WrittenFromUtopia
Puritan Board Graduate
The testimony of Jesus Christ and the gospels in regards to the New Covenant
(Continued)
We will now continue our look at the nature of the kingdom of God/covenant community as presented in the gospels and through direct revelation of Jesus Christ. First, we will be looking at one more "parable" type story. This passage isn't technically described as a parable, but in effect gives us the same benefits in that it makes things clear, which should always be our goal.
I Am The True Vine (John 15:1-17)
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
We should hopefully be now noticing a great deal of similarities between all of the discourses of Jesus about the New Covenant community. This passage is obviously no exception, as there are many common themes present here, although I believe this one to be one of the most clear descriptions of the kingdom we have in the New Testament.
First of all, we see that Christ is the vine and we (His followers, those in covenant with God) are the branches of that vine. Second, we should see that all of the branches are required to produce fruit (another common teaching of the NT as a whole). Thirdly, we should pay close attention to the fact that there are many people within this communion of Christ followers who, in fact, do not ever produce fruit. They are part of the community (they are on the vine!), visibly are the same, yet they don't produce fruit because they are not truly abiding in the vine. These branches are to be cut off, gathered up, and burned.
Sound familiar? Of course it does, as we find this common theme throughout the New Testament. This is not about simple backsliding or falling away from the faith for a season. This is not losing your salvation, as we know that is NOT a possibility presented in all of Scripture. This is not teaching that you can be saved, live your life without fruit, and then end up in hell because you did have enough good works, for we are justified by faith alone that produces good works!
We read that these branches are PART OF THE VINE, yet do not have a further covenant commitment of ABIDING in the vine like those that produce fruit. The only possible solution is that these are members of an external, visible covenant community with God (not merely false professors but actually part of something - on the vine!) who are not rooted and founded upon the saving grace of God, who don't have faith in Christ alone for their justification, and who do not have forgiveness of sins and all of the other internal/spiritual benefits of the New Covenant (as part of the one, single, Covenant of Grace made with Adam after the Fall, ensured to God's elect through the Covenant of Redemption made between Father and Son in eternity past).
Institution of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-29, with parallels in Mark & Luke)
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”
There are three primary points of emphasis I'd like to bring out from this passage. They are most compelling and important to helping us understand the true nature of the New Covenant, as instituted here by Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
1. "... this is my blood of the covenant ..."
Some of you may be wondering why I took out the word "new" in this verse. Well, actually, I didn't. In all translations that follow the earliest manuscripts found that make up the Greek New Testament (in this case, the English Standard Version), the word "new" isn't found in this passage (nor is it found in the parallels in Mark or Luke). The word "new" in this passage is a later addition, probably copied down at some point in textual transmission. Since the Majority Text, which makes up the Textus Receptus (or 'Received Text') was based on mostly very late, medieval manuscripts that were copied over and over (that's why it is called the majority text, because there are so many of them - but that says nothing as they were all copied and made in the middle ages!), it is no wonder a small error like this could be found in so many - again - late manuscripts. None of the early, extant codices of the New Testament (which date 400-600 year earlier than the MT manuscripts) contain the word "new" here in these verses.
So, what is my point? Obviously, anyone who studies textual transmission knows that this is not something uncommon and it doesn't call into question the authority of Scripture or the authenticity of the Bible (these kinds of minor disputes are all over the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts of our canon, most of which being related to grammar). But, it should mean something that the oldest copies of the Greek New Testament we have refer to this as simply "the covenant" when Christ instituted the Lord's Supper. This is not a BRAND NEW covenant, but a covenant that the disciples, being Jews, were all too familiar with! It is the same, everlasting, Covenant of Grace that all believers throughout redemptive history have been saved by. Jesus here is simply instituting a new ordinance or sacrament (replacing Passover in the Old Covenant) that reminds those in covenant with God of their salvation by Him as His chosen people.
2. The blood of the covenant is given by the Mediator in both the Old and New Covenants
If you have read through the book of Exodus lately, this might seem somewhat familiar, and for good reason. When Moses, after coming down from Mount Sinai and receiving God's Law to be delivered to His chosen people in covenant with him (a group containing many who were not elect!), a similar ceremony was performed as the one with Jesus and His disciples. Exodus 24:8 reads, "And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'”
If anyone says they "simply do not see the continuity" between the Old and New Covenants after going through passages like these, there is nothing in God's Word that will ever convince them of anything over and above their own presuppositions or traditions.
3. Jesus gives the cup to Judas Iscariot
It is also extremely important to note that at this New Covenant institution of worship and fellowship and remembrance - obviously for New Covenant members only - the cup was passed to Judas Iscariot, the traitor and apostate who betrayed our Lord and proved to be the first New Covenant breaker. If the example of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not enough to convince you, dear friends, something is wrong with our presuppositions that would lead us to call His example into question. Something is wrong with our man-made traditions when we say that God Himself is in error.
The simple fact is that the New Covenant community is meant to be a mixed congregation of both elect and non-elect people. We are not to attempt to make a "regenerate-only" congregation or call into question one another's salvation. That is for God alone to decide, and He WILL deal with those who are in covenant with Him but never abide in Christ (Heb 10:30).
This is all we will look at in regards to the New Covenant community as found in the gospels and from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Next, we will look at what the rest of the New Testament has to say about the membership of the visible Church (the covenant community), including a look at the warning passages in the book of Hebrews. May God's grace be abudantly clear to you through the study of His Word.
