Hebrews — Chapter 8
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1Now 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;
2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5Who 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.
6But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8For finding fault with them, he saith, 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:
9Not 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.
10For 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:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
1Now in the things which we are saying the chief point [is this]: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
3For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this [high priest] also have somewhat to offer.
4Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law;
5who serve [that which is] a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned [of God] when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount.
6But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.
7For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
8For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10For 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 on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them.
12For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more.
13In that he saith, A new [covenant] he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.
1Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
2a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.
3For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one, too, had to have something to offer.
4Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.
5The place where they serve is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For he says, “See that you make everything according to the design shown to you on the mountain.”
6But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.
7For if that first covenant had been faultless, no one would have looked for a second one.
8But showing its fault, God says to them, “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
9It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I had no regard for them, says the Lord.
10For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds, and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be my people.
11And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins I will remember no longer.”
13When he speaks of a new covenant, he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear.
1Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2a servant of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
3For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
4For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;
5who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, “See, you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.”
6But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law.
7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
8For finding fault with them, he said, “Behold, the days come”, says the Lord, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn’t continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them,” says the Lord.
10“For 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 mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
11They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know me, from their least to their greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”
13In that he says, “A new covenant”, he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and grows aged is near to vanishing away.
Summary
Christ ministers in the true heavenly tabernacle (not the earthly copy), mediates a better covenant established on better promises — the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah where God writes His laws on hearts and remembers sins no more.
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Egypt (v.9): Land to the southwest; place of Israel's bondage and exodus.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers Christ's heavenly ministry, the shadow/reality distinction, the new covenant promises, and the obsolescence of the old.
- Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "Their Sins Will I Remember No More" on v.12 (MTP Vol. 21, No. 1227) "Their sins and their iniquities will I REMEMBER NO MORE. God forgets! The omniscient God chooses not to remember. Not that He cannot recall them but that He will not hold them against you. They are gone — blotted out, cast into the sea, removed as far as east from west. When God forgives, He forgets. When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of God's promise: 'I will remember no more.'" Sermon: "The New Covenant" on vv.10-12 (MTP Vol. 34, No. 2012) "Four 'I wills' of the new covenant: I WILL put my laws in their minds — internal, not external. I WILL be their God — relationship, not religion. They SHALL all know me — personal, not secondhand. I WILL be merciful — forgiveness, not condemnation. Notice: every promise is God's action. 'I will... I will... I will.' The new covenant depends on God's faithfulness, not ours. That is why it is better."
Videos
The Bible Project — Hebrews Overview
Animated overview of the book's literary structure, themes, and theological message. Excellent visual introduction. (Approx. 8 minutes)
Reflection
- 1. "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts" (v.10). Do you experience God's law as internal desire or external obligation? Is obedience coming from within (the Spirit) or from without (duty and fear)?
- 2. "Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (v.12). Do you believe God has truly forgotten your confessed sins? Or do you keep bringing them back, living in guilt for what God has already dismissed?
- 3. "A better covenant... better promises" (v.6). Are you living in the freedom of the new covenant or still operating under old covenant mentality — performance-based, fear-driven, externally focused?
- 4. The earthly system was a "shadow" (v.5). Are you clinging to shadows (religious forms, rituals, externals) when you have access to the reality (Christ Himself)?
- 5. Christ is "set on the right hand of the throne" (v.1). Your High Priest is enthroned — not still working, not still sacrificing, but seated in authority. How does His finished, enthroned position give you confidence?