Subject: Re: Supercessionism]

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 1995 02:04:51 -0500

In a message dated 95-12-01 19:18:25 EST, [email-masked] (James Mallon)
writes:

>Nevertheless, with all due respect, is it not Christian belief that Christ
>has ushered in the New Covenant which fulfills the first (or "Old"
>covenant)--he kaine diatheke?
>  Is there not something so radically new in Christ? Do Christians not
>believe that there is (Heb 1:1-2)?  Why be misleading about this belief?

  I for one would like to encourage Jewish/Tanakh scholars to use this list,
since I really would like to learn more about TC of the Hebrew Scriptures.
  It seems to be radically different from NT text studies, and I feel I could
learn a lot.
   In seminary, when I was exposed to Jewish-Christian relations, I
discovered  that using terms that are acceptable to both faiths helps to open
the door to such an opportunity of learning.

  It's not such a matter of "giving up" our beliefs, but having a more common
point of reference.

  Besides, we who are text critics know that there is some question as to if
Jesus did say KAINHS when referring to the DIAQHKHS he was making (Mk14:24;
Mt 26:28).  the text of Paul clearly states KAINHS (1 Cor 11:25), and Luke
probably did (if you accept 22:19b-20, which I do).

   The idea of a "new" convenant comes from Jeremiah, which is really a
renewal of the Mosaic covenant.  I think the early Jewish Christians who
wrote the Scriptures could clearly have understood Jesus' covenant with them
in this sense, and that this covenant was expanded "for the many" (ie, we
Gentiles).
   Indeed, the ancient Abrahamic covenant (which the Mosaic covenant is based
upon), intends the nations to be blessed.
   It's the same story of God's grace toward us.  As Gentile Christians,
we've seen it fully made known to us in the Jew called Jesus of Nazereth.

   There's no doubt there is anitsemitism and supercessionism in the NT.  But
the  message of God's love for all is central.

   After the Holocaust, and after years of Christians using  NT passages as a
pretense for persecuting Jewish folk, meeting them half-way in using common
terms can help some in easing the fear and tension between us.

    So on this TC-list, I would like to us to consider using inter-faith
terminology, NOT to be more PC, but so we can make this list a friendly place
for scholars of different faiths who have a lot to contribute to Biblical
text criticism.

    Please consider this.  Thanks.

    Tim Staker
    [email-masked]