How much will again be old in this new year? New wounds, old sores. Why do we eventually throw away old shoes when we have new ones and yet hold the Old Testament in honour, even though we have the New Testament? Obviously one new thing is not like the other.

When we read the Bible, we receive two distinctly different impressions of the word “new”. On the one hand, there is a designation of “new” whereby the emphasis falls on the contrast with that which is “old”. Then “new” is meant as a successor to the “old”. It is about a replacement of that which is old, about a situation which is totally new.

On the other hand, the word “new” is used much more often to make a sort of a comparison between “old” and “new”. This is about “better” or “more beautiful” when we compare the new with the old. It is about a difference in quality between “old” and “new”. We will listen to the meaning of this word in the context where Scripture speaks of the new in comparison with that which is old.

The new covenant does tot replace the old covenant⤒🔗

In the Bible, it speaks about a new covenant (Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8). In reformed theology there is a conviction that at the deepest level, we speak of one fundamental covenant of grace. True, there is discussion about difference in “ministry” (2 Cor. 3), but essentially the new covenant is not different from the old. It does speak about a “better” covenant of which Jesus has become the Guarantor. That fits with “a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better” (Heb. 8:6). What then is the difference? It is not a new covenant in the sense of a totally different covenant. No, it is still about that one covenant of grace.

There are two words used over a long period of time which pointed out the difference between “totally something new” (neos) and “renewed” in the sense of better, richer, more glorious (kainos). Indeed, in speaking about the “new covenant”, what is spoken about is a renewed covenant, so that it is a matter of a more beautiful and more glorious covenant (kainos) than the old. Contrast is spoken of only once (neos as new over against old) namely when the difference between the ministry of the old and of the new covenant is symbolized with the great contrast between mount Sinai and mount Zion (Heb. 12:24). The law, engraved in clay tablets in the old covenant, is, in the new covenant, written in the hearts of sinners (2 Cor. 3). No question whether this was a “better” covenant! The old covenant had become antiquated. How did that come about? Not because the covenant was not good, but because the people of the covenant did not remain within it (Heb. 8:9). One cannot explain everything by pointing out the difference in the Greek words, but it is an indication that people did not arbitrarily use the one or the other word for “new”.

Why is it of significance to differentiate, with regards to covenant, the word “new” from “totally different”? The church of the new covenant shares in this new covenant because the Lord has renewed the covenant with Israel. It is therefore not this way: church-new covenant, Israel-old covenant. Furthermore, the oneness of the covenant is of importance in the (present) discussions about baptism of children and baptism upon profession of faith (adult baptism). The new covenant is a so much more glorious, richer and clearer revelation of who the triune God is and wants to be for his people.

A new hymn is always the same song←⤒🔗

Most likely, there is almost no congregation where, in the past festive days, Psalm 98 has not been sung. “Sing to the Lord a new song”. There is every reason for that singing. Why? Because of God’s “new” great deeds. He did great deeds. He does great deeds. He opens up new possibilities where all human ways come to a dead end. The word “new” is pre-eminently the word that fits God’s redemptive work in his Son, Jesus Christ. With his coming to this world, a “new dispensation” of salvation began, so powerful that there is mention of a “new creation” for those who are “in Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:17). It is no wonder that songs of praise rise prior to His birth (Luke 1) and following the birth of the Saviour (Luke 2). True, the new dispensation only truly comes to light when the way from cradle to cross has been fulfilled and on Easter morning the new life definitely breaks out a path for itself and the new day breaks forth.

