Hebrews 8:3

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore [it is] of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

For {G1063} every {G3956} high priest {G749} is ordained {G2525} to {G1519} offer {G4374} gifts {G1435} and {G5037}{G2532} sacrifices {G2378}: wherefore {G3606} it is of necessity {G316} that this man {G5126} have {G2192} somewhat {G5100} also {G2532} to {G3739} offer {G4374}.

For every cohen gadol is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so this cohen gadol too has to have something he can offer.

And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for this One also to have something to offer.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that thishigh priestalso have somewhat to offer.

Context

Hebrews 8:3 stands within a larger discourse in the book of Hebrews that meticulously presents Jesus Christ as the superior High Priest, operating under a new and better covenant. The preceding verses establish that Christ serves in a heavenly sanctuary, not an earthly one. This verse acts as a logical bridge, explaining *why* Christ, as a High Priest, must also have an offering. It contrasts His ministry with that of the Levitical priests under the Old Covenant, whose primary function was to offer gifts and sacrifices continuously on behalf of the people.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Nature of Priesthood: The verse reiterates the fundamental role of any high priest: to offer "gifts and sacrifices." This was the established understanding of priestly duty, familiar to the original Jewish audience.
  • The Necessity of Christ's Offering: The phrase "it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer" highlights a crucial theological point. If Jesus is indeed a High Priest, He cannot be without an offering. This sets the stage for the profound revelation that His offering is not animal blood, but His own perfect life and atoning death, a theme extensively developed in subsequent chapters.
  • Transition to a Superior Ministry: While acknowledging the traditional role of a high priest, the verse subtly points towards the unique and unparalleled nature of Christ's priesthood. It implies that His offering must be of a different, superior kind, fitting for a heavenly ministry and a new covenant.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word translated "ordained" is kathistatai (καθίσταται), which means "to be appointed," "to be established," or "to be constituted." It emphasizes the formal and divinely instituted role of the high priest. The term "necessity" comes from anagkē (ἀνάγκη), denoting a compelling requirement or obligation. This isn't merely a suggestion but a logical and theological imperative: for Christ to fulfill the role of High Priest, He must have an offering.

Related Scriptures

This verse lays the groundwork for understanding Christ's ultimate sacrifice. His offering is not like the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament, which could never truly take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Instead, Christ offered Himself "once for all" (Hebrews 9:26) as a perfect and sufficient atonement, establishing a new and living way to God (Hebrews 10:20). His priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek, not Aaron, signifying its eternal and unchangeable nature.

Practical Application

For believers today, Hebrews 8:3 reinforces the profound truth of Christ's role as our mediator. Because He offered Himself, we have a High Priest who fully understands our weaknesses and has provided the perfect solution for our sin. We no longer need continuous sacrifices or earthly priests to approach God. Through Jesus, we have direct and confident access to the Father, resting in the finished work of His unparalleled sacrifice. It reminds us that our faith is rooted in a High Priest who not only understands our need for atonement but has also perfectly provided it.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ephesians 5:2

    And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

  • Hebrews 5:1

    ¶ For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things [pertaining] to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

  • Hebrews 9:14

    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

  • Hebrews 10:9

    Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

  • Hebrews 10:12

    But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

  • Hebrews 7:27

    Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

  • Titus 2:14

    Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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