返回Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Heb. 8:1. Now the main point of what we are saying is this: we have such a High Priest, Who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
The chief point is always what is called the most important thing; when someone wishes to convey the most essential matter in few words, he says that he is directing attention to this above all else, just as the head, though small in size, constitutes the most important part of the body. So now the apostle says: "The chief point of what we are saying," that is, I will state the most important thing that briefly encompasses much: we have God as our High Priest. For sitting belongs to no one other than God. Notice how, after saying much that is lowly, namely that the High Priest intercedes before the Father, and what pertains to the humanity, he ascends to what is lofty and what pertains to the Divinity. He always does this, just as his Teacher does in the Gospel, so that through the lowly he may guide the listener to receive the word — for otherwise the listener does not understand if he does not ascend gradually — while through the exalted he teaches that the lowly was condescension. He calls it "the throne of majesty," meaning the throne of the Father, either because the Father could be called Majesty for Him, or simply because "the throne of majesty" is the highest throne.
Heb. 8:2. and is a minister of the sanctuary
Just as the earthly high priests served when entering the Holy of Holies, so too He is truly the minister of the holy, true, heavenly sanctuaries. It would seem that Paul here contradicts himself. For in the beginning he said: "To which of the Angels did God ever say: 'Sit at My right hand…'? Are they not all ministering spirits…?" (Heb. 1:13–14), as if giving to understand that a minister ought not to sit. But now, having said "sat down at the right hand of the throne," he again presents Him as a minister. So how does he say this, if not out of complete condescension toward his listeners, mixing the lowly with the exalted? And some understood "minister of the saints" as meaning minister of those people sanctified by Him. For, he says (the Apostle Paul), He is our High Priest.
Heb. 8:2. And of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Here he encourages the Jews who had believed. For since they were probably perplexed, saying: we do not have such a tabernacle, behold, he says, a greater and true tabernacle – heaven itself. For the Old Testament tabernacle was a figure of this one: and that one was pitched by man, either Bezaleel (Exod. 31:2) or Moses, but this one – by God. And here note, according to Saint John Chrysostom, that heaven neither moves nor is spherical: for the expression "pitched" excludes both the one and the other.
Heb. 8:3. Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; and therefore it was necessary that this one also have something to offer.
Since he said "sat down" (Heb. 8:1), lest you consider it a deception that he called Him a priest, he says that although He sat down, He did not thereby cease to be a High Priest; for everything that belongs to high priests, He possesses, and just as they offer sacrifices, so He offered Himself as a sacrifice. To sit at the right hand belongs to His dignity, while the high priesthood is a matter of great love for mankind. And furthermore, since some were asking why He died if He was truly the Son and eternal, he resolves this perplexity and says: since He was a Priest, and a priest does not exist without a sacrifice, it "was necessary that this one also have something to offer." And this was nothing other than His own body. Therefore, it was necessary for Him to die. Between "gifts" and "sacrifices," in the precise sense, there is a distinction. For sacrifices are offerings of blood and flesh, or more precisely, everything that is consumed by fire. For the word θυσία — sacrifice — properly derives from the word θύεσθαι, that is, to be burned. But gifts, such as fruits and the like, are bloodless and not burned. However, in Scripture both terms are used interchangeably, as for example: "And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his gift," although the gift was precisely from the firstborn of the sheep, "but for Cain and for his gift He had no regard," although the gift was from the fruits of the earth (Gen. 4:3–5). And if anyone attempts to reconcile this with empty arguments, which we ourselves have also heard, I still do not see how he will free himself from the charge of inattentive reading of the Scriptures. For often in other places as well these terms are used interchangeably, and I could cite an innumerable multitude of passages if I did not consider it unnecessary. However, it will suffice for us that the apostle himself further on called everything offered in sacrifice simply gifts. Now listen.
Heb. 8:4. If He remained on earth, He would not even be a priest, because here there are such priests who offer gifts according to the law,
He further confirms that although He does not have His tabernacle on earth but in heaven, there is nevertheless no obstacle to His being a priest. And notice the wisdom. On the very basis by which someone might especially argue that He is not a priest — I mean, of course, that He does not have a place on earth where He served as priest — on this very basis he most strongly affirms that He is a Priest, and says that He is a Priest precisely because He did not have a place on earth. "If He were remaining on earth, He would not even be a priest." For there were other priests on earth, and this circumstance would seem to be a refutation. But now, having heaven as His place, and having brought up there His own body, He intercedes for us before the Father. Hence, since He is in heaven, He is therefore preeminently a Priest.
