Detailed discussion of the covenant concept in Luke 22:29:

The Greek word diatithemai is used 7 times in the New Testament, including two times in Luke 22:29. It is the root word for diatheke which is the Greek word for "covenant". It always carries the connotation of "making a covenant" or "making a testament", but sometimes the English translation of this word masks some of the richness of its meaning. Sometimes it is merely quoted "make", but it is significant to notice that this word diatithemai is only used in covenantal contexts. You have already seen Luke 22:29. Here are the other 5 diatithemai passages, all of which directly involve covenantal concepts:

Acts 3:25 -- "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made (diatithemai) with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed."
Hebrews 8:10 -- "For this is the covenant that I will make (diatithemai) with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people"
Hebrews 9:16 -- "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator (diatithemai)."
Hebrews 9:17 -- "For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator (diatithemai) liveth."
Hebrews 10:16 -- "16This is the covenant that I will make (diatithemai) with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them"

In the KJV Bible, the English word "make" is used over 140 times. The words tithemi and kathistemi are used, among many others. But the only time the word diatithemai is translated "make" is in the covenantal passages above.

Now let's look again at Luke 22:29 -- Jesus said, "I appoint (diatithemai) unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed (diatithemai) unto me"

In the KJV, the English word "appoint" is used 4 times. The Greek word tithemi is translated "appoint" in Matthew 24:51, and in Luke 12:46. And the word "kathistemi" is translated "appoint" in Acts 6:3. --- Luke had various words at his disposal which meant "appoint", but he chose diatithemai here in Luke 22:29. Why? Because the word diatithemai specifically carries the connotation of covenant-making. Every time it is used in the Bible, it carries this meaning, as you can see in the list at the top of this page.

--- article by Joseph M. Gleason - March, 2005

Click here to return to the Bible Lighthouse homepage.

Click here for a printer friendly copy of this article.