THE NEW COVENANT
DALLAS M. ROARK, Ph.D.
Whoever wrote Hebrews shifts back and forth between two different themes. They may be called a sacrificial theme and a covenant theme. The sacrificial comparison relates to Jesus making purification for sins (1:3), Jesus as our high priest (3:1) and other similar themes.
The theme of the covenant does not appear in the first six chapters and occurs first in 7:22 where Jesus is the surety of a better covenant.
After that, the word appears about 15 times in Hebrews.
Shortly, we will look at the passages and the ideas associated with the New Covenant, but before we do, there are two names that stand out in contrasting the Old and New Covenants, or the Old and New Testaments. These two names pre-date the sacrificial system introduced by Moses. Abraham is the most important name mentioned, for it is with him that the first covenant was struck. Melchizedek is introduced (6:20ff) as a transition in which the idea of a priesthood
superior to the Levitical priesthood is presented. In other words, there is a priesthood greater than the Levitical and that is seen in the example of Melchizedek in the Old Testament and in Jesus in the New Testament.
It will be helpful to remind ourselves just how the first covenant began. Genesis 15: 1-18 gives the details of the first covenant made with man by God. The basic items involved a heifer, she-goat, ram, turtledove, and a pigeon. These were killed, cut into two pieces, laid over against each other. Then the account reads: "When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham."
It is an important point also to note that verse 6 comes before the making of the covenant. Abraham "believed the Lord, and he reckoned it to him as righteousness" (15:6). All of this occurred before there was a sacrifical system. If we are the true sons of Abraham as St. Paul declares in Romans, we are justified by faith.
If we examine the references concerning the Covenant in Hebrews we can account for the idea of a life poured out with its blood spilt, all without the problems of Levitical sacrifice. We will now turn to the passages concerning the New Covenant.
THE PASSAGES
Hebrews 7:22. Jesus is described as the surety of a better covenant. This assurance is based on Jesus being like Melchizedek. Jesus continues forever because he is perfect.
Hebrews 8:6. The ministry that Jesus has as a priest is more excellent than the old priesthood and its ministry because the new covenant is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 8:7. A defense is being built for a new covenant because the first covenant was not adequate.
Hebrews 8:8. Jeremiah is quoted saying that God will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel.
Hebrews 8:9-10. Three occurrences are here in the quotation from Jeremiah 31:31-34 in which the Old Covenant will not continue because the people broke it.
Hebrews 8:13. If there is a new covenant, the old covenant is obsolete and vanishing away.
Hebrews 9:1-4. Three references are used here, but only one to the covenant directly. The first covenant had its regulations for worship. In the tabernacle there were the ark of the covenant and the table of the covenant.
Hebrews 9:15, 16, 17, 18, 20. This section contains a number of significant references to the covenant in the book of Hebrews.
Several ideas stand out.
(1) Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. "Therefore, " begins verse 15, drawing a conclusion from the previous two chapters. God has promised a new covenant described by Jeremiah (Heb. 8:8-12). That section is followed with the comments that the earthly worship in the Tabernacle was not able to "perfect the conscience of the worshiper." Then the conclusion is reached in v. 15 that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. This is a very revolutionary conclusion. The Old is out and the New is now established. This may be compared to the view of the world before and after Einstein. A physicist trained in Einsteinian physics cannot look back to the world-view before Einstein. Similarly, a Christian cannot look at the Old Testament in the same way that a Hebrew does. The New Covenant changes it all. There is a different view of theology operating here.
(2) The covenant is then linked with the eternal inheritance for those who are called. The passage goes on to give a basis for that inheritance, namely, a death has taken place. Verses 16-17 describe the situation very much like a modern law concerning wills. You may change your will as often as you like while you are alive, but. when you die, that will becomes ratified or final. Verse 17 notes that a "will (covenant) takes effect only at death." Biblical commentators are divided on how the Greek word should be translated here. Some justify the translation of will because it. requires the death of one making the will (covenant) to be effective.
(3) Verse 18 points up the first covenant being ratified with blood.
Exodus 24:6-8 makes a similar reference to the use of blood in the covenant, and this is quoted in v. 20.
The implication of all of this is far-reaching. The first covenant was established by God and animal blood was used. The second covenant is greater because we are to understand that God has come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth-God incarnate-and God has come to make a new covenant with the children of faith. God the son lays down his life to establish the new covenant, he is the mediator of it, and it is ratified with his own blood. After the death of the one
making the last will and testament (covenant), the covenant cannot be changed.
Hebrews 9:22. This verse has probably been abused in the history in theology and preaching. In the order of the first covenant, God forgives or accepts Abraham, and then the covenant is made with blood. Hebrews 10:4 affirms that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. If we are to view the covenant as a covenant of forgiveness, then it was ratified with the blood of animals. But forgiveness does not come by means of blood of animals.
