Q: What is the covenant for a kingdom that Jesus made with his disciples? Is it the same as the new covenant? I tried to explain the difference to a bible study recently and was surprised that I don't really understand it myself. How do you explain it? . . .
_________________________

 A: The Watchtower Society explains that the "covenant for a kingdom" is "a special covenant" between only Jesus and the 144,000 who will rule with him in his kingdom; whereas the "new covenant" makes the other one possible. Their "covenant for a kingdom" is also vital in their explanation that only the 144,000 are included in the new covenant and only they are permitted to partake of the emblems at the annual Memorial celebration. Here is what a recent (2006) Watchtower said regarding this:


   6  On the night that Jesus instituted the Memorial of his death, he told his faithful apostles: “You are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:28-30) Jesus here referred to a special covenant that he made with his 144,000 spirit-begotten brothers, who would remain “faithful even to death” and prove themselves ‘conquerors.’—Revelation 2:10; 3:21.
   7  Those of this limited group forgo all hopes of living forever on earth as humans of flesh and blood. They will reign with Christ in heaven, sitting on thrones to judge humankind. (Revelation 20:4, 6) Let us now examine other scriptures that apply only to these anointed ones and that show why the “other sheep” do not partake of the Memorial emblems.—John 10:16. —w06 2/15 p. 22 Gathering Things in Heaven and Things on Earth (Bold mine)


Contrary to what the above Watchtower states, Jesus did not make a "covenant for a kingdom" with his disciples, although he definitely is the mediator of the "new covenant." (Heb. 9:15) According to Luke's account, on the night when Jesus celebrated the last Passover with his disciples and instituted the memorial of his death, he mentioned the new covenant when he took the cup and handed it to them saying: "This cup means the new covenant (διαθήκη, di·a·the′ke) by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf." (Luke 22:20) But when Jesus promised the kingdom to his faithful disciples a moment later, he did not use the word "covenant." Please note: Jesus did not tell his disciples: "I make a covenant with you just as my Father has made a covenant with me."

That the word "covenant" (διαθήκη, di·a·the′ke) does not appear at Luke 22:29 is acknowledged in the New World Translation Reference Bible (Rbi8), for it omits the Scripture from the 33 places where the word covenant does appear in the Greek Scriptures. Here is what it says in the Appendix, page 1584: 
 

The word di·a·the′ke occurs 33 times in the Greek text, namely, in Mt 26:28;  Mr 14:24;  Lk 1:72; 22:20;  Ac 3:25; 7:8;  Rom 9:4; 11:27;  1Co 11:25;  2Co 3:6, 14;  Ga 3:15, 17; 4:24;  Eph 2:12; Heb 7:22; 8:6, 8, 9, 9, 10; 9:4, 15-17, 20; 10:16, 29; 12:24; 13:20; Re 11:19. The New World Translation renders the Greek word di·a·the′ke as “covenant” in these 33 places. (Bold added)
The word di·a·the′ke occurs in quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures seven times, namely, in Rom 11:27 (from Isa 59:21); Heb 8:8 (from Jer 31:31), Heb 8:9 (twice, from Jer 31:32), Heb 8:10 (from Jer 31:33); Heb 9:20 (from Ex 24:8); Heb 10:16 (from Jer 31:33). In these seven quoted texts the Hebrew word in M is ברית (berith′, “covenant”), and the Greek word in LXX is διαθήκη (di·a·the′ke). —New World Translation Reference Bible, pages 1584-1585 7D “Covenant” Used in the Ancient Hebrew Sense. See also The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, 1985 Edition, Appendix 5C, page 1157.


