New Covenant Is Best

We all know the basic rules of grammar when using comparisons. Better is used when comparing two things or people. Best is used when comparing three or more. Here, the writer of Hebrews is comparing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, so it would be correct to say that the New Covenant is Better. However, I’ve chosen to break English grammar protocol in the title of my message by saying that the New Covenant is Best. I do this simply to emphasize the fact that the New Covenant is not only better, but it will never be surpassed in any manner and it is the final covenant which will never be replaced. My friends, it is simply the best.

Let me give a real life example of how we can see this principle in action with working the soil. When cultivating a field, the quality of the equipment makes a big difference in how well the job is done. If the discs are ragged and chipped and dull, they will not cut the roots properly and will drag dirt instead of cutting through and turning everything. I would find myself limited and doing a poor job if my equipment was inadequate.

However, that’s not the case with Jesus. There is nothing that can keep Him from fulfilling the New Covenant perfectly. The reasons are that His priesthood is better than the Levitical priesthood, His place of ministry is better, and His promises are better.

Because of Jesus providing the very best, we do not have to consider following the Law.

The Priest Is the Best. - 8.1-2

The New Covenant has a superior foundation so that what Jesus does as our High Priest will not crumble or fail in any way.

Hebrews 8:1–2 (NASB95)

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, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

I’m not speaking of a foundation like the foundation of a house or building. It is more of the idea of the basis of the covenant. The author’s main point in all of this is about to be summarized.

The very first verse uses the phrase such a high priest, in reference to the last portion of chapter 7. Though Jesus was able to identify with all of our needs and temptations, He never once sinned, as the Levitical high priests did. Jesus is better morally, so why would a person want to go back to a weak, faulty system where the high priest is really no different than any other person?

We further are able to say that Jesus is better because He has taken His seat. Interestingly, if you look back at the design of the tabernacle in the Old Testament, there were no seats within it. The reason seems to be quite simple; the priest’s work was never completed. He had to continually repeat making the sacrifices for the sins of the people, including himself. Sin was never removed with that system; it was only covered. However, when Jesus Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, it was to remove our sins completely. This is seen by what John the Baptist said:

John 1:29 NASB95

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

The location is also important as to where Jesus is seated. Verse 1 continues by stating that He is seated at the right of the throne of the Majesty. This actually is a fulfillment of Psalm 110.1, which reads Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. This is quite significant when comparing to the Old Testament tabernacle and the priests. Not only did they not sit down, for there wasn’t any place to sit and their work was never completed; but the priests never did sit on a throne, since a priest could never be in a ruling position. The only time that a priest was also a king was Melchizedek, who was not part of the nation of Israel. That is why Jesus is said to be after the order of Melchizedek.

Further, as we finish verse 1 and go into verse 2, we see that, as the Star Trek theme states, He has gone where no man has gone before. That’s right; in the heavens is where He is seated. No other priest, or even a king has even sat on the throne on the right of the Father in heaven, nor will they.

It seems obvious that Jesus as our Great High Priest is far superior to anything else that could be presented. No other priest could show that they were without sin and still be able to identify and empathize with our humanity and our sin. In addition, the other priests were working from the basis of a covenant that was incapable of changing human hearts and was going to have to be replaced; whereas, Jesus had as his basis, the ability to change human hearts and had a covenant that would never be replaced.

The Place Is the Best. - 8.3-5

The place of ministry is also superior, as heaven is not man-made, as was the tabernacle.

Hebrews 8:3–5 (NASB95)

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. 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; 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.”

This tags right along with the last part of verse 2. The place of ministry is essential in the discussion of which one is better. You see, the Hebrews who reading this document knew that there was still a place in Jerusalem (prior to AD 70) where there was the old priesthood and the temple with the sacrificial system. Why not go back to what was familiar, instead of something which seemed to be too good to be true, plus was a bit difficult to understand? In fact, you can probably deduce their faith wasn’t very strong at all, since they seemed to believe only that which they could see. After all, they had not actually seen Jesus in heaven acting as our high priest.

Here is where we can see three different reasons why the place where Jesus is ministering is the best. First in verse 3, we are reminded that the priests who had been appointed were to offer gifts and sacrifices. We also know that the only acceptable place for this to be done was to be where God said it was to be; in the sanctuary. Thus, since we’ve already established that Jesus is a high priest, then it would seem that He would need to offer gifts and sacrifices. Or at least something to offer. So where is the sanctuary from which Jesus ministers? Obviously in heaven, from what we already read in verse 1.

But we need to be careful that we not assume that Jesus is still offering sacrifices in heaven. Here is where the Greek language offers a little more insight which is incredibly helpful. The phrase something to offer contains a singular number (something), not multiple sacrifices. In addition, to offer, is a one-time event. Remember that Jesus offered Himself as a one-time sacrifice on the cross. Thus, we can be assured that He is not being crucified over and over again, especially since we’ve seen that He has sat down on the throne at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

In verse four, there is a reminder that Jesus is not qualified according to the Law to be an earthly priest, since He is not from the tribe of Levi. However, since His credentials match up with those of Melchizedek, instead of Aaron, He is able to serve in heaven.

