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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The power of this verse lies in the subtle emphasis on when the first covenant became "old." It wasn't just old when Jesus arrived; the mere speaking of a new covenant by God, even in Jeremiah's time, signaled the obsolescence of the old. This means the original covenant was already carrying the seeds of its own end from the moment God promised something better, showing God's progressive revelation and ongoing plan.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author of Hebrews is building an argument for the superiority of Jesus and the new covenant He inaugurated. He quotes Jeremiah, who foretold a new covenant God would make with His people, one written on their hearts. This verse concludes the explanation of that prophecy, emphasizing that the very promise of a new covenant rendered the old one obsolete and destined for removal.
Did God really make the old covenant 'old' just by saying there would be a new one? This verse unpacks the radical implications of God's promise.
The author of Hebrews is making a powerful point: the very promise of a new covenant inherently means the first covenant is no longer sufficient or final. It's not just that the old covenant had flaws, but God Himself declared it "old" by introducing the concept of a new one.
Think of it like this: if a king announces a brand-new, improved law that will replace all previous ones, the old law doesn't just have flaws – it's effectively retired. The language here emphasizes this isn't just a minor update, but a fundamental shift.
Why did God need a 'new' covenant? This verse hints at the fundamental weaknesses of the old, setting the stage for something far greater.
The reason God declares the first covenant 'obsolete' is rooted in its inherent limitations. The prophecy from Jeremiah, which the author quotes, highlights that the old covenant wasn't designed to be permanent or perfectly effective.
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Understand the original words
diathēkē · Greek Noun
A divinely initiated, solemn agreement that establishes a relationship between God and His people, often involving promises, obligations, and the shedding of blood. The 'new' covenant is inaugurated by the sacrifice of Christ.
palaioō · Greek Verb
Something that has lost its effectiveness or authority, having been superseded by a better, final fulfillment. In theology, this refers to the passing of the Old Covenant order upon the arrival of the New.
The writer of Hebrews uses Jeremiah's prophecy to show that the old covenant, even from its own prophetic era, was understood as destined to be replaced by a new, inwardly focused one. This wasn't an abrupt change, but a process of obsolescence that culminated in the destruction of the Temple and the full establishment of Christ's new covenant.
c. 627 BC— this verse
Jeremiah Prophesies a New Covenant
The prophet Jeremiah, living during a turbulent period in Judah's history, receives a prophecy from God about a new covenant that will be established with Israel.
587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Jerusalem is conquered by the Babylonians, the Temple is destroyed, and a significant portion of the population is exiled. This event marks a major disruption of the old covenant's structures.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. While the Temple is restored, the former glory and independence are not fully re-established.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah leads the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, reinforcing the city's identity and the continuation of Jewish life under Persian rule, but still within the framework of the old covenant.
c. 30 BC - AD 70
Second Temple Period Intensifies
The Second Temple stands as the center of Jewish worship, but internal and external pressures mount. The sense of the old covenant's inadequacy and the longing for divine fulfillment grows.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and the New Covenant
Jesus proclaims the arrival of the Kingdom of God and establishes the new covenant through his sacrificial death and resurrection, fulfilling the prophecies Jeremiah spoke of.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, marking the definitive end of the sacrificial system and the outward structures of the old covenant.
This passage is the very prophecy being quoted and explained in Hebrews 8, directly showing God's promise of a new covenant that would be superior to the old one and written on the heart.
2 Corinthians 3:6-11Paul draws a similar contrast between the 'old covenant' (the letter that kills) and the 'new covenant' (the Spirit that gives life), highlighting the ministry of condemnation versus the ministry of righteousness that makes the first obsolete.
Galatians 3:23-25This passage explains that the Law served as a 'guardian' or 'custodian' until Christ came, implying its temporary and preparatory role, much like how the 'old covenant' served its purpose before being superseded.
Romans 7:6Paul states that believers are 'released from the law, having died to that which held us captive,' echoing the idea that the old covenant's binding power has been dissolved with the coming of the new.
vincentHebrews 8:13: "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
In that he saith a new covenant (ἐν τῷ λέγειν καινήν)Lit. "in his saying new."He hath made the first old (πεπαλαίωκεν τὴν πρώτην)Παλαιοῦν to make old, only in Hebrews and Luke 12:33. Comp. Hebrews 1:11.Now that which decayeth and waxeth old (τὸ δὲ παλαιούμενου καὶ γηράσκον)Rend. but that which is becoming old and waxing aged. Γηράσκειν (onl…
calvinHebrews 8:7-13: "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Non secundum foedus quod feci cum patribus eorum in die, quo apprehendi manum eorum, ut educerem eos e terra, Aegypti, quai ipsi non perstiterunt in…
The power of this verse lies in the subtle emphasis on when the first covenant became "old." It wasn't just old when Jesus arrived; the mere speaking of a new covenant by God, even in Jeremiah's time, signaled the obsolescence of the old. This means the original covenant was already carrying the seeds of its own end from the moment God promised something better, showing God's progressive revelation and ongoing plan.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument for the superiority of Jesus and the new covenant He inaugurated. He quotes Jeremiah, who foretold a new covenant God would make with His people, one written on their hearts. This verse concludes the explanation of that prophecy, emphasizing that the very promise of a new covenant rendered the old one obsolete and destined for removal.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument for the superiority of Jesus and the new covenant He inaugurated. He quotes Jeremiah, who foretold a new covenant God would make with His people, one written on their hearts. This verse concludes the explanation of that prophecy, emphasizing that the very promise of a new covenant rendered the old one obsolete and destined for removal.
"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." — The power of this verse lies in the subtle emphasis on when the first covenant became "old." It wasn't just old when Jesus arrived; the mere speaking of a new covenant by God, even in Jeremiah's…
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Last reviewed October 2026