THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT

By: Jack Guyler

What is the difference between the Old Covenant found in the Old Testament and the New Covenant found in the New Testament that Jesus talked about? And what does it mean in Hebrews 8:13 where it says the Old Covenant which is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear?

First, let’s understand that there wasn’t just one covenant in the Old Testament. There were several including ones made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. Each were different, but all shared the sense that they were permanent and that while God was holy and perfect, and could always keep his side of the covenant; He made covenants with humans who were unable to keep their side of the covenant. The word “covenant” in the Hebrew has its roots in the idea of “to cut.” A covenant always involved cutting or some sacrifice such as circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant or the shedding or sprinkling of blood in the one with Moses and the Israelites. In the New Testament (NT), it clarifies the difference between covenants of law and promise. Paul talks about this in Galatians 4:24-26 where one originates at Mount Sinai and the other in New Jerusalem.

Paul argues that the covenant of law is a ministry of death and condemnation because people are unable to keep the covenant. The covenant of promise (Ephesians 2:11-13) is one that God guarantees despite humans not being able to keep their side of it. It is a covenant of God’s faithfulness and unconditional love.

Also keep in mind, that all covenants were made with the nation of Israel. When Jesus talks about the new covenant at the last supper, He was doing so in the context of Jewish Passover and the traditional meal they shared together. It was only after that, that He introduced what we call “communion” in giving the bread and cup new meaning and using it to point to Himself and the new covenant that He was making between God and the Jewish people. Jesus was first the Jewish Messiah. He came to save Israel. He also would include all people in this covenant including Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-18).

This would create great arguments and division in the early church until they came to resolve that the new covenant of grace was for both Jews, Gentiles, and all people on earth.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God promises to make Israel into a great nation and that “all people on earth will be blessed through you.” What did He mean? We have come to believe this means that the Jewish Messiah would come to the Jewish people and that through Him, God would bless all people – even those not Jewish – with grace and salvation.

In other words, the covenants were between God and his people, the nation of Israel; but that God would include all persons into this covenant (Ephesians 2).

Why is the New Covenant that Jesus talks about in Luke 22 better than the old covenant? Why does Hebrews 8:6 say it is a “better covenant?”

First, remember this doesn’t mean the old covenant was no good or that it should be discarded. Rather it means the new covenant is an extension and fulfillment of the old covenant (really many covenants that were made in the OT period between God and his people). It was Jeremiah that announced that a new covenant was coming (Jeremiah 31:31-36). The old covenant required perpetual sacrifices and the shedding of blood as a sign of the covenant. The death of Jesus becomes the final and full sacrifice to establish the new covenant of grace and allows Him to become our living high priest who intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:14-16).

In other words, Jesus fulfills the old covenant and laws that taught such things as “love your neighbor” and putting God first in your life. These aren’t done away with by the new covenant, but fulfilled and emphasized even more as we live by grace under the new covenant that Jesus has provided.

Dr. Joshua Martin puts it this way, “The Sinai covenant is thus reconstituted, renewed and extended through the blood of Jesus, whose sacrificial blood seals the bond between God and his covenant people, now including the nations (as promised to Abraham). In the last supper accounts, we find that the NT holds together the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant in the sacrifice of Jesus [1].

So, what is the real difference between the old covenant and the new covenant? First, the new covenant is sealed by the blood of Christ. It points us toward God in Christ and that He was reconciling us to Himself. Rather than looking to sacrifices or ourselves as sources of reconciliation to God, through the new covenant, we look to Jesus.

The second difference is found in the words of Jeremiah 31:33  where he writes what the Lord says, “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts…” It isn’t a new law but rather the location of it that is different or new. Rather than it being written on stone, on paper or typed on a computer, it is in our hearts. As Gerald McDermott puts it, “It’s in Jeremiah where the covenant is not revoked but pressed deeper into the hearts of God’s people.” [2]

This makes sense. Jesus talked about hearts changing, not just keeping outward laws and ceremonies. What is most meaningful to us as people, we carry in our hearts. We carry love for family, for our pets, for others deeply in our hearts. This is where these heartfelt emotions and

feeling reside. This is also true for those who are in covenant with God. The new covenant gives words and life to our relationship with God. It isn’t just about consuming something from God or escaping hell or being found not guilty of sin because of God’s grace; but rather the new covenant represents a heartfelt relationship with God – a yearning for Him – a deep desire to know Him and live for Him.  It is a covenant established on grace, but not just a grace that provides forgiveness, but a life of forgiveness that allows us to live by the Spirit and extend love and grace to others around us even when we don’t think they deserve it. This is what the new covenant is – pressed into our hearts that we have been forgiven so we can forgive others.

In conclusion, the new covenant established by Jesus was an extension and fulfillment of the previous old covenants. The laws of God, to love Him and love others haven’t changed; they have just changed locations from tablets and stones to our hearts. When we allow the laws of God – His heart of love to press into ours – this is when we experience the new covenant of living in relationship with God.

[1] Old Covenant vs New Covenant? A Better Way to Understand God’s Promises (article posted in The Biblical Mind, 7/8/2025), Dr. Joshua Martin

[2] Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2017) by Gerald McDermott