Hebrews 8:4
“For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Hebrews 8:4 (KJV)”
Hebrews 8:4: For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Hebrews 8:4 (KJV)
Hebrews is an epistle written by an unknown author to a community of Jewish believers who were facing persecution and tempted to turn away from their faith in Jesus Christ. The letter aims to exalt Jesus Christ as the superior high priest and emphasize the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.
In Hebrews 8:4, the author is contrasting the earthly priesthood under the Mosaic Law with the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The verse states that if Jesus were on earth, He would not be a priest. This is because the Levitical priesthood, established by the Law of Moses, was limited to descendants of Aaron and operated within the confines of the earthly tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus, however, was not a descendant of Aaron but of the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14).
The author of Hebrews argues that the Levitical priesthood was temporary and imperfect, necessitating a new and better priesthood. Jesus, as the Son of God and the Messiah, fulfils the role of the high priest in a superior way. In the following verses, Hebrews explains that Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, a mysterious figure mentioned in the Old Testament (Hebrews 7:1-3). This priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood because Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, and his priesthood was not based on genealogy but on an eternal and unchangeable order.
Hebrews emphasizes that the Old Covenant, with its earthly priesthood, was temporary and imperfect. The sacrifices offered by the earthly priests had to be repeated continually, highlighting the insufficiency of their atonement for sin. However, Jesus, as the perfect high priest, offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity, once and for all, bringing about a new and better covenant (Hebrews 7:27; 9:11-14).
In summary, Hebrews 8:4 highlights the superiority of Jesus Christ’s priesthood over the earthly priesthood of the Levitical system. Jesus, as the Son of God and the Messiah, brings a new and better covenant, offering a perfect sacrifice for sin and fulfilling the role of the high priest in an eternal and unchangeable way.
