Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives

by Guy Waters; J. Nicholas Reid; John R. Muether

Publisher:

Crossway

, 2020

Overview

This book forms an overview of the biblical teaching on covenant as well as the practical significance of covenant for the Christian life. A host of 26 scholars shows how covenant is not only clearly taught from Scripture, but also that it lays the foundation for other key doctrines of salvation. The contributors, who engage variously in biblical, systematic, and historical theology, present covenant theology not as a theological abstract imposed on the Bible but as a doctrine that is organically presented throughout the biblical narrative. As students, pastors, and church leaders come to see the centrality of covenant to the Christian faith, the more the church will be strengthened with faith in the covenant-keeping God and encouraged in their understanding of the joy of covenant life.

Key Features

• Provides an overview of the biblical teaching on covenant
• Explores the practical significance of covenants for the Christian life
• Engages with biblical, systematic, and historical theology

Contents

Part 1: Biblical Covenants

• The Covenant of Redemption (Guy M. Richard)
• The Covenant of Works in the Old Testament (Richard P. Belcher Jr.)
• The Covenant of Works in the New Testament (Guy Prentiss Waters)
• Adam and the Beginning of the Covenant of Grace (John D. Currid)
• The Noahic Covenant of the Covenant of Grace (Miles V. Van Pelt)
• The Abrahamic Covenant (John Scott Redd)
• The Mosaic Covenant (J. Nicholas Reid)
• The Davidic Covenant (Richard P. Belcher Jr.)
• The New Covenant as Promised in the Major Prophets (Michael G. McKelvey)
• Covenant in the Gospels (Michael J. Kruger)
• Covenant in Paul (Guy Prentiss Waters)
• Covenant in Hebrews (Robert J. Cara)
• Covenant in the Johannine Epistles and Revelation (Gregory R. Lanier)

Part 2: Historical Theology

• Covenant in the Early Church (J. Ligon Duncan III)
• Covenant in Medieval Theology (Douglas F. Kelly)
• Covenant in Reformation Theology (Howard Griffith)
• Post-Reformation Developments (D. Blair Smith)
• Covenant Theology in Barth and the Torrances (Bruce P. Baugus)
• Covenant Theology among the Barthians (Mark I. McDowell)
• Covenant in Recent Theology (Michael Allen)

Part 3: Collateral and Theological Studies

• Ancient Near Eastern Backgrounds to Covenants (J. Nicholas Reid)
• Covenant and Second Temple Judaism (Peter Y. Lee)
• Covenant in Contemporary New Testament Scholarship (Benjamin L. Gladd)
• Israel and the Nations in God’s Covenants (O. Palmer Robertson)
• Dispensationalism (Michael J. Glodo)
• New Covenant Theologies (Scott R. Swain)
• Covenant, Assurance, and the Sacraments (Derek W. H. Thomas)
• Afterword: Why Covenant Theology? (Kevin DeYoung)
• An Annotated Bibliography of Reformed Reflection on the Covenant (John R. Muether)

Top Highlights

“First, the covenant of redemption guarantees the salvation of the elect and makes it absolutely certain.” (Page 61)

“First, the two parties to the covenant are clearly identified.” (Page 64)

“Second, the covenant of redemption guarantees that all the conditions of our salvation have already been met in full, which is why this doctrine was historically used to fight against Arminianism.” (Page 61)

“The absence of the word ‘covenant’ does not necessarily mean that there is no covenant in Genesis 1–3. The word ‘covenant’ does not occur in 2 Samuel 7 or 1 Chronicles 17, where God makes certain promises to David, but other passages refer to this relationship as a covenant (2 Sam. 23:5; Pss. 89:3, 28; 132:11–12). A similar situation occurs with Genesis 1–3. The term ‘covenant’ is not used in the early chapters of Genesis, but later Scripture refers back to Genesis 1–3 and uses the term ‘covenant’ (see the discussion of Hos. 6:7 below). The key is not whether the term ‘covenant’ occurs in Genesis 1–3 but whether the elements of a covenant are present.” (Page 64)

“In keeping with this understanding, the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace is not the presence of conditions in the former and the absence of conditions in the latter. Rather, the distinction is the relationship of the conditions to the fundamental blessings of the covenant. In the covenant of works, the conditions must be met to receive the blessings of the covenant. In the covenant of grace, the blessings are received, and then the conditions are to flow out of gratefulness for the received blessing.” (Page 154)

Product Details

• Title: Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives
• Authors: Guy Waters, J. Nicholas Reid, John R. Muether
• Publisher: Crossway
• Print Publication Date: 2020
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 672
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Covenant theology
• ISBNs: 9781433560033, 9781433560064, 9781433560040, 9781433560057, 1433560038, 1433560062, 1433560046, 1433560054
• Resource ID: LLS:CVNNTTHPRSPCTVS
• Resource Type: text.monograph.biblical-theology
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-06-06T20:26:03Z

About the Editors

Guy Prentiss Waters (PhD, Duke University) is the James M. Baird Jr. Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, and was formerly an associate professor of biblical studies at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. Guy and his wife, Sarah, have three children.

J. Nicholas Reid (DPhil, University College, University of Oxford) is associate professor of Old Testament and ancient Near Eastern studies, as well as the director of the hybrid MDiv program at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. He is also a contributor to the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. Reid and his wife, Blair, live in the greater Orlando area with their four children. He is a member of St Paul’s Presbyterian Church.

John R. Muether (MAR, Westminster Theological Seminary) serves as dean of libraries and professor of church history at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. Muether previously served as librarian at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has authored and coauthored several books, most notably Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman. John and his wife, Kathy, have four children and six grandchildren. He is an elder at Reformation Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Oviedo, Florida.