“Covenant” is the master concept that unlocks the meaning of the Bible. The Bible tells the story of God the Father’s love for His children and His plan to fashion all people into one holy family. God unfolds this plan of salvation through a series of covenants, culminating in the New Covenant He makes in Jesus.
In this course, we look at God’s covenant plan. We study the five key covenants God makes in the Old Testament in order to see how they are fulfilled in Jesus and the Church. The goal is to enable students to understand the crucial significance of the covenant concept for interpreting the Bible and for understanding God’s fatherly plan.
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Objectives
- To learn the importance of God’s covenants for understanding and interpreting the Bible.
- To understand the difference between the biblical idea of “covenant” and modern notions of “contract.”
- To learn the five key covenants of the Old Testament, be able to locate them in the Bible, and understand how they are fulfilled in Jesus and the Catholic Church.
Materials
The primary text will be the Bible. And each lesson will provide links to biblical passages cited. In addition, the instructors recommend Scott Hahn’s A Father Who Keeps His Promises, which covers much of the material to be studied in this course.
Lessons
- Lesson One: The Master Key that Unlocks the Bible
- To learn the "big-picture" overview of the Bible - the story that the Bible tells.
- To understand the concept of "covenant" and its importance for reading and interpreting the Bible.
- To learn in general detail the six major covenants in the Bible.
- Lesson Two: From Sabbath to Flood
- To read Genesis 1-12 with understanding.
- To learn the meaning of the first two covenants of salvation history - the Sabbath, and the covenant made with Noah.
- To begin to understand the "patterns" of biblical history.
- Lesson Three: Our Father, Abraham
- To read Genesis 12-50 with understanding.
- To understand God’s covenant with Abraham and to see how that covenant is fulfilled in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
- To appreciate key figures and elements in the Abraham story - Melchizedek, circumcision, the sacrifice of Isaac - as they are interpreted in the Church’s tradition.
- Lesson Four: The First-Born Son of God
- To read the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy with understanding.
- To understand God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai and to see how this covenant looks forward to and is fulfilled in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
- To appreciate the key figures and events - Moses, the Passover, and the vocation of Israel as “a kingdom of priests” - as they are interpreted in the Church’s tradition.
- Lesson Five: A Throne For All Generations
- To finish reading the Old Testament (from Joshua to Malachi) and to read with understanding.
- To understand the broad outlines of the history of Israel in light of God’s covenant with Abraham.
- To appreciate the crucial importance of God’s everlasting covenant with David.
- Lesson Six: The New and Everlasting Covenant
- To read the New Testament with understanding.
- To understand how the New Testament depicts Jesus as the fulfillment of the covenants of the Old Testament.
- To appreciate, especially, the importance of God’s everlasting covenant with David for understanding the mission of Jesus and the Church as it is presented in the New Testament.
Lesson Objectives
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Lesson Objectives
Log in or create an account to begin.
Lesson Objectives
Log in or create an account to begin.
Lesson Objectives
Log in or create an account to begin.
Lesson Objectives
Log in or create an account to begin.
Lesson Objectives
Log in or create an account to begin.
Getting Started
Whether you're studying Scripture for the first time, looking to take your studies to a higher level, or whether you're ready for advanced training, you've come to the right place!
How to Use the Courses
Work at your own pace: All courses and each individual lesson will be archived and can be read or printed at any time.
Tips for Learning
Read each lesson as well as the Bible passages and other resources the instructor recommends. Taking notes will help you remember what you read. Then answer the study questions.