 Note that Luke 22:29 is missing in the above list of 33 scriptures. What is the significance that the word "covenant" does not appear at Luke 22:29? Jesus did not use the word, for he did not make a "covenant for a kingdom" with his apostles. Then what did Jesus tell them? In view of his impending arrest and death, Jesus was assuring his disciples that they were certain of receiving the kingdom, just as he had promised them on at least two earlier occasions, such as when he had told them: "Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom." ( Luke 12:32; Matt. 19:28) That is why other Translations render Luke 22:29 as saying: "and I assign (give; grant; appoint; bestow) to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom." (ESV) The word for "assign" being dia·ti'the·mi (διατίθεμαι), meaning "to dispose" as in a will.

The word "covenant" in Luke 22:29 (appearing twice) is an interpolation in the New World Translation. It is dishonest because it is inserted with the full knowledge that the word does not belong, as admitted by its omission in the New World Translation Reference Bible (see also Box below). Why has the word covenant been added in that verse in the NWT? In order to support the teaching that the new covenant is restricted to only the 144,000, which is a principle doctrine of ours but has no scriptural support. No wonder that the average publisher is confused when attempting to explain the "new covenant" in association with the "covenant for a kingdom." (It is much like a Trinitarian attempting to explain how Jesus is God's only-begotten Son, while at the same time claiming he is God himself.) It is just one example of the Watchtower Society going "beyond the things that are written", and thereby making the Word of God invalid. (Prov. 30:5-6; Matt. 15:6, 9; 1 Cor. 4:6)

The Society's interpretation of Jesus' words at Luke 22:29 is primarily based on the teaching of J. F. Rutherford (the Society's second president) regarding the "great crowd" of Revelation, whom he identified as being an "earthly class" that will survive the great tribulation to live on earth. He never did acknowledge them as being "Jehovah's witnesses." It was not until after his death in early 1942 that the Watchtower of that summer finally corrected that. (See Proclaimers book, page 83, footnote.)

What has not been corrected, though, is the scriptural fact that the new covenant embraces all of God's people, including the great crowd, all of whom exercise faith in the "blood of the covenant." (Matt. 26:28) In Revelation they are shown as having "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," which Jesus referred to at Luke 22:20 as "the new covenant by virtue of my blood." The new covenant is about forgiveness of sins, not about ruling with Christ in his kingdom. (Matt. 26:27-28; Eph. 1:7) That is why the great crowd is seen standing "before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple." It is impossible for anyone to be serving God in his temple and not be in the new covenant; just as it was not possible to do so under the old covenant. (Rev. 7:9, 13-15; Num. 3:5-10)

Should this disregard for truth by the Watchtower Society cause your Bible Student to conclude that God does not have a household? The Scriptures foretold the presence of the "man of lawlessness" within God's temple―which is God's household―where he would seat himself and exercise authority over God's people with harshness, yes, "even with tyranny." (Ezek. 34:4; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Eph. 2:19-22) This lawless one's presence is not from Jehovah, but rather exists "according to the operation of Satan." (2 Thess. 2:3-4, 9) His presence and identity is revealed immediately before Christ's return, at which time he will be done away with. (2 Thess. 2:8) But why would God tolerate such a wicked element within his own household? Remember, Jesus said that the Father is looking for persons who worship "with spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24)

Do we truly love the "truth"? Or will we go along with what we know to be a lie in order to avoid being accused of apostasy―when love of the truth results in persecution and suffering? (2 Thess. 2:9-10) Will we follow the crowd, believing that there is safety in numbers? (Exodus 23:2; Isaiah 59:13-15) That would make us no different from the world! (Eph. 4:17-18) Jehovah is giving all of us the opportunity to prove what sort of persons we individually are. He is "making proof of our hearts". We will all be judged accordingly. "So that is why God lets an operation of error go to them, that they may get to believing the lie, in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness." (1 Thess. 2:4; 2 Thess. 2:11-12; 1 Peter 4:17-19) While we submit to God's temple arrangement, at the same time we need to keep "testing the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God." With the help of God's holy spirit we "take note of the inspired expression of truth and the inspired expression of error." (1 John 4:1, 6)

See also "Did Jesus Make a Covenant for a Kingdom with his Disciples?" And, "Does the Greek word "diatithemi" mean "to make a covenant," as some Bible dictionaries claim?"
 


