New Covenant International University & Theological Seminary

THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD

A Biblical Theology
of Covenant, Creation and Community
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty
In candidacy for the degree of
Master of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies

by
JOHN BENHAM CLEMENTS
LLANELLI, WALES
1st January, 2008

 

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THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD

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As “Son of David,” the messianic king, Jesus identified himself as the Branch and Ruler promised via the Davidic covenant, the “One Shepherd,” whom God was using to bring about his eternal purpose, through Israel, on behalf of the whole earth.77 As Shepherd-King, he issues an invitation, a call to all those who will “hear his voice”:a „Turn your life towards God; trust in me, follow me…give allegiance to me, submit to me as your Messiah, your Lord‟.78 In so doing, he inaugurates within those that accept, follow and give allegiance to him a new, Messianic Covenant Community, spiritually centred around himself as the exalted Lord— their Messiah, their King. 3.3.3 Messiah : High Priest : “of the order of Melchizedek” The final aspect of the Messiah‟s role is as Israel‟s true cohen hagadol (“high priest”), inaugurating and guaranteeing a new, superior covenant,79 which the writer of Hebrews identifies as the „new covenant‟ prophesied by Jeremiah, to be made with “the House of Israel and Judah.”b The Messiah mediates this new covenant as a sinless and eternal high priest,80 unlike the Levitical high priests who went before, under the terms of the Sinai covenant, whose own sin meant that they could only enter the earthly tabernacle once a year. Instead the Messiah, serves in… the Holy Place, that is, in the true Tent of Meeting, the one erected not by human beings but by Adonai…Whereas the sacrifices of animals by Levitical priests acted to facilitate Adonai‟s forbearance of sins committed under the first (Sinai) covenant, they could never

a John 10:3-4,16,27 b Jeremiah 31:31-34

 

 

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NCIU — M.Phil. — Intercultural Studies — MPH5508 Thesis 34

actually take away sin. By contrast, this one [priest], after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God, from then on to wait until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.a Thus, Jesus the Messiah enters the true, heavenly tabernacle, in order to offer to Adonai the sacrifice of his life—represented by his blood—and, in so doing, presents again the highly significant juxtaposition of the Messiah sitting down at the right hand of God. In this way, his high priestly ministry within heaven confirms the reality of the “finished” work of his earthly death; the two realities—earthly and heavenly—acting together to inaugurate the new covenant: “Because of this death…he is a mediator of a new covenant.” b In establishing Yeshua as a priest of different order to Levitical priests, „Hebrews‟ introduces, Malki-Tzedek, c a character found in only two places within the Tanakh.81 MalkiTzedek was the priest of El „Elyon who received tithes from the Patriarch, Abraham, and blessed him. Since it was a clearly established principle that “the greater blesses the lesser,”d the writer of Hebrews performs a midrashe upon the narrative, establishing Melchizedek as greater than Abraham. Having already demonstrated that “Yeshua deserves more honour than Moses, just as the builder of the house deserves more honour than the house,” f his purpose is to demonstrate that the Messiah—as “high priest forever to be compared with Malki-Tzedek” g—is also greater than Abraham the principal Patriarch and Father of the Jewish nation—echoing Yeshua‟s own claim: “Before Abraham came into being, I AM!” 82 The writer of Hebrews makes a further midrash upon Melchizedek‟s lineage in order to draw attention to the reality that the Messiah “became a cohen…by virtue of the power of an indestructible life” in consequence of which, he has an eternal, intercessory ministry as advocate for human beings who come to the Father through him:

 

a Hebrews 8:2; 10:12,13 b Hebrews 9:15 c “Melchizedek,” meaning, King (Malki) of Righteousness (Tzedek); he was also King of Shalem (“peace”) d Hebrews 7:7 e See Appendix 1 f Hebrews 3:3 g Hebrews 5:6,10, 6:20, 7:11,17 h Hebrews 7:16

