Hebrews 8:1-13

Hebrews 8:1 and 2:

^8:1But (the) heading on the-things being said: we have this-kind-of chief-priest who sat-down in (the) right-side of the throne of the Greatness in the heavens, ^.2an official-servant of the Holies, even of the tent, the true (tent) which the Lord pitched, not man.

The heading (main point, principal part, chief thing, top, the summit) resting or based on the collection of words that Paul is laying out before us is:

we have this kind/sort of chief-priest (such a high priest, referring to Jesus continuing from ‘chapter 7’)
who sat-down in the right-hand side (he sat within the sphere of action of and is continuing at the right side, which gives him the authority, power, honor, blessing, grace, approval, and excellence being an extension of the power, etc, of the One Whose side he is at)
- of the throne (the high seat designated for a king and so would include all the regal authority associated with that position)
- of the Greatness in the heavens (the Majesty, the One Who is in the condition/state of being great, large in magnitude, quality, rank, importance, depth, measure, etc, the One in Whom greatness is evidenced and exemplified in the heavens; God is the Greatness within the realm of the heavens, figuratively referring to the spirit realm),
an official-servant of the Holies (one who has/holds an office, work, official-duty pertaining to public service attending to his superior, God; this chief-priest is an official-servant performing and carrying-out his official service pertaining to the area being holy, sanctified, set-apart to/for God, containing only who and what are holy),
- even of the tent (with emphasis referring to the covering or sheltering structure within which the chief-priest performs his priestly duties and meets with God; this word is sometimes translated ‘tabernacle’, it is also referred to as the Holy of Holies),
  - emphatically and specifically the true tent (its quality and essence is trueness, its consistency is truth, this tent is not a copy or an example, but it is the actual, real, genuine tent)
  - which the Lord pitched (God Himself fixed, fastened, firmly stuck, set-up, erected this tent),
  - not man (not any of mankind, not even Jesus).

[Reference: Psalm 110:1; Acts 7:44, 15:16; Romans 13:6, 15:16; Ephesians 1:19-23; Philippians 2:25; I Thessalonians 1:9; Hebrews 1:3 and 8, 3:1, 4:14 and 16, 6:19 and 20, 7:26-28, 9:24, 10:12.]

Verses 3-6:

^.3For every chief-priest is constituted with-a-view to offer both free-gifts and sacrifices – from-which (it was) constraining also this (chief-priest) to have something which he may offer.

^.4Therefore indeed if he used-to-be on earth also-not ever used-he-be a priest (while) the (priests) offering the free-gifts according to law are-being (priests), ^.5the-people-who render-service to the pointing-out and shadow of the heavenlies according as Moses was instructed-with-business² being about to fully-complete the tent, for He says, “You must see (that) you will make all-things according to the type, the (type) having been pointed-out to you in the mountain.”

^.6But now he attained² a more-different official-service by as-much-as even he is mediator of a stronger covenant, the-one-which was legislated² on stronger promises.

In truth, every chief/high priest is constituted (caused to be placed, made to stand-down in the level or position) of being the chief priest with a view to offer (for the purpose of bringing, carrying towards God as part of his official service) both…

free-gifts (presents voluntarily given to become dedicated to God and to be used for His service; the word translated "free-gifts" emphasizes the fact that these gifts are freely given, even though the actual gifts are valuable quality items; referencing the times prior to the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 these pertain to the oblations without blood not necessarily killed) and
sacrifices (the offerings which were killed shedding their blood in the place of the people).

So it was constraining (it was necessary due to constraint, applied-force) also for this chief-priest (Jesus) to have something which he would offer.

Following-on logically indeed if he was at a past time on earth, also at that past time he was not ever a priest – why not? – because it was during the time that the priests offering the free-gifts according to law are being priests. Jesus was not a Levitical priest (refer to Hebrews chapter 7). The priests offering free-gifts according to the law were rendering service (performing, carrying-out service as hired servants) to/for the…

pointing-out (indication, display, the presentation shown plainly under someone’s eyes) and
shadow (shade, a shadow is not the actual thing itself)
- of the heavenlies (the heavenly realm; literally anywhere above the earth but here it is used metaphorically referring to God's spirit realm, all that is upon and pertaining-to heaven – God; the plural word "heavenlies" gives great emphasis and expansive greatness to this truth)

…according as Moses was instructed-with-business (in accordance with what he was told to do regarding this affair, which did not change since that time) when he was on the point of bringing the earthly tent to its ultimate ending-issue, for God says (brought to light by His speech) to Moses (recorded in Exodus 25:40, Acts 7:44),

“You must see (perceive with your eyes and understand the object-of-sight in your mind's thoughts) that you will make (produce, do, perform) all things in accordance with the type (in conformity, proportion to the mark, impression, pattern, as an old typewriter would impress the shape of the required letter on a piece of paper, an example to copy and follow),
- emphatically and specifically the type that was pointed-out to you in the mountain.”

