圣经研究3——他赐给我们圣经: 解释圣经的基础 HGB——第九课 现今应用
目录
一、介绍
二、应验
旧约
两约之间时期
新约
三、应用
指南
旧约圣经
新约圣经
例子
四、结论
一、介绍
我们都有很多经历，是我们转眼就忘了的，但有一些经历在如此多的方面冲击着我们的生活，以致我们终生难忘。也许这对你来说，是你一开始相信基督的时候，你结婚的日子，或者失去一位亲爱的人。不管情况如何，我们有过这种经历的时候，它们永远地改变了我们对一切事物的看法。我们这些跟从基督的人，当我们把《圣经》应用到我们所处的现今世界，情况也是一样。虽然《圣经》告诉我们很多上帝做过的事，但新约在基督里的来到，是改变我们理解一切事物的中心事件，包括把《圣经》应用到我们今天生活的方式。
这是《他赐给我们圣经： 释经的基础》这一系列的第九课，我们给这一课定的标题，是「现今应用和新约」。我们在这一课要探索，在基督里的新约应该怎样引导我们把整本《圣经》应用到我们自己的时代。
我们在上一课学习到，我们在把《圣经》应用到我们生活当中时，必须承认旧约《圣经》的时期发展。我们看到在所有《圣经》历史的背后，都有一个故事发展线索。《圣经》教导我们，上帝在天上的宝座上，在辉煌的荣光中作王，从一开始他的目的，就是把他可见的荣耀从天上扩展到全地，虽然有各种的反对，他也要这样做。作为按上帝形象样式受造的人，上帝命定人类遍满全地，治理这地，为他荣耀最终的彰显做好准备。当上帝的辉煌四处闪耀时，每一个受造物都要敬拜他，赞美他，直到永远。
我们也看到，有这幕后《圣经》故事发展线索的这出戏，是通过六大幕，或六个时期或时代发展出来的，亚当、挪亚、亚伯拉罕、摩西、大卫的圣约时期和在基督里的新约，它们是一个接一个累积建立起来的。这些时期发展的累积性质提醒我们，虽然上帝的子民绝不可回头用过去的方法服事上帝，他们也绝不可忘记把过去的教训合宜应用到他们自己的时代。
我们在这一课要分两步探索现今应用和新约。第一，我们要看在基督里新约的应验。第二，我们要看新约应该怎样指引我们在今天应用《圣经》。让我们首先来看新约在耶稣基督里的应验。
我们经常会设想，面对一种特别的经历 比如赢得比赛，或者进入人生新阶段时，我们究竟会如何反应。但许多时候，我们发现这些经历本身却和我们期待的大不相同。对于《圣经》时期的上帝子民而言，情况也是如此。在基督降临之前，上帝向他的百姓启示透过基督将来成就的许多预言。但是当新约在基督里终于来到的时候，它和上帝子民想象的并不完全一样。
要看这是怎样发生的，我们就要看《圣经》中新约应验或实现的所有三个方面。首先我们要稍微来看旧约《圣经》中出现的展望。第二，我们要描述在两约期间发展出来的看法。第三，我们要描写新约《圣经》是怎样讲新约的应验。
让我们首先来看旧约《圣经》对新约的展望。
旧约《圣经》对新约的盼望，是出于上帝通过先知耶利米说的话。耶利米是接近主前586年耶路撒冷被毁时期服事上帝的先知。
虽然在被掳巴比伦的时候，有严厉的审判降下打击犹大，但上帝在耶利米书31章31到34节宣告了将来的一个伟大盼望。请听《圣经》是怎样说的：
耶和华说：「日子将到，我要与以色列家和犹大家，另立新约。我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上。我要作他们的上帝，他们要作我的子民。我要赦免他们的罪孽，不再记念他们的罪恶。」（耶利米书31章31-34节）这一段经文给上帝的百姓带来很多奇妙盼望。正如我们在耶利米书31章31节看到的，上帝要与北国以色列和南国犹大立一个新约。新约不会失败，因为正如33节解释的，上帝要实现把他的律法放在「他们里面」，「他们心上」这个理想。也正如34节表明的那样，这些祝福绝不终止，因为上帝要永远「赦免」，「不再记念他们的罪恶」。我们思想这些新约时期的盼望时，很难想象还有什么是比它们更大的。
到了我们这一课的这一点上，我们要看旧约《圣经》是怎样讲到这些新约盼望的应验。首先，很明显上帝起初应许当他让以色列从被掳中归回时，他要赐下这些祝福。
正如我们已经看到的，耶利米书31章31节很简单，开始的时候用了「日子将到」这种泛泛的说法，但在直接的上下文中，这种时间的说法是相当清楚的。耶利米书31章31到34节是耶利米书更大段落的一部分，这一段常被称为回归之书，是从耶利米书30章1节到31章40节。这一大段有这个名字，是因为它重复讲了对被掳和被掳后祝福的几种描述。请听耶利米书30章3节，在靠近回归之书开始时是怎样说的：
耶和华说：日子将到，我要使我的百姓以色列和犹大被掳的人归回；我也要使他们回到我所赐给他们列祖之地。（耶利米书30章3节）「日子将到」这说法出现在这节经文中，正如它出现在耶利米书31章31节关于一个新约预言开始的时候一样。在这节经文中，「日子将到」是明确与上帝使他百姓中被掳的归回，使他们回到那地联系在一起的。
在这光照下，很清楚耶利米书31章31节一开始是把一个新的约和以色列归回应许之地联系在一起的。从旧约《圣经》的角度来看，以色列的回归要在历史到了「末后的日子」或「最后的日子」达到顶点时才会发生。这要带来新约的建立，以色列从被掳中归回，重建耶路撒冷和圣殿，受膏的那个大卫子孙在世界范围作王，以及受造界得以更新，都要一道的发生。
上帝也在耶利米书29章10到14节向耶利米启示，可以盼望这新约时期在什么时候开始。请听这位先知说的话：
「耶和华如此说：为巴比伦所定的七十年满了以后，我要眷顾你们，向你们成就我的恩言，使你们仍回此地你们要呼求我，祷告我，我就应允你们我也必将你们从各国中和我所赶你们到的各处招聚了来。」（耶利米书29章10-14节）上帝在这里给人盼望，如果以色列「呼求他，祷告他」，他就要在七十年后使他们「回」应许之地。耶利米书25章12节也启示了同样的时间表。
事实就是，上帝在主前538年让波斯皇帝塞鲁士下令，叫以色列人返回应许之地。所以在历代志下36章20到22节，历代志的作者结束这卷书时指出，耶利米关于被掳七十年的话在这时应验了，这就不令人感到惊奇了。
那在末后日子，新约日子临到的许多其他祝福又怎么样了呢？令人难过的是，回到应许之地的人又常常不服事上帝。结果就是耶利米书31章预言的新约极大祝福被延后了。
这正是但以理在但以理书9章24节认识到的事情。那时上帝对他讲话，讲到耶利米关于七十年预言的应验：
为你本国之民和你圣城，已经定了七十个七。要止住罪过，除净罪恶，赎尽罪孽，引进永义，封住异象和预言，并膏至圣所。（但以理书9章24节）正如这节经文表明的，上帝颁令延迟末后日子，就是新约日子更大的祝福，推迟「七十个七」，比耶利米起初的七十年长七倍。到了那时，新约的盼望就要实现。罪过将被止住，罪恶将被除尽，赎罪将完成，义要临到，异象和预言要被封住，至圣所要受膏抹。
但以理为了耶利米70年被掳的预言而祷告时，他其实是如此求问：「时间已经满了，主啊！现在是怎么一回事？」而临到他的答复则是：那不只是70年啦，而是70个7年，也就是要给土地补满过去以色列人的怠慢，没有遵守的安息年。因此，这让我们看到，在解释《圣经》时，有时上帝的应许可以照着字面的意思来解释，有时那预言的意思却是暗示性的。例如，在启示录里，我们会看到旧约的一些图像，但其使用则是与在旧约里不一样。好比说，启示录里灾祸的描述，就不是在讲发生于埃及地的灾祸。出现在启示录的灾祸，是把上帝的审判做出比较。因此读《圣经》时，读到后来的作者如何引述之前的作者所写的，我们心思要放开。我的意思是，就某个层面而言，的确是有一个70年的流亡，但上帝还有另外的意思，若非借着天使启示，但以理也无从知道。柯瑞格凯纳博士我们已经看了，在旧约中因为上帝子民的悖逆，新约的全面祝福被推迟了。现在让我们来看两约之间时期 旧约和新约之间的时候 特别是在耶稣在地上工作开始前不久，很多以色列人发展起来的对耶利米预言应验的看法。
第一世纪时每一个人都很清楚，耶利米对新约的预言还没有完全应验。新约《圣经》的记载和考古发现表明，以色列人中不同的宗教派别有不同的看法，但在一些基本问题上有广泛的一致看法。
到了两约之间时期即将结束的时候，绝大部分的拉比是从历史的两大世代这个角度来论述末后日子，或新约时期的盼望。
首先，他们把之前的历史和他们当时的处境称为「这个世代」。在被掳期间邪恶明显胜过了上帝的百姓，这就让拉比们把这个世代看作是失败、忧愁和死亡时期。其次，拉比们也讲到历史的第二个伟大世代，将来荣耀的时候，那是「将来世代」。将来世代也称为是「末世」，「上帝的国」，以及新约时期。拉比们盼望这世代来到的时侯，上帝为历史制订的旨意要得到成就。他要让悔改的被掳之民大量回归，恢复大卫的宝座，把他的统治扩展到全地，审判那些拒绝顺服上帝和大卫那位子孙的人，并且把给亚伯拉罕的祝福扩展到地极。
除此以外，以色列绝大多数的拉比也教导说，从这个世代向那个世代的过渡，要断然在大卫那位伟大的子孙 弥赛亚出现时发生。弥赛亚要带来世界历史的宏伟转折点，从失败转向得胜，从邪恶转向公义，从死亡转向永生，从黑暗转向充满上帝光辉荣耀的世界。
了解了旧约和两约之间展望的这个背景，就让我们来看新约《圣经》是怎样解释耶利米对这个新约盼望的应验。
我们都知道，耶稣在与门徒吃最后晚餐时，他举起杯来说，「这杯是用我血立的新约。」使徒保罗也称他自己和他的同伴是「新约的执事或仆人」。希伯来书多次引用了耶利米书31章的预言，证实基督徒是生活在新约时期。但是，当我们把我们今天正在发生的事与耶利米书31章对那个新约的描述进行比较时，我们意识到我们还没有看到整个新约应许的完全成就。上帝的律法还没有完全地写在我们的思想和心里。教会里的人仍需要被教导去认识主，我们仍受到命令，祈求我们罪得赦免。所以，耶利米如此多的期望还没有都应验，我们怎么可能是在新约的时期呢？答案就在于上帝在耶稣基督里所启示的奥秘，以及他展现这启示在新约时期成就的方式。
不同的新约人物用不同的方式回答这些问题。比如耶稣在他讲的几个比喻中宣告，上帝的国伴随着他在地上的工作已经开始，要随着时间渐渐增长，在他在荣耀中再来时达到高潮。
使徒保罗在比如像以弗所书3章3到5节的地方讲了这些问题，指出关于末后日子的奥秘，对过去的人来说是隐藏的，但现在在基督里已经启示出来了。
保罗也在其他几个地方，比如罗马书11章25节，16章25，26节，歌罗西书1章26和27节提到这个奥秘。在这些和别的经文里，保罗说基督徒对在基督里末后日子看法的不同方面是奥秘，因为它们向之前世代的人来说是隐藏起来的。
