In Search of Kingdom Living

The second chapter in this book is entitled ‘Jesus and the Old Testament Promise’. Wright continues to make his case about the importance of the Old Testament by first examining the five scenes from Jesus’ childhood:

• assurance to Joseph concerning the child conceived in Mary (Matt 1:18-25) compare to Isaiah 7:14
• Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matt 2:1-12) compare to Micah 5:2
• Escape to Egypt and return from there (Matt 2:13-15) compare to Hosea 11:1
• murder by Herod of the boys in Bethlehem (Matt 2:16-18) compare to Jer 31:15
• settlement of Jesus' family in Nazareth (Matt 2:19-23) compare to variety of sources Matthew doesn't record here (interesting)

These five scenes echo passages from the Old Testament and are in a sense, fulfilling them. These early stories of Jesus’ childhood can offer a casual link to the geographical and historical elements of Jesus’ story. Ultimately, ‘Matthew sees the whole Old Testament as the embodiment of promise – in the sense of presenting to us a God of gracious and saving purpose, liberating action, and covenant faithfulness to his people’ (p. 63).

Wright then looks at the difference between promise and mere prediction. A promise is personal while prediction can be quite impersonal and does not require a relationship. We must note that ‘in the Old testament there are plenty of predictions involving the nations beyond Israel’ (p. 65). In comparison, the very existence of Israel is the substance of the promise between God and Abraham. The idea of the promise ‘comes as the initiative of God’s grace and always depends on his grace. But that grace has to be accepted and responded to by faith and obedience’ (p. 68). Thus, we have two important effects. First, the promise ‘helps us realize that salvation is, and always was, a matter of God’s grace and promise’ (p.68). Second, ‘it reinforces that there is a conditional element to the promise, inasmuch as its fulfillment requires the response of faith and obedience from the recipients of the promise’ (p. 69). We can rightly conclude that in the Old Testament, God has proclaimed and proved his promises of redemption through Jesus.

Similar to the genealogy pattern as described in chapter one, there is a dimension to the idea of promise where ‘it leads to a recurring pattern of promise-fulfillment fresh promise-fresh fulfillment, repeating and amplifying itself through history’ (p. 72). We can trace a historical path of the promises from Abraham, to Exodus, to Sinai, to conquest of the land, to the Davidic monarchy, to the Exile, and so forth.

After looking at the attributes of a promise, we note that ‘the idea of promise is very much at the heart of the word covenant’ (p. 77). The standard features of covenants made between God and people would include God’s initiative, God’s promises, and the people’s response. Wright then analyses the covenants that God has kept with specific people.

First, the covenant with Noah is examined. ‘The scope of this covenant is universal while the substance of the promise is both negative and positive: God promises never again to destroy the earth with a flood and God promises to preserve the conditions necessary for life on earth’ (p. 81). The Noachic covenant demonstrates in broad strokes the view of God’s providence.

Second, the covenant with Abraham demonstrates a universal scope as well. This covenant is rather based on God’s redemptive work within human history. The substance of the covenant consists of what was promised to Abraham and his descendents. God would also require a response as first specified by the symbolic act of circumcision.

Third, the Sinai covenant has a national scope. It is not exclusive or narrow but rather has an inclusion goal to bless the rest of the nations. The substance of this covenant was the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant, but carried over to the nation as a whole. The response demanded was a total and exclusive loyalty to God.

Fourth, the covenant with David had a scope primarily for the house of David. The substance was that ‘there would be a house of David to continue on the throne of Israel’ (p. 88). The response was similar to the Sinai and Abrahamic covenants but also grounded on the relationship of son to father as demonstrated from David to his descendents on the throne.

Lastly, a new covenant begins to form as first expressed in Jeremiah 31. The scope of this new covenant is a new relationship with God and his people, a restored theocracy. The substance is complex and has themes such as new relationship with God, new experiences of forgiveness, a new obedience to the law, a new Davidic king, and a new abundance of nature.