ἱερεύς

a priest

Definition

The Greek word ἱερεύς refers to a priest, a person set apart to offer sacrifices and perform religious rites. In the New Testament, it primarily denotes Jewish priests who served in the Temple, such as Zechariah in Luke 1:5. It is also used for pagan priests, like those in Acts 14:13. In a unique metaphorical sense, all believers in Christ are described as a 'royal priesthood' (1 Peter 2:9), and Jesus himself is called a 'high priest' in Hebrews (e.g., Hebrews 4:14), fulfilling and transcending the Old Testament system.

Biblical Usage

The word is used 30 times in the New Testament, most frequently in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and Acts, where it refers to the historical Jewish priesthood involved in Temple service (e.g., Matthew 8:4; Mark 2:26). The Epistle to the Hebrews uses it extensively (11 times) in its theological exposition of Christ's superior priesthood. The metaphorical application to all Christians appears in 1 Peter 2:5, 9 and Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek root ἱερός (hieros, G2413), meaning 'sacred' or 'holy.' Thus, ἱερεύς literally means 'a holy one' or 'one concerned with holy things.' It is the standard term for a priest in classical and Koine Greek, used for both Jewish and pagan religious officials.

Semantic Range

This word is central to understanding the biblical theme of priesthood. It connects the Old Testament Levitical system to the New Testament fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our perfect High Priest who offered himself as the final sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27). It also establishes the vital doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, granting every Christian direct access to God and a role in spiritual service (1 Peter 2:5, 9).

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, a priest (ἱερεύς) was a mediator between people and the divine, responsible for sacrifices, rituals, and maintaining sacred spaces. Jewish priests were specifically from the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron, with a highly structured Temple hierarchy. This cultural role of mediator is essential for understanding the New Testament's application of the term to Jesus and to the church.

ἀρχιερεύς (archiereus, G749) — a chief priest or high priest. / πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros, G4245) — an elder; a church office, not primarily a sacrificial priest. / λειτουργός (leitourgos, G3011) — a public servant or minister, often in a religious sense.

Word Details

Scripture References