Heb. 8 Heb. 8:1–5 Christ, our great High Priest in the heavens, hath a more excellent ministry than the priests on earth, Heb. 8:6–13 as he is also the Mediator of a better covenant than that which was given to Moses.

The Spirit having cleared the doctrine of the priesthood of the great gospel Minister, now proceeds to show how he executed that office; and that therein as he far excelled, so he was to be valued and used before, the Aaronical priests.

A minister; this is spoken of the High Priest sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, and relates to that work of his whereby he was constituted λειτουργος which, according to Suidas, is compounded of two words, παρα to lhion vel ληιτον εργον, public work; so as it might be…

For every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: in Christ’s administration for his in heaven, as he is a King, so he is a High Priest; and as such must have service and ministration suitable to himself there, as the Aaronical high priests had on earth; every of which was…

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest: this gives the reason why the Levitical gifts and offerings were inconsistent with Christ’s priesthood: for if he were earthly for person or office, or was existing on earth, or in an earthly sanctuary or tabernacle proper to the law, he could not…

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things; these Aaronical priests and their service in the literal tabernacle, were only subservient, as the model in the mind, to represent the truth, as the platform of a tabernacle serves toward the making and pitching of it.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry: but is here adversative, setting this High Priest over against and above the Aaronical, on the account both of his ministry and covenant, of which theirs were but types and shadows.

This proves the gospel covenant better than the Mosaical, for if it had not, there would have been no second. For if that first covenant had been faultless: that first covenant, of which Moses was the mediator, as to the administration of it, (as to the matter of it, it was the same from Adam…

This is the proof of the faultiness of the Mosaical covenant, from the right cause of it, those who did abuse it. For finding fault with them: the Lord, by the prophet Jeremiah, being distasted and offended, accuseth, and with complaints and aggravations chargeth the houses of Israel and Judah,…

The Spirit proceedeth to show the form of the covenant denied. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers; not the same covenant for habit or form, nor any like unto the same for the manner of its administration, as was made by the Lord with the Hebrews their progenitors, when…

For this is the covenant that I will make: for, showeth it should not be such a covenant-form as was given on Mount Sinai, it being wholly different, and that denied before, being carnal and ceremonious, full of types and shadows, and through their sin ineffectual to them.

And they shall not teach: the subject implied in the plural verb, and by a partitive particle expressed, they, and every man, is in Jeremiah’s text איש a man, even every truly covenanted one who hath the knowledge of the Lord. And they shall teach no more, in Jer. 31:34.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness: this for states the cause of all the former acts promised in the gospel covenant, as regenerating, illuminating, adopting, and God’s gracious removing all sins that might hinder the communication of these and all other good to his covenanted ones;…

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old: the inference from what was before said, Heb. 8:8, (in the Lord’s saying this by the prophet Jeremiah, that he would make a new covenant, for form and manner of administration later and better, even the last and best he will make, and in…