Brief Overview of ἀρχιερεύς (G749: archiereús)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: archiereús

Root Words:

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• ἀρχή (archē): Beginning, chief, or ruler.
• ἱερεύς (hiereús): Priest.

Primary Meanings:

• High Priest: The chief priest in the Jewish temple, holding the highest religious office in ancient Judaism.
• Principal Priest: Refers to a priest of high rank or chief among priests.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG: BDAG defines ἀρχιερεύς as:

• High Priest: The chief religious leader in the Jewish temple, particularly noted for their role in offering sacrifices and performing important ceremonial duties.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀρχιερεύς as:

• High Priest: The chief priest in the Jewish temple, who had the most significant role in religious rites and temple functions.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary notes that ἀρχιερεύς is:

• High Priest: The principal priest who had supreme authority over other priests and performed the most critical religious duties.

LSJ: The LSJ Lexicon provides:

• High Priest: The leading priest in Jewish religious practices, involved in important ceremonial roles.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀρχιερεύς as “high priest,” emphasizing its use to denote the chief priest in Jewish religious contexts.

Bible Verses:

• Matthew 26:3 (KJV): “Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.”
• The term ἀρχιερεύς is used to denote Caiaphas, the high priest.
• John 11:49 (KJV): “And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,”
• Here, ἀρχιερεύς refers to Caiaphas’ role as high priest.
• Hebrews 4:14 (KJV): “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”
• ἀρχιερεύς is used to describe Jesus as the great high priest.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

In classic Greek literature, ἀρχιερεύς is used primarily in contexts related to religious and ceremonial roles:

• Philo’s On the Life of Moses: Philo uses ἀρχιερεύς to describe the high priest’s role in Jewish religious practices.
• Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews: Josephus frequently refers to high priests, including their duties and roles in the Jewish temple.
• Plutarch’s Life of Theseus: Although not focused on Jewish practices, Plutarch uses the term to describe chief priests and their roles in various religious contexts.

4. Summary:

ἀρχιερεύς (G749: archiereús) refers to the “high priest,” the leading religious figure in Jewish temple practices. It signifies the highest priestly authority with significant ceremonial responsibilities. BDAG, Thayer’s, Vines, and LSJ all agree on its role as the chief priest, emphasizing its importance in religious rituals. In classic Greek literature, the term is used to describe chief priests and their significant roles in religious ceremonies, illustrating its centrality in religious leadership.