7:4–28 This section presents the superiority of the Melchizedekan priesthood to the Levitical. The major arguments for superiority are related to the receiving of tithes (vv. 2–10), the giving of blessing (vv. 1, 6, 7), the replacement of the Levitical priesthood (vv. 11–19), and the perpetuity of the Melchizedekan priesthood (vv. 3, 8, 16, 17, 20–28).
7:4 In antiquity, it was common for people to give a tithe to a god or his representative. Abraham, the father of the Hebrew faith, gave a tithe to Melchizedek. That proves that Melchizedek was superior to Abraham. The lesser person tithes to the greater (v. 7).
7:5 By the authority invested in them after the establishment of the Mosaic law, the Levitical priests collected tithes from their fellow Israelites (see note on Num. 18:21–24). The submission of the Israelites was not to honor the priests but to honor the law of God.
7:6, 7 Melchizedek not only received a tithe from Abraham, he also blessed him. This proves again Melchizedek’s superiority.
7:8 Here…there. The adverbs have reference to the Levitical law whose system was still active at the time (“here”) and to the earlier historical incident recorded in Gen. 14 (“there”). The Levitical priesthood changed as each priest died until it passed away altogether, whereas Melchizedek’s priesthood is perpetual since the record about his priesthood does not record his death (cf. v. 3).
7:9, 10 In an argument based upon seminal headship, the writer observes that it is possible to speak of Levi paying tithes to Melchizedek. It is the same kind of argument Paul employed to demonstrate that when Adam sinned we all sinned (see notes on Rom. 5:12–14).
7:11–28 In this section the argument is extended a step further. Since the Melchizedekan priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood (vv. 1–10), Christ’s priesthood is also superior to the Levitical priesthood, since Christ’s priesthood is Melchizedekan rather than Levitical.
7:11 perfection. See note on 5:14. Throughout Hebrews, the term refers to complete reconciliation with God and unhindered access to God—salvation. The Levitical system and its priesthood could not save anyone from their sins. See notes on 10:1–4.
7:12–14 Since Christ is the Christian’s High-Priest and He was of the tribe of Judah, not Levi (cf. Matt. 2:1, 6; Rev. 5:5), His priesthood is clearly beyond the law which was the authority for the Levitical priesthood (cf. v. 11). This is proof that the Mosaic law had been abrogated. The Levitical system was replaced by a new Priest, offering a new sacrifice, under a New Covenant. He abrogated the law by fulfilling it (cf. Matt. 5:17) and providing the perfection which the law could never accomplish (cf. Matt. 5:20).
7:13, 15 another. In both cases, the term is “another of a different kind” (heteros) emphasizing the contrast with the Levitical priesthood.
7:16 fleshly commandment. The law dealt only with the temporal existence of Israel. The forgiveness which could be obtained even on the Day of Atonement was temporary. Those who ministered as priests under the law were mortals receiving their office by heredity. The Levitical system was dominated by matters of physical existence and transitory ceremonialism. power of an endless life. Because He is the eternal Second Person of the Godhead, Christ’s priesthood cannot end. He obtained His priesthood, not by virtue of the law, but by virtue of His deity.
7:17 Quoted from Ps. 110:4 again (see notes on 5:6, 10).
7:18 annulling. See note on vv. 12–14. The law was weak in that it could not save or bring about inward change in a person (cf. Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:9).
7:19 the law made nothing perfect. See note on v. 11. The law saved no one (cf. Rom. 3:19, 20); rather it cursed everyone (cf. Gal. 3:10–13). a better hope. See notes on 3:6; 6:18. draw near to God. See Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes; see note on 4:16. This is the key phrase in this passage. Drawing near to God is the essence of Christianity as compared with the Levitical system, which kept people outside His presence. As believer priests, we are all to draw near to God—that is a characteristic of priesthood (cf. Ex. 19:22; see notes on Matt. 27:51).
7:20, 21 oath. God’s promises are unchangeable, sealed with an oath (cf. 6:17). The Melchizedekan priesthood of Christ is confirmed with God’s oath in Ps. 110:4. God’s mind on this matter will not change (“relent,” v. 21).
7:22 surety. This is the only use of the Gr. term in the NT and could also be translated “guarantor.” Jesus Himself guarantees the success of His New Covenant of salvation. a better covenant. The New Covenant (8:8, 13; 9:15). See notes on Jer. 31:31–34; Matt. 26:28. The first mention of “covenant” in this epistle is coupled with one of the key themes of the book (“better,” cf. v. 19; see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). This covenant will be more fully discussed in chap. 8.
