Hebrews 8 (NIV)
The High Priest of a New Covenant
1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
After describing Jesus as the perfect high priest and making comparison to the priest of the old covenant, Paul now reminds them that we have this perfect high priest. He is a high priest like no other – he is the son of the Most High and seated at his right side. He serves in the tabernacle, the real supernatural tabernacle of which the earthly one was just a replica. Being seated at the right hand of God indicates that Jesus now possesses ALL authority in heaven and on the earth. That was the reward for the humility and sacrifice he made. The tabernacle on the earth that was served by human priests had different sections, the sanctuary was the holy of holies – the place where no unclean thing could enter and that was only on earth. Jesus was now serving in the true heavenly sanctuary of God.
3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[Exodus 25:40] 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
Every high priest has to offer sacrifices. Jesus did not serve as a priest here on earth, so he never had to offer the sacrifices of the old covenant – he was called to offer the only sacrifice the new covenant would need. Everything here pertaining to the priesthood and the tabernacle were only examples of the things of heaven. Jesus came to end the shadows and examples and bring us into the reality of a heavenly covenant and relationship with God, our father and creator. He made an end to the power of sin over our lives once and for all. He brought eternity back to the human race.
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said [Some manuscripts may be translated fault and said to the people.]: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.
The first covenant was imperfect because it was of earthly things, it could never compare to the true covenant, but it was necessary to be an example. It was there to show that we needed atonement, that we were in need of a savior. If the old covenant had not been in place, people would have had no knowledge of right and wrong. It was needed to show WHY Jesus was so important and how incredible was the gift that he brought to us. If humanity did not understand that separation from God and why it was there, they wouldn’t understand how precious the reunion of the relationship was. He knew that we could not keep the old covenant, but he had to let us try in order for us to understand our shortcomings.
Hebrews 8 (NIV)
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”[Jer. 31:31-34]
Now, the knowledge of right and wrong is within us. When we accept Christ as our savior, we are able to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Spirit who gives us guidance. God’s compassion and wisdom is written on our hearts and minds. We now have the Holy Spirit to teach us, we have a direct connection with God. He gives us the understanding to know and believe his law and helps us to remember them and the power to put them into practice. This is grace – the power to put his laws into practice in our lives. The old law was complicated and difficult to understand – priests had to study it in order to attempt to follow it. The new covenant is much more simple and easy to understand, no deep studying is necessary to understand the freedom we have in Christ. The studying we do now is to get to know him better and he gives us the understanding as we seek him more and more. He has promised to be our God with all of the supernatural blessing that comes with that relationship. He has given us mercy in the forgiveness of our sins.
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
This is by far a better covenant, not to be in addition to the old one, but to replace it completely. This is the understanding he was trying to impart on the Hebrew church. As we had discussed before, they were trying to follow a combined version of old and new law, trying to meld the two covenants. Paul was trying to get them to understand that what they were doing was incorrect and unnecessary. The old covenant has been replaced, not added to, and it was time to embrace a relationship with God and leave the old law and it’s bondage behind.
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