Strong's #749: archiereus (pronounced ar-khee-er-yuce')
from 746 and 2409; the high-priest (literally, of the Jews, typically, Christ); by extension a chief priest:--chief (high) priest, chief of the priests.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon:
̓́
archiereus
1) chief priest, high priest - He above all others was honoured with the title of priest, the chief of priests. It was lawful for him to perform the common duties of the priesthood; but his chief duty was, once a year on the day of atonement, to enter into the Holy of Holies (from which the other priests were excluded) and offer sacrifices for his own sins and the sins of the people, and to preside over the Sanhedrin, or Supreme Council, when convened for judicial deliberations. According to Mosaic law, no one could aspire to the high priesthood unless he were of the tribe of Aaron and descended from a high priestly family; and he on whom the office was conferred held it till death. But from the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, when the kings of Seleucideae and afterwards the Herodian princes and the Romans arrogated to themselves the power of appointing the high priests, the office neither remained vested in the pontifical family nor was conferred on any for life; but it became venal, and could be transferred from one to another according to the will of civic or military rulers. Hence it came to pass, that during the one hundred and seven years intervening between Herod the Great and the destruction of the holy city, twenty eight persons held the pontifical dignity.
2) the high priests, these comprise in addition to one holding the high priestly office, both those who had previously discharged it and although disposed, continued to have great power in the State, as well as the members of the families from which high priest were created, provided that they had much influence in public affairs.
3) Used of Christ because by undergoing a bloody death he offered himself as an expiatory sacrifice to God, and has entered into the heavenly sanctuary where he continually intercedes on our behalf.
Part of Speech: noun masculine
Relation: from G746 and G2409
Citing in TDNT: 3:265, 349
Usage:
This word is used 123 times:
Acts 23:14: "And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse,"
Acts 24:1: "days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders,"
Acts 25:2: "Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews"
Acts 25:15: "at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the"
Acts 26:10: "authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against"
Acts 26:12: "and commission from the chief priests,"
Hebrews 2:17: "a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the"
Hebrews 3:1: "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"
Hebrews 4:14: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus"
Hebrews 4:15: "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our"
Hebrews 5:1: "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for"
Hebrews 5:5: "not himself to be made a high priest; but he that said unto him,"
Hebrews 5:10: "Called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek."
Hebrews 6:20: "entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the"
Hebrews 7:26: "For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,"
Hebrews 7:27: "needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice,"
Hebrews 7:28: "law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the"
Hebrews 8:1: "this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand"
Hebrews 8:3: "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and"
Hebrews 9:7: "the second went the high priest alone once every year, not"
Hebrews 9:11: "But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater"
Hebrews 9:25: "often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place"
Hebrews 13:11: "sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without"