In Luke 22:29, where the word διατίθεμαι occurs twice, Jesus does not mention any covenant. That is because he is not "making" a covenant with his disciples. He is merely assuring them that they will receive the kingdom, just as he received from his Father: "And I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom." (ESV) If διατίθεμαι were to mean to "make a covenant," as is claimed by the translators of the New World Translation, then it would not be necessary to include the word "covenant" to specify what is being covenanted.

In the English language we say that God "makes a covenant". But in the original Greek language, God does not "make" a covenant, he "gives"* a covenant [η διαθήκη ην διαθήσομαι]. That is because in the Greek language the word for covenant is the same as for a Will. It is what is stated in the Will that a person receives, not the Will itself. That is why it is necessary to state what is being willed to the person who receives it. In Luke 22:29 it is not the covenant [Will] that the disciples are promised, but the kingdom. The word "διαθήσομαι [diathísomai]"** appears seven times in the Greek Scriptures, namely at: Luke 22:29; Acts 3:25; Heb. 8:10; 9:16, 17; 10:16. In five of those places it is regarding a "covenant," such as at Acts 3:25, where according to the Amplified Bible, Peter explains: "You are the descendants (sons) of the prophets and the heirs of the covenant which God made and gave to your forefathers."

In the five places where it says that God "makes a covenant" [διαθήσομαι] the word "covenant" is always included, in order to identify what it is that God makes [or literally "gives"], as the verb does not in itself explain what it is that is being given. In the Greek language, God does not "covenant a covenant", as it appears at Hebrews 8:10 according to the New World Translation―With References (1984), where it reads: "For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days". The point being: The Greek word διαθήσομαι does not mean to make "a covenant". It needs to be stated what it is that is being given, such as in the case of a Will.

 In Hebrews 9:15-22, Paul illustrates how we receive the benefits of the covenant [the Will] by explaining how a death has to occur before the covenant [the Will] can become operative and legal. A person cannot inherit what is stated in the Will until first the person who made [gave] the Will dies. Therefore, a death has to occur. That is simple enough to understand. (Heb. 9:16) Yet, the New World Translation really confuses the matter by adding words (interpolation) to make sense of the scripture according to their understanding. Thus they add "human" to the "covenanter" of the covenant [Will}, since he has to die in order for the covenant [Will} to become operative. Since Jehovah is the one making [giving] the covenant―and of course he cannot die―they now change it to read that it is the "human" mediator of the covenant [Will] who needs to die, which of course would be Jesus. But that is not what Paul is saying. It is not the mediator, but the one making [giving] the covenant [Will] who needs to die. (Luke 12:32)

______________________

 * The word διατίθεμαι is variously translated as: grant; appoint; confer; assign; bestow; give; dispose; etc. (See Strong's #1303; Thayer's Greek Lexicon) It does not mean "make", although in certain places it is translated as such because in English we don't say that God "gives" a covenant but that he "makes" a covenant. Διατίθεμαι is translated as "to make a covenant" only if it is accompanied by the word covenant, διαθήκη. (See Hebrews 8:10 and 10:16, where Paul quotes from Jeremiah 31:31.) If you speak another language, how is it said in your tongue, in your Bible? Does God "make" or "give" a covenant? Did Jesus "make" a covenant with his disciples, or rather assure them that they will receive the kingdom? The word "covenant" in the New World Translation in Luke 22:29 is an interpolation, as is acknowledged in the NWT Reference Bible, by failing to list it among the 33 times where the word "covenant" occurs in the Greek text."―Rbi8 p. 1584 7D “Covenant” Used in the Ancient Hebrew Sense.

** Although appearing to be different words to someone not familiar with the Greek language, διατίθεμαι - διαθέτω - διαθήσομαι is the same word, depending on how it is used in a sentence, as for example in English the words do - does are the same. 
 

 

***************