# Covenant Renewal classified as "Judaizers"



## RobertPGH1981 (Aug 19, 2021)

In my ESV Study bible under Chapter 2 it outlines what it calls "_Spectrum of Early Beliefs about How Christians Should Relate to the Law of Moses_". I suppose when the study bible refers to the law of Moses it really is focused on the Ceremonial Law (ie. Circumcision, Burnt Offering). I recognize that not all Christians view a tripartite division of the law but traditional Covenant Theology does. This is a topic that I am continuing to learn but wanted everyone's understanding. 

The Covenant of Grace threads through the entire Old Testament and it comes to fruition in the New Covenant. Many in reformed circles speak of the New Covenant as a renewal of a covenant under a different dispensation/administration. The diagram below equates this view to that of a Judaizer. Am I misunderstanding the perspective or are we dealing with a biased perspective in the ESV Study bible. Here is a screenshot of the table under Gal 2. It seems like the covenantal renewal view is different in this chart than what would be found in traditional covenant theology.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Aug 19, 2021)




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## VictorBravo (Aug 19, 2021)

RobertPGH1981 said:


> The diagram below equates this view to that of a Judaizer. Am I misunderstanding the perspective....


I think you are misunderstanding it. The Judaizers see it as a literal-on-all points renewal--so all the Mosaic laws must be followed. Gentiles are welcome as long as they go through with all the Jewish requirements. (Like the people Paul spoke of in Galatians).

That is not the same thing as, "renewal of a covenant under a different dispensation/administration."

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## Reformed Covenanter (Aug 19, 2021)

To be honest, I think that you are reading too much into it. Saying that "the new covenant was a renewal of the old covenant" in that context is not criticising the view that there is one covenant of grace in all ages. Do you believe that a confessional view of the covenant of grace requires us to believe that "if Gentiles want to come to the Messiah, they must first become Jews"? If not, then the section in question is taking a shot at another target.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Aug 19, 2021)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> Do you believe that a confessional view of the covenant of grace requires us to believe that "if Gentiles want to come to the Messiah, they must first become Jews"?



I didn't assume this was the confessional view which is what I meant by "It seems like the covenantal renewal view is different in this chart than what would be found in traditional covenant theology." I should have been more clear but I wasn't assuming the latter portion of their argument regarding circumcision, sabbaths, new moons ect.. I was only focused on the Covenant Renewal language since no other view mentioned covenantal renewal.

To me Covenant Renewal is unique to Covenant Theology. I guess my issue with the table was that it doesn't mention the renewal of a covenant in any other view.


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## Pilgrim (Aug 23, 2021)

RobertPGH1981 said:


> I didn't assume this was the confessional view which is what I meant by "It seems like the covenantal renewal view is different in this chart than what would be found in traditional covenant theology." I should have been more clear but I wasn't assuming the latter portion of their argument regarding circumcision, sabbaths, new moons ect.. I was only focused on the Covenant Renewal language since no other view mentioned covenantal renewal.
> 
> To me Covenant Renewal is unique to Covenant Theology. I guess my issue with the table was that it doesn't mention the renewal of a covenant in any other view.


This chart seems to be referring to views that can be gleaned from the NT, and prior to 70 AD at that. 

I'm really not that familiar with it even though I've had a copy for about a decade. But the ESV Study Bible is generally Calvinistic, but NOT confessionally Reformed. I think there's a baptistic or immersionist note (at least with regard to stating that the original mode was immersion) in there too.

If you're looking for something that goes into any detail on a Reformed view of the covenants, the only confessionally Reformed study Bibles in print that I know of are the Reformation Study Bible (Ligonier) and the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible.

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## RobertPGH1981 (Aug 23, 2021)

Pilgrim said:


> I'm really not that familiar with it even though I've had a copy for about a decade. But the ESV Study Bible is generally Calvinistic, but NOT confessionally Reformed. I think there's a baptistic or immersionist note (at least with regard to stating that the original mode was immersion) in there too.
> 
> If you're looking for something that goes into any detail on a Reformed view of the covenants, the only confessionally Reformed study Bibles in print that I know of are the Reformation Study Bible (Ligonier) and the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible.



I was looking through the contributors to the study notes and they lean baptist. I think in the ESV you are getting primarily a NCT or Baptist Covenant Theology view. I have the other study bibles you mention actually. I always used ESV but ever since I moved from being in a New Covenant Theology church to a Presbyterian Covenant Theology church I have been noticing things like this much more. Prior to this I always viewed the ESV Study bible as being somewhat neutral, and it is for the most part, but there are some more subtle things you will pick up on when you start to understand some doctrines better. In my case Covenant Theology.


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