendants of Aaron, and the position was hereditary. However, during the Second Temple period, the office became more politicized, with appointments sometimes influenced by external powers, such as the Romans.
Typology and Fulfillment in the New TestamentThe New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the High Priest's role. The Epistle to the Hebrews elaborates on this theme, portraying Jesus as the perfect High Priest who offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Hebrews 4:14-16 states, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Jesus' priesthood is described as being in the order of Melchizedek, a priestly figure who appears in
Genesis 14 and is further discussed in
Hebrews 7. This order is characterized by an eternal and unchangeable priesthood, contrasting with the temporal and imperfect Levitical priesthood.
Theological ImplicationsThe High Priest's role underscores the necessity of mediation between a holy God and sinful humanity. In the Old Testament, this was accomplished through the sacrificial system and the High Priest's intercession. In the New Testament, Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice and His ongoing intercession as High Priest provide believers with direct access to God, highlighting the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ's priesthood.
The High Priest's office, therefore, serves as a profound illustration of God's provision for reconciliation and the ultimate fulfillment of this provision in Jesus Christ, who is both the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice.
Greek
749. archiereus --high priest...high priest. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: archiereus Phonetic
Spelling: (ar-khee-er-yuce') Short Definition:
high priest, chief priest
...3124. Malchos -- Malchus, a slave of thehigh priest
... Malchus, a slave of thehigh priest. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Malchos Phonetic Spelling: (mal'-khos) Short Definition: Malchus Definition...
452. Hannas -- Annas, ahigh priest
... Annas, ahigh priest. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Hannas Phonetic
Spelling: (an'-nas) Short Definition: Annas Definition: Annas,high...
2533. Kaiaphas -- Caiaphas, an Israelitehigh priest
... Caiaphas, an Israelitehigh priest. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Kaiaphas Phonetic Spelling: (kah-ee-af'-as) Short Definition: Caiaphas...
748. archieratikos -- high-priestly
... of thehigh priest. From arche and a derivative of hieros; high-priestly --
of thehigh-priest. see GREEK arche. see GREEK hieros....
2409. hiereus -- a priest
... priest,high priest. From hieros; a priest (literally or figuratively) -- (high)
priest. see GREEK hieros. (ierea) -- 2 Occurrences. (ierei) -- 3 Occurrences....
367. Ananias -- Ananias, the name of three Israelites
... Ananias, (a) husband of Sapphira, a member of the early church at Jerusalem, (b)
a member of the church at Damascus, (c) thehigh priest at Jerusalem....
2369. thumiaterion -- altar of incense, a censer
... on) Short Definition: altar of incense Definition: (ordinarily: censer, but) either
the altar of incense, or the shovel, on which thehigh-priest poured the...
223. Alexandros -- Alexander, a son of Simon of Cyrene, also a...
... al-ex'-an-dros) Short Definition: Alexander Definition: Alexander, a name of Greek
origin, (a) son of Simon of Cyrene, (b) theHigh Priest's kinsman, (c) an...
Strong's Hebrew
224. Urim -- part of thehigh priest's breastplate... 223b, 224. Urim. 225 . part of the
high priest's breastplate. Transliteration:
Urim Phonetic Spelling: (oo-reem') Short Definition: Urim. Word Origin pl.
...4701. mitsnepheth -- turban (of thehigh priest)
... 4700, 4701. mitsnepheth. 4702 . turban (of thehigh priest). Transliteration:
mitsnepheth Phonetic Spelling: (mits-neh'-feth) Short Definition: turban....
3443. Yeshua -- ahigh priest after the Bab. captivity
... 3442, 3443. Yeshua. 3444 . ahigh priest after the Bab.... Word Origin (Aramaic)
corresponding to Yeshua and Yehoshua Definition ahigh priest after the Bab....
8537. tom -- completeness, integrity, also part of thehigh...
... tom. 8538 . completeness, integrity, also part of thehigh priest's breastplate.
Transliteration: tom Phonetic Spelling: (tome) Short Definition: integrity....
6472. paamon -- bell (onhigh priest's robe)
... 6471, 6472. paamon. 6473 . bell (onhigh priest's robe). Transliteration:
paamon Phonetic Spelling: (pah-am-one') Short Definition: bell....
3087. Yehotsadaq -- "the LORD is righteous," father of Joshua the...
... "the LORD is righteous," father of Joshua thehigh priest. Transliteration: Yehotsadaq
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-ho-tsaw-dawk') Short Definition: Jehozadak....
