A minister of the sanctuary - Margin, "or holy things." Greek τῶν ἁγίων tōn hagiōn. The Greek may either mean "the sanctuary" - denoting the Holy of Holies; or "holy things." The word "sanctuary" - קדשׁ qodesh - was given to the tabernacle or temple as a "holy place," and the plural form which is used here - τὰ ἅγια ta hagia - was given to the most holy place by way of eminence - the full form of the name being - קדשׁ qodesh קדשׁ קדּשׁים qodesh qodâshiym, or, ἅγια ἅγιων hagia hagiōn - "hagia hagion," (Jahn's Arche. section 328), or as it is used here simply as τὰ ἅγια ta hagia. The connection seems to require us to understand it of the "most holy place," and not of holy things. The idea is, that the Lord Jesus the Great High Priest, has entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven, of which that in the tabernacle was an emblem. For a description of the Most Holy place in the temple, see the notes on Matthew 21:12.

And of the true tabernacle - The "real" tabernacle in heaven, of which that among the Hebrews was but the type. The word "tabernacle" - σκηνὴ skēnē - means properly a "booth, hut, or tent," and was applied to the "tent" which Moses was directed to build as the place for the worship of God. That tabernacle, as the temple was afterward, was regarded as the special abode of God on earth. Here the reference is to heaven, as the dwelling place of God, of which that tabernacle was the emblem or symbol. It is called the "true tabernacle," as it is the real dwelling of God, of which the one made by Moses was but the "emblem." It is not moveable and perishable like that made by man, but is unchanging and eternal.

Which the Lord pitched, and not man - The word "pitched" is adapted to express the setting up of a "tent." When it is said that "the Lord pitched the true tabernacle," that is, the permanent dwelling in heaven; the meaning is, that heaven has been prepared by God himself, and that whatever is necessary to constitute that an appropriate abode for the divine majesty has been done by him. To that glorious dwelling the Redeemer has been received, and there he performs the office of high priest in behalf of man. In what way he does this, the apostle specifies in the remainder of this chapter, and in Hebrews 9-10:

A minister of the sanctuary - Των ἁγιων λειτουργος· A public minister of the holy things or places. The word λειτουργος, from λειτος, public, and εργον, a work or office, means a person who officiated for the public, a public officer; in whom, and his work, all the people had a common right: hence our word liturgy, the public work of prayer and praise, designed for the people at large; all having a right to attend it, and each having an equal interest in it. Properly speaking, the Jewish priest was the servant of the public; he transacted the business of the people with God. Jesus Christ is also the same kind of public officer; both as Priest and Mediator he transacts the business of the whole human race with God. He performs the holy things or acts in the true tabernacle, Heaven, of which the Jewish tabernacle was the type. The tabernacle was the place among the Jews where God, by the symbol of his presence, dwelt. This could only typify heaven, where God, in his essential glory, dwells, and is manifest to angels and glorified saints; and hence heaven is called here the true tabernacle, to distinguish it from the type.

Which the Lord pitched - The Jewish tabernacle was man's work, though made by God's direction; the heavens, this true tabernacle, the work of God alone, and infinitely more glorious than that of the Jews. The tabernacle was also a type of the human nature of Christ, John 1:14 : And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, και εσκηνωσεν εν ἡμιν and tabernacled among us; for, as the Divine presence dwelt in the tabernacle, so the fullness of the Godhead, bodily, dwelt in the man Christ Jesus. And this human body was the peculiar work of God, as it came not in the way of natural generation.

A minister of the sanctuary,.... The heavenly one, so called, in allusion to the holy of holies, the type of it; and because it is truly an holy place; and which Christ sanctifies and prepares for his people by his presence and intercession: or "of the Holy Ones", or "saints"; who are sanctified or set apart by God, the Father, to whom Christ is made sanctification, and who are made holy by the Spirit of God; to these Christ is a minister; he was so in his prophetic office, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and in his priestly office, to all the chosen ones, when on earth, offering himself a sacrifice for them, and now he is a minister to them in heaven, interceding for them; and in his kingly office, governing, protecting, and defending them: or "of holy things"; to his people, such as the gifts of his Spirit, grace, and all supplies of it, and at last glory; and for them, presenting their sacrifices of prayer and praise to God, which become acceptable to him through his powerful mediation:

and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man; by which is meant, not heaven, the same with the sanctuary, for this would be an unnecessary tautology, and an explanation of a word by another more obscure; nor is there any reason why it should be added, "which the Lord pitched, and not man"; since everyone must believe that heaven is made by God alone; but rather the church of Christ, which is sometimes called a tabernacle, and is a true one, of which the tabernacle of Moses was a type, and is of God's building, and where Christ ministers, being the high priest over the house of God; though it is best to interpret it of the human nature of Christ, in which he tabernacled among men, and which was typified by the tabernacle of Moses, and therefore is called the "true" one, in distinction from that; for as there God dwelt, and his glory was seen, and he granted his presence to his people, and the sacrifices were brought and offered up there, and to this the people looked when at a distance, and this appeared very coarse without, but within full of holy things; so in Christ's human nature the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily; here the glory of God is seen, even in the face of Jesus; and through him God vouchsafes communion with his people; and by him the sacrifices of prayer and praise are offered up; and to him do the saints look for the acceptance of them; and though in the days of his flesh he looked very mean and despicable, yet was full of grace and truth, and of all the gifts of the Spirit: and the human nature of Christ was not of man; it was not propagated by human generation, but was produced through the power of the Holy Ghost; and in this tabernacle Christ ministered when on earth, and now ministers in heaven.

