Hebrews 8

Heb 8:1-13.

CHRIST, THE

HIGH

PRIEST IN THE

TRUE

SANCTUARY,

SUPERSEDING THE

LEVITICAL

PRIESTHOOD; THE

NEW

RENDERS

OBSOLETE THE

OLD

COVENANT.

1. the sum--rather, "the principal point"; for the participle is

present, not past, which would be required if the meaning were

"the sum." "The chief point in (or, 'in the case'; so the Greek,

Heb 9:10, 15, 17)

the things which we are speaking," literally, "which are being spoken."

such--so transcendently pre-eminent, namely in this respect,

that "He is set on the right hand of," &c. Infinitely above all other

priests in this one grand respect, He exercises His priesthood IN HEAVEN, not in the earthly "holiest place"

(Heb 10:12).

The Levitical high priests, even when they entered the Holiest Place

once a year, only STOOD for a brief space

before the symbol of God's throne; but Jesus SITS on the throne of the Divine Majesty in the

heaven itself, and this for ever

(Heb 10:11, 12).

2. minister--The Greek term implies priestly

ministry in the temple.

the sanctuary--Greek, "the holy places"; the Holy of

Holies. Here the heavenly sanctuary is meant.

the true--the archetypal and antitypical, as contrasted with the

typical and symbolical

(Heb 9:24).

Greek "alethinos" (used here) is opposed to that which

does not fulfil its idea, as for instance, a type;

"alethes," to that which is untrue and unreal, as a lie. The

measure of alethes is reality; that of alethinos,

ideality. In alethes the idea corresponds to the thing; in

alethinos, the thing to the idea [KALMIS in

ALFORD].

tabernacle--

(Heb 9:11).

His body. Through His glorified body as the tabernacle, Christ

passes into the heavenly "Holy of Holies," the immediate immaterial

presence of God, where He intercedes for us. This tabernacle in which

God dwells, is where God in Christ meets us who are "members of His

body, of His flesh, and of His bones." This tabernacle answers to the

heavenly Jerusalem, where God's visible presence is to be

manifested to His perfected saints and angels, who are united in Christ

the Head; in contradistinction to His personal invisible

presence in the Holy of Holies unapproachable save to Christ.

Joh 1:14,

"Word . . . dwelt among us," Greek, "tabernacled."

pitched--Greek, "fixed" firmly.

not man--as Moses

(Heb 8:5).

3. For--assigning his reason for calling him "minister of the

sanctuary"

(Heb 8:2).

somewhat--He does not offer again His once for all

completed sacrifice. But as the high priest did not enter the

Holy Place without blood, so Christ has entered the heavenly

Holy Place with His own blood. That "blood of sprinkling" is in

heaven. And is thence made effectual to sprinkle believers as the end

of their election

(1Pe 1:2).

The term "consecrate" as a priest, is literally, to fill the

hand, implying that an offering is given into the hands of the

priest, which it is his duty to present to God. If a man be a priest,

he must have some gift in his hands to offer. Therefore, Christ, as a

priest, has His blood as His oblation to offer before God.

4. Implying that Christ's priestly office is exercised in

heaven, not in earth; in the power of His resurrection life, not of His

earthly life.

For--The oldest manuscripts read, "accordingly then."

if, &c.--"if He were on earth, He would not even (so the

Greek) be a priest"

(compare

Heb 7:13, 14);

therefore, certainly, He could not exercise the high priestly function

in the earthly Holy of Holies.

seeing that, &c.--"since there are" already, and exist now (the

temple service not yet being set aside, as it was on the destruction of

Jerusalem), "those (the oldest manuscripts omit 'priests') who offer

the (appointed) gifts according to (the) law." Therefore, His

sacerdotal "ministry" must be "in the

heavens," not on earth

(Heb 8:1).

"If His priesthood terminated on the earth, He would not even be a

priest at all" [BENGEL]. I conceive that the

denial here of Christ's priesthood on earth does not extend to

the sacrifice on the cross which He offered as a priest on

earth; but applies only to the crowning work of His priesthood, the

bringing of the blood into the Holy of Holies, which He could

not have done in the earthly Holy of Holies, as not being an

Aaronic priest. The place (the heavenly Holy of Holies) was as

essential to the atonement being made as the oblation (the

blood). The body was burnt without the gate; but the sanctification was

effected by the presentation of the blood within the sanctuary by the

high priest. If on earth, He would not be a priest in the sense of

the law of Moses ("according to the law" is emphatic).

