In this chapter the apostle pursues his former
subject, the priesthood of Christ. And, I. He sums up what he had
already said,
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 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 showed to thee in the mount.
Here is, I. A summary recital of what had
been said before concerning the excellency of Christ's priesthood,
showing what we have in Christ, where he now resides, and what
sanctuary he is the minister of,
II. The apostle sets before the Hebrews the
necessary parts of Christ's priesthood, or what it was that
belonged to that office, in conformity to what every high priest is
ordained to,
6 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. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 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: 9 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.
In this part of the chapter, the apostle
illustrates and confirms the superior excellency of the priesthood
of Christ above that of Aaron, from the excellency of that
covenant, or that dispensation of the covenant of grace, of which
Christ was the Mediator (
I. What is here said of the old covenant,
or rather of the old dispensation of the covenant of grace: of this
it is said, 1. That it was made with the fathers of the Jewish
nation at mount Sinai (
II. What is here said of the New-Testament dispensation, to prove the superior excellency of Christ's ministry. It is said,
1. That it is a better covenant (
2. That it is established upon better promises, more clear and express, more spiritual, more absolute. The promises of spiritual and eternal blessings are in this covenant positive and absolute; the promises of temporal blessings are with a wise and kind proviso, as far as shall be for God's glory and his people's good. This covenant contains in it promises of assistance and acceptance in duty, promises of progress and perseverance in grace and holiness, of bliss and glory in heaven, which were more obscurely shadowed forth by the promises of the land of Canaan, a type of heaven.
3. It is a new covenant, even that new
covenant that God long ago declared he would make with the house of
Israel, that is, all the Israel of God; this was promised in
4. The articles of this covenant are very extraordinary, which are sealed between God and his people by baptism and the Lord's supper; whereby they bind themselves to their part, and God assures them he will do his part; and his is the main and principal part, on which his people depend for grace and strength to do theirs. Here,
(1.) God articles with his people that
he will put his laws into their minds and write them in their
hearts,
(2.) He articles with them to take them into a near and very honourable relation to himself. [1.] He will be to them a God; that is, he will be all that to them, and do all that for them, that God can be and do. Nothing more can be said in a thousand volumes than is comprehended in these few words: I will be a God to them. [2.] They shall be to him a people, to love, honour, observe, and obey him in all things; complying with his cautions, conforming to his commands, comporting with his providences, copying out his example, taking complacency in his favour. This those must do and will do who have God for their God; this they are bound to do as their part of the contract; this they shall do, for God will enable them to do it, as an evidence that he is their God and that they are his people; for it is God himself who first founds the relation, and then fills it up with grace suitable and sufficient, and helps them in their measure to fill it up with love and duty; so that God engages both for himself and them.
(3.) He articles with them that they shall
grow more and more acquainted with their God (
(4.) God articles with them about the
pardon of their sins, as what always accompanies the true knowledge
of God (