Diving In Session 4 Covenant 8 The New Covenant week 3

The Spirit and the Kingdom

Progressive revelation

We’ve discussed what the New Covenant means regarding the promises to Israel in the Old Testament:

• Hinted at in Deut. 30:6 (cf. 29:4) (1407 BC)
• First (chronological) mention? Hos. 2:18-23 (741 BC)
• First promised as everlasting Isa. 55:3 (701 BC)
• Regathering for fulfilment mentioned Jer. 23:5-8 (599 BC)
• Defined Jer. 31:31-37 (589 BC)
• The spiritual blessings that fulfil Deut. 30:6 described in Ezek. 36:26-28 (587 BC)

Spoken of as a Covenant of Peace in Isa. 54:10; Ezek. 34:25; 37:26 which looks forward to the Millennium, a time of universal peace in which Israel is the centre of the Kingdom of God in the earth and mediates blessings to all the nations of the earth (e.g. Mic. 4:2-4; Zech. 8:3, Isa. 2:2-4)

This is how the disciples would have been thinking when Jesus spoke of the New Covenant (Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:30 – first mention in New Testament), with the expression ‘blood of the covenant’ no doubt invoking memories of Ex. 24:8 and the inauguration of the Mosaic Covenant.

How does the New Testament see the New Covenant?

Jesus’ words give a specific identification of the New Covenant with the remission of sins (first mention Luke 22:30), but also points to a gap before the coming of ‘My Father’s Kingdom’ (Matt. 26:29), which may have been in the disciples minds when they asked Jesus a few days later “Will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)

Mentions of New Covenant in the New Testament:

NB Gal. 4:24 two covenants are Mosaic and Abrahamic (Promise, mentions Isaac). The whole section in chs. 3 & 4 just deals with these and doesn’t mention the New Covenant.

The writer to the Hebrews is interested in the ‘betterness’ of the New Covenant in contrast to the Mosaic Covenant – not that the Old is bad (as Paul says, “The law is holy and just and good” Rom. 7:12), but that the New is better and provides what the Law could not. It involves:

• A new order of priesthood: Aaron -> Melchizedek (which requires a change of law Heb. 7:12) – the new priesthood being an eternal one bringing eternal salvation (Heb. 7:17, 24-25)
• The Old was weak and useless for making perfect, i.e. sanctification (Heb. 7:18) but the New does
• The New brings a better hope and nearness to God which was impossible under the Old (Heb. 7:19)
• The Old required daily sacrifices but the New is founded on a single sacrifice which never needs to be repeated (Heb. 7:27; 10:12)

The New Covenant and the Holy Spirit

Interestingly, the New Covenant is not a major theme in Paul’s writings, as can be seen from the list above. His major discussion of this is in 2 Cor. 3 where he draws a number of parallels between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant, of which he is a servant:

• Letter/Spirit
  • letter kills (by the law is the knowledge of sin and the wages of sin is death Romans 3:20; 6:23), Spirit gives life – does he have in mind Ezek. 36:26? John 6:63
• Ministry of death/ministry of the Spirit
  • Fading glory, exceeding glory
• Jews veiled now/veil taken away when they turn to the Lord
  • Points obliquely to his other mention in Rom. 11:26 when all Israel will be saved

Paul doesn’t speak of the New Covenant when discussing the relationship between the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants in Galatians 3. But we can extract a principle from that discussion that the Mosaic Covenant doesn’t make the Abrahamic Covenant redundant, and that it is the spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant that the Gentiles inherit, specifically the gift of the Spirit (v. 14), which is a New Covenant blessing.

We discussed the contrasts between the old and new covenants, focusing on the role of the Holy Spirit and the difference between ritual cleanliness and spiritual holiness and highlighted that under the old covenant, people could not be made truly holy, but they could be ritually clean. However, the new covenant, established by Jesus’ sacrifice, offers the possibility of being made intrinsically holy, with holiness no longer reliant on ritual purity. The group also emphasized the ongoing sanctification process under the new covenant and the assurance of forgiveness.

New Covenant and Its Implications Discussed

The group discussed the New Covenant and its implications for both Jewish people and Gentile Christians. The role of the Jewish people in the new kingdom was affirmed, with their responsibility to rule the nations in the Millennium emphasized. The relationship between the Old and New Testaments was also discussed, with an emphasis on the shift of focus from the law to a personal relationship with Jesus.

New Covenant and Kingdom in Christian Theology

We discussed the relationship between the New Covenant and the Kingdom in Christian theology and agreed that the New Covenant, which brings in the Age of the Spirit and promises freedom and transformation, points to the Kingdom. However, they also recognized that the Kingdom is not explicitly associated with the New Covenant in the New Testament. Instead, the Kingdom is described as a universal sphere of God’s rule, and individuals recognize God’s authority over their lives to come into it through the new birth. The Kingdom is also presented as something that will come at the end of the age, with both Old and New Testament passages indicating that the Kingdom is a future reality.

