HEBREWS 8 – A NEW, (

) COVENANT

Jesus, our (

) priest. (1-6)

(1-2) Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

A (

) of points previously made regarding Jesus as our High Priest.

This is the main point of the things we are saying: The writer of Hebrews brings together the main point of the previous chapter. We have a High Priest – Jesus Christ – who serves us from a position of all authority in heaven (seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty).

Who is seated at the right hand of the throne: Additionally, Jesus is seated in heaven, in contrast to the continual service of the priesthood under the Law of Moses.

The tabernacle and the temple of the Old Covenant had beautiful furnishings, but (

) place for the priests to sit down because their work was (

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) finished. The (

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) of Jesus is finished, therefore He is seated in heaven.

A Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle: Jesus doesn’t serve as a priest in an earthly tabernacle or temple. He serves in the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, the original made by God. The tabernacle of Moses was a copy of this original, and it was made by man (Exodus 25:8-9).

Some suppose the true tabernacle is the Church or Jesus’ earthly body. But it is best to understand it as the heavenly reality that the earthly tabernacle imitated.

(3) Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.

Jesus’ priesthood had a (

) – and a better sacrifice.

Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: (

) for sin is essential to the concept of priesthood. Jesus represented a superior priesthood and offered a (

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) sacrifice. He laid down His own life to atone for sin.

It is necessary that this One also have something to offer: Though Jesus never offered a sacrifice according to the Law of Moses He did offer a better sacrifice – the sacrifice of Himself.

(4-5) If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Jesus’ priesthood had a (

) – and a better temple.

If He were on earth, He would not be a priest: Jesus was not qualified to serve in the (

) earthly priesthood. There are priests – plenty of them – who were qualified to serve in the priesthood according to the Law of Moses.

Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things: There were plenty of priests who could serve in the copy and shadow on earth. Yet Jesus is the only One qualified to serve in the (

) heavenly priesthood. The earthly service, though it was glorious in the eyes of man, was really only a copy and shadow of the superior heavenly service.

Copy and shadow of the heavenly things: Exodus 25:40 tells us that Moses’ tabernacle built on earth was made according to a pattern that existed in heaven. This was the pattern which was shown to you [Moses] on the mountain (Exodus 25:40). Therefore, there is a heavenly temple that served as a pattern for the earthly tabernacle and temple. Jesus’ ministry as our High Priest takes place in this heavenly temple, not in the copy and shadow built on earth.

First century Jews took tremendous (

) in the temple and did so for good reason: it was a spectacular architectural achievement. However glorious the Jerusalem temple was, it was of man (and mostly built by Herod the Great, a corrupt and ungodly man). Therefore it was nothing compared to the glory of the (

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) temple that Jesus served in.

(6) But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

The result: Jesus presides over a superior priesthood with a better covenant and (

) promises. It just keeps getting better!

He has obtained a more excellent ministry: No earthly priest could (

) away sin the way Jesus did. Therefore Jesus’ ministry is far better than the ministry of the priesthood under the Law of Moses.

Mediator of a better covenant: Jesus has mediated for us a better covenant, a covenant of (

) and not of works, guaranteed for us by a cosigner (Hebrews 7:22). It is a covenant marked by (

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) and (

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) instead of by (

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) and (

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).

Jesus is our Mediator for this greater covenant. Mediator is the ancient Greek word mesites, which means “one who stands in the middle between two people and brings them together.” (Barclay)

Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant because he “brought the two parties together.” Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant, a better covenant, bringing us to God the Father.

Jesus’ covenant is a better covenant, better than any of the previous covenants God made with men. The covenant of Jesus fulfills the other covenants described in the Bible.

There is an eternal covenant between the members of the Godhead that made possible the salvation of man (Hebrews 13:20).

God’s redemptive plan was continued through the covenant He made with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3).

The Mosaic covenant was another step in God’s redemptive plan (Exodus 24:3-8).

The Davidic covenant was yet another step in God’s redemptive plan (2 Samuel 7:1-16).

The redemptive plan of God was fulfilled in the New Covenant (Luke 22:14-20).

Which was established on better promises: Jesus has better promises for us. These are promises to see us through the most desperate and dark times. These are promises that become alive to us through the Spirit of God. These are promises of blessing and undeserved favor instead of promises to curse and judge.

The (

) of the New Covenant. (7-13)

(7) For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.

The fact that God mentions another covenant just proves that there is something (

) in the Old Covenant.

If the first covenant had been faultless: It is in the nature of man to come up with things that are (“

”) but not needed. God isn’t like that. The fact that God established a New Covenant proves that there was something lacking in the Old Covenant.

(8-12) But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

The New Covenant as it is (

) in the Hebrew Scriptures (quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Finding fault: In this passage from Jeremiah 31, God shows that something was lacking in the Old Covenant – because a New Covenant was promised. In the days of Jeremiah the New Covenant was still in the future, because he wrote “Behold the days are coming.”

In its context, Jeremiah’s prophecy probably comes from the days of (

’s) renewal of the covenant after finding the law (2 Kings 23:3). This renewal was good, but it wasn’t (

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) because Jeremiah looked forward to a new covenant.

I will make: The Lord made it clear that this covenant would originate with God, and not with man. At Sinai under the Old Covenant the key words were if you (Exodus 19:5), but in the New Covenant, the key words are I will.

A new covenant: This covenant is truly new, not merely “new and improved” in the way things are marketed to us today. Today, products are said to be “new and improved” when there is no substantial difference in the product. But when God says “new,” He means (

).

There are two ancient Greek words that describe the concept of “new.” Neos described newness in regard to time. Something may be a copy of something old but if it recently made, it can be called neos. The ancient Greek word kainos (the word used here) described something that is not only new in reference to time, but is truly new in its quality. It isn’t simply a new reproduction of something old.

