Word studies · Greek · Strong's G2409
ἱερεύς · hiereús · appears 32 times in the New Testament
In one line: One with access to God, who brings others near.
For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 7:17
Hiereus is a priest — one who approaches God on behalf of others, and a title the New Testament gives to all of Christ's people.
Hiereus names the Jewish priesthood in the Gospels and Acts, Christ's own priesthood in Hebrews, and the standing of believers in Revelation, made “a kingdom, priests to his God.” The office is defined by access: a priest goes where others may not on behalf of those who may not.
Hiereus comes from hieros, “sacred,” and named anyone who performed sacred rites — Greek temples had them as much as Jerusalem did. The Septuagint used it for the Levitical priesthood, and Hebrews then borrows it for a priesthood “after the order of Melchizedek,” older than Levi.
Greek distinguishes hiereus, a priest, from archiereus, the high priest, and Hebrews trades carefully on the difference. English blurs the categories further by using “priest” for Christian ministers, which the New Testament never does — it reserves the word for Christ and for the whole people.
Hiereus (G2409) appears 32 times in the New Testament, and never once names a Christian leader — it is used of Jewish priests, of Christ, and of all believers together.
Christ's priesthood ends the need for a mediating class: He entered the sanctuary once for all, and the curtain is torn. What follows is the priesthood of all believers — every Christian with access, and every Christian responsible to bring others near.
Use your access: pray this week for someone who is not praying for themselves. That is priestly work, and the New Testament assigns it to you.
a priest (literally or figuratively)
Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”
Matthew 8:4“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Mark 1:44In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.
Luke 1:5And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?
John 1:19While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
Acts 4:1And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:6Press and hold priest in any chapter and this study opens on the verse you are reading, with the lexicons, every occurrence and the commentaries beside it. The Bible is free to read.
Scripture quoted from the Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Strong's definitions are public domain. Counts come from The Pillar's own tagged text.