He died on Mount Hor, which lies on the western edge of the land settled by the Edomites, at the age of 123 (Numbers 33:39). The Bible speaks of many different kinds of priests. A description of this item of clothing is found in Exodus 28. High priest, Hebrew kohen gadol, in Judaism, the chief religious functionary in the Temple of Jerusalem, whose unique privilege was to enter the Holy of Holies (inner sanctum) once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to burn incense and sprinkle sacrificial animal blood to expiate his own sins and those of the people of Israel. Also called “the chief priest.” ( 2Ch 26:20; Ezr 7:5 ) He alone was allowed to enter the Most Holy, the innermost compartment of the tabernacle and later of the temple. "HIGH PRIEST" in the KJV Bible. John 11:49–52 possibly indicates that the high priests often had the gift of prophecy. The High Priest's duties were the same as any other Levite who served the Eternal with a few exceptions. AM. This is a basic description of who and what the high priest was under the Old Covenant. However, we only have one high priest–Jesus the Christ. As high priest, He was tempted just like we are tempted each and every day (Heb. What is the biblical role of the high priest? Luk 9:22-Hebrews 13:11; Luke 9:22 Luk 9:22. 2:17). (Genesis 14:18) In the worship of the patriarchs themselves, the chief of the family, as such, acted as the priest. 10:12). The high priest was also to wear the vest of the ephod which was a sleeveless garment worn over the upper torso. However, under the New Covenant we have a different kind of high priest. and He said, "The Son of Man must suffer much cruelty, be rejected by the Elders and High Priest s and Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised to life again." Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Melchizedek is "the priest of the most high God." In Leviticus, the ones serving at the altar and approaching near with the blood of offerings were the priests.. What is it? What was the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. He was anointed into the office of High Priest at the age of 83 in 1445 B.C. He was to marry a virgin woman of pure character. This high priest was a symbol of the true High Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:17, 3:1, 5:5). Because the high priest held the leadership position, one of his roles was overseeing the responsibilities of all the subordinate priests (2 Chronicles 19:11). He was the mediator between God and the people. Moses' father-in-law was priest of Midian, doubtless the chief or high priest. The office descended with the birthright, and might apparently he transferred with it. Understanding Jesus' status as our high priest is a key point in the Book of Hebrews. God chose Aaron, brother of Moses, to be his first high priest, and Aaron's sons to be priests to assist him. The high priests lived much like the regular priests, only they had a few special responsibilities that set them apart. In the Bible, we do have a distinction between the priests and the high priest. 5) This makes him a mediator for a better covenant (Hebrews 9:15). The word “priest” carries a couple of primary meanings. Greek. They were also held to a higher standard of holiness than the rest of the priests. Christian Truth. 4) While the high priest under the Old Covenant went into the Holy Place and then came out, Jesus went into the Holy Place and sat down (Heb. The vest also had a pocket wherein the Urim and Thummim were kept which he alone could consult. Shoulder Pieces. Verse Concepts. Shoulders. In the Mosaic covenant, God mandates that there be a high priest to intermediate between God (who is holy) and the people (who are sinful). The priests had a special service regarding the sacrifices of the Law — representing the saints who have the privilege of sacrifice and service during the present time, together with their High Priest, Jesus. Although his name appears in the list of the Zadokite family (1 Chr. He was not to wear his priestly garments, but was to dress in pure linen. 7:27). They were the head of the twenty-four courses that rotated serving in Jerusalem's temple. What is significant about the Ark of the Covenant? The prophet Zechariah of the restored community had already foreseen in his vision of Joshua the High Priest the union of the offices of King and Priest (… Many other high-priesthoods of less importance existed. 5:30–40, 6:4-15 in other translations) there is no direct evidence in the Bible that he was a High Priest. The priests may range in their duties from taking care of the sacrificial lambs and maintaining the temple, but the high priest had the enormous task as serving as a mediator between the people and God once during the year. Just as the high priestly garments under the Old Covenant symbolized mediation, so today Jesus embodies mediation. "HIGH PRIEST" in the KJV Bible. Just as Melchizedek was not born into the Levitical priesthood but was appointed by God, so Jesus was named our eternal high priest, interceding with God the Father on our behalf. The Priests. In several periods of gentile … Each temple had its priest or priests, the larger temples and centers having a high priest. Exo 28:12-Luk 3:2; 2. God’s people are all called to be priests (Revelation 5:10, 20:6), but we must follow after the true High Priest (Hebrews 2:18). At the top of the social and political scale was the High Priest. Answer: The office of chief priest was a high position among the