The connection with the old histories of God’s intervention is noteworthy. The history is that of the exodus from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the entrance into the Promised Land. In that history, the “newness” of God’s dealings is shown in the return out of captivity and now in his visitation which he, in his grace, brings to his people in the coming of the Child. Therefore, many Old Testament words resound through the songs of praise of Mary and Zachariah. New songs continue the song of the songs of praise of Israel. When the connection is not there, then it is truly “new”, but then it is not connected to God’s earlier works of salvation. Sometimes the fear creeps over us that when we sing about Jesus, we sing about him apart from the Old Testament. As if only after that (miserable) white sheet of paper between the Old Testament and the New Testament, a book is opened about this Son of God. What a tremendous thing that will be to hear — they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb! Alas, how the tone falls flat and the desire to sing wanes when we no longer see and experience the “new” of the fact of Christmas. Then we are only singing old songs. Amazement is the hour of birth of the new song. The Spirit with the new covenant truly makes the old new in this way.

The preaching of the word offers old and new treasures←⤒🔗

When, prior to the opening of the worship service, in the consistory room, prayer is offered asking for God’s blessing over the service, then, in this prayer, the preaching of the Word often has a large place. The prayer is offered for the minister of the Word: “Grant that he may reveal new and old treasures out of the Word.” These are words that have been borrowed from the words of the Saviour, spoken after a series of parables about the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Matt. 13:52).

What is the meaning of these words? There are various differing opinions about this; I will mention the most trusted interpretations. Here then, it would be about a new actualization of the old words. Therefore, it would be about the usual method of rabbinical exegesis. I suspect that in the consistory room, something similar is meant. There is, in the prayer in the consistory room, the upright longing to be allowed to receive new insights again besides the already well known things. Therefore, that it is of concern that the “new” is bonded to the “old”, appears very clear to me. The single sentence: “we have never heard it interpreted in this way” should lead to self-examination on the part of the minister of the Word.

At the same time, we may believe that there truly is the receiving of insights and learning to apply it to the time in which we live, out of the prophetic Word. Every minister knows that when the Scriptures are opened to him there is the “new”, the speaking of God today.

It is useful to be aware that the words “old” and “new” are used by Jesus himself in the sense of old and new dispensation. In other words, the coming of Jesus, the coming of the kingdom of heaven ushers in the new. One could also say “the news”! This is the new “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Thus the Pharisee who becomes a follower of Jesus can propagate “the new truth” about Jesus Christ as well as “the old truth” of the Scriptures.

The new old commandment←⤒🔗

In and with the coming of the Son of God to this world, everything has become new. Because of that, new is better than old in all kinds of ways. The word “fullness” comes to mind. In that vein, we may also understand the words of Jesus which he speaks in that upper room in Jerusalem. “A new commandment I give to you” (John 13:34). Which new commandment is that then? That is the old commandment, namely “that you love one another”! But, then the new part follows, namely “just as I have loved you”. “He loved them to the end” (John 13:1), and he follows this up with “you are also to love one another”. This command is, according to the letter, not new, but it is new in the sense that Jesus has shown us in full the substance of this command. The command to love (imperative) is grounded in the gifts of the love granted by and revealed in Christ (indicative). Thus John writes in his first letter, “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:7, 8). The “old” words are new “in him”! Moreover, those are the words of the Father and words which the Holy Spirit brings to reality in the life of God’s church and of the children of the Father.

Old and new person←⤒🔗

Another thing which receives emphasis in the usage of the word “new” in distinction to “old” is the contrast between “old” and “new” in the life of a person. This is about the tension between “living in the flesh” — the old existence — and “living in the Spirit” — the new existence. It is about the transition from the one existence to the other: being born again (John 3), life in Christ (Col. 3:3), the “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17) which comes into being when God speaks: “Let light shine out of darkness” (2 Cor. 4:6). This transition is marked through baptism (Rom. 6), dying and being resurrected.

Sin makes things old; that cannot be disguised by any beauty cult in the world. Sin always makes everything old. Even what is new — gifted by God — we, as sinners, again make old. That which comes from God is always new. He will make everything new! Then new will remain new for ever. That is also the difference between time and eternity. Time makes old; the eternal God is the Source of all that is new and so it remains new in eternity. Grace makes new. That is the content of the “beauty cult” in the church. “Gracious sovereign God, may we bring high praise for Your Beauty”!