Dictionaries :: High Priest

High Priest:

Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office (Exd 29:7; 30:23; Lev 8:12). He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death passed to his successor in office (Exd 29:29,30). Besides those garments which he wore in common with all priests, there were four that were peculiar to himself as high priest:

(1.) The "robe" of the ephod, all of blue, of "woven work," worn immediately under the ephod. It was without seam or sleeves. The hem or skirt was ornamented with pomegranates and golden bells, seventy-two of each in alternate order. The sounding of the bells intimated to the people in the outer court the time when the high priest entered into the holy place to burn incense before the Lord (Exd 28).

(2.) The "ephod" consisted of two parts, one of which covered the back and the other the breast, which were united by the "curious girdle." It was made of fine twined linen, and ornamented with gold and purple. Each of the shoulder-straps was adorned with a precious stone, on which the names of the twelve tribes were engraved. This was the high priest's distinctive vestment (1Sa 2:28; 14:3; 21:9; 23:6,9; 30:7).

(3.) The "breastplate of judgment" (Exd 28:6-12,25-28; 39:2-7) of "cunning work." It was a piece of cloth doubled, of one span square. It bore twelve precious stones, set in four rows of three in a row, which constituted the Urim and Thummim (q.v.). These stones had the names of the twelve tribes engraved on them. When the high priest, clothed with the ephod and the breastplate, inquired of the Lord, answers were given in some mysterious way by the Urim and Thummim (1Sa 14:3,18,19; 23:2,4,9,11,12; 28:6; 2Sa 5:23).

(4.) The "mitre," or upper turban, a twisted band of eight yards of fine linen coiled into a cap, with a gold plate in front, engraved with "Holiness to the Lord," fastened to it by a ribbon of blue.

To the high priest alone it was permitted to enter the holy of holies, which he did only once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, for "the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest" (Hbr 9; 10). Wearing his gorgeous priestly vestments, he entered the temple before all the people, and then, laying them aside and assuming only his linen garments in secret, he entered the holy of holies alone, and made expiation, sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat, and offering up incense. Then resuming his splendid robes, he reappeared before the people (Lev 16). Thus the wearing of these robes came to be identified with the Day of Atonement.

The office, dress, and ministration of the high priest were typical of the priesthood of our Lord (Hbr 4:14; 7:25; 9:12, etc.).

It is supposed that there were in all eighty-three high priests, beginning with Aaron (B.C. 1657) and ending with Phannias (A.D. 70). At its first institution the office of high priest was held for life (1Ki 2:27), and was hereditary in the family of Aaron (Num 3:10). The office continued in the line of Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son, for two hundred and ninety-six years, when it passed to Eli, the first of the line of Ithamar, who was the fourth son of Aaron. In this line it continued to Abiathar, whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, in his stead (1Ki 2:35), in which it remained till the time of the Captivity. After the Return, Joshua, the son of Josedek, of the family of Eleazar, was appointed to this office. After him the succession was changed from time to time under priestly or political influences.

High Priest:

See PRIEST, HIGH

High Priest:

See PRIEST

High Priest:

The first distinct separation of Aaron to the office of the priesthood, which previously belonged to the first‐born was that recorded (Exodus 28:1). … We find from the very first the following characteristic attributes of Aaron and the high priests his successors, as distinguished from the other priests: Aaron alone was anointed (Leviticus 8:12) whence one of the distinctive epithets of the high priest was "the anointed priest." (Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; 21:10 see Numbers 35:25). The anointing of the sons of Aaron, i.e. the common priests seems to have been confined to sprinkling their garments with the anointing oil (Exodus 29:21; 28:41 etc.). The high priest had a peculiar dress, which passed to his successor at his death. This dress consisted of eight parts:

(a). The breastplate, or, as it is further named, verses (Exodus 28:15; 28:29-30) the breastplate of judgment. The breastplate was originally two spans long and one span broad, but when doubled it was square, the shape in which it was worn. On it were the twelve precious stones, set in four rows, three in a row, thus corresponding to the twelve tribes- each stone having the name of one of the children of Israel engraved upon it.

(b). The ephod. This consisted of two parts, of which one covered the back and the other the front, i.e. the breast and upper part of the body. These parts were clasped together on the shoulder with two large onyx stones, each having engraved on it six of the names of the tribes of Israel. They were further united by a "curious girdle" of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and fine twined linen round the waist. SEE [EPHOD, 2.], [GIRDLE].

(c). The robe of the ephod. This was of inferior material to the ephod itself being all of blue, 31, which implied its being only of "woven work." (Exodus 39:22). It was worn immediately under the ephod, and was longer than it. The skirt of this robe had a remarkable trimming of pomegranates in blue, red and crimson, with a bell of gold between each pomegranate alternately. The bells were to give a sound when the high priest went in and came out of the holy place.

(d). The mitre or upper turbin, with its gold plate, engraved with "Holiness to the Lord," fastened to it by a ribbon of blue.

(e). The broidered coat was a tunic or long skirt of linen with a tessellated or diaper pattern, like the setting of stone.

(f). The girdle, also of linen, was wound round the body several times from the breast downward, and the ends hung down to the ankles.

(g). The breeches or drawers, of linen, covered the loins and thighs; and

(h). The bonnet was a turban of linen, partially covering the head, but not in the form of a cone like that of the high priest when the mitre was added to it. These last four were common to all priests. The high priest alone was permitted to enter the holy of holies, which he did once a year, on the great day of atonement, when he sprinkled the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat, and burnt incense within the veil (Leviticus 16:1). … The manslayer might not leave the city of refuge during the lifetime of the existing high priest. It was also forbidden to the high priest to follow a funeral, or rend his clothes for the dead. It does not appear by whose authority the high priests were appointed to their office before there were kings of Israel. After this the office seems to have been used for political rather than religious purposes. Though at first chosen for life, we find that Solomon deposed Abiathar (1 Kings 2:35) and that Herod appointed a number of high priests, which may account for there being at least two living in Christ's time, Annas and Caiaphas (Luke 3:2). The usual are for entering upon the functions of the priesthood, according to 2 Chronicles 31:17 is considered to have been 20 years, though a priest or high priest was not actually incapacitated if he had attained to puberty. Again, according to Leviticus 21:17-21 no one that had a blemish could officiate at the altar. The theological view of the high priesthood does not fall within the scope of this work. It must suffice therefore to indicate that such a view would embrace the consideration of the office, dress, functions and ministrations of the high priest considered as typical of the priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as setting forth under shadows the truths which are openly taught under the gospel. This had been done to a great extent in the Epistle to the Hebrews. It would also embrace all the moral and spiritual teaching supposed to be intended by such symbols.