8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum:
We have such an high priest,
who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
the sum- ie., the chief point, the focal point.
such an high priest- The focus of the book to this juncture has been on the
excellencies and superiorities of the Person of Christ, our High Priest. eg.: Heb 7:25-28
Now the focus shifts to the superiority of His Ministry as High Priest.
is set {ie., is seated}- His sacrificial ministry is completed.
The OT priests had no place to sit in the Holy Place. Their work was never done.
Christ's offerings- Our prayer & praise (10:19-25) "of which our High Priest removes the fleshly and sinful elements, adds His own perfections, then presents them to the Father." [HAIronside]
8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest,
seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
priests...according to the law- The earthly Aaronic priesthood was
governed by the Law, and passed on by family succession.
Christ did not qualify to be a priest under that system (cp. 7:12-16).
Christ's priestly ministry is entirely heavenly.
8:5 Who {ie., the Aaronic priests} serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,
as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for,
See, saith he, [that] thou make all things
according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
example- GK=hupodeigma, lit. the under showings, ie. a figure, a token
(to teach an underlying meaning).
shadow- By observing the shadow, we can learn much about the realities which are beyond our sight.
The Tabernacle "was only a shadow, but it rises above all temples and symbols of man's art and device, as being a shadow of 'heavenly things'." [CJEllicott] The OT Tabernacle & priesthood provide a framework for understanding Christ's priestly ministry (which is the heavenly reality).
the pattern {GK=tupos, type, imprint}...in the mount-
Moses could not know that these things foreshadowed the Person & Work of God's Son. But he was faithful to obey God's detailed instructions. If he had interjected his own ingenuity or imagination, he would have distorted the picture (or, type) of Christ.
In the OT, the Tabernacle & Temple were regarded as God's House in a symbollic sense.
They were to reflect the glory of His true dwelling place in heaven.
8:6 But now hath he {ie., Christ} obtained a more excellent ministry,
by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant,
which was established upon better promises.
more excellent...by how much- cp. NIV reading:
"The ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant, of which He is mediator, is superior to the old one... and it is founded upon better promises."
mediator- GK=mesites, the arbitrator who formulates or secures a covenant between parties.
Jesus, because He is the God-Man, is uniquely qualified to mediate between God & man. 1Tim 2:5; Heb 7:22
covenant- GK=diatheke, a disposition, a dividing (eg., of an inheritance).
An elaborate ceremony often marked the seriousness of cutting a covenant, in OT times.
In the following examples, who was the mediator of the covenant?
Upon whose performance did the covenant stand or fall?
The new covenant is unconditional, resting upon God's promises alone.
God commits Himself to their fulfillment. He says "I will... I will..." (vs. 8,10,12)
8:7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second.
8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith,
{Note that the fault was not in the old covenant, but in the people. (v. 9)}
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
I will make- GK=sunteleo, bring to completion, accomplish.
with Israel... with Judah -
The new covenant - [see points (1)-(7) vs.8-13]
(1) - relates to Israel... (as do the other biblical covenants) Rom 9:4
...was foretold to Israel. vs. 8-12 quote Jer 31:31-34
...guarantees that Israel will enter into God's promise. Jer 30:18; 31:8,10,11
...reaffirms the unconditional covenant made to Abraham. Although the New Covenant supercedes the Old (Mosaic) Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant remains in effect for Israel (Gal 3:17-29).
8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
The old covenant - was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai.
- was ratified by the people, who promised to obey it. (Ex 19:5-8)
- was broken by sinful men:
they continued not...- ie., they did not remain true.
I regarded them not- or, "I turned away from them." [NIV]
cp. Jer 31:32 "...my covenant they brake, though I was an husband unto them."
The old covenant demanded righteousness but it did not provide the power to obey.
But the new covenant, established on "better promises"(v. 6), does what the Law could not do: Rom 8:3,4
8:10 For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord;
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts:
and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
The new covenant:
(2) secures inward agreement & conformity to God's will.
8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
Know {GK=ginosko} the Lord: for all shall know {GK=oida} me, from the least to the greatest.
The new covenant:
(4) secures intuitive & intimate knowledge of the Lord.
ginosko= to know by acquisition of fact.
oida= to know with understanding, fully & intimately. Cp. these words as used in...
Joh 8:55 "Yet, ye have not known {ginosko} Him; but I know {oida} Him. And if I should say, I know {oida} Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know {oida} Him and keep His saying."
Joh 14:17 "...the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth {ginosko} Him: but ye know {oida} Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
8:13 In that he saith, A new [covenant], {lit., In saying, "New,"}
he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
The new covenant:
(6) replaces the old (Mosaic) covenant.
decayeth- GK=palaios (cp. Eng. ''paleontology''), becoming worn out by time & use.
grows old- GK=gerasko (cp. Eng. ''geriatric''), failing due to age, obsolescent.
The Law was "weak through the flesh" (Rom 7:7-25; 8:1-4). Illustration [JVMcGee]:
An overdone roast can't be lifted from the pan with a fork. It is weak through the flesh. The fork is strong, but it tears the weak meat. The fork must be set aside. It's time to allow the shovel of God's Spirit to lift us where the Law could not.
(7) is available for 'everyman' (v. 11), even though it was made with Israel (v. 8).
When Israel receives their Messiah, the future age of earthly blessings will come.
But for present day believers (both Jew & Gentile), the same blood of the covenant secures present spiritual blessings. For example, we are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph 2:4-6), united to Him by the Spirit (1Cor 12:13), and have access by Him into the Holy of Holies (Heb 10:19-22)...
There is no other "such an High Priest" (v. 1), who can bring you safely into God's presence.
There is no system of religion, education, philosophy, or psychology which can transform the sinner and make him fit for the Holy - except the New Covenant in Christ's blood.