The Old Covenant (The Law) and the New Covenant 542 - 9 - 4

John the Baptist said that I must decrease so that He may increase. Fast-forward several years and it would seem that Jesus had to decrease so that the new covenant could increase. Jeremiah 31:31, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” The old covenant was made by God with the Israelites during their wandering in the wilderness. Excuse the pun, but it was a law written in stone. The new covenant is written on our hearts if only we are receptive to it. God promised to forgive their/ my iniquity, and remember their/ my sin no more.

Under the old covenant/ The Aaronic Priesthood was works oriented. Sinful man did his best to please God by attempting to fulfill 600+ laws, an impossible task. Add to that, elaborate ceremony, elegant regalia and animal sacrifice, much busywork. The old covenant priests had to make a sacrifice to prepare themselves to be pure enough to sacrifice animals for the various offerings required by law.

Jesus was the one time sacrifice and as he gave up his spirit he cried out Tetelesta, it is finished. Our debt has been paid in full by the propitiation of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that he had to leave so that the comforter/ Holy Spirit could come. Now under the new covenant Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us.

The old covenant/ The Aaronic Priesthood was temporary just as the lives of the priest were temporary. Jesus always was, always is and always will be. This brings to mind Psalm 102:25-27, "Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end."

CM refers to the two Greek words for old: the first is arv caio/ j archaios, which means old in point of time; old but still possibly usable. The second word, is palaio,j paleios, which means old in the point of use; useless, obsolete.” Now comes a lesson in the proper use of grammar; palaio,j paleios is in the Greek perfect tense meaning it has been made old in the sense of uselessness and continues to be so. This is the Greek word used in reference to the old covenant.

As an aside, both in college and in the workplace I was rather a technocrat. When I took the I60x series of courses the proper use of tenses was very important and a subject that cause my eyes roll back in my head. However, in my studies here at KI and in my desire to become a better Christian apologist, I realize how relevant the proper use of tenses is in expressing Biblical Truth.