A Review of the Old Covenant vs. New Covenant (Hebrews)
A review of how Hebrews contrasts the Old and New Covenants
A Review of the Old Covenant vs. New Covenant (Hebrews)
Old Covenant: Aaronic/Levitical Priesthood according to the Law of Moses: “Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it 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?” (Hebrews 7:11)
New Covenant: Melchizedek Priesthood according to God’s promise/decree (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:15-17)/Jesus “a Son, made perfect forever” (Hebrews 7:28; cf. Hebrews 2:10; 5:9)
Old Covenant: “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),...” (Hebrews 7:18-19; cf. Romans 8:2-3)
New Covenant: “and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:19)
Old Covenant: “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,” (Hebrews 7:23)
New Covenant: “but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently [non-transferrable]. 25Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Old Covenant: “[priests] who…need daily…to offer up sacrifices, first for [their] own sins and then for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 7:27)
New Covenant: “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27who 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.” (Hebrews 7:26-27; cf. Hebrews 9:12, 26-28; 10:10, 12; Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 3:18)
Old Covenant: “For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak,...” (Hebrews 7:28)
New Covenant: “...but the word of the oath [cf. Psalm 2:8-11; Psalm 110:1, 4], which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.” (Hebrews 7:28)
Old Covenant: Priestly ministry in earthly tabernacle, pitched by man and a copy of the true tabernacle in Heaven (Hebrews 8:2, 4, 5; 10:1)
New Covenant: Priestly ministry completed in the true tabernacle of Heaven: “a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” (Hebrews 8:2)
Old Covenant: Priestly ministry according to the Law in the copy/symbol/shadow of the tabernacle on earth (Hebrews 8:2, 4, 5; 9:9, 24; 10:1)
New Covenant: “more excellent ministry”/“He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6)
Old Covenant: “first” (Hebrews 8:7, 13; 9:1, 15, 18; 10:9)
New Covenant: “second” (Hebrews 8:7; 10:9)
Old Covenant: “[not] faultless”/“finding fault”/insufficient/waiting for completion (Hebrews 8:7, 8)
New Covenant: replacement/new covenant/“occasion for a second” (Hebrews 8:7-12)
Old Covenant: “...He made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)
New Covenant: “‘A new covenant,’” (Hebrews 8:13; cf. 8:8)
Old Covenant: “the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance…. 9….Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience.” (Hebrews 9:6-7, 9; cf. 9:14; 10:22)
New Covenant: “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;” (Hebrews 9:11)
Old Covenant: The priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of bulls, goats, and calves/repeatable (Hebrews 9:7, 12, 13, 19; 10:4)
New Covenant: “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”/non-repeatable (Hebrews 9:12; cf. Hebrews 7:27; 9:26-28; 10:10, 12; Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 3:18)
Old Covenant: Blood of bulls and goats, ashes of a heifer, used for the “cleansing of the flesh” (after touching death) (Hebrews 9:13)
New Covenant: “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14; cf. 9:9; 10:22)
Old Covenant: Inaugurated by Moses; tabernacle, book, and people sprinkled with blood (Hebrews 9:15-21)
New Covenant: Inaugurated by Jesus (Hebrews 9:15, 23; cf. Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25) through His own blood, taken into Heaven
Old Covenant: High priests enters often, year by year, to make an offering with blood that is not his own
New Covenant: “nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.” (Hebrews 9:25)
Old Covenant: “who serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5; cf. 9:24)/“symbol” (Hebrews 9:9)/“shadow” (Hebrews 10:1)
New Covenant: “very [true] form”/substance (Hebrews 10:1)
Old Covenant: “can never...make perfect those who draw near” (Hebrews 10:1; cf. 7:11, 19; 9:9)
New Covenant: Christ, the “perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), is able to save forever/completely those who draw near to God through Christ (Hebrews 7:25), He entered the “more perfect tabernacle” (Hebrews 9:11), and “has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14; cf. 11:40; 12:23)
Old Covenant: “same sacrifices” (Hebrews 10:1)
New Covenant: New sacrifice according to the will of God–the sacrifice of the body of Christ (Hebrews 10:5-10; cf. Isaiah 53:10; Hebrews 9:26)
Old Covenant: “offer continually” (Hebrews 10:1)/“year by year” (Hebrews 10:1, 3)/“daily” (Hebrews 7:27; 10:11)
New Covenant: Perfect sacrifice once-for-all (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26-28; 10:10, 12; cf. Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 3:18)/“Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:18)
Old Covenant: “[not] cleansed” (Hebrews 10:2; cf. 9:13, 22)
New Covenant: Cleansed conscience through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:14)/cleansed tabernacle in Heaven (Hebrews 9:23)/hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22)
Old Covenant: Ongoing “consciousness of sins” (Hebrews 10:2; cf. Hebrews 9:9)
New Covenant: Cleansed conscience through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:14)/hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22)
Old Covenant: “reminder [anamnēsis] of sins” (Hebrews 10:3)
New Covenant: “their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34; cf. Hebrews 8:12; 10:17); remembrance of the Sin-Bearer (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
Old Covenant: “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4; cf. 9:12, 13, 19; 10:11)
New Covenant: Jesus is the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 3:5)
Old Covenant: “Every [plural] priest stands [posture] daily ministering and offering time after time [time period] the same sacrifices that can never take away sins [insufficiency/ineffectiveness];” (Hebrews 10:11)
New Covenant: “but He [singular], having offered one sacrifice [singular] for sins for all time [permanence/completion], SAT DOWN [posture] AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,...14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12, 14)
Old Covenant: Continual offering of sacrifices that cannot take away sins/reminder of sins (Hebrews 10:3, 4, 11)
New Covenant: “‘AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS, I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE [Jeremiah 31:34].’ 18Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:17-18)