A minister (λειτουργὸς)

Sat down as a minister. From an old adjective λεῖτος or λέΐτος (found only in this compound), belonging to the people, and ἔργον work. Hence, originally, the service of the state in a public office. In lxx and N.T. λειτουργὸς minister, λειτουργεῖν to minister, and λειτουργία ministry are used both of priestly service to God and of service to men. Λειτουργία in lxx rarely of the service of the priests, often of the Levites. See 1 Kings 1:4; 1 Kings 19:21; 2 Kings 4:43; 2 Kings 6:15. Λειτουργοὺς Hebrews 1:7, in the general sense of servants of God.

Of the sanctuary (τῶν ἁγίων)

The heavenly sanctuary. Τὰ ἅγια the most holy place, Hebrews 9:8, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:25; Hebrews 10:19; Hebrews 13:11. Comp. ἅγια ἀγίων holy of holies, Hebrews 9:3. Ἅγια holy places generally, but with special reference to the innermost sanctuary, Hebrews 9:24.

The true tabernacle (τῆς σκηνῆς τῆς ἀλυθινῆς)

Explanatory of τῶν ἁγίων. The form of expression is emphatic: the tabernacle, the genuine one, as compared with the tabernacle in the wilderness. For ἀλιθινός real, genuine, see on John 1:9. Σκηνή a tent. For different shades of meaning, comp. Matthew 17:4; Luke 16:9; Acts 7:43. In this epistle always of the tabernacle in the wilderness.

{2} A minister of the {a} sanctuary, {3} and of the {b} true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

(2) They of Levi were high priests in an earthly sanctuary, but Christ is in the heavenly.

(a) Of heaven.

(3) They of Levi exercised their priesthood in a frail tabernacle, but Christ bears about with him another tabernacle, that is, his body, which God himself made everlasting, as shall later be declared in Heb 9:11.

(b) Of his body.

8:2 A minister of the sanctuary. Not of any earthly temple, but of the sanctuary above.

And of the true tabernacle, the tabernacle made of God, whose Holy of Holies is in the heavens, of which the earthly tabernacle was only a feeble pattern. The earthly tabernacle had an outer court, with the altar, a holy place, and a Holy of Holies. These parts have been understood to be typical (1) of the world, from whence we pass by the altar of sacrifice, the blood of Christ into (2) the holy place, the church, and from the holy place the high priest passed beyond the veil into (3) the Most Holy Place, typical of heaven itself. There our high priest, having rent the veil that all in the church may follow, dwells and intercedes for us. There he presented his offering, the blood of his atonement.

8:2 A minister - Who represents his own sacrifice, as the high priest did the blood of those sacrifices once a year. Of the sanctuary - Heaven, typified by the holy of holies. And of the true tabernacle - Perhaps his human nature, of which the old tabernacle was a type. Which the Lord hath fixed - Forever. Not man - As Moses fixed the tabernacle.

of the sanctuary: or, of holy things

2. minister-The Greek term implies priestly ministry in the temple.

the sanctuary-Greek, "the holy places"; the Holy of Holies. Here the heavenly sanctuary is meant.

the true-the archetypal and antitypical, as contrasted with the typical and symbolical (Heb 9:24). Greek "alethinos" (used here) is opposed to that which does not fulfil its idea, as for instance, a type; "alethes," to that which is untrue and unreal, as a lie. The measure of alethes is reality; that of alethinos, ideality. In alethes the idea corresponds to the thing; in alethinos, the thing to the idea [Kalmis in Alford].

tabernacle-(Heb 9:11). His body. Through His glorified body as the tabernacle, Christ passes into the heavenly "Holy of Holies," the immediate immaterial presence of God, where He intercedes for us. This tabernacle in which God dwells, is where God in Christ meets us who are "members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." This tabernacle answers to the heavenly Jerusalem, where God's visible presence is to be manifested to His perfected saints and angels, who are united in Christ the Head; in contradistinction to His personal invisible presence in the Holy of Holies unapproachable save to Christ. Joh 1:14, "Word . dwelt among us," Greek, "tabernacled."

pitched-Greek, "fixed" firmly.

not man-as Moses (Heb 8:5).

8:1-6 The substance, or summary, of what had been declared was, that Christians had such a High Priest as they needed. He took upon himself human nature, appeared on earth, and there gave himself as a sacrifice to God for the sins of his people. We must not dare to approach God, or to present any thing to him, but in and through Christ, depending upon his merits and mediation; for we are accepted only in the Beloved. In all obedience and worship, we should keep close to God's word, which is the only and perfect standard. Christ is the substance and end of the law of righteousness. But the covenant here referred to, was that made with Israel as a nation, securing temporal benefits to them. The promises of all spiritual blessings, and of eternal life, revealed in the gospel, and made sure through Christ, are of infinitely greater value. Let us bless God that we have a High Priest that suits our helpless condition.