5. Who--namely, the priests.

serve unto the example--not "after the example," as

BENGEL

explains. But as in

Heb 13:10,

"serve the tabernacle," that is, do it service: so "serve (the

tabernacle which is but) the outline and shadow." The

Greek for "example" is here taken for the sketch, copy,

or suggestive representation of the heavenly sanctuary, which is

the antitypical reality and primary archetype. "The mount" answers to

heaven,

Heb 12:22.

admonished--The Greek especially applies to divine

responses and commands.

to make--"perfectly": so the Greek.

See--Take heed, accurately observing the pattern, that so thou

mayest make, &c.

saith he--God.

the pattern--an accurate representation, presented in vision to

Moses, of the heavenly real sanctuary. Thus the earthly tabernacle was

copy of a copy; but the latter accurately representing the grand

archetypical original in heaven

(Ex 25:40).

6. now--not time; but "as it is."

more excellent ministry--than any earthly ministry.

mediator--coming between us and God, to carry into effect God's

covenant with us. "The messenger (angel) of the covenant."

which--Greek, "one which" [ALFORD]:

inasmuch as being one which.

established--Greek, "enacted as a law." So

Ro 3:27,

"law of faith"; and

Ro 8:2; 9:31,

apply "law" to the Gospel covenant. It is implied hereby, the Gospel is

founded on the law, in the spirit and essence of the latter.

upon--resting upon.

better promises--enumerated

Heb 8:10, 11.

The Old Testament promises were mainly of earthly, the New Testament

promises, of heavenly blessings: the exact fulfilment of the earthly

promises was a pledge of the fulfilment of the heavenly. "Like a

physician who prescribes a certain diet to a patient, and then when the

patient is beginning to recover, changes the diet, permitting what he

had before forbidden; or as a teacher gives his pupil an elementary

lesson at first; preparatory to leading him to a higher stage": so

Rabbi Albo in his Ikkarim. Compare

Jer 7:21, 22,

which shows that God's original design in the old covenant ritual

system was, that it should be pedagogical, as a schoolmaster leading

and preparing men for Christ.

7. Same reasoning as in

Heb 7:11.

faultless--perfect in all its parts, so as not to be found

fault with as wanting anything which ought to be there: answering

all the purposes of a law. The law in its morality was

blameless (Greek, "amomos"); but in saving

us it was defective, and so not faultless (Greek,

"amemptos").

should no place have been sought--as it has to be now; and as it

is sought in the prophecy

(Heb 8:8-11).

The old covenant would have anticipated all man's wants, so as to give

no occasion for seeking something more perfectly adequate.

Compare on the phrase "place . . . sought,"

Heb 12:17.

8. finding fault with them--the people of the old covenant, who

were not made "faultless" by it

(Heb 8:7);

and whose disregard of God's covenant made Him to "regard

them not"

(Heb 8:9).

The law is not in itself blamed, but the people who had

not observed it.

he saith--

(Jer 31:31-34;

compare

Eze 11:19; 36:25-27).

At Rama, the headquarters of Nebuzar-adan, whither the captives of

Jerusalem had been led, Jeremiah uttered this prophecy of Israel's

restoration under another David, whereby Rachel, wailing for her lost

children, shall be comforted; literally in part fulfilled at the

restoration under Zerubbabel, and more fully to be hereafter at

Israel's return to their own land; spiritually fulfilled in the Gospel

covenant, whereby God forgives absolutely His people's sins, and writes

His law by His Spirit on the hearts of believers, the true Israel.

"This prophecy forms the third part of the third trilogy of the three

great trilogies into which Jeremiah's prophecies may be divided:

Jeremiah 21-25, against the shepherds of the people; Jeremiah 26-29,

against the false prophets; Jeremiah 30 and 31, the book of

restoration" [DELITZSCH in ALFORD].

Behold, the days come--the frequent formula introducing a

Messianic prophecy.

make--Greek, "perfect"; "consummate." A suitable

expression as to the new covenant, which perfected what the old could

not (compare end of

Heb 8:9,

with end of

Heb 8:10).

Israel . . . Judah--Therefore, the ten tribes, as well

as Judah, share in the new covenant. As both shared the exile, so both

shall share the literal and spiritual restoration.

9. Not according to, &c.--very different from, and far superior

to, the old covenant, which only "worked wrath"

(Ro 4:15)

through man's "not regarding" it. The new covenant enables us to obey

forgiveness of our sins.

made with--rather as Greek, "made to": the Israelites

being only recipients, not coagents [ALFORD]

with God.

I took them by the hand--as a father takes his child by the hand

to support and guide his steps. "There are three periods: (1) that of

the promise; (2) that of the pedagogical instruction; (3) that of

fulfilment" [BENGEL]. The second, that of the

pedagogical pupilage, began at the exodus from Egypt.

