The New Testament Begins in Acts Not Matthew

[Dave...]

The New Testament Begins in Acts Not Matthew​

When you read the Gospels in the Bible, such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, do they sometimes seem to contradict other parts of the New Testament Scripture? For example, in Matthew 6:15, Jesus said, “If you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Yet, in Colossians 2:13, the Apostle Paul wrote, “…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.” How can there be two different perspectives written in the same New Testament?

Many Christians experience confusion because they think all of Jesus’ teachings are part of the New Testament, also known as the “New Covenant.” However most of them are not. The New Testament, which is God’s New Covenant with mankind, actually starts in the book of Acts, not Matthew. How do we know this fact is true?

When reading the New Testament, ask yourself this question, “Had Jesus died yet when this was written?” If not, then those writings are part of the Old Covenant in most cases. If the writings are after Jesus died, then it’s part of the New Covenant.

When Jesus came to earth, He came directly to the Jews who were still under the Old Covenant with God. Want the gist of the Old Covenant? Deuteronomy 28 spells it out very clearly. If Israel obeyed God’s laws, there were 12 verses of blessings He would give them (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14). But, if Israel disobeyed God’s laws, there were 52 verses of curses He would give them. (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

Would you want to live in that kind of tension-filled relationship with God? No way! Unfortunately, many Christians today believe that is still how God treats them, even though we are under the New Covenant of grace. Therefore, Christianity feels more like a burden, instead of a blessing.

Many of the things that Jesus taught in the Gospels was Old Covenant instruction to the Jews of His day. When He taught them, He was raising the bar of how perfect they needed to be accepted and blessed by God. Here are some examples:

• “Unless you are more righteous than the strictest religious leaders in Jesus’s day, the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will not go to heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
• “Calling someone an idiot or crazy because you are angry with them will send you to hell.” (Matthew 5:22)
• “Lust is adultery.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
• “You must live a perfect life exactly the way God does.” (Matthew 5:48)

These performance-based teachings were aimed to show the Jews and anyone who reads the Bible today that it’s impossible to get God’s unconditional acceptance by obeying the law. Jesus was preparing people to understand how much they needed Him to be their Savior.

God was about to bring into existence the New Covenant, and Jesus was preparing them and everyone else for it. But, here’s the key. The New Covenant did not begin until Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension were complete. For instance, Hebrews 9:15 says:

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the Old Covenant.”

Remember Jesus’ teachings we just listed from the book of Matthew? Let’s compare what the New Covenant says about you as a Christ follower:

• God has already forgiven you whether you forgive or not. (Colossians 2:13)
• God made you perfect in your identity in Christ. (Hebrews 10:14)
• God made you a holy person and not a lustful person in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• God made you a patient person because you’re complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

The Old Covenant was conditional based on mankind’s imperfect works. The New Covenant is conditional based on faith in Jesus’ perfect work. Do you see the amazing difference?

Read the New Testament with a lot more clarity now that you know the New Testament starts in Acts, rather than Matthew!

The New Testament Begins in Acts Not Matthew

www.gracelifeinternational.com

Got it, Get it, Good.

 

[Dave...]

When did the New Covenant begin?​

Quick Answer: When did the New Covenant begin? The New Covenant began at the death of Christ (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:16). This means Jesus lived and ministered under the Old Covenant (Galatians 4:4). This is why some of Jesus’ teachings expose the true spirit of the Old Testament law.

Diving Deeper: Once we have finished reading the Old Testament, we come to the New Testament which starts in Matthew 1. But did you know that the New Testament era, or new covenant, does not really begin in Matthew 1? That’s right. It’s not baby Jesus in a manger that brings in God’s new way of grace. The new covenant didn’t begin until 33 years later at the death of Christ (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:16).

Note that the words “testament”, “covenant”, and “will” are all the same Greek word diathéké. This is important because it’s a death, not a birth, that is required to activate a will or testament. Therefore, the New Testament era (also known as the new covenant) actually begins at the death of Christ, not at His birth. Hebrews 9:16-17 says: “In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.”

