Letter to the Hebrews Volume 73

 Jesus Christ is now Seated @ the Right Hand of Majesty Part 3

Hebrews 8:4-5 For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 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. KJV

As we have already learned from the writer of Hebrews that our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah; then this fact alone would prevent Him from being a Priest only upon the earth, because God the Father established the Hebrew/Jewish earthly priest by Law to only come from the tribe of Levi, therefore, we now find these words written for us by the writer of Hebrews, "For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:" (Hebrews 8:4) (KJV). The writer of Hebrews documented these facts for us in the previous Chapter in Hebrews 7:13-14, however, this only sustains, supports, and solidifies the singular uniqueness of Him/Jesus as Man and of the Eternal Priesthood He does have which is from heaven to the earth because of the Power in His unique Resurrection Life He exercises from His Throne in heaven. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of this verse, "The Socinians from hence attempt to prove that Christ was not a priest, and did not offer sacrifice on earth; whereas His coming into the world, and His appearance in human nature, was in the character of a priest, and to qualify Himself for one; His death was His sacrifice, which was on earth; and He never offered but one sacrifice; and it was after He had offered Himself that He went to heaven; so the sacrifices under the law were first offered, before their blood was carried within: but the meaning is, either if 'that' was on earth, namely, what it was necessary He should have to offer; if His human nature had been earthly, had been of men, had come by ordinary generation, He had not been properly, only typically a priest, at most; and had been no better than the typical ones; yea, He would have been needless, nay, might not have offered, not being of Levi's tribe, and could not have existed as a priest with the sons of Aaron; but He had His human nature in another way, through the power of the Holy Ghost from above, and therefore is said to come from above, from heaven, and to be the Lord from heaven: or the sense is, if He was on earth, and had not died, He had not been a priest; and if He had died and remained under the power of death, He had been a priest of no account and use; and had He rose again and remained on earth, without going to heaven, with His blood and sacrifice, He had not been a perfect priest; if Christ had remained on earth, the Levitical priesthood had remained, and so He would have been no priest, since two priesthoods could not have subsisted together. The Levitical priesthood was in force while Christ was on earth; Christ's priesthood was not perfected on earth; the Levitical priesthood remaining while He was on earth, proves He was not then a perfect priest, or had not completed His priesthood; had He been so, that would not have subsisted; it was necessary therefore that Christ should enter into the holy place, to put an end to the Levitical priesthood: moreover, if He had remained on earth, He had been needless; seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law; there were priests when Christ was upon earth; their work was to offer gifts the people brought, and sacrifices for sin, and that according to the law of Moses, which till the death of Christ was in full force."

The writer of Hebrews now gives the reason for the meticulous (that is, that which is marked by precise accordance with details) service rendered by the Levitical priest in the Hebrew/Jewish Temple on the earth and that being that God the Father had Moses build the earthly Temple as a pattern of what actually existed in the Heavenly realm, as it is written for us with these words by the writer of Hebrews, "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." (Hebrews 8:5) (KJV). The English word 'pattern' used in this verse is translated by the Greek word tupos which means (as used here) (figuratively) style or resemblance; specifically a sampler ('type'), that is, a model (for imitation) or instance (for warning). Warned was exactly what this Scripture declares that God the Father did to Moses exhorting, encouriging, and envoking him to construct the Hebrew/Jewish Tabaernacle exactly according to the 'pattern'/tupos he was given by God on the top of Mount Sinai. Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of this verse, "All the services of the priest, under the law, as well as every thing in that tabernacle which was framed according to the pattern in the mount, were only exemplars and shadows of heavenly things. Christ is the substance and end of the law for righteousness. Something therefore there must be in Christ's Priesthood that answers to the high priest's entering within the veil to make intercession, without which He could not have been a perfect priest; and what is this but the ascension of Christ into heaven, and His appearance there in the sight of God for His people, to present their prayers, and plead their cause? So that, if He had still continued on earth, He could not have been a perfect priest; and an imperfect one He could not be." Here is what John Wesley had to say of this verse, "After the pattern and shadow of heavenly things - Of spiritual, evangelical worship, and of everlasting glory. The pattern - Somewhat like the strokes pencilled out upon a piece of fine linen, which exhibit the figures of leaves and flowers, but have not yet received their splendid colours and curious shades. And shadow - Or shadowy representation, which gives you some dim and imperfect idea of the body, but not the fine features, not the distinguishing air; none of those living graces which adorn the real person. Yet both the pattern and shadow lead our minds to something nobler than themselves: the pattern, to that holiness and glory which complete it; the shadow, to that which occasions it. Exodus 25:40."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…