The whole priestly system of the Jews was typical. It was a shadow of
which the body is Christ. The priests all prefigured the great Priest who
offered “one sacrifice for sins” “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10, 12). There is
now no human priesthood. (See Epistle to the Hebrews throughout.) The
term “priest” is indeed applied to believers (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6),
but in these cases it implies no sacerdotal functions. All true believers are
now “kings and priests unto God.” As priests they have free access into
the holiest of all, and offer up the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and
the sacrifices of grateful service from day to day.
- PRINCE the title generally applied to the chief men of the state. The
“princes of the provinces” (1 Kings 20:14) were the governors or
Lord-lieutenants of the provinces. So also the “princes” mentioned in
Daniel 6:1, 3, 4, 6, 7 were the officers who administered the affairs of the
provinces; the “satraps” (as rendered in R.V.). These are also called
“lieutenants” (Esther 3:12; 8:9; R.V., “satraps”). The promised Saviour is
called by Daniel (9:25) “Messiah the Prince” (Hebrews nagid); compare
Acts 3:15; 5:31. The angel Micheal is called (Daniel 12:1) a “prince”
(Hebrews sar, whence “Sarah,” the “princes”). - PRISCILLA the wife of Aquila (Acts 18:2), who is never mentioned
without her. Her name sometimes takes the precedence of his (Romans
16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19). She took part with Aquila (q.v.) in insturcting
Apollos (Acts 18:26). - PRISON The first occasion on which we read of a prison is in the history
of Joseph in Egypt. Then Potiphar, “Joseph’s master, took him, and put
him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound”
(Genesis 39:20-23). The Hebrews word here used (sohar) means properly
a round tower or fortress. It seems to have been a part of Potiphar’s
house, a place in which state prisoners were kept.
The Mosaic law made no provision for imprisonment as a punishment. In
the wilderness two persons were “put in ward” (Leviticus 24:12; Numbers
15:34), but it was only till the mind of God concerning them should be
ascertained. Prisons and prisoners are mentioned in the book of Psalms
(69:33; 79:11; 142:7). Samson was confined in a Philistine prison (Judges
16:21, 25). In the subsequent history of Israel frequent references are made
to prisons (1 Kings 22:27; 2 Kings 17:4; 25:27, 29; 2 Chronicles 16:10;
Isaiah 42:7; Jeremiah 32:2). Prisons seem to have been common in New