Encore Presentation: I Don't Think You Know What That Means Part 3

 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-2hq2a-18673c2

Bible Study Hebrews 8: 1-13

 

A Commentary of the Book of Hebrews

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: King James Version

Bible Study Hebrews 8: 1-13

Text:

8 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. 6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;”

Christ accomplished what no priest in the Old Testament ever achieved. Within the lineage of Aaron, no priest was ever granted a seat within the tabernacle; rather, they remained perpetually active due to the continuous nature of their duties. These ordinances served as shadows pointing toward a final, complete sacrifice. Through the death of Christ, all has been fully satisfied, eliminating any uncertainty regarding the necessity of human effort to merit salvation.

Verse 2: “a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Bezaleel functioned as the master artisan responsible for constructing the ornate furnishings of the tabernacle. Notably, the mercy seat and the golden lampstand were fabricated from gold and intricately detailed. Although his craftsmanship was executed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it remained a human endeavor. In contrast, the Lord Jesus exercises His ministry within a heavenly tabernacle established by Himself.

Verse 3: “For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.”

The offering presented by Jesus Christ consisted of Himself, encompassing His own body and blood.

Verse 4: “For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:”

Due to His earthly lineage, Jesus was born into the tribe of Judah, which was not the priestly tribe. The phrase "there are priests that offer gifts" instead designates members of the tribe of Levi. Additionally, the present tense of the verb "offer" here and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews suggests that the Jerusalem temple was still active. Therefore, the letter must have been composed before the temple was destroyed in AD 70.

Verse 5: “ who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

The earthly tabernacle constructed by Moses offered a form of worship designed as a reflection of the heavenly realm where Christ carries out His ministry. Both the structure itself and the worship conducted within it served as a prophetic preview of the divine plan of salvation ultimately fulfilled through Christ.

Verse 6: “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”

The phrase “But now” establishes a definitive contrast with the prior Levitical priestly order. Jesus (“He”) serves as the mediator of a fundamentally superior covenant. This new covenant, mediated by Christ, transcends the covenant established through Moses at Mount Sinai, as it is founded upon superior divine promises.

Verse 7: “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.”

This reasoning mirrors the argument found in 7:11, where the inferiority of the Levitical priesthood was demonstrated by its replacement with the order of Melchizedek. In the same manner, if the Mosaic covenant had been flawless, there would have been no need to establish a second one. While the Mosaic covenant was not inherently faulty, it lacked the capacity to transform lives from sin and its consequences.

Verse 8: “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:”

“For finding fault with them”—rather than with the covenant itself. The deficiency never resided within God’s covenant or His law; indeed, the law is flawless. Instead, the failure lies within humanity. Human beings are inherently incapable of keeping the Law and consistently fail to meet its perfect standards.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” This divine promise, documented in the prophecy of Jeremiah, is also attested to throughout the writings of the other prophets.

Verse 9: “ not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.”

The people failed to remain faithful to the first covenant, breaking it because it did not enable them to perform what it demanded. While the Mosaic covenant and its law were flawless, the deficiency lay within humanity's inherent inability to meet its perfect standards. This first covenant, established when God took their fathers by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, lacked the capacity to transform lives from sin and its consequences. Because they did not continue in it, the Lord did not regard them.

Verse 10: “or this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”

The New Covenant shall be inscribed upon their hearts, rather than engraved upon tablets of stone, thereby enabling their obedience. 

Verse 11: “and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.”

Under the New Testament, private instruction will not be as essential as it was under the Old. The old covenant was dim, symbolic, ritualistic, and harder to comprehend; priests taught infrequently and only a few at a time, and the Holy Spirit was given more conservatively. Conversely, the new covenant will feature an abundance of qualified gospel preachers and regular administrators of ordinances in churches, drawing a net of outreach into communities. This plentiful outpouring of the Spirit of God will make the gospel ministry highly effective, resulting in a dramatic expansion and deepening of Christian knowledge across all types of people, regardless of gender or age.  The phrase “all shall know me” signifies that while access to the presence of God was restricted under the law, all who approach God through Jesus Christ are now permitted to enter the true sanctuary.

Verse 12: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

In contrast to the law's repetitive sacrifices, which served as a yearly remembrance of sins, Jesus' self-offering has established complete forgiveness, holiness, and perfection once for all.