Israelites. WNT, EMB, ISV, MSTC, WORRELL, MOFFATT, GOODSPEED, MNT, WILLIAMS. The high priests belonged to the Jewish priestly families that trace their paternal line back to Aaron, the first high priest of Israel in the Hebrew Bible and elder brother of Moses, through Zadok, a leading priest at the time of David and Solomon. The priestly breastplate (Hebrew: חֹשֶׁן ‎ ẖošen) was a sacred breastplate worn by the High Priest of the Israelites, according to the Book of Exodus.In the biblical account, the breastplate is sometimes termed the breastplate of judgment, because the Urim and Thummim were placed within it. As our High Priest, he is both the one who offered the sacrifice for our sins and the sacrifice itself. After the sacrifice he was then to preside over the sending of the scapegoat into the wilderness. Luk 9:22-Hebrews 13:11; Exodus 28:12 Exo 28:12. Exo 28:12-Luk 3:2; 2. The headdress was of fine linen and inscribed upon the gold plat of the crown were the words, “Holy to Jehovah.” This special tunic inscribed with the names of Israel on it represented the nation of Israel where as the headdress labelled “holy to Jehovah” represented the interests of God. 2) Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life (Heb. 'High Priest' in the Bible. “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.” In the context we read that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek thus acknowledging him as God’s high priest. 'High Priest' in the Bible. One such task is that of washing windows on skyscrapers, another is painting bridges, like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. He also acted as a judge for various diseases, for legal questions, and ultimately for questions regarding spiritual leadership. 1. For centuries the high priest of Amon at Thebes stood next to the king in power and influence. In the Old Testament, the terms chief priest and high priest are sometimes alternate translations of the same Hebrew phrase (compare 2 Chronicles 26:20 in the NIV and NET). See PRIEST, HIGH. The high priest was ceremonially installed into the office per the instructions found in Exodus 29:29 and following. Have you ever watched someone performing a very dangerous task and gone away smiling at the thought that this person is risking his neck, rather than you? You shall put the two stones on the [two] shoulder pieces of the ephod [of the high priest], as memorial stones for Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. 749. archiereus -- high priest... high priest. 5:9). Each one focuses on a particular aspect of who He is and what that means for us. Part of these great blessings is the high priesthood of Jesus. Answer: High Priest is only one of the many titles applied to Jesus: Messiah, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, Friend of Sinners, etc. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the office of high priest is that he was to enter the most Holy place once a year and offering an atoning sacrifice both for himself and for the children of Israel (Leviticus 16). He was to wash both hands and feet before nearing the altar. Tools. The priestly crown or frontlet (צִיץ ṣîṣ / tsiyts) was the golden plate or tiara worn by the Jewish High Priest on his mitre or turban whenever he would minister in the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day the office of chief priest seems to have been distinguished from that of the high priest. The book of Hebrews points out that Jesus is a priest after this order of priesthood. The people would often go to the high priest when they were seeking will of God. 1. The Bible mentions the majority of high priests before the captivity, but does not give a complete list of office holders. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was appointed as the first one by God. There are several occupations that I would gladly pay someone else an exorbitant salary to do than to have to do it myself. 986 Instances - Page 1 of 33 - Sort by Book Order Expand or Limit Your Search Results: All KJV books Old Testament only New Testament only Apocrypha only (?) Additionally, only he could perform the tasks required on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). What was the 'Most Holy Place' or the 'Holy of Holies'? Among these Levitical priests was the high priest. 1 Kings 4:2, where he is called "son of Zadok", although he is elsewhere identified as the son of Ahimaaz.. The burden of the book of Hebrews is to show that the way of Christ is the better way. Though the high priest could participate in ordinary priestly ministries, only certain functions were given to him. What is a high priest? We have a tremendous amount of detail regarding the office of this priest. Aaron was from the tribe of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Tools. In the Old Testament period the High Priest did not have much power, but during and after the exile he apparently attained greater importance.1In fact, many of the trappings of the monarchy were transferred to the High Priest, not merely the clothing but also the duties of government. Who is our High Priest? The division into courses occurred during the … The high priests were a special sect of the Levitical priests, coming from the line of Aaron. The high priest also had to keep his person pure. Today we have no system of worship that demands a segregated priesthood. In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is called a High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14). He