Kingdom of God and Church Discussion

David raised concerns about the tendency to equate the kingdom with the Church, which he believes leads to errors such as A-Millennial view and Post-Millennialism. He emphasized the need to understand the New Testament’s use of the term “kingdom” and cautioned against using phrases like “kingdom work” out of context. The Church is not the kingdom, but that kingdom work is done by all who seek justice and feed the hungry, which arwe Kingdom attributes

Understanding the Kingdom in the Bible

David led a discussion on the concept of the kingdom in the Bible, from its fulfillment in the Old Testament to its progressive revelation in the New Testament. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing the kingdom from the Church and encouraged the team to deepen their understanding of these concepts. The team also discussed the different views on the kingdom among various Christian denominations, acknowledging the need for clarity and understanding to avoid confusion.

Summary of the New Covenant and the Holy Spirit

We can say then that the New Covenant brings in the age of the Spirit Who brings freedom, and in which those who contemplate the glory of the Lord Jesus are being changed into His likeness – the process of sanctification which is empowered by the indwelling Spirit – a covenant promise (Ezek. 36:26)

The New Covenant and the Kingdom

But the Old Testament associates the New Covenant with the fulfilment of the promised Kingdom but I don’t believe that the New Testament associates the Kingdom of God with the New Covenant explicitly. Its focus is more on the personal application in the Gospel.

However, the phrase is used as a description of Jesus’ and Paul’s teaching. So when we read of the Kingdom of God/Heaven in the New Testament, what does it point to? It is often taken as synonymous with the Church, and people getting saved is them coming into the Kingdom.

Q: If the Kingdom of God is universal, and His Kingdom rules over all (Psa. 103:19), how can we speak of people “coming into it”? The whole creation and everyone in it is under the rule of God as King and therefore in the Kingdom already. Of course, we mean that they recognise His authority over their lives, as a result of the new birth. However, it is also presented as something that is coming at the end of the age (Luke 13:28-29) and which we inherit at the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:50).

The difficulty with using this expression for people getting saved is that it implies that the Church and the Kingdom are identical. While the Church is part of the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom is much wider than the Church. Confusing the Church and the Kingdom leads into at least two errors:

1. The A-Millennial belief that the Kingdom promises of the Old Testament Covenant are fulfilled in the Church, and the Church then becomes the spiritual successor to the promises in place of Israel (with all the allegorizing that that requires)
2. The Post-Millennial belief that the Church will create the Kingdom of God on Earth (in contradiction of Jesus’ words in John 19:39 “My kingdom is not of this world”), and the variants on that such as the Realised Eschatology of C H Dodd, the Inaugurated Theology of G E Ladd, Dominion Theology, Kingdom Now and the New Apostolic Reformation.

While it is true that Luke (a Gentile) uses the phrase almost synonymously with preaching the Gospel, by the end of his Gospel, the Kingdom has become an eschatological event. So …

How does the New Testament speak of the Kingdom?

• Jesus announced that the Kingdom was near and people had to be prepared for its coming (Mark 1:15; Luke 10:9-10). This is the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 1:15;
• In some respect, the Kingdom had come with Jesus’ coming as He is the King and where the King is the Kingdom ought to be (driving out demons Luke 11:20; in your midst Luke 17;21)
• But entrance to the Kingdom was conditional on personal acceptance and righteous works:
  • It had to be sought for (Matt. 6:33)
  • You have to strive to enter (Luke 13:23-27; Matt 7:13-14)
  • Belongs to the poor (repentant) (Luke 6:20)
  • How hard for a rich man to enter (Matt. 19:24)
  • Had to be received like a child (Mark 10:14-15)
  • Was dependent on the new birth (John 3:3, 5)
• The Kingdom was deliberately concealed from Israel, because of their rejection of the King, and becomes a mystery (Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10 – context of Matt. 11 – 13)
• The Kingdom was still future at the end of Jesus’ life and work
  • Expectation that it would soon appear was wrong (Luke 19:11)
  • Jesus: ‘until I drink it new in the Kingdom’ (Luke 22:16-18)
  • Joseph of Arimathea still waiting (Mark 15:43)
  • not yet restored to Israel (Acts 1:6)
• There will be signs of its appearing at the end of the age (Luke 19:11; 21:31)
• Its fullness will not be seen until Jesus returns
  • will come when Israel repents (Acts 3:19-21), which triggers the return of Jesus (Matt. 23:39)
  • Comes at the Return of the King (Rev. 11:15)
  • Is inherited at the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:50) and is associated with the reward of saints at the return of Christ (2 Thess. 1:5, 10)

The Timing of Fulfilment – The Kingdom postponed? Or taken away from Israel and given to the Church?

• Offered to the Jews Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:15; Matt 10:5-7
• Rejected Mark 12:10-11; Luke 19:14; John 19:15
• Transferred Matt. 21:43; Mark 12:9; (kingdom as seen in the Gospel Acts 28:25-29?)
• But not permanently! Rom. 11:1, 7, 11-15, 25-26
• Manifested Rom. 8:19, 23; Rev. 11:11-15; 20:6

How can we summarise? In the Gospels and Acts, the Kingdom is only offered to Jews. During Jesus’ ministry, the offer appears to have been postponed. In Paul’s teaching, it is something that we inherit at our resurrection. In Revelation, it is fully revealed at the Second Coming, when Christ returns to reign in the Millennium (which brings us back to Israel and the fulfilment of the OT Covenants).