Biblical Concept of Covenant

The Covenant in the Bible

A. The Covenant: Gift and Duty berît Distinctions in the berît between God and man.

a. The act through which the berît is established -- Gift of ḥesed i. Gift of God to Abraham - Gen. 15:18 ii. Gift of God to David - II Sam. 7; II Sam. 23:1-5 iii. Gift of God to Noah - Gen. 8:20-22 (J); Gen. 9:1-17 (P)

J - Promise of salvation as as simple ensuring of blessing

P - Promise is expressly linked with the gift of a berît iv. The berît of Sinai Ex. 19:1-40:38 + Leviticus + Nb. 1:1- 10:10

Biblical Concept of Covenant

b. The communion of the berît -- Commitment; Response of Man i. Abraham - Gen. 18:19 ii. David - I Kings 9:4-5 iii. Noah - Gen. 9:1-7 iv. Sinai - The Law; ḥesed, dabar - Lev. 19:2 v. Commandments - Ex.24:4b-8

c. Berît and Eucharist: Synoptics - Gift; John - Communion

Biblical Concept of Covenant

B. The Covenant in Crisis: the Hic et Nunc of the Prophets

1. The Historical Context

a. From the Conquest of the Promised Land, the history of Israel developed, reaching its greatest importance in the Kingdom of David Israel--------721

1200------------1000-----------960------------------------922

Conquest David Solomon Divided Kingdom

Judah-------------587

b. Together with and under the influence of these political changes, the mentality of Israel changes, the mentality of Israel changed faith--conscious of being based on the influence of YHWH’s interventions.

Biblical Concept of Covenant

2. The Message of the Prophets in General: Judgment/Salvation

a. Past: the great salvific events accomplished by YHWH in history.

b. Present: the situation of the hic et nunc, sin, the personal condition of those addressed by the prophets.

c. Future: the new action of YHWH makes the prophets read on the horizon of the history of the world.

d. Sin: Religious life, Political life, Economic-Social life Divinization of eros: Canaanite cult Divinization of Power: Kingship Divinization of Matter: Poverty, Property

3. The new berit - Jer.31:31-34

Biblical Concept of Covenant

31 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.

33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34 No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.