John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 8:2

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

Of the sanctuary, or, literally, of holy things, etc. The word is to be taken as being in the neuter gender, and the Apostle explains himself by saying, of the true tabernacle.

But it may be asked whether the tabernacle built by Moses was a false one and presumptuously constructed, for there is an implied contrast in the words. To this I answer, that 'true' as used here is not set in opposition to what is false, but only to what is typical; as we find in John 1:17, The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Then the old tabernacle was not the empty inventions of humans, but the effigy of the heavenly tabernacle. As, however, a shadow differs from the substance, and the sign from the thing signified, the Apostle denies it to have been the true tabernacle, as though he had said that it was only a shadow.

Which the Lord pitched, or, fixed, etc. What does the Apostle mean by locating Christ’s priesthood in heaven? For doubtless he suffered on earth, and by an earthly blood he atoned for our sins, for he derived his origin from the seed of Abraham; the sacrifice of his death was visible; and lastly, so that he might offer himself to the Father, it was necessary for him to descend from heaven to the earth and, as man, to become exposed to the sorrows of this mortal life, and eventually to death itself.

To all this I reply that whatever in Christ appears at first sight to be earthly is to be viewed spiritually by the eye of faith. Thus his flesh, which proceeded from the seed of Abraham, since it was the temple of God, possessed a vivifying power; indeed, the death of Christ became the life of the world, which is certainly above nature.

The Apostle therefore does not refer to what belongs specifically to human nature, but to the hidden power of the Spirit; and for this reason, the death of Christ has nothing earthly in it. When, therefore, we speak of Christ, let us learn to raise all our thoughts to the kingdom of God, so that no doubt may remain in us.

Nearly to the same effect is the language of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:1; he calls God the builder of this tabernacle, in order to set forth its stability and perpetuity. For, on the other hand, what is built by human hands is unstable and ultimately sure to perish. But he says this because redemption was truly a divine work, attained by the death of Christ, and in this the power of Christ manifested itself in a wonderful manner.