Verse 13: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

Upon the introduction of the new covenant, the “first” is rendered “old.” This distinction is strictly temporal rather than expressing disapproval; it does not signify that the former covenant was inherently flawed, but rather that it “decayeth.”  Shortly after the book of Hebrews was written, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and its Levitical worship ceased. 

 

Walk in the Spirit

Scripture: Galatians 5:16 (KJV)

“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Personal Reflection

The Christian life is described as a walk because it is lived step by step. Walking is ordinary, continual, and directional. We do not take one spiritual step at conversion and then stand still. We continue moving forward with God throughout the whole course of life.

To walk in the Spirit means allowing His truth and power to govern the daily pattern of our lives. Scripture applies this walk to every area: walking in newness of life, walking in love, walking as children of light, walking wisely, and walking worthy of the gospel. At the foundation of all these commands is dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

This walk is seldom spectacular. Most Christian growth occurs through ordinary obedience—telling the truth when lying would be easier, forgiving when resentment feels justified, resisting temptation when nobody is watching, praying when we feel spiritually dry, and remaining faithful when obedience becomes costly.

Walking also implies direction rather than perfection. Believers stumble, but by grace they rise again. The question is not whether you have ever fallen but where your life is headed.

The Spirit continually draws the believer toward Christ. He exposes sin, strengthens obedience, renews our minds through Scripture, and teaches us to deny ourselves.

Do not become discouraged because growth sometimes seems slow. Sanctification is usually measured over years, not moments. Keep walking.

One faithful step followed by another eventually becomes a life characterized by holiness.

Contemplation

What direction does the ordinary pattern of my life reveal—toward the flesh or toward greater conformity to Christ?

Puritan Quote

John Bunyan wrote:

“Run when I can, walk when I cannot run, and creep when I cannot walk; only let us not stand still.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, guide my daily walk. Strengthen me to obey Christ in ordinary decisions, resist the desires of the flesh, and continue moving toward holiness even when progress seems slow. Amen.

Application

Choose one ordinary act of obedience you know God requires and deliberately practice it today as part of your daily walk with Christ.

 

Filled with the Word

Scripture: Colossians 3:16 (KJV)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom...”

Personal Reflection

There is a beautiful connection between being filled with the Spirit and being filled with the Word. Ephesians 5:18 commands believers to “be filled with the Spirit,” while Colossians 3:16 commands us to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The results described in both passages are remarkably similar: worship, thanksgiving, godly relationships, and transformed living.

This connection is essential. The Holy Spirit does not lead Christians away from Scripture into subjective impressions. He works through the Word He inspired. As the Word fills our minds and governs our hearts, our thoughts, desires, values, and responses begin to change.

Therefore, we should never separate the Spirit from Scripture. A Christian who wants to be Spirit-filled while neglecting the Bible is seeking something the Bible itself does not promise.

This also gives us a practical pathway toward spiritual growth. Read the Word. Meditate upon it. Memorize it. Hear it preached. Submit to it. Let its truths shape the way you think about marriage, money, work, suffering, temptation, forgiveness, worship, and eternity.

The goal is not merely to accumulate verses but to become saturated with divine truth until Scripture begins governing our instincts.

When God's Word dwells richly within us, the Spirit uses it to expose lies, strengthen faith, correct error, and form Christ within us.

A Word-filled Christian becomes a Spirit-controlled Christian.

Contemplation

Is God’s Word merely something I occasionally read, or is it increasingly shaping the way I think and live?

Puritan Quote

Thomas Watson wrote:

“The Word is both a glass to show us the spots of our souls and a laver to wash them away.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, give me a deeper hunger for the Scriptures. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within me until my thoughts, desires, and actions are shaped by Your truth. Amen.

Application

Choose one verse from today’s Bible reading and meditate upon it repeatedly throughout the day.

 

Mortify the Deeds of the Body

Scripture: Romans 8:13 (KJV)

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Personal Reflection

The Spirit-filled life is not passive. Scripture describes an active war against remaining sin. Although the believer has been regenerated and sin no longer reigns as master, the flesh remains and continues to resist holiness.

Paul therefore commands believers to “mortify” the deeds of the body—to put sin to death. Yet notice carefully how this battle is fought: “through the Spirit.”

We cannot defeat sin through sheer willpower. Neither can we excuse sin by claiming we are waiting for God to remove it. Biblical sanctification brings divine power and human responsibility together. The Spirit supplies strength, and the believer actively resists sin.

