Christ - The Minister of a Better Covenant

 

CHAPTER 8
(A.D. 64)

HIGH PRIEST

NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum (refers to what Paul will now give as it regards the meaning of all this): We have such an High Priest, Who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens (the very fact that Christ is now seated in the Heavens at the Right Hand of God proves His Work is a Finished Work);
2 A Minister of the Sanctuary (as Paul uses the word “Minister,” it speaks both of Priestly service to God and of service to man), and of the True Tabernacle (the true dwelling place of God, which is in the Heavens), which the Lord pitched, and not man. (This refers to the fact that Moses pitched the earthly Tabernacle, but God formed the True Tabernacle.)
3 For every High Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices (portrays the High Priests of old serving as mediators between God and men): wherefore it is of necessity that this Man (Christ Jesus) have somewhat also to offer. (A Priest must have a Sacrifice to offer. Christ offered Himself. This was His one great and all embracing Sacrifice, satisfying all the Types of the Old Covenant and abolishing all its Offerings for sin.)
4 For if He (the Lord Jesus) were on Earth, He should not be a Priest (refers to the fact that He was not of the Levitical Order, and due to His Sacrifice of Himself, no more earthly Priests are now needed, which, as should be obvious, completely abrogates the Catholic Priesthood), seeing that there are Priests who offer Gifts according to the Law (due to His Eternal Priesthood, and the Offering of Himself in Sacrifice, the Law is done):
5 Who (the Levitical Priesthood) serve unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things (refers to a suggestive replica, which, in fact, had no substance within itself), as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle (proclaims the fact that this was but a poor replica of the reality Who is Christ): for, See, said He (Ex. 25:40; Num. 8:4), that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the Mount (meaning the Tabernacle on Earth was merely a replica of something far better in the Heavens).

MEDIATOR

6 But now (since the Cross) has He (the Lord Jesus) obtained a more excellent Ministry (the New Covenant in Jesus’ Blood is superior, and takes the place of the Old Covenant in animal blood), by how much also He is the Mediator of a Better Covenant (proclaims the fact that Christ officiates between God and man according to the arrangements of the New Covenant), which was established upon better Promises. (This presents the New Covenant, explicitly based on the cleansing and forgiveness of all sin, which the Old Covenant could not do.)
7 For if that first Covenant had been faultless (proclaims the fact that the First Covenant was definitely not faultless; as stated, it was based on animal blood, which was vastly inferior to the Precious Blood of Christ), then should no place have been sought for the Second (proclaims the necessity of the New Covenant).
8 For finding fault with them (the First Covenant was actually designed to glaringly portray the fault of the people, which it successfully did), He said (Jer. 31:31), 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 (that New Covenant was in Christ and what He did at the Cross; regrettably, Israel rejected Him):
9 Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers (refers to the Law of Moses, which was given some fifty days after Israel was delivered from Egypt) in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt (speaks to the immaturity of Israel at that time; consequently, she was treated as a minor); because they continued not in My Covenant (Israel was not true to the Covenant regarding the Old Law), and I regarded them not, says the Lord. (Israel rejected God’s First Covenant, so God rejected them.)
10 For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel (refers as stated to the “New Covenant”) after those days (refers to the Old Covenant having run its course, which it did at the time of the Cross), saith the Lord; I will put My Laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts (proclaims in abbreviated detail the glorious fact of what the New Covenant would do because the sin debt was paid by Christ on the Cross, which made it possible for the Holy Spirit to abide forever in the hearts and lives of Believers [Jn. 14:16–17]): and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people (refers to relationship under the New Covenant that was not possible under the Old Covenant [Zech. 8:8]):

Swaggart, J. (2005). The Expositor’s Study Bible (pp. 2129–2130). Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.