Hebrews 8 — Verse 13

Having in the foregoing verses proved in general the insufficiency of the Old Covenant, the necessity of the New, the difference between the one and the other, with the preference of the later above the former, in all confirming the excellency of the priesthood of Christ, above that of Aaron: in this last verse of the chapter he makes an especial inference from one word in the prophetical testimony, wherein the main truth which he endeavoured to confirm with respect to these Hebrews, was asserted. It was their persuasion, that of what sort soever this promised Covenant should be, yet the former was still to continue in force obliging the Church to all the institutions of worship thereunto appertaining. Hereon depended the main controversy that the Apostle had with them: for he knew that this persuasion was destructive to the faith of the Gospel, and would, if pertinaciously adhered to, prove ruinous to their own souls. Therefore the contrary hereunto, or the total cessation of the first Covenant he presses on them, with all sorts of arguments, as from the nature, use and end of it, from its insufficiency to consecrate or make perfect the state of the Church; from the various prefigurations, and certain predictions of the introduction of another Covenant, priesthood and ordinances of worship which were better than those that belonged to it, and inconsistent with them, with many other cogent evidences to the same purpose. Here he fixes on a new argument in particular, to prove the necessity and certainty of its abolition; and hereby, according to his wonted manner, he makes a transition to his following discourses, wherein he proves the same truth from the distinct consideration of the use and end of the institutions, ordinances and sacrifices belonging to that Covenant. This he pursues to the 24th verse of the Tenth Chapter, and so returns to the paraenetical part of the Epistle, making due applications of what he had now fully evinced.

In that he says a new [Covenant] he has made the first old. Now that which decays and waxes old, is ready to vanish away.

A double argument the Apostle here makes use of. (1) From a special word or testimony. (2) From a general maxim of truth in all kinds.

In the former we may consider, (1) the testimony he makes use of. (2) The inference to his own purpose which he makes from it.

1. The first consists in the adjunct of this other promised Covenant. It is by God himself called New; [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], in that, or whereas it is said a New, or in that he calls it, names it, a New. So it is expressly in the Prophet, Behold I will make a new Covenant. Thus every word of the Holy Ghost, though but occasional to the principal subject spoken of, is a sufficient evidence of what may be deduced from it. And by this kind of arguing are we taught, that the Word of God is full of holy mysteries, if with humility and under the conduct of his holy Spirit, we do, as we ought, diligently enquire into them. This therefore he lays down as the foundation of his present argument; that God himself does not call this promised Covenant another Covenant, or a second; nor only declare the excellency of it; but signally calls it a New Covenant.

2. That which he infers from hence, is that [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], he has made the first old. The force of the argument does not lie in this, that he calls the second New; but that he would not have done so, had not he made the first old. For [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is of an active signification, and denotes an authoritative act of God upon the Old Covenant, whereof the calling the other New was a sign and evidence. He would not have done so, but that he had made the other old: for with respect thereunto this is called New. But yet it was the designation of the New Covenant, that was the foundation of making the other old.

The word respecting the time past, we must enquire what time it does refer to. And this must be either the time of the prediction and promise of the New Covenant, or the time of its introduction and establishment. And it is the first season that is intended. For the introduction of the New Covenant did actually take away and abolish the Old, making it to disappear: but the act of God here intended, is only his making it old in order thereunto. And he did this upon and by the giving of this promise, and afterwards by various acts, and in various degrees.

1. He did it by calling the faith of the Church from resting in it, through the expectation of the bringing in of a better in the room of it. This brought it under a decay in their minds, and gave it an undervaluation to what it had before. They were now assured, that something much better would in due time be introduced. Hence although they abode in the observation of the duties and worship it required, it being the will of God that so they should do, yet this expectation of and longing after the better Covenant now promised, made it decay in their minds and affections. So did God make it old.

2. He did it by a plain declaration of its infirmity, weakness and insufficiency for the great ends of a perfect Covenant between God and the Church. Many things to this purpose might have been collected out of the nature of its institutions and promises, from the first giving of it, as is done by our Apostle in his present discourses. But these things were not clearly understood by any in those days; and as to the most, the veil was on them that they could not see at all to the end of the things that were to be done away. But now when God himself comes positively to declare by that Prophet, that it was so weak and insufficient, and that therefore he would make another, a better with them; this made it old, or declared it to be in a tendency to a dissolution.

