Men's Bible Study Summary: Hebrews 8:1-13

In our last study, we explored how Jesus, our great High Priest, entered the true heavenly sanctuary and secured eternal redemption for us. This week, the writer of Hebrews turns our attention to the superiority of the new covenant. While the old covenant was temporary and limited, Christ mediates a better covenant, built on better promises. This passage reminds us that our hope does not rest in external rituals or human efforts but in the perfect and enduring work of Christ.

Jesus, the Superior High Priest (Hebrews 8:1–2)

The passage begins with a summary of what has been established so far:

“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man” (Hebrews 8:1-2).

Unlike the priests of the old covenant, who stood daily offering sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11), Jesus is seated—His work is finished. He serves in the true heavenly sanctuary, not an earthly replica built by human hands (Exodus 25:9, Hebrews 9:24). This signals a fundamental shift: worship is no longer confined to an earthly structure but is now centered in Christ, who intercedes for us in the presence of God (Romans 8:34).

The Limitations of the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:3–7)

The writer contrasts the temporary nature of the old covenant priesthood with the eternal priesthood of Christ:

“For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer” (Hebrews 8:3).

Under the old covenant, the priests continually offered sacrifices, but these were never final. Christ, however, offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12).

“If he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:4-5).

The earthly tabernacle and priesthood were merely shadows—temporary pictures of the greater reality in Christ(Colossians 2:17). Since Christ has fulfilled what these pointed toward, the old system is no longer necessary.

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second” (Hebrews 8:7).

The problem was not with God’s law but with the people’s inability to keep it. The old covenant could expose sin but could not remove it (Romans 3:20, Galatians 3:10). This is why a better covenant was needed.

The Promise of a New Covenant (Hebrews 8:8–12)

The writer now quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God foretold a new and better covenant:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Hebrews 8:8).

This new covenant is fundamentally different from the old:

• It is not based on external laws but written on hearts (Hebrews 8:10, Ezekiel 36:26-27).
• It is rooted in personal relationship—'I will be their God, and they shall be my people' (Hebrews 8:10, 2 Corinthians 6:16).
• It provides complete and final forgiveness—'I will remember their sins no more' (Hebrews 8:12, Psalm 103:12).

This covenant is not dependent on human obedience but on God’s grace. While the old covenant demanded righteousness from people, the new covenant provides righteousness to people through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 8:3-4).

The Old Covenant Has Passed Away (Hebrews 8:13)

The chapter concludes with a striking statement:

“In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13).

The old covenant was always temporary—it was a foreshadowing of what Christ would accomplish. Now that the new covenant has come, the old is obsolete. The law was never meant to save but to point to the One who would(Galatians 3:24-25). Through Jesus, we now live in the freedom and power of the new covenant (Romans 6:14, John 8:36).

Application

1. Jesus is our perfect High Priest. We no longer rely on earthly mediators—Christ intercedes for us directly in heaven (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 4:14-16).
2. We are under a new and better covenant. The Christian life is not about external rituals but a transformed heart—God’s law is written within us (Romans 8:2, 2 Corinthians 3:6).
3. Our sins are fully forgiven in Christ. Under the old covenant, sins were remembered year after year; under the new covenant, God remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 10:17).

An Invitation

Men of the church, join us on Wednesday nights from January through March 2025 (6:30–8:00 PM) as we continue our journey through Hebrews. Come and discover the riches of God’s promises, the hope of the gospel, and the confidence we have in Jesus, our great High Priest.