The Daily Office for January 21, 2012
Scriptures
Psalm 30
Genesis 12:9-13:1
Hebrews 7:18-28
John 4:27-42
Reading (Hebrews 7:18-28)
Reflection
Under the new priesthood described in this passage, God has also established a new and better testament, or covenant, just as the levitical priesthood contained the Old Covenant, the Mosaic. The Greek word in verse 22, translated here as covenant (Gr diathēkē), is used seventeen times in Hebrews. During the New Testament era this was the exclusive word for a will or testament (a one-sided promise involving the death of the testator). The Greek word uniformly used to express a compact, or covenant (a two-sided agreement), was synthēkē. Yet, the Old Testament word for covenant (Heb berīt) consistently uses diathēkē, though one might expect to see synthēkē. The reason for this word usage arises from the fact that God’s covenants were not compacts or agreements made between equal parties. Thus diathēkē more aptly expresses the one-sided nature of God’s covenants.
So, this better covenant is a promise, not an agreement. It was established solely by God and confirmed with His oath. No one can annul it or the eternal salvation which it promises. Jesus Himself is the surety of the covenant. He is not presented here as the mediator, but as the guarantor. A mediator is one who gathers the two parties to devise an agreement. A guarantor is one who sees that the obligations of the covenant are carried out. As believers, then, we can rest assured that with Christ as our sustainer and redeemer we have the complete assurance of eternity.
Collect of the Day
Eternal God, shepherd of your sheep, whose child Agnes was strengthened to bear witness in her living and her dying to the true love of her redeemer: grant us the power to understand, with all your saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love that surpasses knowledge, even Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.