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Jesus Is Our High Priest In The True Heavenly Temple

Now[a] the main-point in the things being said is: we have such a High Priest, Who sat-down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, Minister of the Holies[b], indeed[c] of the true tabernacle (which the Lord pitched[d], not a human).

Earthly Priests Serve In a Copy And Shadow of The Heavenly Things

For every high priest is appointed that he might be offering both gifts and sacrifices. Hence it is[e] necessary that this One also have something which He may offer. Now indeed, if He were on earth He would not even be a priest— there being the ones offering the gifts according-to the Law, who are serving a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses has been warned, being about to complete the tabernacle: for “See”, He says [in Ex 25:40], “that you make everything according to the pattern having been shown to you on the mountain”.

But Jesus Has a Better Ministry As Mediator of a Better Covenant With Better Promises

But He has now obtained a more-excellent ministry[f], by as much as He is indeed the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises!

For God Promised a New Covenant

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second. For, finding-fault-with[g] them, He says [in Jer 31:31-34]: “Behold— days are coming, says the Lord, and I will consummate[h] a new covenant for the house of Israel and for the house of Judah; not in accordance with the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took-hold-of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not-care-for them, says the Lord. 10 Because this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: Giving My laws into their mind, I will also write them upon their heart. And I will be God to them and they will be a people to Me. 11 And they will by no means each teach his fellow-citizen and each his brother, saying ‘Know[i] the Lord’, because they all will know Me from the small[j] one up to their great one. 12 Because I will be merciful[k] to their wrong-doings, and I will never remember[l] their sins again”.

God Has Thus Made The First Covenant Old

13 In that He says “New”, He has made the first old[m]. And the thing becoming old and growing-aged is near disappearance.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:1 At this point the writer turns from Christ’s person as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek to His work as High Priest.
  2. Hebrews 8:2 Or, Holy places.
  3. Hebrews 8:2 Or, and.
  4. Hebrews 8:2 Or, set up, erected.
  5. Hebrews 8:3 Or, was; making this a specific reference to the cross instead of a general statement of principle.
  6. Hebrews 8:6 Or, priestly-service.
  7. Hebrews 8:8 Or, blaming.
  8. Hebrews 8:8 Or, accomplish, complete, execute.
  9. Hebrews 8:11 Or, Come-to-know.
  10. Hebrews 8:11 Or, little. That is, insignificant. Or, least... greatest.
  11. Hebrews 8:12 Or, propitious, gracious.
  12. Hebrews 8:12 That is, call-to-mind, keep-in-mind.
  13. Hebrews 8:13 Or, obsolete.

Now 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;

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Who 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.

But 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.

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

For 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:

Not 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.

10 For 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:

11 And 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.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.