The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

34 Jeremiah (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:8-12). Although the passage in Jeremiah is not specific as to the time when the new covenant will replace the old, the fact that it would at some point replace the old is undeniable. The time element is powerfully addressed by the author in the verse immediately following the quotation from Jeremiah: "By calling this covenant "new ," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear (8: 13). The words obsolete, aging and soon disappear address the issue in a sensitive and tactful way: it is now time for the covenant promised by God in Jeremiah to be realized and thus to replace Moses (8: 13). 49 Statement of relevance: The new covenant is now in effect and has displaced the old 9: 1-28. The fact of Jesus' priesthood has been proven in chapter seven and the principle of a new covenant replacing an old has been introduced in chapter eight. Now the author clearly s~tates that the old covenant is not about to disappear, but actually has disappeared. He makes his· point by focusing upon the time when the old covenant was di placed by the new covenant. The author begins his argument by mentioning some of the regulation of worship of the old covenant; in particular he list the furniture of the tabernacle (9: 1-7). 0 This di cu sion of cultic furniture i curiou because hi relatively detailed de ripti n a common knowledge to every reader leaving the need to recite it in qu ti n. H an tre in thi ecti n in ol t her addre th , that th t b rn 1 b t ith th timin f n nt. hat th r th n th t mpl lk. tta h d th t bh hm nt t th ld n· nt t