Heb. 8:5. who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things,
Here he shows the superiority of Christ's priesthood, calling the Old Testament priesthood "a copy and shadow," while ours is heavenly. For when nothing is earthly, but rather everything in the sacraments is spiritual, where there are angelic hymns, where there are the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the forgiveness of sins, and again the binding; when our citizenship is in heaven, then how can our priesthood not be heavenly? Therefore, what was revealed to Moses in the Old Testament served as a foreshadowing and pattern, that is, a dim copy and as it were a shadowy outline, of this heavenly priesthood.
See to it, he says, that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain. (Cf. Exod. 25:9)
Since what we see with our eyes we grasp more readily than what we learn through hearing, God therefore "showed" Moses everything, not only the construction of the tabernacle, but also what pertains to the sacrifices and all the service.
Heb. 8:6. Now this High Priest has obtained a ministry that is all the more excellent,
This follows from that very thought: "if He remained on earth, He would not even be a priest." But now, he says, not being on earth, but having heaven as the place of His priestly ministry, He obtained a better ministry, that is, His ministry is not such as is proper to earthly high priests, but heavenly, since heaven serves as the place of its performance.
Heb. 8:6. of how much better a covenant He is the mediator,
Having exalted the priesthood of Christ by place, and by priest, and by sacrifice, he now openly sets it forth also by covenant. And although he had said before that the Old Covenant was weak and unprofitable, on account of the infancy of the hearers, he quickly cut short his discourse on this. Now he lingers at length in reasoning about this, and shows that the New Covenant is better than that one, that is, the Gospel, whose mediator and bestower is Christ; for He Himself became for us a minister of the Gospel, "taking the form of a servant," just as Moses is the mediator of the law.
Heb. 8:6. which is established on better promises.
He presents what especially encouraged the believers from among the Jews, namely, that the promises of our covenant are better promises. For it is not earthly goods, nor goods in offspring, nor abundance of children, but the Kingdom of Heaven that is promised to those who keep the Gospel. Therefore, do not be fainthearted: the promises of the Gospel are better; it is unreasonable to despair for those who have what is better.
Heb. 8:7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
Observe the order. He said that the covenant of Christ is better than the Old. And from where is this evident? From the fact, he says, that it "is established upon better promises." For if the promises and rewards are better, then it is perfectly clear that the covenant is also better, and the commandments more divine. And from where is it evident that the promises are better? From the fact, he says, that the former was abolished, and this one was introduced in its place. For the New Testament has preeminence because it is better and more perfect. "If the first covenant had been without fault," that is, if it had made people blameless, then a second covenant would not have been introduced. As we commonly say: the house is not without faults, instead of saying: it is falling into decay, it is growing old; so also concerning the Old Testament he said that it was not without fault, not as being bad, but as not having the power to make people better, as having been given to infants.
Heb. 8:8. But the prophet, rebuking them, says:
He did not say: finding fault with it, that is, the covenant, but "finding fault with them," that is, the Jews, who could not be perfected through the commandments of the law.
Heb. 8:8. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
Here he shows more clearly that the Old Testament has been abolished. For he introduces God, speaking through Jeremiah, that "I will make... a new covenant" (Jer. 31:31–34), that is, an entirely new one: not as the Jews understand it, that Ezra renewed the Scripture. For the Scripture did not become new, but remained ancient, even though it was restored by him.
Heb. 8:9. Not such a covenant as I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, (Cf. Jer. 31:32)
Lest anyone think that the covenant which was made with Abraham is being annulled, he added: "in the day when I took them by the hand." For, he says, I wish to annul the covenant spoken of in the book of Exodus, the covenant given on Mount Sinai to your fathers who cast the calf, whereas it is precisely the covenant with Abraham that received its fulfillment in Christ. For "in your seed," he says, "shall all the nations be blessed" (Gen. 22:18), that is, in Christ.
Heb. 8:9. Because they did not remain in that covenant of Mine, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. (Cf. Jer. 31:32)
Do you see that the beginning of evil is from us? "They," he says, "did not remain," and therefore "I disregarded them." On the contrary, blessings and benefactions receive their beginning from Him. As if justifying Himself, He presents the reason why He abandons them, namely for their inconstancy.