A will does not go into effect until the death of the one who made it. Likewise, the new covenant did not go into force until Jesus died. In fact, even the old covenant did not go into effect without blood: “Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words” (Exodus 24:8). For this same reason, at the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples the new covenant would be coming through His blood (not His birth): “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20b).

This means that Jesus’ entire earthly ministry was under the Old Covenant (Galatians 4:4). Jesus was born under the Law, and we draw the dividing line of human history at the cross, not at the manger: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5). Both Jesus and His audience lived during the old covenant Law. This is why we see so many harsh teachings from Jesus in which impossible standards are taught – cut off your hand, pluck out your eye, be perfect like God (see the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 for examples).

Have you ever wondered why Jesus taught that forgiveness was conditioned upon forgiving others first (Matthew 6:12-15)? Or why Jesus said we must be perfect like God (Matthew 5:48)? This was Jesus teaching the perfect standard of the Law so his hearers would see their need for God’s grace instead (Galatians 3:19-23). So, when you’re reading the Bible and come across verses in the four Gospels that seem to make rightness with God difficult or burdensome, remember that Jesus was showing the proud Jews of His day the impossibility of Law-based living and the fallacy of self righteousness.

This does not mean that all of Jesus’ teachings before the cross were only relevant to those living under the old covenant. Jesus knew the new covenant was imminent, and the goal of His teachings was twofold: (1) to show people the futility of trying to keep the Law and (2) to prepare them for a new way of grace. These are the two main messages we see in the teachings of Christ.

When we realize the cross is the dividing line between the old covenant and the new covenant, the impossible law-based teachings of Jesus finally make sense. And the message of God’s grace found in the Gospel becomes clearer than ever!

When did the New Covenant begin?

The New Covenant began at the death of Christ (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:16). This means Jesus lived and ministered under the Old Covenant (Galatians 4:4). This is why some of Jesus’ teachings expose the true spirit of the Old Testament law.

biblequestions.com

 

[JonC]

I do not see the gospels contradicting the epistles at all.

Take the first example for instance: Jesus said that if we do not forgive we will not be forgiven. This is echoed in Ephesians 5 where Paul writes that we are to forgive. Colossians 2:13 speaks of that transformation from death ti life. What the OP is missing is repentance and the fact this is a transformation (man cannot serve two masters).

Once we have been forgiven, there remains a need for forgiveness as we live out our Chrisyian lives. Christ is our Mediator, our High Priest, and He makes intercession for us.

The New Testament begins with the Gospels because it is the New Covenant. The epistles are important as they deal with how the church is to live (they were letters written to churches). The Book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel accounts and show us how the churches began and what they did.

 

[atpollard]

Many Christians experience confusion because they think all of Jesus’ teachings are part of the New Testament, also known as the “New Covenant.” However most of them are not. The New Testament, which is God’s New Covenant with mankind, actually starts in the book of Acts, not Matthew.

Respectfully, I disagree.

 

[Dave G]

When Jesus came to earth, He came directly to the Jews who were still under the Old Covenant with God. Want the gist of the Old Covenant? Deuteronomy 28 spells it out very clearly. If Israel obeyed God’s laws, there were 12 verses of blessings He would give them (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14). But, if Israel disobeyed God’s laws, there were 52 verses of curses He would give them. (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

Would you want to live in that kind of tension-filled relationship with God? No way! Unfortunately, many Christians today believe that is still how God treats them, even though we are under the New Covenant of grace. Therefore, Christianity feels more like a burden, instead of a blessing.

I agree.

Many of the things that Jesus taught in the Gospels was Old Covenant instruction to the Jews of His day. When He taught them, He was raising the bar of how perfect they needed to be accepted and blessed by God.

Again, I agree.

These performance-based teachings were aimed to show the Jews and anyone who reads the Bible today that it’s impossible to get God’s unconditional acceptance by obeying the law.

Some things He taught were performance-based to show His elect just how rigorous the Law was, and why they genuinely needed Him to save them.
Some of them He was aiming directly at the Jews under the Law in order to show them how "far" the Law really extended;
All the way to the heart.

God was about to bring into existence the New Covenant, and Jesus was preparing them and everyone else for it.

