Hebrews

Tonight was Bible study again. My small group only actually does a study twice a month, and last week it was me doing Hebrews 8. We are doing the book of Hebrews. The one doing Hebrews 9 caught me off guard by saying "well, Dan can you lead us into Hebrews 9 from chapter eight." My wife just said "is he going to read this?" if he does, that is awesome, TB, if you are reading this, that is awesome keep up with my blog sometimes it is actually worth reading. Anyways, my notes on Hebrews 8 are here for you to skim, skip, read, or you can stop reading here it's up to you! Either way, if you need to read an interesting book of the Bible (you should read all of the Bible, but this is quite an interesting book), go for Hebrews. So, without further adieu

Hebrews chapter 8

Author continues to expand on the picture of Melchizedek from Chapters 5 to 7. The covenant established with Moses and Israel is noted as a temporary covenant, which was then followed by the eternal covenant. V13: “by calling the covenant ‘new’ the first is obsolete

Verses 1-2
In Greek the point = Kephalaion (kef-al'-ah-yon) means the chief or principal thing – the point – the point/purpose of Hebrews so far is to help the Hebrew Christians and seekers understand Jesus is supreme.
such a High Priest: The priesthood of Christ, after the order of Melchizedek, Jesus’ priesthood is the focus here, Jesus our High Priest is in Heaven at the right hand of the God’s throne.
“at the right hand of God” – the highest honor
vs 2 – NIV = serves KJV = minister --- The Greek word Leitourgos means a public minister or servant of the state. Jesus Christ serves the Temple in Heaven as opposed to one on Earth.
the true tabernacle: heaven – not made by man

Verses 3-5

offer both gifts and sacrifices: The priest serves the role of leader/man between man and God, to represent people to God, by offering sacrifice for sin and gifts for thanksgiving. Review Leviticus 1-3 for the priest giving the offering.
something to offer: Like a human priest Jesus Christ has offered both sacrifice and gifts on our behalf towards God. He sacrificed Himself,
other scripture:
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." John 6:51
“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2

Before Jesus died for our sins we could only approach God through the Levitical Priesthood established by God.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15

He would not be a priest: Because Jesus was a descendent of Judah and not of Aaron, he could not be a priest after the order of Aaron. The role of priest is for Aaron’s descendents alone. Korah, who tried to assume the role of priest became a symbol of those who try to take the role, but are not descended of Aaron. The burned censors of Korah became a covering for the altar. Korah and the other rebels priest were burned from fire from Heaven. The ground swallowed the other rebels.
39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, 40 to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
Numbers 16:39-40

“There ARE men who serve at the sanctuary.” So the Temple was still in existence at the time the book of Hebrews was written thus before 70A.D. The Romans, causing the Temple priesthood to cease, destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D.

verse 5 serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things: The sanctuary was a COPY of heaven. “copy” also “example” in other versions.


The pattern shown you: The writer of Hebrews quotes from Exodus 25:40, creat the temple See that you make them “according to the pattern shown you on the mountain”
model of heavenly reality, which Moses saw on Mt. Sinai. Moses was given a pattern from Heaven, modeled after the perfect, for construction of the Tabernacle Exodus 25:40

verse 6:

Jesus the mediator of a better covenant: The Greek word for Mediator is Mesites -- someone who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for approving a covenant. The covenant Christ mediates is an eternal covenant verses a temporary and earthly covenant.

Verse 7
Why the first covenant was faulted – not faulted like a mistake, but faulted as in it does not have complete forgiveness of sins.
The First Covenant: This covenant is the Mosaic Covenant, the author of Hebrews establishes its inferiority to the coming covenant.

First covenant: exodus 24:6-8:
And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient." 8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words." Exodus 24:6-8
The word covenant in Hebrew is Beriyth (ber-eeth'); literally meaning “Cut”.


Verse 8-9

Finding fault: If the first covenant were perfect (Faultless) there would be no need to replace it with a “New Covenant’.
The new Covenant: God promised a restoration to Israel, and his eternal relationship with the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He promised redemption, forgiveness and an eternal relationship.

Various other scripture references:
· Melchizedek establishes a precedent of a greater covenant and priesthood. (Psalm 110:4).
· Isaiah foretells the death of an individual who would pay for the sin of all man. (Isaiah 53)
· Zechariah tells us this payment for sin would be accomplished in one day. (Zechariah 3:9)
· Ezekiel informs us this covenant, will be through Israel, with the descendents of Jacob, in the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 37:23-28)
· God’s Spirit will eternally be with those who are established in this New Covenant. (Isaiah 59:21)
· Jeremiah writes this “New Covenant” will replace the Mosiac Covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31)

verse 10: the covenant with the house of Israel
Who is Israel? Is God still working through the nation of Israel? Is his Covenant with Israel cancelled and transferred to the church? – Replacement theology. Then the church is the “new Israel” or “Spiritual Israel” --- various opinions/theology

Those who hold to the replacement of the covenant with the church refer to various scripture:

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28-29
"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who samy they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Revelation 2:9
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:28-29

ADDING to Israel as God’s people:
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." Romans 17-18, 23-27

The Gentiles are grafted into the natural olive tree of Israel
If Israel believes they will be grafted back in
Israel will be saved
God’s Covenant with Israel still stands.

During this period of blindness, the Gentiles have been grafted into the covenanted promises of Israel. There is a day when Israel as a nation will be restored to the position they had prior to their rejection of Christ. Israel will be restored, and the promises of God fulfilled.


Verse 9B: They did not continue/did not remain faithful: Israel broke the Mosaic Covenant, and as a result they suffered the promised curses. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) Israel was scattered in 722 B.C. (I Kings 17) and Judah was defeated, the Temple and Jerusalem destroyed in 587 B.C. They would then scattered in 70 AD by the armies of Rome, but this would take place after book of Hebrews was written.

Verse 10-12: Israel will be my people and I will be their God. All can know God, this is the NEW covenant, eternal, the first is obsolete.