These verses teach who is in the new covenant. Thus, the following question.

Is the "them", in verse 16, the same "them" of verse 14, and the same "their" of verse 17?

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2002

Answers

Obviously, people who are sanctified by the blood of Jesus are in the new covenant. Jeremiah's statement quoted in Hebrews chapters 8 and 10 point to people whose sins are forgiven by the blood Jesus shed in His sacrifice.

Phil Sanders 8221 Concord Rd. Brentwood, TN 37027

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2002

The answer is yes. It is the same them and the same their. Who are the them and their? It is those the covenant was made with, being Christians. Christians will have the law written on their heart and mind and as a result, their actions will be Godly. As a result of a Godly life and walking in the light (I John 1:5-12) God will remember our deeds and sins no more as they are forgiven by the one that shed His blood on behalf of the Christian.

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2002

Paul is quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures (Jeremiah 31:33) That identifies the group under discussion (the house of Israel). This group is further clarified in the Greek Scriptures at Romans 9:8,24- 26 and Ephesians 11-22. Now, it's not as simple as all that; but this is certainly a good starting point.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Yes, these verses are indeed talking about the New Covenant. The entire epistle to the Hebrews was addressed to those who revered the Hebrew scriptures. As Paul stated in Romans 3:2, unto the Hebrews were committed the oracles of God, i.e. they were custodians of the scriptures. The passage from Jeremiah 31:31ff is quoted partially here and more extensively in Hebrews 8:8-12. Paul (who I believe wrote Hebrews) was reminding potential Hebrew Christians that their own scriptures, as recorded by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:2), foretold God’s plan to replace the old covenant, which they had broken, with a new covenant which would never be superseded. Hebrews 10:12 refers to this permanence, citing Jesus’ “one sacrifice for sins forever”.

Thus, “them that are sanctified” are the saints of God throughout history, every one of whom, past, present, and future, is sanctified only by the sacrifice of Jesus. Kevin, I assume your Ephesians reference was to Ephesians 2:11-22. So yes, the “them”, “them”, and “their” all refer to the same body of sanctified ones, who under the new covenant are the Lord’s church, referred to as the Israel of God in Galatians 6:16.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002