Hebrews 8
Summary for Heb 8:1-10:18: 8:1–10:18 a This passage on Jesus’ superior offering argues that his ministry as the heavenly High Priest is superior to that of earthly priests.Summary for Heb 8:1-2: 8:1-2 b The first two verses of ch 8 c transition from the discussion just completed and anticipate the discussion to come.
• Here is the main point: The author is referring back to the appointment of Jesus as a superior High Priest (5:1-10 d; 7:1-28 e).
• he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle (or tent; also in 8:5 f): This anticipates the theme of Jesus’ superior offering that is covered in the rest of this section (8:3–10:18 g). Unlike the Levitical priests who served in an earthly tent or building, Jesus’ sacrifice is superior because he serves in the true place of worship, the very presence of God in heaven (8:5 h; 9:11 i, 24 j; 10:12 k).
8:3 l every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices: Making offerings is a general requirement of priests, so Jesus also had to offer a sacrifice.
• This verse reiterates what is stated in the first verse of the previous discussion (5:1 m), indicating another major movement in the book.
8:4 n If he were here on earth: Under the old order Jesus would not even be a priest, as previously discussed (see 7:13-14 o). But Jesus is in heaven, which makes his priestly service distinct from and superior to that of the priests of the old covenant (8:5 p; 9:11 q, 24 r; 10:12 s).
8:5 t a copy, a shadow: The earthly place of worship was an imitation that pointed to the real one in heaven. That is why God warned Moses to make it according to the pattern (see Exod 25:40 u; 26:30 v; cp. Acts 7:44 w). Judaism and early Christianity both spoke of a heavenly Temple within a heavenly Jerusalem, which would come down to earth at the end of the age (see Rev 21:2 x). Hebrews suggests that this heavenly place of worship was shown to Moses so he would know how to build the earthly Tabernacle. It is the heavenly Temple, however, in which Jesus ministers as High Priest.
8:6 y the one who mediates: A mediator works with two parties to bring them to agreement. Christ’s work of sacrifice established the covenant relationship between people and God.
• a far better covenant with God: See thematic note for The New Covenant at end of chapter. This covenant is better because it is based on better promises (see 8:7-13 z).
Summary for Heb 8:7-13: 8:7-13 aa The author quotes Jer 31:31-34 ab, an Old Testament prophecy concerning the new covenant that includes a number of striking promises. Establishing the superiority of the new covenant lays a foundation for the argument in Heb 9:1–10:18 ac that the Son’s offering under the new covenant was superior to the offerings of the old covenant. 8:7 ad The first covenant, made at Sinai, was not faultless. It was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses (see 7:11-28 ae; 8:9 af).
8:8 ag found fault with the people: Because the people were unable to keep the terms of the old covenant (see study note on 8:7), God made a new covenant.
8:9 ah God made a covenant with their ancestors at Sinai (Exod 19:1-8 ai; 24:7-8 aj; 34:27-28 ak; Deut 4:13 al).
• I took them by the hand: In rescuing his people from the land of Egypt, God led them as a parent might lead a child that could not fend for itself (see Exod 12–14 am).
• They did not remain faithful: See Heb 3:7-19 an; Num 14:1-38 ao; Deut 9 ap; Ps 106 aq.
• so I turned my back on them: The covenant warned that if the people turned away, God would turn away from them (see Deut 28:15-68 ar; 30:11-20 as; 1 Kgs 8:22-53 at; 2 Chr 6:12-42 au).
8:10 av Under the old covenant, the people were commanded to take the words of the law to heart (Deut 32:46 aw), and the kings of Israel and Judah were judged on whether or not they followed the law of God wholeheartedly (2 Kgs 10:31 ax; 2 Chr 31:21 ay). A difference in the new covenant is that God’s laws would be in people’s minds and on their hearts. People would have renewed hearts and minds, with God’s law as an intrinsic, internal motivation.
8:11 az All those in the new covenant know the Lord; intimate personal relationship with the Lord is in the very nature of the new covenant.
8:12 ba A final characteristic of the new covenant is that God would forgive their wickedness and never again remember their sins. The blood of Jesus cleanses his people completely from sin (9:13-15 bb; 10:14-18 bc, 22 bd; 1 Jn 1:7 be).
8:13 bf The word new in “new” covenant emphasizes that, once God had enacted this covenant, the Sinai covenant was considered old or obsolete and was thus out of date. Its time of usefulness was over and its termination was imminent.
Thematic note: The New Covenant
The key affirmation of the Sinai covenant was, “I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God” (Exod 6:7 bg; see Jer 31:33 bh). The relationship between God and his people envisioned in the Sinai covenant was surrounded by laws chiseled in stone and a priestly class in charge of all religious institutions and activities.
The new covenant would differ from the old in one primary way: It would no longer be external to the worshipers, but would now be written on their hearts (Jer 31:33 bi). The great liability of the old covenant was that it lacked the power to enable people to do what it commanded (see Rom 8:3 bj). The new covenant would be internalized through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:24-27 bk). Thus, it would become possible for people everywhere (not just a select few) to fulfill God’s covenant plan for life as summed up in the two “Great Commandments” (Matt 22:35-40 bl): “You must love the Lord your God” (Deut 6:5 bm) and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18 bn). The new covenant would achieve the goal that the old one pointed to but could not reach: creating new persons and a new community. The goal is a deep transformation of sinners, beginning with forgiveness of sins and culminating in a holiness exemplified by good works (Eph 1:4 bo; 2:8-10 bp).
Jeremiah 30–33 bq stands out in its optimistic view of Israel’s future. The high point of this section (31:31-34 br) is the announcement that the Lord God will form a new covenant with his people. This passage in Jeremiah points toward Jesus of Nazareth, whose death would seal this new covenant. Jesus applied the new covenant to himself when he instituted the communion ritual (Matt 26:28 bs; Mark 14:24 bt; Luke 22:20 bu; see also 1 Cor 11:25 bv; 2 Cor 3:6 bw). Jesus’ death made him the mediator of the covenant for whoever believes in him (Heb 8:8-12 bx; ch 9 by). Christians commemorate that reality each time they participate in Communion. According to the New Testament, all believers in Jesus Christ will know him directly by the activity of the Holy Spirit, whose indwelling has been made possible through the sacrifice of Christ. They will know him personally and experience him powerfully, as only a few did in Old Testament times.
Passages for Further Study
Isa 11:1-9 bz; 54:13-15 ca; Jer 31:31-34 cb; Ezek 37:24-28 cc; Matt 26:27-28 cd; Luke 22:20 ce; Rom 11:25-36 cf; 1 Cor 11:23-26 cg; 2 Cor 3:6-18 ch; Heb 8:8–9:28 ci
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