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Hebrews 8:1. The main thing about what we are talking about is this: we have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven The main **** is always called the most important; when someone wants to convey the most essential in a little, he says that he pays attention to this at the head of everything, just as the head, although small in size, is the most important part of the body. So now the apostle says: “The main thing is what we are talking about,” that is, I will express the most important thing and briefly embrace many things: - we have God as our High Priest. For sitting is not characteristic of anyone else except God. Notice how, having said a lot of humiliated things, namely: the High Priest intercedes with the Father, and what is characteristic of humanity ascends to the high and to what is characteristic of the Divine. He always does this, just as his Mentor does in the Gospel, in order to guide the listener through humiliation, so that he perceives the word: for otherwise the listener does not understand unless he ascends gradually; through the sublime he teaches that the humiliated was condescension. “The throne of greatness” refers to the throne of the Father, either because the Father could be called greatness for Him, or simply because the “throne of greatness” is the highest throne. Hebrews 8:2. and there is a priest of the sanctuary Just as the earthly high priests served when they entered the Holy of Holies, so He truly is the minister of the holy, true, heavenly sanctuaries. It would seem that Paul is contradicting himself here. For at the beginning he said: “To which of the Angels did God say, Sit at my right hand...? Aren’t they all serving spirits...?” (Heb. 1:13–14), as if making it clear that it is not proper for a minister to sit. Now, having said: “He sat down at the right hand of the throne,” he again introduces Him as a servant. So, how does he say this, if not out of complete condescension towards the listeners, and mixing the humiliated with the high? And some understood: “servant of the saints,” i.e. people sanctified by Him. For, says (Apostle Paul - Translator's note), He is our High Priest. and the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. Here he encourages the believing Jews. For since, probably, they were perplexed, saying: we do not have such a tabernacle, then, he says, a greater and true tabernacle is heaven itself. For the Old Testament tabernacle was an image of this: and that one was erected by man, or Bezaleel (Ex. 31:2), or Moses, but this one was God. Note here, according to St. John Chrysostom, that the sky neither moves nor is spherical: for the expression: “raised” excludes both. Hebrews 8:3. Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; and therefore it was necessary that He also had something to bring. Since he said: “He sat down” (Heb. 8:1), so that you would not consider it a deception that he called Him a priest, he says that although he sat down, he did not therefore cease to be the High Priest; for He has everything that belongs to the high priests, and just as they offered sacrifices, so He offered Himself as a sacrifice. To sit at the right hand belongs to His dignity, but the high priesthood is a matter of great love for mankind. And besides, since some asked why He died, if He really was the Son and eternal, he resolves this bewilderment and says: since He was a Priest, and a priest does not exist without a sacrifice, then “it was necessary that He also had something to offer.” This was nothing other than the body of Himself. So He had to die. There is a difference between “gift om” and “sacrifices”, in the exact meaning. For sacrifices are blood and meat offerings, or more precisely, everything that is burned by fire. For the word θυσία - sacrifice actually comes from the word θύεσθαι, that is, to be burned. Gifts, such as fruits and the like, are bloodless and not burned. However, in Scripture both are used indifferently, as for example: “And the Lord looked upon Abel and his gift,” although the gift was precisely from the firstborn sheep, “but he did not look upon Cain and his gift,” although the gift was from the fruits of the ground (Gen. 4:3–5). If someone tries to reconcile this with empty reasoning, which we ourselves have heard, then I still do not see how he will free himself from the reproach of inattentively reading the Scriptures. For often in other places this is used indifferently, and I could cite countless places if I did not consider it unnecessary. However, it will be enough for us that the apostle himself further called everything sacrificed gifts. Listen here. Hebrews 8:4. If He had remained on earth, He would not have been a priest, because here there are priests who, according to the law, bring gifts, It also confirms that although he has a tabernacle not on earth, it is in heaven; however, this does not prevent him from being a priest. And notice the wisdom. On the basis of which someone could especially assert that He is not a priest, I mean, of course, that He has no place on earth where He priested - on the basis of this, He himself most asserts that He is a Priest, and says that He is a Priest for the very reason that He had no place on earth. “If He had remained on earth, He would not have been a priest.” For there were other priests on earth, and this circumstance would seem to be a refutation. Now, having a place - heaven, and having lifted up his own body there, there He intercedes for us before the Father. Hence, since He is in heaven, He is therefore primarily a Priest. Hebrews 8:5. who serve the image and shadow of the heavenly, Here he shows the advantage of the priesthood of Christ, calling the Old Testament priesthood “an image and a shadow,” while ours is heavenly. For when there is nothing earthly, on the contrary, everything is spiritual, that is in the sacraments, where are the angelic hymns, where are the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the remission of sins, and again the binding; when our residence is in heaven, how can our priesthood not be heavenly? Therefore, this heavenly priesthood served as a prototype and example, that is, a dark example and, as it were, a shadow outline, what was revealed to Moses in the Old Testament. as it was said to Moses when he began to complete the tabernacle: look, it is said, do everything according to the image shown to you on the mountain. (Compare Ex. 25:9) Since what we see with our eyes we comprehend rather than what we learn through hearing, therefore God “showed” Moses everything, not only the structure of the tabernacle, but also what concerns the sacrifices and the entire service. Heb.8:6. But this High Priest received the most excellent service, This follows from that very thought: “if He had remained on earth, He would not