HERE IS THE WHOLE POINT. "This is the climax!" WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PRIEST. "The High Priest we have been describing, who is without fault, sinless, set apart, and raised above the heavens; this is our High Priest - Jesus Christ!" WHO SITS AT THE RIGHT. His greatness is shown by the fact that he _sit... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SERVES. Compare Hebrews 1:13 and note. The fact that Christ _sits at the right side of the throne_ shows that he has become the one who serves as high priest of heaven. IN THE REAL TENT. [_Tabernacle_ is an old word which means _tent._] The man-made tent is described in Hebrews 9:2-3. The Most Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
IS APPOINTED. "Our Lord sitting down at the right side of God in the real tent is proof that he offered an acceptable sacrifice for sin. The very purpose for which a high priest is appointed shows this. As our High Priest, Christ must have something to offer in heaven, which is the only place where... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE WERE ON EARTH. Jesus could not possibly offer sacrifices in the earthly temple at Jerusalem [which was standing at the time this was written]. He came from the wrong tribe (Hebrews 7:13-14), and there were already priests who were serving in the earthly temple.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY A COPY AND A SHADOW. "Still further proof is that the work which the priests of the Jewish Law do, imitates the true service in heaven. That is, it makes us know there is true service in heaven, even though the things that priests of the Law do are not that _true service_." LIKE THE PATTERN. Go... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS HAS BEEN GIVEN. The Jews thought the earthly service of their priests was perfect. But Christ has been given work which is much greater than theirs!!! JUST AS. The Jews were proud of the covenant between themselves and God. But the covenant which Jesus arranged between God and men is much bett... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THERE HAD BEEN. "If the first covenant given on Sinai had been faultless, and sinners could have been put right with God and forgiven by it, a second covenant would never have been introduced!" See Hebrews 7:18-19.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD FINDS FAULT WITH HIS PEOPLE. "This is proved by the prophet Jeremiah, through whom God spoke about a new covenant." Jeremiah 31:31-34. The Law ritually purified people, but did not purify their conscience (see Hebrews 10:2). A new covenant had to come, because: (1) the first covenant was wea... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WILL NOT BE LIKE. The first covenant dealt with symbols and externals. The new covenant deals with realities and motivations. THEY WERE NOT FAITHFUL. When the Jews were not faithful to their end of the bargain, God turned his back on them and allowed them to be taken over by foreign powers. The n... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE COVENANT. This New Covenant: (1) is inward or spiritual; (2) is individual, and therefore universal; (3) is kind and allows forgiveness. The Law is a curse (James 2:10; Galatians 3:10). Whatever forgiveness those who lived under the Law received, came because of God's act in Christ (see... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL HAVE TO TEACH. By the old covenant, every Jewish baby was born into the covenant relationship and had to be instructed in his heritage. If they were not taught, they did not know God at all. But no one can be part of the new covenant without first knowing both the Father and the Son. The Book o... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL HAVE MERCY. When they become part of this New Covenant, all their sins will be canceled! Under the old covenant, the people remembered their sins (Hebrews 10:3) and were never free of them. Christians continue to have their sins canceled, on the basis of 1 John 1:5-10_.,_... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD HAS MADE THE FIRST ONE OLD. "By promising a new covenant, God made the first covenant obsolete and showed that the whole Age of Moses would be terminated and superseded. In actual fact, the Age of Moses terminated at the Cross (see Colossians 2:14 and note). But the Jewish priests continued thei... [ Continue Reading ]