Couched in that very common form, Jesus’ question to his mother in Joh 2:4 cannot be excluded from the one category. It bears all the features of repellency or resistance to his mother in proposing his course for him. So in his case we have rendered it the same as in all other cases of the like question: “What have I to do with you, woman? My hour has not yet come.” Other translators render it more strongly: “Do not try to direct me. It is not yet time for me to act.” (An American Translation) “Trouble me not, woman; my hour has not yet come.”—The Four Gospels, by C. C. Torrey, based on Aramaic.

Mt 28:1—“After the sabbath”

Gr., Ὀψὲ . . . σαββάτων (o·pseʹ. . . sab·baʹton)

J. H. Thayer, in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, fourth ed., Edinburgh (1901), p. 471, says: “ὀψὲ σαββάτων, the sabbath having just passed, after the sabbath, i.e. at the early dawn of the first day of the week—(an interpretation absolutely demanded by the added specification τῇ ἐπιφωσκ κτλ [tei e·pi·pho·sk(ouʹ sei) . . . , “when it was growing light” etc.]), Mt. xxviii. 1.” Also, Zorell^Gr, column 969, says: “post [after]: ὀψὲ σαββάτων Mt 28:1 ‘post sabbatum’ [‘after the sabbath’].” Moreover, Bauer, p. 601, says under ὀψέ: “after ὀψὲ σαββάτων after the Sabbath Mt 28:1.”

Heb 9:16—Gr., διαθήκη (di·a·theʹke)

The word di·a·theʹke occurs 33 times in the Greek text, namely, in Mt 26:28; Mr 14:24; Lu 1:72; Lu 22:20; Ac 3:25; Ac 7:8; Ro 9:4; Ro 11:27; 1Co 11:25; 2Co 3:6, 14; Ga 3:15, 17; Ga 4:24; Eph 2:12; Heb 7:22; Heb 8:6, 8, 9, 9, 10; Heb 9:4, 4, 15, 15, 16, 17, 20; Heb 10:16, 29; Heb 12:24; Heb 13:20; Re 11:19. The New World Translation renders the Greek word di·a·theʹke as “covenant” in these 33 places.

The word di·a·theʹke occurs in quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures seven times, namely, in Ro 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 (berithʹ, “covenant”), and the Greek word in LXX is διαθήκη (di·a·theʹke).

Although the obvious meaning of di·a·theʹke in the Christian Greek Scriptures is in the ancient Hebrew sense of “covenant,” many modern translators render di·a·theʹke in Heb 9:16, 17 as “will” or “testament.” They thus indicate that the writer of the book of Hebrews intended a change of meaning for this Greek word.

However, the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, by John McClintock and James Strong, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint, Vol. II, p. 544, states: “The Sept. having rendered בְּרִית (which never means will or testament, but always covenant or agreement) by διαθήκη consistently throughout the O. T., the N. T. writers, in adopting that word, may naturally be supposed to intend to convey to their readers, most of them familiar with the Greek O. T., the same idea. . . . In the confessedly difficult passage, Heb. ix, 16, 17, the word διαθήκη has been thought by many commentators absolutely to require the meaning of will or testament. On the other side, however, it may be alleged that, in addition to what has just been said as to the usual meaning of the word in the N. T., the word occurs twice in the context, where its meaning must necessarily be the same as the translation of בְּרִית, and in the unquestionable sense of covenant (comp. διαθήκη καινή [di·a·theʹke kai·neʹ, “new covenant”], Heb. ix, 15, with the same expression in viii, 8; and διαθήκη, ix, 16, 17, with ver. 20, and Exod. xxiv, 8).”

Likewise, B. F. Westcott, coeditor of the Westcott and Hort Greek text, in his work, The Epistle to the Hebrews, London, 1892, p. 300, wrote the following:

“The Biblical evidence then, so far as it is clear, is wholly in favour of the sense of ‘covenant,’ with the necessary limitation of the sense of the word in connexion with a Divine covenant. When we pass to the consideration of the sense of διαθήκη in c. ix. 15 ff. one preliminary remark offers itself. The connexion of vv. 15—18 is most close: v. 16 ὅπου γάρ [hoʹpou gar, “For where”]. . . : v. 18 ὅθεν οὐδέ [hoʹthen ou·deʹ, “Consequently neither”]. . . .

