Hebrews 8:6 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Hebrews 8:6
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.
public function (as priest ("liturgy") or almsgiver) · noun — genitive singular feminine
much
ὅσῳhosō
G3745
as (much · correlative pronoun — dative singular neuter
also
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
is
ἐστίestí
G2076
he (she or it) is
mediator
μεσίτης,mesitēs
G3316
a go-between · noun — nominative singular masculine
better
κρείττωνkreíttōn
G2909
stronger
covenant
διαθήκηςdiathēkēs
G1242
properly · noun — genitive singular feminine
which
ἥτιςhētis
G3748
which some · relative pronoun — nominative singular feminine
established
νενομοθέτηται.nenomothetētai
G3549
to legislate · verb — perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular
upon
ἐπὶepi
G1909
properly · preposition
better
κρείττωνkreíttōn
G2909
stronger
promises
ἐπαγγελίαιςepangeliais
G1860
an announcement (for information · noun — dative plural feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Galatians 3:16-21 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped th…
Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, an…
2 Corinthians 3:6-11 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit give…
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Hebrews 8:6–end
In this part of the chapter, the apostle illustrates and confirms the superior excellency of the priesthood of Christ above that of Aaron, from the excellency of that covenant, or that dispensation of the covenant of grace, of which Christ was the Mediator (Heb 8:6): his ministry is more excellent, by how much he is the Mediator of a better covenant. The body and soul too of all divinity (as some observe) consist very much in rightly distinguishing between the two covenants - the covenant of works and the covenant of grace; and between the two dispensations of the covenant of grace - that under the Old Testament and that under the New. Now observe,
I. What is here said of the old covenant, o…
now--not time; but "as it is."
more excellent ministry--than any earthly ministry.
by how much--in proportion as.
mediator--coming between us and God, to carry into effect God's covenant with us. "The messenger (angel) of the covenant."
which--Greek, "one which" [ALFORD]: inasmuch as being one which.
established--Greek, "enacted as a law." So Rom 3:27, "law of faith"; and Rom 8:2; Rom 9:31, apply "law" to the Gospel covenant. It is implied hereby, the Gospel is founded on the law, in the spirit and essence of the latter.
upon--resting upon.
better promises--enumerated Heb 8:10-11. The Old Testament promises were mainly of earthly, the New Testament promises, of heavenly blessin…
Now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry - His office of priesthood is more excellent than the Levitical, because the covenant is better, and established on better promises: the old covenant referred to earthly things; the new covenant, to heavenly. The old covenant had promises of secular good; the new covenant, of spiritual and eternal blessings. As far as Christianity is preferable to Judaism, as far as Christ is preferable to Moses, as far as spiritual blessings are preferable to earthly blessings, and as far as the enjoyment of God throughout eternity is preferable to the communication of earthly good during time; so far does the new covenant exceed the old.
The Church Fathers
He concisely brought out the superiority: whereas the Old Covenant had corporeal promises associated with it—a land flowing with milk and honey, olive groves and vineyards, big families and suchlike things—the New had an eternal and heavenly kingdom.
"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." Both in the verse before us, then, and throughout, does he ascribe the word better to the Lord, who is better and other than originated things. For better is the sacrifice through him, better the hope in him and also the promises through him, not merely as great compared with small, but the one differing from the other in nature, because he who conducts this economy, is better than things originated.
"But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry." Now, he says, since it is not on earth, but in heaven, a better ministry has been attained, that is, the high priest is for a better ministry. See how he engages with the humble because of the weakness of those who are listening. But if he were to say something awe-inspiring, he would immediately be dismissed, fearing that it would not be accepted. "inasmuch as he is also the mediator of a better covenant." Thus, he says, the ministry is better than the old, as the new covenant, of which Christ is the mediator, is new, I say, the covenant of faith in Him, in which He mediated for Himself and for the Father, "which was established on better promises." This covenant, he says, was enacted on better promises. For the old promised the good things of the earth; but the new, the kingdom of heaven. And thus the promises from this are better, because the former has been abolished. Therefore, the new triumphs, because it is better, and is given on better promises. And the better one has the promises, for it is better, is evident everywhere.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Covenant — A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means “to cut,” and hence a covenant is a…
Mediator — One who intervenes between two persons who are at variance, with a view to reconcile them. This word is not found in the Old Testament; but the idea it expresses is found in Job 9:33, in the word…
Christ, The High Priest · Superior to Aaron and the Levitical priests — Superior to Aaron and the Levitical priests
Christ, The Mediator · Of the gospel covenant — Of the gospel covenant
Covenant, The · Christ, the Mediator of — Christ, the Mediator of
Excellency And Glory Of Christ, The · As Mediator — As Mediator
High Priest, The · Inferior to Christ in: Being of the order of Aaron — Inferior to Christ in: Being of the order of Aaron
Promises Of God, The · Confirmed by an oath — Confirmed by an oath
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on Hebrews 8:6
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,.... Christ has a ministry, he is the minister of the sanctuary, Hebrews 8:2 he has "obtained" this ministry of his Father; he was called unto it and engaged in it by him; and he has "now" obtained it; for though he was called to it from eternity, it was in time he came an high priest of good things, to come; and his ministry is
a more excellent one than that of the priests, who offered gifts according to the law and served to the example and shadow of heavenly things; as abundantly appears from the preceding chapter, and from this, as well, as from what follows:
by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant; the covenant of gra…
Hebrews 8:1-6
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;
1. Porro eurum quae dicuntur summa est, Talem habemus pontificem qui consedit in dextera throni majestatis in coelis;
2. A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
2. Sanctorum minister et tabernaculi veri quod fixit Dominus et non homo.
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.
3. Omnis enim pontifex ad offerendum dona et sacrificia constituitur; unde necesse est h…
the one who mediates: A mediator works with two parties to bring them to agreement. Christ’s work of sacrifice established the covenant relationship between people and God. • a far better covenant with God: See “The New Covenant” Theme Note. This covenant is better because it is based on better promises (see 8:7-13).
