The Second Testament as a covenant of peace

This article critiques Covenant of Peace by Willard Swartley as a work of Second Testament theology and ethics. The broad scope of the book is an important feature, and the basic thrust of Swartley's argument for placing peace at the centre of Second Testament interpretation is affirmed. Certain methodological and hermeneutical shortcomings are noted, albeit within the context of appreciation for the work as a whole. However, on the question of eschatological vengeance, which features in the first and last books of the Second Testament, Swartley's approach is deemed problematic.