Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 8:6

"But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises." — Hebrews 8:6 (ASV)

But now hath he obtained. That is, Christ.

A more excellent ministry. This refers to a service of a higher order, or of a more exalted nature. It was the real and substantial service of which the other was merely the emblem; it pertained to things in heaven, while that was concerned with the earthly tabernacle; it was enduring, while that was to vanish away. (See the notes on 2 Corinthians 3:6 and following).

By how much. By as much as the new covenant is more important than the old, by so much does his ministry exceed in dignity that of the ancient dispensation.

He is the Mediator. (See the notes on Galatians 3:19, where the word Mediator is explained). It means here that Christ officiates between God and man according to the arrangements of the new covenant.

Of a better covenant. A marginal note says, "Or testament." This word properly denotes a disposition, arrangement, or ordering of things; and, in the Scriptures, it is used to describe the arrangement God has made to secure the maintenance of His worship on earth and the salvation of humanity. It is uniformly used in the Septuagint and in the New Testament to denote the covenant God makes with people.

The word that properly denotes a covenant or compact, sunyhkh—suntheke, is never used. The writers of the New Testament evidently derived their use of the other term from the Septuagint. However, why the authors of that version used it as denoting a will, rather than the proper one denoting a compact, is unknown. Some have supposed, and the conjecture is not entirely improbable, that it was because they were unwilling to represent God as making a compact or agreement with people, but chose instead to represent Him as making a mere arrangement or ordering of things.

(Compare the notes on Hebrews 8:8 and Hebrews 9:16-17). This is a better covenant than the old, inasmuch as it relates mainly to the heart, to the pardon of sin, and to a spiritual and holy religion. . The former covenant related more to external rites and observances and was destined to vanish away. .

Which was established upon better promises. The promises in the first covenant pertained mainly to the present life. They were promises of length of days, of an increase in numbers, of seedtime and harvest, of national privileges, and of extraordinary peace, abundance, and prosperity.

It would be wrong to doubt that the promise of eternal life was also included, but this was not the main thing.

In the new covenant, however, the promise of spiritual blessings becomes the principal thing. The mind is directed to heaven; the heart is cheered with the hopes of immortal life; the favor of God and the anticipation of heaven are secured in the most ample and solemn manner.