Hebrews 8:7-13: The Promise of the New Covenant

Introduction

Scripture

Hebrews 8:7–13 ESV

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 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, 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 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.

Outline

Hebrews 1-2 - Jesus is Greater Than the Angels

Hebrews 1:1-4 - God has Spoken

Hebrews 1:5-14 - The Son is Superior to the Angels

Hebrews 2:1-4 - A Warning

Hebrews 2:5-9 - Lowliness to Crowning Glory

Hebrews 2:10-18 - Jesus has Delivered His Brothers

Hebrews 3:1-4:13 - Jesus is a Greater Rest

Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus is Worthy of More Glory Than Moses

Hebrews 3:7-19 - Disobedience After the Exodus

Hebrews 4:1-13 - A Sabbath Rest for God’s People

Hebrews 4:14-7:26 - Jesus is Greater than Melchizedek

Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus is the Great High Priest

Hebrews 5:1-10 - Jesus is the High Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

Hebrews 5:11-6:20 - Warning and Exhortation

Hebrews 5:11-14 - Failure to Mature

Hebrews 6:1-8 - Pursue Maturity

Hebrews 6:9-12 - Loving Motivation

Hebrews 6:13-20 - The Promise of God’s Word and God’s Oath

Hebrews 7:1-10 - The Greatness of Melchizedek

Hebrews 7:11-19 - Jesus’ Priesthood is Needed

Hebrews 7:20-28 - Jesus Guarantees a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-10:18 - Jesus is the Greater Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-6 - Jesus Mediates a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:7-13 - The Promise of the New Covenant

Hebrews 8:7 - The Old Covenant Has Faults

Hebrews 8:8-12 - The Promise of the New Covenant from Jeremiah 31:31-34

Hebrews 8:13 - The Old Covenant is Obsolete

Purpose of Book

Christ, who has accomplished salvation through His atoning sacrifice, is greater than all things; therefore, persevere in true faith and encourage others to do likewise

Main Point

The new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 has been fulfilled, making the old (Mosaic) covenant obsolete

Hebrews 8:7 - The Old Covenant Has Faults

Hebrews 8:7 ESV

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

Hebrews 7:11–12 ESV

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

For if the first covenant had been faultless,

First covenant

“covenant” supplied in English

The author of Hebrews uses the word “covenant” only for the Sinai covenant, not the Abrahamic/Davidic Covenant

Faultless

The first covenant did not bring completion so why go back?

Hebrews 7:18–19 ESV

18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

There would have been no occasion to look for a second.

Since the first covenant was not faultless, God sought to establish a second covenant

It is through God’s initiative alone that the second covenant is established

Though the NT speaks of the Old and New Testament, Hebrews is the only part to speak of them together

Hebrews 8:8-12 - The Promise of the New Covenant from Jeremiah 31:31-34

Hebrews 8:8–12 ESV

8 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, 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

For he finds fault with them when he says:

Fault with them

Those who broke the covenant - Israel

***This is longest OT quote in the NT***

Old Testament Context

Jeremiah 30:1-31:40 - Future promise of salvation for those who are suffering and is the only explicit OT passage to refer to the new covenant

Jeremiah 31:31-34 - center of the chiasm

Jeremiah 31:31 ESV

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

New covenant promised for God’s people using eschatological language

Jeremiah 31:32 ESV

32 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, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

Contrasting the new covenant with the Sinai covenant

Jeremiah 31:33–34 ESV

33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Characteristics of the new covenant

God’s law internalized

Everyone in the covenant will know God personally

Forgiveness of sin is central

Jeremiah 31:31-34 in Hebrews 8:8-12

The author understands the passage is prophetic and fulfilled at the time of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and installment as the superior high priest

The passage both establishes the superiority of the new covenant mediated by Jesus and simultaneously is setting the stage for his argument of Jesus’ new covenant offering

“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,

The days are coming

Hebrews 1:2 ESV

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

I will - God initiates

Establish - complete

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.

Continue in my covenant

By the time of Jeremiah’s writing, both Israel and Judah had failed to remain in covenantal relationship

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,

Deuteronomy 6:4–6 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Exodus 24:12 ESV

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”

Ezekiel 36:26–27 ESV

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

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,’

Moses taught the Israelites the law

Isaiah 54:13 ESV

13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

Know the Lord

Recognizing

Obeying

For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

All know me

Not some like the Israelites

Every person in the new covenant knows God

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 10:4 ESV

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 8:13 - The Old Covenant is Obsolete

Hebrews 8:13 ESV

13 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.

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.

This claim would be SHOCKING to the Jews as they expected the first covenant to remain forever

In covenant language, the person who made a covenant could annul or change the testament

Thus God has the right, as the initiator and fulfiller of the covenant, to make the old covenant obsolete

The Mosaic covenant has passed away and is no longer legally binding as fulfilled by the prophecy in Jeremiah

Application

The old covenant is obsolete, so do not turn back

Jesus is the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31-34

Main Point

The new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 has been fulfilled, making the old (Mosaic) covenant obsolete