ἱερεύς

ἱερεύς — hiereús

ἱερεύς, ἱερέως, ὁ (ἱερός) (from Homer down), Hebrew כֹּהֵן, a priest; one who offers sacrifices and in general is busied with sacred rites;

a. properly, of the priests of the Gentiles, Act 14:13; of the priests of the Jews, Mat 8:4; Mat 12:4; Mar 1:44; (Mar 2:26); Luk 1:5; Luk 5:14; Joh 1:19; Heb 7:1-28 :( L T Tr WH),;, etc.; of the high priest, Act 5:24 R G (Exo 35:18; 1Ki 1:8; 1Ma 15:1; Josephus, Antiquities 6, 12, 1); and in the same sense Christ is called ἱερεύς in Heb 5:6 (from Psa 109:4; Heb 7:17; also ἱερεύς μέγας, Heb 10:21 (see ἀρχιερεύς, 3) (others take the adjective here not as blending with ἱερεύς into a technical or official appellation, but as descriptive, great; cf. Heb 4:14).

b. metaphorically, of Christians, because, purified by the blood of Christ and brought into close contact with God, they devote their life to him alone (and to Christ): Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10; Rev 20:6, cf. Rev 1:5; Rev 5:9.