The Four Eleven Foundation: 1 Thessalonians

7.2. A BETTER COVENANT (Hebrews 8:1-10:39)

7.2.1. FOCUS ON THE EXALTED MINISTER OF THE NEW COVENANT (Hebrews 8:1-6)

Hebrews 8:1 "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: ..." (NKJV)

The words that follow in verses 1 and 2 emphasize the main thrust of the teaching in the previous chapters, and give a summation of what is yet to be taught.

We Have An Available High Priest

Hebrews 8:1 "... We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; " (KJV)

As His people we have Him now and ever available to us.

"It is a wonderful affirmation not only of His existence but of His relation to us His people. "We have" Him. He has taken His seat indeed "at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens." But this great exaltation has not removed Him for a moment out of our possession; we have Him." H.C.G. Moule. Messages from the Hebrews 1930. Thynne and Jarvis Ltd.

We have Him just as described in the previous chapters: perfect, sinless, sympathetic, living in the power of an endless life, at the right hand of God continually making intercession for His own.

We Have An Entered High Priest

Hebrews 8:2 "a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man." (NKJV)

He has entered the true, that is, the original heavenly sanctuary or Holies. Marking again His Priesthood as superior to the Aaronic, in three particulars:-

Christ Jesus exercises His Priesthood ministry in heaven; in contrast the Aaronic priesthood ministered on earth.

Christ Jesus exercises His ministry over a heavenly sanctuary of which the earthly tabernacle was only a shadow.

This heavenly sanctuary with its spiritual realities was built by God, whereas the earthly tabernacle only symbolized those realities, and was built by man.

We have Him not symbolically but in reality.

We Have A Sacrificial High Priest
The main point of verses 3 and 4 is that we have a High Priest who offered once and for all, the perfect offering for sin. Since the work of priests is to offer offerings, "this one" Christ Jesus, offered His own blood, shed at Calvary, the perfect, once for all, atoning sacrifice, of which every earthly offering was but a type. Our High Priest is not making offerings now, since His one offering forever ended the need for further offerings. This is demonstrated in that He is "seated" - the work of sacrifice is complete - and from the seat of deity and power He rules and dispenses all the benefits of His offering to His people.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

What do the words "we have" in Hebrews 8:1 mean to you personally?
Where does your High Priest exercise His ministry (Hebrews 8:2 )?
What truth is demonstrated by the fact that Jesus is "seated" (Hebrews 8:3-4 )?

	Christ Jesus exercises His Priesthood ministry in heaven; in contrast the Aaronic priesthood ministered on earth.
	Christ Jesus exercises His ministry over a heavenly sanctuary of which the earthly tabernacle was only a shadow.
	This heavenly sanctuary with its spiritual realities was built by God, whereas the earthly tabernacle only symbolized those realities, and was built by man.