The New Covenant is fully based on Grace. God's Grace, which is without end and free for the asking.
People often don't understand that many things Jesus spoke of during His 3 years of ministry, were of the Old Covenant and very little of the New Covenant which He had to shed His Blood and die on the cross to usher in.
Also very important is that when the veil in the temple was torn in half upon His death, it meant that everyone could now go boldly before the Throne of God. No longer were priests necessary as an intermediary.
The time span of the four Gospels was technically still under the Old Covenant, although in the New Testament. That's why Jesus told those healed, go show yourself to the priest.
Only after the Holy Spirit descended did the Church Age begin.
During the Lord's time here on the Earth, it says they knew him after the flesh. After they were endowed with the Holy Sprit, they had Spiritual discernment, understood what they had experienced and were subsequently empowered to write the Gospels.
DF
