WG: Priests / Priestly Office (Greek NT)¶
Overview¶
The NT priestly concept clusters around six Greek words: the general term for priest (ἱερεύς), the ruling high priest (ἀρχιερεύς), the action of priestly service (ἱερατεύω), the priestly body as a collective (ἱεράτευμα), the act of offering (προσφέρω), and the priestly order/arrangement (τάξις). These words intersect most densely in Hebrews and Revelation.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G2409 | ἱερεύς | hiereús | noun (masc.) | 30 | The person: priest (generic) | G2409-hiereus.md |
| G749 | ἀρχιερεύς | archiereus | noun (masc.) | 122 | The office: high priest / chief priest | G749-archiereus.md |
| G2407 | ἱερατεύω | hierateuō | verb | 1 | The action: to serve as priest | TODO(need G2407 study) |
| G2406 | ἱεράτευμα | hierateuma | noun (neut.) | 2 | The body: priestly fraternity | TODO(need G2406 study) |
| G4374 | προσφέρω | prospherō | verb | 45 | The work: to offer (gifts/sacrifices) | G4374-prosphero.md |
| G5010 | τάξις | taxis | noun (fem.) | 9 | The arrangement: priestly order | TODO(need G5010 study) |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- G2409, G2406, G2407, G749 — all built on ἱερ- (from ἱερός, "sacred/holy")
- G749 = ἀρχι- (chief) + ἱερεύς (priest)
- G2406 (hierateuma) and G2407 (hierateuō) are denominal derivatives of G2409
Co-occurrence (shared distinct verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G2409 | G4374 | 5 (17% of A) | Matt 8:4 — "shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift"; Hebrews — priests offering sacrifices |
| G2409 | G5010 | 4 (13% of A) | Heb 5:6; 7:11; 7:17; 10:11 — "a priest...after the order of Melchisedec" |
| G749 | G4374 | 4 (3% of A) | Heb 5:1 — "every high priest...is ordained...to offer gifts and sacrifices" |
| G2409 | G749 | 2 (7% of A) | Mark 2:26; Acts 5:24 — historical references to both priests and high priest |
| G749 | G5010 | 2 (2% of A) | Heb 5:10; 6:20 — "high priest after the order of Melchisedec" |
| G2407 | G5010 | 1 (100% of A) | Luke 1:8 — "while he executed the priest's office...in the order of his course" |
Cross-Testament Link¶
- G2409 ← H3548 כֹּהֵן (kôhên) via LXX — see TR-kohen-hiereus.md
- G2406 ἱεράτευμα echoes Exo 19:6 LXX (βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα — "royal priesthood"), cited in 1 Pet 2:9
Roles in the Concept¶
- Person (general): ἱερεύς (G2409) — any priest, Levitical or Melchizedekian
- Person (chief): ἀρχιερεύς (G749) — the ruling high priest; also used collectively for "chief priests" in the Synoptics
- Action: ἱερατεύω (G2407) — the performance of priestly duties in rotation (Luke 1:8)
- Collective body: ἱεράτευμα (G2406) — all priests as a corporate entity; applied to believers in 1 Pet 2:5, 9
- Work performed: προσφέρω (G4374) — to bring/offer; the definitive priestly act
- Structural order: τάξις (G5010) — the organized arrangement; Hebrews uses it to define the two priesthood types: "order of Aaron" (implied) vs. "order of Melchisedec"
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Heb 5:6 — ἱερεύς + τάξις — "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"
- Heb 5:1 — ἀρχιερεύς + προσφέρω — "every high priest...is ordained for men...to offer both gifts and sacrifices"
- Heb 7:11 — ἱερεύς + τάξις + (implied) ἀρχιερεύς — "perfection were by the Levitical priesthood...another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec"
- Heb 10:11 — ἱερεύς + προσφέρω — "every priest standeth daily ministering and offering...the same sacrifices"
- Luke 1:8 — ἱερατεύω + τάξις — "while he executed the priest's office...in the order of his course" (Zechariah)
- Matt 8:4 — ἱερεύς + προσφέρω — "shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_trace_data.py Last updated: 2026-04-02