| 1. A
Heavenly High Priest (Heb 8:1-2)The truths set forth by the author of Hebrews
all point to heaven. Our hope is in heaven (Heb 6:19). Our rest is in heaven (4:9-10). Our high
priest is in heaven (4:14; 8:1). The
true tabernacle in which He serves is in heaven (8:2). The whole Mosaic system was pre-paratory.
The earthly hope and rest (Canaan), the earthly high priest, the earthly sacrifices,
the earthly tabernacle of wood and fabric were all designed to raise men’s
sights to a higher plane. Now that
God’s purposes are fulfilled and Jesus ministers at His right hand, these
brethren are being tempted to abandon the heavenly for the earthly. 1. Who
erected the true tabernacle in which Jesus now serves as high priest? 2. Copies and Shadows (Heb 8:3-5)The author
now establishes the necessity of a heavenly sanctuary for Jesus’ ministry by
reference to the purpose of high priests.
Since “every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and
sacrifices” (Heb 8:3), where is it that Jesus can offer His? Not on earth, for the only perpetuated
priesthood had been Levitical, and it had not been replaced by any other
earthly tabernacle or priesthood after it was nullified. Why had the tabernacle/ temple not been
replaced? Because they were
constructed only as a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (8:5). Jesus’ offering of Himself had provided
once-for-all atone-ment for sin thus eliminating the need for manmade
tabernacles, sacrifices and related accoutrements. [Note: The present tenses “who offer” and
“who serve” strongly sug-gest that the book of Hebrews was written before the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
After this time, the author could not point to these Levitical
activities as ongoing.] 2. Why would
Jesus not be a priest according to Mosaic Law (comp. 7:14)? 3. What warning was given to Moses
concerning the construction of the tabernacle? 3. A Better Covenant (Heb 8:6-9) Some
elaboration is now made upon an earlier point from chapter 7: “of necessity there is also a change of the
law … there is an annulling of the former commandment …” (Heb 7: 12, 18). The
author affirms that Jesus is “Mediator of a better covenant, which was
established on better promises” (Heb 8:6).
The comparative term “better” flavors the en-tire epistle, for the
writer confidently asserts that what Jesus offers is better than what Moses
offered (see 1:4; 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35; 12:24). The first
covenant was inferior, else “no place would have been sought for a second”
(8:7). A note of caution: God did not enact a covenant that itself
was imperfect or less than intended.
The writer hastens to say, “Because finding fault with them …” (8:8a).
This is similar to Paul’s point in Rom 8:3: “For what the law could not do in
that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh …”. The Law
in and of itself was “holy and just and good” (Rom 7:12), but the weakness of
man was so pervasive and chronic that none could perfectly observe it. The “fault,” then, was that the Law
provided no adequate restitution for violation. The author then offers a quote from Jer
31:31-3418 which indicates that the Law, itself, spoke of its own future
eclipse by a new covenant (8:8). This change of covenant was made possible by
the faithlessness of the Jews, “because they did not continue in My covenant,
and I disregarded them, says the Lord” (8:9).
God was thus freed from any obligation to maintain the first
covenant. 4. About how long was it
from Jeremiah’s prophecy to its fulfillment? 5. The new covenant was not
according to what? 6. Who is mentioned
in Hebrews 8:8 as ones with whom a new covenant would be made? Who is not mentioned? 4. Differences in the
New Covenant (Heb 8:10-11) |
