Hebrews 8:13 · Bible study
Hebrews 8:13 Commentary: The New Covenant Makes the First Obsolete
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Hebrews 8:13 explains that God's promise of a 'new covenant' renders the Sinai covenant obsolete.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The promise of a 'new covenant' renders the first covenant obsolete; it is now in the process of vanishing.
- Key words: 'New' (καινός, new in kind) vs. 'old' (παλαιόω, make obsolete); ἀφανισμός (disappearance, N.T. hapax).
- Main debate: When did the old covenant become obsolete, at the cross or gradually until AD 70? And what does this mean for its ongoing role?
- Theological theme: The sufficiency of the new covenant in Christ, which fulfills and replaces the Mosaic order.
- Best use: A key text for covenant theology, preaching transition from law to grace, and understanding the new covenant's permanence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
WEB World English Bible 2000
In that he says, “A new covenant”, he has made the first obsolete. But that which is becoming obsolete and grows aged is near to vanishing away.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
in the saying `new,' He hath made the first old, and what doth become obsolete and is old is nigh disappearing.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In that he says New, he has made the first old; but that which grows old and aged [is] near disappearing.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now in saying a new, he hath made the former old. And that which decayeth and groweth old is near its end.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Diciendo, Nuevo pacto, dió por viejo al|strong="G1722, G3588" primero; y lo que es dado por viejo y se envejece, cerca está de desvanecerse.
Quando ele disse: “Novo pacto ”, ele tornou o primeiro ultrapassado. Ora, o que se torna ultrapassado e envelhece está perto de desaparecer.
En disant: une alliance nouvelle, il a déclaré la première ancienne; or, ce qui est ancien, ce qui a vieilli, est près de disparaître.
Indem er sagt: “Ein neues”, macht das erste alt. Was aber alt und überjahrt ist, das ist nahe bei seinem Ende.
Als Hij zegt: Een nieuw verbond, zo heeft Hij het eerste oud gemaakt; dat nu oud gemaakt is en verouderd, is nabij de verdwijning.
Dicendo: Un nuovo patto, Egli ha dichiarato antico il primo. Ora, quel che diventa antico e invecchia è vicino a sparire.
A gdy mówi: Nowe, pierwsze czyni wiotchem; a to, co wiotszeje i zestarzeje się, bliskie jest zniszczenia.
Говоря "новый", показал ветхость первого; а ветшающее и стареющее близко к уничтожению.
既 說 新約，就 以 前約 為舊了；但 那漸舊漸衰的，就必快 歸無有了。
When he says, A new agreement, he has made the first agreement old. But anything which is getting old and past use will not be seen much longer.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Hebrews 8:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the author of Hebrews draws a straightforward conclusion from Jeremiah's use of the word 'new' (καινήν). Barnes states that 'new and old stand in contradistinction from each other.' The verb πεπαλαίωκεν (perfect active indicative) means 'he has made old', a completed act with lasting effect: God himself has stamped the first covenant as antiquated. Vincent notes that the present participles παλαιούμενον and γηρᾶσκον emphasize a process that had already begun even in Jeremiah's day. Calvin calls this an inference: 'by saying “a new covenant,” he has made the first old; now what is ancient and becomes old is nigh a dissolution.' The Cambridge Bible points to the phrase 'near evanescence' (ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ) as suggesting the covenant's impending end, likely the destruction of Jerusalem. Clarke adds a metaphor from ancient laws written on oak tablets that 'had perished through old age.' Across traditions, the consensus is that the new covenant does not coexist with the old; it supersedes it, and the old was already in decline at the moment God announced the new.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Instant obsolescence at the cross: The perfect tense πεπαλαίωκεν implies a decisive act that permanently antiquated the old covenant; the fading is simply the working out of what was already settled.
- Process culminating in AD 70: The present participles (παλαιούμενον, γηρᾶσκον) stress a gradual fading, and the imminent 'vanishing' matches the destruction of the temple, which was near when Hebrews was written.
- Both/and (already declared, not yet fully ended): The covenant was declared obsolete in principle at the cross (perfect tense) but continued on the ground in Jewish life until the temple fell — a 'velveteen rabbit' wearing out.
