The noun designates the collective priestly office or functional body of priests. In the New Testament it appears only in Luke 1:9 and Hebrews 7:5, each instance recalling an institution established by God and regulated by His word.

Priesthood under the Mosaic Covenant

Instituted by divine command (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:1-7), the priesthood was hereditary through Aaron. Priests mediated through sacrifice, guarded holiness, taught the Law (Leviticus 10:11), and bore the people’s names before God (Exodus 28:12). Their ministry underscored humanity’s need for a mediator and God’s provision of atonement.

Second Temple Practice Illustrated in Luke 1:9

“...he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense” (Luke 1:9). Casting lots divided the daily incense duties among thousands of priests. The narrative presents the priesthood as a living, organized institution in which God’s providence governed service, setting the stage for the announcement of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah.

Priesthood and Tithes in Hebrews 7:5

“Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—even though they too are descended from Abraham” (Hebrews 7:5). The Levitical right to receive tithes validates the priesthood’s authority, but the surrounding argument demonstrates its inferiority to Melchizedek’s order and therefore to Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest.

Christ the Superior High Priest

The Aaronic priesthood offered continual sacrifices; Christ “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (Hebrews 10:12). He is appointed “according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6), inaugurating an unending priesthood that fulfills and supersedes the old. The once-fragmented ministry finds perfection in a single Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).

Believers as a Royal Priesthood

Through union with Christ, the church inherits priestly status: “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Every believer now offers “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5) and proclaims His excellencies to the world.

Historical and Ministerial Significance

1. Continuity and Fulfillment: The priesthood’s sacrificial system prefigures Christ’s atonement (Hebrews 9:23-26).
2. Mediation and Access: Priestly intercession anticipates believers’ confidence to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:14-16).
3. Worship and Holiness: The meticulous regulations of priestly service teach reverent, God-directed worship (Leviticus 10:1-3).
4. Stewardship and Support: The tithe principle underscores biblical provision for those who labor in word and doctrine (1 Corinthians 9:13-14).

Practical Ministry Applications

Pastors mirror priestly functions by teaching Scripture, leading corporate worship, and interceding for the flock (2 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:17). Congregations, sharing the royal priesthood, engage in continual praise, acts of mercy, and financial generosity as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15-16).

Related Terms

ἱερεύς – individual priest.

λατρεία – worship or service rendered to God.

ἁγιασμός – sanctification, the holiness demanded of priests and now expected of all believers.

Summary

Strong’s 2405 anchors a sweeping biblical theology of priesthood: divinely instituted under the Old Covenant, perfected in Christ, and extended to every believer. Its sparse New Testament usage belies its profound testimony to God’s unbroken redemptive plan, culminating in the eternal priesthood of Jesus and the worshipping community He has redeemed.