Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 8:2

"a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." — Hebrews 8:2 (ASV)

A minister of the sanctuary. The marginal note reads, "or holy things." The Greek, twn agiwn, may mean either the sanctuary—denoting the Holy of Holies—or holy things. The word sanctuary—Hebrew, kodesh—was applied to the tabernacle or temple as a holy place. The plural form used here—ta agia—was given to the Most Holy Place preeminently, the full form of the name being—Hebrew, kodesh kodushim, or Greek, agia agiwn hagia hagion (Jahn's Archaeology, section 328), or, as it is used here, simply ta agia. The connection seems to require us to understand it as the Most Holy Place, and not as holy things. The idea is that the Lord Jesus, the great High Priest, has entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven, of which the one in the tabernacle was an emblem. For a description of the Most Holy Place in the temple, see Barnes on Matthew 21:12.

And of the true tabernacle. This refers to the real tabernacle in heaven, of which the one among the Hebrews was but its type. The word tabernacle (Greek, skhnh) properly means a booth, hut, or tent, and was applied to the tent Moses was directed to build as the place for the worship of God. That tabernacle, like the temple later, was regarded as the special dwelling place of God on earth. Here, the reference is to heaven as the dwelling place of God, of which that earthly tabernacle was the emblem or symbol. It is called the "true tabernacle" because it is the real dwelling of God, of which the one made by Moses was only the emblem. It is not movable and perishable like that made by humans, but is unchanging and eternal.

Which the Lord pitched, and not man. The word pitched is fitting to describe 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 make it a suitable dwelling for the Divine Majesty has been done by Him. The Redeemer has been received into that glorious dwelling, and there He performs the office of High Priest on behalf of humanity. The apostle explains how He does this in the remainder of this chapter and in chapters 9 and 10.