I regarded them not--English Version,

Jer 31:32,

translates, "Although I was an husband unto them." Paul's

translation here is supported by the Septuagint, Syriac, and

GESENIUS, and accords with the kindred

Arabic. The Hebrews regarded not God, so God, in

righteous retribution, regarded them not. On "continued

not in my covenant," Schelling observes: The law was in fact the mere

ideal of a religious constitution: in practice, the Jews

were throughout, before the captivity, more or less polytheists, except

in the time of David, and the first years of Solomon (the type of

Messiah's reign). Even after the return from Babylon, idolatry was

succeeded by what was not much better, formalism and hypocrisy

(Mt 12:43).

The law was (1) a typical picture, tracing out the features of the

glorious Gospel to be revealed; (2) it had a delegated virtue from the

Gospel, which ceased, therefore, when the Gospel came.

10. make with--Greek, "make unto."

Israel--comprising the before disunited

(Heb 8:8)

ten tribes' kingdom, and that of Judah. They are united in the

spiritual Israel, the elect Church, now: they shall be so in the

literal restored kingdom of Israel to come.

I will put--literally, "(I) giving." This is the first of the

"better promises"

(Heb 8:6).

mind--their intelligent faculty.

in, &c.--rather, " ON their hearts." Not on

tables of stone as the law

(2Co 3:3).

write--Greek, "inscribe."

and I will be to them a God, &c.--fulfilled first in the outward

kingdom of God. Next, in the inward Gospel kingdom. Thirdly, in the

kingdom at once outward and inward, the spiritual being manifested

outwardly

(Re 21:3).

Compare a similar progression as to the priesthood (1)

Ex 19:6;

(2)

1Pe 2:5;

(3)

Isa 61:6;

Re 1:6.

This progressive advance of the significance of the Old Testament

institutions, &c., says THOLUCK, shows the

transparency and prophetic character which runs throughout the

whole.

11. Second of the "better promises"

(Heb 8:6).

they shall not--"they shall not have to teach"

[ALFORD].

his neighbour--So Vulgate reads; but the oldest

manuscripts have "his (fellow) citizen."

brother--a closer and more endearing relation than fellow

citizen.

from the least to the greatest--Greek, "from the little

one to the great one."

Zec 12:8,

"He that is feeble among them shall be as David." Under the old

covenant, the priest's lips were to keep knowledge, and at his mouth

the people were to seek the law: under the new covenant, the Holy

Spirit teaches every believer. Not that the mutual teaching of brethren

is excluded while the covenant is being promulgated; but when once the

Holy Spirit shall have fully taught all the remission of their sins and

inward sanctification, then there shall be no further' need of man

teaching his fellow man. Compare

1Th 4:9; 5:1,

an earnest of that perfect state to come. On the way to that perfect

state every man should teach his neighbor. "The teaching is not hard

and forced, because grace renders all teachable; for it is not the

ministry of the letter, but of the spirit

(2Co 3:6).

The believer's firmness does not depend on the authority of

human teachers. God Himself teaches" [BENGEL]. The

New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament, because, instead of

the details of an outward letter law, it gives the all-embracing

principles of the spiritual law written on the conscience,

leading one to spontaneous instinctive obedience in outward details.

None save the Lord can teach effectually, "know the Lord."

12. For, &c.--the third of "the better promises"

(Heb 8:6).

The forgiveness of sins is, and will be, the root of this new

state of inward grace and knowledge of the Lord. Sin being abolished,

sinners obtain grace.

I will be merciful--Greek, "propitious"; the

Hebrew, "salach," is always used of God only in relation

to men.

and their iniquities--not found in Vulgate, Syriac,

Coptic, and one oldest Greek manuscript; but most oldest

manuscripts have the words (compare

Heb 10:17).

remember no more--Contrast the law,

Heb 10:3.

13. he--God.

made . . . old--"hath (at the time of speaking the

prophecy) antiquated the first covenant." From the time of God's

mention of a NEW covenant (since God's words are

all realities) the first covenant might be regarded as ever dwindling

away, until its complete abolition on the actual introduction of the

Gospel. Both covenants cannot exist side by side. Mark how verbal

inspiration is proved in Paul's argument turning wholly on the one word

"NEW" (covenant), occurring but once in the Old

Testament.

that which decayeth--Greek, "that which is being

antiquated," namely, at the time when Jeremiah spake. For in Paul's

time, according to his view, the new had absolutely set aside the old

covenant. The Greek for (Kaine) New (Testament)

implies that it is of a different kind and supersedes the

old: not merely recent (Greek, "nea"). Compare

Ho 3:4, 5.