保罗在他的书信里几次提到福音，或是福音的不同层面乃是上帝的奥秘，但用奥秘这个词语，并非说那些是神秘的，隐晦的事情，忽然彰显出来，或是一个无人能解开的谜。如同一个新约《圣经》学者所描述的，奥秘对于保罗而言乃是上帝在旧约里隐藏的，没有明白显示的事情，但现在借着基督的显现而将启示呈现出来，人们因此回头看，而说道：在这里，还有那里，都在讲到这件事。因此，保罗不是在说一件本来不存在的事，而是指出我们所错过的，因为旧约《圣经》里，诗篇和以赛亚书都提到关于弥赛亚要来，犹太人和外邦人要合一。因此，保罗要说的是，例如等候上帝赐予我们祂的灵，新约的应许等，都出现在旧约的各处，而现在这些细节是如何的连贯起来呈现出来。罗伯德普拉莫博士以弗所书3章，保罗讲到上帝让他知道的职分，他在讲的是上帝的福音。福音是一个奥秘，意思就是说，福音本来是隐藏的，直到上帝采取行动向我们显示；就福音而言，那的确是个公开的奥秘，乃是借着圣灵的大能，和福音的宣讲，这奥秘才向我们显现。而以弗所书3章，保罗讲到的奥秘，有时也是关乎基督的身体，是因着福音的传讲而成为实体。以弗所书3章提到外邦人和犹太人彼此相爱，合成上帝国度的有机体。这样的服事实在令人叹为观止。因此，保罗说基督难测的丰富如此向外邦人显明。而身为一个外邦人，我的确很高兴福音能传给外邦的众人。然而这的确是个奥秘，主基督借着十字架的宝血和圣灵的大能，使得犹太人和外邦人能够合为一体。桑德斯威尔森博士上帝向使徒和先知启示的奥秘，导致一种对新约时期的看法，新约学者经常把这描述为是奠基或「已开启的末世论」，或者是「已然，未然」。无论用什么术语，我们都能看到耶稣和新约《圣经》作者教导说，在上帝为末世制订的计划中，新约时期的应验要分成三个主要阶段。
第一，耶稣第一次来，他的使徒和众先知的工作 开启了新约时期。这就是新约《圣经》把耶稣和他使徒的日子称为「末世」的原因。我们在希伯来书1章1到2节看到：
上帝既在古时借着众先知多次多方地晓谕列祖，就在这末世，借着他儿子晓谕我们；又早已立他为承受万有的，也曾借着他创造诸世界。（希伯来书1章1-2节）希伯来书的作者在这里把耶稣在地上工作的时候，他读者生活的时候称为「这末世」。正如经文所说，随着耶稣开启国度，旧约《圣经》所应许的末后日子已经临到世上。
新约《圣经》强调，新约时期这开启的阶段包括了耶稣在道成肉身、受死、复活、升天和圣灵浇灌中成就的一切。这特别的时间也包括了使徒和先知为教会做的奠基工作的事奉。保罗在以弗所书 2章19和20节这样说：
上帝家里的人被建造在使徒和先知的根基上，有基督耶稣自己为房角石。（以弗所书2章19-20节）第二，新约时期的 延续扩展贯穿在教会历史的整个时期，在这时期，基督通过传讲福音和福音改变人的影响，在万民当中扩展教会。
这就是新约《圣经》作者在像提摩太后书3章1到5节这样的地方，把整个教会历史时期说成是末世的原因。请听这里是怎么说的：
你该知道，末世必有危险的日子来到。因为那时人要专顾自己，贪爱钱财、自夸、狂傲、谤讟、违背父母、忘恩负义、心不圣洁、无亲情、不解怨、好说谗言、不能自约、性情凶暴、不爱良善、卖主卖友、任意妄为、自高自大、爱宴乐、不爱上帝、有敬虔的外貌，却背了敬虔的实意。（提摩太后书3章1-5节）这里列出的「末世」的罪，是在保罗的日子发生的罪，并且继续发生，贯穿历史，直到今天。
在以弗所书3章9到10节，保罗把这同一时期的特征说成是在基督里启示的奥秘：
这历代以来隐藏在创造万物之上帝里的奥秘借着教会使天上执政的、掌权的，现在得知上帝百般的智慧。（以弗所书3章9-10节）有鉴于此，我们把教会历史整个时期看作是新约时代，这就是正确的。
第三，基督再来，实现上帝为整个历史立定的最终目的时，新约时期末后的日子就达到成全或完满。这就是新约《圣经》作者把基督再来时国度完满描写为是「末世」的原因。耶稣在约翰福音6章39节对他的门徒说：
差我来者的意思，就是他所赐给我的，叫我一个也不失落，在末日却叫他复活。（约翰福音6章39节）耶稣在这里教导门徒关于他与父关系的事。他说的「末日」指向那最终的一日，那时他要在荣耀中再来，死人要复活，上帝要审判世界。
保罗在以弗所书1章 9和10节也把这时候描写为上帝在基督里启示的一个奥秘。保罗在这些经文中把完满描述为：
他旨意的奥秘；要照所安排的，在日期满足的时候，使天上地上一切所有的，都在基督里面同归于一。（以弗所书1章9-10节）正如新约《圣经》表明的，耶稣在第一次来时开启了新约，今天通过世界范围的普世教会，继续启示新约，当基督作为万有之王在荣耀中再来时，新约时期的完全审判与祝福就要来到。
我们探索了新约在基督里的应验后，现在就可以来看我们这一课的第二个主要话题：基于新约时期不断展现这个特征，我们来探讨《圣经》在现今的应用。
正如我们在后来的几课将要看到的那样，对于把《圣经》应用在生活在新约时期的人而言，我们可以说的有很多。其中有数不尽的文化考虑和个人考量。但在此刻，我们要看新约《圣经》对新约时期三个阶段的教导，是怎样引导我们把《圣经》应用在我们今天的生活当中。虽然应用的这些方面其实是概括性的，但它们为我们提供了不可代替的视角，让我们明白如何在我们当代使用《圣经》。
凡在剧院里看过话剧的人，都知道坐的位置会影响看表演的视线。从不同的角度看，相同的角色和动作看起来会很不一样。看全面演出的最好方法，就是坐不同的座位，不止一次看这出戏。从很多方面来说，耶稣和新约《圣经》作者就是这样教导基督的教会在新约时代应用《圣经》的。通过从不同视角查考《圣经》，我们就得到更好装备，来把《圣经》应用到我们的生活当中。
想象一下，一个忠心跟从基督的人，坐在一个舞台上读《圣经》，这舞台的背景被分隔成三面巨大的屏风。我们从观众席的这一边，看到这位基督徒以基督已经开启的新约为背景阅读《圣经》。从观众席的中部位置，我们看到另一位基督徒以基督延续展开的新约为背景阅读《圣经》。从观众席的另一边，我们看到有人以基督完满了的新约为背景读《圣经》。跟从基督的人，都是用这种或那种的方式，通过思考所有这三种视角，以此研读《圣经》，把《圣经》应用到当代世界。
换言之，信徒学习《圣经》的时候，需要把每一处经文与基督开启新约时已经成就的事联系起来，思想基督在地上工作时为我们成就了什么。同时，我们也要在新约时期延续的光照下来看《圣经》的教导，寻求《圣经》在我们今天生活中的意义。另外，很重要的是我们要通过基督在我们世代完满时要成就什么的镜头来看《圣经》，活着做好准备，迎接基督在荣耀中奇妙再来。
我们可以在很多方面探索关于新约应用的这三个角度，但我们只触及两个重点即可。第一，我们要概括在新约《圣经》时期应用《圣经》的一些普遍指南。第二，我们要举一个应用的例子，说明这些策略。我们首先来看一些普遍的指南。
我们在以前的一课里，把应用的过程定义为：
把《圣经》文本的原本含义与当代受众恰当联系起来，冲击他们的观念、行为和情感。正如这定义指出的那样，对《圣经》的每一个应用，都牵涉到把原本含义和当代受众 恰当联系起来。
首先，我们需要辨认出，《圣经》作者在哪些方面寻求冲击他们原本受众的观念、行为和情感，以此确定一段经文的原本含义。然后，我们能通过确定，一段经文如何冲击今天的人的观念、行为和情感，以此把这原本含义应用在 当代受众身上。正如我们在其它课上看到的那样，我们应用《圣经》的时候，很要紧的就是要记住时期发展，因为在起初，每一段经文都是为了生活在《圣经》信仰的不同阶段，而不是专为我们当代的人写的。所以，到了我们这一课的这一点上，就让我们来关注时期发展怎样把《圣经》的原本受众和生活在新约时期的当代受众联系在一起的。
要明白我们要讲的意思，我就来简单看看两个方向。第一，我们要把 旧约《圣经》经文在新约的应用作一个概括性陈述。第二，我们要同样来看新约《圣经》经文。
让我们从旧约《圣经》看起。
正如我们在前面一课看到的那样，旧约《圣经》讲到《圣经》历史有六个主要的圣约，但旧约《圣经》书卷的写作，只出现在它们中两个圣约的时期，就是摩西之约和大卫之约的时期。每一处旧约《圣经》经文，都是针对生活在摩西之约时期或大卫之约时期上帝百姓的需要而写。这样的话，在起初，旧约《圣经》经文向上帝百姓传递的观念、行为和情感，是切合这两个圣约时期的神学发展的。
出于这个原因，我们就有必要搭建从旧约《圣经》经文含义通向新约时期的桥梁。我们这些跟从基督的人，知道在这过程中，唯一无缪的引导，就是新约《圣经》。所以，至关重要就是看新约《圣经》作者是怎样把旧约《圣经》应用到新约的全部三个阶段。例如，新约《圣经》给了我们许多例子，说明基督是怎样在第一次来的时候应验了旧约《圣经》的教导。它也让我们关注，基督在延续的阶段，是怎样继续应验旧约《圣经》的教导。另外，新约《圣经》指出，基督要在新约完满的时候应验旧约《圣经》教导的不同方式。
《圣经》里最重要的主题之一就是上帝的国度，但这个名词却只出现在新约《圣经》里。虽然在旧约《圣经》里我们到处会读到这样的宣告：主耶和华掌权，但新约《圣经》作者们是从基督来到的角度，去看这个旧约《圣经》的主题，因此福音书的作者们总结耶稣的教训，就是教导上帝的国度。他们记录耶稣所说的，就是上帝的国已经在眼前，天国已经临到，因此过去谈到耶和华掌权，治理祂的百姓和万邦，现在因着基督弥赛亚，大卫的子孙，已经出现于以色列的地域，上帝的国度已经体现了。在使徒行传第一章，我们就看到基督如何升天，如何从宝座治理全地；就是谈到基督已经升天，而祂的复活要被传讲，人们要被吸引归降这位复活升天的基督，不过『主的日子』，这个名词也带着一个未来的含意，就是基督要再来。使徒行传第一章告诉我们，他如何离去，也要如何再来；还有也提到最后的证实，就是当撒但被释放出来时，上帝的子民要在最后的欺骗和叛逆中经受考验，但当基督再来的时候，祂要征服撒但一切的伎俩，得到全然的胜利。贵葛派锐博士读新约一个迷人之处，就是看到福音书是按着旧约的一些主旨，来描述耶稣。有许多的地方记载都是如此显示。其中一个主要部分，就是耶稣被描述成摩西的样式。的确，在某些方面，耶稣如同是第二个摩西，来带领一个新的、更大的出埃及的作为。就耶稣是第二个摩西，我们马上想到几个相似之处。好比说，他受施洗之后，就去到旷野。他在约旦河受浸，这个经历就好像以色列人经过红海，然后就进入旷野。耶稣在旷野地遭受试探，如同那些以色列人一样。但耶稣是一个信实顺服的儿子，对比以色列人的不顺服。旷野试探之后，耶稣成为得胜的领袖，他接着到山上颁布新的律法，就是马太福音5章的登山宝训，在那一章里，耶稣是被好像描绘成一个新的立法者透过这些叙述，我们一而再的看到福音书和旧约的关联与一致性，而耶稣就是来完成多年之前已经开始的救赎故事。麦克尔柯鲁格博士知道了应用 旧约《圣经》经文的这种基本模式，就让我们来看把新约《圣经》经文应用到新约时期这个问题。