What is clear: The new covenant renders the old covenant obsolete; the old is in the process of passing away, and believers are to live in the reality of the new.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the 'new covenant' | It refers to the covenant promised in Jeremiah 31, which involves internal transformation and forgiveness. | Christians generally see it as entirely replacing the Sinai covenant; some messianic Jewish and other traditions view it as a renewal of the same covenant rather than a replacement. |
| Timing of obsolescence | The old covenant was rendered obsolete at the moment God announced the new; it was already in decline. | Some argue its final end came at Christ's death (the 'perfect tense' of πεπαλαίωκεν); others emphasize the gradual fading metaphor and connect it to the AD 70 destruction. |
| Role of the Mosaic Law after Christ | The old covenant as a system of ordinances and sacrifices is no longer the way to approach God. | Some hold the entire law is obsolete for believers; others maintain the moral law (as distinct from ceremonial) remains valid. |
| Implications for God's relationship with Israel | God's faithfulness to Israel is affirmed; the new covenant is made with the house of Israel and Judah (v. 10). | Some see the church as the new Israel, inheriting the promises; others affirm a distinct ongoing covenant with ethnic Israel. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The immediate context of Hebrews 8 is a sustained argument that Christ's priesthood belongs to a superior covenant. The author has just quoted the longest Old Testament passage in the New Testament, Jeremiah 31:31, 34, to establish that God himself promised a new covenant. That prophecy was given to Israel in exile, when the old covenant had already failed because the people 'did not continue in my covenant' (v. 9). The writer of Hebrews addresses Jewish Christians who were tempted to return to the familiar rituals of the Mosaic system after suffering persecution. He argues that the very Scriptures they revered show those rituals were never final.
Historically, the temple still stood when this letter was written. The phrase 'ready to vanish away' (ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ) carries urgency. Early readers would have associated such language with the threats of judgment that hung over Jerusalem before AD 70 (see Matthew 24:2, 34). The imagery of decay, an old garment, a worn-out law, draws on common metaphors from Isaiah 51:6 and the Psalms. Clarke notes that Jewish rabbis themselves spoke of a new law in the messianic age, so the author is not inventing a new idea but pressing the conclusion from Scripture: if God promises something new, the old must give way. The covenant made at Sinai, good and gracious in its time, was never intended to be permanent. It served as a tutor until the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:24). Paul's argument in this verse is that Jeremiah's prophecy itself, by naming a 'new covenant,' pronounces the first covenant obsolete.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Hebrews 8:13. The reading is secure across major manuscripts.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Irenaeus and Origen used Hebrews 8:13 to contrast the old law with the new gospel, often in debates with Judaizing groups. Augustine saw it as a prophecy of the church's supersession of the synagogue, though modern readers read it with greater attention to the continuing Jewish covenant. During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther appealed to this verse to argue that the old covenant was wholly replaced by a new basis for justification, grace through faith. In later Reformed and Methodist teaching, the verse anchored covenant theology, distinguishing the 'old' as a temporary administration of grace. More recently, this passage has been examined in Jewish-Christian dialogue, where it is handled with care to avoid supersessionist rhetoric while affirming that the new covenant in Christ fulfills the prophetic hope of Jeremiah 31.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's own word nullifies the old. By calling the coming covenant 'new' (καινήν), God himself declares the first covenant 'old' (πεπαλαίωκεν, a permanent designation). The logic is simple: if there is a new, the old is no longer current.
- The old covenant is fading away. The present participles (παλαιούμενον and γηρᾶσκον) show a process of decay that was already underway in Jeremiah's time. It is not a sudden death but a gradual passing, like a garment wearing out.
- The new covenant brings permanent renewal. The old is 'near vanishing', a disappearance that the writer sees as imminent. Christians now live in the reality of the new covenant: hearts inscribed with God's law, sins remembered no more.
Five-point outline
- The argument from the word 'new.' The prophecy in Jeremiah 31 uses καινός, new in kind, not just recent. That single word implies a contrast with what is old and obsolete.
- The old covenant is already antiquated. The verb πεπαλαίωκεν (perfect tense) means the old covenant has been rendered obsolete by the very promise of a new one. This is a divine decree, not merely human inference.
- A process of decay under way. The pair of present participles (growing old, aging) show a covenant that is weak and nearing its end, like a building that has cracked foundations.
- Nearness of dissolution. The phrase 'near to vanishing away' (ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ) suggests the end is close. For the first readers, that end came with the destruction of the temple.
- Application: Receive the new with confidence. The new covenant is not a remote future hope; it is the present reality for believers. We approach God through Christ, not through repeated sacrifices.
Illustration hooks
- A lease agreement that expires. Once a new lease is signed, the old one is considered void, even if the moving day is still weeks away. The new covenant declaration voided the old in principle, though its full end was still coming.
