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"THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"
Our Glorious High Priest (He 8:1-6)
INTRODUCTION
1. With the beginning of chapter eight, we come to the close of the
first major section of "The Epistle To The Hebrews"...
a. In which the key thought is "The Superiority of Christ"
b. In which Jesus is shown to be superior to
1) To the prophets - He 1:1-3
2) To angels - He 1:4-2:18
3) To Moses - He 3:1-5
4) To Aaron and his Levitical priesthood - He 5:1-10; He 7:1-28
2. The next major section really begins in earnest with verse 7...
a. In which the key thought will be "The Superiority of the New
Covenant"
b. In which this covenant is shown to be based upon
1) Better promises - He 8:7-13
2) A better sanctuary - He 9:1-28
3) A better sacrifice - He 10:1-18
3. In He 8:1-6 , we find a transition...
a. In which the main point of the first section is summarized
b. In which the main points of the next section are introduced
-- Indeed, these six verses truly summarize what the author seeks to
establish in the first ten chapters of this epistle
4. It can all be summarized in these words: "We have such a High
Priest..."
a. In Jesus, we have a High Priest
b. Not just any High Priest, but "such" a High Priest; i.e., a
glorious High Priest!
[In what ways is Jesus "Our Glorious High Priest"? First, He is...]
I. SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD (v 1)
A. THE PHRASE "THE MAJESTY IN THE HEAVENS"...
1. A Jewish expression meaning "God" (Believers' Study Bible)
2. I.e., a roundabout way of referring to God - cf. He 1:3
B. MANY PASSAGES REFER TO JESUS AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND...
1. David prophesied that the Messiah would sit at God's right
hand - Psa 110:1
2. Jesus said that He would sit at the right hand of God - Mk 14:60-62
3. When He ascended to heaven, He then sat down at God's right
hand - Mk 16:19 ; He 12:2
4. At God's right hand, He poured forth the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:33
5. Peter preached Jesus as being exalted to be at God's right
hand as our Prince and Savior - Ac 5:30-31
6. Paul taught that Jesus is at God's right hand, interceding for
us - Ro 8:34
7. He is at God's right hand, "waiting till His enemies are made
His footstool" - He 10:12-13
8. Yet while He sits and waits, He rules! - Psa 110:1-2; Psa 110:5
cf. 1 Co 15:24-26
9. For at God's right hand, He is above all other authority
- Ep 1:20-22; 1 Pe 3:22
-- In one place, we read of Jesus "standing at the right hand of
God" (Ac 7:55-56); was Jesus showing His respect for Stephen,
the first Christian martyr?
[Exalted to such a place of honor and authority, we truly have a
"glorious" High Priest, one who is "the ruler over the kings of the
earth" (Re 1:5)! As we look at the next verse in our text, we see
that He is also...]
II. A MINISTER OF THE TRUE TABERNACLE (He 8:2-5)
A. ERECTED BY GOD, NOT MAN...
1. We are now introduced to a contrast between two "tabernacles"
a. There had been the earthly sanctuary or tabernacle
1) As ordained under the first covenant (i.e., the Law)
- cf. He 9:1 ff
2) It was built by man
b. But now we read of one "which the Lord erected";
i.e., a heavenly tabernacle
2. The heavenly tabernacle is none other than heaven itself!
- cf. He 9:11-12; He 9:23-24
B. IN WHICH HE OFFERS "SERVICE"...
1. As a High Priest, it is necessary for Him to have something to
offer - He 8:3
a. Every high priest is appointed for this purpose - He 5:1
b. What Jesus has to offer is not mentioned here, but will be
later - cf. He 9:12
2. This service He renders in heaven, not on the earth - He 8:4
a. If He were on earth, He couldn't be a priest!
b. For the Law required priests from the tribe of Levi, and
Jesus was from Judah
3. As for priests on the earth...
a. They serve only the "copy and shadow of the heavenly things"
- He 8:5
b. For Moses had been told by God to build the earthly
tabernacle according to pattern shown to him on the
mountain - cf. Exo 25:40
[As "Our Glorious High Priest", then, Jesus renders service in the
true tabernacle, which is heaven itself. This thought will be expanded
upon in chapters nine and ten. But consider also how He is...]
III. THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT (He 8:6)
A. HE HAS OBTAINED A MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY...
1. In contrast with the ministry of the Levitical priests
2. Their ministry was simply a shadow and copy of His ministry
- cf. Co 2:16-17
B. AS MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT...
1. The word "mediator"...
a. The Greek is "mesites" {mes-ee'-tace}
b. It means "one who intervenes between two, either in order
to make or restore peace and friendship, to form an agreement
or for ratifying a covenant"
2. By His death on the cross, Jesus has become the Mediator of
the new covenant - cf. He 9:15; He 12:24
3. This new covenant is referred to as "a better covenant"
a. Better than what? Better than the "first covenant" -
cf. He 8:7
b. I.e., what had been established through Moses
C. ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES...
1. Its promises are what makes the new covenant better than the old
2. Some of those promises are explained later - cf. He 8:10-12
3. But Peter describes the promises we receive as "exceedingly
great and precious promises" - cf. 2 Pe 1:3-4
CONCLUSION
1. With this transitional passage we are introduced to things that
will be explained as we proceed through the epistle...
a. We have a better covenant in Christ because it is based on better
results
b. Christ offers a better ministry from His position as our High Priest
in heaven, seated at God's right hand
2. When such things are properly understood, we can see how Jesus is
truly "Our Glorious High Priest"!
a. One who stands ready to minister in our behalf
b. He is "able to save to the uttermost those who come to God
through Him" - He 7:25
c. He is "able to aid those who are tempted" - He 2:18
Have you accepted Jesus as your High Priest by obeying His gospel?
He is truly...
"...the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (He 5:9)
For those who have not obeyed His gospel, we find this awesome warning:
"...and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming
fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those
WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. These shall
be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord and from the glory of His power..." (2 Th 1:7-9)
Please render obedience to the gospel today if you have not yet done
so! - cf. Ac 2:36-39
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