Found most often in the book of Hebrews (5:6; 7:1, 3, 11, 14-15, 17, 21, 23; 8:4; 9:6; 10:11, 21), but also used in Mt. 8:4; 12:4-5; Mk. 1:44; 2:26; Lk. 1:5; 5:14; 6:4; 10:31; 17:14; Jn. 1:19; Acts 4:1; 5:24; 6:7; 14:13; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6, the Greek noun “hiereus” meant “priest.”
Category Archives: Greek word studies
Ἱερεμίας
Limited to Mt. 2:17; 16:14; 27:9, “Jeremiah” was a priestly prophet at the time of Judah’s fall.
The Greek verb “ἱερατεύω”
Limited to Lk. 1:8, the Greek verb “hierateuo” means “to perform the service of a priest.”
The Greek noun “ἱεράτευμα”
Limited to 1 Pet. 2:5, 9, the Greek noun “hierateuma” means “priesthood.” Peter affirmed every Christian is a priest and thus a member of the priesthood.
The Greek noun “ἱερατεία”
Limited to Lk. 1:9 and Heb. 7:5, the Greek noun “hierateia” means “priesthood” or “priestly office.” The Dictionary of New Testament Theology (2:233) says this term “means priestly activity, the office.” Stated another way, this word describes the actual work performed by the Old Testament priests.
Ἱεράπολις
Limited to Col. 4:13, “Hierapolis” was a city in Asia Minor. This community was located northeast of Laodicea.
Ἰεζαβήλ
Limited to Rev. 2:20, “Jezebel” was the wicked wife of King Ahab. John said there was a “Jezebel” at the congregation in Thyatira who seduced Christians. This woman was a false prophetess who represents evil and false religion.
The Greek noun “ἱδρώς”
Limited to Lk. 22:44, but not found in all our manuscripts because Lk. 22:43-44 is not in all our manuscripts, the Greek noun “idros” meant “perspiration” or “sweat.” Something like bloody sweat showed the intensity of Jesus’ agony.
Ἰδουμαία
Limited to Mk. 3:8, “Idoumaia” was the territory west of the Dead Sea and south of Judea.
The Greek noun “ἰδιώτης”
Limited to Acts 4:13; 1 Cor. 14:16, 23-24; 2 Cor. 11:6, the Greek noun “idiotes” meant “unskilled,” “unlearned,” “amateur.” Spicq (2:213) said this term “refers to anyone who has no training or specialty, and therefore is contrasted with experts and professionals.” Aside from Acts 4:13 where this adjective describes rulers and legal experts, this term is always used by Paul. This apostle said he was “unskilled” in speech (2 Cor. 11:6). In 1 Cor. 14, this word describes those “present in the Corinthian congregation but whom Paul apparently distinguished from the regular members of the church” (Silva, 2:501). This word does not in any way support the clergy-laity system found in the denominational world.