WORDS the WORD by Charles L. Feinberg, Th.D., Ph.D., Director, Taibot Theological Seminary from
covenant among men is “to cut a covenant” with allusion to the cutting of animals. In covenants between God and man He takes the initiative. Such cove nants were made with Noah (to in sure that there would be no more flood, Gen. 9 :8 -17 ); with Abraham (to multiply his descendants, to give them the land of Canaan and make them a blessing to the world, Gen. 17:1-21); with Israel at Sinai (to make them the particular people of God as in a marriage bond, with promises for obedience and penalties for disobedi ence, Ex. 19:5; 24:7, 8 ) ; and with Da vid (to give him an everlasting king dom in his greater Son, the Messiah). There were also covenants made with the Levites, Phinehas, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ezra and others. The proph ets, especially Jeremiah, speak of a new covenant which will be in force in the times of Messiah (Isa. 42:6; 49 :8 ; Jer. 31:31-33; Ezek. 34:25; 37:26; Hos. 2 :18 ). The terminology used when the covenant is made between God and man is “to cut a covenant,” “to establish,” “to confirm,” “to pass over into” or “to enter into” a covenant. The need for a new cove nant arose from the fact that the old covenant had been grievously broken time and again, issuing in the exile. The new covenant would not be bro ken and would thus be permanent. The new element is the law written in the heart, implying a new nature and a new motivation. The New Testament word for “cov enant,” diatheke, is used some 30 times. The usages are well defined and there is scarcely any difference of opinion except for the passage in Hebrews 9:15-17. Here there are those who contend for the translation “testament” while others claim that “covenant” is the preferred rendering, as in all other cases. Because of the thought of inheritance it has been argued that the word should be trans lated “testament” or will. The con text appears to demand such a trans lation to be consistent. Others feel this is introducing a Greco-Roman concept and not a Semitic or biblical one. Actually, there is no Hebrew word for the thought of testament or will. Moreover, it is claimed, there is a close connection between the concepts of covenant and testament. Certain covenants provide for grants and gifts, and there are testaments which con tain conditions, such as a man’s stip ulation that his estate goes to his wife so long as she remains a widow. Whichever translation is chosen, the satisfying truth is clear to all that Christ through His efficacious death is the mediator of the new covenant in which have been credited to our ac count all the blessings of heaven. END.
C ovenan t
¥|oth Old and New Testaments give I ) a large place to the concept of “cov enant.” The Old Testament is the old covenant while the New Testa ment embodies the new covenant. The etymological force of the Hebrew be- rith, the word for “covenant,” is not certain. It has been connected with the Assyrian biritu which means “fet ter” but also signifies “covenant.” It may well be that a covenant was con sidered that which bound individuals together. The Old Testament uses the word in a twofold way: for agreements be tween men and for those between God and men. Between men a cove nant was an agreement of binding quality. The method of such contract ing among the Arabs by entering a blood-brotherhood (by drinking each other’s blood) is well known. Such instances are not found in the Old Testament. The main features of the covenant in the Old Testament are:
1) There was a declaration of the terms agreed on (Gen. 26:29; 31:50, 5 2 ) . 2) The contracting parties swore to keep the terms (Gen. 26:31; 31:48- 5 3 ) . In Ezekiel 17:13 the oath is made equivalent to the covenant. 3) A curse was pronounced upon the violator of the agreement. Though not explicitly stated, it is implied (Deut. 27:15-26). 4) There was formal ratification of the covenant. It was the meal in Gen esis 31:54; the sacrificial meal and the sprinkling of the blood in Exodus 24:4-8; the severing of animals into two parts in Genesis 15:9-18 and Jere miah 34:18. Other methods were set ting up a stone or heap of stones (Gen. 31 :45 ,46 ) and the striking of hands (Ezra 10:19; Ezek. 17:18). There are various covenants besides those be tween one individual and another. There are covenants between tribes (Gen. 14 :13 ); between a king and his subjects (2 Sam. 3:12, 13, 21 ). The usual technical phrase for making a
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD’S DARKNESS TW O CONFERENCES ON PROPHECY A N D THE JEW
These are cataclysmic days for Israel and the world. The Word of God sheds light on these events. To understand better the times in which we live we are planning two important conferences. C EDAR LAKE, IN D IA N A AUGU ST 3 - 9 , 1957 Hotel and housekeeping accommodations at very moderate rates at one of the Midwest’s most beautiful, best-equipped Conference Grounds. Children’s Programs - Renowned Speakers - Rest and Recreation Speakers include: Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, Director, Talbot Theological Seminary of Los Angeles, California; Bishop Kenneth G. Good of the Mennonite Church, from Morton, Illinois; Rev. Harold W . Bodine, Bible Teacher, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Rev. R. Paul Miller, Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Goshen, Indiana; and also members of our Mission staff. For reservations write Manager, Conference Grounds, Box 87, Cedar Lake, Indiana. Men tion our conference and dates. SUMMER’S END CONFERENCE on PROPHECY and the JEW AUGU ST 2 5 -SE PTEM B ER 1, 1957 This will be our 12th Annual Conference held in our Leopold Cohn Memorial Building, 236 W. 72nd St., New York 23, New York. Many of the country’s best-beloved, mighty men of the Scriptures will speak on the Signs of the Times, the Rapture, the Second Coming, and allied subjects. These speakers will include: Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, Director, Talbot Theological Seminary, Los Angeles, California; Dr. Charles H. Stevens, President, Piedmont Bible College and Pastor, Salem Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Dr. Thomas G. Lawrence, Bible Teacher, Pastor, Calvary Temple, Hartford, Connecticut; Rev. Harold W. Bodine, Bible Teacher, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Dr. Martin F. Clough, Bible Teacher, Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. S P E N D Y O U R V A C A T I O N W I T H US
For Particulars Write American Board of Missions to the Jews, Inc. 236 W. 72nd St., Dept. 8, New York 23, N.Y.
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