November 29, 2010 thru December 5, 2010

Jesus: a New Covenant

in His Blood
Hebrews 8:7-9:28

Introduction
We do not hear the word “covenant” very often today, but we do hear about binding
agreements such as marriages or purchasing a home.

When God brought Moses and the Israelities out of Egypt and led them to Mount Sinai, he gave
Moses the Ten commandments and other regulations for life and worship and community.
Collectively, these are called the Mosaic Covenant or the Old Covenant. As long as the people
followed them, God would be with his people. In this week’s text, the writer describes the Old
Covenant and how it was lacking. Then he points to Christ and the New Covenant and how it met
the needs lacking in the Old covenant.

This section of reading is a large chunk of text. Almost too much to chew on during this week.
Keep in mind that next week (Section Ten) will deeply focus on 9:1-11. So spend the bulk of this
week’s effort on chapter 8 and 9:12-28.

Also, as you read, mark the words “conscience,” “covenant,” and “blood.” Maybe you could
underline covenant and circle blood with a red pen or pencil.

Memory Verse
Hebrews 8:13

By calling this covenant "new,"

He has made the first one obsolete;
and what is obsolete and aging
will soon disappear.

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1. Observation
(Read the instructions on Page 2 and make your observations here)

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a

second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,

WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANTWITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE

OF JUDAH; 9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERSON THE DAY

WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HANDTO 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.

10 "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAELAFTER 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. 11 "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.

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12 "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO

MORE.” 13 When He said, "A new covenant, " He has made the first obsolete But whatever is

becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. 9:1 Now even the first covenant

had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle pre-

pared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is

called the holy place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy

of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides

with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the

tables of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy

seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so

prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine wor-

ship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood,

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which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy

Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the

outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts

and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they

relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a

time of reformation. 11 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; 12 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. 13 For if

the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled

sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through

the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead

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works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that,

since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed

under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal

inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who

made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the

one who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.

19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the

Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and

sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE

COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the

tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one

may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no

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forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be

cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For

Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven

itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 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. 26

Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now

once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice

of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes

judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a

second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Verses 8:8-12 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. This is the longest quote of the Old testament found
in the new testament. For who is this new covenant (v.8)?

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The writer is making
the case that the Old
Mosaic Covenant is
finished because Jesus
has begun a New
Covenant. Recall His
words to the disciples
on the night He was
betrayed. “This cup is
the new covenant in
My blood” (Luke
22:20). Darrell Bock
says about this new
covenant “The refer-
ence to blood looks at
Jesus’ coming sacrifice
2. Interpretation
There are three ways the Old and New Covenant are compared:
the blood, the place and the time of the offering.
(NIV Application Commentary p.309)
Blood of the Offering
Based on verses 8:10-12, is this new covenant already in effect?
Why or why not?
In verses 9:13-14, what did the animal blood cleanse?
What did the blood of Christ cleanse?
Based on 9:15, if you lived in Moses’s day, how would you “get
saved?” Whose blood covered the sins of those who lived before
Christ?
Place of the offering
Read verses 9:24-25. Where did Christ’s offering take place?

as that which inaugu-

rates the covenantal
Where did the old covenant sacrifices take place?
provision that the dis-
ciples will benefit from
as a result of Jesus’ Time of the offering
death. The new cove- How often did the priest need to offer sacrifices according to
9:6-7?
nant is a major theme
in the New Testament
(Jer. 31:31; Matt.
How often did Christ offer himself as sacrifice in 9:28?
26:28; 2 Cor 3-4;
Heb. 8-10).” (Bock.
NIV Application Com-
mentary: Luke. p552).

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3. Application
Part of the new covenant is being experienced now in the hearts of believers in Christ. We have
the laws of God written on our hearts and minds. (insert a verse here as proof?) Here we have
God emphasizing his work on us on the inside, yet often we focus solely on the external showings
of our faith. Although our external actions should pour out from God working on our heart, the
trouble comes when we expect everyone else to have the same external expressions of faith that
we do. Do we expect all Christians to belong to the same political party that we do? Do we get
frustrated when so-and-so has missed Sunday morning church again? Are we baffled that our
brother or sister in Christ doesn’t whole-heartedly support the same non-profit organization that
we are passionate about?

Think of a Christian with whom you have a difference in how you express your faith. Write their
name here:

Now pray for him/her, not that he/she would conform to be like you, but that the Lord would
bless his/her walk with Him.

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