It’s better … much better!

Apr 01, 2026

A Superior Ministry

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But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 (NET)

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We don’t often like to associate Jesus with words like “superior.”

Of course, being the King of kings and Lord of lords, He is superior.

But that word just seems to feel so full of pride that I don’t really want to use it. (Maybe that’s just me.)

Here we’re talking about how Jesus’ work sets up a superior New Covenant, replacing the inferior Old Covenant.

Now, covenant isn’t a word we use much today either.

Some people like to compare it to a contract, but a contract can be broken in relatively painless ways that a covenant cannot.

When God set up the old covenant and gave it to Abraham, it was dramatic.

That covenant had Abraham sacrificing animals and God “walking” between them.

A normal covenant had both parties walk between the sacrificed animals. They were declaring, visually, that if I were to break this covenant then my life would be forfeit, just like these animals.

What was unique about how God set that up with Abraham is that the Lord passed between the animals for both parties.

Signalling that if God broke the covenant, He would forfeit His life.

But if Abraham broke the covenant, then God would also forfeit His life.

Which, of course, is exactly what happened.

Israel couldn’t keep the covenant and Jesus came down to sacrifice His life.

Then He set up a new, superior covenant.

One where the very presence of God lives inside of us, right now.

It’s much, much better.

— Ricky Ketchum

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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