Bible Study: What Is the Old Covenant and What Is the New Covenant?

Question

What is the Old Covenant and what is the New Covenant? Investigate the Sinai covenant formation (Exo 19-24): God proposes, Israel accepts, the terms are the Ten Commandments (Deu 4:13), and the covenant is ratified by blood (Exo 24:3-8). Examine Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:6-13. What exactly is "old" -- the law itself or the arrangement/administration? Is the difference between the old and new covenants the CONTENT of the law, or the LOCATION/POWER/MEDIATOR/BASIS? Does the new covenant abolish God's moral law, or does it write the same law on hearts?

Methodology

Read the full methodology file at: D:/bible/bible-studies/law-series-methodology.md

This study is part of the Law of God series. Apply the following methodology:

INVESTIGATIVE METHODOLOGY:
- You are an investigator, not an advocate. Your job is to report what the evidence says.
- Gather evidence from ALL sides. If a passage is cited by those who say the law continues, examine it honestly. If a passage is cited by those who say the law is abolished, examine it honestly.
- Do NOT assume your conclusion before examining the evidence.
- Do NOT state opinions. State what the text says. Do not use editorial characterizations like "genuine tension," "strongest argument," "most significant challenge," "honestly acknowledge," or "non-intuitive reading." Simply state what each passage says and what each side infers from it.
- When presenting findings, state: "The text says X" (explicit). Then state: "From this, Y interpretation infers Z" and "W interpretation infers V" (inferred).
- Never use language like "irrefutable," "obviously," or "clearly proves." Use "the text states," "this is consistent with."
- The conclusion should emerge FROM the evidence, not be imposed ON it.

Master evidence file: D:/bible/bible-studies/law-master-evidence.md

Prior Study Conclusions

Read ALL of the following before beginning research. These establish the cumulative evidence base:

1. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-01-gods-moral-law/CONCLUSION.md -- God's moral law (Decalogue): 7 unique markers, attributes mirror God's character, law on hearts in new covenant
2. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-02-law-before-sinai/CONCLUSION.md -- Law before Sinai: moral law operated from creation; Sabbath at creation; Abraham kept commandments
3. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-03-exodus-20-vs-later-laws/CONCLUSION.md -- Exodus 20 vs. later laws: five dimensions of distinction between Decalogue and subsequent legislation
4. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-04-ceremonial-laws/CONCLUSION.md -- Ceremonial laws: five categories; shadow/type vocabulary exclusively ceremonial
5. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-05-civil-judicial-laws/CONCLUSION.md -- Civil/judicial laws: mishpatim as case-law applications of Decalogue moral principles; NT transfers judicial function to government/church
6. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-06-hebrew-law-vocabulary/CONCLUSION.md -- Hebrew law vocabulary: terms describe formal character, not moral category; eduth has unique Decalogue association
7. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-07-law-of-moses/CONCLUSION.md -- "Law of Moses": comprehensive Pentateuchal legislation; "law of God"/"law of the LORD" interchangeable as labels; Paul's "law of God" in Rom 7-8 = Decalogue specifically
8. D:/bible/bible-studies/law-08-abolished-at-cross/CONCLUSION.md -- Abolished at the cross: seven NT abolition passages; none explicitly names the Decalogue as abolished; Greek vocabulary in each passage specifies ceremonial referent; dogma never used for Decalogue; cheirographon = hand-written (Decalogue was God-written); 2 Cor 3:7 grammar: feminine participle agrees with "glory," not "law"

Discovered Scope

Topics Found (from naves_semantic.py)