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Because he lives forever…he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf…If anyone does sin, we have Yeshua the Messiah, the Tzaddik, who pleads our cause with the Father. Also he is the kapparah for our sins—and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world…Who will bring a charge against God‟s chosen people?…Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and—more than that—has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf? a 3.3.4 Messiah : centre of new covenant community As „prophet‟, Jesus called the covenant community of Israel to repent and to enter fully into the “Kingdom of Heaven,” which was “arriving” 83 in the person of the Messiah, the new “David,” King of the Jews. As „king‟, he formed the centre of a new-covenant community embracing a resurrected Messiah, the anointed Royal Shepherd, not only of the Jews, but also of “other sheep…not from this pen” b—the Gentiles: “all the families of the earth.” As „priest‟, the Messiah inaugurated the “new covenant” prophesied by Jeremiah, through which an anointed covenant community could experience the Sh‟khinah of God. As prophet, priest and king, Yeshua the Messiah—Jesus, the Christ—is shown by the New Testament writers to be even greater that Israel‟s covenant Patriarchs—Abraham, Moses and David—as they establish that, through his inauguration of the new covenant—at the earthly Pesach of Calvary and the heavenly Tabernacle of the Power on High—he has become the One Unique Mediator between God and human beings: God, our deliverer…wants all humanity to be delivered and come to a full knowledge of truth. For God is one and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to God’s purpose at just the right time

.c a Hebrews 7:24-25; Tzaddik means “Righteous One”; 1 John 2:2; Romans 8:34 b John 10:16 c I Timothy 2:3-6

 

 

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PENTECOST

When Israel‟s prophets anointed kings and priests with oil, it was a symbolic metaphor for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.84 The story of „Pentecost,‟ recorded in Acts, effectively tells of the risen, ascended Messiah—prophet, high priest and king—anointing the newcovenant community with his Spirit, with the effect of transforming uneducated „amha‟aretz85 into community leaders emboldened to give faithful, public witness as powerful, effective „ambassadors‟ of the Messiah‟s royal authority.86 A witness involving not only the shepherding of the nascent messianic community and the announcement of the Good News of the Kingdom—in word and deed 87 —but also relating what they had learnt and experienced of Jesus88 to Jewish covenant history: remaining faithful both to Torah—the covenant charter of the Jewish nation—and the Messiah—Israel‟s Redeemer.89

 

4.1 Torah and Spirit

 

This is the covenant which I will make with them after those days,‟ says Adonai: ‘I will put my Torah on their hearts and write it on their minds.‟a Jeremiah‟s prophesy clearly portrays Torah as a central element of the new covenant—a stark contrast to swathes of gentile Christian tradition, which has generally taught that within the New Testament, salvation is no longer by “works,” since the “Law” has effectively been abolished and replaced variously, according to the theological point being made, by “grace,” “promise” and “the Spirit.”90 Whilst some elements of Torah clearly are effectively replaced under the terms of the new covenant—in particular, „Hebrews‟ elucidates the redundancy of the ritual sacrificial system and the Levitical priesthood, in light of the Messiah‟s sacrifice and priesthood—even this replacement should be understood as forming part of the New Testament‟s presentation of a radical renewal of Torah taking place—initially through the Messiah, subsequently through his apostles, particularly Paul, the former Pharisee—as one covenant era passes into another.

Hebrews 10:16

 

 

 

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Thus, whereas Christian theology typically posits the “end of the Law” and its replacement with a combination of “grace‟, “promise‟ or “the Spirit‟, a Jewish, covenant perspective posits a more complex relationship between Spirit and Torah. For example, Paul at one time writes: “For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit ; on other occasion he claims, “I worship the God of our Fathers in accordance with the Way…I continue to believe everything that accords with the Torah and everything written in the Prophets”; whilst James writes of “the perfect Torah, which gives freedom.” b An Hebraic paradigm, in fact, admits discovery of a significant synonymy between the Torah and the Spirit—as set out within Table 2, below—elucidating important parallels and more accurately highlighting the true contrasts existing between „Torah‟ within the “old‟ covenant schema and “Spirit‟ within the new covenant schema:

 

 