Not everyone, Dave.
The sobering fact is, there are people who will seek to enter in and shall not be able ( Luke 13:24 ), and there will be many to whom the Lord Jesus will say, at the Judgement, "I never knew you" ( Matthew 7:21-23 ).

The new covenant was and is only intended for all of God's elect.

 

[Dave G]

Remember Jesus’ teachings we just listed from the book of Matthew? Let’s compare what the New Covenant says about you as a Christ follower:

• God has already forgiven you whether you forgive or not. (Colossians 2:13)
• God made you perfect in your identity in Christ. (Hebrews 10:14)
• God made you a holy person and not a lustful person in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• God made you a patient person because you’re complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

Amen.
However, I see many of those being a product of our growth, as believers...
and true spiritual fruit takes time for God to grow.

The Old Covenant was conditional based on mankind’s imperfect works. The New Covenant is conditional based on faith in Jesus’ perfect work. Do you see the amazing difference?

My question to you is, "Do you, Dave?"
Do you see the difference between the two covenants and who they were made with?

The Mosaic Covenant was established with the nation of Israel ( and included God's elect remnant within the nation ), and those Gentiles who joined themselves to Israel and lived under the Law.
Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and anyone else whom God called by His grace prior to Moses' time, did not live under it.

The New Testament in Christ's blood represents a new covenant made with all of God's elect, both Jew and Gentile;
Jesus Christ as head of the corner, and us as "little stones" builded into a spiritual temple.
It is a completely unconditional covenant with evidential marks, that characterize every one of Christ's sheep;


One of which is that they forgive those who trespass against them, knowing that God will judge the matter in the fullness of time.

 

[Dave G]

Read the New Testament with a lot more clarity now that you know the New Testament starts in Acts, rather than Matthew!

Dave,
Regardless of where the New Testament begins ( which you've identified in post #2 and I agree with ), each and every "natural" statement pertaining to God's children is unilaterally true no matter which time period they come from.

For example, beginning in Matthew 5, I clearly see a list of things that are true for all of the saved and is a constant throughout the Scriptures, no matter where we find that information.
In many places, even in the Psalms, I see that the children of God are:

1) The poor in spirit, of which it is said that the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
2) They that mourn
3) The meek
4) They which do hunger and thirst after righteousness
5) The merciful
6) The pure in heart
7) The peacemakers
8) They which are persecuted for righteousness' sake
9) Those that are reviled for God's sake and for the Lord Jesus' sake ( God and Jesus Christ are one and the same, after all )
10) God's people are the "salt" of the earth... bringing savor to God which otherwise would not be there, were it not for those who believe and trust in Him.
11) The light of the world. Jesus being the Light of the world ( John 8:12 ), we as believers are "lights" in the spiritual sense. We love what God loves and we hate what the Lord hates...and that is the main reason that we are hated by this world.

There are many others, and they are all collectively what I call "necessary evidences" of a true believer;
One who has had their heart changed and no longer loves this present world and its ways.

 

[Dave G]

Yes,
I agree that there are things that were spoken to the Jews who were following Him that only applied to the Jews under the Mosaic Covenant...
But again, there are also things that He taught His disciples that are universally true for all of His elect, no matter what covenant they were under at a particular point in time.
Enoch, for example, was not under the Mosaic Covenant...

Yet, he walked with God and had experienced a heart change just as others ( like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ) did.
To emphasize this fact, Genesis 4 records that sometime after Adam and his wife began having children, "...then began men to call upon the name of the Lord."
Which reminds me...
Remember this from your reading?

" For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. " ( Romans 10:12-13 ).

Old Testament, New Testament, none of that governs when God's people began to call upon Him...
From Abel all the way through to the last one on the list before He comes again, none shall be lost;
But all, including Enoch and Noah, are now part of the house of God that He has built upon His Son.


My friend, the New Testament begins with Jesus Christ and ends with Jesus Christ.
It began after His death, and continues to this day and forever more.

That said,
Except for who the New Testament involves and applies to, I agree with much of what you've stated in posts 1 & 2.
Believers in Jesus Christ should read the Scriptures carefully, knowing that they are at peace with God, and are not on a "performance treadmill" to find acceptance with Him;

Rather, they were and are made accepted in the beloved, and it had nothing to do with their own efforts at pleasing God.