SPECIAL TOPIC: OLD THINGS. . .NEW THINGS
Notice the purposeful interchange of VERB TENSES in 2 Cor. 5:17.
This concept of "new" is part of OT terminology for the eschaton. The OT prophets spoke of this new age.
This eschatological newness had come in Jesus, but the old was still present. The new has not been fully consummated. The overlapping of the Jewish "two ages" (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME) by Jesus' two comings was unforseen by OT prophets though they did depict the Messiah in lowly servant terms as well as victorious royal terms. He fulfilled the first imagery with His first coming and will fulfill the second imagery with His second coming.
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