The New Covenant
Shalom All,
I would like to start a discussion on The New Covenant, and in relation to the following:
Point 1. What is the New Covenant according to the Tanakh?
Point 2. What is the New Covenant according to Christianity?
Point 3. Was Yeshua/Jesus a teacher/forerunner of the New Covenant and if so, how?
Point 4. What do we do now?
Point 1. So far, I have learned from my studying that the New Covenant is the covenant YHWH made with Both Houses of Israel - the House of Israel and the House of Judah. I understand that this is a national as well as religious covenant concerning a Unified Israel and is summarized as follows in Jeremiah 31:
"Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, says YHWH: But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says YHWH, I will put my law (Torah) in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says YHWH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." — Jeremiah 31:31-34.
I believe that these verses embody the New Covenant and that it is really a HIGHER LEVEL of the Mosaic Covenant; however, I do not believe that it totally is in effect yet, as obviously "all" do not know YHWH, the House of Israel has not yet discovered their identity and the Torah is not in their "hearts".
Point 2. According to mainstream Christianity, the New Covenant has almost nothing to do with the Jeremiah prophesy about YHWH, Israel and the Torah, but rather is based on the concept of "Grace" and is defined in the Replacement Theology doctrine. YHWH was replaced with the trinity or dualism, the Torah was replaced with Grace and Israel was replaced with the Church. This was all confirmed by Yeshua's death.
Point 3. This may be a bit hard for my Jewish friends to swallow, but I do in fact believe that Yeshua's teachings were based on this New Covenant and that they were rejected, resulting in his death and the postponing of the promised Kingdom of God. Please consider the following from the Sermon on the Mount:
Matt. 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. [19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Now many Christians will say that Yeshua's death "fulfilled" the Torah, but is that really the case? Has heaven and earth passed away? I don't think so, but rather it was his LIFE and TEACHINGS that fulfilled (or filled full) the Torah by teaching how to follow it to its fullest, intended extent. Consider:
Matt. 5:21 "You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: [22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire".
Here Yeshua actually RAISES THE BAR of Torah observance - the current Torah requirement was purely physical - Don't kill (murder), but this higher level, or from the heart within, would be to not be angry at someone without cause.
Again in Matt. 5:27 "You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."
Here we see again how Yeshua raises the bar, teaching a higher level of observance from the heart, or within.
Yeshua continues his Higher Level New Covenant teaching in Matt 5:
[43] "You have heard that it has been said, You shall love thy neighbour, and hate your enemy.
[44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
[45] That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
[46] For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?
[47] And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so?
[48] Be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Yeshua also taught and followed his own teaching, even unto his death. In keeping his own, higher level Torah commandment, he loved his enemies and offered no resistance. To the contrary - he said, "forgive them, for they no not what they do". When Peter came to his defense he said, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."
Point 4. Where are we now? Are we "in between" covenants? I am of the belief that our adherence to the New Covenant principles as taught by Yeshua will invite the Kingdom of YHWH to return. I look forward to discussing this with you.
Blessings,
Patty
I would like to start a discussion on The New Covenant, and in relation to the following:
Point 1. What is the New Covenant according to the Tanakh?
Point 2. What is the New Covenant according to Christianity?
Point 3. Was Yeshua/Jesus a teacher/forerunner of the New Covenant and if so, how?
Point 4. What do we do now?
Point 1. So far, I have learned from my studying that the New Covenant is the covenant YHWH made with Both Houses of Israel - the House of Israel and the House of Judah. I understand that this is a national as well as religious covenant concerning a Unified Israel and is summarized as follows in Jeremiah 31:
"Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, says YHWH: But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says YHWH, I will put my law (Torah) in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says YHWH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." — Jeremiah 31:31-34.
I believe that these verses embody the New Covenant and that it is really a HIGHER LEVEL of the Mosaic Covenant; however, I do not believe that it totally is in effect yet, as obviously "all" do not know YHWH, the House of Israel has not yet discovered their identity and the Torah is not in their "hearts".