一眼看上去，在基督徒应用新约《圣经》的时候，我们好像并不需要考虑时期发展的问题，因为新约《圣经》是成书于新约时期。但是，很重要的是要记住，整本的新约《圣经》是在新约开启或奠基的阶段写成的。今天我们不再是生活在开启阶段，我们而是生活在新约时期的延续阶段 。为此，当我们把新约《圣经》应用在我们当今人生时，我们脑海中要保持这种时期的差异。
新约《圣经》出于教会奠基领袖之手，一开始是写给生活在新约时期开启阶段的人的。这些作者所写的，对我们这些生活在新约延续阶段的人有很多关系。所以，即使我们生活在这些书卷写成几千年之后，它们仍对我们具有无可置疑的权威。
我们只需思想我们今天的生活与新约《圣经》成书时期之间的几个不同地方。例如，和今天不同，当时的人可以直接求助于生活在那时候的个别使徒和先知，寻求他们的指南。我们在腓利门书看到这一点。而且，共性的问题可以由教会奠基的领袖互动决定，例如使徒行传15章的耶路撒冷会议。但在我们今天，我们没有那些奠基性的权威生活在我们当中，所以我们需要依赖新约《圣经》对他们教导作的总结，以此帮助引导我们。
除此以外，新约《圣经》包括了很多神迹和超自然事件的例子。耶稣和他的使徒和先知，有特别的恩赐行这样的神迹，以此建立他们的权威。虽然那时情况是这样，但今天的权威是由新约《圣经》本身的标准建立的。如果我们忘记了这个区别，通常就会对我们今天怀有错误的期望。可以肯定的是，上帝在新约延续的时候能继续在教会当中行神迹，但是我们会发现，在这个阶段，这些神迹事件发生的频率大大不及基督和使徒生活在地上的时侯，对此我们不应该感到失望。
而且，新约《圣经》作者主要是让自己关注在对新约开启特别重要的教义和实践问题上。例如，在新约《圣经》中，几乎没有什么问题是比上帝的国从犹太人的根基上扩展到外邦人世界得到更多关注。新约《圣经》中讲到的一个接一个的争议问题，讲的是跟从基督的人是否要遵守旧约做法和附加的犹太人传统的问题。虽然确实这些教导与今天的教会有关系，但基督的教会已经脱离了很多这些在教会奠基时期的争议。随着福音继续传遍全世界，我们面对的是不同种类的问题。
有时候我真想回到使徒的时代，得以亲眼见证使徒们的讲道服事，以及他们所施行的神迹奇事，还有他们所带入教会生活的每件事。当然初代教会的许多生活经历也和我们现今所经历的类似。我的意思是，在世界许多地方，教会仍然还是受到逼迫，而我们所信守的福音，也就是初代的信徒所相信的。不过，从另一方面而言，使徒的服事在特定教会历史中是独特的，我们是在他们立下的根基上继续建造，阅读那些使徒们所写下的经文。而在教会里，使徒的职事已经不再存在，他们乃是被赋予一个独特的基础性事工，现今的教会则是建立在他们所立的根基之上。菲利普莱肯博士出于这个原因，我们把新约《圣经》应用到现今世界时，至关重要的是要认识到，原本含义是牢固建立在新约时期的开启阶段的。有了这原本含义，我们就能考虑新约时期内部的进一步发展，把它应用到我们自己的时代。
看完在新约时期应用旧约和新约《圣经》的总体指南之后，让我们来看说明这些原则的《圣经》例子。我们要举《圣经》强调的争战为例。
每一个熟悉《圣经》的人都知道，《圣经》很关注与邪灵，与追随邪灵之民争战的这个主题。旧约《圣经》几乎每一卷书都以这种或那种的方式触及这个主题。新约《圣经》反复表明，旧约中与邪恶争战，在新约时期继续。
在旧约里，上帝常被描述成是勇士，勇士君王，争战的英雄。我的意思是，我们可能难以理解这样的描述，但是在古时候，争战对于以色列人是很平常的。例如，埃及的法老王不让上帝的百姓离开，因此上帝就有那些作为，先是降下各种灾祸，而最后上帝就是为以色列人而争战，把埃及的军队全淹没在红海里；然后摩西和米利暗唱诗歌赞美上帝，说祂将军兵的车辆，马和骑马的，都投在海中。上帝在诗歌里被描述成是勇士。我们的确也看到，当以色列进入迦南地时，上帝也为他们而争战。大卫蓝穆博士这个主题的突出地位带来一个至关重要的问题。我们怎样把它应用到我们今天的生活？不管我们是在读旧约还是新约《圣经》，如果我们要对这主题如何应用到我们生活当中有一种更全面认识，就必须以在基督里新约时期三个阶段为光照看待这个问题。
首先，我们应该关注我们这个时期的开启。新约《圣经》清楚表明，在世上与邪恶争战这个主题的一些方面，是独特地在耶稣地上的工作中应验了。耶稣他自己指出，他与门徒一起事奉过程中所做的一些事，表明他战胜了邪恶。
例如，我们在路加福音10章18和19节看到，耶稣的门徒赶鬼归来之后，耶稣是怎样回答他们的。
我曾看见撒但从天上坠落，象闪电一样。我已经给你们权柄可以践踏蛇和蝎子，又胜过仇敌一切的能力。（路加福音10章18-19节）还有，按照歌罗西书2章15节，耶稣死在十字架上，以此击败了邪恶的灵里势力：
耶稣既将一切执政的、掌权的掳来，明显给众人看，就仗着十字架夸胜。（歌罗西书2章15节）类似，保罗在以弗所书4章8节指出，基督复活升天，这是他争战得胜。
他升上高天的时候，掳掠了仇敌，将各样的恩赐赏给人。（以弗所书4章8节）在这些和类似经文的光照下，每次我们看到旧约或新约《圣经》中与上帝仇敌争战的主题，我们总应记住，基督在新约时期开启阶段怎样完成了他要发挥的作用。离开基督成就的事情，人就没有希望能胜过罪和死亡的权势。
基督在祂第一次来的时候，表现为战争，或成就了的争战，可以被描述为是与撒但争战。创世记3章15节，上帝应许堕落之初的亚当和夏娃，会有一个救赎者来到。我们看到在十字架上所发生的，撒但的头被压碎，而耶稣的脚跟被伤不管你是用什么词语来描述，然后耶稣从死里复活，全然征服撒但。霍华德艾里弛博士除了我们这时代的开启，每次我们看到《圣经》中争战的主题，就必须准备好把它应用在新约时期的延续阶段。
虽然基督他自己在第一次来的时候就开始了最终击败邪恶的争战，但是，新约《圣经》教导说，贯穿整个教会历史这争战仍是每一位信徒经历中很重要的一部分。
比如保罗在哥林多后书10章4节确立，福音广传是针对邪灵的争战。他在那里说：
我们争战的兵器，本不是属血气的，乃是在上帝面前有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒。（哥林多后书10章4节）保罗以类似的方式，在以弗所书6章12节讲到教会的争战：
因我们并不是与属血气的争战，乃是与那些执政的，掌权的，管辖这幽暗世界的，以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战。（以弗所书6章12节）请注意，在这两处经文中，我们作为基督徒进行的争战，性质是属灵的争战。正如耶稣在我们新约时期开启时所做的一样，我们不是与「属血气的」争战。我们是与「执政的」和「掌权的」争战，就是「天空属灵气的恶魔」争战。在基督国度延续的时期，我们是与在这世界上工作的撒但和其它邪灵，而不是与人争战。保罗在哥林多后书5章19和20节写下这番话：
上帝将这和好的道理托付了我们。所以，我们作基督的使者，就好象上帝借我们劝你们一般；我们替基督求你们与上帝和好。（哥林多后书5章19-20节）作为生活在新约延续时期的上帝子民，我们不是与我们的人类同胞争战。我们而是「基督的使者」，通过传基督的福音，努力救人脱离罪的辖制。我们通过敦促人「与上帝和好」，进一步挫败撒但的国度。
所以，保罗在哥林多后书2章14节也把福音事奉描写为基督得胜凯旋，这就不令人感到惊奇了：
感谢上帝！常率领我们在基督里夸胜。（哥林多后书2章14节）无论我们是从旧约《圣经》还是新约《圣经》列举的争战例子，跟从基督的人都总要随时做好准备，把这个主题应用到新约延续时期他们每天的事奉当中。
基督借着现今教会以不同的方式达成祂与邪恶对抗的使命，但是在这里我们思考上最主要的是要明白基督的国度，和我们认为的一般性的王国，是不一样的体系。在耶稣的时代，有些人误认为祂是来建立一个政治性的体系，现今我们也是从我们的国家，民族或是社会经济的利益，而希望基督不是借着十字架，而是以冠冕或是刀剑的方式来争战。保罗在以弗所书6章教导我们关乎属灵争战的事情，我们要祷告，要与人分享福音，要有信心，要施行公义，最主要的争战利器就是上帝的话语。马丁路德在他写的《上主是我坚固保障》的诗歌里，就提到上帝的话语胜过世上一切的力量。因此，借着祂为仆的儿子耶稣基督的得胜，达成其属灵争战使命的乃是上帝的话语。如果我们要遵循基督的样式，那意味着什么呢？就是十字架的生活。我们要效法基督，如同腓立比书2章所讲的，要有基督的心，让人们得以区分福音和基督信仰，是与其他宗教不一样的。一般人都认为宗教是强制性的，这是基督信仰和其他宗教，例如伊斯兰教的对比。伊斯兰教无法明白一个不强制人的上帝，而基督信仰基本上是相信十字架，自我倒空，为别人的缘故而付出自己的生命，因为基督为我们舍命，因此基督信仰是呼召人来牺牲，效法基督的榜样，使得其他人愿意来就祂，以祂为生命的主。麦克尔葛罗道牧师新约《圣经》不仅把争战的主题与我们时期的开启和延续联系在一起，它还把这与新约时期的 完满联系起来。
正如基督他自己在第一次来的时候争战，同样他在荣耀中再来时，要完成对一切邪恶的所有争战。当他再来时，目前作为他忿怒对象的灵界势力和他怜悯对象的人类之间所存的分别界限，都将要淡化消失。约翰在启示录19章11到15节就是这样描写争战的：
我观看，见天开了。有一匹白马，骑在马上的，称为「诚信真实；」他审判、争战都按着公义在天上的众军骑着白马，穿着细麻衣，又白又洁，跟随他。有利剑从他口中出来，可以击杀列国。他必用铁杖辖管他们。（启示录19章11-15节）在很多方面，基督与邪恶进行最后一战的这场面，都是我们得胜和在新天新地得永生的盼望。当罪和死最后被击败，基督就要作王，并要邀请所有跟从他的人在得胜中一同作王。
《圣经》里关乎争战的主题，特别是旧约《圣经》里，讲到上帝的审判，祂的忿怒， 这些要如何开展，在末世的情况会是如何，这些都是重要的主题。但是在新约里，这个主题是以两种方式在延伸。首先是与基督有关，祂以一个神圣勇士的身份来到，并且与罪恶争战；但祂不是对付罪人，而是罪恶本身。就某个层面而言，祂也是一个受害者，成为一个承受上帝全然忿怒的人，而不是发出忿怒的那一位。而罪人至终因为躲在基督里，与基督联合，而得以避开上帝的烈怒，如同那些在基督里经历审判的人。为此，当基督再来的时候，祂要带着祂的子民，要与那些不肯悔改，或是不在信心里跟祂联合的人争战。我们会在《圣经》里看到一些图像，例如大水淹没以色列或应许之地，或是亚述和巴比伦对以色列的争战，以及一些末世审判的描述；然而那些实际上都是在描述基督如何为我们而进入那些争战里。所以，我们在这里看到两幅图画：上帝的恩典使得祂进入争战，为我们承受咒诅和忿怒；另外则是上帝的公义，祂要再回来，那些不肯和祂联结的人都要承受相同的审判。迈尔斯佩尔特博士我们总要记住，在解释贯穿《圣经》中争战的主题时，总要在基督作为得胜的勇士，在他再来的伟大完满之光照下来解释。
