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Verses 1 and 2 are a summery of what the Author has proclaimed in the previous chapters concerning the superiority of the Priesthood of Christ. He does this by reminding them that they have a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of God, a minister (advocate) in the sanctuary (heaven) the true tent or tabernacle which is set up not by man but by the Lord.
This sets the Priesthood of Christ far above any that has ever existed before, no other people, no other age, no other church ever had a High Priest comparable to Him. He alone is absolutely sufficient for all our needs. He alone sets at the right hand of God. He is our mediator by means of His qualifications for He had been given all power in Heaven and on earth. This He purchased by His death and resurrection. He exercises this authority for the glory of the Father. His sanctuary is in the heavens, a sanctuary not made by human hands.
In the Old Testament, the sanctuary for the Priest was the Temple, a building made by human hands. It consisted of two parts. The outer chamber, the Holy Place, housed the alter where sacrifices were offered. The inner chamber, the Holy of Holies, was separated by a veil and only the High Priest could go into it where he made intercession for the people. While the Old Testament Priest interceded in a building (tent) set up by human hands, Christ interceded in a "tent" set up by God.
Verses 3 and 4 continue the comparison between Christ and the Old Testament Priests. The comparison is made between the sacrifices. The Old Testament Priests sacrifices animals for the forgiveness of sins. Christ sacrificed Himself, the most perfect sacrifice. The animal sacrifices were only temporary, Christ's sacrifice was for eternity. His sacrifice brought forgiveness and an end to punishment for eternity for those who believed in His name.
The animal sacrifice did not purchase an audience with the Lord, Christ's sacrifice purchased, for the believer, access to the thrown of Grace. The animal sacrifice covered briefly, the sins of the people, while the sacrifice of Christ, covers the believer with the "robe of righteousness" and presents them "faultlessly" before God. If Christ were here on earth, he would not be a Priest because He was not of the Tribe of Levi.
Verse 5 describes the Levitican Priests as but a "shadow" of the Christ as the Tabernacle was but a shadow of Heaven.
Verses 6 thru the end of the chapter, speaks of the superiority of the ministry and covenant of Christ. Man has, under God, lived by two covenants. One, the Covenant of Works and two, the covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Works was made with the fathers of the Jewish nation at Mt. Sinai and Moses was mediator of that covenant. This covenant was good but it was impossible to keep. It brought bondage to the people. In contrast, the Covenant of Grace, purchased by the death and resurrection of Christ, brought freedom and salvation to sinners. It was, like the One who purchased it, without fault. It was obtainable because it was a gift from God.
Four promises were made under the Covenant of Grace. One, forgiveness, two, eternal life, three, fullness of life in this world and four, Grace sufficient for our needs. Thus the Covenant of Grace is far superior to the Covenant of the Law.
Then the Author makes an effort to describe more fully this new Covenant of Grace. Quoting from Jeremiah, the Book of Genesis, Ezekiel and Isaiah, the Author shows how God promised, and in Christ, fulfilled this new and better covenant. The success of this new covenant is describes in verse 10, "I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts." Paul says it another way in Eph. 2:8, "For by Grace, are you saved, through faith and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God...." This is God's prerogative, he puts the ability to believe in the hearts and minds of those whom He calls.
The people of Israel, with whom He made His first covenant, was no better or worse than those with whom He made His second covenant, but, those under the first covenant did not continue in the covenant, but fell by the way side. Why? Because of the gift of the Holy Spirit that comes to those who are a part of the Covenant of Grace. We to shall fail, but under the new covenant, God is merciful toward our failures, and promises, if we repent to forgive us our sins, separate us from them and remember them no more.
Verse 13 tells us in no uncertain terms, the first covenant no longer exists, it had vanished away, but the second, the new covenant, is for eternity. Thus Christ is superior because His covenant is superior. It was hard for the Author of this book to understand why the Hebrews would even want to go back to the old covenant, knowing how it had failed and knowing to what extent God had gone to give them a new covenant.
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