The manuscript emphasizes that those led by the Spirit are led to kill sin, pursue practical holiness, resist the world’s mold, and delight in obedience. Being Spirit-filled is not merely saying, “I had an experience.” It is being changed.

John Owen famously summarized this struggle: “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.” Sin never becomes harmless. What we tolerate today will seek greater control tomorrow.

Mortification requires honesty. We must identify particular sins rather than speaking vaguely about weakness. Then we bring those sins under the searching light of Scripture, confess them, reject opportunities to feed them, and depend upon the Spirit for strength.

The evidence of spiritual life is not sinless perfection but ongoing warfare. Dead men do not fight sin. Living believers do.

Contemplation

What particular sin have I been tolerating instead of actively seeking to mortify?

Puritan Quote

John Owen wrote:

“Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, expose the sins I excuse and strengthen me to put them to death. Give me hatred for sin and increasing love for holiness and Christ. Amen.

Application

Name one recurring sin before God today and take one concrete step to cut off an opportunity that feeds it.

 

The Evidence Is Holiness

Scripture: Galatians 5:22–23 (KJV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...”

Personal Reflection

The Bible gives us a clear way to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit: look for fruit. Scripture does not point first to spectacle, excitement, or extraordinary experiences. It points to transformed character.

Love. Joy. Peace. Longsuffering. Gentleness. Goodness. Faith. Meekness. Temperance.

These qualities may appear less dramatic than outward manifestations, yet they are the unmistakable evidence of divine transformation. A person may speak loudly about spiritual experiences while remaining proud, angry, immoral, dishonest, or self-centered. Scripture calls us to look beyond claims and examine fruit.

The Spirit who indwells believers is the HolySpirit. His presence therefore produces holiness. He teaches us to mortify sin, reject the mold of the world, delight in obedience, and increasingly resemble Jesus Christ.

This gives us an important measure for our own spiritual growth. We should not ask merely whether we know more theology than we once did or whether we have enjoyed powerful moments in worship. We should ask: Am I more loving? More patient? More self-controlled? More humble? More obedient?

Spiritual maturity often develops quietly. Fruit does not appear through noise but through growth. The Spirit patiently works in ordinary days, difficult relationships, painful trials, and daily temptations to shape Christ’s character within us.

The greatest testimony to the Spirit’s presence is not that we can describe an experience but that others can see Christ increasingly reflected in our lives.

Contemplation

What fruit of the Spirit is presently weakest in my life?

Puritan Quote

Thomas Watson wrote:

“Sanctification is that which makes God and angels fall in love with us.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, produce Your fruit in me. Remove everything contrary to Christ and make my character increasingly reflect His love, purity, patience, humility, and self-control. Amen.

Application

Choose one fruit of the Spirit today and deliberately practice it in a relationship where it is difficult.

 

Be Filled with the Spirit

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

Personal Reflection

Paul does not present being filled with the Holy Spirit as an unusual experience reserved for a special class of Christians. He gives it as a command to every believer. The contrast in Ephesians 5 is striking: as alcohol controls the person who yields to it, the Christian is to live under the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit.

Every true believer already possesses the Spirit. At conversion we are indwelt, baptized into the body of Christ, and sealed unto redemption. Therefore, being filled with the Spirit does not mean receiving more of Him. It means yielding more of ourselves to Him—our thoughts, speech, desires, relationships, time, money, decisions, and habits.

This makes the Spirit-filled life intensely practical. It is not primarily measured by emotional intensity but by surrendered obedience. The question is not, “Did I have an unusual experience?” but, “Who controls my life?”

There may be areas we gladly surrender to God while guarding others for ourselves. Yet the Holy Spirit does not seek partial lordship. He presses the claims of Christ upon every corner of our lives.

To be filled with the Spirit is therefore a daily matter. Yesterday’s obedience cannot substitute for today’s surrender. Each morning we come again before God and say, “My life belongs to You.”

The Spirit-filled Christian increasingly becomes a Christ-governed Christian.

Contemplation

Is there any area of my life that I am resisting surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s control?

Puritan Quote

John Owen wrote:

“The Holy Spirit works in us and with us, not against us or without us.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, take greater control of my thoughts, desires, words, and actions. Make me willing to surrender every part of my life to the lordship of Christ. Amen.

Application

Identify one area where you have resisted biblical obedience and consciously surrender it to God today.