The Blood of the Covenant

Hebrews 8:6–9:22 ESV

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Context

Hebrews written 60-70 AD

Superiority of Jesus as Son of God (Heb 1-4), as High Priest (Heb 4-7), as sacrifice (Heb 8-10)

Covenant - a promise to somebody, or a legal agreement, especially one to pay a regular amount of money to somebody/something

Covenant, root of Jewish religion. In Hebrews 7:22, we see this first introduced in the book of Hebrews. Here it is more developed.

Three reasons why the new covenant is better than the old: 1. promises, 2. necessities, 3. effects.

Old covenant

God made a covenant with the nation Israel at Mt Sinai (Ex 19:5-8, 24:3-11)

God set Israel apart as His nation among the nations of the earth (Ex 19:5)

Israel would be a kingdom of priest, to attract the nations to God (Ex 19:6, Deut 4:5-8)

God would bless Israel if they obeyed His commands (Deut 28:1-14)

Ultimately points forward to the redemption that would come in Christ, since it revealed human sin (Rom 5:20, 7:7, Gal 3:19-24) and need for a Savior. It demonstrated that salvation by works was impossible.

Promises (8:6-13)

But … Christ. Something new in Jesus.

Sinai a temporary agreement. From Jeremiah on, Jews knew that the old covenant was not permanent, since Jeremiah promised a new one. Writer of Hebrews quotes the passage of Jeremiah 31:31-34 in full.

Christianity is not a new religion, it is an essential realization of the Old Testament promise. Jesus is the direct and only fulfilment of all the sacrifices, ceremonies and priesthood of the old covenant.

Why was a new covenant necessary?

Imperfect

Hebrews 8:7 ESV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

God’s moral law is not gone, it is still relevant today and demands the obedient response of everyone. You could make the case that Christians should even strive for a higher standard based on the “You have heard it said” statements of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. All things about the first covenant have been superseded by Jesus.

Powerless

Hebrews 8:9 ESV

not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

The old covenant did not have the power to meet its requirements. The new covenant holds the power to make the journey.

Obsolete

Hebrews 8:13 ESV

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Blessings

Five blessings of the new covenant:

Conciliatory (reconciliation, restoration). It is a covenant with Judah and Israel, bringing together those that had been divided. It is a reconciliation under Christ.

Inward. The covenant is written in our minds and hearts. Old covenant was external, written on stones; the new one is within us, it forms part of our soul. The promise of the intimate relationship was not new (Exodus 29:45-46). It was new in its ability to enable us not only to learn God’s instructions but to obey them.

Universal. In OT times the covenant was an exclusive possession of the Jews. The new covenant is for everyone.

Generous. The new covenant promises the forgiveness of sins.

Assured. The old covenant was limited, temporary and partial, but the new covenant is unrestricted in power, eternal in its duration and complete in its effects. God makes definite promises to his people and binds himself in honor to blot out their transgressions. Here are the better promises. The ‘I wills’ of God rob uncertain, doubting man of his timidity, reticence and fear. God says, ‘I will make this covenant’, ‘I will engrave my laws in their hearts’, ‘I will be their God’, ‘I will manifest myself to them all’, ‘I will make myself known to the least as well as the greatest’, ‘I will be merciful’, ‘I will forget their sins.’ All the tentativeness and hesitancy of the earlier days have gone. Man can now be sure: All shall know me.

Necessity (9:1-10)

The new covenant was needed because the old covenant had limitations.

Restricted access

Description of the Day of Atonement, where only the high priest was able to come into the Most Holy place. Most Holy place was not available for all. Place of work and place of rest were divided by the curtain. In Christ, this way has been opened (Heb 10:19-20).

Partial cleansing

The real barrier between man and God is not the physical curtain, it is an internal problem within our hearts and minds. The old covenant could not fix this. The new covenant offered full and complete inward cleansing.

Limited pardon

Under the old covenant not all sins could be forgiven through the sacrificial system, only the sins of ignorance. Jesus’ sacrifice procures the cleansing and release of sin. It is because of His sacrifice that we, as rebels against God, overwhelmed with remorse, and longing for release from oppression, can find cleansing, releasing and rest in Christ. We enjoy the privilege of undeserved remission and eternal security. This is the hope of the new covenant.