新约《圣经》处理争战主题的方法，对我们把《圣经》应用到自己生活所在的日子很有启发作用。肯定的是，我们需要学习每一个个别的主题，因为新约《圣经》是以不同方式发展这些主题的。但是，为了更充分应用任何《圣经》主题，我们必须在基督里从新约的开启、延续和完满的光照下来看这些主题。不管我们怎样开始探索任何主题，无论是从旧约《圣经》还是新约《圣经》开始，作为跟从基督的人，我们都可以通过认识它们是怎样在新约时期全部三个阶段的应验与成就，以此来把这些主题应用到我们生活当中。
我们在现今应用和新约这一课，看了在基督里新约是应该怎样影响我们把《圣经》应用到当代世界的努力。我们已经注意到，怎样从在基督里我们所在这时期的开启、延续和完满来看旧约《圣经》对新约盼望的应验。我们已经举例，旧约和新约《圣经》的每一个主题，应用到当代生活当中时，应该怎样与新约这同样的三个阶段相一致。
在基督里所立的新约绝不可小视，恰好相反，它是上帝为整个历史所定旨意的最高峰。这样，它就深深影响我们在当代世界应用《圣经》每一部分的方方面面。作为跟从基督的人，我们必须总是在新约《圣经》解释上帝在基督里成就工作的光照下来读《圣经》。我们回顾基督已经做成的工作，我们看他现在正在做的工作，我们展望他再来时要成全的工作。只有这样，我们才能作为新约中的人，把《圣经》应用到我们的当代世界当中。He Gave Us Scripture: Modern Application and the New Covenant
INTRODUCTION
We all have experiences that we quickly forget, but some experiences impact us so much that they stick with us our whole lives. Perhaps, for you, it's when you first came to faith in Christ, your wedding day or the loss of a loved one. Whatever the case, when we go through these kinds of experiences, they change how we look at everything, forever. And the same is true for followers of Christ as we apply the Scriptures to our modern world. Although the Bible tells us about many things that God has done, the arrival of the new covenant in Christ is a pivotal event that changes the way we understand everything, including the application of Scripture to our lives today.
This is the ninth lesson in our series He Gave Us Scripture: Foundations of Interpretation, and we've entitled it "Modern Application and the New Covenant." In this lesson, we'll explore how the new covenant in Christ should guide the ways we apply all of Scripture to our own day.
In our previous lesson, we learned how we must acknowledge epochal developments in the Old Testament as we apply the Bible to our lives. And we observed that one storyline underlies all of biblical history. The Bible teaches us that God rules from his heavenly throne in brilliant glory, and his goal from the beginning has been to extend his visible glory from heaven throughout the earth despite all who oppose him. As creatures made in his image, God ordained human beings to fill the earth and to rule over it in preparation for the ultimate display of his glory. And when God's brilliance shines everywhere, every creature will worship and praise him endlessly.
We also noted that the drama of this underlying biblical storyline developed in six major chapters, or epochs, that built on each other cumulatively: the covenant epochs of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and the new covenant in Christ. The cumulative nature of these epochal developments reminds us that while God's people must never return to serving God in the ways of the past, they must also never forget to apply the lessons of the past appropriately to their own day.
In this lesson, we'll explore modern application and the new covenant in two steps. First, we'll look at the fulfillment of the new covenant in Christ. And second, we'll see how the new covenant should guide our application of Scripture today. Let's begin with the fulfillment of the new covenant in Christ.
FULFILLMENT
We often imagine what particular experiences will be like before they actually happen — like, winning a competition or entering a new phase in life. But many times, we discover the experiences themselves are different from what we expected. Well, the same kind of thing was true for God's people in biblical times. Prior to Christ's coming, God revealed to his people many insights into what he would accomplish through Christ. But when the new covenant in Christ finally arrived, it wasn't exactly what his people had imagined.
To see how this happened, we'll look at three facets of new covenant fulfillment in Scripture. First, we'll touch on outlooks that appear in the Old Testament. Second, we'll describe perspectives that developed during the intertestamental period. And third, we'll describe how the New Testament addresses the fulfillment of the new covenant. Let's begin with the Old Testament outlooks on the new covenant.
Old Testament
Old Testament hopes for a new covenant rose out of words God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah as he ministered near the time of Jerusalem's destruction in 586 B.C.
