Tag Archives: Hebrews 8:10

The New Covenant, Part 1

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Then [Jesus] took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”[1]  The table below compares what He said next from four sources.

NET Parallel Greek, NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text

Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text[2]
Luke 22:20 (NET) 1 Corinthians 11:25 (NET) Matthew 26:28 (KJV) Table

Mark 14:24 (KJV) Table
And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant (ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη) in my blood. In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant (ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη) in my blood.  Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For this is my blood of the new testament (το της καινης διαθηκης), which is shed for many for the remission of sins. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament (το της καινης διαθηκης), which is shed for many.

A new covenant (διαθήκης καινῆς) was mentioned again in Hebrews (9:13-15 NET).

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled consecrated them and provided ritual purity, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God [Table].  And so he is the mediator of a new covenant (διαθήκης καινῆς), so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

And this new covenant is linked directly to the promise God made through Jeremiah (Hebrews 8:6-13 NET):

But now Jesus has obtained[3] a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no one would have looked for a second one.  But showing its fault, God says to them, “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant (διαθήκην καινήν) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord.  For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds, and I will inscribe them on their hearts.  And I will be their God, and they will be my people.  And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman[4] or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least[5] to the greatest.  For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins[6] I will remember no longer.”

When he speaks of a new (καινὴν) covenant, he makes the first obsolete.  Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear.

Jesus, the mediator of this better covenant, prayed (John 17:1-3 NET):

Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, so that[7] your[8] Son may glorify you—just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give[9] eternal life to everyone you have given him.  Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

Over time, Jesus’ understanding of eternal life—that they know (γινώσκωσιν, a form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent[10]—has focused my attention on this aspect of the promise of the new covenant—And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know (γνῶθι, another form of γινώσκω) the Lord,’ since they will all know (εἰδήσουσιν, a form of εἴδω) me, from the least to the greatest.[11]  Though I had prayed that genius-level prayer (of very little faith)—“If you’re really out there, I really want to know you,”[12]—striking at the very heart of the new covenant and Jesus’ understanding of eternal life, I understood nothing of it.

I didn’t study to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He had sent to live that eternal life.  I searched the Bible for rules to obey—or disobey as it turned out.[13]

Though I wrote this describing a slightly later time in my life, it was true earlier, too.  Studying the Bible to know God and to follow Jesus did not compute in my mind yet.  Now I hope, God willing, to spend the next ten thousand years or so studying the Bible to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.  There is so much I’m missing that Jesus knew, perhaps by twelve but at least, by thirty or so.

It will be nice to have face-to-face contact with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as well as the other participants.  I mentioned this to my Pastor.  He corrected me that all of the participants wouldn’t be available to me for an interview, but didn’t think my hope was that outrageous otherwise.  Of course, God may have different plans for me.  But this hunger for the Bible was a direct result of my prayer to know God, regardless that I misunderstood what it meant or how to satisfy that hunger.

Focusing on knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent does de-emphasize hell, the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10-15).  There’s no denying that.  When I said a sinner’s prayer at five-years-old I just wanted to avoid going to hell.  The rest of this—was unanticipated to be sure but—came as a sort of unwanted shock and largely unwelcome surprise.  I’ll try to highlight the difference between knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent and avoiding hell.

I heard a sermon recently presented in what I would characterize as a fairly typical example of the “avoiding hell” fashion.  A particular passage of Scripture was introduced as the answer to a question: “Why do so many people reject the Lord?”  This was reaffirmed later with the statements: “This is describing why some people accept the Gospel and why the majority do not;” and, “What we see here is the beginning of the Lord’s judgment on those who reject Him.  It is the first taste of hell and a warning of things that come if they continue to refuse his offer of grace.”

God’s grace wasn’t ignored in this sermon: “God’s grace is ever-expanding.  It reaches its full completion.  It never runs out in the generosity of God…”  It was just strictly limited: “…for those who truly do embrace discipleship, for those who truly become citizens of the kingdom through faith and repentance…”

“He who has an ear, let that person hear,” wasn’t presented as the word of the One (John 1:1-34) who said, “Let there be light.”  And there was light![14]  It was presented as a weak word, easily ignored: “Most won’t listen.  Most won’t understand.  Most won’t let it change their lives.”  The picture was very bleak indeed: “As long as we refuse to acknowledge how broken we are, as long as we refuse to acknowledge how much we need mercy, as long as we remain hardhearted there is no chance of salvation, zero.”

