Wednesday, October 17, 2018

08 Hebrews 8 – Old and Obsolete vs. New and Improved

What if we were to ask the writer of Hebrews, “What’s the big deal here?” “What’s the headline?” The answer appears in Heb 8:1-2. “Now the point (main idea, lit. in Greek kephale, the “head”) in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.”
As we have studied Heb 1-7 we have seen how this great book establishes this central theme. Jesus is the true high priest, exalted to the Majesty’s right hand, and serving in the real tabernacle.
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These are lesson notes, not written in a polished or finished manuscript form.  
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In fact, Heb 5-7 showed us the “WHO” of the greater priesthood, comparing and contrasting Christ with Melchizedek. Heb 8 now explains the “WHY” of the greater priesthood, indicating that the old external system is broken and therefore obsolete. Heb 9-10 will next detail the “WHAT” of the greater priesthood, revealing Jesus’ role in making atonement and appearing in heaven on our behalf.
Heb 8, “Old and Obsolete vs. New and Improved,” will describe Jesus’ high priesthood as superior in three ways. Note them in Heb 8:6. “But as it is, Christ has obtained a [1] ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the [2] covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better [3] promises.”
Let’s outline and study Heb 8 using these three “headlines” for the “head” idea that Jesus is the greater high priest.
8:1-6                    A Better Ministry
8:7-10        A Better Covenant
8:11-13      A Better Promise

8:1-6                    A Better Ministry
Note again the big, summary, thematic idea (Heb 8:1, lit. the “head”).
Where does our high priest sit (1:3, 13; 10:12; 12:2)?
Is He a minister?  In what tent or tabernacle (9:24)?
An offering is necessary.  What?  (7:27; 9:14)
Could He serve here on earth?  (This passage implies that the Jewish temple is still standing. In that case, Hebrews must have been written before AD 70.)
“Copy:” example (John 13:15; Heb 4:11); imitation, facsimile, or replica (9:23)
“Shadow:” shade (Mark 4:32); similar shape and form, but without solid substance; “foreshadowing” (10:1; Col 2:17)
“Pattern:” Gk. typos; archetype, prototype; figure, mold, design, blueprint (Ex 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8; Num 8:4; Ac 7:44)
Which tabernacle was real, and which a copy?
The original one was and is in heaven! What God instructed Moses to build was an earthly model of the heavenly reality.
Heb 8:5 They (the OT Levitical priests) serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
This point will appear again in Heb 10:1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
“Follow the pattern …”
God’s pattern is important! Moses dared not deviate from it. Nor do we dare to add to, take from, or change the pattern God has given us in the NT.
2 Ti 1:13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1 Co 4:17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
1 Co 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
Eph 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
8:7-10        A Better Covenant
What is a covenant?
The word “covenant” appears some 270 times in OT.
Give examples of OT covenants.
The Heb. phrase “to cut a covenant” suggests …
Are covenants with God negotiable or unilateral (one-sided)?
Two Gk. terms were used for covenants: syntheke, diatheke.
The first referred to compromise agreements, in which both parties could add stipulations.
The second described one-sided agreements, in which only one party could specify the conditions. The second party could then accept the covenant or reject it and receive the consequences, good or bad.
It is this second word that is consistently used of God’s covenant with us. He states the terms. We may choose to comply or not comply, but we may not choose to negotiate the terms.
Did the first (Mosaic) covenant have any flaws?
Would God promise a new one, if the old one worked?
“Finding fault with them.”  Not the covenant itself.
They failed to comply, and in that way they produced the fault.
God’s covenant promises were conditional.  In other words, Israel had to continue in that covenant in order to keep receiving its benefits. When they failed to do so, God still kept his promise by giving them the consequences of their disobedience.
Calvinists, representing Reformed Theology, often assert “Unconditional Election.” They insist that God’s choices alone determine all that happens. Once he initiates a covenant and promises salvation, that salvation will stand no matter what. One who is saved cannot be lost, they say.
Yet God saved Israel, and those once saved became lost. The book of Hebrews is written to tell Christians, “Don’t let that happen to you!”
The promise: Jer 31:31-34.  Apostasy >> exile.
Superficial religion.  Reliance on Temple, circumcision, etc.
“Behold, days are coming … new covenant.”
“They did not continue …”
“So I disregarded them …” Does God not care? Of course he does. It was the people’s decision and responsibility that removed them from God’s care.
What makes the new covenant better than the old?
Laws of God internal: on hearts, not stone.
         2 Cor 3:1-3; contrast Matt 5-7; Matt 23.
Relationship to God personal: “their God, My people.”
8:11-13      A Better Promise
Knowledge of God universal: “all, least, greatest.”
         We still need teaching!  (Heb 5:11-12)
         But that knowledge is not limited to the few.
Mercy of God liberal: “remember sins no more.”
God forgave sins in anticipation of Christ’s death (the new covenant), not without it.  Rom 3:25; Heb 9:15
The old covenant by itself did not provide forgiveness. 
         Heb 9:9; 10:1-2; 10:11
How can it be said that God does “not remember” our sins? He has “forgotten” our sins only in the sense that he has put them out of his mind in his dealings with us.
Summary:
By implication, to offer something new is to make the first obsolete.
Someone may say, “I have to get a new phone.” That statement likely indicates that the old phone is broken, lost, or does not function as a new, updated phone would.
By implication, obsolete and aging = ready to vanish away.
Note: The Temple’s destruction, coming in AD 70, would reflect that reality.
Of course, the OT Scriptures are still of immense value to Christians. The book of Hebrews itself is filled with quotations and explanations of OT texts, because the NT is based on that foundation. Knowing the old helps us understand and appreciate the new.
We also read the following about the OT’s importance for Christians:
Ro 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 Co 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Ro 4:23 Now not for [Abraham’s] sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
2 Ti 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

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