In the seventh chapter there has been presented the new order of priesthood to which Christ has been called, and its superiority over the Aaronic priesthood, involving the setting aside of the law of the Levitical priesthood.
Now we are to learn that the new priesthood not only sets aside the Mosaic law as to the appointment of the priest, but opens the way for the new covenant, based on a new sacrifice, and exercised in the new sanctuary for new worshippers. The two great themes of this chapter are: first, the great fact that Christ’s priestly service is now exercised in connection with heaven (verses 1-5); second, that it implies the new covenant (verses 6-13).
Hebrews 8:1-21Now 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. (Hebrews 8:1‑2). The chapter opens with a brief summary of the truth already presented. The apostle states, not only that there is such a High Priest, but that “we have such an High Priest.” This great and glorious Person, called to be a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, is for service to us. He is One to whom we can turn for sympathy in our sorrow and for succor in our infirmities. The apostle reminds us of the incomparable dignity of our High Priest by bringing before us His place of power “on the right hand of the throne”; His nearness to God, “the throne of the Majesty”; and His exalted position, “in the heavens.”
Moreover, He is a minister of the sanctuary or “holy places.” This is not the earthly sanctuary, but “the true tabernacle, which the Lord has pitched, and not man.” Later in the epistle we are told that this is “heaven itself” (Heb. 9:2424For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)). The mention of the sanctuary introduces another part of the priestly service of Christ. This is no longer the service of succoring us in our wilderness temptations, or sympathy with us in our sorrows, or support in our weakness, but rather that higher service by which we are led as worshippers into the presence of God. His service for us in our wilderness circumstances has been presented in chapters 2 to 7; His priestly service in leading us into the sanctuary as worshippers is more definitely presented in chapters 8 to 10.
Hebrews 8:4-54For 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 showed to thee in the mount. (Hebrews 8:4‑5). This priestly work of Christ is exercised in heaven and on behalf of a heavenly people. If He were on earth He would not be a priest, as on earth the only human priests, ever sanctioned by God as a distinct class among the people of God, were appointed according to the law. They served as “the representation and shadow of heavenly things.” This is implied by the explicit directions given to Moses, who was told to make the tabernacle after the pattern shown to him in the mount (Ex. 25:4040And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:40)). Christ having come, “the representation and shadow of heavenly things” has fulfilled its purpose. The human priesthood, exercised on earth on behalf of an earthly people, gives place to the heavenly priesthood of Christ, exercised in heaven on behalf of a heavenly people.
Alas! Christendom, having lost the heavenly calling of the Christian, has set up an earthly system after the pattern of Judaism, with a humanly ordained priesthood as a distinct class amongst the people of God. In doing so there is not only a return to the shadows and the loss of the substance, but there is the practical denial of the priesthood of Christ and the usurpation of His office and service.
Hebrews 8:6-96But 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. (Hebrews 8:6‑9). Not only does Christ exercise a more excellent ministry in heaven, but He is the Mediator of a better covenant, established upon better promises. Of this new covenant the apostle speaks in verses 6-13.
A covenant sets forth the terms on which two people can be in relation with each other. Scripture speaks of two great covenants between God and men, the old and the new, the covenant of law and the covenant of grace. Both the old and the new covenants set forth the terms on which God can bless His earthly people. The great difference between the covenants is that under the terms of the first covenant the blessing depended upon man doing his part, whereas under the second covenant the blessing is secured by the unconditional promise of God. The mediatorial work of Christ lays a righteous basis for God to bless the believer in sovereign grace according to the terms of the new covenant.
In the book of Exodus we have the historical account of Israel formally entering into a covenant with God. Jehovah undertakes to bless the people if they will obey His voice and keep His covenant. The people on their side undertake to do their part, as we read, “All the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do” (Ex. 19:5-85Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. 8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. (Exodus 19:5‑8)). Later, this covenant is renewed by the people and sealed with blood (Ex. 24:6-86And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. 8And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words. (Exodus 24:6‑8)).
