Hebrews 8:6

8:6 But ¹  now Jesus ²  has obtained a superior ministry, since ³  the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted ⁴  on better promises. ⁵ 

Hebrews 9:5

9:5 And above the ark ⁶  were the cherubim ⁷  of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail.

Hebrews 10:20

10:20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us ⁸  through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ⁹ 

[8:6]  ¹ sn The Greek text indicates a contrast between vv. 4-5 and v. 6 that is difficult to render in English: Jesus’ status in the old order of priests (vv. 4-5) versus his superior ministry (v. 6).

[8:6]  ² tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Jesus) has been specified for clarity.

[8:6]  ³ tn Grk “to the degree that.”

[8:6]  ⁴ tn Grk “which is enacted.”

[8:6]  ⁵ sn This linkage of the change in priesthood with a change in the law or the covenant goes back to Heb 7:12, 22 and is picked up again in Heb 9:6-15 and 10:1-18.

[9:5]  ⁶ tn Grk “above it”; in the translation the referent (the ark) has been specified for clarity.

[9:5]  ⁷ sn The cherubim (pl.) were an order of angels mentioned repeatedly in the OT but only here in the NT. They were associated with God’s presence, glory, and holiness. Their images that sat on top of the ark of the covenant are described in Exod 25:18-20.

[10:20]  ¹¹ tn Grk “that he inaugurated for us as a fresh and living way,” referring to the entrance mentioned in v. 19.

[10:20]  ¹² sn Through his flesh. In a bold shift the writer changes from a spatial phrase (Christ opened the way through the curtain into the inner sanctuary) to an instrumental phrase (he did this through [by means of] his flesh in his sacrifice of himself), associating the two in an allusion to the splitting of the curtain in the temple from top to bottom (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). Just as the curtain was split, so Christ’s body was broken for us, to give us access into God’s presence.