A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Read Chapter 8
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
A minister of the holies. Literally, of the holy places, and of the true tabernacle: he adds true, to signify that though he speaks with an allusion to the sanctuary, and the priests of the former law, yet that Christ hath now entered into the true holy of holies; that is, into heaven, of which the Jewish sanctuary was only a type or figure.
Which the Lord hath pitched, and not man; i.e. all the parts of the Jewish sanctuary was the work of men's hands; but heaven, the habitation prepared for the saints, is the work of God. (Witham)
The Old Testament was a figure of the New; but the tabernacle of Moses, and the temple of Solomon, were in particular an image and figure of the Christian Church, ver. 5. The Church triumphant in heaven is the true sanctuary; the Church militant on earth is the true tabernacle; and Jesus Christ is the sovereign priest of both the one and the other, and exercises his priesthood both in heaven and upon earth.
A minister of the sanctuary, not simply a minister, but a minister of the sanctuary. And of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man. You see the condescension. Did he not a little before make a separation, saying: Are they not all ministering spirits? Hebrews 1:14 and therefore (he says) it is not said to them, Sit on my right hand, Hebrews 1:13 for He that sits is not a minister. How is it then that it is here said, a minister, and a minister of the Sanctuary? For he means here the Tabernacle.
See how he raised up the minds of the believing Jews. For as they would be apt to imagine that we have no such tabernacle [as they had], see here (he says) is the Priest, Great, yea, much greater than the other, and who has offered a more wonderful sacrifice. But is not all this mere talk? Is it not a boast, and merely said to win over our minds? On this account he established it first from the oath, and afterwards also from the tabernacle. For this difference too was manifest...
