Hebrews 8:8-9
For he finds fault with them when he says: “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, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text highlights that God isn't just finding fault with the old covenant itself, but with the people who failed to uphold it. This points to a deeper issue than just flawed regulations; it reveals a persistent human tendency to break faith, which the new covenant is designed to address.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument that Jesus' priesthood and the new covenant He established are far superior to the old Levitical system. To show this, he quotes Jeremiah 31, which prophesies God making a "new covenant" because the first one, established when God led Israel out of Egypt, ultimately failed due to their disobedience. This promise of a new covenant, written on their hearts, directly addresses the weaknesses of the old and points to the fulfillment found in Christ.
Why does God 'find fault'? It sounds harsh, but in this context, it's an act of deep love. It points to a problem that only He can fix.
The phrase 'finding fault with them' (μεμφόμενος αὐτούς - memphomenos autous) doesn't mean God is randomly picking on people. Instead, it’s about identifying the inherent flaws and failures within the old covenant system and the people who lived under it.
The Problem Wasn't Just the People
While the people certainly failed to uphold their end of the old covenant (as Jeremiah 31:32 makes clear: 'they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them'), the author of Hebrews also suggests a deeper issue. The system itself, the old covenant, had limitations. It was a preparatory covenant, not the final, perfect one. God's 'fault-finding' is directed at the inadequacy of what was given, which ultimately pointed towards the need for something more.
A Step Towards Perfection
This 'fault-finding' is not about condemnation but about preparation. It's God highlighting the deficiencies so that His people would recognize the need for His ultimate solution. It’s the divine setup for the glorious arrival of the new covenant.
When God promises a 'new' covenant, does that mean the old one was completely thrown out? And what makes this covenant truly 'new'?
The introduction of a 'new covenant' (διαθήκη καινὴ - diatheke kainē) doesn't imply that God's plan was flawed from the start or that He's changing His mind. It signifies a new administration or a new way of relating to His people, building upon His eternal promises.
Continuity and Culmination
This new covenant is 'new' not because its foundational principles are novel or because God is making an entirely different deal. Rather, it's new in its fulfillment, its efficacy, and its mode of operation. The core of God's redemptive plan was always present, but this new covenant brings it to its ultimate realization.
Understand the original words
kyrios · Greek Noun
The supreme authority and creator of all things, who reveals Himself to humanity. Used here in the sense of the LORD (Yahweh), the personal, covenant-keeping name of God.
This verse directly quotes Jeremiah's prophecy about a future new covenant, given at a time when Israel's repeated breaking of the Mosaic covenant had led to judgment and exile. The author of Hebrews applies this prophecy to the covenant established through Jesus Christ, highlighting its perfect and internal nature in contrast to the flawed and external Old Covenant.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus and the First Covenant
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and establishes the Mosaic covenant at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and marking the exile of the ten northern tribes.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Judah
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many of the people from the Kingdom of Judah.
This is the primary Old Testament prophecy from which Hebrews 8:8 quotes, directly foretelling the establishment of a new covenant.
Jeremiah 31:32This verse explains the failure of the first covenant, emphasizing the people's lack of faithfulness, which necessitates the new covenant mentioned in Hebrews 8:8.
Hebrews 9:15This passage further elaborates on Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant, highlighting its eternal nature and contrasting it with the temporary nature of the old.
Galatians 3:15This verse discusses the unchangeable nature of covenants, indirectly supporting the idea that if a new covenant is established, the old must have had a deficiency, as implied in Hebrews 8:8.
Luke 22:20This New Testament passage records Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper, explicitly stating it's 'the new covenant in my blood,' directly fulfilling the prophecy cited in Hebrews 8:8.
ellicottHebrews 8:8: "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"
(8) Finding fault with them. —Not, “with it,” but with those through whom the covenant had failed. The following quotation ( Hebrews 8:8-12 ) is taken from Jeremiah 31:31-34 . It is the crowning point of that collection of prophecies which is brought together in Heb 30-33, descriptive of the hope and salvation of Israe…
vincentHebrews 8:8: "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"
For finding fault with them (μεμφόμενος αὐτοὺς)Them signifies the possessors of the first covenant. The prophet says what follows by way of blame. The passage cited is Jeremiah 38:31-34, lxx (A.V. Jeremiah 31:31-34). The writer assumes that Jeremiah's new covenant means the Christian covenant.I will make (συντελέσω…
The text highlights that God isn't just finding fault with the old covenant itself, but with the people who failed to uphold it. This points to a deeper issue than just flawed regulations; it reveals a persistent human tendency to break faith, which the new covenant is designed to address.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument that Jesus' priesthood and the new covenant He established are far superior to the old Levitical system. To show this, he quotes Jeremiah 31, which prophesies God making a "new covenant" because the first one, established when God led Israel out of Egypt, ultimately failed due to their disobedience. This promise of a new covenant, written on their hearts, directly addresses the weaknesses of the old and points to the fulfillment found in Christ.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument that Jesus' priesthood and the new covenant He established are far superior to the old Levitical system. To show this, he quotes Jeremiah 31, which prophesies God making a "new covenant" because the first one, established when God led Israel out of Egypt, ultimately failed due to their disobedience. This promise of a new covenant, written on their hearts, directly addresses the weaknesses of the old and points to the fulfillment found in Christ.
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Distinctive Features
c. 622 BC— this verse
Prophecy of Jeremiah
Jeremiah prophesies God's impending judgment on Judah due to their covenant unfaithfulness, but also foretells a future 'new covenant'.
c. 30 AD
Ministry of Jesus
Jesus proclaims the good news of God's kingdom, inaugurating the new covenant through his life, death, and resurrection.
c. AD 60-62
Writing of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes to Jewish believers, encouraging them to persevere in their faith in Christ and explaining the superiority of the new covenant.
"For he finds fault with them when he says:
“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, not like the covenant that I made w…" — The text highlights that God isn't just finding fault with the *old covenant itself*, but with the *people* who failed to uphold it. This points to a deeper issue than just flawed regulations; it rev…