ΙΕΡΑΤΕΥΣΙΣ

Definition

According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, ἱεράτευσις is "the act of being a priest, the performance of priestly duties, a sacred rite." It is a noun that describes the action or process of exercising the priestly office, i.e., the execution of religious ceremonies and sacrifices by a priest.

In classical Greek literature, the word is not as frequent as its cognate nouns ἱερωσύνη (the priesthood as an office) or ἱερατεία (the body of priests or the office itself). However, the concept of performing sacred acts was fundamental to ancient Greek religion, where priests played a central role in maintaining piety and the relationship with the divine.

Hierateusis gains particular prominence in the Septuagint (LXX) and Koine Greek, where it is used to describe the priestly ministry of the sons of Aaron and the Levites in the Old Testament. It symbolizes the establishment and execution of ritual duties that were essential for maintaining the covenant between God and the people of Israel.

In Christian theology, although the word ἱεράτευσις does not appear directly in the New Testament (where ἱερωσύνη is preferred for the office), the concept of priestly action is central, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews, which analyzes the unique and eternal priesthood of Christ as the Great High Priest, who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice.

Main Meanings

1. The act of performing sacred duties — The execution of ritual acts associated with the priestly office, such as sacrifices and offerings.
2. Exercise of the priestly office — The active participation in and fulfillment of the duties of a priest or a priestly order.
3. Sacred rite, sacrifice — Specifically, the ritual act of offering sacrifices to the gods or to God.
4. The function or ministry of the priest — The sum of responsibilities and services provided by a priest within the context of worship.
5. The Levitical priesthood (in the Septuagint) — The specific priestly ministry of the descendants of Aaron and the tribe of Levi, as described in the Old Testament.
6. Consecration to priestly office — The ceremony or process by which someone is appointed or ordained as a priest.

Word Family

hier- (root of hieros, meaning "sacred, holy")

The root hier- forms the core of an extensive family of words in Ancient Greek, all revolving around the concept of "sacred," "holy," and "dedicated to the divine." This root, belonging to the oldest stratum of the Greek language, expresses the idea of separation and consecration for religious purposes. From this fundamental meaning, words developed to describe sacred places, sacred persons, sacred acts, and the sacred offices themselves, building a rich vocabulary for religious life and worship.

In Ancient Texts

Hierateusis, as a term for the performance of sacred duties, is frequently found in the books of the Old Testament, particularly those describing the establishment of the priesthood.

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΙΕΡΑΤΕΥΣΙΣ:

Sources & Bibliography

• Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed. with revised supplement, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
• Bauer, W., Arndt, W. F., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W. — A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.
• Lampe, G. W. H. — A Patristic Greek Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961.
• Montanari, F. — Vocabolario della Lingua Greca, 3rd ed., Torino: Loescher, 2013.
• Septuagint — Rahlfs-Hanhart Edition, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2006.
• Nestle-Aland — Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th ed., Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012.
• P. Chantraine — Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, Paris: Klincksieck, 1968-1980.