Point 2. According to mainstream Christianity, the New Covenant has almost nothing to do with the Jeremiah prophesy about YHWH, Israel and the Torah, but rather is based on the concept of "Grace" and is defined in the Replacement Theology doctrine. YHWH was replaced with the trinity or dualism, the Torah was replaced with Grace and Israel was replaced with the Church. This was all confirmed by Yeshua's death.
Point 3. This may be a bit hard for my Jewish friends to swallow, but I do in fact believe that Yeshua's teachings were based on this New Covenant and that they were rejected, resulting in his death and the postponing of the promised Kingdom of God. Please consider the following from the Sermon on the Mount:
Matt. 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. [19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Now many Christians will say that Yeshua's death "fulfilled" the Torah, but is that really the case? Has heaven and earth passed away? I don't think so, but rather it was his LIFE and TEACHINGS that fulfilled (or filled full) the Torah by teaching how to follow it to its fullest, intended extent. Consider:
Matt. 5:21 "You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: [22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire".
Here Yeshua actually RAISES THE BAR of Torah observance - the current Torah requirement was purely physical - Don't kill (murder), but this higher level, or from the heart within, would be to not be angry at someone without cause.
Again in Matt. 5:27 "You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."
Here we see again how Yeshua raises the bar, teaching a higher level of observance from the heart, or within.
Yeshua continues his Higher Level New Covenant teaching in Matt 5:
[43] "You have heard that it has been said, You shall love thy neighbour, and hate your enemy.
[44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
[45] That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
[46] For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?
[47] And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so?
[48] Be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Yeshua also taught and followed his own teaching, even unto his death. In keeping his own, higher level Torah commandment, he loved his enemies and offered no resistance. To the contrary - he said, "forgive them, for they no not what they do". When Peter came to his defense he said, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."
Point 4. Where are we now? Are we "in between" covenants? I am of the belief that our adherence to the New Covenant principles as taught by Yeshua will invite the Kingdom of YHWH to return. I look forward to discussing this with you.
Blessings,
Patty
Views: 33
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Patty on -
Hi David,
Thank you for the great points you bring up here. I agree that Yeshua's teachings weren't new - they were really "renewed" in the sense that these concepts were what were intended from the beginning, but the people were not at that level of observance, hence what Yeshua taught about divorce. Moses "allowed" divorce because of the "hardness" of the people's hearts. But he goes on to say that "From the begining it was not so". And so on.
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Very nice Dave, thank you. I would like to post the following as food for thought:
YESHUA AND THE TALMUD
The following chart comes from the document, "Not Subject to the Law of God?" found at the site you mentioned www.yashanet.com/library/underlaw.htm. It shows that rather than teaching contrary to the Pharisees (a common misconception) Yeshua supported much of what they taught, as he often quoted from the Mishnah (the early portion of the Talmud) which is an entirely Pharisaic document. The Chart
I am not sure about the claim that Yeshua was a Pharisee, though I believe some of them were his friends.
This is a small comparison, I don't think all of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount can be found in the writings of the Sages. Certainly they didn't have the impact that Yeshua had, for now millions of people have a Torah in their homes.
As to your last point, I believe there are different levels of Torah observance. These sages were teaching a higher level and Yeshua, I believe, agreed with some of it. I gave the example, You shall not Kill at one point - Yeshua (and Talmud) taught that it is wrongful to hate. Isaiah and Hosea say that one day we will not even kill animals. This is an even HIGHER level that even Yeshua did not teach.
Patty
David Ruttka said:Thanks Patty. I think I see what you're saying, but to be fair, the level of observance being taught may not have been that far off the mark. I have found that Yeshua often quotes what the sages were already saying and even explicitly endorses their teachings (Matt 23:1-3).
