In chapter eight of his Epistle to the Hebrews, Paul continues his argument about the Priesthood of Jesus. He has already established that, if Jesus is truly a priest, the Law must be changed, because Jesus’ priesthood does not flow from the Levitical order of priests. Rather, the Priesthood of Christ is derived from the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4), which would not only require a change in the Law, but it presents a whole new list of questions about the Messiah, such as: how would the two royal lines of the kings and the priests of Israel be united, and where could such a Messiah who holds the offices of King and Priest reign? In the first place, what sacrifice could Jesus, the High Priest, offer for the people, and, in the second place, where could such a sacrifice be offered?
In chapter eight of his epistle Paul begins by telling his readers that the main point (kephalaion – G2774) of what he is discussing is that Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14-15; 5:1, 5, 10; 6:20; 7:21-28; 9:11; 10:21). In fact, the Epistle to the Hebrews is the only New Covenant work that mentions Jesus occupies the office of High Priest, so this is the thrust of Paul’s argument throughout this epistle. With an obvious reference to Psalm 110:1, Paul claims that Jesus, as our High Priest, is seated in the heavens at the right hand of God (Hebrews 8:1; cf. Hebrews 1:3, 13; 9:24; 10:12; 12:2).
Additionally, Paul claims that Jesus is a minister of the sanctuary (G39 – hagion), which is an adjectival noun[1] that literally means holy. In Hebrews 8:2 it is in the plural and no doubt refers to the holy things in the Tabernacle or Temple compound, over which the high priest was placed in authority (Numbers 3:32; 4:16). However, Paul couldn’t be speaking of the Temple in Jerusalem when he points to Jesus’ ministry about its holy things, because not only were these constructed and manufactured by men, but God would eventually judge Jerusalem and destroy both the Temple and all its holy things therein. Why would the Lord do such a thing, if the Temple at Jerusalem was his true or authentic tabernacle? Rather, Paul is referring to the true or authentic Tabernacle that God, himself, pitched! But, what tabernacle was that?
Paul’s words in Hebrews 8:2 allude to John 1:14. There the Gospel writer tells us that the Word, who was God (John 1:1), was made flesh and dwelt among us. An interesting point is made when one compares this with Lamentations 4:7-8 in the Septuagint. There Jeremiah mentions the Nazarites or those who had been held in the highest regard (v.7) were now starving and treated as strangers (v.8). But the point here is that Jeremiah says “there skin was fixed (G4078) against their bones.” The Septuagint translators visualized one’s skin as a tabernacle or tent for man. In other words, one’s self was pitched or fixed (G4078) inside one’s skin. So, if we consider Lamentations 4:8 in the context of the fourth Gospel, John’s words: “The Word was made flesh and dwelt (G4637) among us” (John 1:14) take on an interesting perspective. John is saying that by taking on flesh, the Word, who is God (John 1:1), tabernacled / dwelt (G4637) among men. Put another way, we could say the Word pitched (G4078) his tent (G4633) among us (cf. Hebrews 8:2), showing that the true Tabernacle that was pitched by God, himself, is none other than Jesus (cf. Colossians 1:27).
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[1] For example, in Matthew 5:45 we find this: “he makes the sun rise on the **evil** and the **good** – both evil and good are adjectives that are used for nouns—evil men and good men.
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