Topic	Score	Relevance
COVENANT	0.89	Primary topic -- contains subcategories for Sacred, Binding, Blood of, Book of, Mosaic law called a covenant, OF GOD WITH MEN, THE SECOND COVENANT
EXODUS	0.50	Sinai covenant formation narrative
TESTAMENT	0.49	NT testament terminology; the new testament (Mat 26:28; Mrk 14:24; Luk 22:20; 1Co 11:25)
TEN COMMANDMENTS	0.43	Covenant terms identified as the Ten Commandments (Deu 4:13)
COMMANDMENTS	0.42	Broader commandment references
LAW	0.48	Law written on hearts, moral law concept
HEART	0.45	Internal transformation, new heart, law on hearts
MORAL LAW	0.45	The moral law as distinct category
CONSCIENCE	0.33	Law written on hearts / internal moral awareness
SINAI	0.47	Mountain where old covenant was formed; law delivered to Moses
BLOOD	0.39	Blood of covenant ratification; blood of Christ
MOSES	0.37	Mediator of old covenant

Verse References (from Nave's entries)

COVENANT -- Primary Nave's Entry

Subcategories and key references: - Sacred/Binding: Gal 3:15; Heb 6:16-18 - Blood of: Exo 24:5-8; Zec 9:11; Heb 9:18-20; Heb 13:20 - Book of: Exo 24:7; 2Ki 23:2-3,21 - Mosaic law called a covenant: Exo 34:28; Deu 4:13; Deu 29:1,9; 1Ki 8:21; 2Ch 6:11 - OF GOD WITH MEN (Conditions of): Exo 19:5; Deu 11:13-17; 26:16-18; 28:1-14; 30:1-20; 2Sa 7:12-16; Jer 11:1-8; Jer 31:31-34 - THE SECOND COVENANT: Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:4-13; Heb 12:18-24; Heb 13:20

TESTAMENT

• A will: Heb 9:16-18
• The new: Mat 26:28; Mrk 14:24; Luk 22:20; 1Co 11:25

SINAI

• Mountain where God gave the law to Moses: Exo 16:1; 19:2-25; 24:16; 31:18; 34:2,4,29,32; Lev 7:38; 25:1; 26:46; 27:34; Num 3:1; Neh 9:13; Psa 68:8,17; Act 7:30,38

BLOOD

• Of covenant: Exo 24:5-8; Heb 9:18-20; Heb 13:20; Zec 9:11
• Of Christ: Mat 26:28; Mrk 14:24; Luk 22:20; 1Co 11:25; Heb 9:12-14; 10:19; 12:24; 13:20; 1Pe 1:2,19; 1Jo 1:7; Rev 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11

HEART -- RENEWED

• Deu 30:6; Psa 51:10; Eze 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Rom 2:29; Eph 4:23; Col 3:10

Strong's Numbers Found (from semantic_strongs.py)

Strong's	Word	Transliteration	Relevance	Score
H1285	berith	b'rith	"covenant" -- the primary Hebrew covenant term; used for both old and new covenants	0.503
H3772	karath	karath	"to cut" -- used in the idiom "to cut a covenant" (karath berith)	0.420
G1242	diatheke	diatheke	"covenant/testament" -- NT Greek equivalent of berith; used in Heb 8:6-13 for both covenants	(from naves_db)
G3316	mesites	mesites	"mediator" -- Christ as mediator of the new covenant (Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24)	0.398
G3315	mesiteuo	mesiteuo	"to mediate" -- verbal form; Heb 6:17	0.425
G1450	engyos	engyos	"surety/guarantee" -- Jesus as surety of a better covenant (Heb 7:22)	0.406
G1860	epangelia	epangelia	"promise" -- new covenant established on better promises (Heb 8:6)	0.395
G1861	epangello	epangello	"to promise" -- verbal form of promise	0.416
G3822	palaioo	palaioo	"to make old/obsolete" -- "he hath made the first old" (Heb 8:13)	0.404
G854	aphanismos	aphanismos	"vanishing/disappearance" -- "ready to vanish away" (Heb 8:13)	0.382
G2647	kataluo	kataluo	"to destroy/dissolve" -- "I am not come to destroy the law" (Mat 5:17)	0.364
G1449	engrapho	engrapho	"to write in/inscribe" -- law written on hearts (2 Cor 3:2-3)	0.366
H3824	lebab	lebab	"heart/inner man" -- "write it in their hearts" (Jer 31:33)	0.353
H3820	leb	leb	"heart" -- alternate form; frequently paired with covenant language	0.336
G2588	kardia	kardia	"heart" -- NT Greek; "I will put my laws into their hearts" (Heb 8:10; 10:16)	0.278
G4473	rhantismos	rhantismos	"sprinkling" -- blood sprinkling in covenant ratification (Heb 12:24; 1Pe 1:2)	0.488
H5137	nazah	nazah	"to sprinkle" -- Moses sprinkled the blood of the covenant (Exo 24:6-8)	0.484
G129	haima	haima	"blood" -- blood of the covenant; blood of Christ	0.440
H1086	balah	balah	"to wear out/become old" -- used of things that decay	0.384
G4934	syntithemai	syntithemai	"to agree/covenant together" -- mutual agreement	0.408

