Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 8:6 - 8:6

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Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 8:6 - 8:6


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

But now (νῦν δὲ)

Νῦνis logical: as the case now stands. The statement of Heb 8:4 is taken up. “If he were on earth he could not be a priest,” etc., but now, since Christ is a priest, and must have a sanctuary and an offering, he has a more excellent ministry.

He hath obtained a more excellent ministry (διαφορωτέρας τέτυχεν λειτουργίας)

The ministry of the heavenly sanctuary.

He is the mediator of a better covenant (κρείττονός ἐστιν διαθήκης μεσίτης)

For μεσίτης mediator, see on Gal 3:19. Both here and in the following chapter, the ideas of the sanctuary and the covenant are closely united. God's covenant was embodied in the sanctuary. The ark was “the ark of the covenant”; the tables of the law were “the tables of the covenant.” The essence of a covenant is the establishment of a relationship. The sanctuary was the meeting-place of God and man. The ritual of sacrifice adjusted the sinner's relation to a holy God. All the furniture and all the ordinances of the tabernacle assumed the covenant between God and his people. Thus the two ideas belong together. The minister of the Levitical sanctuary was the mediator of the old covenant. A new covenant implies a new ministry, a better covenant implies a better ministry. Christ's priesthood implies a sanctuary. The new sanctuary implies a new covenant. This covenant is a better covenant because it

Was established upon better promises (ἐπὶ κρείττοσιν ἐπαγγελίαις νενομοθέτηται)

For established rend. enacted. Νομοθετεῖν to enact a law, only here and Heb 7:11. A few times in lxx: Νομοθεσία enacting, only Rom 9:4 νομοθέτης lawgiver, only Jam 4:12. The better covenant was enacted as truly as was the law. See Heb 8:10. The new covenant was a new law - the perfect law, the law of liberty, Jam 1:25.