New or Renewed Covenant?

Is it the New or Renewed covenant?

 

Some Hebrew roots “scholars” are teaching that we are under a renewed covenant, not new, therefore we must follow the Old Covenant laws as well. Some have gone so far as to teach that the New Covenant will not be in effect until the return of Jesus. B’riyt Chadashah is the phrase that appears in Jeremiah 31:

 

Jeremiah 31

31  Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

32  not according to the covenant that I cut with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them, says the LORD).

 B’riyt means covenant, which is the equivalent for the word testament. Chadash in the context of Jeremiah 31:31 does not mean renewed but new, and in this passage the adjectival form for renewed would have to appear as mechudeshet to make it mean renewed, and not chadashah as found in the Hebrew text.  We can determine that the meaning is something completely new because following verse 31, the negative “lo” appears in the Hebrew text (lo kabriyt) Contextually, this makes it clear that the writer is differentiating between an existing and a “new” covenant.  The new covenant referred to in verse 31 is referred to in the Hebrew of verse 32 as lo meaning “not” the previous covenant and is defined in the passage below as not being:

 “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; my covenant which they broke”

There are two separate and distinct forms of chadash listed in the Hebrew lexicon for new (H2319) and renewed (H2318). Another Biblical Hebrew form for renewed is mechudash, the pu`al particple from the root (shoresh) chet-dalet-shin. Chidesh is a modern Hebrew word that is also used for renewed.

 

H2319

חדשׁ

châdâsh

BDB Definition:

1) new, new thing, fresh

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H2318

Same Word by TWOT Number: 613a      

 

Here is the Hebrew lexicon listing of the word that is translated as renewed:

 

H2318

חדשׁ

châdash

BDB Definition:

1) to be new, renew, repair

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to renew, make anew

1a2) to repair

1b) (Hithpael) to renew oneself

Part of Speech: verb

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root

Same Word by TWOT Number: 613

 

Let’s take a look at how the Jewish scholars that made up the translation team for the 1917 Jewish Publication Society TeNaKh translated chadash (H2319) contextually:

 

30 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant (b’riyt chadashah) with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah;

 

Here is the Hebrew:

 

 הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים, נְאֻם-יְהוָה; וְכָרַתִּי, אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת-בֵּית יְהוּדָה–בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה.

 

Just to be sure, I referenced the latest version of the JPS TeNaKh (1985). It says new there as well. As a matter of fact, it says new in every translation I reviewed, with the exception of a few Hebrew Roots translations which are filled with faulty language scholarship, and are purely agenda driven.

 

So using the Hebrew roots teacher’s logic, shouldn’t this passage below also be renewed then?

 

Isaiah 43

18 Do not remember former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new ²³¹⁹ (chadashah) thing; now it shall sprout. Shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

 

Using the same reasoning, wouldn’t it be a renewed song in the following passages as well?

 

Psalms 33

3  Sing to Him a new (H2319) song; play skillfully, with shouts of joy.

 

Psalms 40

3  And He put a new (H2319) song of praise to our God in my mouth; many shall see and shall fear and shall trust in the LORD.

 

Psalms 96

1  O sing to the LORD a new (H2319) song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

 

Psalms 98

1  O sing to the LORD a new (H2319) song, for He has done wondrous things; His right hand and His holy arm has saved Him.

 

Psalms 144

9  I will sing a new (H2319) song to You, O God; I will sing praises to You on a harp of ten strings

 

Psalms 149

1  Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new (H2319) song, His praise in the assembly of the saints.

 

Isaiah 42

10  Sing a new (H2319) song to the LORD; His praise from the end of the earth, you who go to sea, and all that is in it; the coasts and their people.

 

Below are some of the words, that the Hebrew scribes used when translating the Hebrew word chadash into a Greek equivalent for the Septuagint (LXX) and their definitions:

 

H2319

 

chadash               G2537 kainos

chadash               G3501 neos

 

 

G2537

καινοìς

kainos

Thayer Definition:

1) new

1a) as respects form

1a1) recently made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn

1b) as respects substance

1b1) of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: of uncertain affinity

Citing in TDNT: 3:447, 388

 

Now from the New Testament writings we have these passages using the Greek equivalent for chadash listed above, which is kainos (G2357):

 

Rev 5:9  And²⁵³² they sung^{103 [5719]} a new ²⁵³⁷ song ⁵⁶⁰³, saying^{3004 [5723]}, Thou art^{1488 [5748]} worthy⁵¹⁴ to take^{2983 [5629]} the book⁹⁷⁵, and²⁵³² to open^{455 [5658]} the seals⁴⁹⁷³ thereof⁸⁴⁶: for³⁷⁵⁴ thou wast slain^{4969 [5648]}, and²⁵³² hast redeemed^{59 [5656]} us²²⁴⁸ to God²³¹⁶ by¹⁷²² thy⁴⁶⁷⁵ blood¹²⁹ out of¹⁵³⁷ every³⁹⁵⁶ kindred⁵⁴⁴³, and²⁵³² tongue¹¹⁰⁰, and²⁵³² people²⁹⁹², and²⁵³² nation¹⁴⁸⁴;

 

Rev 14:3  And²⁵³² they sung^{103 [5719]} as it were⁵⁶¹³ a new ²⁵³⁷ song ⁵⁶⁰³ before¹⁷⁹⁹ the throne²³⁶², and²⁵³² before¹⁷⁹⁹ the four⁵⁰⁶⁴ beasts²²²⁶, and²⁵³² the elders⁴²⁴⁵: and²⁵³² no man³⁷⁶² could^{1410 [5711]} learn^{3129 [5629]} that new ⁵⁶⁰³ but¹⁵⁰⁸ the hundred¹⁵⁴⁰ and forty⁵⁰⁶² and four⁵⁰⁶⁴ thousand⁵⁵⁰⁵, which³⁵⁸⁸ were redeemed^{59 [5772]} from⁵⁷⁵ the earth¹⁰⁹³.

