Chief priest

Chief priest - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

See [113]PRIEST.

High priest - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office (Ex. 29:7; 30:23; Lev. 8:12). He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death passed to his successor in office (Ex. 29:29, 30). Besides those garments which he wore in common with all priests, there were four that were peculiar to himself as high priest:

(1.) The "robe" of the ephod, all of blue, of "woven work," worn immediately under the ephod. It was without seam or sleeves. The hem or skirt was ornamented with pomegranates and golden bells, seventy-two of each in alternate order. The sounding of the bells intimated to the people in the outer court the time when the high priest entered into the holy place to burn incense before the Lord (Ex. 28).

(2.) The "ephod" consisted of two parts, one of which covered the back and the other the breast, which were united by the "curious girdle." It was made of fine twined linen, and ornamented with gold and purple. Each of the shoulder-straps was adorned with a precious stone, on which the names of the twelve tribes were engraved. This was the high priest's distinctive vestment (1 Sam. 2:28; 14:3; 21:9; 23:6, 9; 30:7).

(3.) The "breastplate of judgment" (Ex. 28:6-12, 25-28; 39:2-7) of "cunning work." It was a piece of cloth doubled, of one span square. It bore twelve precious stones, set in four rows of three in a row, which constituted the Urim and Thummim (q.v.). These stones had the names of the twelve tribes engraved on them. When the high priest, clothed with the ephod and the breastplate, inquired of the Lord, answers were given in some mysterious way by the Urim and Thummim (1 Sam. 14:3, 18, 19; 23:2, 4, 9, 11, 12; 28:6; 2 Sam. 5:23).

(4.) The "mitre," or upper turban, a twisted band of eight yards of fine linen coiled into a cap, with a gold plate in front, engraved with "Holiness to the Lord," fastened to it by a ribbon of blue.

To the high priest alone it was permitted to enter the holy of holies, which he did only once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, for "the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest" (Heb. 9; 10). Wearing his gorgeous priestly vestments, he entered the temple before all the people, and then, laying them aside and assuming only his linen garments in secret, he entered the holy of holies alone, and made expiation, sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat, and offering up incense. Then resuming his splendid robes, he reappeared before the people (Lev. 16). Thus the wearing of these robes came to be identified with the Day of Atonement.

The office, dress, and ministration of the high priest were typical of the priesthood of our Lord (Heb. 4:14; 7:25; 9:12, etc.).

It is supposed that there were in all eighty-three high priests, beginning with Aaron (B.C. 1657) and ending with Phannias (A.D. 70). At its first institution the office of high priest was held for life (but comp. 1 Kings 2:27), and was hereditary in the family of Aaron (Num. 3:10). The office continued in the line of Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son, for two hundred and ninety-six years, when it passed to Eli, the first of the line of Ithamar, who was the fourth son of Aaron. In this line it continued to Abiathar, whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, in his stead (1 Kings 2:35), in which it remained till the time of the Captivity. After the Return, Joshua, the son of Josedek, of the family of Eleazar, was appointed to this office. After him the succession was changed from time to time under priestly or political influences.

See PRIEST, HIGH.

Definition

The term “high priest” refers to a special priest who was appointed to serve for one year as the leader of all of the other Israelite priests. In New Testament times, some other priests were also considered very important Jewish religious leaders, with authority over other priests and the people. These were the chief priests.

• The high priest had special responsibilities. He was the only one who was permitted to go into the most holy part of the tabernacle or the temple to offer a special sacrifice once per year.
• The Israelites had many priests, but only one high priest at a time.
• After high priests retired, they still kept the title, along with some of the responsibilities of the office. For example, Annas was still referred to as high priest during the priesthood of Caiaphas and others.
• The chief priests were responsible for everything needed for the worship services at the temple. They were also in charge of the money that was given to the temple.
• The chief priests were higher in rank and power than the ordinary priests. Only the high priest had more authority.
• The chief priests were some of Jesus’ main enemies and they strongly influenced the Roman leaders to arrest and kill him.

Translation Suggestions

• “High priest” could be translated as “supreme priest” or “highest ranking priest.”
• The term “chief priests” could be translated as “head priests” or “leading priests” or “ruling priests.”

(See also: Annas, Caiaphas, priest, temple)

Bible References

• Acts 5:27
• Acts 7:1
• Acts 9:1
• Exodus 30:10
• Hebrews 6:19-20
• Leviticus 16:32
• Luke 3:2
• Mark 2:25-26
• Matthew 26:3-5
• Matthew 26:51-54

Examples from the Bible stories

• __13:8 No one could enter the room behind the curtain except the high priest__, because God lived there.
• __21:7 The Messiah who would come would be the perfect high priest__ who would offer himself as a perfect sacrifice to God.
• __38:3 The Jewish leaders, led by the high priest__, paid Judas thirty silver coins to betray Jesus.
• __39:1 The soldiers led Jesus to the house of the high priest in order for the high priest__ to question him.
• __39:3 Finally, the high priest__ looked directly at Jesus and said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of the living God?”
• __44:7 The next day, the Jewish leaders brought Peter and John to the high priest__ and the other religious leaders.
• __45:2 So the religious leaders arrested Stephen and brought him to the high priest__ and the other leaders of the Jews, where more false witnesses lied about Stephen.
• __46:1 The high priest__ gave Saul permission to go to the city of Damascus to arrest Christians there and bring them back to Jerusalem.
• __48:6 Jesus is the Great High Priest. Unlike other priests, he offered himself as the only sacrifice that could to take away the sin of all the people in the world. Jesus was the perfect high priest__ because he took the punishment for every sin that anyone has ever committed.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H7218, H1419, H3548, G07480, G07490