by jay on Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:19 am
Please allow me to post the following article: -
The Renewed Covenant of the Bible
Introduction
Our understanding of the Bible is loaded down with many wrong concepts that in reality fracture our relationship with God. In particular our search for an easy way to gain entry into eternity is fraught with failure and even Jesus warned against it when he said: -
Matthew 7:13-14: - "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
The “New Covenant” theology is one such way we look for an easy way into heaven. We say that the “Law” no longer applies to us and that we are under grace but even that “grace” has boundary conditions. For example, Jesus taught a number of times that,
“unless you can forgive, then God cannot forgive you.”1
That is conditional and is a boundary condition for our righteous and entry into eternity with the Lord.
Jesus also stated: -
Matthew 5:17-18: - "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Because the Israelites did not fully grasp God’s grace of redemption, He spelt out the boundary conditions that applied for them and these boundary conditions were used by the “righteous” people among the Israelites to determine their acceptance to the Lord and so the “Law” was entrenched into their psyche as their means of entering into “heaven”.
Jesus actually applied a stricter code of behaviour than was contained within the Mount Sinai revelation of the Law and its expansion by the Scribes and Pharisees. For example:
1. In Matthew 5:21-222 Jesus taught two aspects about killing a person:
a. that holding enraged anger against our brother is equivalent to actually killing him which is why we should never let the sun go down when we are angry but that we should quickly forgive our brother lest we are found guilty of our sin, and
b. that considering your brother as foolish, [which from a Biblical perspective is to consider that the person is walking contrary to God], without attempting to encouraging him to repent and return to God is equivalent to physically killing him because we condemned him to death and did nothing to save him we ourselves will be found guilty of killing that person.3
2. In Matthew 5:27-284 Jesus taught that the lustful desire of a woman was also adultery and was just as sinful as the physical act of adultery with the woman.
As such he pointed out that the Law still applied but that God’s expectations were such that it would only be by His Grace that we would be able to keep the “Law.”
Yes God’s love for us is unconditional in that he “Loved us so much that he sent his only begotten son to dies for us so that whoever believes in him will be saved5
Let us now consider the references to the “new covenant.”
References to “New Covenant” in the Bible
The following references refer to the “New Covenant” in the English translations. The author has also provided his translation for these same References to reflect what he believes is the true position of God on this matter.
Qualification: - Just as the theological understanding of the Bible translators influenced the translation outcomes for each of the translators
and the translation versions, I also must not let my theological understanding determine the way I would translate the original Hebrew and Greek versions of the Bible otherwise I will display the same error as they have. Wherever possible I have attempted to allow the context of the original text to uncover the English translation that I have suggested. Given that I am fallible, I trust that I have provided a better translation and understanding of the references quoted below.
Old Testament References
Jeremiah 31:31-34: - "Behold, the days6 are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new7 covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.8 And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying,
`Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the
least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I
will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their
sin no more."
A better translation of verse 31, which the Jewish scholars also hold too, is: -
Behold the day is coming says the lord when I will make the covenant like new with the house of Israel and the House of Judah
A better translation of verse 33a, which follows on from verse 31, is: -
But this is the covenant which I will remake with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD:
The fulfilment of Jeremiah 31:31-34
The question that has to be answered is, “When will this prophecy be fulfilled?”
The author’s understanding is that this prophecy is still to be fulfilled and that it will happen after Jesus’ second return to earth to rule as the Messianic king. Jesus himself hinted at this in Luke 14:31-33, when he claimed that the Jewish people would seek his terms of peace9 when he returns as the conquering king10 in the future.11 But before that can happen, the children and the children’s children must suffer the iniquity of the fore fathers during the third and fourth age of Israel. At the start of the fifth age of Israel Jesus will return and the Lord will renew his covenant with the House of Judah and Israel. God’s timing, well possible in 30 or so years time.
New Testament References
Introduction
Most of the references to the “new” covenant in the following New Testament passages have been translated from the Greek word “kainh” {kaineé}, which has the meaning of “made new” or “refreshed”. Of the forty-five times that Strong’s NT2537 is found in the New Testament, the Author has only identified six instances where it is directly associated with the word “covenant”
There are only twenty-three references to the Greek word “>ne/a$” {néas}, which has the meaning of “brand new”, in the New Testament and of these only 1 is associated with the word “covenant/testament”.
