The Epistle to the Hebrews

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- Chapter 8 -

Now the main point in the things that have been stated is this: that we have so great a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens,

who is the minister of holy things, and of the true tabernacle, which was established by the Lord, not by man.(a)

For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, it is necessary for him also to have something to offer.

And so, if he were upon the earth, he would not be a priest, since there would be others to offer gifts according to the law,(b)

gifts which serve as mere examples and shadows of the heavenly things. And so it was answered to Moses, when he was about to complete the tabernacle: “See to it,” he said, “that you make everything according to the example which was revealed to you on the mountain.”(c)

The New Covenant

(Jeremiah 31:26–40)

But now he has been granted a better ministry, so much so that he is also the Mediator of a better testament, which has been confirmed by better promises.

For if the former one had been entirely without fault, then a place certainly would not have been sought for a subsequent one.

For, finding fault with them, he says: “Behold, the days shall arrive, says the Lord, when I will consummate a New Testament over the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

not according to the testament which I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand, so that I might lead them away from the land of Egypt. For they did not remain in my testament, and so I disregarded them, says the Lord.

For this is the testament which I will set before the house of Israel, after those days, says the Lord. I will instill my laws in their minds, and I will inscribe my laws on their hearts. And so, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they will not teach, each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, saying: ‘Know the Lord.’ For all shall know me, from the least, even to the greatest of them.(d)

For I will forgive their iniquities, and I will no longer remember their sins.”

Now in saying something new, he has made the former old. But that which decays and grows old is close to passing away.(e)

Footnotes

(a)8:2 The holies:That is, the sanctuary.(Challoner)

(b)8:4 If then he were on earth, etc:That is, if he were not of a higher condition than the Levitical order of earthly priests, and had not another kind of sacrifice to offer, he should be excluded by them from the priesthood, and its functions, which by the law were appropriated to their tribe.(Challoner)

(c)8:5 Who serve unto, etc:The priesthood of the law and its functions were a kind of an example and shadow of what is done by Christ in his church militant and triumphant, of which the tabernacle was a pattern.(Challoner)

(d)8:11 They shall not teach, etc:So great shall be light and grace of the new testament, that it shall not be necessary to inculcate to the faithful the belief and knowledge of the true God, for they shall all know him.(Challoner)

(e)8:13 A new:Supply ‘covenant’.(Challoner)

Now 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,

a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.

For 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,

who 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.”(a)

The New Covenant

(Jeremiah 31:26–40)

But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

For finding fault with them, he said, “Behold,(b) the days are coming”, says the Lord, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

not 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.

“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.

They will not teach every man his fellow citizen

(c)

and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know me, from their least to their greatest.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”(d)

In that he says, “A new covenant”, he has made the first obsolete. But that which is becoming obsolete and grows aged is near to vanishing away.

Footnotes

(a)8:5 ℘ Exodus 25:40

(b)8:8 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(d)8:12 ℘ Jeremiah 31:31-34