“This connexion makes it most difficult to suppose that the key-word (διαθήκη) is used in different senses in the course of the verses, and especially that the characteristic of a particular kind of διαθήκη, essentially different from the πρώτη διαθήκη [proʹte di·a·theʹke, “former covenant”] of vv. 15, 18, should be brought forward in v. 16. For it is impossible to maintain that the sacrifices with which the Old Covenant was inaugurated could be explained on the supposition that it was a ‘Testament.’ Nor does it appear that it could be called a ‘Testament’ in any sense.

“It is then most reasonable to conclude that διαθήκη has the same sense throughout, and that the sense is the otherwise universal one of ‘covenant,’ unless there are overwhelming arguments against such a view.”

Therefore, in Heb 9:16, 17, the Greek word di·a·theʹke has the same meaning as in the surrounding verses, namely, “covenant,” corresponding to the Hebrew word berithʹ. These verses are imbedded in the apostle’s discussion of the Mosaic Law covenant as compared with its antitype, the new covenant. Paul speaks of the mediator (covenanter) dying in order for the covenant to become legal and binding. In the case of the Law covenant, the animal victims took the place of Moses, the mediator (covenanter) of the Law covenant, their blood substituting for his in legalizing and making the covenant operative. Correspondingly, in the case of the new covenant, Jesus Christ, the mediator (covenanter) of the new covenant, actually gave his perfect human life in sacrifice. When he shed his blood in death, the new covenant was validated.

2Co 3:14—Gr., ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης (e·piʹ tei a·na·gnoʹsei tes pa·lai·asʹ di·a·theʹkes);

Lat., in lectione veteris testamenti

Today it is a common practice to refer to the Scriptures written in Hebrew and Aramaic as “The Old Testament.” This is based on the reading in 2Co 3:14 in the Latin Vulgate and the King James Version. The Christian Greek Scriptures are commonly called “The New Testament.” It is to be noted that in 2Co 3:14 the word di·a·theʹkes means “covenant,” as in the other 32 places where it occurs in the Greek text.—See App 7D.

Concerning the meaning of the Latin word testamentum (genitive, testamenti), Edwin Hatch, in his work Essays in Biblical Greek, Oxford, 1889, p. 48, states that “in ignorance of the philology of later and vulgar Latin, it was formerly supposed that ‘testamentum,’ by which the word [di·a·theʹke] is rendered in the early Latin versions as well as in the Vulgate, meant ‘testament’ or ‘will,’ whereas in fact it meant also, if not exclusively, ‘covenant.’” Likewise, in A Bible Commentary for English Readers by Various Writers, edited by Charles Ellicott, New York, Vol. VIII, p. 309, W. F. Moulton wrote that “in the old Latin translation of the Scriptures testamentum became the common rendering of the word [di·a·theʹke]. As, however, this rendering is very often found where it is impossible to think of such a meaning as will (for example, in Ps. lxxxiii, 5, where no one will suppose the Psalmist to say that the enemies of God ‘have arranged a testament against Him’), it is plain that the Latin testamentum was used with an extended meaning, answering to the wide application of the Greek word.”—See Ps 25:10 and Ps 83:5 ftns.

In view of the above, the rendering “old testament” in the King James Version in 2Co 3:14 is incorrect. Many modern translations correctly read “old covenant” at this point. Here the apostle Paul is not referring to the Hebrew and Aramaic Scriptures in their entirety. Neither does he mean that the inspired Christian writings constitute a “new testament (covenant).” The apostle is speaking of the old Law covenant, which was recorded by Moses in the Pentateuch and which makes up only a part of the pre-Christian Scriptures. For this reason he says in the next verse, “whenever Moses is read.”

Therefore, there is no valid basis for the Hebrew and Aramaic Scriptures to be called “The Old Testament” and for the Christian Greek Scriptures to be called “The New Testament.” Jesus Christ himself referred to the collection of sacred writings as “the Scriptures.” (Mt 21:42; Mr 14:49; Joh 5:39) The apostle Paul referred to them as “the holy Scriptures,” “the Scriptures” and “the holy writings.” (Ro 1:2; 15:4; 2Ti 3:15) In harmony with the inspired utterance in Ro 1:2, the New World Translation contains in its title the expression “the Holy Scriptures.”