To highlight this distinction between ne/on {brand new} and kainou/$ {made like new/renewed} in the New Testament we only have to refer to the following one verse parable:
Matthew 9:17: - Neither is [brand] new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine {ne/on} is put into [re]fresh[ed] {kainou/$} wineskins, and so both are preserved."
Even the word “new” in our own expressive usage has to be
qualified. For example: -
the statement, “This is my new car.” Could be understood to mean either,
“This is my {brand} new car.” Or
“This is my new {second hand} car.”
So it is with the Greek Bible, we have to consider the circumstances and context of the language used for the word and the modifiers used in conjunction with the word. Our understanding of the “new Covenant” is just one example of that.
References to New Covenant
1 Matthew 26:27-28: - {blank}
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the {new} covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins
The expression “new covenant” is not found in all English translation of the Bible for this passage and is not present in the Greek Translation of the New Testament. It has been added to some translations to reflect the Theological understanding of the translators of that time.
2 Mark 14:24-25: - {blank}
And he said to them, "This is my blood of the {new} covenant, which is poured out for many.
The expression “new covenant” is not found in all English translation of the Bible for this passage and is not present in the Greek Translation of the New Testament. It has been added to some translations to reflect the Theological understanding of the translators of that time.
3 Luke 22:20: - [kainh]}
And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant12 in my blood.
Again the word “new” as translated here should be “made new” As Jesus came initially for the Jewish people. A better translation for me is: -
“This cup which is poured out for you is the covenant made new [refreshed] in my blood.
4 1 Corinthians 11:25: - [ kainh]}
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Again for me the better translation is: -
“This cup is the covenant made new in my blood”
5 2 Corinthians 3:6: - [kainh=$]
who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The same argument can be mad here: -
“Who made us competent to be ministers of the covenant made new,”
6 Hebrews 8:8: - [kainh/n]
For he finds fault with them when he says:
"The days will come, says the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the
house of Israel
and with the house of Judah;
This verse is a reference to Jeremiah 31:31 and a better translation based on the Greek word “kainh/n” is
The days will come, says the Lord,
when I will make with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah
a renewed covenant;
7 Hebrews 8:13: ["Kainh\n"]
In speaking of a new {covenant}13 he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
A better translation of this verse is: -
In speaking of a “renewed” [covenant] he treats the former as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
To understand this verse we should consider the following parable: -
A man and a woman enter into a marriage covenant and after a number of years the woman leaves the man and goes to live in another house and another and another. The man loves his wife very much and he does not divorce her but he wisely begins to court his wife and to draw her back. After a period of time the husband and the wife reconcile the relationship and the wife once more appreciates and loves her husband. When the man and the woman begin to live again as husband and wife they renew their marriage covenant, which they had made initially, but the renewed marriage covenant they made was slightly different from their previous covenant.
As the years passed the former marriage covenant they had made became obsolete and the renewed marriage covenant came to the for in their lives.14
Confirming Old Testament scripture passages:-
Isaiah 54:5-85 For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the LORD has called you
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I forsook you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on
you,
says the LORD, your Redeemer.
Hosea 2:16-20: - 16 "And in that day, says the LORD,
you will call me, `My husband,' and no longer will you
call me, `My Baal.' 17 For I will remove the names of
the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned
by name no more. 18 And I will make for you a covenant
on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of
the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I
will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the
land; and I will make you lie down in safety. 19 And I
will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you to
me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love,
and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in
faithfulness; and you shall know the LORD.
8 Hebrews 9:15: - [kainh=$]
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.
A better understanding of the this verse is gained if it is translated as: -
And for this reason He is the Mediator of the covenant made new, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first testament/covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
9 Hebrews 12:24: - [ne/a$]
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.
The word “new” here is translated from “neo” which has the meaning of “brand new” and this is the only time it is found in a verse in the New Testament where the word covenant is also found in close proximity. A better translation is: -
“And to Jesus the new mediator of the covenant, …”
Conclusion
The references quoted above suggest that there has been no “new” covenant undertaking by God and that the language used in the Bible confirms this understanding. Jesus himself, as quoted by the New Testament writers, did not state that he was ushering in a new covenant but that he was fulfilling the existing covenant and Law that had previously been written by Moses and the Prophets.