- A photograph left in the sun. It does not vanish instantly, but each day it grows fainter, losing detail. The old covenant was already fading when Jeremiah spoke, and it kept fading until it was gone.
- A medical prescription that loses its force when a better treatment arrives. The old remedy worked for a time, but when the cure comes, the temporary measure is set aside.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean the Old Testament is no longer important for Christians?
- If the old covenant is obsolete, what do we do with the Ten Commandments and the Law?
- How should we understand God's relationship with Jewish people today in light of this passage?
Leading a Discussion
Hebrews 8:13 sits at a pivot point: the author has just shown from Jeremiah 31 that God promised a new covenant. Now he drives home the point, that very promise renders the first covenant obsolete. For a small group, this verse raises questions about how the old and new covenants relate and what it means to live in the new covenant today.
Discussion questions
- Read the immediate context (Hebrews 8:6, 13). Why does the author spend so much time quoting Jeremiah 31? What is the thrust of his argument?
- The verse hinges on the word 'new.' In everyday life, what does the word 'new' imply about something called 'old'? How does the author use this ordinary logic?
- Look at the Greek verb πεπαλαίωκεν (he has made old). It is a perfect tense, a past action with ongoing results. How does the grammar shape the argument? Does it matter that this was God's action, not human reasoning?
- The covenant is described as 'becoming obsolete and aging' (present participles). Why does the author emphasize the process rather than just the final end? What does that tell us about how God transitions from old to new?
- How does this passage affect your view of the Old Testament? Are the laws and stories of the old covenant still binding, or do they serve a different purpose now?
- Some Christians understand the old covenant to have ended at the cross; others see its final dissolution at the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. How does the language of Hebrews 8 support either view? Why might both be part of a larger truth?
- The new covenant promises that God will write his laws on our hearts. In what specific ways have you experienced that promise in your own life? What does it mean to live under a covenant where sin is remembered no more?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 51:6 | Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish away like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment. Its inhabitants will die in the same way, but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not be abolished. |
| Matthew 24:35 | Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. |
| I Corinthians 13:8 | Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. |
| II Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. |
| Hebrews 7:11 | Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? |
| Hebrews 7:12 | For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. |
| Hebrews 7:18 | For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness |
| Hebrews 7:19 | (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the apostle's cautious phrasing about the old covenant's end: he says it is "ready to vanish away" rather than declaring it already abolished, to avoid unnecessary offense. Clarke supports this by showing the Greek term means a legal abolition and by citing rabbinic traditions that also expected a new law to be revealed in the Messiah's time.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that calling the covenant new automatically makes the old one obsolete. He applies the general principle that anything growing old and decaying is about to disappear, concluding that the Jewish system had lost its vitality and was destined to vanish.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The very name "New Covenant" declares the old one obsolete the moment it is spoken. The phrase "ready to vanish away" proves this letter was written before Jerusalem fell, when the old system's end was decreed but not yet carried out. Even Jewish rabbis sometimes admitted the Law would eventually cease.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the very name "new Testament" declares the old one abrogated and annulled. If something is called new, the previous arrangement is obsolete and already fading toward disappearance. The wording itself shows the old covenant's authority has ended.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues the first covenant is called "old" not because it was ancient, but because it was faulty, weak, and nearing dissolution. He traces its gradual disappearance from the Babylonian captivity through Christ's death to the destruction of Jerusalem, showing it was already vanishing when Hebrews was written.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the single word "new" in Jeremiah renders the first covenant obsolete from the moment God spoke it. The Greek term implies a completely different kind that supersedes the old, not merely something recent. Both covenants cannot coexist, and the old gradually decayed until the Gospel fully replaced it.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Christ's priestly service surpasses the old order because the New Covenant rests on promises that address the Old Covenant's internal failure: God writes His law on hearts, grants universal direct knowledge of Himself, and gives full forgiveness, thereby declaring the first covenant obsolete by its own prophetic testimony.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that the heart of Christian teaching lies in distinguishing the covenant of works from the covenant of grace, and within that, the Old and New Testament dispensations. Christ's ministry is superior because He mediates a better covenant, one founded on better promises.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek wording shows the writer considered the old covenant obsolete already in Jeremiah's time, so that announcing a new covenant itself abrogates the old. He adds that the new covenant's provisions — inward law, intimate knowledge of God, and radical dealing with sin — are designed to correct the old covenant's defects.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley treats the phrase "a new covenant" as itself the proof that the old covenant is now obsolete and out of date. He adds that what has become antiquated was on the verge of disappearing, which soon happened when the temple was destroyed.