It becomes manifest that, under the old covenant, the people of Israel were set in outward relationship with God on the ground of law. If they kept the law, life and blessing on earth were promised to them: if they broke the law, they were cursed. The blessing all depended upon man doing his part. This was the weakness of the first covenant, for it is manifest that a fallen man cannot keep God’s holy law. Thus a place is sought for a second covenant, of which Christ is the Mediator.
Jehovah does not indeed find fault with the first covenant itself, but with those who were unable to fulfill its terms. “Finding fault with them,” Jehovah speaks of a new covenant. The apostle, in verses 8-12, quotes from the Septuagint version of Jeremiah 31:31-3431Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31‑34) to bring before us the terms of this new covenant.
From this quotation we learn that the new covenant has in view the day to come, and strictly is made with Israel and applies to an earthly people. Nevertheless, if the letter of the new covenant is confined to Israel, the spirit of it can be applied to Christians. Therefore, when writing to the saints in Corinth, the apostle speaks of himself as being an able minister of the new covenant, “not of the letter, but of the spirit” (2 Cor. 3:66Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)).
For this reason we should hardly expect to find in the new covenant any of the truths that exclusively set forth Christian privileges, but rather blessings that are essential for all the people of God and common to all the redeemed. These blessings, which restored and redeemed Israel will enter into in a day to come, are anticipatively enjoyed by believers in this day of grace.
The new covenant is in contrast to the old covenant made with Israel in the day when they were led out of Egypt. In that day God separated the nation from the world of Egypt that they might be in relationship with Himself. But, as we have seen, according to the terms of the covenant, the blessing depended upon the people carrying out their part of the covenant. This they failed to do, as the Lord says, “They continued not in My covenant.” Consequently they lost the blessing, and the Lord “regarded them not.” To regard a people who, by disobedience and idolatry, failed to carry out their obligations would be to sanction their evil. Thus God refused to own them as in relationship with Himself on the ground of the old covenant. On this ground the nation is rejected.
Hebrews 8:10-1210For 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 neighbor, 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. (Hebrews 8:10‑12). Nevertheless, God can, and does, fall back on His sovereign grace and speak of a fresh covenant for the days to come. This new covenant depends entirely upon the sovereign grace of God and sets forth the terms upon which He can be with man according to His own holy nature and His own will. In setting forth the blessing of the new covenant, again and again the Lord says, “I will”—“I will make” a new covenant; “I will put My laws into their mind”; “I will be to them a God”; “I will be merciful”; “their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” It is clear that the blessings of the new covenant depend, not on man’s doings or man’s will, but on God’s sovereign will. The essence of the new covenant is that the Lord undertakes its accomplishment.
Jeremiah tells us that the blessings of the new covenant are, first, a work of God in the hearts of His people, whereby their minds will be renewed and their affections engaged, so that the law of God will be written in the heart, in contrast to being written on tables of stone. Second, those thus wrought upon will be a people in relationship with God. Into the spirit of this, believers in this day enter, as we read in the Gospel of John, “As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to be children of God, to those that believe on His Name; who have been born, not of blood, nor of flesh’s will, nor of man’s will, but of God” (John 1:12-1312But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13)). Third, there will be the conscious knowledge of the Lord, so that there will be no question of teaching a neighbor or a brother to know the Lord. How truly this is so amongst the true people of God today, who personally know the Lord, however much they may have to learn about the Lord and, in this sense, need teaching. Fourthly, there will be the mercy of the Lord by which their sins will be so righteously dealt with that God will be able to say, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Into this great blessing every believer is brought today.
Hebrews 8:1313In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13). Such are the terms and blessings of the new covenant. If there is a new priesthood by which we draw nigh to God, there must of necessity be a new covenant, otherwise the new priesthood, however perfect, would be of no avail. Under the first covenant our drawing nigh to God would depend upon our keeping the terms of the covenant. This being impossible, we should find ourselves constantly shut out from God by our own failures. Under the new covenant we are in relationship with God entirely on the ground of what God has done in sovereign grace.
The covenant is new in the sense that it is entirely different to the old covenant: it is not a new covenant of the same pattern. Being new makes the old out of date, and, decaying and waxing old, it is ready to vanish away. It is vain, therefore, for Jews or Christendom, to go back to that which man has broken and which God has set aside by the cross, and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.