Testament

A testament is a word Christians use to describe God’s covenant relationship with his people. In the Bible, the central idea is covenant, a binding promise or commitment established by God. The Old Testament describes God’s covenant with Israel, and the New Testament describes the new covenant that God established through Jesus Christ. The word “testament” appears mainly in the traditional names Old Testament and New Testament.

The Greek word translated “testament” is diathēkē. In everyday Greek, this word could mean "last will and testament." This is a legal document that takes effect after a person dies. In the Bible, however, diathēkē usually means covenant, reflecting the Hebrew word for a binding relationship or promise.

In a few New Testament passages (especially in the book of Hebrews) the meaning “last will” helps explain certain aspects of God’s covenant. This legal sense highlights three important ideas:

1. A testament is not negotiated. In a negotiated agreement, both sides work out the terms together. In a testament, one person establishes the terms.

2. A testament takes effect only after the death of the one who made it.

3. Once established, a testament cannot be changed.

When the Old Testament was translated into Greek, translators usually chose diathēkē to translate the Hebrew word for covenant. Another Greek word, synthēkē, could also describe an agreement, but it often emphasized negotiation or shared obligations between equal parties.

The word diathēkē was flexible and could describe many kinds of agreements. The Greek Old Testament uses it not only for God’s covenant with his people, but also for agreements between human parties.

Some of these agreements were started by the weaker party, such as the treaty made with Joshua (Joshua 9:6). Others clearly involved mutual agreement, such as the covenant between Isaac and Abimelech (Genesis 26:28).

Because of this, the use of diathēkē does not deny mutual responsibility. Instead, it reflects a Greek word broad enough to express the full range of covenant relationships found in the Hebrew Bible.

The writers of the New Testament found even more meaning in this word choice. They understood that just as a person's will only takes effect after they die, the new covenant God made with his people came into effect through the death of Jesus (Hebrews 9:15–22; compare 1 Corinthians 11:25; Luke 22:20).

See also Covenant; Covenant, The New.