SWEEPING EXCELLENCE-I—Hebrews 8:1-13
Hebrews divulges the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ ministry(High Priesthood) as confirmed thru the New Covenant.
The sweeping excellence of Jesus’ High Priesthood is confirmed thru the New Covenant.
How is the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ High Priesthood confirmed?
What confirms the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ Priesthood?
5 confirmations of the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood.
1—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His SEATING(:1-2)
Explanation: (:1-2)
:1—“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,”
“We have such a High Priest”
“...really, the old covenant was based upon a functioning priesthood, & so the new covenant must be based on a functioning priesthood, & if it’s better, then He must be a better priest.—John MacArthur
Such as what? All previous discussion from 4:14!
As One Who tempted as we are, sympathizes with our weaknesses;
As One Who offers mercy 7 grace to help in our need;
As One Who did not glorify Himself to become High Priest but was designated by God, His Father;
As One Who was perfected thru obedience by suffering;
As One Who became the author of eternal salvation;
As One in Whom we can place all hope;
As One Whose high priesthood was confirmed with an oath from God Himself;
As One Whose high priesthood was based on personal superiority rather than familial kinship;
As One Whose priesthood is eternal rather than finite;
As One Whose priesthood offers one sacrifice for all mankind for one time;
As One Whose priesthood is purely perfect;
As One Whose priesthood is executed in the very presence of God in heaven itself;
As One Whose priesthood saves absolutely putting us in right standing before a righteous, holy God;
As One Whose priesthood is far superior in every aspect to that which is outmoded by it.
“...who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,”
The writer has been arguing a point & what follows is the focal point of that argument. The main fact is that “we”(those who are of Jewish extraction or at least of Jewish persuasion) have a perfect priesthood available to us now. This perfect High Priest is currently seated “at the right hand of the throne” of the very One who’s description suffices for His proper name.
To be “seated” at the right hand of the throne is to indeed rule, yet ruling in acknowledgement of the design & desire of said Majesty.
“...there were always two scribes before the judges of the Sanhedrin. One ...sat on the right hand, & the other ... on the left hand. And it was always the business....of the scribe who sat on the right hand to write the acquittals. And it was always the business of the scribe on the left hand to write the condemnations.”—John MacArthur
Acts 7:55—“...every time one of His own gets into trouble, He stands up, because He has something to do. His power & His energy is activated in the behalf of His own. That’s His mediator’s work. He is seated in His redemptive work. He is active as our mediator.”—John MacArthur
God the Father(Originator & authority) is “the Majesty in the heavens”. Apart from Him there is no Majesty to the heavens.
“The Majesty” is enthroned. Thus He reigns with absolute authority “in the heavens.”
Thus the author impresses upon us that “High Priest”(Jesus) is Himself divine & is the actual fulfillment of God’s design for mankind.”
“High Priest”—“He above all others was honored with the title of priest, the chief of priests. It was lawful for him to perform the common duties of the priesthood; but his chief duty was, once a year on the day of atonement, to enter into the Holy of Holies (from which the other priests were excluded) & offer sacrifices for his own sins & the sins of the people, & to preside over the Sanhedrin, or Supreme Council, when convened for judicial deliberations. According to Mosaic law, no one could aspire to the high priesthood unless he were of the tribe of Aaron & descended from a high priestly family; & he on whom the office was conferred held it till death.’—Thayer
“Seated”—kayizw—1) To make to sit down—1a) To set, appoint, to confer a kingdom on one: 2) intransitively—2a) To sit down, 2b) To sit—2b1)To have fixed one’s abode, 2b2) To sojourn, to settle, settle down.
“Right hand”—dexiov—The right, right hand; A place of honor or authority.
“Majesty”—megalwsunh—Majesty(of God). From —megav—meaning....Great, splendid, stately
—2nd time the author has referred to God in terms of “Majesty”(see 1:3).
—Used 3X & Only once outside of Hebrews—Jude 1:25—“To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory & majesty, Dominion & power, Both now & forever. Amen.”
“Heavens”—ouranov—the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it; The region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal & consummately perfect where God dwells & other heavenly beings.
