God’s covenant with Israel was established
about fifteen centuries before the Christian era (Ex. 34:10, 27; Deut. 5:1-3)
and was a temporary measure to keep faith alive until the advent of the
promised Messiah (cf. Gal. 3:16–4:7; Heb. 8:6-13).1 About six
centuries before Christ, the promise of a “new covenant” was issued (Jer.
31:31-34; cf. 32:40; Ezek. 16:60-62; 37:26; Rom. 11:27). This promise was
fulfilled in Christ and ratified at his death (Heb. 8:6; 9:15-17; 12:24; 13:20).2
First-century writers affirm the arrival of this new and better covenant (2
Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:6-13; cf. Gal. 4:24-26).
When the sacred writings of Christians
were placed alongside those of the Jews to comprise a unified canon,3
it was necessary to distinguish between the two with appropriate designations. A
significant term in the Hebrew scriptures relating to God’s relationship with
his people is běrît, with its Greek
equivalent diathēkē, meaning
“covenant.” Since the expression “new covenant” (Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:8; 2 Cor.
3:6) implies that the former one is “old” (cf. Heb. 8:13; 2 Cor. 3:14), it was
natural to use this terminology for the respective divisions of the Christian
canon.
Among Latin speakers (and in the Latin
Vulgate) the corresponding word was testamentum,
thus the English appellations “Old Testament” and “New Testament.” The KJV uses
the word “testament” instead of “covenant” to translate diathēkē in several passages (cf. Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke
22:20; 1 Cor. 3:6; 2 Cor. 3:14; Heb. 7:22; 9:15, 20; Rev. 11:19).
While the Old Testament unfolds the early
history of God’s people, the New Testament provides the rest of the story. It
was not an afterthought or the invention of 1st-century Jesus followers but has
been a critical part of the divine plan all along.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 See The Old and New Covenants.
The Hebrew word běrît applies to
agreements between certain parties, involving conditions and promises (cf. Gen.
6:18; 9:9-16; 15:18; 17:2-21; 21:27, 32; 26:28; 31:44; Ex. 2:24; 6:4-5; 19:5;
Num. 25:12-13; et al.). It is rendered in the LXX by diathēkē, which in secular Greek applied to an agreement related to
a testament or will. See K. L. Moore, Getting
to Know the Bible 22-26. The relationship between the covenant of Israel
and the Law of Moses and the respective questions of continuance and relevance
are heavily debated in the religious world today. In the context of Pauline
studies, much discussion has been generated in fairly recent years about Paul’s
view of the law in the setting of 1st-century Judaism. See Was Paul Anti-Law?
2 Cf. Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24;
Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25.
3 See Canonization of the NT Part 1 and Part 2.
Related
Posts: Is Moses' Law Still Binding?
Image
credit:
http://hewalkswith.us/2016/06/new-testament-page/
No comments:
Post a Comment