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 Exodus 19.1, 34.22;  Psalm 119;  Exodus 19.16-
19, 24.9-11; iv Exodus 31.18, 34.33-5, cf. Deut.
6.6;  Deuteronomy 4.6-14;  Jeremiah 31.32

                  Acts 2.1; ii John 14.26; 15.26;    16.13; iii Acts 2.2-3;
               2 Corinthians 3.2-18; cf. Jeremiah 31.31, Ezekiel 36.26; 

                        1 Corinthians 2.12-16; Romans 8.3-10

Table 2 :

Parallels and Contrasts between Torah and the Spirit

 

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New and Old Covenant

These parallels and contrasts present a radical distinction within the New Testament not between Torah and Spirit—each of which represents a gift of God to teach, guide, instruct and lead his covenant community, rather—between an “old‟ covenant consisting of a written text declaring human beings guilty, but lacking efficacious power to transform human nature, tending instead to become perverted into a legalistic or ethno-centric system,93 and a new covenant that declares people innocent and is capable of imparting divine power,94 renewing the human spirit, infusing the Spirit of God within the covenant community united with the Messiah, effectively transforming human nature from “old‟ to “new‟. 95 Consequently, the true contrast presented by the New Testament is between relating to Torah as consisting only of a written text—in itself devoid of power to change human nature—and relating to Torah by the power of the Spirit, who‟s goal is to transform human hearts and minds, bringing them into obedience to God‟s will, reproducing the likeness of the Son within the covenant community.96 How does the New Testament present this transformation taking place? To comprehend it properly requires an examination of both the Hebrew term „ruach‟ and the nuanced New Testament teaching concerning Torah—three elements of which are particularly significant in regard to this argument: Torah has not been abolished, made redundant or replaced; Torah has been renewed, giving rise to „the Torah of the Messiah‟; the new covenant has become Torah. 4.1.2 Torah „completed‟—not abolished or replaced Matthew wrote about the Messiah‟s vocation in terms of his coming to complete—

 

 

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typically translated “fulfil”—Torah, quoting Jesus‟ own declaration: Don’t think I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah…a This accords with this thesis‟ earlier examination of how Jesus “brought to completion” the messianic prophecies and covenant foreshadows through his three messianic, mediatory roles of prophet, priest and king. Other highly significant Jewish prototypes such as the pesach (passover) lamb and the heavenly manna are also identified as finding ultimate fulfilment in the Messiah.97 A further aspect of the Messiah‟s „fulfilment‟ or „completion‟ of Torah includes his teaching or amplifying a more complete understanding, even revision, of Torah—something Jewish rabbinic tradition stated only the Messiah could do. 98 Jesus did this particularly within his “sermon on the mount,” where he repeatedly challenged incumbent Torah interpretations—withal, making them more, not less strict—saying, “You have heard, It is written…but I say to you…” b An emphasis on the abiding nature of Torah and its continuity within the new covenant schema is also confirmed by Paul, whose epistle to the Romans seeks to reconcile Torah with how the new covenant offers righteousness through trusting: “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary we confirm Torah.”c Although it is beyond the scope of this thesis to develop a comprehensive apologetic of this interpretation regarding Torah,99 it is worth examining one leading illustration: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes.” The Greek word translated „end‟—here by the Modern King James Version; few modern translations differ—is telos, the normal meaning of which is “goal, purpose, consummation,” but not “termination.” Thus, by contrast, the Complete Jewish Bible renders this text:

A Matthew 5:17-18 b Matthew 5, 6 c Romans 3:31

 

 

 