Three examples (source given below):
- One who gazes lustfully upon the small finger of a married woman, it is as if he has committed adultery with her.- Kallah, Ch. 1 (see Matt 5:28)
- He who publicly shames his neighbour is as though he shed blood.- Talmud: Bava Mezia 58b (See Matt 5:21-22)
- Rabbi Eliezer the Great declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and Says. ‘What shall I eat tomorrow?’ belongs only to them who are little in faith. - Talmud: Sotah 48b (See Matt 6:25-31)
There are many other striking similarities if you're interested, but I don't want to flood this discussion. Please see the page where I got this information (http://www.yashanet.com/library/law_1.htm) and search for the word "quintessential".
So, were some off track? Yes, certainly so, as in any time. I don't think, however, that they were utterly lost.
As for what Moses allowed, my current understanding is that (1) whatever Moses taught was passed down directly from Hashem and (2) the name "Moses" is often used generally to refer to Torah. For example, "They have Moses and the Prophets" (Luke 16:29) means that they have these writings, not these physical people.
If these understandings are correct, then Hashem made a way for His hard-hearted people in His very Torah, not as an afterthought. Is it the ideal situation as practiced in the garden? No. Is it permissible? In the circumstances described in the Torah, yes, and I have to hold to a foundational belief that there is no flaw in His judgments.
If I have misunderstood anything or am missing the point, please let me know.
Shalom,
Dave
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Shalom David, thank you for your comments.
In reference to your first point, that you “still have not found anything that Yeshua brought that was new”, I am not sure quite how to answer this, as I agree, many of these concepts have been around for a long time. However, while many of these Sages touched on these subjects, I don’t think that if you put them all together they could equal what Yeshua taught in his Sermon on the Mount. The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 8 records the reactions of the people who heard his teaching: [28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: [29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. One person embodied all of the wisdom of the Sages and more. Not only did he teach this with words, but also by example - even unto his death.
Your second point was: “if there is an even higher level that Yeshua did not teach, then why did he not teach it while he was here? :) As to your specific example, can you show me where the Torah forbids the killing of animals such that stopping the killings would be a higher level of Torah observance?”
I believe that the future of the Creation is to return to Gan Eden. The Torah says, “You shall not kill”. One level would be to not murder, or kill the innocent. A next level would be to not kill anyone. A next level higher would be not to hate, or kill from the heart. A higher level would then be to not kill animals. The highest level would be, for this commandment, to not kill ANYTHING. This is similar to the PaRDeS interpretation of the Torah. This highest level, I believe, will be achieved when the Creation returns to Gan Eden as in the following prophecies:
Hosea 2
[18] And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
Isaiah 11
[7] And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
[8] And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
[9] They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of YHWH, as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 65
[17] For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
[18] But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
[19] And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
[20] There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
[21] And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
[22] They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
[23] They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of YHWH, and their offspring with them.
[24] And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
[25] The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says YHWH.
As to why Yeshua didn’t teach this while he was here – I don’t know, you can ask him when he returns :)
Shabbat Shalom,
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Note: In some Jewish thought there are Seven Levels in the ascent of the human intellect to the Divine Intellect. There is a book about this: Sheva Netivot Ha-Torah - The Seven Paths of Torah by Abraham Abulafia.
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Hi David,
I guess I don't understand what you are looking for when you say "new". I presented to you why I thought Yeshua and a clearer understanding of a higher level Torah observance, but the Torah was not "new", and certainly one was not supposed to add or take away from the Torah.
Yeshua even said himself that there were others greater than himself that have come before him and were killed, but that doesn't take away from what he did.
I will reply more on the "You shall not kill" issue later, but other than that, I am not sure what your point is (?).