Related Existing Studies

Study	Score	Relevance
old-covenant-new-covenant	0.680	Directly related prior study -- investigated the old/new covenant definitions; found the law does not change between covenants; the LOCATION, POWER, MEDIATOR, and BASIS change
covenant-relationship-to-law	0.563	Investigated whether the new covenant abolishes God's moral law; found the new covenant ESTABLISHES the moral law by writing it on hearts through the Holy Spirit
law-02-law-before-sinai	0.461	Established moral law operated from creation through Sinai
gods-moral-law	0.400	Established 7 unique Decalogue markers and law-on-hearts promise
law-of-moses	0.391	Established "law of Moses" = comprehensive Pentateuchal legislation

Key findings from related studies:

The existing old-covenant-new-covenant study (non-series, pre-methodology) concluded: - Old covenant = bilateral agreement at Sinai, founded on Israel's promise ("we will do") - Covenant terms = Ten Commandments (Deu 4:13; Exo 34:28) - Ratified by ox blood (Exo 24:8) - "Fault" was with the PEOPLE, not the law (Heb 8:8, Greek memphomenos autous) - New covenant = God's promise to write the SAME law on hearts (Jer 31:33) - The law does not change between covenants; the LOCATION, POWER, MEDIATOR, and BASIS change

The existing covenant-relationship-to-law study (non-series, pre-methodology) concluded: - New covenant does NOT abolish God's moral law -- it writes the SAME law (torah/nomos) on hearts - Jer 31:33 uses torah (H8451); Heb 8:10/10:16 uses nomos (G3551) -- the standard terms - Eze 36:27 confirms the Spirit causes obedience to the SAME statutes (chuqqot) and judgments (mishpatim) - Rom 3:31: faith establishes (histemi) the law - Rom 8:4: the law's righteous requirement is fulfilled in us through the Spirit - Heb 10:16 occurs WITHIN the passage that terminates the ceremonial system (vv.1-9), showing ceremonial ends while moral continues

IMPORTANT: These prior studies were conducted BEFORE the law-series methodology was developed. They do NOT use the Evidence Classification system (E/N/I tiers), the Decision Trees, or the SIS principle. This study (law-09) must re-examine all the same material using the full methodology, including positional classification of every evidence item through the Decision Trees. The prior studies provide useful reference but their conclusions must be independently verified through the methodology.

Focus Areas

The following focus areas are derived from tool discoveries, not from training knowledge:

1. Covenant formation and structure (Exo 19-24): The Nave's COVENANT entry identifies the Sinai covenant with specific sub-categories (Sacred, Binding, Blood of, Book of). Investigate the bilateral structure: God proposes (Exo 19:5-6), Israel accepts (Exo 19:8; 24:3,7), terms defined (Deu 4:13 = Ten Commandments), blood ratification (Exo 24:5-8). Use H1285 (berith) and H3772 (karath, "cut a covenant") to trace covenant-making vocabulary.

2. The "second covenant" / new covenant texts (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:4-13; 12:18-24; 13:20): The Nave's COVENANT entry explicitly lists these under "THE SECOND COVENANT." Investigate what is promised in the new covenant: law on hearts (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10; 10:16), knowledge of God (Jer 31:34), forgiveness of sins (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12). Use G1242 (diatheke) to trace the NT covenant terminology.