7:23, 24 See notes on vv. 3, 8, 16.
7:23 many. It is claimed that there were 84 High-Priests who served from Aaron until the destruction of the temple by the Romans in A.D. 70. The lesser priests’ numbers were much larger.
7:25 uttermost. Virtually the same concept as was expressed in “perfection” (v. 11) and “make perfect” (v. 19). The Gr. term is used only here and in Luke 13:11 (the woman’s body could not be straightened completely). who come to God. See note on 4:16 (cf. John 6:37). intercession. The word means “to intercede on behalf of another.” It was used to refer to bringing a petition to a king on behalf of someone. See note on Rom. 8:34. Cf. the High-Priestly intercessory prayer of Christ in John 17. Since rabbis assigned intercessory powers to angels, perhaps the people were treating angels as intercessors. The writer makes it clear that only Christ is the intercessor (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5).
7:26–28 Christ’s divine and holy character is yet another proof of the superiority of His priesthood.
7:26 In His relationship to God, Christ is “holy” (piety without any pollution; Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:24; Luke 4:24; Acts 2:27; 13:35). In His relationship to man, He is “harmless” (without evil or malice; John 8:46). In relationship to Himself, He is “undefiled” (free from contamination; 1 Pet. 1:19) and “separate from sinners” (He had no sin nature which would be the source of any act of sin; cf. “without sin” in 4:15). See notes on 2 Cor. 5:21. higher than the heavens. See notes on 3:1; 4:14.
7:27 daily. Whenever the Levitical High-Priest sinned, he was required to offer sacrifices for himself (Lev. 4:3). Whenever the people sinned, he also had to offer a sacrifice for them (Lev. 4:13). These occasions could be daily. Then, annually, on the Day of Atonement, he had to again offer sacrifices for himself and for the people (Lev. 16:6, 11, 15). Christ had no sin and needed no sacrifice for Himself. And only one sacrifice (by Him) was needed—one time only, for all men, for all time. once for all. A key emphasis in Hebrews. The sacrificial work of Christ never needed to be repeated, unlike the OT priestly sacrifices. Cf. 9:12, 26, 28; 10:2, 10; 1 Pet. 3:18.
7:28 word of the oath. God confirmed Christ as High-Priest. See notes on vv. 20, 21; 6:16–18. perfected forever. See note on 2:10.
Hebrews 8
8:1—10:18 This entire section is an exposition of the New Covenant promised in Jer. 31:31–34 and its contrast to the Old Covenant of Law.
8:1–5 A brief description of Jesus’ priesthood in the heavenly sanctuary, which is better than Aaron’s because He serves in a better sanctuary (vv. 1–5; cf. 9:1–12).
8:1 main point. Here the writer arrived at his central message. The fact is that “we have” (current possession) a superior High-Priest, Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of all that was foreshadowed in the OT. seated. See notes on 1:3, 13.
8:2 Minister. This is the same word used of the angels in 1:7. In Jer. 33:21 it was used of the priests. sanctuary. Cf. 9:3. The holiest place where God dwelt (cf. Ex. 15:17; 25:8; 26:23, 24; 1 Chr. 22:17). true tabernacle. The definition is given in the phrase “which the Lord erected, and not man,” as well as in 9:11, 24 (cf. v. 5). It refers to the heavenly dwelling place of God.
8:3 gifts and sacrifices. See note on 5:1.
8:4 not be a priest. Jesus was not qualified to be a Levi
tical priest because He was not of the tribe of Levi. See note on 7:12–14. Because of its use of the present tense, this verse indicates that the Levitical system was still in operation at the time of writing, indicating it was before the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 (see note on 5:1–4).
8:5 The quote is from Ex. 25:40. copy and shadow. This does not mean that there are actual buildings in heaven which were copied in the tabernacle, but rather that the heavenly realities were adequately symbolized and represented in the earthly tabernacle model.
8:6 Mediator. Cf. 9:15. The word describes a go-between or an arbitrator, in this case between man and God. See note on 1 Tim. 2:5 (cf. Gal. 3:19, 20). better covenant…better promises. See notes on 7:19, 22; John 1:17, 18. This covenant is identified as the “new covenant” in vv. 8, 13; 9:15.
8:7 Cf. the same argument in 7:11. The older covenant, incomplete and imperfect, was only intended to be temporary.
8:8–12 Quoted from Jer. 31:31–34 (see notes there).
8:9 I disregarded them. Jeremiah 31:32 says, “though I was a husband to them.” The NT writer is quoting from the LXX, which uses a variant reading that does not essentially change the meaning.