Despite the severe judgments that were coming against Judah through the Babylonian exile, in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God announced a grand hope for the future. Listen to what it says there:
"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… 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… For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
This passage raised many wondrous hopes for God's people. As we read in Jeremiah 31:31, God will make a new covenant with both the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. The new covenant will not fail because, as verse 33 explains, God will fulfill the ideal of putting his law "in their minds" and "on their hearts." And as verse 34 also indicates, these blessings will never end because God will permanently "forgive" and "remember their sins no more." When we consider these hopes for the new covenant age, it is hard to imagine anything greater.
At this point in our lesson, we want to see how the Old Testament dealt with the fulfillment of these new covenant hopes. To begin with, it's evident that God initially offered to grant these blessings when he returned Israel from exile.
As we've just read, Jeremiah 31:31 simply begins with the vague expression "the days are coming," but in the immediate context this temporal reference was rather precise. Jeremiah 31:31-34 is part of a larger segment of the book of Jeremiah often called the Book of Restoration that extends from Jeremiah 30:1–31:40. This section bears this name because it rehearses several descriptions of the exile and the blessings that would follow after the exile. Listen to what it says in Jeremiah 30:3, near the beginning of the Book of Restoration:
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land" (Jeremiah 30:3).
The expression "the days are coming" appears in this verse as it does at the beginning of the prophecy of a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31. And in this verse, "the days are coming" is explicitly associated with the time when God will bring his people "back from captivity and restore them to the land."
In this light, it's clear that Jeremiah 31:31 initially associated a new covenant with Israel's restoration to the Promised Land. From the Old Testament perspective, Israel's restoration would take place at the culmination of history in "the latter days," or in "the last days." It would entail the establishment of a new covenant along with Israel's return from exile, the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its temple, the worldwide reign of the anointed Son of David, and the renewal of creation.
In Jeremiah 29:10-14, God also revealed to Jeremiah when to expect this age of a new covenant to take place. Listen to what the prophet said:
This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place… Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you… I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you" (Jeremiah 29:10-14).
Here God offered the hope that if Israel "will call on him and come and pray," then God will "bring them back" to the Promised Land in seventy years. The same timetable is revealed in Jeremiah 25:12.
As a matter of fact, in 538 B.C. God led the Persian emperor Cyrus to command Israel to return to the Promised Land. So, it's not surprising that in 2 Chronicles 36:20-22, the author of Chronicles closed his book by noting that Jeremiah's seventy years of exile were fulfilled at this time.
But what of the many other blessings that were to come in the last days, the days of the new covenant? Sadly, those who returned to the Promised Land failed to serve God time and again. And as a result, the magnificent blessings of a new covenant foretold in Jeremiah 31 were postponed.
This is precisely what Daniel learned in Daniel 9:24 when God sent word to him about the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy of 70 years:
Seventy "sevens" are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place (Daniel 9:24).
As this passage indicates, God decreed a postponement of the greater blessings of the last days, the days of the new covenant, for "seventy 'sevens,'" seven times longer than Jeremiah's original seventy years. At that time, the hopes of the new covenant would be fulfilled. Transgression would be finished, sin would end, atonement would be accomplished, righteousness would come, vision and prophecy would be sealed up, and the Most Holy Place would be anointed.
