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B'RIT CHADASHAH - RENEWED COVENANT
- Petra Hadžidaova
- Jul 5
- 4 min read
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”
declares the Lord.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Jeremiah 31: 31-33 (NIV)
(1)
INTRODUCTION
A covenant is a commitment to develop a certain kind of continuing dynamic relationship between two parties. Contrary to popular belief, one can not be replaced with a new one. The Hebrew name for the New Testament is B'rit Chadashah. B'rit means covenant, pact, or treaty, while the word Chadashah (חֲדָשָׁה) means "new" or "renewed". So, in conclusion, the better way to translate the expression B'rit Chadashah is Renewed Covenant.
ARE COVENANT AND TESTAMENT THE SAME?
With time, things can come and go. We can all agree that while certain aspects of life remain the same throughout the ages, life nowadays is still vastly different from life in ancient times. A lot of the beliefs have changed, and some traditions and cultures too. Languages have been upgraded, and the meaning behind certain words has changed course.
In ancient times, the true meanings behind the words covenant and testament were widely known. One was not considered the same as the other. With time, the lines blurred, and both are almost perceived as interchangeable. But alas, from a biblical point of view, they are not the same.
WHAT IS A TESTAMENT?
In the Greek language, testament depicts a legal document that defines the lawful rights of all those to whom it applies.
WHAT IS A COVENANT?
The word covenant signifies an ongoing relationship with no appointed end. It is a commitment to develop a certain kind of continuing dynamic relationship between two parties. (2)
Contrary to popular belief, you can not replace an old covenant with a new one. An existing covenant can be adapted by adding additional conditions, but you can’t terminate it, except in the case of evil covenants. God's covenants with His people are all still very much in place. (2)
B'RIT CHADASHAH
The Hebrew name for the New Testament is B'rit Chadashah. The word B'rit means covenant, pact, or treaty. (2, 3) It implies the shedding of blood in the process of ratifying an agreement.
In Hebrew, the word Chadashah (חֲדָשָׁה) means "new" or "renewed". It is the feminine form of the root word chadash (חָדַשׁ), which means to repair, rebuild, or make something fresh. (2)
So, in conclusion, the better way to translate the expression B'rit Chadashah is Renewed Covenant. (2)
I DID NOT COME TO ABOLISH
From the above stated, Yeshua did not come to abolish the law; He came to renew the already existing covenant. We can further conclude that a covenant is never made void or nullified. Each new covenant includes all the things that came with the previous ones. The renewed covenant does contain expanded or additional provisions, but they are enfolded into the existing covenant, which remains in force. (2)
THE FOUNDATIONAL TYPES OF GODLY COVENANTS
"The Bible is the book of covenants", likes to claim Pastor Craig Hill. And truly, it does contain His all-inclusive, all-encompassing plan of redemption. There are several covenants described and mentioned, each one of which finds its foundation in one of the four different foundational types of godly covenants:
Blood covenant - covenant of servanthood. Entering into a relationship of servanthood requires the shedding of the blood of a sacrifice. It needs to be renewed daily.
Salt covenant - covenant of hospitality, covenant of friendship. It is an eternal covenant and does not need to be renewed daily. It is represented by the breaking of salted bread and fellowship. When we enter into a salt covenant with God, He expands on the blood covenant and rewards us with more of Himself.
Sandal covenant - the covenant of inheritance. Over time in ancient Israel, sandals came to represent inheritance and the relationship of sons and daughters with their parents. The responsibility of servanthood was not abolished. During the day, there was no difference between sons and servants; at dinner time, there was.
The marriage covenant. It is solemnly in the hands of the bridegroom. We can not be married without being completely immersed in all the previous godly covenants. (2)
By gradually entering us into the first three covenants, God restores the original marriage covenant He had with Adam and Eve in the garden. Yeshua, funnily enough, entered into the first three covenants with His disciples, but in reverse order. On the Passover seder, He first offered His inheritance by removing their sandals and cleaning their feet (sandal covenant). Then, by breaking bread and drinking wine, He fulfilled the blood and salt covenant too. (2)
CONCLUSION
"The Bible is the book of covenants", likes to claim Pastor Craig Hill. Covenants are a continuing dynamic relationship between two parties. An existing covenant can be adapted by adding additional conditions, but you can’t terminate it. There are four different foundational types of godly covenants:
Blood covenant - covenant of servanthood
Salt covenant - covenant of hospitality, covenant of friendship
Sandal covenant - the covenant of inheritance
The marriage covenant.
By gradually entering us into the first three covenants, God restores the original marriage covenant He had with Adam and Eve in the garden. He is the one to initiate each one; we do need to respond, though.
Application
Ask the Lord to reveal to you which level of covenant you are currently at. Be vigilant if He will initiate you into the next one.
SOURCES
Image created via canva.com.
John Klein, Adam Spears, Michael Christopher. Rediscovering the Hebrew Roots of Our Faith. Available at https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Vol-Rediscovering-Hebrew/dp/1589301994
Hebrew for Christians. Hebrew Word of the Week: B'rit - Covenant. Available at https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Word_of_the_Week/Archived/Brit/brit.html
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