Topics · Covenants
Covenants
Why this matters for following Jesus
At the Last Supper Jesus called the cup "the new covenant in my blood", so we cannot understand the Lord's Table, or the cross, without the covenant story that leads to it. The covenants show a God who keeps promises across generations and who blessed Abraham so that all nations would be blessed. How Israel and the church relate within that story is a sensitive question, and a disciple is called to love both neighbours and Jewish friends, so it must be taught with care.
Study path
- 1What a covenant is, and the promise to all creationKnow
What does it mean that God binds himself by promise?
- 2Abraham: blessing for every nationKnowWitness
How do I share in Abraham's blessing, and who is it for?
- 3Sinai and DavidKnow
What did God ask of his people, and how does David's throne point to Jesus?
- 4The new covenant in his bloodKnowFollow
What changes for me because of the new covenant?
Jer 31:31-34Ezek 36:24-28Luke 22:201 Cor 11:252 Cor 3Heb 8-10
Living it out
Come to the Lord's Table remembering the new covenant in his blood, and forgive as you have been forgiven.
Telling others
Show that Jesus is the fulfilment of promises made through Abraham and David, and speak of the Jewish people with respect, never as "replaced".
Read for yourself
Classic writing on this topic, free to read. Older English can read differently from today’s, and each author writes from his own tradition, so read widely and test everything against Scripture.
- John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion: 1.14.13-20 (devils); 3.1 (the Spirit); 3.20 (prayer, incl. 3.20.28-33 on singing and public prayer); 3.25 (final resurrection); Book 4 (the church; 4.3.4-5 offices; 4.12.14-21 fasting; 4.18 the Mass); Book 2 (unity of the covenants) ↗
1559 (final Latin edition); 1845 (translation)
- Philip Schaff (ed.): Creeds of Christendom vol. 3: Augsburg Confession 1530 (incl. Art. XVII); Belgic Confession; Thirty-Nine Articles (incl. Arts. 20, 31, 34); Westminster Confession (incl. chs. 7, 21, 32-33); Savoy Declaration 1658; Baptist Confession 1688; Confession of the Society of Friends 1675; Methodist Articles 1784; Second Helvetic; Canons of Dort 1619; Remonstrance 1610 ↗
1530-1784 (documents); 1889 (reprint)
- Charles Hodge: Systematic Theology (IA scan of the full work; vol. I and vol. 2 on CCEL); A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians ↗
1871-73; 1856
- Franz Delitzsch: Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, vol. 2 ↗
1872
- C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament ↗
1864-1892
- C. I. Scofield: The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 revised edition, Oxford) ↗
first ed. 1909; 1917
Viewpoints from different traditions and profiles of the leading teachers on this topic are added after scholars review them. Suggest a topic or a correction.