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Introduction**
Over the past few weeks, starting in chapter 5, the author of Hebrews has taught us about the High-Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
We have learned that the High-Priesthood of Christ is greater than the High-Priesthood of Aaron or any of those who were made High-Priests under the law.
To prove his point, the author spoke about the earthly and then pointed us toward the heavenly.
And in that study, I used terminology like “Type,” “Copy,” “Pattern,” and “Shadow.”
Typology is a special kind of symbolism, or that which represents something else.
Type is from the Greek word typos (too-pohs) and refers to a person, event, or institution in the redemptive history of the Old Testament that prefigures a corresponding but greater reality in the New Testament.
Another way to put it is that it can be a person or thing in the former system that is an earthly copy of a heavenly reality.
So then, a type is a copy, a pattern, or a model that signifies an even greater reality.
Or it can be a person or thing in the former system that is an earthly copy of a heavenly reality.
Other things, such as David’s battle with Goliath would be an illustration or an analogy of a greater truth.
Other things, such as David’s battle with Goliath would be an illustration or an analogy of a greater truth.
The author of Hebrews uses the words ἀπαράβατος hypodeigma meaning “pattern, model, example” and translated as “copy” and σκιά skia meaning “shadow, shade” and translated as such.
In verse 5 of this chapter, the author uses these words in reference to the ministry of earthly priests under the law.
The priests, the tabernacle, it’s furnishings, operation and sacrifices were all copies of heavenly realities … and this is something we’ll get to soon enough.
The most important ministry of the earthly priests under the Law … operating under the Mosaic system … was to open the way to God for others.
And this is one of the keys in this book.
But another way of looking at this is using shadow to point people to reality.
The earthly Temple is a simple sketch of the real Temple of God.
The earthly Temple is a pale copy of the real Temple of God; earthly worship is a remote reflection of real worship; the earthly priesthood is an inadequate shadow of the real priesthood.
All these things point beyond themselves to the reality of which they are the shadows.
Earthly worship is a shadow of real worship.
The earthly priesthood is an inadequate shadow of the real priesthood.
All these things point beyond themselves to the reality of which they are the shadows.
records how God showed Moses the real version after which the earthly copy was patterned.
There it says:
Genesis 25:40
So, God had shown Moses the real pattern which was then copied in an imperfect form.
There are people who reject much of the epistles of the New Testament because they love the shadow more than the reality.
(You see, there are people who reject much of the epistles of the New Testament because they love the shadow more than the reality.)
And so I should explain.
The Torah absolutely does contain timeless commands that reflect God’s nature.
And so it is of great value.
And the New Testament does not cancel out the Old Testament … the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.
The Torah contains temporary laws that are directed at a deeply sinful people living in a flawed culture during a specific period of time in history.
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Jesus fulfilled those laws.
And with His perfect sacrifice he satisfied the requirements of the law.
And with His perfect sacrifice, the Levitical priesthood ended.
And as the author in the last chapter said:
With the end of the Levitical Priesthood there was a change to the priesthood.
The priesthood that was before the giving of the law remained … a priesthood without beginning or end … a priest without beginning or end.
That is what the author of Hebrews referred to as the order of Melchizedek.
Now, we have talked a whole lot about this historical Melchizedek and how the author of Hebrews uses that historical priesthood which pre-dated the Levitical priesthood to picture the priesthood of Christ.
Those recordings from the last month are available online in both video and audio.
You can go back and listen to them for the first time or review them, so we won’t re-hash what we’ve already talked about.
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So, the writer to the Hebrews says that the earthly priests have a service which is merely a shadowy outline of the heavenly order.
In other words … The earthly priesthood was just a shadow to point people to the reality.
And then to carry this to it’s true point ... only Jesus can lead people into the presence of God.
And the author of Hebrews deals more with this today.
But he also answers the question .... is there anything that can minimize the superiority of Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is God’s superior Priest; but is there anything that can minimize this superiority?
Jesus Christ is God’s superior Priest; but is there anything that can minimize this superiority?
Nothing!
For He ministers on the basis of a better covenant (), in a better sanctuary (), and because of a better sacrifice ().
It is the better covenant that is the theme of this chapter.
The writer presented three evidences for the superiority of this covenant.
And I don’t want to spoil it for you, but there is nothing that can do this.
Jesus ministers on the basis of a better covenant, in a better sanctuary, and because of a better sacrifice.
We’ll see the better covenant today in chapter 8.
We’ll see the better sanctuary later in chapter 9.
And we’ll see the better sacrifice in chapter 10.
So then, it is the better covenant that is the theme of this chapter.
So, let’s pray and then get into what the author has to say about this better covenant.
Prayer: Lord, as we embark to study your Word, we ask that our hearts would be open to receive all that You have to say to us.
We desire to be hearers and doers and for You to lead us in Your ways.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
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It Is Ministered by a Superior High Priest ()
We might get the impression here that the author is reasoning in circles.
First he spends multiple chapters showing the superiority of Christ, and then says, “Since He is superior, the covenant He ministers must be a superior covenant.”
But he is not working in circular reasoning … he’s being really logical.
As he explained earlier, Jesus is the superior priest.
A superior priest could never minister on the basis of an inferior covenant.
Instead, that which is imperfect must change.
If an inferior priesthood changes to the perfect one, then the inferior covenant must also have changed.
Now, earlier in chapter 7 and verse 22 we recognized the first occurrence of the word διαθήκη diathēkē which is translated “covenant or also testament.”
It’s a word that is used 21 times in Hebrews.
And it carries a deeper meaning of “distribution of property by will.”
In regards to a better priest ministering a better covenant … you can have the most gifted lawyer in the world, but he could only do so much with an inadequate will.
In regards to a better priest ministering a better covenant … you can have the most gifted lawyer in the world, but he could only do so much with an inadequate will.
It is unthinkable that our Lord would minister on the basis of an inferior “last will and testament.”
And so, while the author is moving on to the point of all those things which came before being shadows of the better, real, things to come … the primary argument is still the supremacy of Christ.
“This is the sum” simply means, “This is the main point and the climax of my discussion.”
He then presented several “summary arguments” to prove that our Lord is indeed a superior High Priest.
And so he says this is the “main point” the κεφάλαιον kephalaion … which speaks of a sum of value.
Christ is quite valuable to us … because, as the author said in chapter 7, He is “fitting for us.”
That is, He is just right to meet our needs.
Do not read below:
Wow … just really let that sink in … Jesus Christ is morally perfect.
This statement refers us back to .
“For such an high priest became us [was suited to us]” ().
The fact that Jesus Christ is morally perfect and yet identified with us in our needs and temptations makes Him superior to any other priest, past or present.
Those of his readers who wanted to go back into the Old Testament priesthood would have to leave this suitable High Priest.
And yet He identified with us in our needs and temptations and was willing to be the propitiation for our sins
The Levitical priest was himself a sinner.
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