Jesus the New Covenant

1. The word “covenant” means an agreement or a coming together.
2. The Old Testament is looked at as the old covenant and the New Testament as the new covenant.

1. The prophets predicted a change in covenants- Jeremiah 31:31
2. Jesus is the new covenant and he established it.
   1. Luke 22:20
   2. Hebrews 9:15
   3. Hebrews 8:13- The old law (or Mosaic law) is not in effect anymore.
   4. Hebrews 8:6-8
3. When did this new covenant take place? At the cross.
   1. Matthew 5:17
      1. “fulfill”- complete or finish
   2. John 19:30- “It is finished”
      1. This phrase in the Strong’s Concordance, G5055, means to “make an end” or to finish.
      2. In other words, Jesus means that the old covenant is now complete. At this moment, as Jesus died, the law came to an end. It also means that the work Jesus did on this earth is now finished.
4. Jesus is the high priest (Hebrews 4:14), and he was the sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12), so             there is no need for the law anymore.
5. Romans 14:5 tells us it’s not a sin to observe or not observe a specific day, in other    words a festival or feast day, but we must believe what we believe firmly. If we          observe feast days, then it should be because we want to for God, but it is no longer required.
6. Christ died to end the old law- Galatians 2:21
   1. The old law was a shadow of Jesus and the new covenant. It was given to lead us into Christ.
   2. On a deeper level, the old law was made to reveal sin (Romans 7:7).
7. We have now been released from the law- Romans 7:6
   1. Romans 8:3-6 – Jesus fulfilled the rest of what the law could not do and that was completely take away sins.
   2. Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were a temporary covering for sins.
      1. Leviticus 4:35, 5:10
   3. Jesus forgives sins permanently.
      1. 1 John 1:9
      2. Acts 3:19
      3. Hebrews 10:1-18

          

Matthew 5:17-18

This passage has been debated and dissected in many ways, but we are going to unveil the truth very simply, just as God has intended it to be.

• “Abolish the Law”- this phrase means that Jesus had not come to abolish, set aside, or destroy the law.
• “To fulfill them”- Jesus gave the law it’s full meaning. He came to complete the commandments once and for all, as he means by “fulfill”. Even though Jesus was the end of the old covenant, which had been broken (Jeremiah 31:31, Ezekiel 16:59), he was the only one who could complete it because he was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). This provided a righteous transition into the new covenant.
• “until heaven and earth pass away”- a Greek idiom meaning “never”. The law will never pass away until all is fulfilled.
• “from the Law until all is fulfilled”- Until Christ Jesus fulfills the Law, which he did at the crucifixion, the Law will still be in affect.

 

We can see a difference in how we are supposed to act and the contrast between the old and new covenants.

Old Covenant                                                                                               New Covenant

Clean/unclean foods                                                                 Food doesn’t defile- Matthew 5:11

Circumcision                                                                Circumcision doesn’t matter- 1 Corinthians 7:17-20

Death Penalties                                                            If deserved- Romans 13:1-4/Acts 25:10-11

Feast Days                                                                       Observation of days doesn’t matter- Romans 14:5

Sabbath                                                                          Observing Sabbath doesn’t matter- Jeremiah 31:31

Animal sacrifices                                                            Christ was the sacrifice- Hebrews 10:18

 

Acts 15- The Council of Jerusalem

Some men there were trying to say that one must be circumcised to be saved. Peter argued that it is by grace, through Jesus Christ by the new covenant, that we are saved. It was an argument of old vs. new covenant.

Hebrews 8:13 makes it clear that the old covenant is no longer in affect.

“obsolete”- to make old, or to be done away with. The old covenant is gone and the new is here.

 

• Ephesians 2:15- “He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances”
  1. Some say the day of judgment is when the old law will be done away with and abolished. This verse tells us that it has already been abolished.