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For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts.a Such an understanding of Torah—that its goal was and is the Messiah—accords a unity to the New and Old Testament scripture, as well as a genuine continuity to the outworking of God‟s covenant-based purposes through the ages, as posited within this thesis.100 4.1.3 Torah of the Messiah The New Testament‟s radical transformation of Torah reveals certain elements are no longer binding, the function they performed having been eclipsed by the Messiah;101 other elements are modified or changed by the Messiah‟s teaching or incarnation.102 Furthermore, certain elements are not intended to apply to Gentiles grafted into the Messianic Community, though they continue to be culturally and religiously significant for Jews.103 This transformation of Torah, brought about by the Messiah and incumbent upon the Messianic Community baptised into unity with the Messiah, is presented within the New Testament as the “Torah of the Messiah”: With those who live outside the framework of Torah, I put myself in a position of someone outside of Torah in order to win those outside the Torah—although I myself am not outside of God‟s Torah but within the framework of Torah as upheld by the Messiah. b …The whole of the Torah is summed up in this one sentence: “Love your neighbour as yourself”…Bear with one another‟s burdens—in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah‟s true meaning which the Messiah upholds. c Thus, in distinction to Torah as understood under the old covenant schema, 104 the “Torah of the Messiah” refers to the teaching and commands of God as „fulfilled‟, interpreted, transformed and taught (“upheld”) by the Messiah and his apostolic disciples, within the New Testament gospels and epistles.

a Romans 10:4 b 1 Corinthians 9:21 c Galatians 5:4 & 6:2

 

 

 

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NCIU — M.Phil. — Intercultural Studies — MPH5508 Thesis 43
emotional, rational or spiritual; where imagination, motive and purpose are determined. A better translation—albeit unwieldy for general use—might be “heart-mind.” Thus, within the New Testament, the kingdom of God is said to come with repentance, with a turning of
the heart-mind, towards complete allegiance towards the Messiah.
Offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you…Don‟t let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the present age. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants.

4.1.7 New creation

Ruach, then, and its Greek equivalent, pneuma, should not be thought of as referring to “spirit‟ as some kind of ethereal substance, organically different within those who are “saved‟, but rather as the integrated „heart-mind‟ of a person: the seat of conscience, reason,imagination and emotion, which has been “awoken‟, renewed or revived towards God‟s
Truth within believers in a way that is not generally true within non-believers.115
Thus, when the apostle Paul writes of believers being made a “new creation,”
he is not essentially referring to an organic, or biological, infusion of a „new spirit‟ in terms of a fresh, divine „breath of air‟ within them, 116 rather to an inner renewal of the „heart-mind‟: a renewal of conscience and consciousness that begins with the confession of allegiance to
Jesus as Messiah and Lord. 117 An allegiance brought to its first climax and outward demonstration at baptism—the mark of entrance into new covenant relationship with Adonai, bringing the individual into union with the Messiah 118—yet which is in fact a continual, life-long process of inner renewal, itself a vital foreshadowing of the final renewal
of humanity and creation:
You have stripped away the old self, with its ways, and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of

aRomans 12:1-2
b 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

 

 

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the Creator.

Conclusion

 

The anointing of the covenant community with the Spirit of God may be understood as the biblically fulfillment of the „writing of Torah upon the hearts,‟ prophesied by Jeremiah and related to the “circumcision of heart” of which Jeremiah, Deuteronomy and Paul refer.119 The result is that the human spirits of the covenant community are being actively and powerfully transformed by the Spirit of God into a mature uniting with the will, understanding, conviction and purpose of the Messiah. The „Torah of the Messiah‟ is the formative instrument of the Holy Spirit to bring the Messianic Community into this conformance—into the glory of the Messiah: a new-covenant people being re-created in the image of the Creator, the first-fruits of his entire renewal of creation.120 The New Covenant thus presents the „covenant faithfulness‟ of the Messiah, 121 redeeming Jews and Gentiles from their bondage to the human condition of sinfulness and its curse (a condition the Torah „highlighted‟ but could not change), atoning for their sin and writing the Torah upon their heart-minds, bringing them into an unprecedented relationship of intimacy with God, through the Spirit—and into the promised „blessing‟ of Abraham. In return, the New Covenant calls for the „covenant faithfulness‟ of those who profess an allegiance to the Messiah that incorporates, above all, personal acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Messiah, evidenced through the rite of baptism; a uniting with the new covenant community and a Spirit-led adherence to the „Torah of the Messiah‟ that brings individuals and the covenant community together into an experience of “the mind of the Messiah.”