The passage in question was Matthew 13:1-23, the parable where Jesus describes people as types of ground, types of soil.  The most striking thing about this metaphor is that soil is powerless to improve itself.  The Sower must improve the soil if He wants a harvest.  Still, the emphasis seemed to remain upon the powerless soil: “This is a call for patient endurance.  This is a call for wholehearted devotion.  This is a call to root out weeds in our life because those thorns be poky and they hurt.”

I say “seemed” because this sermon did an abrupt about face at the very end:

But with the coming of the Spirit we see a new age in humanity, an age in which the church has been filled with the power of God like never before, where the transformation of the power of the Spirit through Christ’s death and resurrection gives us new hope and new life to embrace the Gospel at the very deepest part of our life.  So that by his grace He roots out all those vines, all those thorns.  By his grace He deepens the soil of our heart and brings us to that place of brokenness and joy because of the healing of Christ.  The reason we can have hope as we read this, as we recognize ourselves as the ones with the hard heart and the shallow heart and the crowded heart, is because we know that we don’t live by our own strength any more.  We never did.  But now we live in the power of the Spirit.[15]

In my opinion a sermon more focused on knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent rather than “avoiding hell” would start here and go on, maybe even to the God who of his own volition promised: “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me.  For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord.  “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”[16]

I shared this with my Pastor in case I was overly critical or offensive.  He seemed satisfied with my focus on the grace aspect of his sermon.  We talked some about a Pastor’s choice of focus, his desire to be true to both the grace and the judgment implicit in the text.  I may not have learned much about being a Pastor.  I did get a fresh glimpse into myself.

Apparently, I heard the judgment focus of his sermon (as I am prone to do) as an invitation to do-it-yourself religion.  Jesus, through his indwelling Spirit, forcibly shifted my focus away from judgment and fully onto his grace, putting some steel in my spine, as it were, keeping me trusting Him.  In other words, I am heeding the “call for patient endurance,” not by grinning and bearing it on my own but wholly dependent on the grace of my Savior.  After all, patience (μακροθυμία) is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23).

I’ve compared the quotation from Jeremiah in Hebrews to the Septuagint as a matter of completeness.  It seemed that Hebrews 8:8b may not be a quotation from the Septuagint but an independent translation of the Hebrew of Jeremiah 31:31.  The Hebrew word וכרתי (kāraṯ) was translated συντελέσω in the New Testament and διαθήσομαι (a form of διατίθεμαι) in the Septuagint.

Hebrews 8:8b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Jeremiah 31:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, λέγει κύριος, καὶ συντελέσω ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰούδα διαθήκην καινήν ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται φησὶν κύριος καὶ διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ισραηλ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ Ιουδα διαθήκην καινήν ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, φησὶ Κύριος, καὶ διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ιούδα διαθήκην καινήν

Hebrews 8:8b (NET)

 Jeremiah 38:31 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:31 (English Elpenor)
“Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Behold, days are coming, quoth the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iouda. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda:

I struggle some with the idea that ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον and τῷ οἴκῳ both translate with the house.  I suspect that συντελέσω ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον is something more like I will complete upon the house, but don’t find any support for it other than the NET translation of the same construction in Luke 1:33.  He will reign over the house (βασιλεύσει ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον) of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.[17]

The clause translated although I was an husband unto them (Tanakh/KJV) from the Masoretic text of Jeremiah 31:32 was translated and I disregarded them (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Jeremiah 31:32 (Tanakh/KJV) Jeremiah 31:32 (NET) Jeremiah 38:32 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:32 (Elpenor English)
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I (וְאָֽנֹכִ֛י) was an husband (בָּעַ֥לְתִּי) unto them (בָ֖ם), saith the LORD: It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt.  For they violated that covenant, even though I (‘ānōḵî, ואנכי) was like a faithful husband (bāʿal, בעלתי) to them (ḇām, בם),” says the Lord. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by their hand to  bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide in my covenant, and (καὶ) I (ἐγὼ) was unconcerned (ἠμέλησα) for them (αὐτῶν), quoth the Lord, not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and (καὶ) I (ἐγὼ) disregarded (ἠμέλησα) them (αὐτῶν), saith the Lord.

The difference appears to be one Hebrew word: בָּעַ֥לְתִּי (bāʿal).  If the writer of Hebrews actually did an independent translation from Hebrew, I have two points of evidence hinting at what the Hebrew word translated ἠμέλησα (a form of ἀμελέω) in the Septuagint and the New Testament was before the Masoretes changed it to בָּעַ֥לְתִּי (bāʿal).

