Hebrews 8:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,— This now seems to depend on Hebrews 8:1. Now that he is set on the right hand of the throne, &c. The more excellent ministry is that which is more excellent than that of the high-priests under the law, who performed divine service to the exemplifying and shadowing forth the heavenly things, or great realities performed by Christ. The peculiar covenant of Moses was a covenant which contained the promises of a long life and plenty in the land of Canaan: the covenant made by Christ, or brought from God, and offered to the world by him, was a covenant by which God engaged himself to grant immortal life in heaven to all who obeyed the conditions of it. Now as the engagement of a grant of immortal life is better than the engagement for a present life only, so the covenant which offers better terms must be a better covenant; and the Mediator of the better covenant is most to be preferred. See ch. Hebrews 7:16. The new covenant was established upon so much better promises, as the promise of eternal life, with perfect felicityin heaven, is better than that of long life with temporal felicity on earth. The will of God promulged to mankind, with a promise or sanction of eternal life to be bestowed on all that would observe it, is properly a law: when therefore these promises are thus annexed to the covenant of Christ, they are justly said to be established by law. See ch. Hebrews 9:15. 1 Timothy 2:5.