Then verse 5 describes the type, shadow, or copy of all that was presented in the Old Testament presenting to us what would be fulfilled in complete perfection in the New Testament. Again, the question keeps coming back as to why would anyone want to go back to that which is a type or a shadow of the reality. The whole Law and Old Testament system was simply shadows of that which came in its fulness through Jesus Christ?

Now obviously, we remember from Revelation that the whole city of God will be a temple. There are some things which seem to be similar in Revelation that we recall from the Old Testament, but they will be there as reminders to us. Why, then, would anyone want to go back or try to duplicate the Old Testament ways of doing things? Warren Wiersbe remarks, It would be like trying to live on the blueprint instead of the building itself!

The Promises are the Best. - 8.6-13

The Levitical high priests were only human and their promises were based on the Law which was temporary and faulty. They were also based on the ability of the people to be faithful to their promises. Jesus’ promises have never been nullified or unfulfilled, nor are they contingent upon our ability to be faithful.

Hebrews 8:6–13 (NASB95)

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. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 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; 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. “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. “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. “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

The mediator, or the go-between, of the Old Covenant was Moses. The mediator of the New Covenant is Jesus Christ. Where does this information come about the better covenant? It actually is a quote taken from Jeremiah 31.31-34. This is actually from a prophecy of hope given to the nation that they would be restored in the future. What an encouragement!

Now, step into the New Testament a bit and let’s reflect on the Last Supper, which we call the final meal. It was here that the Lord Jesus put into effect what we refer to as The Lord’s Supper or communion. Here, Jesus referred to the cup as the new covenant in my blood. Paul referred to this in 1 Corinthians when talking to the church; clearly not the nation of Israel. It is very dangerous to try and interpret the words of Jeremiah and make it to be a reference to the church. In fact, in Hebrews 8.8, the writer speaks of the house of Israel . . . and the house of Judah. It would be a huge stretch, though there is a whole school of theology out there that does this, to make the church a spiritual Israel. That opens a Pandora’s box of faulty theology.

The best understanding is that the New Covenant is offered first to the Jew and then to the Gentile; but it is all through Jesus Christ. It has been that way since Jesus began His ministry on this earth. It has been that way even in the early days of the church, being seen even before that with the Great Commission.

I also need to remind us that even though the New Covenant frees us from the law of Moses, we are not free to go off willy-nilly and continue to sin. The grace that the New Covenant brings, gives us freedom from being helpless in our sin and gives us victory over sin.

You recall how under the Old Covenant, the people of Israel promised to obey and keep the Law. Well, that didn’t work out very well, for it was impossible for them to do so, as we have read numerous times. The beauty and wonder of the New Covenant is that though humanity is not always faithful, God is always and completely faithful. Thus, the Old Covenant has been replaced with the New and better covenant.

The problem wasn’t with the covenant, however. The problem was the people of Israel. You see, it was a heart issue, which is solved by the New Covenant. Verse 10 makes that clear in the fact that God is the One Who changes hearts. The Law simply stated what the standard was that God required. Of ourselves, we’ll never match that. We need God’s Word written on our hearts and minds.

We also need to remember that the law could not provide forgiveness. Forgiveness is provided only through Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross. So, as we are encouraged in verses 11-12, we still have a mission; to proclaim Jesus until there is a complete restoration of Israel in the upcoming kingdom.

Let me also take time to clarify verse 12 in view of a commonly mistaken phrase we often hear. It has been said that we need to forgive and forget, just like God does. However, God doesn’t forget. If He did, He wouldn’t be God. The wording is remember their sins no more. It means, hold against us no more. This means quite simply that when we’re forgiven, it’s a done deal, never to be brought up against us as a charge or accusation.

The new covenant phrase in verse 13, refers to newness in quality. It will never need to be replaced. Plus, the old was truly about to completely disappear when Jerusalem and all that was within it was destroyed in AD 70.

Ponderings

Folks, we all know that we are saved by grace through faith. However, the challenge is to realize that growing in our Christian walk does not require following the Law. We become more like Jesus, not by following the Law, but rather by surrendering continually to the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us. Isn’t that much better?

Again, I want to remind us that the Old Covenant was not bad, as God had given it. However, the purpose was to point to Jesus. Therefore, the Old Covenant had to be removed since Jesus has come and has fulfilled it perfectly. Also, we might think the Law and the Old Covenant was finished at AD 70, but that would not be accurate. The old system was finished when Christ’s sacrifice for the removal of our sins was complete and the temple veil was split from top to bottom. This gave absolute clarity to the reality that through Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross, all who believed in the Son and had eternal life, now had direct access to God at all times

Doesn’t it make sense that we would stop trying to go back to the old ways like the Hebrews and go with Jesus only? Jesus is the better priest. Jesus serves as our Great High Priest in a better place. Plus, Jesus’ promises are far better and are eternal.

Because of Jesus providing the very best, we do not have to consider following the Law.

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