8550. Tummim -- Thummim
... Thummim. Plural of tom; perfections, ie (techn.) One of the epithets of the objects
in thehigh-priest's breastplate as an emblem of complete Truth -- Thummim....
646. ephod -- an ephod
... Rarely oephod {ay-fode'}; probably of foreign derivation; a girdle; specifically
the ephod orhigh-priest's shoulder- piece; also generally, an image -- ephod....
5941. Eli -- a priest at Shiloh
... Eli's (1). Eli. From alah; lofty; Eli, an Israelitehigh-priest -- Eli. see
HEBREW alah. 5940, 5941. Eli. 5942 . Strong's Numbers.
2833. choshen -- breastpiece, sacred pouch
... contain or sparkle; perhaps a pocket (as holding the Urim and Thummim), or rich
(as containing gems), used only of the gorget of thehighpriest -- breastplate....
Library
Conversion of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker
Conversion of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker. <. Conversion
of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker Meletios Golden....
The GreatHigh Priest
... The GreatHigh Priest. TP Hebrews 7:24, 25. Sweet to trace His toiling footsteps.
Here amidst the desert sands; Bear in memory all His sorrow,....
The Trial Before theHigh Priest.
... The Trial Before theHigh Priest.... As an acquaintance he was at once admitted through
the gates of thehigh priest's palace, while Peter was refused admission....
In theHigh Priest's Palace
... VOLUME II: ST. LUKE Chaps. XIII to XXIV IN THEHIGH PRIEST'S PALACE. 'Then took
they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into thehigh priest's house....
The RealHigh Priest and his Counterfeit
... D.; ST. MATTHEW Chaps. XVIII to XXVIII THE REALHIGH PRIEST AND HIS COUNTERFEIT....
62 And thehigh priest arose, and said unto Him, Answerest Thou nothing?...
TheHigh Priest's Prayer
... THEHIGH PRIEST'S PRAYER. 'Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on Me through their word; That they...
High Priest
Conversion of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker. <.... CHAPTER
IVHigh Priest. For the benefit of those who ignorantly...
Christ as Righteousness; as the Demiurge, the Agent of the Good...
... Book I. 40. Christ as Righteousness; As the Demiurge, the Agent of the
Good God, and asHigh-Priest. Having expiscated the "to us...
Of the Harmony Characterizing the Accounts which These Evangelists...
... Of the Harmony Characterizing the Accounts Which These Evangelists Give of What
Happened When the Lord Was Led Away to the House of theHigh Priest, as Also of...
Conversion of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker
Conversion of aHigh Priest into a Christian Worker. <.... Title Page. CONVERSION
OF AHIGH PRIEST INTO A CHRISTIAN WORKER Edited and Presented by. REV....
Thesaurus
Ephod (45 Occurrences)... Something girt, a sacred vestment worn originally by the
highpriest (Exodus
28:4), afterwards by the ordinary priest (1 Samuel 22:18), and characteristic of
...Priest's (75 Occurrences)
... Matthew 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand,
and drew his sword, and struck a servant of thehighpriest's, and smote...
Annas (4 Occurrences)
... Washighpriest AD 7-14.... The cases In which Josephus gives the title "high-priest"
to persons who no longer held the office afford no real parallel to this....
Caiaphas (9 Occurrences)
... The Jewishhighpriest (AD 27-36) at the beginning of our Lord's public ministry,
in the reign of Tiberius (Luke 3:2), and also at the time of his condemnation...
Jehozadak (8 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Jehovah-justified, the son of thehighpriest Seraiah
at the time of the Babylonian exile (1 Chronicles 6:14, 15)....
Ca'iaphas (9 Occurrences)
... Matthew 26:3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were
gathered together in the court of thehighpriest, who was called Caiaphas....
Josedech (5 Occurrences)
... 5:5). In Haggai 1:1 the Revised Version (British and American), the relationship
is described as "Joshua the son of JEHOZADAK (which see), thehighpriest."....
Palace (194 Occurrences)
... In the New Testament it designates the official residence of Pilate or that of the
highpriest (Matthew 26:3, 58, 69; Mark 14:54, 66; John 18:15)....
Ananias (11 Occurrences)
... (3.) Thehighpriest before whom Paul was brought in the procuratorship of Felix
(Acts 23:2, 5, 24).... God'shighpriest a tyrant and a lawbreaker!...
Manslayer (20 Occurrences)
... and was entitled to flee to a city of refuge (Numbers 35:6, 12, 22, 23), his compulsory
residence in which terminated with the death of thehighpriest....
Resources
What was the biblical role of the high priest? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that Jesus is our High Priest? | GotQuestions.orgDid the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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