Hebrews 8:3 kjv

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

Hebrews 8:3 nkjv

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.

Hebrews 8:3 niv

Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.

Hebrews 8:3 esv

For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.

Hebrews 8:3 nlt

And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too.

Hebrews 8 verses

Hebrews 8 3 Meaning

Hebrews 8:3 declares a fundamental truth about the nature of high priesthood: every high priest, by divine appointment, has the intrinsic duty to present gifts and sacrifices. This verse then asserts the logical necessity that Jesus, as the ultimate High Priest, must also have an offering to present. It establishes the foundational principle that sacrificial mediation is integral to the high priestly office, preparing the way for the revelation of Christ's singular, perfect, and all-sufficient offering of Himself.

Hebrews 8 3 Context

Hebrews chapter 8 opens with the pinnacle argument regarding Christ's high priesthood, declaring Him seated in glory at the right hand of God in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:1-2). This verse (Heb 8:3) acts as a crucial bridge. Having established where Christ ministers (the true tabernacle), the author now explains why He must have an offering. It links Christ's ministry back to the very definition of a high priest, an office fundamentally centered on offering. This is not to diminish Christ's uniqueness but to show that He perfectly fulfills the very core requirement of the role, though in a superior way. The verse serves as a logical premise for the subsequent discussion in Hebrews 9 and 10, where the nature and superiority of Christ's one, ultimate sacrifice are fully unfolded, implicitly polemicizing against the endless, imperfect sacrifices of the Old Covenant system. The original Jewish Christian audience would have readily understood the high priest's function and the profound implications of Jesus fulfilling and surpassing it.

Hebrews 8 3 Word analysis

• For: Introduces the logical premise for the statement that follows. It links back to the immediately preceding declaration about Christ's high priestly status in the true tabernacle (Heb 8:1-2).

• every: Greek: pas (πᾶς). Signifies universality. Applies to all high priests, whether Levitical or in the general understanding of the office. This universal principle is then applied to Jesus.

• high priest: Greek: archiereus (ἀρχιερεύς). Refers to the chief priest, the one holding the highest priestly office. In the Old Covenant, he was the only one allowed to enter the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

• is appointed: Greek: kathistamai (καθίστημι), often translated as "ordained" or "instituted." Implies formal, authoritative, and deliberate designation for a specific purpose. It signifies a divine calling or setting apart, rather than self-selection. (See also Heb 5:1,4).

• to offer: Greek: prospherein (προσφέρειν). To bring forward, to present, to offer. This verb is consistently used for bringing offerings or sacrifices to God. It highlights the primary, indispensable duty of the priestly office.

• gifts: Greek: dora (δώρα). Refers to general offerings or oblations that did not necessarily involve bloodshed, such as grain offerings, drink offerings, or tithes (e.g., Lev 2:1-16; Num 18:8). They were tokens of homage or thanksgiving.

• and sacrifices: Greek: thysias (θυσίας). Specifically refers to animal sacrifices, usually involving the shedding of blood, typically for atonement or fellowship (e.g., Lev 4:1-5:13, Lev 7:11-21). These were the central elements of the Jewish cultic system for dealing with sin. The conjunction "and" implies that both types of offerings were part of the high priestly duty.

• therefore: Greek: hothen (ὅθεν). A strong logical connector, meaning "from which," "wherefore," or "consequently." It introduces the necessary conclusion derived from the preceding general truth.

• it is necessary: Greek: anagkēn (ἀνάγκην). Signifies absolute necessity, an inescapable obligation, a logical must. It underscores that for Christ to truly be a high priest, He had to have an offering. This isn't optional but inherent to the office's function.

• that this one also: Refers to Jesus Christ, distinguishing Him from the Levitical high priests while placing Him firmly within the definition of a high priest. The "also" affirms His legitimacy as a high priest by showing He fulfills a foundational requirement of the office.

• have something: Greek: echei ti (ἔχει τι). "Has something" or "is to have something." The "something" refers implicitly to an offering, but its open-ended nature here creates anticipation for the subsequent chapters that detail the nature of His unique and perfect offering—His very self.

• to offer: Greek: prospherein (προσφέρειν). Repetition of the earlier verb, emphasizing the action essential to the high priest's role.

• "every high priest is appointed": Highlights divine institution and authority behind the priestly role, not human innovation.

• "to offer gifts and sacrifices": Defines the core function of a high priest, which is mediation through atonement and worship, presenting what is holy to God. This phrase clearly differentiates types of offerings in the Old Covenant.

• "therefore it is necessary that this one also have something to offer": This is the core deduction. If Jesus is indeed a high priest, then He must also fulfill the foundational role of bringing an offering. This sets up the revelation of Christ's unique sacrifice of Himself, vastly superior to all Old Covenant offerings.

Hebrews 8 3 Bonus section

The concept of "gifts" (dora) and "sacrifices" (thysias) as distinct categories is important. Dora often encompassed voluntary offerings such as burnt offerings of flour or incense, or peace offerings without necessarily being focused on sin atonement. Thysias, however, specifically referred to the various sin and guilt offerings that entailed the shedding of blood and were directly related to expiation or propitiation. The author's use of both terms emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the Old Covenant priestly duties, laying the groundwork to show how Christ’s one sacrifice subsumes and transcends both, serving as the ultimate offering for sin and the most profound act of worship. This verse also implicitly highlights a limitation of the Old Covenant priests: they constantly had to find something to offer, whereas Christ was the perfect "something." His offering was intrinsic, not extrinsic, flowing from His own being and perfect will (Heb 10:5-7).

Hebrews 8 3 Commentary

Hebrews 8:3 encapsulates a fundamental theological truth, linking the very definition of a high priest to the act of offering. It lays the groundwork for understanding Christ's ministry by establishing a principle rooted in the Old Covenant but then showing its ultimate, perfect fulfillment in Him.

The statement that "every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices" clarifies that the sacrificial role is not peripheral but central to the priestly office. This would have resonated deeply with the original Jewish audience, who understood the daily and annual cycles of sacrifices performed by the Levitical priesthood. Gifts (dora) typically represented acts of worship and dedication, while sacrifices (thysias) often involved blood-shedding for propitiation or cleansing from sin.

The profound "therefore it is necessary that this one also have something to offer" logically extends this definition to Jesus. If Christ is our great High Priest, as established in prior chapters, then He too must conform to this intrinsic requirement of His office. The "necessity" (Greek anagkēn) is not a matter of divine choice or arbitrary command, but an inherent, indispensable aspect of what a high priest is. Without an offering, there is no high priestly function.

This verse deliberately leaves the nature of "something to offer" open-ended for the moment, building suspense. It's a calculated rhetorical move by the author to set the stage for the revelation of Christ's perfect, self-sacrificial offering later in Hebrews. Unlike the Old Covenant priests, who repeatedly offered imperfect sacrifices of animals (and also for their own sins, Heb 7:27), Christ, being sinless, offered Himself—a unique, once-for-all, perfect, and eternally efficacious sacrifice (Heb 9:14, 10:10). This means His offering does not just cover sins but perfectly cleanses and consecrates those for whom it is given, making further offerings obsolete.

Practical usage:

• Understanding that Christ's role was not just teaching but also mediating.
• Appreciating the profound necessity of His sacrifice for our salvation.
• Recognizing the logical consistency of Christ's fulfilling of prophecies and requirements.