HEBREWS HEB8

Christ and the new Covenant Hebrews 8

Introduction:

Jesus Christ not only introduces a new priesthood (ch 7), He mediates a new covenant (ch. 8).

The picture envisaged in this chapter is that of a heavenly sanctuary or tabernacle where God dwells. Jesus died as the Sacrifice for our sins on earth, but He is pictured here as high priest taking the sacrifice of Himself (His blood) and offering it before God in heaven, just as the earthly high priest had offered a sacrifice in the earthly tabernacle or sanctuary.

God accepts Christ’s sacrifice and in response makes a new covenant with men for their eternal salvation.

See how the writer works it out in these verses:

1. The new high priest operates in heaven (1,2):

Notice how the writer has been making the point consistently (1:3,13; 2:9; 4:14; 6:19,20; 7:26). As well as being ‘seated’, having accomplished ‘purification for sins’ (1:3), what does He also do? (8:2). What service is it? (see 7:25)

2. Jesus has a superior ministry to earthly high priests (3-6).

Why wouldn’t He qualify to be an earthly priest? (4, see 7:13,14).

Where is the real sanctuary, and what was the earthly one? (5,6).

So Jesus has a superior or better ministry (6) to earthly priests; because He operates as God’s uniquely appointed and divinely qualified high priest in the real, heavenly sanctuary, not in an earthly copy (Ex 25:40). On this basis, what is He able to provide? (6)

3. Jesus obtains or mediates a better covenant for us (7-13)

Covenant is another word for agreement or treaty. What was the old covenant? It could be summarised as, an agreement under which God accepted/forgave sinful people through the sacrificial system which He set up through Moses.

What was wrong with the old covenant: how about the sacrifices that were offered; the priests who offered them; the people for whom they were offered? (see, e.g. 9:9,10;

10:1-4)

What are the characteristics of this new covenant? (8-13; it’s a quote from Jer.31:31-34) With whom is it made? (8)

How is it then that we benefit? (Rom 4:16,17; 9:6-8; Gal 6:15,16).

What had been Israel’s response to the old covenant (9); and God’s reaction? (9)

If the old covenant was concerned with ‘external’ rules and ‘ceremonials’, how is the new covenant different? (10)

How is this ‘internalisation’ achieved?

Think about the implications of Ezek. 11:19,20; John 3:3-8; 2 Cor 5:17-19; 1 Cor 6:19;

2 Cor 6:16-18.

What kind of ‘knowledge’ is the writer referring to in vs 11?

The word used here often relates to knowing through personal experience. See how Paul uses it in Phil 3:7-11. Note both the initial ‘saving knowledge’ (8) and the developing, on-going knowledge (10). How do we get that initial knowledge, and also the on-going kind?

What’s the fundamental characteristic of this new covenant? (8:12). What details stand out about this promise? Think about the absoluteness of some other similar promises from God (Ps 103:11-14; Ps 130:3; Micah 7:18,19).

What encouragement do you get form God’s promises? What do they depend on?