A WALK THROUGH HEBREWS 7-10 Jesus’ Priesthood and the New Covenant (7.1—10.39) Need to Know Terms To understand this section you have to have an understanding of the Old Covenant priesthood and sacrificial system in order to see its deficiencies and Christ’s superiorities Levitical Priesthood – The descendants of Aaron, from the tribe of Levi served as priests – human priests who were born, lived and died, who also had to make sacrifices for their own sins. High Priest – The supreme religious leader of the Israelites could only enter the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for the sins of the nation. The Law of Moses (he was the mediator) established the priesthood along with it’s ordinances of sacrifice and purification. This was Israel’s national covenant with God, not our covenant. Animal Sacrifices for Sin – Provided temporal atonement (continual because they could not take away sin). Tabernacle – Outer Court (altar, laver), Inner Court (candlestick, table of shewbread, altar of incense), Veil, Holy of Holies (ark of the covenant covered with the mercy seat). Chapter 7 – The Exposition about Melchizedek The author explains that the underlying argument is that Israel’s scriptures themselves indicate that they are pointing ahead to something beyond themselves. In this case, they point to a priesthood which is both more ancient and more long-lasting than the Aaronic line. Psalm 110.4 indicates that the coming Davidic king will be a priest in the order of Melchizedek, thus solving at a stroke a puzzle over which other Jews of the period puzzled: could a coming Messiah be both a priest and a king? In 7:1–10, the author draws on the Genesis account (Gen 14:18–20) of how Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and Abraham in turn gave Melchizedek a tenth of the plunder from his conquest of the pagan kings. Hebrews explores Melchizedek a bit further: his name means ‘king of righteousness’; he was also ‘king of Salem’ (that is, pre-Israelite Jerusalem), which means ‘king of peace’; he was a ‘priest of God Most High’ (Gen. 14.18), and his priesthood did not depend on genealogy, in which Melchizedek had no genealogy (7.3) . In all these respects he looks forward to the Messiah, whose priesthood is thus superior to that of the house of Levi. There are, then, scriptural grounds for seeing Jesus as superior to the ongoing line of Jewish priests (7:11–19). It isn’t that the old dispensation was bad. It was pointing forwards. The new dispensation is even better than what went before. Jesus is a priest forever, not only for the span of an earthly life; so he is always there to intercede for his people (7:20–25). A priest like this is obviously different. He is set apart from sinners, holy and blameless, so he can intercede for them. He does not offer one sacrifice after another; instead he offered himself as atonement for sins, once and for all. The law appointed human priests with inherent weakness, but the oath appointed the son who has been made perfect forever (7.26–28). Chapter 8 – The True Tabernacle and the New Covenant Christ’s priesthood takes place in a superior sanctuary (heaven itself; note the allusion to Ps 110:1 in Heb 8:1) and is based on the new (and thus superior) covenant promised in Jeremiah The author sums up the argument thus far and points to the crucial result (8:1–6): a change in priesthood means a change in covenant—and, once again, this is predicted in scripture itself. It turns out that the tabernacle in the wilderness is a copy of the true tabernacle, the dwelling of God in heaven; and that is where Jesus has gone to exercise his perpetual priesthood (8:1–6). The Levitical priests, then, offer sacrifices according to the law, in a sanctuary that is a copy or shadow of the heavenly one. By entering heaven Jesus has a superior ministry, acting as the mediator of the long- promised ‘better covenant’ established on ‘better promises’. This time the key passage that points beyond Israel’s scriptures to a new kind of fulfillment is Jeremiah 31:31–34, which the writer quotes at length. The prophet explains the nature of this new covenant: (1) it will include a reunited Israel; (2) it will endure because the people will remain steadfast; (3) God will write his law in their minds and hearts; (4) they will know God in a new depth of spiritual intimacy; and (5) God will be merciful to the people and remember their sins no more. This new covenant will render the old one obsolete (8:7–13). Chapter 9 – The Earthly and Heavenly Sanctuaries Watch how the exposition that follows shows how Christ, the perfect “sacrificer,” is also the superior (perfect) sacrifice (9:1–10:18). After describing the old (9:1–10), he shows how Christ’s sacrifice of himself both obtained eternal redemption (9:11–14) and mediated the new covenant through his death (9:15–22). He then summarizes the argument and brings it to a conclusion (9:23–10:18) by emphasizing the eternal, “once for all time” nature of Christ’s sacrifice (no condemnation for past or present sins!). The comparison of the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries continues with due emphasis on the fact that the priestly ministry in the inner and outer rooms of the sanctuary could not provide what Jesus Christ does: true atonement (9.1–10). In a further contrast, the death of Jesus Christ provided a permanent and complete atonement for sin because he entered the heavenly sanctuary with the offering of his own blood, which secures eternal redemption (9.12). Jesus can provide what the old order of sacrifices could only point to. All this is vital as the author returns to the topic of ‘covenant’, explaining what is ‘new’ about the ‘new covenant’ (9.15–28). Jesus’ death makes him the ‘mediator of a new covenant’. Having done this ‘once for all’ (one of the great emphases of Hebrews), he makes it valid for all time. Chapter 10 – Christ’s Superior ‘Once For All’ Sacrifice Hebrews 10 shows that the Old Testament law and sacrifices could never: 1. Was a shadow of things to come (Jesus); 2. Could not make the worshippers perfect; 3. Could not remove the guilt and consciousness of sins; 4. Could not take away sins. God never wanted animal sacrifices, but allowed them under the law. What he wanted was one to do his will and establish the new covenant (v. 5-9). The will of God was for people to be sanctified through the offering of Jesus once for all. (v. 10) After Christ had made himself an offering, he sat down, meaning he has finished the work and there is nothing else to do in terms of bringing salvation to the world. Now, where sins have been forgiven because of Jesus, there is no need for any other offering for sin. He is the complete and final sacrifice. .