is now sitting on the right hand of the throne of the Father and he “ever liveth to make intercession for us” (Hebrews 7:25). High Priest Under the Mosaic Law, the principal priest who represented the people before God and supervised the other priests. Lists would be based on various historical sources. Fifteen times in the book of Hebrews Jesus is named as high priest. In Genesis 14:18 we read of the first high priest that the Bible introduces to us. In combining the two we see a picture of mediation in the person of the high priest. That one sacrifice makes Him the only High Priest that God recognizes today. Aaron was the first high priest under the Mosaic covenant. For example, only He could wear the breastplate containing precious gemstones embedded in it. The book of Hebrews points out that Jesus is a priest after this order of priesthood. 5:9) 3) He therefore does not need to offer sacrifice for himself daily because he offered up a perfect sacrifice once for all people and all times (Heb. The high priests were forbidden from coming into contact with any dead body unless it was of the closest relatives, they were not to shave their heads or cut their beards, they could only marry Israelite virgins, and they could not perform their priestly duties if they had any physical deformities (Leviticus 21). Jesus. The high priests lived much like the regular priests, only they had a few special responsibilities that set them apart. Question: "What were the chief priests?" He understands both man’s side of the issue of sin and God’s side of the issue of sin and thereby can act as the perfect mediator. The High Priests, like all Levitical priests, belonged to the Aaronic line. The first high priest was Aaron, the brother of Moses. A mediator between God and man. Answer: A priest is a minister of any religion—true or false, good or evil—who is given authority to teach the sacred information and perform the sacred duties to preserve and bring that faith to others. HIGH PRIEST. Priests usually serve as a representative between people and a higher power, being, or set of beings. He was not to defile himself by contact with any dead bodies and he was not to show the signs of public mourning while attending to his duties. For {1} every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, {2} that he may offer both {a} gifts and {b} sacrifices for sins: (1) The first part of the first comparison of Christ's high priesthood with Aaron's: Other high priests are taken from among men, and are called after the order of … That Judaism cannot hold a candle to the blessings that are bestowed on us in Christ. Why was a blood sacrifice required in the Old Testament sacrificial system? Bible > Topical > High Priest High Priest Jump to: ISBE • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Resources. The old covenant high priest offered gifts and sacrifices for sins on behalf of men in relation to God (5:2). 99 Instances - Page 1 of 4 - Sort by Book Order Expand or Limit Your Search Results: All KJV books Old Testament only New Testament only Apocrypha only (?) 5:10; 6:20). You Are The Salt Of The Earth Sermon - Our Relationship to the World, Sermon on Women's Role | Women Who Worked for God, Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God Sermon Outline (Part 1), Sermon on Death - Death is... - Things Awful and Wonderful about Death, Sermon on the Plumbline - The God of the Plumbline, Sermon on Preaching - Preaching to Bring About Faith. While there were many priests in the earthly sanctuary, there was only one high priest. In the Mosaic covenant, God mandates that there be a high priest to intermediate between God (who is holy) and the people (who are sinful). All Christians are considered by God to be priests under the New Covenant (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. His sons and their descendants were to serve as the future high priests of the nation of Israel (Exodus 29). Azariah (Hebrew: עֲזַרְיָה ‎ ‘Ǎzaryāh, "Yah has helped") was the third High Priest after Zadok.C.f. The High Priest is considered the highest religious position of all those who served at the temple. The high priests were a special sect of the Levitical priests, coming from the line of Aaron. High Priest. In this vest were engraved in various places the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. One could not be a high priest who had physical defects or deformities. They were also held to a higher standard of holiness than the rest of the priests. The High Priest was a hereditary office in ancient Israel, usually held for life, that begun with Aaron, the older brother of Moses (Exodus 29:29 - 30, Leviticus 8:12, 16:32). The high priest was the man appointed by God to oversee the tabernacle in the wilderness, a position of sacred responsibility. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. This high priest was to consecrate and dedicate himself to the worship of God within the tabernacle and later the temple. Verse Concepts. Exodus 28:15 Exo 28:15. The high priest that we have in Jesus is superior to that of the high priesthood under the Old Covenant because 1) It was after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. We have a tremendous amount of detail regarding the office of this priest. Each new high priest had to wear holy garments and undergo a special anointing (Leviticus 21:10). He was not to eat anything that had died of itself. He was to be of the tribe of Levi of the descendents of Aaron the brother of Moses.