With the house of Israel and the house of Judah: The New Covenant definitely began with Israel but it was never intended to (

) with Israel (Matthew 15:24 and Acts 1:8).

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers: This covenant is not like the covenant God made with their fathers. Again, this emphasizes that there is something substantially different about the New Covenant.

Because they did not continue in My covenant: The weakness of the Old Covenant was not in the Covenant itself. It was in the weakness and inability of man. The reason the Old Covenant didn’t “work” was because they did not continue in My covenant.

I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts: The New Covenant features (

) from within, not regulation through external law.

The Old Covenant came in with such awe and terror that it should have made everyone obey out of (

). But they sinned against the Old Covenant almost immediately. The New Covenant works obedience through the law written in their (

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) and on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they shall be My people: The New Covenant also features a greater intimacy with God than what was available under the Old Covenant.

“The (

) way to make a man keep a law is to (

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) him love the law-giver.” (Spurgeon)

Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more: The New Covenant offers a true, (

) cleansing from sin, different and better than the mere “(

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) over” of sin in the Old Covenant.

(13) By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

The (

) of a New Covenant.

He has made the first obsolete: Now that the New Covenant has been inaugurated, the Old Covenant is thereby obsolete.

What is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away: The message was clear to these discouraged Christians from Jewish backgrounds, who thought of going back to a more Jewish faith. They simply can’t go back to an (

) covenant, which was ready to (

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) vanish away.

The system of sacrifice under the Law of Moses soon did vanish away with the coming destruction of the Temple and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.

Differences Between the (

) Covenant and the (

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) Covenant

They were (instituted) at different

.

The Old Covenant around (

) B.C.

The New Covenant around (

) A.D.

They were (instituted) at different

.

The Old Covenant at Mount (

)

The New Covenant at Mount (

)

They were (

) in different ways.

The Old Covenant was thundered with (

) and (

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) at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:17-24)

Jesus Christ, God the Son, declared the New Covenant with (

) and (

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)

They have different (

).

(

) mediated the Old Covenant

(

) is the mediator of the New Covenant

They are different in their (

) matter.

The Old Covenant (

) a covenant of works

The New Covenant (

) the covenant of works through the completed work of Jesus

They are different in how they were (

).

The Old Covenant was dedicated with the blood of (

) sprinkled on the (

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) (Exodus 24:5-8)

The New Covenant was dedicated with (

’) blood (signifying His sacrificial death) (

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) applied to His people

They are different in their (

).

The Old Covenant is represented by the priesthood of the Law of Moses and high priests descended from (

)

The New Covenant has a priesthood of all believers and a High Priest according to the order of (

)

They are different in their (

).

The Old Covenant demanded (

) repetition of imperfect sacrifices

The New Covenant provides a (

) and for all, perfect sacrifice of the Son of God Himself

They are different in how and (

) they were written.

The Old Covenant was written by God on (

) of stone

The New Covenant is written by God on the (

) of His people

They are different in their (

).

The goal of the Old Covenant was to (

) sin, to condemn it, and to set a “fence” around it

The goal of the New Covenant is to (

) the love, grace, and mercy of God, and to give repentance, remission of sin, and eternal life

They are different in their practical (

) on living.

The Old Covenant ends in (

) (through no fault of its own)

The New Covenant provides true (

)

They are different in their (

) of the Holy Spirit.

Under the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit was given to (

) people for certain specific duties

Under the New Covenant the Holy Spirit is (

) out freely on all who will receive Him by faith

They are different in their (

) of the Kingdom of God.

Under the Old Covenant, the Kingdom of God is (

) seen as the supreme rule of Israel over the nations

Under the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God is (

) a present spiritual reality and a coming literal fact

They are different in their (

).

The Old Covenant has (

) shadows

The New Covenant has the (

)

They are different in the extent of their (

).

The Old Covenant was (

) to the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh

The New Covenant is (

) to all nations and races under heaven

They are different in what they (

) accomplish.

The Old Covenant made (

) perfect

The New Covenant can and will bring in the (

) of God’s people

They are different in their (

).

The Old Covenant was designed to (

) the way for the New Covenant and then pass away as a principle of God’s dealing with men

The New Covenant was designed to last (

)

“Let us observe from these things, that the state of the gospel, or of the Church under the New Testament, being accompanied by the highest privileges and advantages that it is capable of in this world, there is a great obligation on all believers unto holiness and fruitfulness in obedience, unto the glory of God; and the heinousness of their sin, by whom this covenant is neglected or despised, is abundantly manifested.” (John Owen)

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Discussion Questions
Read verses 1-6

Why do you think the writer specifically points out his main point? (Sometimes we are left to figure out the main point for ourselves.)

Where is Jesus now?

Why is it significant that He is at the right hand of the throne of God?

What does the name for God “the Majesty” show us about Him?

What is a minister? What is a sanctuary?

What does the “true tabernacle” refer to?

What does the phrase “gifts and sacrifices” mean? Who are these offered to?

What does verse 4 mean?

In what way is the priesthood a copy or shadow of the heavenly things? How about the tabernacle?

Jesus’ ministry is more excellent than what?

In what way a mediator of a New Covenant?

What promises did the people of Israel receive in the Old Testament? What promises do we receive in the New Testament?

Read verses 7-12

What is the first covenant?

What is the second covenant?

Did God always plan on having another covenant? How do we know? Is there anything in the Old Testament about it?

In what ways did the Jews “not continue in [His] covenant?”

What did God mean by: “I did not care for them?”

What distinguishing marks does verse 10 show us about this new covenant?

Summarize verse 10b using the following phrase “the new covenant is…” (cf. eternal).

Has verse 11 happened yet? When will this happen?

What is the main point of verse 13? Do we need to follow the Old Testament or not?