8:10 mind…hearts. By its nature, the Covenant of Law was primarily external, but the New Covenant is internal (cf. Ezek. 36:26, 27).
8:12 The LXX represents a slight expansion of the last sentence of Jer. 31:34.
8:13 ready to vanish. Soon after the book of Hebrews was written, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and its Levitical worship ended (see note on 5:1–4; see Introduction: Author and Date).
Hebrews 9
9:1–10 In these verses, the author gives a brief description of the tabernacle, to which some 50 chaps. in the OT are devoted, including the tabernacle service (cf. Ex. 25–40). The section is marked off by its beginning with a reference to “ordinances” (v. 1) and closing with a reference to “ordinances” (v. 10).
9:2 first part…sanctuary. This is the Holy Place, the first room of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:33). For the items in the Holy Place, see Ex. 25:23–40; 40:22–25; Lev. 24:5–9.
9:3 Holiest of All. This is the Most Holy Place where the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat dwelt—the place of atonement (Ex. 26:33, 34).
9:4 golden censer. This is best understood as being the golden altar of incense. See note on Ex. 30:1–10 (cf. Ex. 40:5, 26, 27). Though it was outside the Holy Place (Ex. 30:6), the writer of Hebrews pictures the golden altar inside the Most Holy Place because uppermost in his mind is its role in the liturgy of the Day of Atonement. On that day, the High-Priest brought incense from that altar into the Most Holy Place (Lev. 16:12, 13). The altar of golden incense marked the boundary of the Holy of Holies as well as the curtain. The High-Priest went beyond the altar of incense only once a year. the ark. See notes on Ex. 25:11–18; 26:31–34. golden pot that had the manna. See note on Ex. 16:32–36. Aaron’s rod. See notes on Num. 17:2–10. tablets of the covenant. See note on Ex. 25:16 (cf. 1 Kin. 8:9).
9:5 cherubim…mercy seat. See notes on Ex. 25:17, 18. cannot now speak in detail. The writer has no desire to obscure his main point with details (cf. 8:1).
9:7 This was the Day of Atonement. See notes on 4:14; 7:27; Lev. 16:16, 20–22, 30. not without blood. See note on v. 22. This is the first of many references to the blood of sacrifice. The term is especially central to 9:1—10:18 where it identifies the deaths of OT sacrifices and of Christ (cf. vv. 12–14). Note, however, that the shedding of blood in and of itself is an insufficient sacrifice. Christ had not only to shed His blood, but to die. Hebrews 10:10 indicates that He gave His body as the sacrificial offering. Without His death, His blood had no saving value. See notes on v. 14, 18, 22; 10:10.
9:8 The Levitical system did not provide any direct access into God’s presence for His people. Rather, it kept them away. Nearness had to be provided by another way (v. 12). This is the primary lesson which the Holy Spirit taught concerning the tabernacle. It teaches how inaccessible God is apart from the death of Jesus Christ. See Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes. See the counterpart to this lesson in 10:20. Holy Spirit. See note on 2:4. By the Spirit-inspired instruction given for the Holiest of All, He was indicating that there was no way to God in the ceremonial system. Only Christ could open the way (cf. John 14:6).
9:9 symbolic. The Gr. word is parabole¯, from which the Eng. word “parable” is derived. The Levitical system was a parable, an object lesson, about what was to come in Christ. for the present time. “For” is ambiguous enough to allow for two different meanings and interpretations: 1) “during” the time of the OT, or 2) “until” and “pointing to” the current Christian era. The NKJV’s translation “in which” indicates the first interpretation. The second interpretation is “according to which” (from an alternate Gr. reading) referring to the “parable” rather than to the time, “It was an object lesson from the past pointing to the present time.” This latter interpretation is preferable because of the explanation in v. 10. “The present time” is “the time of reformation.” gifts and sacrifices. See note on 5:1. perfect…conscience. Again, this term refers to salvation. See notes on 5:14; 7:11; 10:1 (cf. 7:25). The sacrifices of the OT did not remove the offerers’ guilty conscience or provide them with full forgiveness for their sins (cf. 10:1–4). It was only “symbolic” of something else that would—namely Christ. The conscience is a divinely given warning device that reacts to sin and produces accusation and guilt (see notes on Rom. 2:14, 15) that cannot be relieved apart from the work of Christ (cf. v. 14; 10:22). At the time of salvation it is quieted from its convicting ravings, but it is not de-activated. Rather, it continues its work, warning the believer about sin. Believers should seek a clear conscience (see notes on 2 Cor. 1:12).
