Hebrews 8

Hebrews 8 establishes Jesus Christ as the superior high priest, ministering in a heavenly sanctuary, the true tabernacle not made by human hands. His ministry is more excellent because He is the mediator of a new and better covenant, founded upon superior promises. This new covenant, prophesied by Jeremiah, replaces the first one, which was found to be faulty, promising internal laws and complete forgiveness of sins, thereby rendering the old covenant obsolete.

The chapter begins by asserting that believers have a high priest, Jesus Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God's throne in the heavens, ministering in the true, divine tabernacle. Earthly priests serve only as an "example and shadow of heavenly things," offering gifts according to the Law. Christ, however, has obtained a "more excellent ministry" because He mediates a "better covenant," established upon "better promises." The necessity for this new covenant arises from the deficiencies of the first, which God found fault with. Quoting Jeremiah, the text describes this new covenant as one where God will write His laws into the minds and hearts of His people, ensuring universal knowledge of Him and the complete remembrance of their sins no more. Consequently, the declaration of a "new covenant" signifies the obsolescence and impending vanishing of the "old" one.

Hebrews chapter eight commences by stating the core message: that believers possess a high priest, Jesus Christ, who is enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. This high priest serves as a minister in the true sanctuary, which is the heavenly tabernacle, pitched by the Lord Himself and not by human hands. The author explains that every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus necessitating that Christ also have something to offer, though the specific offering is not detailed within this chapter. It is emphasized that if Christ were on earth, He would not be a priest, as there are already priests offering gifts according to the Mosaic Law, who serve as a mere "example and shadow of heavenly things," mirroring the pattern given to Moses for the earthly tabernacle. However, Christ has obtained a "more excellent ministry" because He is the mediator of a "better covenant," which is established upon "better promises." The text argues that if the first covenant had been "faultless," there would have been no need for a second. The Lord Himself found fault with the people under the old covenant, leading to the prophecy, quoted from Jeremiah, concerning a future "new covenant" with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. This new covenant is explicitly stated not to be like the one made with their fathers when they were led out of Egypt, which they failed to uphold. Under this new covenant, God promises to put His laws into their minds and write them in their hearts, establishing an intimate relationship where He will be their God and they His people. A key feature of this new dispensation is that there will be no need for individuals to teach their neighbors or brothers to "know the Lord," because all, "from the least to the greatest," will inherently know Him. Furthermore, God promises to be merciful to their unrighteousness and to remember their sins and iniquities no more. The very act of calling it a "new covenant" inherently renders the first one "old," and that which is decaying and growing old is declared to be "ready to vanish away," signifying its impending obsolescence and replacement.