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Okay, now we are getting somewhere. It appears that the people of Yeshua's time were unfamiliar with the teachings of any Sages, hence the "astonishment" at his teachings. Divorce was apparently legal, yet he taught that to remarry after was adultery. Stoning was still taking place, yet he taught "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". His followers assumed that he was going to gather arms and overthrow Rome, yet he said, "My kingdom is not of this world...if my kingdom were of this world, then would my disciples take up arms and fight....he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword". While the Sages may have taught something similar on a personal level, I don't recall anything on national level like this.
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Web Hulon on -
Shalom,
The word translated as "new" in Jer. 31 is "chadash." It not only means new, but means to renew. The covenat being spoken of is the RENEWED covenant was originally made with Avram:
Gen 12:1-2
1 Now YHWH had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.
2 I WILL MAKE YOU A GREAT NATION; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
This covenant was reiterated and expanded when Avram's name was changed to Avraham:
Gen 17:7-9
7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and your descendants after you.
8 "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their Elohim."
9 And Elohim said to Avraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
This covenant was confirmed with Yitsakh:
Gen 26:24
24 And YHWH appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the Elohim of your father Avraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham's sake."
And then to Ya'akov:
Gen 28:11-14
11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13 And behold, YHWH stood above it and said: "I am YHWH Elohim of Abraham your father and the Elohim of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
14 "Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
And then with all of Yisrael:
Exod 6:2-8
2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am YHWH.
3 "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as El Shaddai, but by My name, YHWH, I was not known to them.
4 "I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.
5 "And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.
6 "Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am YHWH; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
7 'I will take you as My people, and I will be your Elohim. Then you shall know that I am YHWH your Elohim who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 'And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am YHWH.'"
And then this same covenant was magnified and detailed at Mt. Sinai with all of Yisrael committing to it:
Exod 24:7
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that YHWH has said we will do, and be obedient."
The scattered of Yisrael will return to THIS covenant:
Micah 7:18-20
18 Who is an Elohim like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
19 He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will GIVE TRUTH to Ya'acov and mercy to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers FROM DAYS OF OLD.
We, the returning scattered sheep, are not without covenant. We are in the process of returning to the covenant made with our fathers.
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Hi David,
Concerning the stoning incident in Matt.: Yeshua didn't pardon the woman because there weren't two witnesses. He said to them: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her". He later says to the Pharisees: "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me" - not in connection to the incident with the woman, but in answer to them when they said, "You bear record of thyself; your record is not true".
Now concerning the Laws and Statutes in the Torah. How I understand it, and I am open for correction, is that there are different types of statutes - Perpetual and those of Sovereignty, governing the Land at the current time. Obviously the Ten Commandments, written with the Finger of YHWH, are perpetual and everlasting. I believe the Seven Holy Days are perpetual. There are other statues that are also perpetual:
Exod.29
[9] And you shall gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.
[28] And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute forever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto YHWH.
Exod.31
[16] Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Lev.3
[17] It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you eat neither fat nor blood.
Lev.16
[29] And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourns among you:
[31] It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.
Num.19
[21] And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkles the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that touches the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
I don't see stoning as being a perpetual statute, hence Yeshua's teaching on this above. He also said, "You have heard that it has been said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth': But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also", thus re-defining many of the laws regarding recompense.
Blessings,
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Web Hulon on
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One more thing. How is it "not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers?" The answer is in the same passage. "The covenant which they broke." This covenant will only be different because this time it will not be broken. It will be written in us because we will be DOING it, and it will usher in the Kingdom of YHWH!
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Hi David,
That verse reads: "Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever". I am not sure that the context in which you quoted it is accurate. The Ten Commandments, written by the Finger of G-d - this is the Law and the Prophets.
Patty
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Permalink Reply by Patty on
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Shalom Web!
Thank you for your comments! I agree that the New, or Renewed Covenant will be the Law written in out hearts. Perhaps what is meant by "not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers...The covenant which they broke" is that the Ten Commandments (Law) will be written in our hearts, but some of the other statutes will not be there - like stoning, animal sacrifice and such.
Shabbat Shalom,
Patty
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