Hebrews 8:9 (NET Parallel Greek) Jeremiah 31:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν ἐποίησα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Ἀιγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, λέγει κύριος οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην ἣν διεθέμην τοῗς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῗν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν φησὶν κύριος οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, φησὶ Κύριος

Hebrews 8:9 (NET)

 Jeremiah 38:32 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:32 (English Elpenor)
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by their hand to  bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide in my covenant, and I was unconcerned for them, quoth the Lord, not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.

Admittedly, I may not have thought of this quotation in Hebrews as an independent translation if I were only considering Hebrews 8:9 and Jeremiah 31:32 (38:32).  The comparison of Hebrews 8:10 and Jeremiah 31:33 (38:33) below isn’t exactly a tie breaker on that score.

Hebrews 8:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

 Jeremiah 31:33 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη, ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, λέγει κύριος· διδοὺς νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς θεόν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονται μοι εἰς λαόν ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ισραηλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας φησὶν κύριος διδοὺς δώσω νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῗς εἰς θεόν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη μου, ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ισραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, φησὶ Κύριος· διδοὺς δώσω νόμους εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς· καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεόν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν

Hebrews 8:10 (NET)

 Jeremiah 38:33 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:33 (English Elpenor)
For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds, and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be my people. because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, quoth the Lord.  Giving I will give my laws in their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will become a god to them, and they shall become a people to me. For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

There is nothing significant in the comparison of the next verse to persuade me that the quotation in Hebrews was an independent translation of the Hebrew.

Hebrews 8:11, 12 (NET Parallel Greek)

 Jeremiah 31:34 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Jeremiah 38:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν κύριον, ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσιν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων γνῶθι τὸν κύριον ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσίν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῗς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν Κύριον· ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσί με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι

Hebrews 8:11, 12 (NET)

 Jeremiah 38:34 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:34 (English Elpenor)
And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.  For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins I will remember no longer.” And they shall not teach, each his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they shall all know me, from their small even to their great, because I will be gracious regarding their injustices, and remember their sins no more. And they shall not at all teach every one his [fellow] citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more.

Tables comparing Jeremiah 31:31; 31:32 and 31:33 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of in Jeremiah 31:31; 31:32 and 31:33 the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Hebrews 8:6; 8:11, 12 and John 17:1, 2 in the NET and KJV follow.

Jeremiah 31:31 (Tanakh)

 Jeremiah 31:31 (KJV)

Jeremiah 31:31 (NET)
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: 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: “Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

Jeremiah 31:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται φησὶν κύριος καὶ διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ισραηλ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ Ιουδα διαθήκην καινήν ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, φησὶ Κύριος, καὶ διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ιούδα διαθήκην καινήν

Jeremiah 38:31 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:31 (English Elpenor)
Behold, days are coming, quoth the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iouda. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda:

Jeremiah 31:32 (Tanakh)

 Jeremiah 31:32 (KJV)

Jeremiah 31:32 (NET)
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt.  For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην ἣν διεθέμην τοῗς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῗν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν φησὶν κύριος οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαβομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἠμέλησα αὐτῶν, φησὶ Κύριος

Jeremiah 38:32 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:32 (English Elpenor)
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by their hand to  bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide in my covenant, and I was unconcerned for them, quoth the Lord, not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:33 (Tanakh)

 Jeremiah 31:33 (KJV)

Jeremiah 31:33 (NET)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord.  “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Jeremiah 31:33 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ισραηλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας φησὶν κύριος διδοὺς δώσω νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῗς εἰς θεόν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη μου, ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Ισραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, φησὶ Κύριος· διδοὺς δώσω νόμους εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς· καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεόν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν

Jeremiah 38:33 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:33 (English Elpenor)
because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, quoth the Lord.  Giving I will give my laws in their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will become a god to them, and they shall become a people to me. For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

Hebrews 8:6 (NET)

Hebrews 8:6 (KJV)
But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
|Νυν[ὶ]| δὲ διαφορωτέρας τέτυχεν λειτουργίας, ὅσῳ καὶ κρείττονος ἐστιν διαθήκης μεσίτης, ἥτις ἐπὶ κρείττοσιν ἐπαγγελίαις νενομοθέτηται νυνι δε διαφορωτερας τετευχεν λειτουργιας οσω και κρειττονος εστιν διαθηκης μεσιτης ητις επι κρειττοσιν επαγγελιαις νενομοθετηται νυνι δε διαφορωτερας τετυχεν λειτουργιας οσω και κρειττονος εστιν διαθηκης μεσιτης ητις επι κρειττοσιν επαγγελιαις νενομοθετηται