Heb. 8:10. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: (Cf. Jer. 31:33)
"After those days": which ones? Some say these are the days of the exodus, when the Mosaic law was given. But it seems to me that he is speaking of those days about which he said above: "behold, the days are coming." Thus, after those days have passed, I will establish such a covenant, about which you will hear further.
Heb. 8:10. I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts; (Jer. 31:33)
Let the Jew show when he received the unwritten law. For even after the return from Babylon, it was given by Ezra in written form. But the Apostles received nothing in written form; rather, they received the law of the Spirit into their hearts. Therefore Christ also said: "The Comforter... will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance" (Cf. Jn. 14:26).
Heb. 8:10. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jer. 31:33)
This was accomplished through the Gospel. For those who formerly served idols, having now recognized the true God, became His people.
Heb. 8:11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. (Cf. Jer. 31:34)
He here calls "learning" an instruction accompanied by labor. For behold, we see that we need a great many words for those of sound mind in order to persuade them to believe in Christ. Since the Jewish law was contained in one corner of the world, few knew it; but the voice of the apostles spread throughout all the earth (Ps. 18:5). And furthermore, since God lived on earth in the flesh, and since He deified our nature through its assumption, He kindled in the souls of all the light of the true knowledge of God, and by grace there was, as it were, implanted in human nature a certain capacity for the true knowledge of God.
Heb. 8:12. Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more. (Cf. Jer. 31:34)
Washing us through baptism from the impurity of former sins, He no longer remembers them, as they have already been washed away.
Heb. 8:13. By saying "new," He showed the oldness of the first;
He explains the prophetic expression and says that the very fact that he called this covenant entirely new serves as an indication that the first one ultimately turns out to be old.
Heb. 8:13. But that which is becoming old and aging is near to disappearing.
Having received confidence from the prophet, he finally touches upon the law, showing that our covenant now flourishes. Thus, from the prophetic expression he took the name "old," added on his own the name of obsolescence, and further necessarily drew the conclusion that "destruction" is inevitable for the law, as if saying: it is not by chance that the New Testament abolished the Old, but because of its oldness, its antiquity, that is, by virtue of the fact that it is Old, that is, "weak and unprofitable," as he also says in another place: "the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless" (Rom. 8:3).
Heb. 8:1. Now the main point of what we are saying is this: we have such a High Priest, Who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
The chief point is always what is called the most important thing; when someone wishes to convey the most essential matter in few words, he says that he is directing attention to this above all else, just as the head, though small in size, constitutes the most important part of the body. So now the apostle says: "The chief point of what we are saying," that is, I will state the most important thing that briefly encompasses much: we have God as our High Priest. For sitting belongs to no one other than God. Notice how, after saying much that is lowly, namely that the High Priest intercedes before the Father, and what pertains to the humanity, he ascends to what is lofty and what pertains to the Divinity. He always does this, just as his Teacher does in the Gospel, so that through the lowly he may guide the listener to receive the word — for otherwise the listener does not understand if he does not ascend gradually — while through the exalted he teaches that the lowly was condescension. He calls it "the throne of majesty," meaning the throne of the Father, either because the Father could be called Majesty for Him, or simply because "the throne of majesty" is the highest throne.
Heb. 8:2. and is a minister of the sanctuary
Just as the earthly high priests served when entering the Holy of Holies, so too He is truly the minister of the holy, true, heavenly sanctuaries. It would seem that Paul here contradicts himself. For in the beginning he said: "To which of the Angels did God ever say: 'Sit at My right hand…'? Are they not all ministering spirits…?" (Heb. 1:13–14), as if giving to understand that a minister ought not to sit. But now, having said "sat down at the right hand of the throne," he again presents Him as a minister. So how does he say this, if not out of complete condescension toward his listeners, mixing the lowly with the exalted? And some understood "minister of the saints" as meaning minister of those people sanctified by Him. For, he says (the Apostle Paul), He is our High Priest.
Heb. 8:2. And of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Here he encourages the Jews who had believed. For since they were probably perplexed, saying: we do not have such a tabernacle, behold, he says, a greater and true tabernacle – heaven itself. For the Old Testament tabernacle was a figure of this one: and that one was pitched by man, either Bezaleel (Exod. 31:2) or Moses, but this one – by God. And here note, according to Saint John Chrysostom, that heaven neither moves nor is spherical: for the expression "pitched" excludes both the one and the other.
