Meaning of Testament

  By Kesis Negatu Abebe

The bible consists of two volumes or parts

1)   Old Testament (OT)

2)   New Testament (NT)

v The term OT and NT came into general use since the time of Tertullian in the ordinary sense of the term.

v The word testament in its ordinary sense means the last will of a person where he gives a legal expression of his whishes for the disposition of his property after death.

v The corresponding term for testament is diatheke.

v In this secular meaning diatheke is used only in two places in the New Testament which is in

Ø Gal 3:15

Ø Heb 9: 16-17

v The Greek word Diatheke in all other instances in the NT (24 times) and almost always in the LXX.

v LXX means “covenant” rather than testament.

v The corresponding Hebrew word for covenant is berith.

It means tertillia (ca 160-220) who rendered the Greek term Diatheke into Latin “testament” which came into General use.

v Which we consider the content of the Old Testament and the new testament in more significant to designate them as the “old covenant” and “new covenant”.

v A covenant is an agreement or contact between two parties.

v The biblical writers in both OT and NT speak of a covenant between God and men.

v In the Old Testament we find God making covenants with

Ø Noah (Gen 9:8-17)

Ø Abraham (Gen 15: 18-21)

Ø Moses at Sinai (Ex 19:5-6)

Ø David and with the Nation Israel

v In all this covenants the initiative always came from God’s Side.

v The covenant is God’s doing and God’s Gift.

v God is always the giver and man the receiver it differed from human covenants.

v There are two types of Covenants

1)   Unilateral Covenant (Unconditional)

2)   Bilateral Covenant (Conditional)

v The biblical Covenants have 3 parts

1)   A statement about God’s saving act (with God brings to the agreement)

2)   A statement about what God expects from humanity in response.

3)   A sign or symbol as a reminder of the covenant.

to be continued.................