Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 8:13
Verse 13. He hath made the first old.] That is: He has considered it as antiquated, and as being no longer of any force. That which decayeth and waxeth old] Here is an allusion to the ancient laws, which either had perished from the tables on which they were written through old age, or were fallen into disuse, or were abrogated.
Is ready to vanish away.] egguv afanismou? Is about to be abolished.
Dionysius of Halicarnassus, speaking of the laws of Numa, which had been written on oak boards, says: av ayanisqhnai sunebh tw cronw? "which had perished through old age." And the word afanizein is used to express the abolition of the law. The apostle, therefore, intimates that the old covenant was just about to be abolished; but he expresses himself cautiously and tenderly, that he might not give unnecessary offense.
WHEN the apostle said, All shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest, under the new covenant, he had copious authority for saying so from the rabbins themselves. In Sohar Chadash, fol. 42, it is said: "In the days of the Messiah knowledge shall be renewed in the world, and the law shall be made plain among all; as it is written, Jer. xxxi. 33, All shall know me, from the least to the greatest." We find the following legend in Midrash Yalcut Simeoni, part 2, fol. xl6: "The holy blessed God shall sit in paradise and explain the law; all the righteous shall sit before him, and the whole heavenly family shall stand on their feet; and the holy blessed God shall sit, and the new law, which be is to give by the Messiah, shall be interpreted." In Sohar Genes., fol. 74, col. 291, we find these remarkable words: "When the days of the Messiah shall approach, even the little children in this world shall find out the hidden things of wisdom; and in that time all things shall be revealed to all men." And in Sohar Levit., fol. 24, col. xc5: "There shall be no time like this till the Messiah comes, and then the knowledge of God shall be found in every part of the world." This day are all these sayings fulfilled in our ears: the word of God is multiplied; many run to and fro, and knowledge is increased; all the nations of the earth are receiving the book of God; and men of every clime, and of every degree-Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites; the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, in Libya; strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes; Cretes and Arabians; Americans, Indians, and Chinese-hear, in their own tongues, the wonderful works of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. In that he saith a new covenant , etc..] In the above prophecy, ( Hebrews 8:8) he hath made the first old ; this naturally follows from hence; if the second is new, the first must be old; which is called so, not on account of its date and duration; for the covenant of grace itself is older than this mode of administration of it, and the manifestation of that to the patriarchs was before this covenant, and so was the covenant of works before it; but on the account of its faultiness and deficiency, its weakness, and unprofitableness, and especially its being antiquated, and made to give way to another. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away ; the apostle argues from the first covenant, being old, to its being near to dissolution, or a disappearance; and the dissolution or disappearance of this covenant was gradual; it began when the Chaldeans seized the land of Canaan; and the ark, an eminent type of Christ, being wanting in the second temple, gave a hint of its waxing old; and both the civil and ecclesiastical government of the Jews were in great confusion under the second temple, at least towards the close of it; and even before the times of Christ, John the Baptist came, and proclaimed the near approach of the Messiah, and his kingdom: this covenant was of right abolished at the time of Christ's death; upon his ascension the Spirit was given, and the Gospel published among all nations, by which it more and more disappeared; and in fact it quite vanished away, when the city and temple of Jerusalem were destroyed, which was in a little time after the writing of this epistle; so that the apostle, with great propriety, says, it is ready to vanish away.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-13 - The superior excellence of the priesthood of Christ, above that of Aaron, is shown from that covenant of grace, of which Christ wa Mediator. The law not only made all subject to it, liable to be condemned for the guilt of sin, but also was unable to remove tha guilt, and clear the conscience from the sense and terror of it Whereas, by the blood of Christ, a full remission of sins was provided so that God would remember them no more. God once wrote his laws to his people, now he will write his laws in them; he will give the understanding to know and to believe his laws; he will give the memories to retain them; he will give them hearts to love them, courag to profess them, and power to put them in practice. This is the foundation of the covenant; and when this is laid, duty will be don wisely, sincerely, readily, easily, resolutely, constantly, and with comfort. A plentiful outpouring of the Spirit of God will make the ministration of the gospel so effectual, that there shall be a might increase and spreading of Christian knowledge in persons of all sorts Oh that this promise might be fulfilled in our days, that the hand of God may be with his ministers so that great numbers may believe, and be turned to the Lord! The pardon of sin will always be found to accompan the true knowledge of God. Notice the freeness of this pardon; it fulness; its fixedness. This pardoning mercy is connected with all other spiritual mercies: unpardoned sin hinders mercy, and pulls dow judgments; but the pardon of sin prevents judgment, and opens a wid door to all spiritual blessings. Let us search whether we are taught by the Holy Spirit to know Christ, so as uprightly to love, fear, trust and obey him. All worldly vanities, outward privileges, or mere notion of religion, will soon vanish away, and leave those who trust in the miserable for ever __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 τω 3588 λεγειν 3004 5721 καινην 2537 πεπαλαιωκεν 3822 5758 την 3588 πρωτην 4413 το 3588 δε 1161 παλαιουμενον 3822 5746 και 2532 γηρασκον 1095 5723 εγγυς 1451 αφανισμου 854
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. In that he saith a new covenant (en tw legein kainhn). Lit. "in his saying new."
He hath made the first old (pepalaiwken thn prwthn). Palaioun to make old, only in Hebrews and Luke xii. 33. Comp. Heb. i. 11.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old (to de palaioumenou kai ghraskon). Rend. but that which is becoming old and waxing aged. Ghraskein (only here and John xxi. 18) adds the idea of infirmity to that of age.
Is ready to vanish away (egguv afanismou). Lit. is nigh unto vanishing. Afanismov vanishing, N.T.o . Often in LXX. Class. rare and late. The whole statement indicates that the writer regarded the Sinaitic covenant, even in Jeremiah's time, as obsolete, and that Jeremiah himself so regarded it. When God announced a new covenant he proclaimed the insufficiency of the old, and the promise of a new covenant carried with it the promise of the abrogation of the old. The new covenant is so shaped as to avoid the defects of the old one, and some one has remarked that, in one aspect, it is a criticism of the Sinaitic covenant. The following are its provisions:
(1) The law will no more be merely external, but a law written in the heart. Comp. 2 Cor. iii. 8.
(2) The people will be on intimate and affectionate terms with God, so that the knowledge of God will be general.
(3) Sin will be dealt with more radically and effectively.
