Testament
The Word Testament
The English word "testament" comes from the Latin "testamentum," which was used to translate the Greek word "diatheke" in the Bible. While "testament" in modern English primarily means a will — a legal document disposing of property after death — the Greek word "diatheke" carries a broader meaning that encompasses both covenant (a binding agreement) and testament (a will). Understanding this dual meaning is essential for grasping key passages in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Hebrews.
Covenant as the Primary Meaning
Throughout the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), "diatheke" consistently translates the Hebrew word "berith," meaning covenant. The great covenants of the Bible — God's covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David — are all expressed using this term. In the New Testament, Jesus used the same word at the Last Supper when he said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). The overwhelming biblical usage of "diatheke" points to covenant as its primary meaning.
The Testament Sense in Hebrews
The most significant passage where "diatheke" takes on the meaning of a testament or will is Hebrews 9:16-17: "For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive." Here the author of Hebrews uses the legal concept of a will to explain why Christ had to die for the new covenant to take effect. Just as a will's provisions only become active when the person who wrote it dies, so the blessings of the new covenant were activated through Christ's death on the cross.
Old Testament and New Testament
The familiar division of the Bible into "Old Testament" and "New Testament" reflects this terminology. The Old Testament (or Old Covenant) refers to the body of Scripture recording God's covenant relationship with Israel through Moses and the prophets. The New Testament (or New Covenant) contains the writings that document the new covenant established through Jesus Christ. Jeremiah prophesied this new covenant centuries before Christ: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel" (Jeremiah 31:31). The book of Hebrews quotes this passage extensively (Hebrews 8:8-12) to demonstrate that the new covenant in Christ fulfills and supersedes the old.
The Blood of the Covenant
Both the old and new covenants were ratified by blood. Moses sprinkled the people with the blood of sacrificial animals, saying, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you" (Exodus 24:8). Jesus echoed these words at the Last Supper: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). The writer of Hebrews connects these events, explaining that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).
A Living and Eternal Covenant
While a human will requires the permanent death of its maker, the biblical "testament" has a remarkable twist: the one who died to activate the new covenant also rose from the dead. Jesus is both the mediator of the new covenant and its living guarantor (Hebrews 7:22). His resurrection ensures that the covenant blessings — forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life — are not merely legal provisions but living realities sustained by a risen Savior.
Biblical Context
The word 'diatheke' (testament/covenant) appears throughout the New Testament. Key passages include the Last Supper accounts (Luke 22:20; Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:25), the extended argument in Hebrews 8-9 about the superiority of the new covenant, and the specific testament/will usage in Hebrews 9:16-17. The Old Testament background includes the covenant at Sinai (Exodus 24:8) and Jeremiah's new covenant prophecy (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Theological Significance
The concept of testament/covenant is one of the most important theological ideas in the Bible. It defines God's relationship with his people as one of binding commitment, not arbitrary power. The dual meaning of 'diatheke' as both covenant and will uniquely illuminates the necessity of Christ's death: he died to activate the blessings he promised, then rose to guarantee them forever. This concept shapes the entire structure of the Bible and the Christian understanding of salvation history.
Historical Background
In the ancient Greco-Roman world, a 'diatheke' commonly referred to a will or testament that disposed of a person's property after death. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), the same word was chosen to translate the Hebrew 'berith' (covenant), likely because a 'diatheke' in Greek emphasized the authority of the one who initiated it, similar to how God unilaterally established his covenants. The Latin Vulgate's use of 'testamentum' further cemented the will/testament meaning in Western Christian tradition.