Comments on: The Jews and the Covenants http://pop.dishmans.net/2004/06/12/the-jews-and-the-covenants/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 18 May 2012 18:24:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Jay http://pop.dishmans.net/2004/06/12/the-jews-and-the-covenants/#comment-13 Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:21:20 +0000 http://pop.dishmans.net/2004/06/12/the-jews-and-the-covenants/#comment-13 I'll take a stab, though the answers provided don't, as far as I can tell, unlock the meanings of the passage in Hebrews in and of themselves (particularly with regard to Paul's claim to wishing himself accursed... I just don't yet see how it follows). <br /> <br /> Question: Why is covenant pluralized? I.e., what are the covenants he is talking about? <br /> <br /> Jay's Answer: I would think he is referring to the major covenants made with Abraham and after (e.g. not the covenant with Noah). These would primarily be, if I recall correctly, the following: <br /> 1) Abrahamic <br /> 2) Mosaic <br /> 3) Davidic <br /> 4) Restoration (can't remember the main characters in the return from Babylonian exile) <br /> <br /> The other covenants tend to be echoes of these four (e.g. Isaac's and Jacob's echo Abrahams, Solomon's echoes David's, etc.). I found O. Palmer Robertson's "The Christ of the Covenants" (notice the plural) very helpful in opening my eyes to the major covenants in the Old Testament. He doesn't cover the return from exile, but I'm pretty sure it belongs with the others. <br /> <br /> Question: What is the adoption? <br /> <br /> Jay's Answer: Exodus 4:22-23 leapt to mind (not literally... I had to go look up the reference). Israel is declared to be the child of God, and some of the prophets pick up this theme to indicate it came about by adoption, not birth. <br /> <br /> Question: What is the glory? <br /> <br /> Jay's Answer: I think John's answer sounds right. I mean, there were numerous displays of God's glory, but it is in the pillar of cloud/fire that God comes to dwell in the tabernacle and then the temple. See Exodus 40:34-38, which seems to make this correlation explicit. I’ll take a stab, though the answers provided don’t, as far as I can tell, unlock the meanings of the passage in Hebrews in and of themselves (particularly with regard to Paul’s claim to wishing himself accursed… I just don’t yet see how it follows).

Question: Why is covenant pluralized? I.e., what are the covenants he is talking about?

Jay’s Answer: I would think he is referring to the major covenants made with Abraham and after (e.g. not the covenant with Noah). These would primarily be, if I recall correctly, the following:

1) Abrahamic

2) Mosaic

3) Davidic

4) Restoration (can’t remember the main characters in the return from Babylonian exile)

The other covenants tend to be echoes of these four (e.g. Isaac’s and Jacob’s echo Abrahams, Solomon’s echoes David’s, etc.). I found O. Palmer Robertson’s “The Christ of the Covenants” (notice the plural) very helpful in opening my eyes to the major covenants in the Old Testament. He doesn’t cover the return from exile, but I’m pretty sure it belongs with the others.

Question: What is the adoption?

Jay’s Answer: Exodus 4:22-23 leapt to mind (not literally… I had to go look up the reference). Israel is declared to be the child of God, and some of the prophets pick up this theme to indicate it came about by adoption, not birth.

Question: What is the glory?

Jay’s Answer: I think John’s answer sounds right. I mean, there were numerous displays of God’s glory, but it is in the pillar of cloud/fire that God comes to dwell in the tabernacle and then the temple. See Exodus 40:34-38, which seems to make this correlation explicit.

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