bbyrd, Paul seemed to think the first covenant -- the law -- was broken upon the death of Christ. Recall the promise of a new covenant by Jeremiah to replace the covenant that Israel broke:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:" -- Jer 31:31-32 KJV
In the letter to the Romans, while addressing the Jews, Paul wrote that Christ (the husband) died to release Israel (the wife) from the law:
"Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to [Christ] who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." -- Rom 7:1-4 KJV
In other words, Christ died to release his wife, Israel, from the first covenant, so that he could remarry Israel (those who remained faithful) under the new covenant:
"for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out--to remission of sins;" -- Mat 26:28 YLT
Peter spoke of the promise of remission of sins, early on:
"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities [sins]." -- Acts 3:25-26 KJV
I am fairly certain that statement by Peter is an example of the continuation of covenant confirmation as foretold by Daniel:
"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years]" -- Dan 9:27 KJV
Jesus also confirmed the covenant, but died half-way through the [70th] week:
"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:" -- Rom 15:8 KJV
The disciples fulfilled the second half-week of covenant confirmation in this manner:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." -- John 13:20 KJV
Rev
