Modern Bibles consist of an Old and New Testament. A “testament” is simply a will (as in “last will and testament”), a legal covenant, or a contract. Therefore, the New Testament in our Bibles represents the New Covenant – or the Law of Christ. Beginning with the book of Matthew, the New Testament follows nearly four hundred years of silence from God (the inter-Testament period). It opens with the four books of the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These respective books/men each give their personal account of the life of Jesus. Since a testament is the same as a covenant, does the new covenant begin where the New Testament in our Bibles begins?
How Scripture answers "When did the New Covenant begin?"
The new covenant begins after the death of Jesus Christ, its mediator2. Jesus death, of course, is near the end of each of the Gospel accounts and therefore when the old covenant ceased1,4. As a result, it’s notable that the entire life of Jesus on earth as well as the saving of the thief on the cross by Jesus were under the Mosaic Law. It is fifty days later, on the day of Pentecost, where we see the evidence of the new covenant in effect when the apostles are preaching the gospel message3 and declaring the inauguration of the “last days” that was foretold by the prophets.
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