Καὶ ἱερέα μέγαν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, (Hebrews 10:21)
And having a great priest over the house of God,
The Context of a Completed Work
In Hebrews 10:21, the author continues a chain of dependent clauses that began in verse 19, forming part of a single, magnificent argument for Christian assurance. The phrase καὶ ἱερέα μέγαν (“and [having] a great priest”) completes the dual foundation of confidence — first, free access to the holy place through Christ’s blood, and second, His enduring priesthood. The adjective μέγαν (“great”) carries both qualitative and hierarchical weight. This is not merely a high-ranking priest but the supreme one, surpassing all others in dignity and function. The presence of the conjunction καὶ links this reality to the preceding statement, indicating that both are inseparably part of the believer’s privilege in Christ. The participial phrase functions as the ground for the ensuing exhortations to draw near, hold fast, and encourage one another.
The House of God and Its New Administration
The prepositional phrase ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ (“over the house of God”) clarifies the sphere of Christ’s priestly oversight. The term οἶκος in Hebrews regularly refers not to a physical temple but to the household of believers—the community of faith itself. Earlier, in Hebrews 3:6, Christ is said to be “faithful as a Son over His house, whose house we are.” The use of ἐπὶ with the accusative underscores Christ’s position of authority and guardianship over this spiritual household. The author thus envisions a living temple in which the worshipers are themselves the structure, and Christ, the Great Priest, presides continually. His ministry is not confined to ritual acts within an earthly sanctuary but is cosmic and perpetual, extending into heaven itself.
Christ as the Ultimate Mediator
The phrase ἱερέα μέγαν in Hebrews 10:21 encapsulates the culmination of the epistle’s central argument — that Jesus is both the offering and the officiant. The Levitical priests served as temporary mediators, entering repeatedly into the earthly tabernacle; Christ, by contrast, has entered once for all into the true holy place (Hebrews 9:24). His greatness lies not in ritual precision but in ontological perfection; He is both divine and human, the perfect bridge between God and His people. The use of the singular ἱερέα reminds the reader that no other mediators are needed. His priesthood is final, sufficient, and eternal. Every subsequent exhortation in the chapter—drawing near with confidence, holding fast the confession, stirring one another to love—rests upon this unshakable foundation.
Confidence Born of Presence
The truth of Hebrews 10:21 transforms the believer’s spiritual posture. To know that a “great priest” presides over the household of God is to know that we live under continual intercession, mercy, and grace. The verse is not an isolated doctrinal statement but the theological heart of Christian assurance. Access to God is no longer mediated by imperfect men in linen robes but by the exalted Son who reigns in heaven. The believer’s confidence, therefore, is not rooted in personal purity or ritual performance but in the enduring priesthood of Christ. To say that He is “over the house of God” is to affirm that He shepherds, sanctifies, and secures all who belong to Him. In this truth lies the freedom to worship boldly, to persevere steadfastly, and to live as citizens of a redeemed household forever under the care of its Great Priest.
