Priest

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Illustrator of Henry Davenport Northrop’s “Treasures of the Bible”: High priest offering incense on the altar, 1894

A priest is one who offers sacrifices to God and acts as a mediator between God and the people. The Hebrew word for priest is Kohen (כֹּהֵן), meaning “one who performs rituals.”[1] In the Old Testament, the covenant between God and the people of Israel was upheld through sacrificial offerings, and it was the priest’s primary duty to sustain this system and safeguard its holiness. In the New Testament era, through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, all believers who worship under the new covenant—in spirit and in truth—are regarded as royal priests.[2]

The Meaning of the Priestly Office

When God gave the Law through Moses, He appointed priests to serve Him in the temple[3]—the holy dwelling place where His glory was revealed.[4] It was within the temple that sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins were offered, under the leadership of the priests.[5]

As representatives of the people, priests were anointed with oil,[6] a ritual performed for those set apart as God’s special possession. Anointing symbolized that the priest had received a divine duty from God. God declared that Israel was to become a kingdom of priests, and that His people must be holy.[7]

History

Illustrators of the 1897 Bible Pictures and What They Teach Us by Charles Foster: Offering up a burnt sacrifice to God.

Before Moses

Before the tabernacle (temple) was completed during the time of Moses, patriarchs or heads of households served in the role of priests.[8] Representative figures include Abel,[9] Noah,[10] Abraham,[11][12][13] Isaac,[14] and Jacob.[15][16][17] These individuals typically offered sacrifices to God by shedding the blood of animals. Melchizedek was unique in that he brought bread and wine and blessed Abraham.[18]

The Time of Moses

The priesthood was officially established during the time of Moses. After the completion of the tabernacle, and according to God’s command, Aaron—Moses’ brother from the tribe of Levi—and his sons (Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar) were the first to serve as priests.[19] Among them, Aaron was the first high priest. The high priesthood was hereditary, passed down only through Aaron’s direct descendants, and was a lifetime position, succeeded upon the death of the previous high priest.[20] After Aaron’s death, his third son, Eleazar, inherited the office of high priest.[21]

The Kingdom Era

  • United Kingdom Era

During the united kingdom, the priesthood continued through the descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar. Even within the tribe of Levi, only those who were descendants of Aaron could serve as priests.[22] Before the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, King David organized the priests into 24 divisions. Each division of priests and their families served in the temple for one week at a time.[23][24] This system was established to ensure the efficient and orderly offering of sacrifices to God.

The 24 Priestly Divisions Established by David
1st Division 2nd Division 3rd Division 4th Division 5th Division 6th Division 7th Division 8th Division
Jehoiarib Jedaiah Harim Seorim Malkijah Mijamin Hakkoz Abijah
9th Division 10th Division 11th Division 12th Division 13th Division 14th Division 15th Division 16th Division
Jeshua Shecaniah Eliashib Jakim Huppah Jeshebeab Bilgah Immer
17th Division 18th Division 19th Division 20th Division 21st Division 22nd Division 23rd Division 24th Division
Hezir Happizzez Pethahiah Jehezkel Jakin Gamul Delaiah Maaziah
  • The Divided Kingdom Era

After Solomon’s death, the kingdom split into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and the people of Israel abandoned God’s covenant. Jeroboam, the first king of the Kingdom of Israel, appointed common people as priests instead of Levites and led the nation into idol worship.[25] In the Kingdom of Judah, kings such as Ahaz, Manasseh, and Zedekiah also committed idolatry, and the priests and people followed their kings in worshiping idols.

After the Kingdom Era

The 24 priestly divisions remained in place until the time of Jesus’ birth. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to the eighth division—Abijah.[26] However, during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the office of high priest became corrupt. Originally, the high priesthood was a lifelong office passed down only through the descendants of Aaron. However, under foreign rule, appointments and removals were influenced by political interests and bribes.[27] As a result, high priests often did not serve even a single year, and the office was at times bought and sold.[28] Caiaphas, who served as high priest during Jesus’ time, was appointed in A.D. 18 by Governor Gratus and removed in A.D. 36 by Governor Vitellius.[29] During this period, many high priests pursued honor and wealth, neglecting their duties in service to God.[30]

Appointment of Priests

Qualifications

  1. Must be a direct descendant of Aaron[22]
  2. Must have no physical defects[31]
  3. Must be holy and ceremonially clean[32]

Ordination

Priests participating in ordination were washed with water at the tent of meeting as a purification rite. They were clothed in undergarments and robes, following the order prescribed by God. A turban was placed on their head, and anointing oil was poured over them. Sin offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings were presented morning and evening. The ordination ceremony lasted seven days, during which the priests were not permitted to leave the tabernacle until all rituals were completed. Only after completing this process could they begin their priestly duties.[33]