When Daniel is praying about Jeremiah's prophesy about the seventy years of exile, he's praying, "The time is about up. Lord, what's going on?" And the answer that's given to him is that it's not just seventy years but it's also seventy sevens of years, the land making up for its Sabbaths, for all the neglect that had taken place. Something that that suggests to us in terms of interpreting Scripture is that sometimes there is the dimension where God is doing literally what was promised, but there's also the dimension where there are some other implications of it that are sometimes brought out prophetically later on. So, for example, in the book of Revelation, you often have Old Testament imagery that's used in ways differently than it was in the Old Testament. Obviously the Revelation isn't talking about the same plaques that happened on Egypt, but we have the imagery of the plagues being used again in Revelation to make a comparison for how God is bringing judgment. So, we need to be open to that when we read Scripture, when we read how later writers are dealing with earlier writers. I mean, there was a sense in which there was a seventy years of exile, but there was also another sense that God had in mind that Daniel would never have known if it hadn't been shown to him by the angel. [Dr. Craig S. Keener]
We've seen that in the Old Testament, the full extent of the new covenant was postponed due to the people's disobedience. Now let's turn to the intertestamental period — the time between the Old and New Testaments — and the perspectives many in Israel developed regarding the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy, especially in the days just before Jesus' earthly ministry.
Intertestamental Period
It was obvious to everyone in the first century that Jeremiah's prediction of a new covenant had not yet been completely fulfilled. New Testament records and archeological discoveries indicate that different religious factions among the people of Israel had different perspectives, but there was widespread agreement on a number of basic issues.
Toward the end of the intertestamental period, the vast majority of rabbis spoke of the hope of the last days, or the new covenant epoch, in terms of two great ages of history.
In the first place, they referred to prior history and their current circumstances as "this age." The obvious victory of evil over God's people in the exile led the rabbis to characterize this age as a time of failure, sorrow and death.
In the second place, the rabbis also spoke of a second great age of history, the time of future glory, as "the age to come." The age to come was also known as "the last days," "the kingdom of God," and as the age of a new covenant. The rabbis expected that when the age to come arrived, God's purposes for history would be fulfilled. He would return his repentant, exiled people in large numbers, restore the throne of David, spread his reign throughout the earth, bring judgment against those who refused to submit to God and to the son of David, and spread the blessings of Abraham to the ends of the earth.
In addition to this, the vast majority of rabbis in Israel also taught that the transition from this age to the age to come would take place decisively with the appearance of the Messiah, the great son of David. The Messiah would bring about a grand turning point in world history, the transition from defeat to victory, from evil to righteousness, from death to eternal life, and from darkness to a world filled with the brilliant glory of God.
With this background of Old Testament and intertestamental outlooks in mind, let's look at how the New Testament explained the fulfillment of Jeremiah's hope of a new covenant.
New Testament
We all know that in his Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus held up the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood." Also, Paul called himself and his companions "ministers of a new covenant." And the book of Hebrews refers to Jeremiah 31 and affirms that Christians live in the new covenant age. But when we compare what's happening in our day with the description of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31, we realize that we're yet to see the new covenant promises in their fullness. The law of God isn't perfectly written on our minds and in our hearts. People in church still need to be told to know the Lord. We're still commanded to ask for the forgiveness of our sins. So, how can we be in the new covenant age when so many of Jeremiah's expectations are yet to be fulfilled? The answer lies in the mystery God revealed in Christ, how he was going to unfold the fulfillment of the new covenant.
Different New Testament figures addressed these matters in different ways. For instance, Jesus, in a number of his parables, announced that the kingdom of God had begun with his earthly ministry, would gradually grow over time, and finally reach its culmination when he returned in glory.
The apostle Paul addressed these matters in places like Ephesians 3:3-5, by referring to the fact that the mystery regarding the last days had been kept hidden from people in the past, but was now being revealed in Christ.
Paul mentioned this mystery in a number of other places as well like Romans 11:25 and 16:25-26 and Colossians 1:26-27. In these and other passages, Paul referred to different aspects of the Christian outlook on the last days in Christ as mysteries because they had been kept hidden from previous generations.
In several places in Paul's letters he speaks about the gospel or various aspects of the gospel as being a mystery, a musterion in Greek. And by mystery he doesn't mean some mysterious, cloudy thing that suddenly appeared on the scene or a puzzle that no one can solve. As one New Testament scholar described it, a mystery for Paul was something that God hid in plain view, something hidden in plain view in the Old Testament. And it's something now that, through clarifying revelation in the appearance of Christ, people can look back and say, "Oh look! Look at what is there." So it's not that Paul is presenting something that's not there, but he's saying, "Look at what we've missed, look at what is there." … And in many ways, the truth about the coming Messiah and about the unity of Jew and Gentile together is right there in the Old Testament in the Psalms and in Isaiah, but the coming together of it… the "look at what's here; look at how all these pieces fit together" awaited God's giving of his Spirit and the promises of the new covenant that Paul speaks about. [Dr. Robert L. Plummer]
When Paul was talking about the mystery being made known to him in Ephesians 3, he's talking about the gospel. The gospel is a mystery. That means it's hidden unless God takes explicit action to disclose it to us so that, of course, with respect to the gospel, it's a public mystery. It's a public secret, if you will. But it can only be unfolded to us through the proclamation of the gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, when Paul speaks of the mystery, as in the case in Ephesians 3, sometimes he's talking about the mystery of the body of Christ that is brought into reality through the proclamation of the gospel. And there in Ephesians 3 he's saying, the mystery is that Jew and Gentile love each other and are brought into organic unity together in a kingdom. It's amazing. So, he says the unsearchable riches of Christ are being proclaimed to these wild Gentiles. Of course, being a Gentile, I'm glad it came to Gentiles. But that's a mystery. … He is the one that unites Jew and Gentile together by the blood of the cross and by the power of his Spirit. [Dr. Sanders L. Willson]
The mysteries that God revealed to the apostles and prophets led to an outlook on the new covenant age that New Testament scholars often describe as "inaugurated eschatology" or "the now, but not yet." Whatever terminology we may choose, we can see that Jesus and the writers of the New Testament taught that in God's plan for the last days, the fulfillment of the age of the new covenant was to take place in three main stages.
First, the inauguration of the new covenant age was initiated in Jesus' first coming and in the ministries of his apostles and prophets. This is why the New Testament speaks of the days of Jesus and his apostles as "the last days." In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read these words:
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Here, the author of Hebrews referred to the time of Jesus' earthly ministry and of his readers as "these last days." As this passage indicates, with Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom, the promised last days of the Old Testament, had come upon the world.
The New Testament emphasizes that this inaugural phase of the new covenant age included all that Jesus accomplished in his incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension into heaven, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This special time also included the ministries of the apostles and prophets in their foundational work for the church. In Ephesians 2:19-20, Paul put it this way:
God's household [is] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-20).
Second, the continuation of the new covenant epoch extends throughout the entire period of church history. During this time, Christ spreads the church throughout the nations through the proclamation and transformative influence of the gospel.
This is why the New Testament writers, in places like 2 Timothy 3:1-5, designated the entire period of church history as the last days. Listen to what it says there:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
The sins listed here for "the last days" were sins that were occurring in Paul's day, and that have continued to occur throughout history and into the present day.
Paul referred to the character of this same period as a mystery revealed in Christ in Ephesians 3:9-10:
This mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God … [is] that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known (Ephesians 3:9-10).
In this light we are right to treat the entire period of church history as the new covenant age.
Third, the last days of the new covenant age will reach their consummation when Christ returns and fulfills God's ultimate purposes for all of history. This is why New Testament authors described the consummation of the kingdom at Christ's return as "the last days." In John 6:39, Jesus told his disciples:
This is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day (John 6:39).
Here Jesus taught his disciples about his relationship to the Father. His reference to the "last day" points forward to that ultimate final day when he will return in glory, the dead will rise, and God will judge the world.
In Ephesians 1:9-10, Paul also described this time as a mystery that God revealed in Christ. In these verses, Paul described the consummation as:
The mystery of [God's] will … which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10).
As the New Testament indicates, Jesus inaugurated the new covenant in his first coming, he continues to reveal the new covenant through the worldwide church today, and the full judgments and blessings of the new covenant age will come when Christ returns in glory as king over all.
Having explored the fulfillment of the new covenant in Christ, we're now in a position to turn to the second main topic of our lesson: our modern application of Scripture based on the unfolding character of the new covenant epoch.
APPLICATION
As we'll see in later lessons, there are many things to be said about the application of Scripture to people living in the new covenant age. Among these are countless cultural and personal considerations. But at this point, we want to see how the New Testament teaching about the three stages of the new covenant guides us in applying the Bible to our lives today. These aspects of application are rather general, but they provide us with indispensable perspectives on how we are to use the Scriptures in our lives today.