Hebrews 10:15. Jeremiah is again quoted and the important conclusion is reached: "Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin." Hebrews 10:19. The covenant word is not mentioned here but "the new and living way" implies it along with the blood of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:29. One of the two severe warnings against falling away. There is great punishment deserved by the person who spurns the Son of God and profanes the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified. If the New Covenant is rejected, there is no other ground on which one may enter a relation with God.
Hebrews 11. There are no verses in which the idea of the New Covenant appears in this roll call of the faithful. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable offering, and Abraham by faith offered up Isaac, but there is no reference to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. We started off with the first covenant with Abraham's faith, and faith remains an integral part of the new covenant.
Hebrews 12:24. The next to the last reference of the word covenant is related to the different faith we have in Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and his sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. We have now come to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Hebrews 13:20. The benediction of the book speaks of our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant. The eternal covenant appears to be the way God deals with us.
These are the passages concerning the new covenant. In looking at them one must now raise the question about the role of sacrifices in the Old Testament. What were they? They were educational rituals for the early Hebrews to give them a sense of God's holiness, appropriate attitudes in approaching God, and were themselves expressions of God's grace. They were given by him to encourage people to come to worship and to give of their lives and their means. They did not secure or gain the grace of God. That had already been displayed in God's choosing Abraham, giving the first covenant, and later the New Covenant in Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Having surveyed briefly the occurrences of the covenant idea in the book of Hebrews, we may explore some of the issues in the idea.
1. In the history of the church there has never been a single explanation for the meaning of the death of Jesus. The Bible itself contains several theories, and through the centuries the church has developed theories for understanding Christ's death.
2. When one ponders the words of Jesus at the last supper, the Gospels indicate a use of the term "covenant" with reference to Jesus' death. One of the greatest religious rites of Christendom is instituted in the words: "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom" (Mt.22:27-29). When one reads through the history of doctrine one discovers that the major theories of the meaning of Jesus' death do not take full account of the implications of the words of Jesus and the New Covenant. The three traditional theories may be surveyed briefly. The Ransom theory dating back to the early church emphasized the ransoming, or buying back from Satan, of the lost souls of men. By some writers, God was actually said to have acted duplicitously in his dealing with Satan. The Honor theory, or the view of Anselm, is taught in the Catholic tradition today. Anselm builds on the fact that all men owe honor to God and since they failed him by sin, they are in debt to God. Only the infinite Son of God can offer infinite honor to pay what man should have done and cannot do. Man must pay, but can't, and Jesus does it for him. The Penal theory of Calvin develops the idea that Jesus bore our penalty of sin. Since he was innocent, God brought our judgment on him, and we go free because of his substitutionary death.
These theories do not do full justice to the implication of Jesus' own words concerning his death as well as the book of Hebrews. In giving the Lord's Supper, Jesus did not say that he came to die to make up the debt of honor that man owes God, or that he would die to take man's penalty due man. Instead, these remarkable words about a new covenant are given. This is the blood poured out for you. This is the new covenant about which Jeremiah declared: "I will remember their sins no more." A new era begins in the words of Jesus.
Both Calvin and Anselm attempted to explain the death of Jesus in light of their own' cultures rather than the Hebrew idea of covenant.
The medieval feudal system involved the paying of honor to one's overlord. Where one failed in this matter, one was in debt. Calvin's penal theory arises out of the medieval view of law. If we reflect for a moment on the preaching in this country, how much preaching follows the inspiration of Calvin or Anselm? Particularly in Protestantism, and among Baptists, there is much preaching of the death of Jesus that is inspired by Calvin's view. It has tremendous emotional appeal-He died for me.
But the words "He died for me" need to be understood in terms used by Jesus. They fit very much into the concept of the. founding of a New Covenant. He died to establish a New Covenant with me. Is this not what Jesus said? His blood was poured out! For me! Why?
As the means of establishing the eternal covenant with man. What does man need most in his relation with God? It is forgiveness, which Jesus provided by establishing the New Covenant. If I think in terms of faith and commitment, I am receiving the fruit of the New Covenant, forgiveness, reconciliation, and God's Spirit.
If we are to take the words of Jesus at their face value, and we are to take the statements of Hebrews at their face value, then we must rethink some of our preaching. Forgiveness is a benefit given to those who accept the New Covenant which Jesus made by his death.
3. There is a great deal of comfort in the New Covenant. It had a beginning in the past, but it is renewed every time we observe the Lord's Supper. Today I begin the day as a child of the New Covenant. Today I experience the warmth of God's Spirit given in the New Covenant. Today I am reconciled to God because of his new Covenant. Today I am forgiven, and this forgiveness is expressed and guaranteed by the New Covenant.