Dogmatic Part: The Superiority of the New-Covenant Economy of Salvation Over the Old

Both economies are from God. Yet the persons who served as mediators in their establishment were of unequal dignity, and likewise the work — that is, the significance and efficacy of each economy — was of unequal weight. In both respects Christianity immeasurably surpasses Judaism: it is superior both in its Mediator and in its work, or in its own power. This is precisely what the holy Paul unfolds in the first part of his epistle. With this exposition in view, he sets forth from the very first words certain dogmatic propositions concerning Christ the Savior, which then serve him as the foundation for demonstrating the superiority of Christianity over Judaism in the two respects just mentioned. These opening verses we shall call

a) foundational theses, from which is then derived

b) the superiority of Christianity over Judaism as regards its Mediator, and further —

c) as regards its work, or its own power.

A. The Foundational Theses (Heb 1:1–3)

Since the Apostle has two subjects in view —

a) the exalted Person of the Mediator of the New Covenant, and

b) the sublimity of His work — the verses containing the foundations for demonstrating these truths have, accordingly, been furnished by the Apostle with features that foreshadow both.