We cannot claim that the Law has been done away with, only that the Law has been fulfilled through Christ’s first visitation here on earth.
We cannot claim that the Law no longer applies to us because of a supposed “New Covenant” which we claim has done away with the Law if no “New Covenant” has been established.
As such the Law still applies but God enables us to keep the Law through his grace as we rely on Him to help us to comply with the Law, as we are unable to keep the Law in our own strength. As we believe in Him whom he has sent and continue to receive his grace so we are made whole and acceptable and are judged as righteous like Abraham and become of his seed.
Footnotes______________________________
1 Matthew 6:14-15, Mark 11:25 and Matthew 18:23-35
2 Matthew 5:21-22: - 21 "You have heard that it was said to
the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills
shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that
every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to
judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to
the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable
to the hell of fire.
3 Ezekiel 33:6: - But if the watchman sees the sword coming
and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not
warned, and the sword comes, and takes any one of them;
that man is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I
will require at the watchman's hand.
4 Matthew 5:27-28: - 27 "You have heard that it was said,
`You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that
every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart.
5 John 3:16-21: - 16 For God so loved the world that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into
the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world
might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is
not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the
light has come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For
every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come
to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he
who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be
clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
6 The Hebrew word used here is “<ym!y`” and The Online Bible
Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew
Lexicon gives the following definition: -
OT:3117 - yowm -- day, time, year
1. a day (as opposed to night)
2. a day (24 hour period)
a. as defined by evening and morning in Gen 1
b. as a division of time; a working day, a day's journey
3. days, lifetime (plural)
4. time, period (general)
5. year
6. temporal references
a. today
b. yesterday
c. tomorrow
The language suggests that God is referring to some event
in the future, which raises the question as to our
understanding as to when God intended this particular event
to take place. We must consider whether or not this
prophecy has been or is still to be fulfilled. My
suspicion is that it is still to happen some time into
man’s future but that that time is rapidly approaching.
7 The Hebrew word used here is “hv*d*j&” and Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance suggests that
it’s meaning is: - OT:2318: - chadash (khaw-dash'); a
primitive root; to be new; causatively, to rebuild: KJV -
renew, repair, which suggests that God intends to restore
his Covenant from the beginning with man with some changes.
8 God had already told the Israelite people that the Law was
within their hearts so that the writing of the Law on their
hearts was not a new thing.
Deuteronomy 30:11-20: - 11 "For this commandment which I
command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it
far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, `Who
will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we
may hear it and do it?' 13 Neither is it beyond the sea,
that you should say, `Who will go over the sea for us, and
bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14 But the
word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your
heart, so that you can do it.
15 "See, I have set before you this day life and good,
death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the
LORD your God which I command you this day, by loving the
LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his
commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you
shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless
you in the land which you are entering to take possession
of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not
hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve
them, 18 I declare to you this day, that you shall perish;
you shall not live long in the land which you are going
over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and
earth to witness against you this day, that I have set
before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore
choose life, that you and your descendants may live, 20
loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving
to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that
you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your
fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
9 Ezekiel 34:22-26: - 22 I will save my flock, they shall no
longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant
David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be
their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and
my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD,
have spoken.
25 "I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish
wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely
in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 And I will
make them and the places round about my hill a blessing;
and I will send down the showers in their season; they
shall be showers of blessing.
10 Ezekiel 20:33: - "As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with
a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath
poured out, I will be king over you.
11 Note that in the two previous verses Jesus suggested that
the Jewish people did not have the means to even attempt to
rebuild the temple, with a hint that they should not even
attempt such a project as He was the only one that could
rebuild it.
12 The words “Covenant” and “Testament” are interchangeable
here.
13 The word covenant is omitted from the Greek text but has
been added to the English translations to make the intended
meaning of the verse more clear to reflect the context of
what is written.
14 This parable came to me while starting to teach on this
subject to the people in Dhading, Nepal and I believe it
encapsulates the intent of the above verse well. It also
draws from imagery within the Old Testament, which has been
included in this document.
But they knew something about God that they had never imagined before.