Heb. 8:3. Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; and therefore it was necessary that this one also have something to offer.
Since he said "sat down" (Heb. 8:1), lest you consider it a deception that he called Him a priest, he says that although He sat down, He did not thereby cease to be a High Priest; for everything that belongs to high priests, He possesses, and just as they offer sacrifices, so He offered Himself as a sacrifice. To sit at the right hand belongs to His dignity, while the high priesthood is a matter of great love for mankind. And furthermore, since some were asking why He died if He was truly the Son and eternal, he resolves this perplexity and says: since He was a Priest, and a priest does not exist without a sacrifice, it "was necessary that this one also have something to offer." And this was nothing other than His own body. Therefore, it was necessary for Him to die. Between "gifts" and "sacrifices," in the precise sense, there is a distinction. For sacrifices are offerings of blood and flesh, or more precisely, everything that is consumed by fire. For the word θυσία — sacrifice — properly derives from the word θύεσθαι, that is, to be burned. But gifts, such as fruits and the like, are bloodless and not burned. However, in Scripture both terms are used interchangeably, as for example: "And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his gift," although the gift was precisely from the firstborn of the sheep, "but for Cain and for his gift He had no regard," although the gift was from the fruits of the earth (Gen. 4:3–5). And if anyone attempts to reconcile this with empty arguments, which we ourselves have also heard, I still do not see how he will free himself from the charge of inattentive reading of the Scriptures. For often in other places as well these terms are used interchangeably, and I could cite an innumerable multitude of passages if I did not consider it unnecessary. However, it will suffice for us that the apostle himself further on called everything offered in sacrifice simply gifts. Now listen.
Heb. 8:4. If He remained on earth, He would not even be a priest, because here there are such priests who offer gifts according to the law,
He further confirms that although He does not have His tabernacle on earth but in heaven, there is nevertheless no obstacle to His being a priest. And notice the wisdom. On the very basis by which someone might especially argue that He is not a priest — I mean, of course, that He does not have a place on earth where He served as priest — on this very basis he most strongly affirms that He is a Priest, and says that He is a Priest precisely because He did not have a place on earth. "If He were remaining on earth, He would not even be a priest." For there were other priests on earth, and this circumstance would seem to be a refutation. But now, having heaven as His place, and having brought up there His own body, He intercedes for us before the Father. Hence, since He is in heaven, He is therefore preeminently a Priest.
Heb. 8:5. who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things,
Here he shows the superiority of Christ's priesthood, calling the Old Testament priesthood "a copy and shadow," while ours is heavenly. For when nothing is earthly, but rather everything in the sacraments is spiritual, where there are angelic hymns, where there are the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the forgiveness of sins, and again the binding; when our citizenship is in heaven, then how can our priesthood not be heavenly? Therefore, what was revealed to Moses in the Old Testament served as a foreshadowing and pattern, that is, a dim copy and as it were a shadowy outline, of this heavenly priesthood.
See to it, he says, that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain. (Cf. Exod. 25:9)
Since what we see with our eyes we grasp more readily than what we learn through hearing, God therefore "showed" Moses everything, not only the construction of the tabernacle, but also what pertains to the sacrifices and all the service.
Heb. 8:6. Now this High Priest has obtained a ministry that is all the more excellent,
This follows from that very thought: "if He remained on earth, He would not even be a priest." But now, he says, not being on earth, but having heaven as the place of His priestly ministry, He obtained a better ministry, that is, His ministry is not such as is proper to earthly high priests, but heavenly, since heaven serves as the place of its performance.
Heb. 8:6. of how much better a covenant He is the mediator,
Having exalted the priesthood of Christ by place, and by priest, and by sacrifice, he now openly sets it forth also by covenant. And although he had said before that the Old Covenant was weak and unprofitable, on account of the infancy of the hearers, he quickly cut short his discourse on this. Now he lingers at length in reasoning about this, and shows that the New Covenant is better than that one, that is, the Gospel, whose mediator and bestower is Christ; for He Himself became for us a minister of the Gospel, "taking the form of a servant," just as Moses is the mediator of the law.
Heb. 8:6. which is established on better promises.
He presents what especially encouraged the believers from among the Jews, namely, that the promises of our covenant are better promises. For it is not earthly goods, nor goods in offspring, nor abundance of children, but the Kingdom of Heaven that is promised to those who keep the Gospel. Therefore, do not be fainthearted: the promises of the Gospel are better; it is unreasonable to despair for those who have what is better.
