The Meaning of Hebrews 7:19 Explained

Hebrews 7:19

KJV: For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

YLT: (for nothing did the law perfect) and the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to God.

Darby: (for the law perfected nothing,) and the introduction of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God.

ASV: (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  the law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the bringing in  of a better  hope  [did]; by  the which  we draw nigh  unto God. 

What does Hebrews 7:19 Mean?

Study Notes

perfect
.
The word implies full development, growth into maturity of godliness, not sinless perfection. Ephesians 4:12 ; Ephesians 4:13 . In this passage the Father's kindness, not His sinlessness, is the point in question. Luke 6:35 ; Luke 6:36

Context Summary

Hebrews 7:11-28 - Our Ever-Living And All-Sufficient Intercessor
If, as we saw in our last reading, the Levitical priests have been superseded, clearly the whole order of things-that is, the Mosaic covenant under which these priests were appointed-has been superseded also. The law of the carnal-that is, the outward ritual-has passed away in favor of a new dispensation which deals with the heart and character. It served a temporary purpose, but we are living in an eternal order which is steadfast and abiding.
Our Lord's priesthood is unchangeable and indissoluble. His blood and righteousness, His mediation for us, His loving understanding of us, will be a joy and comfort in the unending ages. We shall always be specially associated with Him-the brethren of the King, the sheep of the Divine Shepherd. Each priest of Aaron's line had to vacate his office; but our Lord's priesthood will never pass to another; and therefore to the uttermost lapse of time and to the farthest demand of circumstance, He will save and help all that come to Him. No infirmity weakens Him, no stain or sin unfits Him-above the heavens and from the throne He exercises His ministry. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 7

1  Christ Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek;
11  and so far more excellent than the priests of Aaron's order

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 7:19

Made nothing perfect [ουδεν ετελειωσεν]
Another parenthesis. First aorist active indicative of τελειοω — teleioō See Hebrews 7:11. And yet law is necessary. A bringing in thereupon An old double compound Here only in N.T. Used by Josephus (Ant. XI. 6, 2) for the introduction of a new wife in place of the repudiated one. Of a better hope This better hope (Hebrews 6:18-20) does bring us near to God (εγγιζομεν τωι τεωι — eggizomen tōi theōi) as we come close to God‘s throne through Christ (Hebrews 4:16). [source]
For the law made nothing perfect [οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος]
Parenthetical. The A.V. overlooks the parenthesis, ignores the connection of bringing in with disannulling, translates δὲ butinstead of and, and supplies did; thus making an opposition between the law which made nothing perfect and the bringing in of a better hope, which did make something perfect. What the writer means to say is that, according to the Psalm, there takes place, on the one hand, a disannulling of the preliminary commandment because it was weak and unprofitable, unable to perfect anything, and on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope. [source]
The bringing in of a better hope [ἐπεισαγωγὴ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος]
Επεισαγωγὴ N.T.oolxx, is “a bringing in upon ” ( ἐπὶ ), upon the ground formerly occupied by the commandment. So Rev., correctly, “a bringing in thereupon.” For κπείττων bettersee on Hebrews 1:4. The comparison is not between the hope conveyed by the commandment, and the better hope introduced by the gospel, but between the commandment which was characteristic of the law (Ephesians 2:15) and the hope which characterized the gospel (Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:24). [source]
By the which we draw nigh to God [δι ' ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ θεῷ]
Giving the reason why the hope is better. Christianity is the religion of good hope because by it men first enter into intimate fellowship with God. The old priesthood could not effect this. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 7:19

Hebrews 7:25 Come unto God [προσερχομένους τῷ θεῷ]
The verb oP., and in this sense only in Hebrews and 1 Peter 2:4. See a peculiar usage in 1 Timothy 6:3. Comp. ἐγγίζειν todraw near, James 4:8; Hebrews 7:19. [source]
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect [καὶ τελεωθεὶς]
Comp. Hebrews 2:10. The fundamental idea in τελειοῦν is the bringing of a person or thing to the goal fixed by God. Comp. Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 11:40; Hebrews 12:23. Here of Christ's having reached the end which was contemplated in his divinely-appointed discipline for the priesthood. The consummation was attained in his death, Philemon 2:8; his obedience extended even unto death. [source]
Hebrews 12:2 The author and finisher of our faith [τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν]
The A.V. is misleading, and narrows the scope of the passage. For author, rend. leader or captain, and see on Hebrews 2:10. For finisher, rend. perfecter. For our faith, rend. faith or the faith. Not our Christian faith, but faith absolutely, as exhibited in the whole range of believers from Abel to Christ. Christ cannot be called the author or originator of faith, since the faith here treated existed and worked before Christ. Christ is the leader or captain of faith, in that he is the perfecter of faith. In himself he furnished the perfect development, the supreme example of faith, and in virtue of this he is the leader of the whole believing host in all time. Notice the recurrence of the favorite idea of perfecting. Comp. Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 7:28; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 11:40. Τελειωτής perfecterN.T.oolxx, oClass. [source]
Hebrews 10:23 Profession of our faith [τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς ἐλπίδος]
Rend. “confession of our hope.” Faith does not appear among Ms. readings. It is an innovation of the translators. Hope is the rendering of Tyndale, Coverdale, the Great Bible, the Geneva, the Bishops', and Rheims. On confession see on 2 Corinthians 9:13, and comp. notes on 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:13. The phrase confession of hope N.T.oThey are steadfastly to confess their hope in God's promise and salvation. Comp. Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 6:18; Hebrews 7:19. Hope is here = the object of hope. [source]
Hebrews 10:14 He hath perfected forever [τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκές]
Note the continued emphasis upon the τελείωσις perfection. Comp. Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 12:2. No more sacrifices are needed. The reign of the Great High Priest is not to be interrupted by the duty of sacrifice. [source]
Hebrews 7:22 By so much also [κατα τοσουτο και]
Correlative demonstrative corresponding to κατ οσον — kath' hoson (the relative clause) in Hebrews 7:20. The surety Vulgate sponsor. Old word, here only in the N.T., adjective (one pledged, betrothed), from εγγυη — egguē a pledge, here used as substantive like εγγυητης — egguētēs one who gives a pledge or guarantee. There may be a play on the word εγγιζω — eggizō in Hebrews 7:19. Εγγυαω — Egguaō is to give a pledge, εγγυαλιζω — eggualizō to put a pledge in the hollow of the hand. It is not clear whether the author means that Jesus is God‘s pledge to man, or man‘s to God, or both. He is both in fact, as the Mediator (ο μεσιτης — ho mesitēs Hebrews 8:6) between God and man (Son of God and Son of man). [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 7:19 mean?

nothing for perfected the law [the] introduction then of a better hope by which we draw near - to God
οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν νόμος ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος δι’ ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ Θεῷ

οὐδὲν  nothing 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
ἐτελείωσεν  perfected 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: τελειόω  
Sense: to make perfect, complete.
νόμος  law 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
ἐπεισαγωγὴ  [the]  introduction 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπεισαγωγή  
Sense: a bringing in besides or in addition to what is or has been brought in.
κρείττονος  of  a  better 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular, Comparative
Root: κρείττων  
Sense: more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous.
ἐλπίδος  hope 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλπίς  
Sense: expectation of evil, fear.
ἐγγίζομεν  we  draw  near 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγγίζω  
Sense: to bring near, to join one thing to another.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.