Hebrews 8:11, 12 (NET)

Hebrews 8:11, 12 (KJV)
And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν κύριον, ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσιν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν, και ου μη διδαξωσιν εκαστος τον πλησιον αυτου και εκαστος τον αδελφον αυτου λεγων γνωθι τον κυριον οτι παντες ειδησουσιν με απο μικρου αυτων εως μεγαλου αυτων και ου μη διδαξωσιν εκαστος τον πολιτην αυτου και εκαστος τον αδελφον αυτου λεγων γνωθι τον κυριον οτι παντες ειδησουσιν με απο μικρου αυτων εως μεγαλου αυτων
For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins I will remember no longer.” For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι οτι ιλεως εσομαι ταις αδικιαις αυτων και των αμαρτιων αυτων και των ανομιων αυτων ου μη μνησθω ετι οτι ιλεως εσομαι ταις αδικιαις αυτων και των αμαρτιων αυτων και των ανομιων αυτων ου μη μνησθω ετι

John 17:1, 2 (NET)

John 17:1, 2 (KJV)
When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you— These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπεν· πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασον σου τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα ὁ υἱὸς δοξάσῃ σέ ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και επηρεν τους οφθαλμους αυτου εις τον ουρανον και ειπεν πατερ εληλυθεν η ωρα δοξασον σου τον υιον ινα και ο υιος σου δοξαση σε ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και επηρεν τους οφθαλμους αυτου εις τον ουρανον και ειπεν πατερ εληλυθεν η ωρα δοξασον σου τον υιον ινα και ο υιος σου δοξαση σε
just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ |δώσῃ| αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον καθως εδωκας αυτω εξουσιαν πασης σαρκος ινα παν ο δεδωκας αυτω δωση αυτοις ζωην αιωνιον καθως εδωκας αυτω εξουσιαν πασης σαρκος ινα παν ο δεδωκας αυτω δωσει αυτοις ζωην αιωνιον

[1] Luke 22:19 (NET)

[2] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τῆς διαθήκης, of the covenant (NET), in Matthew 26:28 and Mark 14:24.

[3] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had τέτυχεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had τετευχεν (KJV: hath…obtained).

[4] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had πολίτην here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πλησιον (KJV: neighbour).

[5] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων following least.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και των ανομιων αυτων (KJV: and their iniquities) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[7] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και following that.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[8] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σου here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[9] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had δώσῃ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had δωσει.

[10] John 17:3b (NET)

[11] Hebrews 8:11 (NET)

[12] Who am I? Part 3

[13] Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 3

[14] Genesis 1:3 (NET) Table

[15] Adam Sanftner, “Dirty Heart,” Covenant Bible Church, January 2, 2022

[16] Jeremiah 31:34 (NET) Table

[17] Luke 1:33 (NET)

Romans, Part 73

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I’ll continue to consider the dark side of Contribute (κοινωνοῦντες, a form of κοινωνέω) to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality;[1] namely (2 John 1:9-11 NET):

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God.  The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting, because the person who gives him a greeting shares (κοινωνεῖ, another form of κοινωνέω) in his evil deeds.

I turn here to Love the Lord your God…with all your mind (διανοίας, a form of διάνοια).[2]  Jesus didn’t say anything negative about the Pharisees’ or the law experts’ διανοίας.  He opened his disciples’ νοῦν, implying that they were closed formerly: Then he opened their minds (νοῦν, a form of νοῦς) so they could understand (συνιέναι, a form of συνίημι) the scriptures…[3]  If I had known this when I began this study would I have called it something other than the religious mind?  Probably not.  I’m a Gentile with a philosophical bent to my mind.  Paul had something to say about that even if Jesus did not.

Though Pharisees and law experts might not have considered a Gentile mind religious, I’m using the term to mean all human efforts to satisfy (or, replace) a god or God (yehôvâh).  Even atheists can have religious minds as I use the term.  In fact my religious mind eventually undermined my atheism.  When I wanted to consider myself good again I invented “more realistic” rules than yehôvâh’s to obey.  I failed to obey them.  So I made “even more realistic” rules.  Eventually my standards were so low even I realized they were unworkable.  And I still wasn’t keeping them!