3. Mediator and surety vocabulary (G3316 mesites; G1450 engyos): Heb 8:6 calls Jesus "the mediator of a better covenant, established upon better promises." Heb 7:22 calls Jesus "surety" (engyos) of a better testament. Investigate the mediator contrast: Moses as mediator of old covenant vs. Christ as mediator of new covenant. How does the change of mediator relate to the change of covenant?

4. Blood of covenant ratification (H5137 nazah; G4473 rhantismos; G129 haima): Exo 24:5-8 (ox blood sprinkled on people); Heb 9:18-20 (the first testament dedicated with blood); Heb 12:24 ("blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel"); Heb 13:20 ("the blood of the everlasting covenant"). Investigate the blood continuity/contrast between old and new covenants.

5. "Made old" / "vanish away" vocabulary (G3822 palaioo; G854 aphanismos): Heb 8:13 uses palaioo ("he hath made the first old") and aphanismos ("ready to vanish away"). What exactly is "old" and "vanishing"? Is it the law itself, or the covenant arrangement/administration? The prior studies found the "fault" was with the people (Heb 8:8), not the law.

6. Law written on hearts vocabulary (G1449 engrapho; H3824 lebab; G2588 kardia): Jer 31:33 promises law in "inward parts" (lebab/qereb); Heb 8:10/10:16 uses kardia (heart) and dianoia (mind); 2 Cor 3:3 uses engrapho (inscribe). Investigate what is written on hearts -- is it the same law that was on stone, or a different law? Eze 36:26-27 promises a "new heart" and the Spirit causes obedience to the same statutes/judgments.

7. Heart renewal texts (from Nave's HEART-RENEWED): Deu 30:6; Psa 51:10; Eze 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Rom 2:29; Eph 4:23; Col 3:10. These passages describe the internal transformation that the new covenant accomplishes. Do they confirm that the law's content remains the same while the heart's condition changes?

8. Heb 8:6 "better covenant" / "better promises" (G1860 epangelia): What are the "better promises" of the new covenant? Are they better because the LAW is different, or because the BASIS is different (God's promise vs. human promise)?

9. The contrast between Sinai and new covenant (Heb 12:18-24): The Nave's entry lists this passage under THE SECOND COVENANT. The passage contrasts "the mount that might be touched" (Sinai) with "mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem." Investigate what the contrast is about -- different law or different administration?

10. Relationship to abolition passages (from law-08): Law-08 established that none of the seven NT abolition passages names the Decalogue as abolished. How does this finding relate to the old/new covenant transition? If the covenant terms are the Ten Commandments (Deu 4:13), and the new covenant writes the same law on hearts (Jer 31:33), then the covenant transition is not about abolishing the moral law.

Key Passages to Retrieve

Retrieve full verse text with context for all of the following:

Old Covenant Formation

• Exo 19:3-8 (God's proposal, Israel's acceptance)
• Exo 20:1-17 (The Ten Commandments -- covenant terms)
• Exo 24:1-8 (Covenant ratification by blood)
• Exo 24:12 (tables of stone)
• Exo 31:18 (tables of testimony, written with finger of God)
• Exo 34:27-28 (words of the covenant, the ten commandments)
• Deu 4:13 (his covenant = ten commandments)
• Deu 5:1-3 (the covenant at Horeb)
• Deu 9:9-11 (tables of the covenant)
• Deu 29:1 (these are the words of the covenant)

New Covenant Prophecy and Promise

• Jer 31:31-34 (the new covenant promise -- central text)
• Eze 11:19-20 (new heart, new spirit, walk in my statutes)
• Eze 36:26-27 (new heart, Spirit causes obedience to statutes/judgments)
• Deu 30:6 (circumcise thine heart)

