“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13).
Much like an automobile, aircraft, or electronic device that has been superseded by something new and better, the Old Covenant became obsolete following Jesus’ death. Yet even though an obsolete device may continue to provide a useful function, there is a difference between a piece of antiquated equipment and the Old Covenant sacrificial offerings. The difference is that the Old Testament sacrifices no longer serve a functional purpose in light of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Thus, we can say that the Old Covenant has been completely displaced by the New Covenant. This may be difficult to appreciate in a world where there is very little that is truly “new.” The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes highlights this reality by reminding us that, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT).
Yet, unlike an advertiser who breathlessly promotes “new” versions of old products, the New Covenant completely invalided and abolished the Covenant that preceded it…
“From this it is clear that in the mind of the writer of Hebrews Jeremiah’s prediction of the new covenant now has found its fulfillment in the Christian era. He does not look forward to some future time when this will be true. It is true now. The laws of God are written on the Christians’ hearts (cf. Rom. 7: 22; 8: 4) and Christ is the perfect priest who makes it possible for God to forgive their wickedness, and to forget their sin (8: 12).” (1)
Finally, we should note the closing words of this chapter: “what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” This represented more than just a figurative statement, for it foreshadowed an actual historic event.
Beginning in AD 69 and continuing into AD 70, the ancient Roman army marched upon the city of Jerusalem with a military contingent of 30,000 soldiers. Their objective involved the elimination of all remaining pockets of resistance to the Roman Empire. The Romans subsequently began a siege of Jerusalem that leveled the city along with every major building structure, including the Temple.
That military action brought an end to the Old Covenant sacrificial system shortly after the Biblical epistle to the Hebrews was written. Thus, this passage foretold a literal fulfillment: “what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
(1) New International Bible Commentary general editor G. C. D. Howley, consulting editors F. F. Bruce, H. L. Ellison. Copyright© 1979 by Pickering & Inglis Ltd [pg. 1521]