Dharius Daniels - What Does "Testament" Actually Mean in the Bible?

But the will itself is a covenant; it is an agreement that I have made with myself. First, I had a meeting with myself so that I could dictate and determine how my assets would be distributed and who would be responsible for what. Now, let’s deal very specifically with the word «testament.» The word «testament» is typically interpreted in two distinct ways. One interpretation of the word «testament» is «covenant,» while another interpretation is «will.» So, no matter where you stand in terms of which word you prefer, I want you to know that these two words are most commonly used to describe «testament.»

Now, why is this important? Because if the word «testament» means «will» or «covenant,» then the Old Testament is the old will or the old covenant, and the New Testament is the new will or the new covenant. Let’s unpack this. The Old Testament, the old covenant, or will is divided into sections containing books on law, history, wisdom, and prophecy. The New Testament is a compilation of books divided into sections called the Gospels, history (the book of Acts), pastoral epistles (primarily Pauline), general epistles, and prophecy (which is Revelation).

But remember, all the books—no matter what section they are in: gospel, history, pastoral epistles, general epistles, or prophecy—are part of the new covenant, the new agreement, the new will. Conversely, the law, the history, the wisdom, and the prophecy are part of the old agreement, the old covenant, the old will. This is incredibly essential for us to grasp. Let’s now unpack the idea of a testament from the perspective of a will and then examine the idea of a testament from the perspective of a covenant.

I want to read a scripture; it’s in Hebrews chapter 9, verse 16. This is what it says: «For where there is a testament, there must also be of necessity the death of the testator; for a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore, not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood; for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.’»

So here’s what I want you to see. I want to show you some distinctions between a will and a covenant. But I wanted to read this scripture first as we explore understanding testaments from the perspective of a will. I want you to notice how, specifically in the New Testament, sometimes these words are used interchangeably. You will see in the first part of Hebrews, the writer describes a will, but then later uses the term «covenant.»

Listen, when you improve spiritually, everything improves. Spiritual life is not merely an important part of your life; it is the most important part because it affects every other aspect that matters. However, you don’t get stronger spiritually by accident; it takes intentionality. You need to be fed, and you have to learn how to interpret, apply, and explain the Bible. The Bible is the blueprint to your best life, and I’m going to tell you that Sunday is not enough to provide the tools you need to become more adept with the Bible. I want you to join me in my community called «Bible You,» where I help you elevate your understanding, application, and explanation of the Bible to another level.

You see, the scripture states, «For where there is a testament, there must also be the necessity of the death of the testator.» It’s almost as if I have a will that outlines what I will bequeath to my wife and my children; that will is not enforced until I die. But the will itself is a covenant; it is an agreement I made with myself. I had a meeting with myself to dictate how my assets would be distributed and who would be responsible for what. Once my desires are memorialized legally, it is not merely an agreement I have with myself anymore—it becomes an agreement established between me and the parties involved.

What makes it interesting is that my will is a grace covenant, meaning there’s nothing my children do to «earn» what I give them, except being my children. I’m not obligated to give them what I have accumulated over my life, but because of grace, I will bequeath it to them. Now, watch this: I still reserve the right to assign certain stipulations regarding who must do what to actually acquire what, but that doesn’t mean they are working for what I give them. I want you to follow me here; it’s still not works on their part; it remains a grace covenant.