Τhe Old Has Passed Away; Behold the                             New Has Come

Τhe Old Has Passed Away; Behold the New Has Come.

Writter: Evangelos D. Kepenes (September 16, 2025, 12:10 p.m)

When people have a pre-installed religious belief, they cannot realize that the dogmatic influence they have undergone is at its peak. They perceive the words of the New Testament not as the fulfillment of prophetic sayings through Jesus ("Christ is the end of the Law," "the old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new"), but as a perpetual expectation of future events.

Twenty centuries are not enough for the religiously dependent to understand the immediacy, regarding the time of fulfillment, that the words of Jesus had when He said to His Hebrew audience:

"Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation." (Matt. 23:36)

And again:

"So you also [the contemporaries of Jesus], when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place." (Mark 13:29-30)

Again James tells his contemporaries: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge stands [ἕ σ τ η κ ε ν Strongs NT 2476] at the door.” (James 5:7-9)

Greek Language Grammar

He stands (esteken): Active voice, indicative mood, perfect tense of istemi (with an intransitive meaning = he has stood, he stands before the doors  =James 5:7-9).

“Among you stands [ἕ σ τ η κ ε ν] someone you do not know: (John 1:26)

The Theory of the Perfect Tense: The Perfect tense does not merely look at the past; it looks at the present as the result of a completed action of the past. It is the bridge between the accomplished act and the current state.

In the example of the text, the use of the perfect tense "ἕστηκεν" proves precisely this theory:

The action in the past: The Judge took his position, he stood.

The result in the present: The Judge is already there, he is present, he has taken his stand before the doors.

If the biblical writer wanted to show a future expectation or an action that would happen sometime later, he would have used the Future tense (stesetai). If he wanted to show a simple historical reference to the past without an immediate impact on the present of his readers, he would have used the Aorist tense (este). By using the Perfect tense, he conveys to his contemporaries the absolute certainty that the process of judgment had already begun, and its result was a tangible, present reality for their era.

The exact same logic appears in other crucial verses where the Perfect tense locks in the accomplished event:

"Γέγονεν" / Gegonen (II Cor. 5:17): "old things have passed away; behold, new things have come to pass." All things became new, and this new condition remains and applies in the present. It is not something pending to happen.

"Γέγραπται" / Gegraptai (Matt. 4:4): "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’." It was written in the past, but the result (the written text) remains alive and valid as an eternal law in the present.

"Τετέλεσται" / Tetelestai (John 19:30): The final phrase of Jesus upon the cross. The work of salvation and the fulfillment of the Law ended at that moment, and the result of this completion remains active forever.

Neither do such people comprehend the immediacy of the fulfillment of the sayings of the Apostles, who, shortly before the impending judgment of the Lamb upon the ungodly among the Jews and the destruction of the finite earthly Temple—events that sealed the "end (completion) of the Law"—exhorted thus:

"But this I say, brethren, the time that remains is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away." (I Cor. 7:29-31)

Furthermore, lost in the abyss of their biblical ignorance, they boast and characterize the simple comprehension of the gospel as a "hymn to human reason," ignoring that they are actually referring to "philosophy," which brought many evils upon the pure, clear message of the "sect of Judaism" (Acts 24:14). The fact that they are victims of the Hellenization of Christianity by the philosopher fathers—whose only concern was political and cultural dominance through philosophical dogmas, and they are being mocked by religious systems—which have developed the theory of the delay of the Lord's Coming, turning the "Behold, I am coming quickly" that Jesus spoke to His contemporaries in the first century into the vague generalities of someone "who deceives the crowd"—is of no interest to them; even though the Apostles intensely preached:

"For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry." (Heb. 10:37)

Let such people know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal, simple, and makes wise the simple in heart; it makes wise those who search and rejoice in His truth.

“The declaration of your words illuminates, and it gives understanding to babes [ν η π ί ο υ ς. Strongs NT 3516]” (Psalm 118-130)

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.” (Mat. 11:25-26)

Let us return, then, to the simplicity of the word and let us comprehend all that was written concerning the last days of ritualistic Judaism and the end of the ministry of death. We live in the endless age of grace and the gift of immortality for those who receive Jesus, the true God and eternal life.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (II Cor. 5:17)

Flee from religions, sects, and their charters. Religions and sects evolve.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

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