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From: Jacco Pippel
To: <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Subject: Hebrews 8

Dear brother,

Eddie said:

Traditional Christianity when reading and interpreting Hebrews 8 say that YHVH did away with the Torah and replaced it with the New Covenant and Traditional Christianity teaches that YHVH found fault with the COVENANT at MOUNT SINAI and "replaced it" with the NEW COVENANT where we don't have to follow Torah because we are not "under law but under grace".

Here it is clear that Traditional Christianity misses the real meaning of another verse from Hebrews 8 which in the KJV is translated:

Hebrews 8:6

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better <2909> covenant, which was established <3549> upon better <2909> promises.

The word that is translated "established" is the Strongs number <3549>, which means: to enact laws or to sanction by law.

<3549> nomotheteo

receive the law 1, establish 1; 2  1) to enact laws 1a) laws are enacted or prescribed for one, to be legislated for, furnished with laws 2) to sanction by law, enact

There is a second Bible verse where this word is used and here it is translated differently.

Hebrews 7:11 reads as follows:

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law <3549>,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:11 ... received the law <3549>

Hebrews 8:6 ... was established <3549>

I'd also like to comment on another word in this text, viz. better (Strong's number <2909>), which can also mean: more useful or more advantageous.

<2909> kreitton

comparative of a derivative of 2904;; adj  AV - better 18, best 1; 19  1) more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous 2) more excellent

So I'd like to suggest a new translation for Hebrews 8:6, namely:

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a MORE ADVANTAGEOUS <2909> covenant, which was GIVEN AS LAW (Torah!) <3549> upon MORE ADVANTAGEOUS <2909> promises.

This means there is no contradiction between Old and New Covenant and that Torah is not done away with by the establishment of the New Covenant.

The New Covenant is Torah, just like the Old. The difference between the two is the establishment of the New Covenant upon more advantageous promises, namely the writing upon hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stone. This writing of Torah upon our hearts of flesh is not only better than the writing upon our hearts of stone, but it also makes Torah more advantageous for our lives. I belief it even makes Talmud, Mishna and Midrash more advantageous for our lives.

The translation of Strong's number <3549> I learned from the introduction of the Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern (page xlii) and from the Jewish New Testament Commentary by the same author (pages 687 - 689); the rest of the comments is my own perspective.

Jacco Pippel

From Eddie:

Jacco, this is simply OUTSTANDING!

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