Effects (9:11-14)

But … Christ. Christ entered the greater and perfect Most Holy place, the eternal sanctuary, taking His own blood. The old and new covenant are set side by side, but the new covenant is superior to the old. The earthly tabernacle, in all her glory, will still be in vain compared to the heavenly tabernacle. That what was external, now becomes internal; that what was temporary and impermanent, will be lasting and eternal.

Redemption

The repetitive, incompleteness blood of involuntary animals is set alongside the one, complete, voluntary sacrifice of God’s Son.

Annual reminder of man’s sin vs God’s will to forget and forgive sin forever through Christ’s offer. Under the law one could never be sure of forgiveness. The sacrifices had to be repeated, since they could ‘never take away sins’ in any final sense, but Christ has come to secure for us by his death an eternal redemption. It covers sins in the past, present and future. It was Christ and Christ alone, who secured eternal redemption (lytrōsin) - release or liberation of the captive; freedom from the penalty and power of inward sin. What is freedom? How are you experiencing it?

Purifies our conscience

Unclean people, could be cleansed by a ceremony. This purified the flesh, but the blood of Jesus cleanses us from the inside. It purifies our conscience. Is your conscience purified? Are you focused on your sin or on your redemption? Have you assurance that your sins are forgiven and that God accepted you?

Sanctifies our service

We naturally strive after dead works, works we think please God, but ultimately satisfy ourselves and make us feel good about ourselves. This are works contrary to His will, but could also be works that are aligned with scripture but performed with the wrong heart. They disturb the true life with Him. In the end they are attempts to secure salvation by ourselves. All the prayer, Bible reading, sacrificing, church attending, and worship will still fall short of the acceptance of God. It is only by the blood. Do the works He gives, serve Him, that sanctifies our service. Holiness is a work that serves Him. Trying to stop sinning is a dead work, then you try to do Jesus’ job. It is the freedom in your redemption that will lead you to stop sinning. Which dead works do I need to end?

Eternal testament (15-22)

Covenant - diathēkē (can also be translated as will or testament, maybe more applicable to this part).

With a will or testament, you always have three things present: testator who makes the will, the legatee who benefits from the will, and the inheritance which the beneficiary receives on the death of the testator.

Testator: Jesus. Mediator - a person who attempts to make people involved in a conflict come to an agreement; a go-between. (Oxford dictionary). Jesus did not work for compromise between opposing parties. He is the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and His people, but entirely on God’s terms. Chris brings a righteous God and his disobedient children together, breaks down barriers between God and man, and open up the way into God’s presence. God, in love, generously gave His Son, and His Son, in love, gave generously His own life. For the beneficiaries to receive the inheritance, the testator needs to die. Jesus died for us, offering Himself for our redemption.

Beneficiary: Humans are unable to meet the demands of a pure and holy God with our own cheap and useless efforts. It is only when we recognize our need, and allow Him to remove the curtain, that we can be brought to the place where we can receive His help. In our need and repentance, we hear the generous call of God. It is those who are called who receive the inheritance. Those who have responded to his ‘heavenly call’ (3:1) know only too well that God did not call them as a reward for, or in response to, their special merit, religious devotion or moral achievements. It is all of grace.

Inheritance: A promised, eternal inheritance. The inheritance is not only your ticket to heaven, it is also present since Christ already died. In Christ we have entered ‘the world to come’. Our redemption is not in the future, but is a present inheritance.

His blood was necessary. The term ‘the blood of Christ’ needs to be seen against the background of the Old Testament. The term ‘blood of Christ’ is much more referenced to in the NT than the cross or Christs’ death. Blood is a life giving fluid (Lev 17:11). By sacrificing an animal in the Old Testament, it releases its life. It is the death of the animal and the liberation of life so that this life became available for another end. So by giving blood, you faced death as a reality and gave life to another thing. You need to shed blood to bring something to death, and you sprinkle the blood to bring things to life, by the value and benefits of the death which was taken.

The first covenant was inaugurated by shedding and sprinkling of blood. By sprinkling the people and the book with the blood, congregation and covenant made alive and point forward to the work on the cross.

The first sanctuary, had to be cleansed by the sprinkling of blood so that all things were purified. Nothing was purified without the mark of shed blood.

So without the shedding of blood of Jesus there is no forgiveness or remission of sins. It is the same blood that kills our flesh and brings us back to life in Christ. Also this new covenant is sealed by the shedding and sprinkling of blood. His blood is already been shed, and we are sprinkled by it for forgiveness of sins. We remember this by communion.

Matthew 26:26–28 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.