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Weekly Bible Studies
Click HERE to print the Living Lutheran "Unpacking White Privilege" article
Summer Discussion Series – Weeks 1 and 2: Biblical Covenants and Social Contracts
Introduction: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33 “He answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.' ” Luke 10:27
I. Biblical Covenant
a. Definition: A covenant is a chosen relationship in which two parties make a promise to each other. Example: marriage A covenant should be distinguished from a contract because it is a personal relationship which people voluntarily enter.
b. Biblical Covenants 1. There is disagreement about how many are in the Bible. Opinions range from 1-12. In the Scripture, there was a focus on three types of covenants, namely, the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, and the New Covenant mediated by Jesus. Some scholars classify only two; a covenant of promise and a covenant of law. The former involved an oath taken by God – a word of promise instead of command – while the latter is known in the Bible as “the Law”. 2. Brief description of Seven Biblical Covenants: *Eden: Genesis 3:15; God’s Promise: Satan and mankind will be enemies; Sign - pain of childbirth, work for bread *Noah: Genesis 9:8-17; God’s Promise: God would never again destroy the world with a flood. Sign – Rainbow *Abraham: Genesis 15:12-21, 17:1-14; God’s Promise: Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation if they obeyed God. God would be their God. Sign – Smoking firepot and flaming torch. *At Mount Sinai: Exodus 19:5-6; God’s Promise: Israel would be God’s special people, a holy nation. But they would have to keep their part of the covenant to obedience. Sign – The Exodus *The Priesthood: Numbers 25:10-13; God’s Promise: Aaron’s descendants would be priests forever. Sign – The Aaronic priesthood *David: 2Samuel 7:13, 23:5; God’s Promise: Salvation would come through David’s line, through the Messiah Sign – David’s line continued and Christ was born a descendant of David *New Covenant: Hebrews 8:6-13; God’s Promise: Forgiveness and salvation are available in and through Christ Sign – the resurrection of Christ
II. Social Contract What allows us to live together in community? a. Definition: an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits. Example: sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection b. Social Contract theory says that people live together in society in accordance with an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behavior. The US Constitution is often cited as an explicit example of part of America’s social contract. It sets out what the government can and cannot do. c. After the contracts are established, however, then society becomes possible, and people can be expected to keep their promises, cooperate with one another, and so on. The social contract is the most fundamental source of all that is good and that which we depend upon to live well.
III. Trevor Noah Video Trevor Noah is a South African, political commentator and television host. He is the current host of the Daily Show. He is also an author of “Born a Crime” and other books. The video that we are about to share was Trevor Noah’s response to the death of George Floyd and other events happening in our country today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
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Pittsburgh Lutheran United Ministries (PLUM), 405 Kennedy Avenue, Duquesne, PA 15110 412-466-7773