The first part of chapter eight says that this Apostle from God has enacted a new covenant for us. This covenant is more excellent than the old covenant. After shedding His blood for this covenant, He, in resurrection and ascension, has become the Executor of this covenant; therefore, He is the Mediator of the new covenant (v. 6). In this new covenant our sins are truly forgiven, and we have also received the divine life and the law of life (vv. 10-12). Therefore, this covenant is far superior to the old covenant established through Moses.
In chapters nine and ten we see that Christ established the new covenant by offering up Himself as the better sacrifice and by shedding the better blood (9:12-23; 10:12). Furthermore, He offered Himself through the eternal Spirit (9:14). Therefore, what He offered was an eternal sacrifice, and what He accomplished was an eternal redemption (9:12). This redemption saves us from the outer court to the Holy of Holies.
In the old covenant, the way of the Holy of Holies was not yet manifested; except for the priests, those under that covenant could only enter the outer court. But as soon as the better sacrifice was accomplished, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies were opened to us. Today we are no longer in the outer court; we have entered into the Holy of Holies. The hymn which says, “I have passed the riven veil” (Hymns, #551), speaks of this matter. Today we are no longer in the outer court; we have passed through the second veil of the tabernacle. The first veil was the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle in the Old Testament, and the second veil covered the ark of testimony in the tabernacle. We have passed through two layers of veils. Now we are in the Holy of Holies, that is, we are living in the presence of God. Therefore, this sacrifice is the better sacrifice, and the blood which Christ shed is the better blood, which has eternal efficacy.
In chapter ten, the author of Hebrews encourages us to enter into the Holy of Holies, because a new and living way has been opened for us (vv. 19-22). We can therefore enter boldly into the Holy of Holies.
In chapters one through ten we can see that Christ is more excellent than the angels. Furthermore, He is far superior to Joshua, and He is superior to Aaron. The new covenant which He enacted is also superior to the old covenant set up by Moses. The heavenly ministry He has today is also superior. He is the heavenly great High Priest and the Mediator of the new covenant. In all these aspects Christ is superior.
When he comes to chapter eleven, the author of Hebrews shows us a superior way. This superior way is to go on not by sight, but by faith; therefore, it is the way of faith. Faith is the substantiating of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen (v. 1). We do not walk according to the way of Judaism, which is outward, by sight. We walk in the way of faith, not by our outward sight, but by faith.
Chapter twelve tells us that since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, we should take the way of faith as they did (v. 1). It also tells us that we now have come to Mount Zion. Today some Christians hope to go to heaven, but Paul tells us that we have come to Mount Zion, to the holy city, New Jerusalem. How wonderful! Hebrews 12:22-24 records eight items to which we have come. We have come to Mount Zion, to the New Jerusalem, to the church, to the angels, to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, to His blood, to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of those who were saved in the Old Testament. We have come, and we are together with them. Paul does not say that we will be together in the future but that we are all here now. Since we are here, we need to run the race. If we run well, we will receive the prize in the future.
Following this, in chapter thirteen there is a conclusion. Since now we are in God’s presence in the Holy of Holies and are also running the race which has been set before us, we need to go outside the camp (v. 13). We must come out of religion, go out of the camp of Judaism, and come to Jesus Christ, bearing His cross and suffering the shame which He suffered. All these are words of righteousness.
Today’s Christians rarely hear these words of righteousness. Instead, they generally quote some verses from the book of Hebrews, such as 13:8, which says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Their understanding of this verse is that Jesus performed miracles before, and He can perform miracles today. Yesterday He could heal; today He can also heal. Yesterday He could cast out demons; today He can also cast out demons. How superficial this is!