have been a priest.” Now, he says, not being on earth, but having heaven as the place of sacred rites, He received the best service, that is, His ministry is not such as is characteristic of earthly high priests, but heavenly, since the place of its performance is heaven. the better He is the intercessor of the covenant, Having exalted the priesthood of Christ according to place, and according to priest, and according to sacrifice, he openly exposes it in the same way according to the covenant. And although he had previously said that the Old Testament was weak and unhelpful due to the infancy of the listeners, he soon stopped talking about it. Now he lingers for a long time on reasoning about this, and shows that the New Testament is better than that, that is, the Gospel, its intercessor and giver 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. which is established on better promises. Suggests what was especially encouraging to the Jewish believers, namely, that the promises of our covenant are better promises. For it is not the blessings of the earth, nor the blessings of posterity, nor the abundance of children, but the Kingdom of Heaven that is promised to those who keep the Gospel. Therefore, do not be faint-hearted: the promises of the gospel are better; It is unwise for those who have the best to be discouraged. Hebrews 8:7. For if the first covenant had been without deficiency, there would have been no need to look for a place for another. Notice the order. He said that the covenant of Christ is better than the Old. Where can you see this? From this, he says that he is “established on better promises.” For if the promises and rewards are better, then it is quite clear that the covenant is better and the commandments more divine. How can we see that the promises are better? From this, he says that that one was canceled, and this one was introduced in its place. For the New Testament has superiority because it is better and more perfect. “If the first covenant had been without defect,” that is, if it had made people blameless, then the second covenant would not have been introduced. As we usually say: a house is not without shortcomings, instead of saying: it is falling into disrepair, falling into disrepair; So he said about the Old Testament that it was not without a defect, not as bad, but as not having the power to make people better, as given to infants. Hebrews 8:8. But the prophet, reproaching them, says: He did not say: reproaching him, that is, the covenant, but “reproaching them,” that is, the Jews who could not improve through the commandments of the law. 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, This shows more clearly that the Old Testament has been abolished. For he introduces God, through Jeremiah, saying that “I will make... a new covenant” (Jer. 31:31-34), that is, completely new: not as the Jews understand, that Ezra updated the Scriptures. For the Scripture did not become new, but remained ancient, although it was restored by him. Hebrews 8:9. not such a covenant as I made with their fathers at the time when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (cf. Jer. 31:32) So that anyone would not think that the covenant that was concluded with Abraham was being canceled, he added: “at the time when he took them by the hand.” For, he says, I desire to abolish the covenant spoken of in the book of Exodus, the covenant given on Mount Sinai to your fathers who brought together the calf, whereas it was the covenant with Abraham in Christ that was fulfilled. For “all nations will be blessed,” he says, “in your seed” (Gen. 22:18), that is, in Christ. because they did not continue in my covenant, and I despised them, says the Lord. (Compare Jer.31:32) You see that the beginning of evil is from us. “They,” he says, “did not remain,” and therefore “I neglected them.” On the contrary, goods and benefits originate from Him. As if justifying himself, he gives the reason why He leaves them, precisely because of their inconstancy. Hebrews 8:10. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: (Compare 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 talking about those days about which he said above: “behold, the days are coming.” Thus, after those days have passed, I will make such a covenant, which you will hear about further. I will put My laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts; (Jer.31:33) Let the Jew show this when he received the unwritten law. For even after returning from Babylon, it was given by Ezra in writing. The apostles did not receive anything in writing, but accepted the law of the Spirit into their hearts. Therefore, Christ said: “The Comforter... will teach you everything and remind you of everything” (cf. John 14:26). and I will be their God, and they will be My people. (Jer.31:33) This was accomplished through the Gospel. For those who formerly served idols have now, recognizing the true God, become His people. Hebrews 8:11. And every man shall not teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for everyone, from the least of them to the greatest, will know Me (cf. Jer. 31:34) Learning here refers to instruction accompanied by work. For behold, we see that we need a lot of words for those who are sensible in order to convince them to believe in Christ. Since the Jewish law was contained in one corner of the universe, few knew it: the voice of the apostles spread throughout the whole earth (Ps. 18:5). And besides, since God lived on earth in the flesh, and since He deified our nature through perception, He kindled the light of true knowledge of God in the souls of all, and by grace it was as if some ability for true knowledge of God was implanted in human nature. Hebrews 8:12. because I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Compare Jer.31:34) Having washed us through baptism from the impurity of former sins, He no longer remembers them as previously washed away. Hebrews 8:13. By saying “new,” he showed the dilapidation of the first; He explains the prophetic expression and says that the very fact that he called this covenant completely new serves as an indication that the first one finally turns out to be old. and the decaying and aging is close to destruction. Having received confidence from the prophet, he finally touches the law, showing that our covenant is now flourishing. Thus, from the prophetic expression he took the name “old”, added the name of dilapidation, and then necessarily concluded that “destruction” is inevitable for the law, as if to say: it was not by chance that the New Testament abolished the Old, but due to its dilapidation, obsolescence, that is, due to the fact that it is Old, i.e. “weak and useless,” as he says elsewhere: “the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless” (Rom. 8:3). those. “head” - Note. ed. You might be interested in: