What does Hebrews 8:6 mean?

This verse summarizes the next section of Hebrews, and could be considered a synopsis of the entire letter. Earlier passages explained why Jesus' priesthood and service are superior to that of the Levitical priests. Further, this "better" covenant is said to have been God's plan all along. Numerous Old Testament references were given to show that God, both before and during the era of the Levitical priesthood, had promised exactly what He delivered through Christ.

To this point, most of the book of Hebrews has focused on the unique characteristics of Jesus, in contrast to Levitical priests or spiritual beings such as angels. Some mention has been made, however, of the fact that the same God who created the old covenant had predicted something "better" in the future. Verse 7 re-states this logic in plain terms. Why would God replace the old covenant if it was the best He had to offer? This will be followed by a quotation from the prophet Jeremiah, which shows how God's plan, even then, was to bring people to salvation through Christ.

This verse is the first of three times where the writer of Hebrews will refer to Jesus using the Greek term mesitēs, which means "one who intervenes, or an arbitrator," and is often translated as mediator.