3. From the giving of this promise, God did variously by his providence break in upon and weaken its administration, which by its decaying age was more and more manifested. For,

1. Immediately after the giving of this promise, the Babylonian Captivity gave a total intercision and interruption to the whole administration of it for seventy years. This, having never before fallen out from the making of it on Mount Sinai, was an evident token of its approaching period, and that God would have the Church to live without it.

Upon the return of the people from their captivity, neither the Temple, nor the worship of it, nor any of the administrations of the Covenant, nor the Priesthood, were ever restored to their pristine beauty and glory. And whereas the people in general were much distressed at the apprehension of its decay, God comforts them not with any intimation that things under that Covenant should ever be brought into a better condition, but only with an expectation of his coming among them, who would put an utter end to all the administrations of it (Haggai 2:6, 7, 8, 9). And from that time forwards it were easie to trace the whole process of it, and to manifest how it continually declined towards the end.

Thus did God make it old, by variously disposing of it to its end; and to give an evidence thereof, called the other Covenant which he would make, a New One. And it did not decay of itself. For no institution of God will ever wax old of itself; will ever decay, grow infirm, nor perish, unless it be disannulled by God himself. Length of time will not consume divine institutions, nor can the sins of men abate their force. He only that sets them up, can take them down.

And this is the first argument of the Apostle, taken from this testimony, to prove that the first Covenant was to be abolished. But whereas it may be questioned, whether it directly follows or no, that it must be taken away because it is made old, he confirms the truth of his inference from a general maxim, which has the nature of a new argument also. Now, says he, that which decays and waxes old, is ready to vanish away.

Old is significative of that which is to have an end, and which draws towards its end. Every thing that can wax old has an end; and that which does so, draws towards that end. So the Psalmist affirming that the Heavens themselves shall perish, adds as a proof thereof, they shall wax old as a garment; and then none can doubt but they must have an end, as to their substance or their use.

There is in the words, 1. The notation of the subject, [in non-Latin alphabet], but that, or that whatever it be. The general rule gives evidence to the former inference, whatever it be that waxes old.

2. The description of it in a double expression, [in non-Latin alphabet]. The words are generally supposed to be synonyma, and to be used for emphasis only. We express the first by decay, that which decays, to avoid the repetition of the same word, we having no other to express waxing old, or made old by. But [in non-Latin alphabet], is not properly that which decays, it is that which has the effect passively of [in non-Latin alphabet], that which is made old; and it properly respects things. Things are so said to be made old, not persons. But the other word [in non-Latin alphabet], respects persons, not things. Men and not inanimate things are said [in non-Latin alphabet]. Therefore although the Apostle might have used a Pleonasm to give emphasis to his assertion, and to aver the certainty of the end of the Old Covenant; yet nothing hinders but that we may think that he had respect to the things and persons that belonged to its administration.

That which is affirmed of this subject of the proposition, is, that it is [in non-Latin alphabet], near to a disappearance, that is an abolition, and taking out of the way.

The proposition is universal, and holds absolutely in all things, as is evident in the light of nature. Whatever brings things to a decay and age, will bring them to an end; for decay and age are the expressions of a tendency to an end. Let an Angel live never so long, he waxes not old, because he cannot die. Waxing old is absolutely opposed to an eternal duration (Psalm 102:26, 27).

It being the removal of the Old Covenant and all its administrations that is respected, it may be inquired why the Apostle expresses it by [in non-Latin alphabet], a disappearance or vanishing out of sight. And respect may be had herein, (1) To the glorious outward appearance of the administrations of it. This was that which greatly captivated the minds and affections of those Hebrews to it. They were carnal themselves, and these things, the fabric of the Temple, the ornaments of the Priests, the order of their worship had a glory in them, which they could behold with their carnal eyes, and cleave to with their carnal affections. The ministration of the letter was glorious. All this glory, says the Apostle, shall shortly disappear, shall vanish out of your sight, according to the prediction of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24). (2) To the gradual removal of it. It departed as a thing will by its removal out of our sight. We by little and little lose the prospect of it until it utterly disappear. How it was made so to disappear, at what time, in what degrees, by what acts of divine authority, must be spoken to distinctly elsewhere. All the glorious institutions of the Law were at best but as stars in the firmament of the Church, and therefore were all to disappear at the rising of the Sun of righteousness.