Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 8:5

"who serve [that which is] a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned [of God] when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount." — Hebrews 8:5 (ASV)

Who serve unto the example. They perform their service using the mere example and shadow of the heavenly things, or in a tabernacle and in a way that is merely the emblem of the reality existing in heaven. The reference is to the tabernacle, which was a mere example or copy of heaven. The word translated here as example, upodeigma, means a copy, likeness, or imitation. The tabernacle was made according to a pattern that was shown to Moses; it was made to have some faint resemblance to the reality in heaven, and in that copy, or example, they were appointed to officiate. Their service, therefore, had some resemblance to that in heaven.

And shadow. That is, in the tabernacle where they served there was a mere shadow of what was real and substantial. Compared with what is in heaven, it was what the shadow is compared with the substance. A shadow—as of a man, a house, or a tree—will indicate the form, the outline, and the size of the object, but it has no substance or reality. So it was with the rites of the Jewish religion. They were designed merely as a shadow of the substantial realities of the true religion, or to present the dim outlines of what is true and real in heaven .

(Hebrews 10:1).

The word shadow here, skia, is used in distinction from the body or reality, swma , and also from eikwn—a perfect image or resemblance .

Of heavenly things. Of the heavenly sanctuary; of what is real and substantial in heaven. That is, a reality exists in heaven, of which the service in the Jewish sanctuary was merely the outline. The reference is, undoubtedly, to the service that the Lord Jesus performs there as the great High Priest of his people.

As Moses was admonished of God. As he was divinely instructed. The word used here—crhmatizw—properly means to give oracular responses, to make communications to people in a supernatural way—by dreams, by direct revelations, etc. (Matthew 2:12, 22; Luke 2:26; Acts 10:22; Hebrews 11:7).

For, See, saith he (Exodus 25:9, 40; Exodus 26:30).

In Exodus 40, it is also repeatedly said that Moses executed all the work of the tabernacle as he had been commanded. Great care was taken that an exact copy should be shown to him of all that he was to make, and that the work should be exactly like the pattern.

The reason, undoubtedly, was that since the Jewish service was to be typical, only God could judge the form the tabernacle should take. It was not to be an edifice of architectural beauty, skill, or taste, but was designed to adumbrate important realities known only to God. Therefore, it was necessary that the exact model of them should be given to Moses and that it should be scrupulously followed.

That thou make all things. This included not only the tabernacle itself, but also the altars, the ark, the candlestick, etc. The form and materials for each were specified, and the exact pattern shown to Moses in the Mount.

According to the pattern. Greek: tupon—type; that is, figure, form. The word tupov (type) properly means anything produced by the agency of blows (from tuptw—to strike). Hence, it can mean a mark, stamp, print, or impression—such as that made by driving nails in the hands (John 20:25). It can then mean a figure or form, as of an image or statue (Acts 7:43); or the form of a doctrine or opinion (Romans 6:17). It can also mean an example to be imitated or followed (1 Corinthians 10:6, 17; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:9). And hence, it means a pattern or model after which anything is to be made (Acts 7:44).

This is the meaning here. The allusion is to a pattern such as an architect or sculptor uses: a drawing or figure made in wood or clay, after which the work is to be modeled. The idea is that some such drawing or model was shown to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, so that he might have an exact idea of the tabernacle that was to be made.

A similar drawing or model of the temple was given by David to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11–12). We are not, indeed, to suppose that in the case of the pattern shown to Moses, there was any miniature model of wood or stone actually created and shown. Rather, the form of the tabernacle was shown to Moses in a vision (Isaiah 1:1), or was so vividly impressed on his mind that he would have a distinct view of the edifice that was to be constructed.

In the Mount. In Mount Sinai; for it was while Moses was there, in the presence of God, that these communications were made.