:2—“a Minister of the sanctuary & of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, & not man.”
This perfect High Priest ministers in the genuine tabernacle of God & not that which is a mere copy of the heavenly one. This assumes the existence of a heavenly tabernacle.
Revelation(15:7—16:1) describes a time of great anger in which the heavenly temple is filled with smoke which prevents all from entering the “temple”. The Lord Himself is the one who “erected the heavenly temple.
Rev. 15:7-8—16:1—“Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever & ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God & from His power, & no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go & pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.””
“Minister”—leitourgov—A public minster, A servant of the state. Strong—A public servant, i.e. A functionary in the Temple or Gospel, or (genitive case) A worshipper (of God) or Benefactor (of man):-- Minister(-ed). Used 5X. Where we get our Eng. word— ‘Liturgy.’
“Sanctuary”—agion—Reverend, worthy of veneration; Set apart for God; Pure sinless upright holy.
Neuter of agiov—1) most holy thing, a saint.
“True”—alhyinov—Real, true, genuine—Contrasting realities with their semblances; Veracious, sincere.
“Tabernacle”—skhnh—Tent, tabernacle.
From two words literally meaning ‘shadow vessel’ meaning a shadow of a real building or temporary one, as is a tent or bird nest.
“Erected/Pitched/Set up”—phgnumi—To make fast, fix, pitch; To fasten together, to build by fastening together.
Argumentation:
Col. 3:1—“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”
Rev. 3:21—““To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame & sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Heb. 10:11-13—“And every priest stands ministering daily & offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.”
Illustration:
In Tampa,FL there is Bern’s Steakhouse/Very pricey/Only people who have a much larger income than myself frequent Bern’s/No doubt the maitre d’ knows these people by name & what seating arrangements they prefer/When the customer calls for reservations they are seated appropriately/No one else has this privilege/His SEATING
‘The Melting Pot’/Seating is by reservation only/Only people of a certain caliber can attain to it/Only those with a great deal of money would dare to consider using their money for such extreme ends/His SEATING
‘Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse’/Not everybody can afford to eat there/Seating is by reservation only/Knows the maitre d’/His SEATING
Application:
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His SEATING?
?Does the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Sweep all others away?
2—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His OFFERING(:3-5)
Explanation: (:3-5)
:3—“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts & sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.”
The “gifts & sacrifices” were from themselves(as sinful) & from the people.
What was Jesus’ offering? An endless, perfect priesthood!!
*His own body, broken for us(on the Cross) & His atoning blood shed for the remission of our sins(on the Cross)!
Jesus was both the offer-er(High Priest) as well as the sacrifice!
“Appointed/Ordained”—kayisthmi—To set, place, put. Strong—To place down (permanently), i.e. (figuratively) To designate, constitute, convoy:-- Appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set.
“Offer”2X—prosferw—1) To bring to, lead to—1a) One to a person who can heal him or is ready to show him some kindness, one to a person who is to judge him, 1b) To bring a present or a thing, to reach or hand a thing to one, 1c) To put to; 2) To be borne towards one, to attack, assail—2a) To behave one’s self towards one, deal with one. Strong—To bear towards, i.e. Lead to, tender (especially to God), treat:-- Bring (to, unto), deal with, do, offer (unto, up), present unto, put to.
“Gifts”—dwron—1) A gift, present—1a) Gifts offered in expression of honor—1a1) Of sacrifices & other gifts offered to God, 1a2) Of money cast into the treasury for the purposes of the temple & for the support of the poor; 2) The offering of a gift or of gifts. Dwrea differs from dwron in denoting a gift which is also a gratuity, hence of the gift of a sovereign.
“Sacrifices”—yusia—A sacrifice, victim. From —yuw—To sacrifice, immolate; Slay, kill; Slaughter. Strong—Sacrifice (the act or the victim, literally or figuratively):-- Sacrifice.
“Necessary”—anagkaiov—Adj.—1) Necessary—1a) What one can not do without, indispensable, 1b) Connected by bonds of nature or friendship, 1c) What ought according to the law of duty be done, what is required by the circumstances. Strong–Necessary; by implication, Close (of kin):-- Near, necessary, necessity, needful. Used 8X.
