Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Delight » What the lord does not delight in
Feast of the new moon » Mere outward observance of, hateful to God
the anniversary Feasts » Rendered unavailing by the impiety of the jews
the anniversary Feasts » Called » Solemn meetings
Formalism » Warnings against
[These people] maintain an appearance of being godly, but they have denied its power; [you should] turn away from such people.
Verse Concepts
"It is too bad for you hypocritical experts in the law of Moses and [you] Pharisees! For you give a tenth of your mint, dill and cumin [i.e., small garden herbs used for seasoning or fragrance], and [yet] neglect the heavier responsibilities required by the law, [such as] justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these ["lighter"] things and not neglected to do the other ["heavier"] things [as well].
Verse Concepts
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]:
Verse Concepts
These people [claim to] honor me with their lips [i.e., by what they say], but their heart is far from [honoring] me.
Verse Concepts
You are observing [certain] days, and months, and seasons, and years [as binding religious holidays]. I am afraid for you, [i.e., for your spiritual safety], that possibly I may have spent a lot of effort on your behalf for nothing.
Hearing » Who the lord will not hear
Hiding » Who the lord hides himself from
Hypocrites » Worship of, not acceptable to God
They are worshiping me for nothing [because they are] teaching principles that are [merely] the requirements of men.'"
Verse Concepts
Incense » The jews » Not accepted in offering, on account of sin
Offerings » Useless when not accompanied by genuine piety
And that to love Him with all one's heart, with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength, and to love one's neighbor the same way he loves himself, are far more [important] than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices [in the world]."
Verse Concepts
Show 7 more verses
Offerings » The jews often » Rejected in, because of sin
Ordinance » Insufficiency of, for salvation
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]: "Do not handle [this]; do not taste [that]; do not touch [those things]?" (All these things [i.e., the things handled, tasted or touched] are destined to perish with [constant] use). [These rules are] based on the commands and teachings of men. read more.
They certainly have an appearance of wisdom, [displaying] self-prescribed worship and [false] humility and asceticism, but they lack any value in curbing the desires of the physical passions.
They certainly have an appearance of wisdom, [displaying] self-prescribed worship and [false] humility and asceticism, but they lack any value in curbing the desires of the physical passions.
For in [our relationship with] Christ neither the practice of circumcision nor refraining from its practice matters in any way; but [all that really matters is having a genuine] faith [in Christ] that causes us to work [for Him] out of a genuine love [for Him and others].
Verse Concepts
For it does not matter whether a person practices circumcision or refrains from practicing it; what really matters is [whether or not he is] a new creature [in the eyes of God].
Verse Concepts
by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them].
Verse Concepts
He canceled the document written in ordinances [Note: This obviously refers to the Mosaic law] that was against us and was opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
Verse Concepts
Now even the first Agreement had regulations for [governing] service [to God] and an earthly sanctuary.
Verse Concepts
[By his doing this] the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy Place [Note: This actually refers to the Holy of Holies, and represents heaven] had not yet been disclosed [i.e., made accessible] while the first Tabernacle was still standing. [That Tabernacle] is symbolic of the present time, [indicating] that both gifts and [animal] sacrifices, which are offered [by the priests], are not able to give the worshiper a clear conscience since, with foods and drinks and various [ceremonial] washings, they are only outward regulations imposed until the time when everything would be made right [i.e., under the New Agreement].
Prayer » Whose prayer the lord does not hear
Religion » Formalism » Warnings against
[These people] maintain an appearance of being godly, but they have denied its power; [you should] turn away from such people.
Verse Concepts
"It is too bad for you hypocritical experts in the law of Moses and [you] Pharisees! For you give a tenth of your mint, dill and cumin [i.e., small garden herbs used for seasoning or fragrance], and [yet] neglect the heavier responsibilities required by the law, [such as] justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these ["lighter"] things and not neglected to do the other ["heavier"] things [as well].
Verse Concepts
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]:
Verse Concepts
These people [claim to] honor me with their lips [i.e., by what they say], but their heart is far from [honoring] me.
Verse Concepts
You are observing [certain] days, and months, and seasons, and years [as binding religious holidays]. I am afraid for you, [i.e., for your spiritual safety], that possibly I may have spent a lot of effort on your behalf for nothing.
Requirements » What the lord does not require
Sacrifice » The lord not desiring sacrifices
When Jesus heard this, He said, "People who are healthy do not need a doctor; but [only] sick people do. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not [only] sacrifice.' For I did not come to call righteous people [to be my followers] but sinners."
For the law of Moses was [only] a foreshadow of the good things that [were] to come [i.e., in the Messianic age], not the exact image of those things. It can never, by the same sacrifices, continually offered year after year, make [morally] perfect those who draw near [to God in worship]. If it could, would not those sacrifices have stopped being offered [by now], since the worshipers would have been [ceremonially] cleansed and would not have had a sense of guilt anymore? But those sacrifices were [only] a reminder of [the people's] sins year after year, read more.
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said [to God], [Psa. 40:6-8 LXX], "You did not want an [animal] sacrifice and an offering, but you prepared a body for me [to sacrifice]. You were not pleased with whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do what you want, O God, [just as] it is written in the scroll of the book [about me].'" [After] saying the above, "You did not want, nor were you pleased, with [peace] sacrifices and [meal] offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings," [although] these are offered according to the law of Moses, He then said, "Look, I have come to do what you want." [So], Christ takes away the first [i.e., the animal and grain sacrifices] in order to establish the second [i.e., the sacrifice of Himself].
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said [to God], [Psa. 40:6-8 LXX], "You did not want an [animal] sacrifice and an offering, but you prepared a body for me [to sacrifice]. You were not pleased with whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do what you want, O God, [just as] it is written in the scroll of the book [about me].'" [After] saying the above, "You did not want, nor were you pleased, with [peace] sacrifices and [meal] offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings," [although] these are offered according to the law of Moses, He then said, "Look, I have come to do what you want." [So], Christ takes away the first [i.e., the animal and grain sacrifices] in order to establish the second [i.e., the sacrifice of Himself].
national Sins » National worship rejected on account of
national Sins » Defile » National worship
Vanity » The worship of the wicked is
And when you pray, do not use worthless repetitions like the [unconverted] Gentiles, for they think their lengthy, repetitious wording [in prayer] is more likely to be heard [by God].
Verse Concepts