So I say this, and insist in the Lord, Paul wrote the church at Ephesus, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking (νοὸς, another form of νοῦς).  They are darkened in their understanding (διανοίᾳ, another form of διάνοια), being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance (ἄγνοιαν, a form of ἄγνοια) that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.[4]  So, loving yehôvâh with all your mind is equivalent to loving Him with all of one’s understanding.

The solution, by the way, to futile thinking was: You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old (παλαιὸν, a form of παλαιός) man (ἄνθρωπον, a form of ἄνθρωπος) who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind (νοὸς, another form of νοῦς), and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.[5]  The old man we are to lay aside is our old (παλαιὸς) man (ἄνθρωπος) [that] was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.[6]  Again, sharing in his death and resurrection through faith in Jesus proves to be an important aspect of the Gospel (Romans 6:3, 4 NET).

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your minds (διανοίᾳ, another form of διάνοια) as expressed through your evil deeds,[7] Paul wrote Gentiles in Colossae.  The Greek words translated evil deeds here are τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς (a form of πονηρός).  In reference to Gentiles I have no doubt that Paul had sins in view, but even as an atheist my works were “full of labours, annoyances, and hardships.”  And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins, Paul wrote Gentiles in Ephesus, in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience (ἀπειθείας, a form of ἀπείθεια), among whom all of us [even a former Pharisee] also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind (διανοιῶν, another form of διάνοια), and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest…[8]

But God, Paul continued as he introduced the solution to this problem.  But first I want to consider yehôvâh’s promise of a new covenant.  For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds (διάνοιαν, another form of διάνοια) and I will inscribe them on their hearts (καρδίας, a form of καρδία).  And I will be their God and they will be my people.[9]  And again, This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts (καρδίας, a form of καρδία) and I will inscribe them on their minds (διάνοιαν, another form of διάνοια)…[10]

This is a quotation from Jeremiah 31:33.  The Greek texts are compared below.

NET

 Parallel Greek NETS

Septuagint
For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God and they will be my people.

Hebrews 8:10

 ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη, ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, λέγει κύριος· διδοὺς νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς θεόν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονται μοι εἰς λαόν

Hebrews 8:10

 …because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, quoth the Lord.  Giving I will give my laws in their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will become a god to them, and they shall become a people to me.

Ieremias 38:33 (31:33)

 ὅτι αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διαθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ Ισραηλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας φησὶν κύριος διδοὺς δώσω νόμους μου εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς θεόν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν

Jeremiah 31:33

And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know (γνῶθι, a form of γινώσκω) the Lord,’ since they will all know (εἰδήσουσιν, a form of εἴδω; e.g., to know by seeing) me, from the least to the greatest,[11] the first passage continued.  The Greek texts are compared below:

NET

 Parallel Greek NETS

Septuagint
And there will be no need at all for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.

Hebrews 8:11

 καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν κύριον, ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσιν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν

Hebrews 8:11

 And they shall not teach, each his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they shall all know me, from their small even to their great…

Ieremias 38:34a (31:34a)

 καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων γνῶθι τὸν κύριον ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσίν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν

Jeremiah 31:34a

And this knowing is eternal life according to Jesus: Now this is eternal life – that they know (γινώσκωσιν, another form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.[12]  And we know (οἴδαμεν, another form of εἴδω) that the Son of God has come and has given us insight (διάνοιαν, another form of διάνοια) to know him who is true, John wrote, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  This one is the true God and eternal life.[13]  The gift the Son of God has given here is διάνοιαν, the mind, understanding or insight with which we love yehôvâh.  Diminishing the scope of this gift to a place in heaven while turning back to the futility of [our former] thinking to work our own works of righteousness in our own strength demeans both Jesus and eternal life.

But God, being rich in mercy, Paul continued writing Gentiles in Ephesus, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! –and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.  For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.[14]

Love the Lord your God…with all your strength (ἰσχύος, a form of ἰσχύς).[15]  I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul wrote Gentiles at Ephesus, the Father of glory, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge (ἐπιγνώσει, a form of ἐπίγνωσις) of him, – since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened – so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense (ἰσχύος, a form of ἰσχύς) strength.[16]  Finally, he added, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength (ἰσχύος, a form of ἰσχύς) of his power.[17]

To attempt to function on our own away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength (ἰσχύος, a form of ἰσχύς) was Paul’s description of eternal destruction: They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength…[18]  Whoever speaks, Peter wrote, let it be with God’s words.  Whoever serves, do so with the strength (ἰσχύος, a form of ἰσχύς) that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ.  To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever.  Amen.[19]  If we believe Him his ἰσχύος is our ἰσχύος, the ἰσχύος with which we love yehôvâh.