:4—“For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;”
“If He were on earth” signifies that He is, at this writing, NOT on earth. He is currently in heaven with His Father. The Holy Spirit is now on earth indwelling believers.
Also, Jesus would not even be a priest on earth even if He were here for the simple fact that there are those who are designated as priests according to the law(Israelite).
Even if Jesus were on earth, His role would not be as “a priest.” This is because a priesthood already exists which operates “according to the [Jewish] law.” They indeed serve a “copy & shadow” of that which is real(:5), something which Jesus can & will not do for His ministry is not of this earth but in heavenly in nature.
:5—“who serve the copy & shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.””
These priests(“on earth”) “serve the copy & shadow” of those things which are “heavenly.” However the perfect service of God exists in heaven only. There, the hindrances of sin & the corruptions of even the earth itself are non-existent & worship is perfect.
Col. 2:13-17—“And you, being dead in your trespasses & the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities & powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
Thus the earthly priestly service is a mere picture or non-substantive replication of the actual “heavenly things.”
Moses received this “pattern” for the tabernacle by YaHWeH, while he was “on” Mount Sinai(40 days). It was YaHWeH’s desire to establish a representation of true worship(of angels?) in an earthly, though flawed, form.
Ex. 24:15-18 “Then Moses went up into the mountain, & a cloud covered the mountain. Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, & the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. So Moses went into the midst of the cloud & went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days & forty nights.”
Ex. 26:30—““And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain.”
“Serve”—latreuw—1) To serve for hire; 2) To serve, minister to, either to the gods or men & used alike of slaves & freemen—2a) in the NT, To render religious service or homage, to worship, 2b) To perform sacred services, to offer gifts, to worship God in the observance of the rites instituted for his worship—2b1) of priests, To officiate, to discharge the sacred office. Strong—from latriv(a hired menial); To minister (to God), i.e. Render, religious homage:-- Serve, do the service, worship(-per).
“Copy/Example”—upodeigma—N. n.—1) A sign suggestive of anything, delineation of a thing, representation, figure, copy; 2) An example: for imitation. Strong—An exhibit for imitation or warning (figuratively, Specimen, adumbration):-- En-(ex-)ample, pattern. Used 6X.
“Shadow”—skia—Shadow—1a) shade caused by the interception of light—1b) An image cast by an object & representing the form of that object, 1c) A sketch, outline, adumbration. Used 7X.
“Divinely instructed/Admonished of God/Warned by God”—crhmatizw—1)To transact business, to manage public affairs; 2)To give a response to those consulting an oracle, To give a divine command or admonition, to teach from heaven; 3) To assume or take to one’s self a name from one’s public business. Strong—To utter an oracle, i.e. Divinely intimate; by implication, To constitute a firm for business, i.e. (generally) Bear as a title:-- Be called, be admonished (warned) of God, reveal, speak.
“Pattern”—tupov—1) The mark of a stroke or blow, print; 2) A figure formed by a blow or impression—2a) Of a figure or image, 2b) Of the image of the gods; 3) Form—3a) The teaching which embodies the sum & substance of religion & represents it to the mind, manner of writing, the contents & form of a letter; 4) An example. Tupov has many meanings, among the most common being image, pattern or model, & type. In the last sense it means a person or thing prefiguring a future person or thing, e.g., Adam as a type of Christ, Rom. 5:14. Strong—A die (as struck), i.e. (by implication) A stamp or scar; by analogy, A shape, i.e. A statue, (figuratively) Style or resemblance; specifically, A sampler ("type"), i.e. A model (for imitation) or instance (for warning):-- En-(ex-)ample, fashion, figure, form, manner, pattern, print.
“Shown”—deiknuw—1) To show, expose to the eyes; 2) metaph.—2a) To give evidence or proof of a thing, 2b) To show by words or teach. Strong—a prolonged form of an obsolete primary of the same meaning; To show (literally or figuratively):-- show.
Argumentation:
Heb 7:26-28—“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, & has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins & then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.”