Heb. 8:7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
Observe the order. He said that the covenant of Christ is better than the Old. And from where is this evident? From the fact, he says, that it "is established upon better promises." For if the promises and rewards are better, then it is perfectly clear that the covenant is also better, and the commandments more divine. And from where is it evident that the promises are better? From the fact, he says, that the former was abolished, and this one was introduced in its place. For the New Testament has preeminence because it is better and more perfect. "If the first covenant had been without fault," that is, if it had made people blameless, then a second covenant would not have been introduced. As we commonly say: the house is not without faults, instead of saying: it is falling into decay, it is growing old; so also concerning the Old Testament he said that it was not without fault, not as being bad, but as not having the power to make people better, as having been given to infants.
Heb. 8:8. But the prophet, rebuking them, says:
He did not say: finding fault with it, that is, the covenant, but "finding fault with them," that is, the Jews, who could not be perfected through the commandments of the law.
Heb. 8:8. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
Here he shows more clearly that the Old Testament has been abolished. For he introduces God, speaking through Jeremiah, that "I will make... a new covenant" (Jer. 31:31–34), that is, an entirely new one: not as the Jews understand it, that Ezra renewed the Scripture. For the Scripture did not become new, but remained ancient, even though it was restored by him.
Heb. 8:9. Not such a covenant as I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, (Cf. Jer. 31:32)
Lest anyone think that the covenant which was made with Abraham is being annulled, he added: "in the day when I took them by the hand." For, he says, I wish to annul the covenant spoken of in the book of Exodus, the covenant given on Mount Sinai to your fathers who cast the calf, whereas it is precisely the covenant with Abraham that received its fulfillment in Christ. For "in your seed," he says, "shall all the nations be blessed" (Gen. 22:18), that is, in Christ.
Heb. 8:9. Because they did not remain in that covenant of Mine, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. (Cf. Jer. 31:32)
Do you see that the beginning of evil is from us? "They," he says, "did not remain," and therefore "I disregarded them." On the contrary, blessings and benefactions receive their beginning from Him. As if justifying Himself, He presents the reason why He abandons them, namely for their inconstancy.
Heb. 8:10. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: (Cf. Jer. 31:33)
"After those days": which ones? Some say these are the days of the exodus, when the Mosaic law was given. But it seems to me that he is speaking of those days about which he said above: "behold, the days are coming." Thus, after those days have passed, I will establish such a covenant, about which you will hear further.
Heb. 8:10. I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts; (Jer. 31:33)
Let the Jew show when he received the unwritten law. For even after the return from Babylon, it was given by Ezra in written form. But the Apostles received nothing in written form; rather, they received the law of the Spirit into their hearts. Therefore Christ also said: "The Comforter... will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance" (Cf. Jn. 14:26).
Heb. 8:10. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jer. 31:33)
This was accomplished through the Gospel. For those who formerly served idols, having now recognized the true God, became His people.
Heb. 8:11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. (Cf. Jer. 31:34)
He here calls "learning" an instruction accompanied by labor. For behold, we see that we need a great many words for those of sound mind in order to persuade them to believe in Christ. Since the Jewish law was contained in one corner of the world, few knew it; but the voice of the apostles spread throughout all the earth (Ps. 18:5). And furthermore, since God lived on earth in the flesh, and since He deified our nature through its assumption, He kindled in the souls of all the light of the true knowledge of God, and by grace there was, as it were, implanted in human nature a certain capacity for the true knowledge of God.
Heb. 8:12. Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more. (Cf. Jer. 31:34)
Washing us through baptism from the impurity of former sins, He no longer remembers them, as they have already been washed away.
Heb. 8:13. By saying "new," He showed the oldness of the first;
He explains the prophetic expression and says that the very fact that he called this covenant entirely new serves as an indication that the first one ultimately turns out to be old.
Heb. 8:13. But that which is becoming old and aging is near to disappearing.
Having received confidence from the prophet, he finally touches upon the law, showing that our covenant now flourishes. Thus, from the prophetic expression he took the name "old," added on his own the name of obsolescence, and further necessarily drew the conclusion that "destruction" is inevitable for the law, as if saying: it is not by chance that the New Testament abolished the Old, but because of its oldness, its antiquity, that is, by virtue of the fact that it is Old, that is, "weak and unprofitable," as he also says in another place: "the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless" (Rom. 8:3).