Hebrews 8

A Better Ministry

1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a 1high priest, who has taken His seat at 2the right hand of the throne of the 3Majesty in the heavens,
2 a 4minister in the sanctuary and in the 5true tabernacle, which the Lord 6pitched, not man.
3 For every 7high priest is appointed 8to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who 9offer the gifts according to the Law;
5 who serve 10a copy and 11shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was 12warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "13SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the 14mediator of 15a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

A New Covenant

7 For 16if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, He says, "17BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT 18A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
9 19NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
10 "20FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM 21ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
11 22AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR 23ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
12 "24FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, 25AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO * MORE."
13 When He said, "26A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. 27But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Hebrews 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

The excellence of Christ's priesthood above that of Aaron is shown. (1-6) The great excellence of the new covenant above the former. (7-13)

Verses 1-6 The substance, or summary, of what had been declared was, that Christians had such a High Priest as they needed. He took upon himself human nature, appeared on earth, and there gave himself as a sacrifice to God for the sins of his people. We must not dare to approach God, or to present any thing to him, but in and through Christ, depending upon his merits and mediation; for we are accepted only in the Beloved. In all obedience and worship, we should keep close to God's word, which is the only and perfect standard. Christ is the substance and end of the law of righteousness. But the covenant here referred to, was that made with Israel as a nation, securing temporal benefits to them. The promises of all spiritual blessings, and of eternal life, revealed in the gospel, and made sure through Christ, are of infinitely greater value. Let us bless God that we have a High Priest that suits our helpless condition.

Verses 7-13 The superior excellence of the priesthood of Christ, above that of Aaron, is shown from that covenant of grace, of which Christ was Mediator. The law not only made all subject to it, liable to be condemned for the guilt of sin, but also was unable to remove that guilt, and clear the conscience from the sense and terror of it. Whereas, by the blood of Christ, a full remission of sins was provided, so that God would remember them no more. God once wrote his laws to his people, now he will write his laws in them; he will give them understanding to know and to believe his laws; he will give them memories to retain them; he will give them hearts to love them, courage to profess them, and power to put them in practice. This is the foundation of the covenant; and when this is laid, duty will be done wisely, sincerely, readily, easily, resolutely, constantly, and with comfort. A plentiful outpouring of the Spirit of God will make the ministration of the gospel so effectual, that there shall be a mighty increase and spreading of Christian knowledge in persons of all sorts. Oh that this promise might be fulfilled in our days, that the hand of God may be with his ministers so that great numbers may believe, and be turned to the Lord! The pardon of sin will always be found to accompany the true knowledge of God. Notice the freeness of this pardon; its fulness; its fixedness. This pardoning mercy is connected with all other spiritual mercies: unpardoned sin hinders mercy, and pulls down judgments; but the pardon of sin prevents judgment, and opens a wide door to all spiritual blessings. Let us search whether we are taught by the Holy Spirit to know Christ, so as uprightly to love, fear, trust, and obey him. All worldly vanities, outward privileges, or mere notions of religion, will soon vanish away, and leave those who trust in them miserable for ever.

Cross References 27

  • 1. Hebrews 3:1">Col Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1
  • 2. Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 1:3
  • 3. Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 1:3
  • 4. Hebrews 10:11
  • 5. Hebrews 9:11, 24
  • 6. Exodus 33:7
  • 7. Hebrews 2:17
  • 8. Romans 4:25; Romans 5:6, 8; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 8:4
  • 9. Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 8:3; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:11
  • 10. Hebrews 9:23
  • 11. Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1
  • 12. Matthew 2:12; Hebrews 11:7; Hebrews 12:25
  • 13. Exodus 25:40
  • 14. 1 Timothy 2:5
  • 15. Luke 22:20; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:8; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24
  • 16. Hebrews 7:11
  • 17. Jeremiah 31:31
  • 18. Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:6, 13; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24
  • 19. Exodus 19:5; Exodus 24:6-8; Deuteronomy 5:2, 3; Jeremiah 31:32
  • 20. Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 11:27; Hebrews 10:16
  • 21. 2 Corinthians 3:3
  • 22. Jeremiah 31:34
  • 23. Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45; 1 John 2:27
  • 24. Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; Jeremiah 50:20; Micah 7:18, 19
  • 25. Hebrews 10:17
  • 26. Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:6, 8; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24
  • 27. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 1:11

Footnotes 10

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 8

The apostle observing that the priesthood of Christ is the sum of what he had treated of in the preceding chapter, proceeds to show the superior excellency of it in other instances, particularly in the place where Christ now officiates, which is in heaven; he being set down at the right hand of God there, and so was a minister of the sanctuary, and true tabernacle pitched by God, and not man; whereas the priests of Aaron's line only ministered on earth, and in the typical sanctuary and tabernacle, Heb 8:1,2 and after he had observed that Christ must have something to offer, meaning his body, to answer to the gifts and sacrifices priests were ordained to offer, Heb 8:3 he proves the necessity of his ministering in heaven, because if he was on earth he would not be a priest, a complete one, and would have been useless and needless, Heb 8:4 and besides, it was proper that he should go up to heaven, and minister there, as the antitype of the priests, who, to the example and shadow of heavenly things, served in the tabernacle which was made by Moses, by the order of God, and according to the pattern showed him in the Mount, Heb 8:5 and that the ministry of Christ in the true sanctuary is much more excellent than the ministry of the priests in the shadowy one, is evident from his being the Mediator of a better covenant, Heb 8:6 and that the covenant he is the Mediator of is the better covenant, appears froth the better promises of which it consists, and from the faultiness of the former covenant, Heb 8:6,7 and that that was faulty, and succeeded by another, he proves from a passage in Jer 31:31-34 in which mention is made of a new covenant, and as distinct from that made with the Jewish fathers, and violated by them; and several of the promises of this new and second covenant are rehearsed, and which manifestly appear to be better than what were in the former, Heb 8:8-12 from all which the apostle concludes, that a new covenant being made, the old one must be antiquated; and that whereas it was decaying and waxing old, it was just ready to vanish away, Heb 8:13.

Hebrews 8 Commentaries

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