"Klaus Baltzer delves into the structure and use of the covenant formulary, and then into its role in the ancient cultures of Israel and the Near East. The author ties together many strands of biblical study by showing the covenant's importance for the New Testament and for writings of the intertestamental and post-apostolic periods. In Part I Baltzer analyzes the elements of the Old Testament covenant in comparison with Hittite treaties. Close examination of the biblical evidence forms the basis of his discussion of how the covenant was actually used in people's life and worship. Part II focuses on the covenant formulary in Jewish and early Christian texts, notably the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Letter of Barnabas, and the Didache. In reference to New Testament concepts of the covenant, the author concludes that there is little difference between the formal structures of the Old and New Covenants: "The new element in the New Covenant lies in the fact that it derives from a history." Baltzar's use of both form criticism and traditio-historical criticism provides an illuminating model of this methodology - an extremely fruitful one in exploring biblical material. Already influential in German, this book is basic for students of the Bible, of the ancient Near East, and of Christian origins."--