 

 

Mat 26:28  For¹⁰⁶³ this⁵¹²⁴ is^{2076 [5748]} my³⁴⁵⁰ blood¹²⁹ of the new²⁵³⁷ testament¹²⁴², which³⁵⁸⁸ is shed^{1632 [5746]} for⁴⁰¹² many⁴¹⁸³ for¹⁵¹⁹ the remission⁸⁵⁹ of sins²⁶⁶.

 

Heb 8:8  For¹⁰⁶³ finding fault^{3201 [5740]} with them⁸⁴⁶, he saith^{3004 [5719]}, Behold^{2400 [5628]}, the days²²⁵⁰ come^{2064 [5736]}, saith^{3004 [5719]} the Lord²⁹⁶², when²⁵³² I will make^{4931 [5692]} a new²⁵³⁷ covenant¹²⁴² with¹⁹⁰⁹ the house³⁶²⁴ of Israel²⁴⁷⁴ and²⁵³² with¹⁹⁰⁹ the house³⁶²⁴ of Judah²⁴⁵⁵

 

Heb 8:13  In¹⁷²² that he saith^{3004 [5721]}, A new²⁵³⁷ covenant , he hath made³⁸²² the first⁴⁴¹³ old^{3822 [5758]}. Now¹¹⁶¹ that which decayeth^{3822 [5746]} and²⁵³² waxeth old^{1095 [5723]} is ready¹⁴⁵¹ to vanish away⁸⁵⁴.

 

And the now another equivalent word for chadash (neos

G3501) is used (see definition below):

 

Heb 12:24  And²⁵³² to Jesus²⁴²⁴ the mediator³³¹⁶ of the new³⁵⁰¹ covenant¹²⁴², and²⁵³² to the blood¹²⁹ of sprinkling⁴⁴⁷³, that speaketh^{2980 [5723]} better things²⁹⁰⁹ than³⁸⁴⁴ that of Abel⁶.

 

G3501

νεìος  /  νεωìτερος

neos  /  neōteros

Thayer Definition:

1) recently born, young, youthful

2) new

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a primary word

Citing in TDNT: 4:896, 628

 

 

Hebrew roots question:

So what happens to the “Chodesh” moon? does it just go poof when its cycle is done?

 

Actually, chodesh is listed as a totally different word in the Hebrew lexicon, that has its derivation from a word that is listed as meaning renewed.

 

H2320

חדשׁ

chôdesh

BDB Definition:

1) the new moon, month, monthly

1a) the first day of the month

1b) the lunar month

Part of Speech: noun masculine

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from *H2318*

Same Word by TWOT Number: 613b

 

I once read that a Jewish person living in Israel on a good day could only fulfill about 240 of the 613 commandments established by the rabbis. That is because there is no Temple, no Priesthood, and other various reasons. If you do the math on that, it means that a person living in the US could probably only fulfill 40 +- percent of the Law on a good day.

Here is the bad news:

James 2
8 If you truly fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9 But if you have partiality you work sin, being reproved by the Law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep all the Law, but stumbles in one, he has become guilty of all.

 

 

To believe that you are keeping the Law (which one is not capable of) and then switching to grace when someone points that out, is a terrible witness for the price that Christ paid (in my personal opinion). This is where the whole Hebrew roots concept of a “renewed covenant” got its start. What do the scriptures say, and what is truly your final authority? Let’s look to the book of Hebrews just to be sure:

Hebrews 7
11 Truly, then, if perfection was through the Levitical priestly office (for the people had been given Law under it), why yet was there need for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not to be called according to the order of Aaron?
12 For the priestly office having been changed, of necessity a change of law also occurs.

18 For, indeed, an annulment of the preceding command comes about because of its weakness and unprofitableness.
19 For the Law perfected nothing, but a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
20 And by how much it was not without oath-taking;
21 for they truly becoming priests are without oath-taking, but He with oath-taking, through the One saying to Him, The Lord swore, and will not care to change, “You are a priest to the age according to the order of Melchizedek;”
22 by so much Jesus has become Surety of a better covenant.

For anyone to teach that the New Covenant is not here yet goes against scripture, and is agenda driven. Those who teach this are alluding to the fact that we are still under the Old Covenant until Christ returns. Since the book of Hebrews shows that to be incorrect, many of the Hebrew roots teachers are now saying that the book of Hebrews is not authentic, and should be removed from the canon.

According to the Book that I read, the Law is now written in our hearts.

 

 

Hebrews 8

6  But now He has gotten a more excellent ministry, also by so much as He is a Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

7  For if that first was faultless, place would not have been sought for a second.

8  For finding fault, He said to them, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make an end on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah; a new covenant shall be,

9  not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day of My taking hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord.

10  Because this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, giving My Laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

11  “And they shall no more teach each one their neighbor, and each one his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because all shall know Me, from the least of them to their great ones.

12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and I will not at all remember their sins and their lawless deeds.”

13  In the saying, New, He has made the first old. And the thing being made old and growing aged is near disappearing.

 

A covenant cannot be changed after the death of the testator:

 

Hebrews 9

15  And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were covered under the first testament, those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

17  For a testament is of force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator is living.

18  And so not even the first testament was dedicated without blood.

 

Galatians 3

15  Brothers, I speak according to man, a covenant having been ratified, even among mankind, no one sets aside or adds to it.

 

 

* This article is posted with permission from an original source.