Charles Ellicott 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.—That is, as the case really is. (See Hebrews 8:3.) We have here another of those proportional statements commented on in Hebrews 1:4, Hebrews 3:3, and Hebrews 7:22. The last of these passages is closely akin to this. There we read that by as much as the Priest appointed by the divine oath is raised above all other priests, by that much is His covenant better than theirs. Here, we see that as He is Mediator of a better covenant, His ministry correspondingly excels that of priests on earth.

Which was established.—Better, one that has been ordained. The verb, properly meaning “to legislate,” has already occurred in Hebrews 7:11, the people hath received the Law (literally, has been legislated for). Here, then, a word that properly refers to the passing of a law is applied to a covenant.

The explanation must be sought in the special nature of God’s covenants with humanity . These are not compacts between equals, but arrangements offered by divine goodness and made dependent upon conditions. Therefore, such a covenant may be spoken of as ordained or enacted on the basis of promise.

The “covenant” that becomes the law of His kingdom and the declaration of His procedure is based on the promises which are given by God . The one who accepts the promises by entering into the conditions laid down is treated according to this law.

Here, Jesus is the “Mediator”—and in Hebrews 7:22 (see Note) the “Surety”—of the better covenant. This idea is expanded below in Hebrews 9:15-18. Regarding the implicit comparison with Moses, as mediator of the first covenant, see the Note on Galatians 3:19.