Priests Archives - Wednesday in the Word

These are the principal religious and political offices in Judaism at the time of Jesus.

The Common Priest

The Hebrew word for priest has the root meaning of “one who stands up for another and mediates his cause.”
Most common priests were Sadducees.
Members of the tribe of Levi were eligible to be assistants to the priests, singers and musicians, gate-keepers and guards.
Members of the house of Aaron were eligible to be priests.
The priests were divided into 24 “courses” or groups. Half of each of the “courses” lived in Jerusalem. The rest scattered over the land. These courses appear to have developed during the time of David & Solomon.
When a course was on duty, all its members had to be in the Temple. If a priest could not make the journey to Jerusalem, he to pray and fast at his local synagogue each day of his week of service.
They drew lots within the courses to decide who would serve where. They conducted the sacrifices, grain offerings, etc.
Since the sacrifices were required by law and only priests could administer them, they were powerful and wealthy but not popular.

Most were wealthy, aristocratic Sadducees.
The High Priest was not involved in daily affairs.
The “Sagan” officiated for the High priest if he was defiled and would act as his second.
2 “Katholikn” were assistants to the Sagan and oversee the treasury.
7 “Ammarcalin” were assistants to the Katholikin and took charge of all the gates, holy vessels and holy vestments.
3 or 7 “Gizbarin” were assistants to the Ammarcalin. They appear to have been in charge of all dedicated and consecrated things, the temple tribute and the redemption of money.
This small group (the “council of the temple”) was very powerful and regulated “affairs and services of the sanctuary.” Judas made his first bargain with them.

The High Priest had to be a Levite, from the tribe of Aaron and a Zadokite. At time of Herod the great, the High Priest had to be Hasmonean.
At the time of Jesus, the High Priest was appointed by the Sanhedrin.
The High Priest administered the Day of Atonement and acted as civil authority.
The High Priest had first pick of everything that came into the temple and could become very wealthy.
He had to isolate for 7 days before the Day of Atonement, to avoid becoming defiled. He could declare someone else as High priest if he became defiled and that person also become High Priest for life.
There could be several living high priests at a time but only 1 acting in the role. Former high priests had much political power.
His death had atoning value. Lawbreakers could flee to certain cities of refuge. They were given amnesty at the death of the high priest.

The Sanhedrin was not established in the Old Testament. It appears to have developed in the Hasmonean period.
The Sanhedrin was a political council that developed out of civil authority of the high priests. There were smaller Sanhedrins throughout Judea not connected with the temple.
Name means “council”.
They claimed to be successors of the 70 elders who ruled with Moses. There were typically 70 members plus 1 High Priest.
Most of the Sanhedrin were Sadduccees. However Salome Alexandra let some Pharisees in.
The Chief Priests were automatically members. The High Priest presided over it.
Wealthy elders who were not priests but usually Sadducees could also be given a seat.
Some Pharisees, especially the intellectual elite of the Pharisees, were given a seat. Though the Pharisees were a minority on the Sanhedrin, they had power because they were popular with the people.
Under Herod the Great, the Sanhedrin had little role in civil affairs. They became more powerful under Pilate’s rule.

The synagogue appears to have developed during the exile as a result of the loss of temple worship.
They elected a “captain” or leader who was not a priest or rabbi, but an administrator/overseer. He chose the rabbis.
The synagogue was the center of city life. It was concerned with teaching and reading the Law. Education in the synagogues came from the scribes who shared the Pharisees point of view.
They would read through the Old Testament in a 1-3 year cycle. They read in Hebrew and then translated into the language of the day. Then a rabbi would teach.
Women and children were definitely involved and there was no evidence they were separated at the time of Christ.
Most scribes taught by saying “Rabbi A said…. and Rabbi B said…” But Jesus taught by saying “I say to you….” This seems to be part of what was amazing about his teaching.
Edersheim: Chapter 16 Synagogues: Their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
Edersheim: Chapter 17 The Worship of the Synagogue