9:10 foods and drinks. See notes on Lev. 11:1–47; Deut. 14:3–21 (cf. Col. 2:16). washings. See note on 6:2. fleshly ordinances. The Levitical ordinances regulated the visible actions without changing the inner man (cf. 10:4). reformation. The Gr. term means “restoring what is out of line.” All things are set straight in Christ. The reformation is the New Covenant and its application. See note on v. 9.
9:11 the good things to come. The reference appears to be to the “eternal redemption” (v. 12). In 10:1, the “good things” refer back to the “salvation” of v. 28 (cf. Rom. 10:15). Most Gr. editions of the NT accept the reading “that have come.” In the context, both readings refer to the things of the New Covenant. It is just a matter of perspective: whether from the view point of the Levitical system where the realities of redemption were “to come,” or the viewpoint of those in the Christian era where the realities of redemption “have come” because Christ has completed His work. not of this creation. The phrase is the explanation of “not made with hands”—it is the creation of God alone. The sanctuary where Christ serves is heaven itself (cf. v. 24; 8:2).
9:12 goats and calves. Only one of each was sacrificed on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16:5–10). The plural here represents the numbers sacrificed as the Day of Atonement was observed year after year. with His own blood. A better translation would be “through His own blood.” The same phrase is used in 13:12. Nothing is said which would indicate that Christ carried His actual physical blood with Him into the heavenly sanctuary. The Sacrificer was also the Sacrifice. once for all. See note on 7:27. eternal redemption. This word for redemption is found only here and in Luke 1:68; 2:38. Its original use was for the release of slaves by payment of a ransom.
9:13–22 Christ’s death was necessary for the fulfillment of the older covenant and the establishment of the new.
9:13 ashes of a heifer. See notes on Num. 19. It is said that, in the history of Israel, only 6 red heifers were killed and their ashes used. One heifer’s ashes would suffice for centuries since only a minute amount of the ash was required. unclean. The Gr. term is literally “common” or “profane.” Not that it was ceremonially unclean, but that it was not sanctified or set apart unto God. The word was used in Jesus’ discourse
on what defiles a man (cf. Matt. 15:11, 18, 20; Mark 7:15, 18, 20, 23), in the Jews’ complaint that Paul had defiled the temple by bringing Gentiles into it (Acts 21:28), and in reference to the meats which Peter had been invited to eat (Acts 10:15; 11:9). According to the Mosaic regulation, the red heifer’s ashes were to be placed “outside the camp” and used in a ceremony for symbolic purifying from sin (Num. 19:9; cf. 13:11–13).
9:14 how much more. Superior to the cleansing capability of the ashes of an animal is the cleansing power of the sacrifice of Christ. the blood of Christ. This is an expression that refers not simply to the fluid, but the whole atoning sacrificial work of Christ in His death. Blood is used as a substitute word for death (cf. Matt. 23:30, 35; 27:6, 8, 24, 25; John 6:54–56; Acts 18:6; 20:26). See notes on Matt. 26:28; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; Col. 1:14. the eternal Spirit. See note on 2:4 (cf. Is. 42:1; 61:1; Luke 4:1, 14). Some interpreters argue that the lack of the definite article in the Gr. makes this a reference to Christ’s own “eternal spirit” (in the sense of an endless life, cf. 7:16). However, the references to the Holy Spirit in 2:4 and 6:4 are also without the definite article. The use of “eternal” as a qualifier serves to relate the Spirit to the “eternal redemption” (v. 12) and the “eternal inheritance” (v. 15) which Christ accomplished by His sacrificial death. offered Himself. See notes on v. 7; John 10:17, 18. The animals in the Levitical system were brought involuntarily and without understanding to their deaths. Christ came of His own volition with a full understanding of the necessity and consequences of His sacrifice. His sacrifice was not just His blood, it was His entire human nature (cf. 10:10). without spot. In the LXX, the term is used for describing acceptable sacrifices including the red heifer (Num. 19:3; cf. Ex. 29:1; Lev. 1:3). A similar reference is found in 1 Pet. 1:19. conscience. See note on v. 9. dead works. See note on 6:1. The works are dead because the un-regenerate are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), their works are worthless and unproductive (Gal. 2:16; 5:19–21), and they end in death (Rom. 6:23). to serve the living God. Salvation is not an end in itself. The believer has been freed from sin to serve God, saved to serve (cf. Rom. 6:16–18; 1 Thess. 1:9). The contrast between dead works and the living God (cf. 3:12; 10:31; 12:22) is basic. Cf. James 2:14–26.
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