Hebrews Chapter 8 {Superiority of Jesus Christ as High Priest Continues} 1~~Now the main point on what is being communicated is this: we have such a category of high priest {Jesus Christ}, Who has sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. {Superiority of our High Priest Continues from Chapter 7 - Superior Tabernacle} 2~~A minister {Royal High Priest} of the 'sanctuary'/'holy places', even of the tabernacle/tent . . . that is the REAL one, which the Lord {Jesus as the creator} 'put together'/pitched, and not man. {Note: The writer is still comparing the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ with that of the Levitical priesthood. The earthly tabernacle was at first a tent and later a 'brick and mortar type building', but Jesus' tent is the entire heaven . . . which He also created or 'pitched'!} {Another Superiority - the Superior Sacrifice} 3~~For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, for this reason, therefore it is concluded necessary that This One also have something which He might offer. {Note: Levitical priests offered the blood of animals. Jesus Christ offered Himself as the sacrifice. His sacrifice was superior to that offered by Levitical priests.} 4~~For if indeed He {Jesus} were on the earth - but He is not - He would not even be a priest, while there are ones {illegitimately} offering {Levitical} gifts according to the {Mosaic} law {as the authorizing agency for the priesthood}. {Note: When this was written in 67 AD, for 37 years the Levitical priesthood had been illegitimately operating on earth even though the Jewish Age ended 10 days after the ascension and now the Royal Priesthood was operational.} {Superiority of Reality (of Jesus' Priesthood) to Shadows (Levitical Priesthood)} 5~~Who {Levitical Priests} are such a category {of priests} as performing worship service as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, since Moses had received divine instruction when he was about to construct the tabernacle {large tent}. For, He said {Exodus 25:40}, "Be taking note {understand/perceive}, you shall make all things {Exodus - Chapters 25, 26, and 27} according to the blueprint having been explained to you - to your advantage - on the mountain {Sinai}. {Note: Moses as the contractor received from Christ exact details on building the tabernacle. This was the shadow of heaven and Moses was instructed to be EXACT. Jesus was the original and the tabernacle was the shadow of the original (and heaven).} {Superiority of the Ministry of our High Priest} 6~~ But now He {Jesus} has obtained in the past with the result that He always possesses a more excellent/outstanding {priestly} ministry, by as much as also, He keeps on being the mediator of a better covenant, which category of covenant has been {legally} established/ordained upon better promises {of blessings}. 7~~For if that first {Mosaic Law} had been faultless/blameless, but it was not, then a place would NOT have been found for the second {the New covenant to Israel - Jeremiah 31: 31- 34}. {Old Testament Documentation of New Covenant to Israel - Verses 8-12} 8~~For you see, when finding fault with them {Israel - 586BC}, He {God} communicates {Start quote - Jeremiah 31: 31-34}, "Behold/Perceive . . . the days come {millennial reign}, says the Lord, indeed/'in reality' I will fulfill/carryout/make a new covenant to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah." 9~~ "Not according to the covenant {Mosaic Law} which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by their hand {a grace metaphor} to bring them out of the land of Egypt. Because they did not continue in My covenant, I also disregarded them, communicates the Lord." 10~~"Because this . . . {is} the covenant {New Covenant to Israel} which I will assign to the house of Israel after those days {after the millennium begins}, causing to give My doctrines for the purpose of their thinking {thinking IS living}, even upon their hearts/'right lobes' I will engrave them {the doctrines} says the Lord. Also, I will be their God {literally 'be to them for a God'}, and they shall be My people {literally 'be to Me for a people'}." 11~~"Also, they shall NOT teach {literally 'not never teach' double negative is a VERY strong negative in the Greek} each one . . . his fellow citizen, and each one . . . his 'intimate friend'/brother, saying, 'KNOW THE LORD.' {Why NOT command this?} Because ALL SHALL know Me . . . from the least to the greatest {of them}." 12~~"Because I will be gracious in the sphere of their unrighteousnesses, and I will never remember their sins anymore." {end quote - Jeremiah 31: 31-34 - Starts in Verse 8} 13~~In His citation of the new {new covenant to Israel} He has made obsolete the first {covenant to Israel - the Mosaic Law}. Now the one {Mosaic Law} 'being superceded'/'becoming obsolete' and growing old is near {total} destruction. {Note: This is a warning of the coming of the 5th cycle of discipline to the Jews in Jerusalem who would go out 3years after this was written. They were warned.}