New Covenant NT Exposition

• Heb 8:1-13 (better covenant, better promises, Jer 31 quotation, first made old)
• Heb 9:1-4 (first covenant had ordinances of divine service)
• Heb 9:11-22 (blood of the new covenant; Christ as mediator)
• Heb 10:1-18 (sacrifices removed, law on hearts -- vv.15-17)
• Heb 12:18-24 (Sinai vs. Sion contrast; Jesus mediator of new covenant)
• Heb 13:20 (the blood of the everlasting covenant)
• Heb 7:22 (Jesus surety of a better testament)
• 2 Cor 3:1-18 (letter vs. spirit; glory of old vs. new)
• Mat 26:28; Luk 22:20 (this cup is the new testament in my blood)
• Rom 3:31 (faith establishes the law)
• Rom 8:3-4 (law's righteous requirement fulfilled in us)
• Gal 3:15-22 (covenant cannot be disannulled; promise to Abraham)
• Gal 4:21-31 (allegory of two covenants)

Heart Renewal and Transformation

• Psa 51:10 (create in me a clean heart)
• Psa 40:8 (thy law is within my heart)
• Rom 2:14-15 (law written in hearts of Gentiles)
• Rom 2:29 (circumcision of the heart)

Covenant Terms / Commandments Continuity

• 1 Cor 7:19 (keeping the commandments of God)
• 1 Jo 5:3 (this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments)
• Rev 14:12 (keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus)
• Mat 5:17-19 (not come to destroy the law)
• Joh 14:15 (if ye love me keep my commandments)

Hebrew/Greek Vocabulary to Analyze

Covenant Terms

• H1285 berith -- "covenant"; trace through old covenant formation and new covenant promise passages
• H3772 karath -- "to cut"; the idiom "karath berith" = "to cut a covenant"
• G1242 diatheke -- "covenant/testament"; NT equivalent; trace through Hebrews
• G3316 mesites -- "mediator"; Christ vs. Moses as covenant mediators
• G1450 engyos -- "surety/guarantee"; Christ as surety (Heb 7:22)

Covenant Transition Terms

• G3822 palaioo -- "to make old"; Heb 8:13
• G854 aphanismos -- "vanishing/disappearance"; Heb 8:13
• G2647 kataluo -- "to destroy/dissolve"; Mat 5:17 (NOT come to destroy)
• G2476 histemi -- "to establish"; Rom 3:31 (we establish the law)

Heart/Internalization Terms

• H3824 lebab / H3820 leb -- "heart"; where the law is written in new covenant
• G2588 kardia -- "heart"; NT Greek equivalent
• G1449 engrapho -- "to write in/inscribe"; 2 Cor 3:2-3
• H7130 qereb -- "inward parts"; Jer 31:33

Blood/Ratification Terms

• H5137 nazah -- "to sprinkle"; Exo 24:6-8
• G4473 rhantismos -- "sprinkling"; Heb 12:24
• G129 haima -- "blood"; blood of covenant

Promise/Better Terms

• G1860 epangelia -- "promise"; better promises (Heb 8:6)
• G2909 kreitton -- "better"; better covenant (Heb 7:22; 8:6)

Research Instructions

You are the Research Agent. Execute this study by:

1. Read the SKILL.md at C:/Users/Michael/.claude/skills/bible-study2/SKILL.md for full tool documentation and principles
2. Read your agent instructions at C:/Users/Michael/.claude/skills/bible-study2/agents/research-agent.md
3. Read the full methodology at D:/bible/bible-studies/law-series-methodology.md
4. Read the master evidence file at D:/bible/bible-studies/law-master-evidence.md
5. Read ALL 8 prior study conclusions listed above
6. Follow the answer-question workflow from the skill
7. Write research files to this folder:
8. 01-topics.md -- Nave's topics and full entries
9. 02-verses.md -- All verse texts retrieved with context
10. 04-word-studies.md -- Strong's research for all covenant/heart/blood vocabulary
11. raw-data/ -- Raw tool output organized by category
12. Do NOT write 03-analysis.md or CONCLUSION.md -- those are for the analysis agent

Platform notes: - Tools are at D:/bible/tools/; use subdirectories as needed (D:/bible/tools/search/, D:/bible/tools/strongs/, etc.) - Use python directly (no venv activation needed) - Windows paths with forward slashes

Workflow

answer-question

---

Scoped: 2026-02-23 Folder: bible-studies/law-09-old-covenant-new-covenant/