But now he attained and continues attained (at the present time the Lord Jesus Christ has already obtained, as hitting the target with an arrow, and this truth has not changed since he attained)…

a more-different official-service (an area of service, an office, work, official-duty pertaining to public service to his superior, God, that carries comparatively a more various way; when compared, it varies more-from and thus excels more-than the official service within the tent that Moses was instructed about and which the Levitical priests performed)
- by as much as emphatically he is mediator of a stronger covenant (he is the go-between, one who goes in the middle between two parties, one who mediates for peace and unity between differing parties, i.e. God and mankind, pertaining to a binding agreement that has comparatively more force with exerted-power),
  - the covenant which was legislated and continues legislated on stronger promises (the binding agreement that was caused to be put/placed into effect being the law resting or based upon the proclamations, the declarations of the messages of God’s intention that have comparatively more force with exerted-power).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the kind of chief-priest who sat-down in the right-side of the throne of the Greatness in the heavens (not on earth), and he is an official-servant of the Holies, emphatically the true tent which God pitched. He has already attained a more-different official-service by as-much-as even he is mediator of a stronger covenant which has already been legislated on stronger promises. The stronger covenant remains the law that is presently in force on the basis of the stronger promises. Both the stronger covenant and the stronger promises pertain to salvation, holy spirit, eternal life.

[Note: the true tent which the Lord pitched is now the only tent; it has replaced the old covenant tent which was divided into two tent areas.]

[Reference: Exodus 25:40; Acts 7:44; Romans 4:13 – 5:2; II Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 3:19-29; Ephesians 1:3, 20, 2:6; Colossians 2:17; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:4, 3:1, 5:1 and 5-10, 6:4 and 17-20, 7:11, 19 and 22-28.]

Verses 7-13:

^.7For if that first (covenant) used-to-be without-blame, a place used-to not ever be-sought-after for a second (covenant).

^.8For blaming to them He says, “Look!, days come, says (the) Lord, and I will complete-together a new covenant on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah, ^.9not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in (the) day (after) My having taken-hold-on their hand to lead them out-from (the) land of Egypt, because they did not remain in My covenant; and I was unconcerned of them, says (the) Lord, ^.10because this covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says (the) Lord, giving My laws into their mind-process and on their hearts I will write them, and I will be for God to them and they will be to Me for a people, ^.11and they may never teach each-person his citizen and each-person his brother saying ‘You must know the Lord’ because all-people will know Me from small until great of them ^.12because I will be propitious to their unrighteousnesses and their sins I may never yet be caused-to-remember.”

^.13In the (time) to say “new (covenant)“ it caused² the first (covenant) to-be-old – but the-thing being caused-to-be-old and growing-old (draws) near lacking-light.

In truth, if that first covenant were without-blame (un-blamable, blameless, no fault to be found because of any incompleteness) during that past time which is now ended, a place (location, space, position, occasion) would not at any past time be sought-after (looked) for a second covenant to replace the first one.

