Where the “Rest” Begins

Jesus taught His disciples many truths during their last supper together, including the watershed between God’s old covenant and new covenant, which was about to be put in place through Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. He said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant [diatheke] in My blood” (Luke 22:20). Jesus is identifying the point where the New Covenant, or New Testament, would become available to man. Up until the glorious event of the atonement, the radical change which occurred through the advent of the New Testament was not anticipated by any of these folks because its mystery had yet to be fully revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. All spiritual truth comes by revelation, not by human intelligence: “No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11, text rearranged for clarification).

Jesus’ statement indicates that the New Covenant (Testament) begins at the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let me rephrase this to emphasize the powerful truth it contains. Jesus’ statement means that the New Testament does not begin with Matthew chapter 1, but with His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, along with the coming of the Holy Spirit—Acts chapter 2! This not only makes spiritual sense, but logical sense in that Jesus’ entire ministry was carried out under the Law. Matthew 1:1 falls 33 years short of the beginning of the New Covenant in His blood. Although it’s obvious that the New Testament couldn’t have had a beginning unless Jesus had been born, there was no Covenant (Testament) resulting from Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem!

Jesus’ goal was to use the Law to reveal man’s shortcomings and his need for a Savior (God’s grace). We must differentiate between Jesus’ Law teachings and His grace teachings in order to avoid theological quicksand. Many, though certainly not all, Scriptures in the four Gospels become perfect fits only when viewed as the Law teaching they are. Law reigned during Jesus’ entire earthly ministry (Galatians 4:4-5), but grace now reigns from His heavenly ministry. The “crossover” occurred at His death on the cross, His burial, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

"So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His." Hebrews 4:9-10

- Bill Gillham