Heb. 10:9-10—“then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Joh 6:54-57, 63-64—““Whoever eats My flesh & drinks My blood has eternal life, & I will raise him up at the last day. “For My flesh is food indeed, & My blood is drink indeed. “He who eats My flesh & drinks My blood abides in Me, & I in him. “As the living Father sent Me, & I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.”....““It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, & they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, & who would betray Him.”
Illustration:
5th Sunday Sing fellowship/Snacks foods are great but a meal is better!/OFFERING
Application:
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His OFFERING?
?Does the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Sweep all others away?
3—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His COVENANT(:6-7)
Explanation: (:6-7)
:6—“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
Christ Jesus has attained to “a more excellent ministry” than that ministry governed thru the levitical priesthood.
This becomes obvious when one recognizes that Jesus is “also” the sole “Mediator” of a covenant” which is “better” by degree in comparison to the levitical covenant.
Likewise, Jesus’ “covenant” has been legally ordained of God upon vastly “better promises” in comparison to those had thru earthly establishment of the law. Said promises having by levitical law been hinged upon obedience to the letter by sin-tinged flesh, rather than by grace thru faith.
Such promises though unstated here are minimally: Certainty of Eternal life, which is lived out, Spirit-filled by the permanent indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, had only by the one-time, volitional, all-atoning sacrifice of Christ for all mankind for all time.
“Obtained”—tugcanw—To hit the mark; To reach, attain, obtain, get, become master of; To happen, chance, fall out; To meet one; Of he who meets one or presents himself unsought, any chance, ordinary, common person; To chance to be.
“Excellent”—diaforov—Different, varying in kind; Excellent, surpassing.
“Ministry”—leitourgia—N. f.—1) A public office which a citizen undertakes to administer at his own expense—2) Any service—2a) of military service, 2b) of the service of workmen, 2c) of that done to nature in the cohabitation of man & wife; 3) biblical usage—3a) A service or ministry of the priests relative to the prayers & sacrifices offered to God, 3b) A gift or benefaction for the relief of the needy.
“Mediator”—mesithv—One who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace & friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant; A medium of communication, arbitrator.
“Better”—kreittwn—More useful serviceable or advantageous; More excellent.
“Covenant”—diayhkh—1)A disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid,the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death, A testament or will; 2)A compact, covenant or testament. Strong—properly, A disposition, i.e. (specially) A contract (especially a devisory will):-- Covenant, testament.
“Established”—nomoyetew—1)To enact laws; 2)To sanction by law, enact. Strong—To legislate, i.e. (passively) To have (the Mosaic) enactments enjoined, be sanctioned (by them):-- Establish, receive the law.
“Promises”—epaggelia—1)Announcement; 2)Promise. Strong—An announcement (for information, assent or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good):-- Message, promise.
:7—“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.”
If the covenant of law had had nothing worthy of replacement(“been faultless”) or revamping, then there obviously would have been no need to provide another(2nd) covenant, particularly one that would supplant or replace the first.
“Faultless”—amemptov—1) Blameless, deserving no censure, free from fault or defect. Amemptov is strictly unblamed, one with whom no fault is found. This of course refers particularly to the verdict of others upon one. Strong—Irreproachable:-- Blameless, faultless, unblameable. Used 5X.
Negation of—memfomai—to blame or find fault.
Argumentation:
2Pet. 1:2-4—“Grace & peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God & of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life & godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory & virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great & precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Titus 1:1-2—“Paul, a bondservant of God & an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect & the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,”
Gal. 3:13-18—“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham & his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred & thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
Eph. 2:4-10—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Illustration:
Someone purchases a house but gives it to a 70 yr old couple on a fixed income/Cannot pay it back/His COVENANT
Churches in an Association band together to provide real help for seniors—Commit to pay their Mortgage, Bills(Electric, Medical, etc.)/COVENANT
Application:
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His COVENANT?
?Does the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Sweep all others away?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Action:
Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
1. His SEATING(:1-2)
2. His OFFERING(:3-5)
3. His COVENANT(:6-7)
Presented 06/12/2011pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