For blaming (finding fault because of some incompleteness) to/with them He says…

“Look (behold, see, pay attention to what I am saying)!, days are coming, says the Lord (God, Yahweh, Jehovah), and I will complete-together a new covenant on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah (I will bring together into completion, fully complete a newly-made binding-agreement which will be different from the old covenant, new compared to the former, new because it will replace the old; I will accomplish the new covenant bringing it to its ending issue relating down on both households of the nation of Israel, which is currently divided into the 10 northern tribes called ‘Israel’ and the 2 southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin called ‘Judah’),
not in accordance (conformity, proportion) to/with the covenant which I made with their fathers (forefathers, ancestors) during the period of time which began after I caught their hand (as stretching My hand out receiving them as one body of people to Myself thereby saving them from danger) to lead them out from the land of Egypt – why not? –
because emphatically they did not remain in My covenant (they were the ones who did not stay within the sphere of action of the covenant that I made with them);
and emphatically I was unconcerned of them (I was without concern, did not have care, had no interest, it did not cause Me any thought and so I disregarded them), says the Lord – why? –
because this covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days (the specific binding agreement which I will throughly or thoroughly put/set in place for Myself to/with all of Israel together when the days of the old covenant will end), says the Lord,
- giving My laws into their mind-process (presenting My laws into the activities of their mind; at that future time I will be yielding in an unforced manner what I set-up, divide-out and administer to be customarily and rightly used among them, into their conscious thinking-through and reflecting on the perception in their mind; giving My laws into their meditation)
- and on their hearts (the center/core of their beings) I will write My laws,
and I will be for (with a view to and resulting in being) God to/for them and emphatically they will be to Me for a people (all of them collectively),
and none of them individually would ever be required to teach
- his citizen (another person who has the same citizenship, who lives with him having the same conditions and rights as all others within a walled-town or city, citizens of the same kingdom, here in relation to God’s kingdom) or
- his brother (another person who has the same father, here in relation to God being their Father)
- saying ‘You must know the Lord (each one of you must acquire a personal, truly active and relative knowing of the Lord God, Yahweh, Jehovah)’
- because all people will know Me (all of them will perceive/see Me themselves, whereby what is known is known because it has come within their own sphere of perception, their own circle of vision, they will see to the end of perceiving and knowing Me with/within their own minds) from small until great of them (from little to large, from junior to senior, from the young person to the old person, including from low to top rank or status among them)
because I will be propitious to their unrighteousnesses (for the reason that I will provide the propitiatory-gift for them in their place with regards to their injustices, unjustnesses, wrongs, their being/doing what is not just/right before Me)
and their sins I may never yet be caused to remember (I would not at any time still be reminded of their sins, call to My mind, recollect their actions of missing the mark of what I said, swerving from My Word to them).”

[Note: Jesus was the one whom God purposed to be the true propitiatory-gift. Jesus was to be both the sacrificing-blood and the covering-place of propitiation (which is the gaining or re-gaining of favor, blessing, atonement, etc). How could Jesus be the gift/place/means of propitiation for mankind? He was both the cover itself and the blood which was sprinkled on it for he was the propitiatory-sacrifice. Therefore since the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) a person who believes what God has given mankind to believe today, which is that the resurrected Christ Jesus is the one who accomplished redemption in the shedding of his-own blood, is made-righteous free-giftly; that person receives holy spirit-life which is the spirit of Christ in them by God's grace.]

Also, the time of full completeness when all of Israel will be together as described above in Hebrews 8:10-12, will be after the resurrections recorded in Revelation chapter 20. Then all those who will be judged to be righteous will live in the kingdom of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ as detailed in Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Those who will be judged to be righteous will be chosen from among - (1) the Israelites/Judeans who lived before and during the old covenant times, (2) those who live today (which is the time when the new covenant has already begun giving all the availability to become holy-people / Christians), (3) and the Israelites/Judeans who will live between Christ's coming to gather his church of holy-people and the final resurrection, (4) plus all who will be judged to be righteous from among people not of the Israeli/Judean background who lived at any time.

Hebrews 8:13 continues to explain:

For the duration of time where the “new” covenant is being spoken of by God recorded in the Book of Jeremiah 31:31-34, it caused and continues to cause the covenant that came first time-wise…

to be old (‘old’ is the Greek word palaios; the first covenant became one that was in force previously for a long time but is now out of date, its time has gone-by).

What is being caused…

to be old (palaios) and
growing old (here the word ‘old’ is the Greek word geron; the thing that is becoming obsolete, as in old age evidenced by its failing authority and effectiveness)

…draws near to lacking-light (it is close to the state of being without light, not evident, without manifestation and therefore it is almost unseen, with no light shining and thus darkened).

[Reference: Exodus 19:3 and following; I Kings chapter 12; Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Jeremiah 38:31-34); Matthew 16:21-23; Acts 7:53; Romans 3:24-26, 8:1 and 2; I Corinthians 11:25, 12:7-14; II Corinthians 1:22, 3:3-18, 5:17, 6:16; Galatians 3:19, 4:6, 6:2; Ephesians 2:12 and 19; Philippians 1:27, 3:20; Hebrews 2:17, 7:11 and 12; 10:16; I John 2:27. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Hebrews ‘chapter 9’ continues to explain….

Hebrews Chapter 9