A covenant in a religious and Biblical sense is essentially an agreement ".... between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return." (Covenant) As will be discussed in this paper, the meaning of covenant is often interpreted very differently in the old and new testaments. The old and new covenants refer to the Mosaic covenant in the Old Testament and the covenant through Christ in the New Testament of the Bible. "The designations "Old" and "New" seem to have been adopted after c.a.d. 200 to distinguish the books of the Mosaic covenant and those of the "new" covenant in Christ." (Old Testament")
             The difference between the old and new covenants is expressed clearly in the book of John in the New Testament. "For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Therefore, the most essential difference between these two covenants is that the first covenant that was given through Moses was one of Law, while the new covenant, through the intercession of Jesus Christ, was a covenant based more on compassion, faith and grace.
             There are of course many areas of debate within this basic distinction between the old and new and some theologians and schools of thought see the new covenant as a continuation of the old; while others view the new covenant as a distinct change or break from the old. This paper will attempt to outline the various elements and aspects that show the differences as well as the possible similarities between the two covenants.
             2. A comparison of central aspects of the old and new covenants.
             The old covenant, which is known as the Mosaic covenant is seen by most theologians as a covenant based on the idea of law or commandments. In Exodus 24:8 it is stated that" And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with...