As we approach Christmas and the new year, we are delighted, filled with hopes of improvement in every aspect of our lives. Many believers experience the warm feelings of closeness to God, to the Covenant and to the promise of salvation. Although we discussed the Covenant in the past, we want to re-examine what is the New Covenant (the New Testament) from the Hebraic and the sensible points of view.
Note: nothing in this text includes theology, although it may sound so. This entire definition relates only to essence and will focus on the very meaningful grammatical rule of definiteness which illuminate more precisely Ha•brit Ha•cha•da•sha.
The ‘Ha’ at the beginning of this name, makes the covenant a definite one. ‘Ha’ is the definite article in Hebrew. It pertains to a specific covenant that was originally contracted between God and Israel. The term: ‘Ha•brit Ha•cha•da•sha’ is then relating to the old one (without mentioning it), but the definiteness infers that it is the same covenant with God (and not any other covenant) except for it is a new one. If we inherently understand that God is a part of this covenant without mentioning Him, then we can ask who is the other party in this covenant? Is it still the same Israel? If it is, how does it reconcile with the well known fact that Israel today does not recognize this new covenant. Many believers are convinced, and would say with much faith that ‘Israel does not recognize it yet.’ These many believers have never given up on Israel and are waiting for it to join the New Covenant. As such, the believers today are a body that extends the boundaries of the original body: ‘Israel.’ With the inclusion of the Biblical, original Israel (even though it is yet to join) the name ‘Ha•brit Ha•cha•da•sha,’ ‘The New Covenant’ is valid an viable. Without the original Israel it could not logically be called ‘The New Covenant’ but rather: ‘A New Covenant.’ ‘The’ eludes to something specific that was establish before – the covenant between God and Israel. The one who uses the term ‘The New Covenant, or ‘The New Testament’ needs also to know that Israel must be in. If it is out, then the covenant should be called ‘A New Testament,’ for it is then made by a new party. If the original parties are still includes, then it is The New Covenant. This fits very well with the famous saying of St. Augustine in 400 AD: ‘The Old Testament if the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.’
Testimonies of the and a covenant in the Bible:
Note 1: ‘a new covenant’ – before it was made:
‘Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah;’
Note 2: ‘The New Covenant’ – a definite covenant after it was made.
‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood…,’
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