To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 18:55:36 -0600
Subject: Bible Study HF025 - The New Covenant
Hebraics,
Because of the confusion that results from a misunderstanding of
what the term 'new covenant' refers to, I am offering a Bible study
to address that subject in particular. This is Bible Study HF025 -
The New Covenant.
As a beginning point lets look at Hebrews 8:13, which says,
"When He said, 'a new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete.
But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to
disappear."
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were still
struggling over how the Mosaic economy fit into the covenant of
Christ. Believe it or not, this problem never seems to go away. But
it is not a simply a Christian problem. Jewish folk have grappled
with the 'problem' of Christianity.
In the 1800s there was a 'two-covenant' theory introduced by a
traditional Jew. The theory was put forth as an attempt to explain
Christianity, and, to keep Christians from evangelizing the Jews. So
this gentleman came up with the two-covenant theory.
Two-covenant theology says that the Mosaic covenant is still in
effect for the Jews. It goes further to say that Christianity is a
valid religion, that it is of God, but that it is only for Gentiles. It
goes on to say that Christianity is not idolatry for Gentiles, but is a
true worship of the true God. But it would be idolatry for a Jew to become
a Christian.
This may sound nice, but it is absolutely contrary to both the
writings of the apostles and the prophets. And so the book of
Hebrews was written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help
Jewish believers firm up on their faith in Jesus. The book was
written not long before the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy
temple.
In Hebrews 8:13, we hear, "When He said, 'a new covenant,' He
has made the first obsolete." The Greek word for 'obsolete' is
palaioo (pal-ah-yo'-o). This word means to become worn out, or to
declare a thing old, and so about to be abrogated.
Luke 12:33, says, "Sell your possessions and give to charity;
make yourselves money belts which do not wear out [palaioo]..."
And Heb 1:11; "They will perish, but You remain; and they all will
become old [palaioo} like a garment."
Hebrews 8:13 continues; "But whatever is becoming obsolete and
growing old is ready to disappear." The word 'disappear' is
'aphaniomos' (af-an-is-mos'). This is the only place this word is
used in the New Testament. It literally means 'a vanishing' or ''to
cease to exist.'
If words are important, and certainly they are, this is a clear
statement that the Mosaic Law with all its priestly exchanges and
rituals is about to leave the scene. And of course it happened. In
70 ad, Jerusalem was destroyed completely. No more sacrifices.
No more temple priests. The old covenant had passed away.
The point being that only through the sacrifice of Messiah can sin
be removed from the human conscience. When men repent and
turn to the Lord, the Holy Spirit takes of the blood of God's
sacrifice, and sprinkles it upon the human heart. This blood of
Messiah has in it the very life of God. And thus God, by His own
Spirit, indwells each person upon whom the blood of Messiah has
been sprinkled.
The whole of Hebrews has its emphasis upon the doing away of the
first so that the second could come into place. In Hebrews 10:9,10,
it says; "...He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By
this will (the new covenant) we have been sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
A primary distinction between the covenants has to do with
spiritual realities that can only be found in Messiah. The ancient
people longed for these days. In the covenant of Moses, the veil
that separated the holy place from the holy of holies, was a
constant reminder that God's people were yet separated from God.
In the new covenant the veil is taken away.
All through the New Testament writings, the apostles attempted to
explain how the new covenant was a covenant of its own. It was not
the Mosaic covenant made better. The apostle said, "Therefore if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed
away; behold new things have come. Now all these things are from
God..." (2Co5:17,18)
When Jesus said, "This cup which is poured out for you is the
new covenant in my blood," ' what do you think He had in mind? He
was speaking of the new covenant to be sealed by His own blood.
And He was speaking from the prophets.
Jeremiah said, "Behold days are coming ... when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not
like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt..."
(31:31,32)
Coming back to what Jesus said in the upper room in that His
blood was the blood of the new covenant, Peter adds to this in
saying, "To obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:
May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure." (1Pe1:2) Peter
calls this the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the Jeremiah 31 portion is quoted in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 8:7, says, "For if that first covenant had been faultless,
there would have been no occasion sought for a second." It is after
this that Hebrews says the first covenant is "growing old is ready to
disappear."
After the destruction of the temple in 70 ad, it became impossible
for the levitical covenant to function. Where is the levitical high
priest today? Out of 70 ad came two forms of Judaism. Rabbinic
Judaism and what eventually became known as Christianity.
Rabbinic Judaism was without a blood sacrifice since they had
disregarded Jesus. Christianity had its sacrifice, but it was not
limited to the Hebrew race. It was for peoples of all cultures.
The new covenant was designed to take in the Gentiles. That was
God's purpose. The Hebrew peoples were called to perform a role.
Their gift to the world was Messiah, Torah, the apostles and
prophets. The end result was to be God's extended hand of
salvation to all men.
But we need to investigate the term 'new covenant' a little more.
Another issue not always understood is that the Mosaic covenant
was actually a marriage contract. It was made between God and
the people of Israel. Even Jews today understand this. This is why
they resent Christians taking on their Shabbat. To them Shabbat is
their wedding ring.
But this presents a problem. A marriage contract is only valid as
long as both parties, that is the husband and wife, are living. Here again
we have the apostle explaining what happened to the Mosaic marriage
covenant.
He said, "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the
Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to
another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we
might bear fruit for God." (Rom7:4)
Paul is addressing the Jewish portion of the Church at Rome. The
Gentile believers would not have necessarily understood Paul's
point. So he says in Roman 7:1, "For I am speaking to those who
know the law." (This is a parenthetical statement.)
Here is what Paul is explaining in modern terms. John and Judy
are happily married. But John dies. Judy is free to marry again but
she has to have a brand new marriage license. The Jews called
this the 'ketubah.' We might speak of it as a prenuptial agreement.
The point being - Judy cannot say to the new man in her life, that is
Roscoe, that she really doesn't want a new marriage license, that she
would really rather keep her old one, and she and Roscoe can be married,
but the old license is all they need. What do you think Roscoe would say
about that?
Well that is exactly what Paul is teaching. The risen Christ must
must have a new contract that fits the spiritual expressions of this new
marriage. Not only a new contract, but the bride must also be given a
heart that corresponds to His heart. She is going to have to be born all
over again so that she can become a pure virgin.
As a final thought - Christians who attempt to live in the new
covenant on an old covenant level, are losing much of the beautiful
life that God has prepared for them in Christ. Even the prophets
wondered over the glory of the new covenant.
The study is open for discussion.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org