Hebrews 8
CHAPTER 8
The old covenant replaced by the new covenant
Now in the things of which we are talking, 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, 2 a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest being appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it is therefore necessary that this high priest also have these to offer. 4 Now 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, 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned when he is about to make the tabernacle. For He said: See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. 6 But now has he obtained a more excellent service, as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For 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- 9 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 did not continue in My covenant, so I paid no attention to them. 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 and in their heart also will I write them, and I will be to them a God and they shall be to Me a people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbour, and none his brother, saying: Know the Lord. For all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will not remember against them. 13 In that He said: A new covenant, He has made the first redundant. Now what is becoming redundant and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Commentary
8:3 Jesus is actively at work in Heaven for us. He offers up our works, our thoughts, our prayers, to God.
8:7 There was ‘fault’ (v. 8) with the Old Covenant [the Law of Moses]; the New Covenant is “better” (v. 6). We therefore don’t need to keep the Law of Moses.
8:9 Took them by the hand- This is a picture of a loving Father taking the hand of a child to lead them. This is how gentle God was in leading His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea- events which represent our exit from this world’s ways and passing through the water of baptism (1 Cor. 10:1).
8:13 Ready to vanish away- Suggesting that Hebrews was written shortly before the destruction of the temple worship system in AD70.