(Continued)
We will now continue our look at the nature of the kingdom of God/covenant community as presented in the gospels and through direct revelation of Jesus Christ. First, we will be looking at one more "parable" type story. This passage isn't technically described as a parable, but in effect gives us the same benefits in that it makes things clear, which should always be our goal.
I Am The True Vine (John 15:1-17)
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
We should hopefully be now noticing a great deal of similarities between all of the discourses of Jesus about the New Covenant community. This passage is obviously no exception, as there are many common themes present here, although I believe this one to be one of the most clear descriptions of the kingdom we have in the New Testament.
First of all, we see that Christ is the vine and we (His followers, those in covenant with God) are the branches of that vine. Second, we should see that all of the branches are required to produce fruit (another common teaching of the NT as a whole). Thirdly, we should pay close attention to the fact that there are many people within this communion of Christ followers who, in fact, do not ever produce fruit. They are part of the community (they are on the vine!), visibly are the same, yet they don't produce fruit because they are not truly abiding in the vine. These branches are to be cut off, gathered up, and burned.
Sound familiar? Of course it does, as we find this common theme throughout the New Testament. This is not about simple backsliding or falling away from the faith for a season. This is not losing your salvation, as we know that is NOT a possibility presented in all of Scripture. This is not teaching that you can be saved, live your life without fruit, and then end up in hell because you did have enough good works, for we are justified by faith alone that produces good works!
We read that these branches are PART OF THE VINE, yet do not have a further covenant commitment of ABIDING in the vine like those that produce fruit. The only possible solution is that these are members of an external, visible covenant community with God (not merely false professors but actually part of something - on the vine!) who are not rooted and founded upon the saving grace of God, who don't have faith in Christ alone for their justification, and who do not have forgiveness of sins and all of the other internal/spiritual benefits of the New Covenant (as part of the one, single, Covenant of Grace made with Adam after the Fall, ensured to God's elect through the Covenant of Redemption made between Father and Son in eternity past).
Institution of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-29, with parallels in Mark & Luke)
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”
There are three primary points of emphasis I'd like to bring out from this passage. They are most compelling and important to helping us understand the true nature of the New Covenant, as instituted here by Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
1. "... this is my blood of the covenant ..."
Some of you may be wondering why I took out the word "new" in this verse. Well, actually, I didn't. In all translations that follow the earliest manuscripts found that make up the Greek New Testament (in this case, the English Standard Version), the word "new" isn't found in this passage (nor is it found in the parallels in Mark or Luke). The word "new" in this passage is a later addition, probably copied down at some point in textual transmission. Since the Majority Text, which makes up the Textus Receptus (or 'Received Text') was based on mostly very late, medieval manuscripts that were copied over and over (that's why it is called the majority text, because there are so many of them - but that says nothing as they were all copied and made in the middle ages!), it is no wonder a small error like this could be found in so many - again - late manuscripts. None of the early, extant codices of the New Testament (which date 400-600 year earlier than the MT manuscripts) contain the word "new" here in these verses.
So, what is my point? Obviously, anyone who studies textual transmission knows that this is not something uncommon and it doesn't call into question the authority of Scripture or the authenticity of the Bible (these kinds of minor disputes are all over the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts of our canon, most of which being related to grammar). But, it should mean something that the oldest copies of the Greek New Testament we have refer to this as simply "the covenant" when Christ instituted the Lord's Supper. This is not a BRAND NEW covenant, but a covenant that the disciples, being Jews, were all too familiar with! It is the same, everlasting, Covenant of Grace that all believers throughout redemptive history have been saved by. Jesus here is simply instituting a new ordinance or sacrament (replacing Passover in the Old Covenant) that reminds those in covenant with God of their salvation by Him as His chosen people.
2. The blood of the covenant is given by the Mediator in both the Old and New Covenants
If you have read through the book of Exodus lately, this might seem somewhat familiar, and for good reason. When Moses, after coming down from Mount Sinai and receiving God's Law to be delivered to His chosen people in covenant with him (a group containing many who were not elect!), a similar ceremony was performed as the one with Jesus and His disciples. Exodus 24:8 reads, "And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'”
If anyone says they "simply do not see the continuity" between the Old and New Covenants after going through passages like these, there is nothing in God's Word that will ever convince them of anything over and above their own presuppositions or traditions.
3. Jesus gives the cup to Judas Iscariot
It is also extremely important to note that at this New Covenant institution of worship and fellowship and remembrance - obviously for New Covenant members only - the cup was passed to Judas Iscariot, the traitor and apostate who betrayed our Lord and proved to be the first New Covenant breaker. If the example of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not enough to convince you, dear friends, something is wrong with our presuppositions that would lead us to call His example into question. Something is wrong with our man-made traditions when we say that God Himself is in error.
The simple fact is that the New Covenant community is meant to be a mixed congregation of both elect and non-elect people. We are not to attempt to make a "regenerate-only" congregation or call into question one another's salvation. That is for God alone to decide, and He WILL deal with those who are in covenant with Him but never abide in Christ (Heb 10:30).
This is all we will look at in regards to the New Covenant community as found in the gospels and from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Next, we will look at what the rest of the New Testament has to say about the membership of the visible Church (the covenant community), including a look at the warning passages in the book of Hebrews. May God's grace be abudantly clear to you through the study of His Word.