Everyone who's watched a play in a theater knows that where you sit affects your perspective on the performance. The same character and actions can look very different from different angles. And the best way to take in the whole presentation is to see it more than once from different seats. In many ways, this is how Jesus and the New Testament authors taught the Christian church to apply the Scriptures in the new covenant age. By examining Scripture from different vantage points, we're more equipped to apply the Bible to our lives.
Imagine a faithful follower of Christ reading the Scriptures on a stage whose backdrop divides into three large panels. From one side of the audience, we see that the Christian reads the Bible against the backdrop of Christ's inauguration of the new covenant. From the middle of the audience we see that the Christian reads the Bible against the backdrop of Christ's continuation of the new covenant. And from the opposite side of the audience, we see him reading the Bible against the backdrop of Christ's consummation of the new covenant. In one way or another, followers of Christ are to apply the Scriptures to the modern world by studying the Bible with all three of these perspectives in mind.
In other words, when studying the Bible, believers need to relate every Scripture to what Christ has already accomplished in the inauguration of the new covenant and consider everything Christ accomplished for us in his earthly ministry. But we also have to view the teachings of Scripture in light of the continuation of the new covenant age and search for the significance of Scripture in our lives today. Additionally, it's important that we view the Scriptures through the lens of what Christ will accomplish in the consummation of our age and live in readiness for Christ's wondrous return in glory.
There are many ways we could explore these three perspectives on new covenant applications, but we'll touch on just two important points. First, we'll summarize some general guidelines for application in the new covenant age. And second, we'll offer an example of application that illustrates these strategies. Let's begin with some general guidelines.
Guidelines
In an earlier lesson we defined the process of application as:
Appropriately connecting the original meaning of a biblical document to contemporary audiences in ways that impact their concepts, behaviors and emotions.
As this definition points out, every application of Scripture involves appropriately connecting original meaning to contemporary audiences.
First, we need to determine the original meaning of a biblical passage by identifying the ways biblical authors sought to impact the concepts, behaviors, and emotions of their original audiences. Then, we can apply this original meaning to contemporary audiences by determining how a biblical passage should impact the concepts, behaviors and emotions of people today. As we've seen in other lessons, it's important to keep epochal developments in mind when we apply the Scriptures because originally every passage of Scripture was written for people living in a different stage of biblical faith than our own. So, at this point in our lesson, let's focus on the ways epochal developments connect the original audiences of Scripture with contemporary audiences living in the new covenant age.
To see what we have in mind, we'll look briefly in two directions. First, we'll make some general comments about new covenant applications of Old Testament passages. Then second, we'll do the same with New Testament passages. Let's begin with the Old Testament.
Old Testament
As we have seen in a preceding lesson, the Old Testament refers to six major covenants in biblical history, but the writing of Old Testament books took place in only two of these covenant ages: the covenant epochs of Moses and David. Every Old Testament passage was designed to address the needs of God's people living either in the covenant epoch of Moses or during the covenant epoch of David. As such, Old Testament passages originally conveyed to God's people sets of concepts, behaviors and emotions that were appropriate for the theological developments of these two covenant epochs.
For this reason, it's necessary to build bridges of meaning from Old Testament passages to the new covenant epoch. As followers of Christ, we know that the only infallible guide in this process is the New Testament. So, it's essential to look for ways New Testament authors applied the Old Testament to all three stages of the new covenant. For instance, the New Testament gives us many examples of the ways Christ fulfilled Old Testament teachings in his first coming. It also draws attention to the ways Christ continues to fulfill Old Testament teachings during the continuation period. In addition, the New Testament points to the ways Christ will fulfill Old Testament teachings in the consummation of the new covenant.
One of the most important biblical themes is the theme of the kingdom of God, and yet that particular phrase only occurs in the New Testament. Well, we see it everywhere in the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms regarding this acclamation, "the Lord reigns." New Testament authors are taking up Old Testament themes in the light of Christ's coming, and so as the gospel evangelists summarize Jesus' teaching, they talk about the kingdom of God and Jesus himself as his words are recorded are talking about how the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the kingdom of God is at hand. And so, something that talks about Yahweh's reign over his people and over the nations is now embodied in terms of Christ the Messiah, the son of David, who has arrived on the stage in Israel. … We see it in terms of both how Christ is ascended and he reigns on the throne in Acts 1, as he has ascended and the resurrection is preached and people have drawn to the risen and ascended Christ, but also there is still a future sense of the day of the Lord that Christ will come again. As Acts 1 tells us, he will return in the same way that he left, and there will still be that final vindication as the people of God are tested in the final deception and rebellion when Satan is released, but also when Christ comes and is victorious over all of Satan's schemes at the end. [Dr. Greg Perry]
One of the most fascinating things to see is the way the gospel has portrayed Jesus in light of Old Testament themes. We see this in a number of different places. One of the main places we see it is we see Jesus portrayed really in the place of Moses. He in some ways is a second Moses coming to lead a new second and greater exodus. A number of examples of that come to mind when we think about Jesus as the second Moses. One, of course, is the idea of him going right into the wilderness after his water experience. So, when he's baptized in the Jordan River, in one sense, this going through the water is just like the Israelites going through the Red Sea and from there immediately going into the desert. In the desert he experiences temptations just like the Israelites, but he is the faithful Son, whereas Israel was the disobedient son. In that desert experience, Jesus emerges as the triumphant leader of a new exodus whereby he comes and then delivers a new law on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 when Jesus is portrayed there as the new lawgiver. … So time and time again you see this harmony and this unity between the Gospels and the Old Testament and that Jesus is finishing a story that was begun years ago. [Dr. Michael J. Kruger]
With this basic pattern for applying Old Testament passages in mind, let's turn to the application of New Testament passages to the new covenant age.
New Testament
At first glance, it may appear that there's no need to consider epochal developments when Christians apply the New Testament because the New Testament was written in the epoch of the new covenant. But it's important to keep in mind that the entire New Testament was composed during the inaugural stage of the new covenant. Today, we no longer live in that stage. Rather, we live in the continuation of the new covenant age. So, we need to keep this epochal distinction in mind when we apply the New Testament to our lives.
New Testament books came from the hands of the foundational leaders of the church and were initially written for people living during the inauguration of the new covenant epoch. What these authors wrote has many implications for us as we live in the continuation of the new covenant age. So, even though we live thousands of years after these works were written, they have unquestionable authority for us.
Consider just a few of the differences between our lives today and the times in which the New Testament was written. For instance, unlike today, appeals for guidance could be made directly to individual apostles and prophets who were living at that time. We see this in the book of Philemon. Moreover, widespread issues could be decided by the interactions of the church's foundational leaders, as in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. But in our day, we don't have these foundational authorities living among us. So, we have to rely on the New Testament's summations of their teachings to help guide us.
In addition to this, the New Testament contains many examples of miraculous and supernatural events. Jesus and his apostles and prophets were especially gifted to perform such feats to establish their authority. While this was true then, authority today is established only by the standard of the New Testament itself. If we forget this distinction, we'll often have false expectations for our day. To be sure, God continues to work miracles in the church during the continuation of the new covenant, but we should not be disappointed to discover that in this age such events do not occur with as much frequency as they did when Christ and the apostles lived on the earth.
Moreover, New Testament authors devoted themselves primarily to doctrinal and practical issues that were particularly important for the inauguration of the new covenant. For instance, hardly any issue received more attention in the New Testament than the expansion of God's kingdom from its Jewish roots to the Gentile world. Controversy after controversy addressed in the New Testament dealt with how followers of Christ were to observe or not observe Old Testament practices and additional Jewish traditions. While it's true that these teachings have implications for the church today, the Christian church has gone beyond many of these foundational controversies. As the gospel continues to spread throughout the world, we face different sorts of issues.
I sometimes wish that I could go back to the apostolic age and witness the preaching ministry of the apostles and the miracles that they performed and everything that they introduced into the life of the church. And of course, so many of the experiences of the early church are very similar to the experiences we have in the world today. I mean, in many places in the world the church is persecuted community, and we're holding onto the same gospel that the first believers held onto. But there's also a sense in which that ministry of the apostles was unique in a unique period in church history, and we build on their foundation by reading the Scriptures that those apostles produced. But the office of the apostle is not a continuing office in the life of the church. That's a unique foundational ministry that they were given and now we build on their foundation in the church today. [Dr. Philip Ryken]
For this reason, when we apply the New Testament to the modern world, it's crucial to understand that the original meaning is based firmly in the inauguration stage of the new covenant era. With that original meaning in hand, we can then apply it to our own time by taking into account further developments within the new covenant age.
Having seen the general guidelines for application of the new covenant in both the Old and New Testaments, let's look at an example in Scripture that illustrates these principles. We'll use the Bible's emphasis on warfare as our example.