Duties of the Priest

Key Responsibilities

  1. Managing the sanctuary and altar of God[34]
  2. Overseeing the offering of sacrifices[35]
  3. Teaching the people God’s law[36]
  4. Inquiring of God’s will[37]
  5. Diagnosing leprosy (Hansen’s disease)[38]
  6. Judging disputes among the people[39]
  7. Blowing trumpets to announce festivals or war[40]
  8. Proclaiming blessings in God’s name[41]

Privilege

Priests were granted the privilege of eating the sacred offerings in the sanctuary. These sacred offerings referred to portions of the sacrifices presented to God that were set aside specifically for the priests to eat. Although certain offerings were prohibited for priestly consumption,[42] the Law of Moses generally permitted priests to eat the sacred portions of the offerings made in the sanctuary.[43]

Being forbidden to eat sacred offerings signified disqualification from serving as a priest. When the Israelites returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, those whose names could not be found in the genealogical records were prohibited from performing priestly duties.[44]

This disqualification was expressed by forbidding them from eating sacred offerings. This regulation is also echoed in the New Testament. Paul referenced the Old Testament practice of priests eating sacrifices to teach that eating food sacrificed to idols is equivalent to participating in an altar devoted to idols.[45] Since those who eat from the sacrifice are participants at the altar, eating food offered to idols amounts to idol worship.

Precautions for Priests

Aaron’s Sons, Nadab and Abihu, Destroyed by Fire by Matthäus Merian, 1625
  1. All utensils used in the sanctuary and priestly garments must be made exactly as God instructed.[46]
  2. Priests must wash their hands and feet before entering the tent of meeting.[47]
  3. Sacrifices must be offered in accordance with the statutes established by God. (Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, were consumed by fire for offering unauthorized fire in the sanctuary.)[48]
  4. Sacrifices must be regarded as holy. (The sons of Eli the priest, Hophni and Phinehas, were destroyed for treating the sacrifices with contempt.)[49][50]

High Priest

Illustration of the high priest in the Old Testament

The high priest held the highest-ranking position among the priests. As the chief leader of both the priests and the Levites, he served as the primary representative of the people of Israel before God. He oversaw the priesthood and managed all matters related to the sanctuary and sacrificial rituals.

Garments

The garments of the high priest were crafted precisely according to God’s command. The ephod was woven with threads of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, featuring intricate patterns. Golden bells were attached to the hem of the robe. He wore undergarments of fine linen and a white turban made of pure linen. On the chest of the outer robe was the breastpiece of decision, containing twelve gemstones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, arranged in four rows of three stones each. Inside the breastpiece were the Urim and Thummim,[37] though their appearance and material remain unknown.[51]

Main Duty

God Speaks Through the Urim and Thummim; engraving by Jan Luyken (1682–1762)
  • The Law of the Urim
Before making significant decisions, the high priest would use the Urim and the Thummim to inquire of God’s will—a practice referred to as the “law of the Urim.”[52] In Hebrew, Urim means “lights,” and Thummim means “perfections.”[53] Together, the terms signify “perfect light.” When Joshua was appointed as Moses’ successor, Eleazar sought God’s guidance for him through the law of the Urim.[52] Similarly, when the Israelites returned from Babylonian exile, those who could not verify their genealogy were prohibited from serving as priests until a priest appeared who possessed the Urim and the Thummim.[44]
  • Presiding Over the Sacrifices on the Day of Atonement
In the Old Testament, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place—the inner sanctuary behind the second curtain of the temple—once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer atonement sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel.[54] Only the high priest was authorized to enter this sacred inner sanctuary.[55]
For details, refer to: Day of Atonement
  • Release of Sinners from the City of Refuge
According to Old Testament law, cities of refuge were established as havens for those who had unintentionally killed someone, allowing them to flee from avengers of blood and preserve their lives. However, their return to their home was only permitted upon the death of the high priest.[56] If the high priest died early, release came sooner; If he died later, release was delayed. This law prefigured Jesus Christ, the eternal high priest revealed in the New Testament, who brought true atonement and release through His death.[57]
For details, refer to: City of Refuge

Priesthood in the New Testament

For details, refer to: Sacrifices in the Old Testament, Melchizedek, Order of Priest, and Worship

The Order of Aaron and the Order of Melchizedek

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were made using the blood of animals such as lambs and bulls, offered by priests in the temple. This system is called the Levitical priesthood or the order of Aaron. However, the Apostle Paul explained that perfection could not be attained through the Levitical priesthood, and that in the New Testament, Jesus came as the perfect high priest in the order of Melchizedek.[58] While other priests offered animals, Melchizedek alone blessed Abraham with bread and wine,[18] prefiguring Jesus, who gave the blessing of forgiveness of sins to His disciples through the Passover bread and wine.[59]

