Heb 8:10-11 | JFB | e4.org | 10. make with — Greek, "make unto. " Israel —comprising the before disunited ( ) ten tribes' kingdom, and that of Judah. They are united in the spiritual Israel, the elect Church, now: they shall be so in the literal restored kingdom of Israel to come. I will put —literally, "(I) giving." This is the first of the "better promises" ( ). mind —their intelligent faculty. in, &c.—rather, " ON their hearts." Not on tables of stone as the law ( ). write — Greek, "inscribe." and I will be to them a God, &c.—fulfilled first in the outward kingdom of God. Next, in the inward Gospel kingdom. Thirdly, in the kingdom at once outward and inward, the spiritual being manifested outwardly ( ). Compare a similar progression as to the priesthood (1) ; (2) ; (3) . This progressive advance of the significance of the Old Testament institutions, &c., says THOLUCK , shows the transparency and prophetic character which runs throughout the whole.

‏ Hebrews 8:10-11

10. make with—Greek, "make unto."

Israel—comprising the before disunited (Heb 8:8) ten tribes' kingdom, and that of Judah. They are united in the spiritual Israel, the elect Church, now: they shall be so in the literal restored kingdom of Israel to come.

I will put—literally, "(I) giving." This is the first of the "better promises" (Heb 8:6).

mind—their intelligent faculty.

in, &c.—rather, " ON their hearts." Not on tables of stone as the law (2Co 3:3).

write—Greek, "inscribe."

and I will be to them a God, &c.—fulfilled first in the outward kingdom of God. Next, in the inward Gospel kingdom. Thirdly, in the kingdom at once outward and inward, the spiritual being manifested outwardly (Re 21:3). Compare a similar progression as to the priesthood (1) Ex 19:6; (2) 1Pe 2:5; (3) Isa 61:6; Re 1:6. This progressive advance of the significance of the Old Testament institutions, &c., says THOLUCK, shows the transparency and prophetic character which runs throughout the whole.

11. Second of the "better promises" (Heb 8:6).

they shall not—"they shall not have to teach" [ALFORD].

his neighbour—So Vulgate reads; but the oldest manuscripts have "his (fellow) citizen."

brother—a closer and more endearing relation than fellow citizen.

from the least to the greatest—Greek, "from the little one to the great one." Zec 12:8, "He that is feeble among them shall be as David." Under the old covenant, the priest's lips were to keep knowledge, and at his mouth the people were to seek the law: under the new covenant, the Holy Spirit teaches every believer. Not that the mutual teaching of brethren is excluded while the covenant is being promulgated; but when once the Holy Spirit shall have fully taught all the remission of their sins and inward sanctification, then there shall be no further' need of man teaching his fellow man. Compare 1Th 4:9; 5:1, an earnest of that perfect state to come. On the way to that perfect state every man should teach his neighbor. "The teaching is not hard and forced, because grace renders all teachable; for it is not the ministry of the letter, but of the spirit (2Co 3:6). The believer's firmness does not depend on the authority of human teachers. God Himself teaches" [BENGEL]. The New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament, because, instead of the details of an outward letter law, it gives the all-embracing principles of the spiritual law written on the conscience, leading one to spontaneous instinctive obedience in outward details. None save the Lord can teach effectually, "know the Lord."