This[20] is the teaching of Christ as presented in the New Testament as opposed to the teaching of the religious mind.  Is it the teaching your teachers bring to you?  If not the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds, according to John.  I would be very wary of supporting that teacher financially.  This gives us a context for Paul’s admonition (Galatians 6:6-10 NET)

Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share (Κοινωνείτω, another form of κοινωνέω) all good things (ἀγαθοῖς, a form of ἀγαθός) with the one who teaches it.  Do not be deceived.  God will not be made a fool.  For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.  So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good (ἀγαθὸν, another form of ἀγαθός) to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

The teaching of Christ sows to the Spirit.  The teaching of the religious mind sows to [our] own flesh.  Money is not the only, or even the primary, good thing to share with the teacher of the word, the one who remains in the teaching of Christ.  “No servant can serve two masters,” Jesus said, “for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money.”  The Pharisees [e.g., the New Testament epitome of those with religious minds] (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him.[21]

And need is the key to help make a determination what to contribute or share in.  The primary needs of all believers are: 1) the need to be baptized by Jesus in the Holy Spirit; 2) to believe that his Father knows our needs before we ask Him, and that He is willing to supply our needs; and 3) to accept that our most pressing need is to sit at Jesus’ feet, to listen and to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need (χρείαν, a form of χρεία), John wrote, and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?[22]  Make every effort to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, Paul wrote Titus, make sure they have what they need (ἵνα μηδὲν αὐτοῖς λείπῃ; so that nothing or no one of theirs is left behind).  Here is another way that our people can learn to engage in good works to meet pressing needs (χρείας, another form of χρεία) and so not be unfruitful.[23]

My purpose was not to minimize these more obvious aspects of contributing to the needs of the saints, but to highlight how much broader this contributing, or sharing in, actually is in the New Testament.  I’ll conclude this with Peter’s contribution to the needs of the saints as something which we all share with one another (1 Peter 4:12-14 NET):

Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice (χαίρετε, a form of χαίρω) in the degree that you have shared (κοινωνεῖτε, another form of κοινωνέω) in the sufferings (παθήμασιν, a form of πάθημα) of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice (ἀγαλλιώμενοι, a form of ἀγαλλιάω) and be glad (χαρῆτε, another form of χαίρω).  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, who is the Spirit of God, rests on you.

Do not neglect hospitality (φιλοξενίας , a form of φιλονεξία), because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.[24]  This is the only other occurrence of a form of φιλονεξία in the New Testament.  But I hope I have been persuasive that when Paul wrote pursue hospitality (φιλοξενίαν, another form of φιλονεξία) he did not intend to pen a “law of Paul,” a rule to be obeyed, something to pursue (διώκοντες, a form of διώκω) in one’s own strength.  His intent was that this “love to strangers” would flow naturally (e.g., supernaturally) from the Spirit of God through the believer and out into the world, one of the good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.[25]

[1] Romans 12:13 (NET)

[2] Mark 12:30a (NET)

[3] Luke 24:45 (NET)

[4] Ephesians 4:17, 18 (NET) Table

[5] Ephesians 4:22-24 (NET)

[6] Romans 6:6 (NET)

[7] Colossians 1:21 (NET)

[8] Ephesians 2:1-3 (NET) Table

[9] Hebrews 8:10 (NET)

[10] Hebrews 10:16 (NET)

[11] Hebrews 8:11 (NET)

[12] John 17:3 (NET)

[13] 1 John 5:20 (NET)

[14] Ephesians 2:4-10 (NET)

[15] Mark 12:30a (NET)

[16] Ephesians 1:17-19 (NET)

[17] Ephesians 6:10 (NET)

[18] 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NET)

[19] 1 Peter 4:11 (NET)

[20] I am considering Romans, Part 71 and Romans, Part 72 here as well, not as an exhaustive study but as a fairly thorough study of the teaching of Christ on the issue of contributing.

[21] Luke 16:13, 14 (NET)

[22] 1 John 3:17 (NET)

[23] Titus 3:13, 14 (NET)

[24] Hebrews 13:2 (NET)

[25] Ephesians 2:10b (NET)