Example
Everyone familiar with the Bible knows that it gives a lot of attention to the theme of warfare against evil spirits and against the nations that follow them. Nearly every book in the Old Testament touches on this theme in one way or another. And the New Testament repeatedly indicates that the war against evil found in the Old Testament continues in the new covenant epoch.
In the Old Testament, we often see God being portrayed as a warrior, as a warrior king, as kind of a military hero. I mean, our context may not seem to make a lot of sense, we don't fully understand it. But the reality of life in ancient Israel was warfare was common. … Pharaoh was not going to let God's people go, so what God did was… There were the plagues first of all, but then God basically ended up fighting for them by kind of drowning the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. So yet another example. Then Moses and Miriam sing this song praising God: The chariot and rider… the horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. So God is being sung about as a warrior. And certainly we see that, as the nation of Israel moves into the land of the Canaanites, God is fighting on their behalf. [Dr. David T. Lamb]
The prominence of this theme raises a crucial question. How are we to apply it to our lives today? Whether we read the Old Testament or the New Testament, if we want to gain a fuller picture of how this theme applies to our lives, we must view it in light of the three stages of the new covenant epoch in Christ.
In the first place, we should give attention to the inauguration of our age. The New Testament makes it clear that some aspects of the theme of war against evil in the world were fulfilled uniquely in Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus himself referred to what was happening in his ministry with his disciples as victory over evil.
For instance, in Luke 10:18-19, we read Jesus' reply when his disciples returned from having cast out demons.
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:18-19).
Also, according to Colossians 2:15, Jesus defeated evil spiritual forces in his death on the cross:
[Jesus] disarmed the powers and authorities, [and] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).
In a similar way, in Ephesians 4:8, Paul referred to Christ's resurrection and ascension as his victory in war.
When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8).
In light of these and similar passages, whenever we come upon the theme of warfare against God's enemies in the Old or New Testaments, we should always keep in mind how Christ fulfilled his role in this war during the inauguration of the new covenant age. Apart from what Christ has already accomplished, there is no hope of final victory over the powers of sin and death.
In his first coming Christ demonstrated the warfare, or fulfilled the warfare, or could be depicted as warfare with Satan. And it started with Genesis 3:15 where God promised Adam and Eve at the very beginning in the Fall that there would be a Deliverer. And we see that then happening at the cross. Satan's head is crushed, Jesus' heel is bitten, smitten — whatever term you want to use — and then he is raised from the dead and has complete victory over Satan. [Dr. Howard Eyrich]
Many Christians think that Christ will not destroy evil until he comes back again at the end of times. But the fact is that Jesus Christ eliminated evil in his first coming. We can say that he eliminated evil in principle, meaning he defeated the Devil on the cross and laid the foundation for the final second coming. There is still evil in the world, and we still live in it, but it's an evil on the road to extinction. In the battle our Lord Jesus Christ fought, he "disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them," and he obtained a massive victory over the Devil's work through his death and resurrection. [Dr. Ghassan Khalaf, translation]
In addition to the inauguration of our age, whenever we encounter the theme of warfare in Scripture, we must be ready to apply it to the continuation of the new covenant epoch.
Although Christ himself initiated the final defeat of evil in his first coming, the New Testament teaches that this war is still very much a part of the experience of every believer throughout the history of the church.
For example, in 2 Corinthians 10:4, Paul affirmed that the spread of the gospel was warfare against evil spirits. There he said:
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Paul referred to the warfare of the church in similar ways in Ephesians 6:12:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).
Notice that in both of these passages the war we wage as Christians is spiritual in nature. Just like Jesus did in the inauguration of our age, we don't make war with "flesh and blood." We make war against the "rulers" and "authorities," that is, "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." During the continuation of the kingdom of Christ, we are at war with Satan and other evil spirits at work in the world, rather than at war with people. In 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, Paul wrote these words:
[God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
As God's people living during the continuation of the new covenant, we are not warriors toward our fellow human beings. Instead, we are "Christ's ambassadors" who seek to rescue human beings from the dominion of sin through the spread of the gospel of Christ. We further the defeat of Satan's kingdom by urging people to, "Be reconciled to God."
So, it's not surprising that in 2 Corinthians 2:14 Paul also described the gospel ministry as Christ's victory parade:
Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Whether we are drawing examples of warfare from the Old Testament or from the New Testament, followers of Christ should always be ready to apply this theme in their daily ministry during the continuation of the new covenant.
Christ fulfills warfare against evil through the church today in a variety of means, but the principal category for considering this is that Christ's kingdom is of a different order than we normally think of kingdoms. This was true in Jesus' day when those who misunderstood him to be establishing a political order as much as it is today when, out of our national or ethnic or socioeconomic interests, we want to see Christ's war as not a war of the cross but a war of crown or sword. Paul gives us guidelines for this kind of spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6: we are to pray; we are to share the good news; we are to have faith; we are to practice righteousness. And the principal means of the Word of God… Martin Luther, in fact, in his "A Mighty Fortress" spoke of that Word above all earthly powers. So, it's the Word of God which will prevail through God's servant son, Jesus Christ, as the fulfillment of Christ's spiritual warfare. So, what that means for us is we have to follow the pattern of Christ, a cross-shaped life. We imitate Christ as Philippians 2 says by having the same attitude in ourselves, so that the gospel is distinguished, and Christianity is distinguished from other religions, which see religion as primarily coercive. This is one of the principal contrasts between, say, Christianity and Islam. Islam cannot conceive of a non-coercive belief in God, and Christianity is fundamentally a religion of the cross, of self-divestiture, of giving our lives for the sake of others because Christ gave his life for us, so it's a call for sacrifice and for modeling the example of Christ so that others will willingly come to make him Lord. [Rev. Mike Glodo]
Not only does the New Testament associate the theme of war with the inauguration and continuation of our age, but with the consummation of the new covenant epoch.
Just as Christ himself performed warfare in his first coming, he will complete the war against evil when he returns in glory. At the second coming, the distinction he made between spiritual forces as the objects of his wrath and human beings as the objects of his mercy will fade. In Revelation 19:11-15, John described the battle to come this way:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war… The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter" (Revelation 19:11-15).
In many ways, this scene of Christ waging the final battle against evil is our hope for victory and eternal life in the new heavens and new earth. When the final defeat of sin and death have taken place, Christ will reign and invite all of his followers to reign with him in victory.
The topic of warfare in the Bible, perhaps especially in the Old Testament, and God's judgment and his wrath and how that's going to unfold and what it's going to look like in the end times is a big topic … But in the New Testament we have two different ways in which this theme is developed. The first is with Jesus. He comes as a divine warrior to wage war on sin, but this time not on the sinner but on sin itself. He is in some sense the victim here. He becomes the one who receives the full wrath of God rather than the one who brings wrath. Now, sinners escape the wrath of God at the end by hiding themselves or being united to Christ as those who have experienced that judgment in Christ. So when Christ comes, he's going to come with his people, and he's going to come and wage war on those that have not repented or not united to him in faith. And so we get these pictures of warfare in some sense at the flood with Israel and the Promised Land, even with Assyria and Babylon waging war on Israel, as pictures of this eschatological judgment. But they're all pictures of really what Christ has undergone for us as well. So there are two pictures: One, God's grace that he has undergone that warfare and wrath and experienced its curse for us, but also there's God's justice. He's coming back and any of those who aren't united to him will experience that same judgment. [Dr. Miles Van Pelt]
We should always remember to interpret the theme of warfare found throughout Scripture in light of the great consummation of Christ's return as the conquering warrior.
The way in which the New Testament handles the theme of war is instructive for us as we apply the Scriptures to our own day. To be sure, we have to study every theme individually because the New Testament develops them in different ways. Yet, to apply any biblical theme more fully, we must see how it is viewed in the light of the inauguration, continuation and consummation of the new covenant age in Christ. No matter how we begin to explore any topic, whether we begin in the Old or in the New Testament, as followers of Christ we can apply these topics to our lives by discovering how they are fulfilled in all three stages of the new covenant epoch.
CONCLUSION
In this lesson on modern application and the new covenant, we've looked at the ways in which the new covenant in Christ should affect our application of the Bible to the modern world. We've noticed how the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes for a new covenant can be seen in the inauguration, continuation and consummation of our epoch in Christ. And we've illustrated how the application of every theme of the Old and New Testaments to modern life should accord with these same three stages of the new covenant.
The new covenant in Christ is no small matter. Rather, it's the culmination of God's purposes for all of history. And as such, the new covenant in Christ affects how we are to apply every portion of the Bible in our modern world. As followers of Christ, we must read the Scriptures in the light of the way God accomplishes his purposes in Christ. We look back to what Christ has already done, we look at what he's doing now, and we look forward to what he will accomplish when he returns. Only then will we rightly apply the Scriptures to our modern world as people of the new covenant.