the old covenant and the new covenant

8/2/2019 The Old Covenant and the New Covenant

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Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek tokill me? ~Jesus Christ (John 7:19)

The everlasting covenant God made with Jews was with their fathers: Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob. The covenant God made with Jews at Mount Sinai was conditional uponkeeping the law of God which was given to the Jewish people through Moses. TheJewish people failed to keep this covenant, and Christ has made it null and void. Allpeoples, Jews and Gentiles, must come to God, by grace, through faith in his son,Jesus Christ, who is the Messiah and the Savior of all humankind. We, like Abraham,are saved by grace though faith, and not by the keeping of the law. In grace we stand byfaith, manifesting the righteousness of the law from our hearts, which are renewed inChrist: that we should love God and love one another.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.a For the lawof the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ForGod has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his ownSon in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,c he condemned sin in the flesh, in orderthat the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not accordingto the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set theirminds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set theirminds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set themind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toGod, for it does not submit to Gods law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the fleshcannot please God (Romans8:1-8).

The Old Covenant and the condition of law-breaking, covenant breaking, unrepentant,unbelieving Jews; since 70 AD:

The Old Covenant and the New Covenant


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Moses said to the people: But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God orbe careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, thenall these curses shall come upon you and overtake you...and the LORD will scatter youamong all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serveother gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. Andamong these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place forthe sole of your foot, but the LORD will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyesand a languishing soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shallbe in dread and have no assurance of your life (Deuteronomy28:15;64-66)

Christ called Jews to repentance and salvation, abolished the Mosaic covenant, and

established a New Covenant in his blood:

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gatheredtogether. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. Teacher, which isthe great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord yourGod with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatand first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as



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yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew22:34-40).

The Law and the Prophet are fulfilled in love - A new commandment I give to you, thatyou love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this

all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John13:34-35).

The New Covenant - Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing itbroke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took acup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, forthis is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness ofsins (Matthew26:26-28).

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, althoughthe Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith inJesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fallshort of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption

that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to bereceived by faith. This was to show Gods righteousness, because in his divineforbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at thepresent time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus~ Saint Paul (Romans3:21-26).



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After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Fear not, Abram, Iam your shield; your rewardshall be very great. ButAbram said, O Lord GOD,what will you give me, for I

continue childless, and theheir of my house is Eliezer ofDamascus? And Abramsaid, Behold, you havegiven me no offspring, and amember of my household willbe my heir. And behold, theword of the LORD came tohim: This man shall not beyour heir; your very own sonshall be your heir. And he

brought him outside andsaid, Look toward heaven,and number the stars, if youare able to number them.Then he said to him, Soshall your offspring be. Andhe believed the LORD, andhe counted it to him asrighteousness (Genesis15:1-6).

What then shall we say wasgained by Abraham, ourforefather according to theflesh? For if Abraham was

justified by works, he hassomething to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Now to the onewho works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who doesnot work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted asrighteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God countsrighteousness apart from works:

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin (Romans4: 1-8).

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did notcome through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents ofthe law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void (Romans4:13-14).



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For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through thelaw comes knowledge of sin (Romans3:20).

Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in JesusChrist, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ

and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will bejustified (Galatians2:16).

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it tothem, and said, Take; this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had giventhanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, This is myblood of the covenant, which is poured out for many (Mark14:22-23).

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he saidto them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tellyou I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took a cup, and when

he had given thanks he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell youthat from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them,saying, This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Andlikewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup that is poured out for you is thenew covenant in my blood (Luke22:14-20).

For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness anduselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope isintroduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. Forthose who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was

made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:

The Lord has swornand will not change his mind,You are a priest forever.

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant (Hebrews7:18-22).

Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as thecovenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that firstcovenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

For he finds fault with them when he says:



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Behold, the days arecoming, declares the Lord,when I will establish a newcovenant with the house ofIsrael

and with the house of Judah,not like the covenant that Imade with their fatherson the day when I took themby the hand to bring them outof the land of Egypt.For they did not continue inmy covenant,and so I showed no concernfor them, declares the Lord.For this is the covenant that I

will make with the house ofIsraelafter those days, declaresthe Lord:I will put my laws into theirminds,and write them on theirhearts,and I will be their God,and they shall be my people.And they shall not teach,

each one his neighborand each one his brother, saying, Know the Lord,for they shall all know me,from the least of them to the greatest.For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,and I will remember their sins no more.

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becomingobsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews8:6-13).

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 that redeems themfrom the transgressions committed under the first covenant (Hebrews9:15).

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

This is the covenant that I will make with themafter those days, declares the Lord:



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I will put my laws on their hearts,and write them on their minds,

then he adds,

I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin (Hebrews10:15-18).

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenlyJerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of thefirstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits ofthe righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to thesprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews12:22-24).

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the greatshepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everythinggood that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, throughJesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews13:20-21).

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true formof these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered everyyear, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to beoffered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have anyconsciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,but a body have you prepared for me;in burnt offerings and sin offeringsyou have taken no pleasure.Then I said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.



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When he said above,You have neitherdesired nor takenpleasure in sacrificesand offerings and burnt

offerings and sinofferings (these areoffered according to thelaw), then he added,Behold, I have cometo do your will. Hedoes away with the firstin order to establish thesecond. And by that willwe have beensanctified through the

offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices,which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a singlesacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until hisenemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he hasperfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, declares the Lord:I will put my laws on their hearts,and write them on their minds,

then he adds,

I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin (Hebrews10:1-18).They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the

giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, andfrom their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever.Amen (Romans9: 4-5).

The Catholic Church on the Mosaic covenant:

To the Jewish people, whom God first chose to hear his Word, belong the sonship, theglory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises; to them

http://esv.scripturetext.com/romans/9.htmhttp://esv.scripturetext.com/romans/9.htm


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belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ. (Romans9: 4-5; cf. CCC, no 839)

839 The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into herown mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link

with the Jewish People, 326 "the first to hear the Word of God." 327 The Jewish faith,unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the OldCovenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of thelaw, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race,according to the flesh, is the Christ", 328 "for the gifts and the call of God areirrevocable." 329

840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the newPeople of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) ofthe Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the deadand is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah,

whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompaniedby the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.

See: Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/ccc_toc2.htm

Adult catechism going into second printing. Newer version clarifies teaching on Jewishcovenant. Change approvedin summer 2008 by bishops: http://old.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-174.shtml

Jews perplexed by change to Catholic catechism- National Catholic Reporter: http://ncronline.org/node/1843

A Precarious Moment in Catholic-Jewish Relations- Abraham H. Foxman,National Director of the Anti-Defamation League: http://www.adl.org/ADL_Opinions/Interfaith/Precarious_Moment_091409.htm

The clarification reflects the teaching of the Church that all previous covenants thatGod made with the Jewish people are fulfilled in Jesus Christ through the new covenantestablished through his sacrificial death on the cross. Catholics believe that the Jewishpeople continue to live within the truth of the covenant God made with Abraham, andthat God continues to be faithful to them. As the Second Vatican Council taught and theAdult Catechism affirms, the Jewish people remain most dear to God, for God does not

repent of the gifts he makes nor of the calls he issues. (Lumen Gentium, no.16).

See: http://old.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-174.shtml

Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to thepeople of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testamentand the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does

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not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan ofsalvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongstthese there are the Mohammedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, alongwith us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor isGod far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is

He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that allmen be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their owndo not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved bygrace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates ofconscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation tothose who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge ofGod and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is foundamongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) Sheknows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life.But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings andhave exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.

(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed tofinal despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all ofthese, and mindful of the command of the Lord, Preach the Gospel to every creature,(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention (Lumen Gentium, no.16).

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

the old covenant and the new covenant

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