Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5381 law, letter and spirit of

5381 law, letter and spirit of

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5200 Human civilisation » 5375 law » 5381 law, letter and spirit of

A rigid adherence to the letter of the law often masks hypocrisy and neglect of its spirit, namely having God at the centre of one's life and putting others before oneself, or recognising that the law points to Jesus Christ.

The letter of the law

Overemphasis on keeping some parts of the law

Mark 7:1-8 pp Matthew 15:1-2 See also Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 9:10-13 pp Mark 2:15-17 pp Luke 5:29-32

Hypocrisy with regard to keeping the law

Mark 7:9-13 pp Matthew 15:3-6 See also Matthew 23:1-33; Luke 11:37-52; Luke 18:9-14; John 9:1-16; Romans 2:17-24; Isaiah 52:5

The spirit of the law

Jesus Christ and the law

Matthew 5:17-6:19 See also Matthew 19:16-30 pp Mark 10:17-30 pp Luke 18:18-30

Jesus Christ's attitude to the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:6 pp Matthew 12:1-14 pp Luke 6:1-11 See also Mark 1:21-28 pp Luke 4:31-37; Luke 13:10-17; Luke 14:1-6; John 5:1-16; John 7:21-24

Jesus Christ's treatment of the woman taken in adultery

John 8:2-11

The greatest commandment

Matthew 22:34-40 pp Mark 12:28-34 See also Matthew 25:31-46

The importance of obedience and right attitudes outweighs that of outward actions

Romans 2:25-29 See also 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Psalm 51:16-17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8; Galatians 3:1-5

The spirit of the law is embodied in the new covenant

2 Corinthians 3:3-6 See also John 4:19-24; Romans 7:4-6; Romans 8:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:45-46; 2 Corinthians 3:13-18; Galatians 5:18; Hebrews 7:18-22; Hebrews 8:1-13; Jeremiah 31:31-34