Christ, the Eternal High Priest

With the coming of Jesus in the New Testament, the role of the earthly high priests—who were merely a shadow of the true reality—became unnecessary, because Jesus came as the high priest of the heavenly sanctuary, the true temple. The high priests of the earthly sanctuary eventually died, and their office had to be passed on to others. However, Jesus, the high priest of the heavenly sanctuary, lives forever; therefore, His priesthood is eternal.[57][60][58]

Royal Priesthood: God’s people

The New Testament teaches that believers in the truth are “a royal priesthood.”[2] In the Old Testament, priests offered animal sacrifices. But in the New Testament, Jesus became the sacrifice, dying on the cross—thereby ending the need for physical offerings. Now, under the new covenant, worship is offered in spirit and in truth.[61][62] When believers live holy lives, free from the corruption of the world and without blemish or defect, they offer spiritual worship that is rightly due to God.[63] Such a life is the qualification to become a royal priest in the eternal kingdom of heaven.[64]

Related videos

  • Sermon: Qualification of the Royal Priesthood

  • Sermon: The High Priest Ministering with the Urim and Thummim (2)

  • Sermon: The Holy Feast of the Day of Atonement

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 3548. כֹּהֵן, Bible Hub
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 1 Peter 2:9
  3. ↑ Exodus 29:1
  4. ↑ The Temple, The Bible Says
  5. ↑ Hebrews 9:22
  6. ↑ "Exodus 30:30–33".
  7. ↑ Exodus 19:6
  8. ↑ Exodus 12:3
  9. ↑ Genesis 4:3–5
  10. ↑ Genesis 8:20
  11. ↑ Genesis 12:7–8
  12. ↑ Genesis 13:8
  13. ↑ "Genesis 22:13".
  14. ↑ Genesis 26:25
  15. ↑ Genesis 31:54
  16. ↑ Genesis 35:6–7
  17. ↑ Genesis 46:1
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Genesis 14:17–20".
  19. ↑ Exodus 28:1
  20. ↑ Exodus 28:41–43
  21. ↑ Numbers 20:23–26
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Exodus 29:9".
  23. ↑ 1 Chronicles 24:1–19.
  24. ↑ Priests: Divided by David Into Twenty-Four Courses, Bible Hub
  25. ↑ "1 Kings 12:27–33".
  26. ↑ Luke 1:5
  27. ↑ HIGH PRIESTS AND THE POLITICS OF ROMAN PALESTINE: A Contextual Analysis of the Evidence in Josephus, HORSLEY, RICHARD A., Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period, 1986, pg.23-55
  28. ↑ Evidence of Priestly Corruption around the Time of Yeshua, Mayim Chayim Messianic Synagogue
  29. ↑ Herod the Great and Jesus, Gerard Gertoux , Lulu.com, 2015, pg.127
  30. ↑ Jesus, the New Testament, and Christian Origins, Anders Runesson, Dieter Mitternacht, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021
  31. ↑ Leviticus 21:16–23.
  32. ↑ Leviticus 21:4–9.
  33. ↑ Exodus 29.
  34. ↑ Numbers 4:16
  35. ↑ Leviticus 4:25–26
  36. ↑ 2 Chronicles 17:8–9
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Exodus 28:29–30.
  38. ↑ Leviticus 14:2–9.
  39. ↑ Deuteronomy 17:8–9
  40. ↑ Numbers 10:8–10.
  41. ↑ Numbers 6:22–27.
  42. ↑ Leviticus 6:29–30
  43. ↑ Numbers 18:8–10.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Ezra 2:62–63
  45. ↑ 1 Corinthians 10:18
  46. ↑ Exodus 31:7–11
  47. ↑ Exodus 30:20–21
  48. ↑ Leviticus 10:1–2
  49. ↑ 1 Samuel 2:12–17.
  50. ↑ 1 Samuel 4:17
  51. ↑ Exodus 39:1–31.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Numbers 27:18–21
  53. ↑ Urim and Thummim, Cornelis Van Dam, Bible Odyssey
  54. ↑ Leviticus 16:11–15, 34
  55. ↑ Hebrews 9:7
  56. ↑ Numbers 35:22–28.
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Hebrews 5:8–10
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 Hebrews 7:11–17.
  59. ↑ Matthew 26:17, 26-28.
  60. ↑ "Hebrews 6:20".
  61. ↑ Luke 22:14–20.
  62. ↑ John 4:23–24
  63. ↑ Romans 12:1–2
  64. ↑ Revelation 1:6
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