Hebrews 7:22

That is, since He swore that He would always be a priest. For He would not have sworn if He were not superior. Hence the New Testament is also superior to the Old.

366. – This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant, because His priesthood is firmer, which is evident, because it was set up with an oath. Therefore, it is necessary that something better and firmer be obtained by it. But it should be noted …

Was Jesus made a surety - Or mediator. The word covenant frequently occurs in the remaining part of this epistle. The original word means either a covenant or a last will and testament.

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

By so much - This solemn, unchangeable oath of God, was Jesus made a surety, εγγυος, a mediator, one who brings the two parties together, witnesses the contract, and offers the covenant sacrifice on the occasion. See at the end of the chapter.

13:20, "everlasting." testament--sometimes translated, "covenant." The Greek term implies that it is appointed by God, and comprises the relations and bearings partly of a covenant, partly of a testament: (1) the appointment made without the concurrence of a second party, of somewhat concerning that second party; a last will or testament, so in Heb 9:16, 17;

THOSE Of you who read Scripture carefully will have noticed that the word, "better," is one of the key words of the Epistle to the Hebrews. You are constantly meeting with it. In the opening chapter we read that our Lord Jesus Christ is "made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Look a little further and you are taught that He is better than Moses, inasmuch as Moses was faithful as a servant in the Lord's house, but Christ, as a Son over His own house.

THOSE Of you who read Scripture carefully will have noticed that the word, "better," is one of the key words of the Epistle to the Hebrews. You are constantly meeting with it. In the opening chapter we read that our Lord Jesus Christ is "made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Look a little further and you are taught that He is better than Moses, inasmuch as Moses was faithful as a servant in the Lord's house, but Christ, as a Son over His own house. Further on we find our blessed Lord described as better than Aaron, while His blood is mentioned as speaking better things than that of Abel. And He is declared, in our text, to be the Surety of a better Testament, of which it is said that it is established upon better promises. It would be a very delightful subject to work out the betterness of Christ, of His blood, of His Covenant and to show that however good other things may be, they must all yield in excellence to Him. It is implied in the use of the word, "better," that the ordinances of the ceremonial Law were good, in their place, but Jesus is better than the best of all visible things—the eternal Christ is better than the best of all the temporal arrangements which God has made for the good of man. How much better what heart shall conceive? "If the ministration of condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For if that which is done away with was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious." It behooves us, my dear Brothers and Sisters, to have a firmer faith than Old Testament saints because we see more clearly our ground of trust.

By so much - Inasmuch as an oath is more solemn than a mere appointment. The meaning is, that there is all the additional security in the suretyship of Jesus which arises from the solemnity of an oath. It is not implied that God would not be true to his mere promise, but the argument here is derived from the custom of speaking among people. An oath is regarded as much more sacred and binding than a mere promise, and the fact that God has sworn in a given case furnishes the highest security that what he has promised will be performed. Was Jesus made a surety - The word “surety” - ἐγγυος enguos - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament nor is it found in the Septuagint. It properly means, a bondsman; one who pledges his name, property, or influence, that a certain thing shall be done. When a contract is made, debt contracted, or a note given, a friend often becomes the “security” in the case, and is himself responsible if the terms of the contract are not complied with. In the case of the new covenant between God and man, Jesus is the “security” or the bondsman. But of what, and to whom, is he the surety? It cannot be that he is a bondsman for God that he will maintain the covenant, and be true to the promise which he makes, as Crellius supposes, for we need no such “security” of the divine faithfulness and veracity. It cannot be that he becomes responsible for the divine conduct in any way - for no such responsibility is needed or possible. But it must mean that he is the security or bondsman on the part of man. He is the pledge that we shall be saved. He becomes responsible, so to speak, to law and justice, that no injury shall be done by our salvation, though we are sinners. […]