New Covenant Introduction
Notes
Transcript
1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
Review: A lot of what we were looking at in chapter 7 was looking at the person of Christ and his role as Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We looked at the character of the person and why he was better than an ordinary priest. The implication there being the person’s greater character means a greater ministry to us!
The Person, the ministry, the covenant.
Look back to the end of chapter 7 include these first few verses.
Why is this ministry better?
Able to save forever! (vs. 25)
One offering was provided and it was enough! (vs. 27)
This priest serves from heaven! (vs. 2)
Mediator of a better covenant erected on
better promises.
What’s the contrast here? What is this glorious yet lesser ministry? How is it described?
7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
—-
pitched by man
the Law
on earth
a copy
a shadow
What does a description like that mean for us when we read Exodus or Deuteronomy?
The law has three functions:
The mirror/ the evangelist: Reveals sin “the ministry of death” (1 Timothy 1:8)
14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Civil: It protects and preserves a people
Guide: It reveals what is pleasing to God and how Christian ought to live.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
From what we know in Scripture, what understanding should we take away from “fault” and “obsolete” (vs. 8) ?
Is there something wrong with the Old Covenant? Is there something wrong with the law?
Fault for what purpose?
11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?
18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
The Content of the New Covenant:
8 For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. 10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”
——
How does God describe how the Old Covenant turned out?
1 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
15 “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
1 These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb.
9 “So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
Is this new covenant without a law?
How does the law now interact with the people of God?
Just because the law could not make us perfect, just because it faulty and obsolete for God’s ultimate plan of redemption doesn’t mean the redeemed are now lawless.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
What does it mean that, they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen?
Who are the fellow citizens spoken of here?
The fellow citizens (of Israel) The people of God needed to be taught who God was even though they were the circumcised people of God.
What does that say about the church, the new covenant people of God?
“All will know me.”
God’s people are no longer a mixed group in which some citizens know him and some don’t needing to be taught. Under the new covenant all will be changed from the heart, the law of God will be written on their hearts. They will all know God!
How is our sin treated differently than those under the Old Covenant?
“I will remember their sins no more.”
27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
—-
19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
—-
We are not bound by the law, but we do know the law and it is our guide.
By the oath which God has made with us, we are His. (not by our oath, like Israel)
We all know God.
There is a payment for sin and in Christ we will know the mercy of God.
New Covenant:
Free to follow God
By His oath we belong to God.
As the church we know God.
In Christ’s sacrifice we know the mercy of God.
Old Covenant:
Bound by the law
By man’s oath God will keep them.
Some will know God
There remains a sacrifice for sins.
