Study in Hebrews

1. Study in Hebrews Presentation 11

2. Superiority Of The New Covenant Chap 8v1-13 Presentation 11

3. Introduction Having established that Jesus belongs to a superior priesthood, Ch. 8-10v18 begins an extended comparison between Christ’s priestly ministry and that of the Leviticalpriesthood. How does Jesus exercise his priestly office? He is seated v1. His sacrificial work is finished. It cannot be improved upon or added to. He reigns in glory to minister the riches of his grace to his people. The Levitical high priest never sat down. The one item of temple furniture that the priest was not provided with was a seat! Presentation 11

4. Access To God Where does Jesus exercise his priestly role? At the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven. That is the final proof of his glory. The hymn-writer comments: The highest place that heaven affords Is his, is his by right, The King of kings and Lord of lords, And heaven’s eternal light. Unlike the Leviticalhigh priests Jesus ministers in neither a human temple or tabernacle. He is in the true tabernacle v2. We are reminded that the supreme function of the priest was to provide his people with access to God. Presentation 11

5. Access To God How accessible has Jesus made God to us? He has brought us from a world of religious shadow and symbol into one of substance and reality. Let me illustrate that from the realm of computer games. There are all sorts of games on the market. You can try piloting a plane or racing a formula 1 car or golfing around an exclusive course. All of these games are played in the comfort of your own living room and so a certain amount of detachment is involved. No matter how fancy the screen you know that you are not in an aeroplane cockpit or strapped into a Ferrari Presentation 11

6. Access To God But then virtual reality games appeared and they involved wearing some kind of helmet or visor. They took gaming into a quite different level, one of total involvement. You are really there! This only begins to illustrate the kind of distinction associated with Jesus priesthood and that of the Levitical high priests. The Leviticalhigh priest went into a temple built by men which was a pale imitation, a shadow of the reality of heaven. Jesus however, has entered the true tabernacle, into the very presence of God and has secured an audience for us with the living God! Presentation 11

7. Access To God This explains the significance of Moses being required to build the earthly tabernacle ‘according to the pattern given’ to him v5. cf.Ex. 25v40. These things were weak earthly copies of heavenly realities. Moses was not allowed to introduce innovation this would have robbed the tabernacle of its spiritual meaning. Earthly worship was but a pale reflection, a sketch plan, a shadowy outline of real heavenly worship. Only Jesus can lead us into satisfyingly real worship with God. Presentation 11

8. Access To God Returning to v3-4 because Jesus was not a descendant of the tribe of Levi he could never have offered a sacrifice prescribed by the Mosaic law in the earthly temple. Now although Jesus died outside of the temple precincts, as well as outside of the city of Jerusalem, his priestly office was exercised in heaven. It was there in the heavenly temple that his sacrifice was offered to God. Interestingly, the site of Jesus’ physical death and sacrifice was the same place where Abraham offered up his son Issac! Presentation 11

9. Contrast of Covenants In v6 the writer moves from contrasting the ministry of Jesus with the Leviticalpriests to contrasting the Old Covenant which was issued through Moses and the New Covenant brought into being and established by Christ. The New Covenant between God and men is said to be founded on better promises v6. This word ‘better’ is a favourite expression of the writer as he contrasts Judaism with Christianity. Presentation 11

10. Contrast of Covenants To call the promises of the New Covenant better does not mean that God did not keep his former promises! Rather what the New Covenant promises is greater blessings. What are these blessings? The superiority of the New Covenant lies in the fact that its promises are guaranteed by the perfect sacrifice which had been made by Jesus on behalf of the people whom he represented. In substantial terms the better promises of the New Covenant are the renewal of the heart v10, the universal knowledge of God v11, and the complete forgiveness of sins v12. Let’s unpack this more carefully. Presentation 11

11. Contrast of Covenants 1 . “The law will be written in our hearts” v10. A desire and ability to obey God’s commands will be given as a result of a new heart. The Old Covenant was given in the context of the terrible disclosure of God’s holiness. But failed to secure obedience. Ex. 19v16-19, 20v18-21, 24v1-3 2. “We will know the Lord” v11. There will be a new intimacy with God. Not merely knowing about God but knowing him as a real person. Jn. 6v44-45. 1 Jn. 2v20, 27 3. Our sins are effectively dealt with. The Old Covenant made Israel ceremonially clean Ex.24v6-8. The New Covenant by virtue of the blood sacrifice which sealed it cleanses us in reality of our sin. Cf. Lk.22v20. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…. poured out for you.” Presentation 11

12. Contrast of Covenants The basic weakness of the Old Covenant was that while telling men how to live it did not provide empowering for a new life. If the Old Covenant had succeeded in providing a perfect sacrifice for sin, and an obedient heart in the life of the sinner there would have been no need of a New Covenant. The Old Covenant is therefore viewed as an interim covenant. Imagine that you are about to occupy a new house. The builder intends to install central heating and until the boiler arrives from the factory he puts in a number of electric bar heaters. Presentation 11

13. Contrast of Covenants This is an interim solution. The bar heaters provide some heat though they fail to adequately heat the house. Their presence however is to the house owner a promise that something better and more substantial is on its way. Indeed, it might be argued that once the new heating system is installed that in contrast with the bar heaters a true appreciation of its effectiveness would be perceived. The Old Covenant is like the bar heaters. Someone has said that the true failure of the Old Covenant lay not so much in the fact that it was faulty but in the fact that it did not sufficiently provide against the faultiness of those with whom it was made. Presentation 11

14. Contrast of Covenants The significance of the lengthy quotation from Jeremiah in v8-12 has been to demonstrate that the New Covenant promised by Jeremiah finds its fulfilment in Christ. The fact that the covenants is called ‘new’ conveys the idea that the days of the old one are numbered. It is obsolete. The Old Covenant is pictured like a senile old man sinking into the grave. But the new covenant is ageless. It will never grow obsolete or depreciate in value. Why? Because it cannot be improved upon! This is the covenant that God has used to bind the church to himself. Presentation 11

15. Conclusion Summing up; the writer has compared the old covenant that God established with his people through Moses with the New Covenant which God has established through Christ. The New Covenant can be seen to be superior because • It gives man a new heart, a new nature, a willingness and ability to obey God. • An intimate knowledge of God involving a relationship. Cf. 2Cor. 3v12-4.6. • A comprehensive forgiveness. Having compared the two covenants the writer goes on to show how the pattern of worship established by God under the Old Covenant foreshadows and prepares the way for our understanding of the access to God which Christ has provided for his people under the New Covenant. Presentation 11