| Testament | Covenant |
|---|---|
| Testator | Covenant maker |
| Gift | Mediator |
| Heirs | Death of sacrifice |
| Conditions | Relationship established |
| Death of testator | |
| Probated | |
| Executor | |
| When conditions met, and the gift received, it is not reversible. | Must continue in the conditions of the covenant to maintain this relationship. |
- Hebrews 9:15 – Some translations render this as “testament” rather than “covenant,” but this is clearly talking about a covenant relationship.
| Old Covenant | New Covenant | |
|---|---|---|
| God | Maker | God |
| Moses | Mediator | Jesus |
| Sacrifice | Animal | Jesus |
| Those who kept the conditions of the covenant. | People | Those who keep the conditions of the covenant. |
-
Hebrews 9:16 – The word here often translated as “testator” is translated as “appointed” or other words in other places. This gives the erroneous idea that this is a legal will.
- In this text:
- There is a covenant maker.
- There is a mediator.
- There is a blood sacrifice.
- The mediator is the sacrifice.
- The mediator died for the redemption of those who lived under a former covenant.
- Is parallel to the first covenant.
- In this text:
-
Hebrews 9:19-22 – Both the book and the people were sprinkled with blood in the Old Covenant. Today we must be sprinkled with blood in a spiritual sense (i.e., blood purified) to be acceptable