What Does Hebrews 8:4 Mean?
For if he were on the earth, he would not be one of the set-apart ones, since there are those among the set-apart who bring near gifts according to the instruction.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:THE KEY
The word translated “offer” carries the sense of bringing something toward, so priesthood here is an appointed path of approach, not merely a title.
THE MEANING
On earth, the law already assigns priests to bring gifts, so he would not serve as a priest within that earthly order. The priesthood in view belongs to a different order from the one named here.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The assumption that every priestly role must be carried out through the law-appointed priests on earth.
THE ROOT
προσφερόντων
prospherontōn
GROWS FROM
φέρω
pherō
To carry, bear, or bring.
“bring near” in this verse is prospherontōn. The verb translated “offer” joins the sense of “toward” with carrying or bringing. Its root lets the gift appear as something borne into approach, while the verse places that act within the earthly priestly order governed by the law.
ALSO GROWS
prospherō: Bring toward; offer.
προσφέρω
This verb names the act the priests perform: they bring gifts toward God within the order assigned to them.
prosphora: Offering; presentation.
προσφορά
This related noun names what is brought, linking the gift to the act of carrying it toward its recipient.
THE PATTERN
An offering is a gift brought toward God within an appointed form of approach.
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, If anyone of you brings near a drawing near to the LORD, you shall bring near your drawing near from the cattle, from the herd and from the flock.For every high priest taken from among humankind is set in place for humankind in the things toward God, that he may bring near both gifts and sacrifices for shortcomings.You also, as living stones, are built up into a house of breath, a set-apart priesthood, to carry up sacrifices of breath, well received by God through Jesus, the Anointed One.THE THREAD
For every high priest is set in place to bring near gifts and sacrifices. So it is binding that this one also have something to bring near.The same verb family appears here in the duty that defines the high priest: bringing gifts and sacrifices. That makes the boundary in 8:4 sharper: within the earthly order, this priestly work already belongs to those serving under the law.
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