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Genesis 43:9
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

Genesis 44:32
For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

Proverbs 6:1
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend,if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

of a.

Hebrews 8:6-12
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises…

Hebrews 9:15-23
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressionsthat were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance…

Hebrews 12:24
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things thanthat of Abel.

testament.

Jesus has become
This phrase emphasizes the active role of Jesus in fulfilling the divine promise. Unlike the Levitical priests who were appointed by the law, Jesus' priesthood is established by God's direct intervention and promise. The use of "has become" indicates a completed action with ongoing significance, highlighting the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This transformation is central to the message of Hebrews, which presents Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

the guarantee
In the ancient world, a guarantee was a pledge or assurance of fulfillment. Jesus as the "guarantee" signifies that He is the surety or assurance of the new covenant's promises. This role is unique to Jesus, as He not only mediates the covenant but also ensures its effectiveness and permanence. The concept of a guarantee in this context implies a legal and binding assurance, reflecting the certainty and reliability of the new covenant established through Christ.

of a better covenant
The "better covenant" refers to the new covenant prophesied inJeremiah 31:31-34, which promises a more intimate relationship between God and His people, characterized by internal transformation and forgiveness of sins. This covenant is superior to the old Mosaic covenant, which was based on external laws and rituals. The new covenant, established through Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection, offers a direct and personal relationship with God, fulfilling the law's requirements and providing eternal redemption. This superiority is a key theme in Hebrews, which contrasts the limitations of the old covenant with the perfection and completeness of the new covenant in Christ.

God Himself swore an unbreakable promise: “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4).Hebrews 7:20-21 reminds us that unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus’ priesthood is secured by that divine oath. Because “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18), this oath forms an immovable foundation for our confidence.

• Levitical priests were appointed by birth and ended by death (Hebrews 7:23).

• Jesus’ appointment rests on God’s sworn word and is “forever” (Hebrews 7:24).

• Every promise in the new covenant stands or falls with the reliability of that oath—and God’s character guarantees it.

The verse shifts from the oath to the Person: “Jesus has become.” He did not merely receive a title; He lived, died, rose, and ascended to embody it. “God has made this Jesus…both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). In taking on flesh (Hebrews 2:17) and conquering death (Revelation 1:18), He fulfilled every requirement for an eternal High Priest.

• His incarnation qualified Him to represent humanity (Philippians 2:6-8).

• His resurrection proved His priesthood undefeatable (Hebrews 7:16).

• His enthronement at God’s right hand anchors our hope (Hebrews 10:12-13).

A “guarantee” is the one who personally backs every promise. Jesus is “the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). By His own blood He pledged to pay every cost and to secure every blessing for His people.

• His sacrifice satisfies God’s justice once for all (Hebrews 9:12).

• His risen life means He “always lives to intercede” (Hebrews 7:25).

• His Spirit within us is “a pledge of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14).

Because He stands as surety, the covenant cannot fail.

The old covenant, written on stone, exposed sin but could not erase it. The new covenant, written on hearts, provides true forgiveness and transforming power (Jeremiah 31:31-34;Hebrews 8:8-12). It is “better” because:

• It rests on Christ’s finished work, not repeated sacrifices (Hebrews 10:12-18).

• It grants direct access to the Father (Hebrews 10:19-22).

• It gives permanent cleansing and a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

• It is sealed by Christ’s own blood: “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20).

What the old covenant foreshadowed, the new covenant fulfills—forever.

Hebrews 7:22 packs four truths: God’s irrevocable oath, Jesus’ ordained priesthood, His role as personal guarantor, and the surpassing excellence of the new covenant. Because the Father swore an oath, the Son became the unshakable surety, ensuring that every promise of the better covenant is ours—now and eternally.

This is the first occurrence in this Epistle of a very interesting word (diath?k?) which hereafter will occupy an important place in the argument. Throughout the Greek translation of the Old Testament it is used to represent a Hebrew word which is (more than 200 times) rightly renderedcovenant in our version; and, like the Hebrew word, it is applied both to mutual agreements between man and man, and to "covenants" or engagements into which God enters in regardto man. In classical writersdiath?k? commonly denotes atestament; and hence in the old Latin translation of the Scripturestestamentum became the common rendering of the word. As, however, this rendering is very often found where it is impossible to think of such a meaning aswill (for example, inPsalm 83:5, where no one will suppose the Psalmist to say that the enemies of God "have arranged atestament against Him"), it is plain that the Latintestamentum was used with an extended meaning, answering to the wide application of the Greek word. St. Paul's designation of the Jewish Scriptures as "the Old Covenant" (2Corinthians 3:14) thus became familiarly known asThe Old Testament. In the New Testament the Authorised version more commonly presents the better rendering; but, through the influence of the Latin,testament is retained in several places--viz., in the various accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper; in2Corinthians 3:6;2Corinthians 3:14; inRevelation 11:19 ("the ark of His testament," a very strange translation); in the present verse; and especially in the very important passage,Hebrews 9:15-20. There is a very general agreement of opinion that "covenant" must be the true meaning in all passages of the New Testament except the one last mentioned; and even in that place there are strong reasons for retaining the same rendering. (See the Note onHebrews 9:15.) In this verse, at all events, we cannot doubt that the writer is thinking of a covenant. (SeeHebrews 8:6;Hebrews 8:8.) Here only is Jesus spoken of as Surety, elsewhere as Mediator (Hebrews 8:6;Hebrews 9:15;Hebrews 12:24). As through the Son of Man the covenant becomes established, so in Him it remains secure; the words addressed by God to Him as Priest and King contain the pledge of its validity and permanence. . . .

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